Scott Humphrey
Analyst · Jefferies. Your line is open
Thanks, Mike. Good afternoon, everyone. I’ll begin by going over our third quarter and year-to-date financial results and then review our guidance. Sales in the third quarter of 2021 were $347.4 million, an increase of 33.3% versus sales of $260.7 million in the third quarter of 2020. Our Powered Vehicles Group delivered a 22.8% increase in sales compared to the third quarter of 2020, primarily due to increased demand in both the OEM and aftermarket channels including strong performance in our powersports and upfitting product lines. Moving to the Specialty Sports Group. SSG delivered a 48.1% increase in sales in the quarter compared to last year, driven by continued high demand in their OEM channels. On a year-to-date basis, Sales were $956.7 million versus $628.2 million in the same period last year, an increase of 52.3% and this jump in sales is driven by increased demand, primarily in the aftermarket channel, including strong performance from our upfitting product lines and the inclusion of a full year of revenue from our SCA subsidiary. Additionally, our prior year results were impacted by production shutdowns at a majority of our PVG OEM partners due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fox Factory’s gross margin was 33.4% in the third quarter of 2021, a 90 basis point decrease from 34.3% in the prior year period. Non-GAAP gross margin also decreased by 70 basis points to 33.8% versus Q3 of 2020. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by higher inflationary pressures on all fronts, including labor costs, input costs and freight costs. This was marginally offset by favorable product and channel mix led by higher volume sales in our Specialty Sports Group and the strong performance in our power sports and upfitting product lines. On a year-to-date basis, both our gross and our non-GAAP gross margins increased 120 basis points to 34% and 34.2%, respectively. The increase in gross margin was primarily due to higher volume sales in our Specialty Sports Group and the strong performance of our upfitting product lines as well as favorable product and channel mix. Total operating expenses were $60.8 million or 17.5% of sales in the third quarter of 2021 compared to $43.9 million or 16.8% of sales in the third quarter of last year. The increase in operating expenses was primarily due to higher employee-related costs, higher commission costs and investments to right-size our back office infrastructure. Looking at non-GAAP operating expenses as a percent of sales. Our non-GAAP OpEx increased by 150 basis points to 15.5% compared to 14% in the prior year period. On a year-to-date basis, operating expenses were $171.2 million or 17.9% of sales compared to $129.6 million or 20.6% of sales, a decrease of 270 basis points year-over-year. Our non-GAAP operating expenses as a percent of sales decreased by 20 basis points going from $100 million and 15.9% of sales in 2020 to $150.6 million and 15.7% of sales in 2021. Focusing on OpEx in more detail. Sales and marketing expenses increased approximately $3.8 million in the quarter, primarily due to higher commissions of $3 million. Research and development costs increased approximately $3.8 million primarily due to personnel investments to support future growth and product innovation. General and administrative expenses increased by approximately $9.2 million due to higher employee-related costs of $4.5 million as well as increases in various other costs as we continue to right-size our administrative support functions. On a year-to-date basis, sales and marketing spend increased by approximately $13.9 million, primarily due to commissions of $8.7 million, employee-related expenses of $3.5 million and various other expenses. But as a percent of revenue, the spend decreased by 60 basis points versus the prior year. Research and development dollar spend increased by approximately $8.6 million due to personnel investments to support future growth and product innovation. However, again, as a percent of revenue, this decreased by 40 basis points versus the prior year. Lastly, general and administrative dollars spend increased by $16.8 million but was lower as a percent of revenue by 120 basis points versus the prior year. The increase in dollar spend is due to higher employee-related costs of $15.5 million as well as various other investments of $9.8 million as we continue to right-size our administrative support functions. These increases were partially offset by lower acquisition-related costs of $9.4 million and lower litigation expenses of $0.9 million. This year-to-date performance highlights how the management is focusing on becoming more efficient while growing our revenue base. For the third quarter, our effective tax rate was 18.2%. This rate is in line with our previous long-range guidance of 15% to 19%. The increase in the rate versus the first half of 2021 is primarily due to reduced benefits from stock-based compensation. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 21.1% to $72.8 million for the third quarter of 2021 compared to $60.1 million in the same quarter last year. I want to congratulate the team on our third consecutive record quarter of EBITDA generation. However, adjusted EBITDA margin decreased by 210 basis points to 21% compared to 23.1% in the third quarter of 2020. The decrease in EBITDA margin is primarily due to higher inflationary pressures as discussed earlier, partially offset by the impact of higher sales and favorable product mix. On a year-to-date basis, adjusted EBITDA increased by 62.2% to $202.9 million, and the adjusted EBITDA margin expanded by 130 basis points to 21.2% and versus the prior year period. On a GAAP basis, net income attributable to FOX in the third quarter of 2021 and was $43.8 million or $1.03 per diluted share compared to $38 million or $0.90 per diluted share in the prior year period. Year-to-date, net income attributable to FOX was $126.1 million or $2.98 per diluted share compared to $58.9 million or $1.46 per diluted share in the prior year period. Non-GAAP adjusted net income was $50.5 million, an increase of approximately $5.1 million or 11% compared to $45.4 million in the third quarter of last year. We delivered $1.19 of non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share in the third quarter of 2021 compared to $1.07 in the third quarter of 2020. Year-to-date, non-GAAP adjusted net income was $146 million, an increase of approximately $60.4 million or 70.6% compared to $85.6 million in the prior year period. We also delivered $3.45 of non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share year-to-date compared to $2.12 in the prior year. Now focusing on our balance sheet. For third quarter, which ended on October 1, 2021, compared to our 2020 year-end on January 1, 2021, we ended the quarter with cash on hand of $319.3 million. Accounts receivable was $159 million -- was $159.5 million compared to $121.2 million. Inventory was $246.2 million compared to $127.1 million. Accounts payable was $156.5 million compared to $92.4 million. The increase in inventory is primarily due to additional raw material purchases to mitigate risks associated with supply chain uncertainty and higher input costs. The changes in accounts receivable and accounts payable reflect business growth as well as the timing of vendor payments. Our net property, plant and equipment increased to $183.7 million. as of October 1, 2021, compared to $163.3 million at the end of 2020, reflecting capital expenditures of $40 million in the first nine months of 2021. The increase reflects investments in our manufacturing facility in Gainesville, Georgia. Goodwill increased to $299.8 million as of October 1, 2021, compared to $289.3 million as of January 1, 2021, due to our acquisition of outside van during the second quarter. Now turning to guidance. We are expecting to close out 2021 on a strong note. For the fourth quarter, we expect sales in the range of $315 million to $335 million and non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.90 to $1.10 per share. I’d also like to note that we’re not providing guidance on GAAP EPS as it cannot be provided without unreasonable efforts due to the difficulty of actually predicting the elements necessary to provide such guidance and reconciliations. For our full year tax guidance, we still expect the tax rate to be closer to the lower end of our previously provided range of 15% to 19%. With that, I would like to turn the call back over to Mike.