Alex Panda
Analyst · Impala Capital
Thank you, Eric, and good morning, everyone. As expected, fiscal 2025 revenues declined 9.5%, driven primarily by the continued weakness in the truck sector, which represented 44% of Core's product sales for the year. As Eric noted, despite lower volumes and pressure on operating leverage, we delivered gross margins of 17.4%, reflecting solid margin stability. We compute roughly 100 basis points higher 2025 gross margins when we adjust for hourly related severance and the impact of tooling margins. By maintaining margins within our target range of 17% to 19% and tightly managing SG&A costs, we generated $19 million of cash flow from operations for the year. We were encouraged by fourth quarter net sales of $74.7 million, driven by tooling revenue of more than $19 million. While higher tooling revenue was partially offset by lower product sales overall, this was mitigated by strength in powersports, building products, and industrial and utilities, which helped offset continued truck softness. In the fourth quarter, we generated gross margin of $11.3 million, or 15.2% of sales, which is consistent with our historically lightest sales quarter of the year. Hourly severance costs and tooling margins had approximately 230 basis points unfavorable impact on fourth quarter gross margins. Over the past year, we executed several initiatives focused on operational efficiency, raw material cost, footprint optimization, and overall margin improvement, which helped offset headwinds to margins. SG&A expense in the fourth quarter was $7.7 million or 10.4% of sales, compared with 14.4% in the prior year period. Excluding severance and executive transition costs of $476,000 incurred in fourth quarter of 2025 and $1.066 million incurred in the prior year period, SG&A expenses in the fourth quarter of 2025 was $7.3 million or 9.7% of sales, compared with 12.7% in the prior year period. Operating income for the quarter was $3.6 million or 4.8% of sales, up from $0.9 million or 1.4% of sales in the prior year period. Net income for the fourth quarter was $3.1 million or $0.36 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $39,000 in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA was $7.6 million or 10.2% of sales for the quarter. For the full year, we generated $19.2 million in GAAP cash from operations. After capital expenditures of $17.3 million, free cash flow was $1.9 million. Looking ahead, we expect sustaining capital expenditures to be approximately $7 million to $10 million in 2026. Including planned Mexico facility expansion investments of approximately $18 million to $20 million, we estimate total 2026 capital spending to be in the range of $25 million to $30 million. We will also incur operating expenses of approximately $2.5 million associated with these expansion projects in the first half of 2026, which we will continue to outline quarterly. As of December 31, our balance sheet remains strong with total liquidity of $88.1 million, consisting of $38.1 million in cash and $50 million of availability under our revolver and capital credit lines. Term debt totaled $19.7 million, and our debt to EBITDA ratio remains less than 1x on a trailing 12-month basis. Return on capital employed was 8% or 10.2% excluding cash, calculated using trailing 12-month operating income on a pre-tax basis. As we continue launching new programs, we expect ROCE to improve through stronger top-line leverage and enhanced asset utilization. Additional details, including GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations, are available in our earnings release. Our capital allocation strategy remains balanced and flexible, with priority given to organic growth, continued disciplined debt and working capital management, and opportunistic share repurchases. During 2025, the company repurchased 201,999 shares at an average share price of $15.70, with $1.4 million remaining under our authorization. Looking ahead to fiscal 2026, we currently expect the following. One, total sales to be flat to up approximately 5%, with tooling revenue again weighted more heavily toward the fourth quarter. Two, given our 12- to 18-month quote-to-cash cycle, the majority of the $63 million in new wins will impact results during the second half of 2026 and 2027. Three, we continue to be conservative around the truck recovery and agree with ACT forecasts indicating truck cycle recovery starting in the second half of 2026. Four, gross margin in the range of 17% to 19% for the full year of 2026. And lastly, one-time SG&A costs for the year are estimated to be approximately $2.5 million related to Mexico relocation and non-capital construction activities and $1 million related to succession planning. Most of these costs will be incurred during the first half of the year. Finally, while tariffs remain a focus for everyone, our products manufactured in Canada and Mexico remain under USMCA compliance and are currently exempt. We will continue to closely monitor trade developments and their potential impact on our customers and end markets. And with that, I'd like to turn it back to Eric.