Ducommun(DCO) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Q4 2024 revenue was $197.3 million, a 2.6% increase from $192.2 million in Q4 2023, marking the 15th consecutive quarter of year-over-year revenue growth [11][36] - GAAP diluted EPS increased to $0.45 per share in Q4 2024 from $0.34 per share in Q4 2023, while adjusted diluted EPS rose to $0.75 from $0.70 [22][40] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 2024 was $27 million, representing a year-over-year increase of 13.8% and an expansion of 180 basis points [20][21] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Military and space revenue grew 5% year-over-year to $109 million in Q4 2024, driven by missile programs [28][12] - Commercial aerospace revenue increased 4% year-over-year to $82 million, supported by growth in the A220 and S-92 platforms [31][16] - Structural Systems segment revenue rose to $90.3 million in Q4 2024 from $85.6 million in the prior year, while Electronic Systems segment revenue was $107 million, slightly up from $106.7 million [41][43] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The defense backlog increased by $98 million year-over-year to $625 million, with new orders contributing to this growth [23][24] - The commercial aerospace backlog decreased by $14 million sequentially, attributed to the Boeing strike [32][24] - Full year 2024 revenue for the company reached a record $786 million, with commercial aerospace growing 8% and military and space business growing 4% [24][25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The Vision 2027 strategy aims to increase the revenue percentage of engineered products to over 25%, achieving 23% in 2024, up from 19% in 2023 [10][26] - The company is focusing on consolidating its manufacturing footprint and pursuing targeted acquisitions to enhance its market position [10][9] - The strategic offloading of non-core industrial businesses is intended to refocus resources on aerospace and defense sectors [25][32] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about growth in military and space sectors, particularly with new orders and defense spending trends [12][60] - The company anticipates mid-single-digit revenue growth for 2025, with a stronger second half expected as production rates recover [28][55] - Management highlighted the importance of strategic pricing initiatives and productivity improvements in driving margin expansion [20][21] Other Important Information - The company reported a strong consolidated backlog of $1.06 billion, reflecting resilience despite market headwinds [23][24] - Restructuring initiatives are expected to yield annual savings of $11 million to $13 million, with synergies ramping up in late 2025 and into 2026 [47][48] - Legal fees related to an unsolicited acquisition offer totaled $3.145 million year-to-date, but these expenses are not expected to continue in 2025 [108][109] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide any color on expectations for defense and commercial markets? - Management indicated that the first half of 2025 may face destocking headwinds, particularly in the commercial aerospace sector, but expects improvement in the second half [58][61] Question: How does Ducommun sit amid potential defense budget reprioritization? - Management feels confident about their diversified product offerings and does not rely heavily on any single program, which mitigates risks from budget changes [79][80] Question: What are the plans for capacity in the IMC business as demand changes? - Management is looking for more space to accommodate high demand for Appleton products, despite anticipating a slowdown in ViaSat work [84][85] Question: Can you elaborate on the margin hit in Structural Systems? - Management noted that the margin decline was evenly split between unfavorable mix and one-time expenses, with expectations for recovery in Q1 [93][94] Question: What are the implications of legal fees for unsolicited acquisition offers? - Management clarified that these fees were necessary to protect shareholder interests and are not expected to recur in 2025 [108][109]