Summary of Lifetime Brands Conference Call (September 25, 2025) Company Overview - **Company**: Lifetime Brands (NasdaqGS: LCUT) - **Industry**: Consumer Goods, specifically in product development and design Key Points Mergers and Acquisitions Strategy - The company is focusing on acquiring businesses in adjacent markets, such as pet products, leveraging its strong product development capabilities [2][3] - Acquisitions are seen as financially accretive, allowing the company to utilize its existing distribution infrastructure for cost savings [4][6] Distribution and Operational Efficiency - Lifetime Brands has a unique distribution system that allows for cost-effective servicing of major clients like Walmart without needing to expand its sales force [5][6] - The company is restructuring its distribution centers to improve efficiency, moving from New Jersey to Maryland to take advantage of lower costs and state incentives of $18 million [13][38] International Operations and Project Concord - The company has faced challenges in its UK operations, which accounted for 90% of its international revenue, leading to a restructuring initiative called Project Concord aimed at achieving breakeven [10][11] - The company is shifting its manufacturing strategy, moving production out of China to Southeast Asia while still maintaining some operations in China due to cost advantages [21][23] Supply Chain and Tariffs - The company acknowledges the decoupling of China and the West, impacting its supply chain strategy, but still finds China advantageous for certain products due to its established infrastructure [19][22] - The company plans to have 80% of its supply chain out of China by the end of the year, while still moving some operations back into China [23][24] Financial Performance and Capital Allocation - Lifetime Brands has a strong cash flow generation capability, even during economic downturns, and maintains a focus on dividends and capital allocation for M&A [25][29] - The company aims to keep its leverage below three, having achieved a low of 2.4 in 2021, and continues to generate predictable cash flow [33] Growth Opportunities - The company is exploring new product innovations and has successfully launched products in the Dollar General channel, projecting a $40 million opportunity [41][42] - New product lines, such as the Build A Board, have shown strong market performance and are being expanded internationally [45] Market Positioning - Lifetime Brands positions itself defensively in a disruptive market, anticipating growth as market conditions improve [39] - The company is committed to innovation and expanding its product offerings across various categories [44] Additional Insights - The company has a strong focus on maintaining operational efficiency and cost management in response to rising industrial real estate costs [13] - The management emphasizes the importance of adapting to market changes and consumer preferences to sustain growth [40][46]

Core Insights - Lifetime Brands, Inc. reported consolidated net sales of $140.1 million for the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of $2.1 million or 1.5% compared to $142.2 million in the same period of 2024 [5][19] - The company experienced a gross margin of $50.6 million, or 36.1%, down from $57.5 million, or 40.5%, in the prior year [6][19] - Adjusted EBITDA for the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2025, was $51.0 million [8] Financial Performance - The decrease in sales was attributed to a decline in the mass channel, which was affected by slower retail sales and overstocking at key retailers [3][4] - Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by $8.0 million, or 20.3%, to $31.5 million, which included a net legal settlement gain of $6.4 million [6][19] - The net loss for the quarter was $(4.2) million, or $(0.19) per diluted share, an improvement from a net loss of $(6.3) million, or $(0.29) per diluted share, in the same period last year [7][19] Strategic Initiatives - The company is moving the majority of its manufacturing out of China to countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and Mexico by the end of 2025 to mitigate risks associated with geopolitical factors and tariffs [4][10] - Project Concord, a comprehensive plan aimed at improving financial results in the International segment, is on track [10] Market Conditions - The current economic environment is characterized by uncertainty, which is expected to continue impacting the consumer products industry [4] - The company has tightened controls on variable expenses in response to a slowdown in consumer demand [3][4] Liquidity and Guidance - As of March 31, 2025, the company had liquidity of $89.6 million, consisting of $10.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and $63.2 million available under the ABL Agreement [9] - The company has opted not to provide financial guidance for the full year 2025 due to the shifting macro environment [10]