CPI Aerostructures Announces 2014 Third Quarter Results

EDGEWOOD, NY—(Marketwired – Nov 4, 2014) – CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (“CPI Aero®”) (NYSE MKT: CVU) today announced financial results for 2014 third quarter ended September 30, 2014.

Third Quarter 2014 Highlights
• Revenue increased 4% to $21,487,677
• Gross margin was 20.8%
• Pre-tax income was $2,602,547
• Net income was $1,697,547, or $0.20 per diluted share
• Cash flow from operations was $1.76 million
• Received $86 million multi-year award from Northrop Grumman
• Funded backlog exceeds $141 million, up $30 million for the year

Douglas J. McCrosson, CPI Aero’s President & CEO, stated, "We are seeing the impact of our growing commercial business on our top and bottom lines. Our top line growth this quarter was mainly due to our newer business jet programs ramping up toward full production, especially our Cessna Citation X+ program with Textron Aviation and our Phenom 300 program with Embraer S.A. During the third quarter of 2014, for the first time in more than fifteen years, commercial platforms accounted for more revenue than our defense platforms. While a single quarter does not constitute a trend, it does indicate strength in demand from our commercial aerospace customers. It is expected that for 2014, on a full year adjusted basis, commercial revenue will be more than 40% of our total revenue. Gross margin was in line with our expectations. Gross margin for our existing programs, not including the A-10 Wing Replacement Program (WRP), is expected to expand over the coming quarters due to increased output.

“From the beginning of the current fiscal year through September 30, 2014, we received approximately $87.8 million of new contract awards, compared to a total of $83.1 million of new business in the same period last year. There were $65.1 million in new defense contracts and $22.7 million in new commercial contracts, an increase of 3.7% and 11.3%, respectively, over the same period in 2013. Included in new awards is the recently announced multi-year contract with Northrop Grumman that itself adds more than $63 million in new funded backlog. In an era of uncertain defense spending, we expect this new award to anchor our defense business for years to come.

“We continue to pursue Tier 1 opportunities with defense and commercial OEMs where our reputation for quality, performance, cost and world class customer service differentiate CPI Aero from our competitors. Approximately 48% of our current bid pipeline includes high value proposals in the commercial aerospace markets, including the business jet and large commercial airliner markets. In that regard, we have made and expect to continue to make the appropriate investments in new automated manufacturing technologies and production floor software that should increase output, improve quality, and lower production costs.”

Third Quarter Results
Mr. McCrosson added, "Third quarter 2014 revenue increased 4% to $21,487,677 compared to $20,664,645 for the same period in 2013 driven mainly by increased production activity on the Embraer Phenom 300 engine inlet assembly and the Cessna Citation X+ wing spars.

“Our gross profit margin of 20.8% for the three month period ended September 30, 2014 was at the high end of the expected range for the year.

“Our selling, general and administrative (”SG&A") expenses for the 2014 third quarter, as compared to the 2013 third quarter, increased by approximately $292,000. This increase was primarily due to a change in the vesting of stock option grants to our board of directors. In 2014, option grants vest quarterly throughout the year, as compared to 2013 when options were vested immediately upon grant in the first quarter. We also had additional consulting, legal, and accounting expenses in the third quarter of 2014 which were the result of the separation agreement with our former Chief Executive Officer. Despite these increases, cost reduction initiatives across our administrative functions have enabled us to keep the SG&A rate down to under 9% of revenue for the three month period ended September 30, 2014.

“Income before provision for income taxes for the third quarter of 2014 was $2,602,547, compared to $2,772,100 for the same period in 2013. Provision for income taxes in the quarter ended September 30, 2014 was $905,000.”

Backlog
Discussing backlog, Mr. McCrosson noted, "Total backlog at September 30, 2014 was $372.8 million with 43% of total backlog for commercial aerospace contracts. At September 30, 2014, funded backlog increased to a record level of $141.4 million, which was $30 million higher than funded backlog at December 31, 2013. The value of the unfunded backlog (long-term contracts that have not been converted to funded orders) at September 30, 2014 was $231.4 million, with 63% related to our long-term commercial aerospace programs.”

Expectations for 2015
Discussing expectations for 2015, Mr. McCrosson added, "We are revising our previous full year 2015 guidance to reflect Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Because the charge for the change in estimate on the A-10 WRP was expensed in the second quarter of 2014, the A-10 WRP will not affect the bottom line in 2015, however GAAP results will include revenue and costs associated with A-10 WRP. As a result, we are increasing the top line guidance to $92.0 million to $102.0 million, from the previously announced guidance of $90.5 million to $94.0 million. Likewise our gross profit margin will be reduced from the previous range, as we will be booking A-10 WRP revenue at zero margin. Therefore, for full year 2015, we now expect gross margin to be in the range of 19.0% to 21.0%, revised from 22% to 23.5%. While we expect that production and delivery for the A-10 WRP will end at some point in 2015, the longer it continues, the higher the revenue generated but, the lower the gross profit margin. Net income is expected to be in the range of $7.2 million to $8.0 million. Finally, as a result of the second quarter 2014 charge for the A-10 WRP, we expect a positive cash flow impact of between $13 million and $15 million in 2015 through the recovery of previously paid income taxes and the use of tax loss carry forwards. This is in addition to any positive cash flow from operations.”