American Vanguard (AVD)2024-11-12 22:00Sales Performance - Overall sales for Q3 2024 declined by 21% compared to Q3 2023, with domestic sales down 33% and international sales down 4%[66]. - Consolidated sales decreased by 6% in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, with domestic sales down 9% and international sales down 2%[84]. - Total net sales declined by 21% to $118,307 from $149,516 in the prior year[71]. - U.S. crop net sales decreased by 17% to $155,075 in the first nine months of 2024, while U.S. non-crop sales increased by 18% to $59,241[87]. - International net sales decreased by 4% to $60,320, impacted by supply constraints in Asia and a weakening currency in Brazil[74]. - International net sales were down 2% to $167,343, primarily due to weak performance from the Mocap and Assure II products[90]. Profitability - Gross profit for Q3 2024 was $17,293, representing 15% of net sales, a significant decrease from 29% in the same period last year[67][75]. - Gross profit margin fell to 26% in the first nine months of 2024, down from 31% in the same period of 2023, largely due to a $16,191 liability from the Dacthal product recall[85]. - Gross profit decreased by 60% to $17,293, with a gross margin percentage of 15%, down from 29% in the previous year[75]. - The company recorded a net loss of $25,742, or $(0.91) per share, compared to a loss of $325, or $(0.01) per share, in the prior year[70]. - The company recorded a net loss of $35,911 or ($1.28) per share for the first nine months of 2024, compared to net income of $540 or $0.02 per share in the same period of 2023[87]. Operating Expenses - Operating expenses increased by 17% to $45,681, including non-recurring charges of $8,139 related to ongoing transformation activities[68][77]. - Operating expenses increased by 14% year-over-year, reaching $129,003 for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2024[93]. - Research, product development, and regulatory expenses increased by $2,097 to $11,177, reflecting higher costs associated with regulatory and product development studies[77]. Debt and Interest - The company’s average overall debt for Q3 2024 was $209,840, with an effective interest rate of 8.1%, up from 7.1% in the prior year[80]. - Interest expense rose to $4,378 from $3,384 in the same period last year, primarily due to higher interest rates[69][80]. - Interest expense increased to $11,988 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $8,282 in the same period of 2023, reflecting higher interest rates[96]. - The company's average overall debt increased to $200,187 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from $149,009 in the prior year[97]. Taxation - The effective income tax rate for Q3 2024 was approximately 21.4%, with a tax benefit of $7,024 compared to an expense of $885 in the same period last year[81]. - The company achieved an income tax benefit of $7,093 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to an expense of $2,066 in the same period of 2023[98]. Cash Flow and Liquidity - Operating activities utilized net cash of $29,402 during the nine-month period ended September 30, 2024, compared to $145,854 during the same period in 2023[100]. - Customer prepayments decreased by $38,375, compared to a decrease of $104,590 in the same period of 2023[103]. - The Company anticipates that cash flow from operations, existing cash balances, and available borrowings will be sufficient to meet liquidity needs for the next twelve months[109]. Product Recall Impact - Domestic crop business net sales were 48% lower than Q3 2023, primarily due to the voluntary product recall of Dacthal, which accounted for $11,783 in lost sales[71][72]. - The company recorded a liability of $16,191 associated with the global voluntary cancellation of the Dacthal registrations[91].