Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a flat net sales for the second quarter, while organic revenue increased by 1.4%, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of organic growth [12][7] - Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached $0.67, at the upper end of the guidance range [7][14] - Adjusted gross margin increased by 30 basis points to 40.8%, driven by project momentum savings [13] - Free cash flow declined by $44.1 million year over year, primarily due to investments in inventory and capital expenditures [14][15] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The battery business experienced a strong performance with 3% organic growth, benefiting from distribution wins in the U.S. and strong international results [9][12] - Auto care saw strong growth in appearance and air freshener segments, with the appearance business delivering 5.5% organic growth, driven by the new Podium Series product line [10][12] - Overall, the auto business declined by approximately 2.5% organically, attributed to a shift in refrigerant shipment timing [10][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The battery category is expected to deliver low single-digit growth over the long term, although weakened consumer confidence may pressure volumes in the short term [23] - In auto care, consumer caution is anticipated to have mixed impacts, with some consumers shifting to DIY categories while others prioritize spending on less discretionary items [23] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on distribution, innovation, digital commerce, pricing and revenue management, and market expansion to drive growth [8] - Strategic acquisitions have been made to enhance manufacturing capabilities and improve supply chain resilience [20] - The company aims to reduce exposure to tariffs through sourcing shifts and pricing adjustments, with a clear path to mitigate impacts over the next twelve months [28][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the challenges posed by tariffs and changing consumer sentiment, emphasizing the need to stay close to consumers [18][23] - The outlook for the remainder of the year has been tempered due to recent volatility and consumer caution [24][30] - The company expects reported and organic net sales for the full year to be flat to up 2%, with adjusted EBITDA and EPS reflecting positive growth at the midpoint [30][31] Other Important Information - The company has refinanced its $500 million revolving credit facility, extending maturities and improving the weighted average maturity of its total debt portfolio [14] - The recent acquisition of APS in Europe is expected to enhance scale and manufacturing capabilities, transitioning from Panasonic to Energizer brands over the next eight months [69] Q&A Session Summary Question: Follow-up on tariff mitigation impacts - Management clarified that they have mitigated the impact of tariffs for fiscal year 2025 and are working on strategies to address future exposures [36][39] Question: Evaluation of devices using batteries and pricing impacts - Management acknowledged that higher prices for devices could lead to consumer pullback, impacting battery replenishment cycles [50][53] Question: Retailer destocking and its impact - Management noted a slight uptick in retailer inventory due to softer sales, but does not expect it to be significant [65][66] Question: Insights on the APS acquisition - The acquisition is expected to enhance the company's European business and manufacturing capabilities, with a transition to Energizer branding planned [68][69] Question: Long-term leverage target - The company aims to reduce leverage to below four times, with debt paydown as a top priority [108]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported organic sales growth of nearly 1.5% for the fourth consecutive quarter, with adjusted earnings per share of $0.67 at the upper end of the guided range [6][12] - Adjusted gross margin increased by 30 basis points to 40.8%, driven by project momentum savings of $16 million [12] - Free cash flow declined by $44.1 million year over year, primarily due to investments in inventory and capital expenditures [13][14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The battery business experienced strong performance with 3% organic growth, benefiting from distribution wins and strong international results [8][11] - Auto care saw a 5.5% organic growth in the appearance segment, driven by the launch of the new Podium Series product line, although overall auto care declined by approximately 2.5% due to shipment timing [9][11] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The battery category is expected to deliver low single-digit growth over the long term, but weakened consumer confidence may pressure volumes in the short term [21] - In auto care, consumer caution is expected to have mixed impacts, with some consumers shifting to DIY categories while others prioritize spending in less discretionary categories [21] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on distribution, innovation, digital commerce, pricing, revenue management, and market expansion to drive fiscal 2025 results [7] - Strategic acquisitions and investments in supply chain transformation are aimed at improving cost, agility, and resiliency, particularly in response to tariff impacts [17][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The management expressed confidence in navigating the current macroeconomic challenges, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer sentiment and spending behavior [20][25] - The outlook for the remainder of fiscal 2025 has been tempered due to recent volatility and consumer caution, with expectations for flat to 2% growth in reported and organic net sales [26][27] Other Important Information - The company has refinanced its $500 million revolving credit facility, extending maturities and improving the weighted average maturity of its total debt portfolio [13] - The recent acquisition of APS in Europe is expected to enhance scale and manufacturing capabilities, transitioning from Panasonic to Energizer brands over the next eight months [59] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you run through the mitigation impacts of tariffs? - Management clarified that they have mitigated the impact of tariffs for fiscal 2025 and are working on plans to reduce exposure for fiscal 2026, aiming to offset most of the $150 million gross exposure [31][33][34] Question: What is the evaluation of devices that use batteries in light of potential price increases? - Management acknowledged that higher prices for devices could lead to consumer pullback, impacting battery replenishment cycles, but emphasized ongoing communication with OEM partners [44][45] Question: Have you seen any retailer destocking? - Management noted a slight uptick in retailer inventory due to softer point-of-sale sales, but did not consider it significant [55][56] Question: Can you provide details on the APS acquisition? - The acquisition is expected to enhance the company's European business scale and manufacturing capabilities, with a transition from Panasonic to Energizer brands planned [58][59] Question: What is the long-term leverage target? - The company aims to reduce leverage to below four times, with debt paydown being a top priority [98]

Core Insights - Nisun International forecasts strong growth in 2025, driven by supply chain enhancements and KFC franchise expansion [1] - The company signed a USD $50 million corn supply agreement with Sichuan Yingdafeng Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd, which will supply high-quality yellow corn over a 12-month period [2] - The management team is executing a stock repurchase plan to enhance shareholder value, indicating confidence in the company's performance and belief that the current share price undervalues the business [3] Company Overview - Nisun International is a technology-driven organization focused on transforming supply chain and agricultural logistics, providing integrated supply chain solutions to both Chinese and foreign enterprises [4] - The company aims to strengthen the industry through technology supply chain management, asset routing, and digital transformation, while also focusing on industry-finance linkages [4]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Sales for Q4 2024 were $407 million, an increase of 1.8% compared to $400 million in Q4 2023 [19][29] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2024 was $78 million, representing a margin of 19.1%, up from $71 million and 17.9% in the prior year [21][33] - For the full year 2024, sales reached $1.67 billion, a 2.5% increase from $1.63 billion in 2023 [22][35] - Adjusted EBITDA for the full year was $330 million, up from $302 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 19.7%, an increase of 110 basis points from the previous year [22][38] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company outperformed the aftermarket market by approximately two percentage points in 2024, indicating strong growth in this segment despite overall market softness [13] - The company launched a new product, NanoNet N3, enhancing its fuel filtration technology, which is expected to drive growth in both first fit and aftermarket segments [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The U.S. heavy-duty market is expected to be flat to down 10% in 2025, while medium-duty production is anticipated to decline by 5% to 15% [26] - In China, weak market conditions are expected to persist, with low visibility into recovery [27][126] - Overall, total company revenue for 2025 is projected to be flat to up 4%, with global sales expected between $1.67 billion and $1.735 billion [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on a four-pillar growth strategy, which includes growing share in first fit, accelerating aftermarket growth, transforming the supply chain, and expanding into industrial filtration markets [10][17] - The company has initiated a capital allocation program, balancing share repurchases with dividends, having repurchased $20 million of stock since July 2024 [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management anticipates a recovery in freight activity throughout 2025, but the timing remains uncertain due to fluid global economic conditions [24] - The company expects continued strength in the U.S. dollar, which will create a revenue headwind of approximately 2% [25] - Management expressed confidence in achieving a 2% growth in aftermarket revenue driven by ongoing execution of their growth strategy [24][57] Other Important Information - The company incurred one-time restructuring costs of $4 million in Q4 2024, which are excluded from adjusted results [20][30] - The effective tax rate for 2024 was 21%, down from 24.3% in 2023, due to a change in the mix of earnings among tax jurisdictions [39] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide insight on EBITDA margin and its future outlook? - Management noted that the 19.7% EBITDA margin in 2024 was above guidance, with expectations of headwinds from foreign exchange and input costs impacting future margins [46][50] Question: What is the outlook for aftermarket and first fit growth? - Management indicated that the guidance for aftermarket growth is 0% to 3%, while first fit is expected to decline by 0% to 10% [82] Question: How are you managing tariff exposure in manufacturing? - The company has modeled various scenarios regarding tariffs and has implemented pricing actions to mitigate impacts, particularly from China tariffs [96][100] Question: What is the status of your industrial filtration expansion? - The company is primarily pursuing inorganic growth through acquisitions for industrial filtration, with initial product launches in infancy and not expected to contribute significantly in 2025 [108][110] Question: Can you discuss the first fit market assumptions, particularly in China? - Management expects continued weak conditions in China, with a range of flat to down 5% for the year, but is prepared to scale operations if demand improves [126]