Mr. Chris Bitsakakis reports

AIRBOSS REPORTS 4TH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2023 RESULTS / CORRECTION

Airboss of America Corp. released its fourth quarter and annual results yesterday. All dollar amounts are shown in thousands of United States dollars, except per-share amounts, unless otherwise noted. This earnings release corrects a typographical error in the earnings per share (EPS) information in the release issued yesterday, which is now consistent with the EPS information disclosed in the management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations for the year ended Dec. 31, 2023.

Recent highlights:

• Generated $40.9-million cash from operations during 2023, compared with consuming $30.8-million in 2022;
• 2023 adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $26.8-million on adjusted profit of negative $6.4-million and a loss of $41.7-million;
• Finished 2023 with a net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.30 times;
• Declared a quarterly dividend of seven cents per common share.

"Despite a significant improvement in cash generation for Airboss, 2023 was a challenging year as we continued to navigate the impact of economic headwinds, fuelled by labour stoppages in the auto sector and continued delays in government sourcing. Looking forward, however, and in order to better position the company for sustainable growth, we recently completed an in-depth review of the entire enterprise, yielding a blueprint for a strategic transition related to the future road map of Airboss," said Chris Bitsakakis, president and co-chief executive officer of Airboss. "This transition will consolidate all rubber compounding operations into one segment, Airboss rubber solutions, emphasizing ARS's ability to act as a core driver for margin expansion, sustainable growth and productivity. The new Airboss manufactured products segment will consolidate all operations which manufacture or distribute finished products to a variety of target markets, including automotive, non-automotive and defence. We will also undertake an in-depth strategic review of all individual product lines AMP currently manufactures and sells, in order to assess their overall alignment with the new strategic direction of Airboss."

"Our businesses and the markets in which we operate continue to experience significant change, and we believe our shift in strategic focus will help prioritize investments, drive long-term shareholder value, growth and be accretive to the company," added Gren Schoch, chairman and co-CEO. "We have focused on fortifying our balance sheet from cash generated in 2023, and continue to explore implementing further cost-reduction initiatives within our business units in 2024. As an organization, we remain committed to our long-term priorities, including growing the core rubber solutions segment, refocusing the range of products which manufactured products sells, while ensuring alignment with our new strategic direction, and investing in core areas of the business to support long-term sustainable growth."

Financial results

Consolidated net sales in the three-month period ending Dec. 31, 2023 (Q4 2023), decreased by 21.1 per cent to $92,696, compared with the three-month period ended Dec. 31, 2022 (Q4 2022), with decreases at both rubber solutions and manufactured products. Consolidated net sales for the year decreased by 10.7 per cent to $426,025 compared with 2022, primarily due to decreased sales at rubber solutions across the majority of sectors and manufactured products' delivery of nitrile gloves to Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) in the prior year, partially offset by improved performance in other product lines in that segment.

Consolidated gross profit for Q4 2023 decreased to $5,122 from $24,767 compared with Q4 2022, due to decreases in the manufactured products' defence product lines and rubber-moulded product lines. For the year, consolidated gross profit was up by $34,279 to $58,410 and gross profit as a percentage of net sales increased to 13.7 per cent from 5.1 per cent, compared with 2022. The increase was driven by a $57-million non-cash write-down related to nitrile glove inventory in 2022 and improvements at the rubber solutions segments, in addition to cost improvements that took place in the latter part of 2023 in each segment, partially offset by an $8-million non-cash write-down related to nitrile glove inventory in 2023. Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2023 decreased by 71.1 per cent, compared with the same period in 2022 and decreased by 41 per cent for 2023 compared with 2022.

Financial position

The company retains a $250-million credit facility and a net debt to TTM (trailing-12-month) adjusted EBITDA ratio of 3.30 times (from 2.43 times at Dec. 31, 2022).

Dividend

The board of directors of the company has approved a quarterly dividend of seven cents per common share, to be paid on April 15, 2024, to shareholders of record at March 29, 2024.

Segment results

In the rubber solutions segment, net sales in the quarter decreased by 21.1 per cent to $54,464 and by 12.3 per cent to $248,395 in 2023, from the comparable periods in 2022. The decrease in net sales for Q4 2023 was primarily due to softness across most sectors and for 2023 was across most sectors driven by economic headwinds. For the quarter and 2023, volume was down 17.5 per cent, with decreases across the majority of sectors given softness in many customer sectors. Tolling volume was down 63 per cent in the quarter and 59.6 per cent in 2023, from the comparable periods in 2022. Non-tolling volume was down 9.9 per cent for the quarter and by 7.4 per cent in 2023, compared with the same periods in 2022. Gross profit in the rubber solutions segment increased by 1.9 per cent to $7,845 for the quarter and decreased by 4.63 per cent to $34,947 in 2023, from the comparable periods in 2022. For the quarter, the increase in gross profit was principally due to product mix and managing overheard costs, offset by a reduction in volume. For the year, the decrease was primarily as a result of decreased tolling and non-tolling volumes compared with 2022, and partially offset by managing controllable overhead costs.

At manufactured products, net sales in the quarter decreased by 19.9 per cent to $44,029 and by 7.4 per cent to $202,290 in 2023, from the comparable periods in 2022. For the quarter, the decrease was the result of lower volumes in the defence product lines and across the rubber moulding product lines, in particular the muffler hangers, bushings and spring isolator product lines. For the year, the decrease was primarily due to a decrease in the defence products lines from the delivery of nitrile gloves to HHS in the part of the previous year, partly offset by an increase in the rubber-moulded products lines due to increased volume. Gross profit in the manufactured products segment decreased by $19,791 to a loss of $2,723 for the quarter and increased by $35,977 to $23,463 in 2023, from the comparable periods in 2022. For the quarter, the decrease was primarily a result of an $8-million non-cash write-down related to nitrile glove inventory, retroactive pricing from improved arrangements with key suppliers and customers recognized in the comparable period in 2022, and lower volumes in the defence product lines and across the rubber-moulded product lines, partially offset by operational cost improvements in the segment. For the year, the increase was primarily a result of a $57-million non-cash write-down related to nitrile glove inventory in 2022, in addition to increased volume, and improved arrangements in 2023 within the rubber-moulded products lines with key suppliers and customers. In addition, there was a continued focus on controllable operational cost containment and managing overhead costs, partially offset by an $8-million non-cash write-down related to nitrile glove inventory in 2023.

Overview

Two thousand twenty-three was a challenging year for Airboss as economic headwinds impacted each segment to varying degrees, and the company continued to navigate significant and extensive obstacles related to labour, supply chain and logistics challenges. The company focused on managing costs and risk mitigation plans in response to these challenges, which were particularly pronounced in the fourth quarter of 2023 (Q4 2023), and undertook a strategic review of each of its business units. This review has resulted in its new strategic transition, including a shift in reportable segments commencing with results for Q4 2023 and the year ended Dec. 31, 2023. Airboss now reports results under two segments: (1) Airboss rubber solutions; and (2) Airboss manufactured products. The ARS segment consists of the former rubber solutions segment and the rubber compounding operations at Acton Vale, Que. (previously included in the Airboss defence group segment). The new AMP segment consists of Airboss engineered products, formerly a stand-alone segment, and Airboss defence group, formerly a stand-alone segment (other than the rubber compounding operations at Acton Vale, Que.).

Both ARS and AMP experienced residual softness in Q4 2023. The rubber-moulded products operations at AMP were impacted by the tail end of the union strike related to the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), which was settled in the quarter. The ability to recover in volumes in 2024 for each segment will remain subject to the continuing challenges related to continued inflation pressure and the continuing global geopolitical challenges, and successful conversion of key opportunities.

Although ARS experienced some retraction in most business lines compared with 2022, which was a record year from both a sales and EBITDA perspective, 2023 remained a solid year with respect to sales and EBITDA. Despite strong performance during the earlier part of 2023, there was pronounced softness experienced at the end of Q4 2023 as sales were impacted by customers focused on reducing inventory levels. Despite these headwinds, the segment remains focused on executing on its strategy to deliver strong results with specialized products, expanded production of a broader array of compounds (white and colour) and enhanced flexibility in attracting and fulfilling new business through identified synergies and margin expansion. As a segment, rubber solutions continued to invest in research and development to support enhanced collabouration with customers.

AMP experienced strong traction in the rubber-moulded product lines despite challenges toward the latter part of the year due to labour disruptions with the OEMs, while the defence product lines experienced softness across the product portfolio throughout the entire year. Management continued its focus on operational improvements, including managing costs and a commitment to drive efficiencies and best-in-class automation, as well as diversification of its product lines into adjacent sectors. In addition, the defence business continued to work with its key customers to leverage opportunities aligned with its growth initiatives, subject to timing as delays in the conversion of these opportunities continued through the fourth quarter of 2023. Further, although the West African Husky order has been completed, execution on the balance of the previously announced awards for Husky 2G vehicles has been delayed further due to continuing delays in financing, creating a lack of certainty to the scope, timing, and the terms and conditions of these awards which cannot reasonably be determined.

The company's long-term priorities consist of the following:

1. Growing the core rubber solutions segment by emphasizing rubber compounding as the core driver for sustainable growth and productivity, focusing on innovation in custom rubber compounding while aiming to expand market share through organic and inorganic means, while striving to achieve enhanced diversification by a broadening of product breadth through technological advancements and investments in specialty compound niches;
2. Manufactured products growth strategy will be focused on diversifying and expanding its range of rubber-moulded products while simultaneously narrowing the range of defence products through a renewed focus on core competencies;
3. Undertaking a strategic review of all product lines currently manufactured and sold by the company in its manufactured products segment while targeting additional acquisition opportunities, with a focus on adding new compounds and products, technical capabilities, and geographic reach into selected North American and international markets.

Airboss continues to focus on these long-term priorities while investing in core areas of the business to expand a solid foundation that will support long-term growth.

Conference call details and investor presentation

A conference call to discuss the quarterly results is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Please access the call on-line or dial-in to the following numbers: 1-800-319-4610 or 416-915-3239, pass code: 55506. Please connect approximately 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the call to ensure participation. A replay of the conference call, as well as the company's updated investor presentation, will also be made available at the company's website.

Annual general and special meeting

The company's annual general and special meeting for shareholders will occur May 9, 2024. Further details will be provided in the near future.

Airboss of America Corp.

Airboss of America is a diversified developer, manufacturer and provider of survivability solutions, advanced custom rubber compounds, and finished rubber products that are designed to outperform in the most challenging environments. Founded in 1989, the company operates through two divisions. Airboss rubber solutions is a top-tier North American custom rubber compounder with 500 million turn pounds of annual capacity. Airboss manufactured products is a supplier of anti-vibration and rubber-moulded solutions to the North American automotive market and other sectors, and also a global supplier of personal and respiratory protective equipment and technology for the defence, health care, medical and first-responder communities, through its Airboss defence operations.

We seek Safe Harbor.