Zvi Glasman
Analyst · CJS Securities. Please go ahead
Thank you, Mario. Good afternoon, everyone. I'll focus on our third quarter results and then review our guidance. As Larry stated earlier, sales in the third quarter of 2017 were a record $127.4 million, an increase of 16.9% versus sales of $109 million in the third quarter of 2016. Gross margin was 33.4% for the third quarter of 2017, a 140 basis point increase from 32% in the prior year period. The improvement in gross margin was primarily due to favorable product and customer mix and improved manufacturing efficiencies. Excluding acquisition-related costs, non-GAAP gross margin for the third quarter of 2017 expanded by 130 basis points, as compared to the third quarter last year. Total operating expenses were $22.2 million, or 17.4% of sales in the third quarter of 2017, compared to $19.8 million or 18.2% of sales in the third quarter of last year. The increase in operating expenses is primarily a result of strategic investments to support future business growth, increased incentive and stock-based compensation expense and increased cost associated with ongoing pattern litigation activities, partially offset by the conclusion of the company's acquisition related compensation arrangement. Non-GAAP operating expenses stated as a percentage of sales were 15.5% compared to 15.7% in Q3 of last year. Focusing on expenses in more detail. Our sales and marketing in R&D expenses increased to support our growth. Sales and marketing expenses were up approximately $500,000 and R&D was up approximately $800,000. The increases were primarily due to higher employee related costs on increased headcount. As we previously stated the timing of R&B and promotional expenses often changes between quarters and years depending on a number of factors including product launch cycles. Our general and administrative expenses in the third quarter of 2017 were $9.1million compared to $7.1 million in the prior year period. The change was primarily due to increased stock and incentive-based compensation costs and $0.5 million increased associated with ongoing pattern litigation activity. In the third quarter of 2017, our tax rate was approximately 19.5%, compared to 9% in the same period last year. The increase in the effective tax rate was primarily due to the impact of the increase in pretax income and resulting tax expense with no corresponding increase in tax credits and deductions, a shift in earnings towards higher rate jurisdictions and an increase in non-creditable foreign withholding tax. Adjusted EBITDA was a record $27 million for the third quarter of 2017, compared to $20.9 million in the same quarter last year. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 21.2% compared to 19.2% in the prior year quarter. On a GAAP basis, our net income in the third quarter of 2017 was $16.1 million, compared to $13.7 million in the prior year period. Earnings per diluted share for the third quarter of 2017 were $0.41 compared to $0.36 in Q3 of 2016. Non-GAAP adjusted net income was a record $18 million, an increase of $1.4 million compared to $16.6 million in the third quarter of the prior year period. Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share for the third quarter of 2017 were $0.46 compared to $0.44 in the third quarter of 2016. We believe non-GAAP adjusted net income and adjusted EBITDA are useful metrics that better reflect the performance of our business on an ongoing basis. You will find a reconciliation of all GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures in our earnings press release issued today. Now, focusing on our balance sheet. As of September 29, 2017, we had cash-on-hand of $36.8 million. Total debt outstanding was $64 million, compared to $66.7 million of debt outstanding as of December 31, 2016. Inventory was $92 million as of September 29, 2017, compared to $71.2 million as of December 31, 2016. Accounts receivable was $69.3 million as of September 29, 2017, as compared to $61.6 million as of December 31, 2016. Accounts payable was $47.3 million as of September 29, 2017 as compared to $36.2 million as of December 31, 2016. The changes in accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable are primarily attributable to business growth and our normal business seasonality. Accrued expenses decreased to $27.3 million as of September 29, 2017, was $34.4 million as of December 30, 2016, primarily due to the final scheduled earnout payment related to one of the our 2014 acquisitions, partially offset by our normal business seasonality. Now turning now to our outlook. For the fourth quarter 2017, we expect sales in the range of $114 million to $119 million and non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.30 to $0.34. For fiscal year 2017, we are raising our previous guidance and now expect sales in the range of $468.5 million to $473.5 million and non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.50 to $0.54. As we stated last quarter for 2017, we expect non-GAAP operating expenses to be lower than our expected long-term target of approximately 17%. For 2018, we expect to return to our longer term target operating expense as stated as a percentage of sales as we support strategic initiatives such as ERP, spending to support continued business growth and higher compliance costs resulting from the process of exiting our emerging growth status. We believe that the 2017 tax rate will trend towards to the upper end of our previous guidance of 18% to 20%. We continue to expect the Q4 tax rate to be in the upper 20%. Based on our current visibility into future, the new powered vehicle product introductions, our growth rate in 2018 will be lower than the 2017 and more consistent with our annual long-term target ranges in 2018. We remain confident in our ability to achieve our growth targets of mid to high single-digits at bike and low double-digits in powered vehicle over the long-term. Additionally, as we previously mentioned, powered vehicle growth is subject to new vehicle introduction timing and will not necessarily be linear between quarters or years. I'd also like to note that we are not providing guidance on GAAP EPS as it cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts due to the difficulty of accurately predicting the elements necessary to provide such guidance and reconciliations. Finally, as a reminder, non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share exclude the following items, net of applicable tax, amortization of purchased intangibles, contingent consideration valuation adjustment, acquisition related compensation expense, including related foreign currency transaction gains or losses, certain acquisition related adjustments and expenses, litigation-related expenses and offering expenses. These adjustments are more fully described in the tables included in our press release, which has been posted on our website. I'd now like to turn the call back over to Larry.