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Stoneridge Reports Second Quarter 2024 Results

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Q2 Operating Performance Significantly Outperforms Previously Provided Expectations Driven by Strong Margin Expansion

2024 Second Quarter Results

Sales of $237.1 millionGross profit of $53.7 million (22.7% of sales)Operating income of $3.4 million Adjusted operating income of $5.4 million (2.3% of sales)Adjusted EBITDA of $16.1 million (6.8% of sales)Earnings per share (“EPS”) of $0.10Adjusted EPS of $0.17

 2024 Full-Year Guidance Update

Reducing full-year 2024 revenue midpoint guidance by $45 million to reflect updated FX rates (~$12 million impact), updated OEM production volumes (~$18 million impact) and potential volatility in non-OEM and customer demand-based products (~$15 million impact)Revenue guidance of $940 million$970 million (midpoint of $955 million)Increasing gross margin midpoint guidance by 50 basis points to reflect continued material cost improvement and operational excellenceGross margin guidance of 22.75% – 23.0%Reducing adjusted operating margin and EBITDA margin expectations to reflect lower contribution from reduced revenue expectations, offset by improved gross margin performance and continued operating cost controlAdjusted operating margin guidance of ~2.75%Adjusted EBITDA guidance of $58 million$64 million (adjusted EBITDA margin of 6.2% – 6.6%)Adjusted EPS guidance of $0.18$0.28 (midpoint of $0.23)

NOVI, Mich., July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024, with sales of $237.1 million and earnings per share of $0.10. Adjusted EPS was $0.17.

For the second quarter of 2024, Stoneridge reported gross profit of $53.7 million (22.7% of sales), an increase of 250 basis points relative to the first quarter of 2024. Operating income of $3.4 million resulted in adjusted operating income of $5.4 million (2.3% of sales), an increase of 210 basis points relative to the first quarter of 2024.  Adjusted EBITDA was $16.1 million (6.8% of sales), an increase of 410 basis points relative to the first quarter of 2024.  Second quarter results were favorably impacted by non-operating foreign currency of approximately $2.3 million.

The exhibits attached hereto provide reconciliation detail on normalizing adjustments of non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release. 

Jim Zizelman, president and chief executive officer, commented, “Our second quarter performance highlights our continued focus on improving the fundamentals of our business leading to significantly improved margins and significant outperformance relative to our prior expectations. This was primarily driven by continued material cost reductions, improved operational excellence, including reduced quality-related costs, and operating cost control as we continue to execute on the key initiatives we set at the beginning of the year. Our efforts to reduce material costs and control operating costs contributed to a 250 basis point improvement in gross margin and a 210 basis point improvement in adjusted operating margin over the first quarter. Including the benefit of non-operating FX income, adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 410 basis points over the first quarter to 6.8% of sales. We continue to improve the financial performance of the business while maintaining our robust approach to technology innovation and growth.”

Zizelman continued, “While we continue to drive operational performance improvement, we remain focused on flawless execution of the program launches that will drive strong growth going-forward. We are excited to announce that during the second quarter we began shipping our first MirrorEye OEM systems to Volvo for the launch of their FH Aero model in Europe. Similarly, our MirrorEye program with Peterbilt launched on Models 579 and 567 in North America in July.  Both customers are focusing significant marketing efforts on MirrorEye as a differentiating product in the market. Initial customer feedback has been excellent. For example, Volvo recently announced one of their largest deals ever, in which they have received an order for 1,500 vehicles all of which will be equipped with MirrorEye to be delivered throughout 2024 and 2025. While we have experienced some volatility as new truck production and our programs ramp up, we expect volumes to continue to accelerate for the remainder of the year bringing take rates at least inline with our original expectations. We continue to expect MirrorEye to gain momentum in the second half of this year, as our first OEM program in Europe maintains its strong take rates and the two recently launched programs continue to ramp up in production.”

Zizelman concluded, “Our robust backlog continues to provide a strong foundation for our strategy focused on technologies and capabilities that will drive continued long-term growth. Last month, Volvo Bus announced they have selected Stoneridge to provide connected services and digital solutions using our artificial intelligence-based fuel advice system in a pilot program this year. This partnership is aligned with our ongoing focus on data services, software and AI to drive advanced system capabilities and expansion of our existing technology platforms and products to drive long-term profitable growth.”

Second Quarter in Review

Electronics sales of $153.5 million decreased by 6.4% relative to adjusted sales of the second quarter of 2023. This decrease was primarily driven by lower sales in both the European and North American commercial vehicle end markets and the impact of retroactive pricing recognized in the second quarter of 2023 of approximately $3.3 million. This is partially offset by higher sales in the European off-highway vehicle end market. Second quarter adjusted operating margin of 7.6% improved by 230 basis points relative to the adjusted operating margin of the second quarter of 2023, primarily due to lower direct material costs as a percentage of sales, as well as lower D&D and SG&A costs. 

Control Devices sales of $80.9 million decreased by 13.1% relative to sales of the second quarter of 2023. This decrease was primarily due to lower sales in the North American passenger vehicle end market due to lower customer volumes and the expected wind-down of end-of-life programs as well as lower China automotive sales. Second quarter operating margin of 4.6% decreased by 130 basis points relative to the adjusted operating margin of the second quarter of 2023, primarily due to lower contribution from lower sales, partially offset by lower direct material costs as a percentage of sales and lower D&D costs.

Stoneridge Brazil sales of $11.8 million decreased by $3.1 million relative to sales in the second quarter of 2023. This decrease was primarily due to lower sales in local OEM products, tracking devices and monitoring service fees. Second quarter operating performance of approximately break-even decreased by approximately $0.9 million relative to the second quarter of 2023, primarily due to lower contribution from lower sales volumes partially offset by lower direct material costs.

Relative to the first quarter of 2024, Electronics adjusted sales of $153.5 million, decreased by $2.6 million, or 1.7%. This slight decrease was driven primarily by the unfavorable impact of foreign currency of approximately $2.2 million. Second quarter adjusted operating margin increased by 310 basis points relative to the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to material cost improvements, lower quality-related costs and lower engineering costs.

Relative to the first quarter of 2024, Control Devices sales increased by 3.7%. This increase was primarily due to higher sales in the North American passenger vehicle end market as well as higher commercial vehicle sales in China. Second quarter adjusted operating margin increased by 180 basis points relative to the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to benefits recognized from completed negotiations related to price and volume, improved operational execution and lower SG&A and D&D costs as a result of operating cost control efforts.

Relative to the first quarter of 2024, Stoneridge Brazil sales decreased by $0.4 million. This was primarily the result of the unfavorable foreign currency impact of approximately $0.6 million. Second quarter operating performance decreased by $0.2 million relative to the first quarter of 2024, primarily due to unfavorable foreign currency impact of approximately $0.2 million.

Cash and Debt Balances

As of June 30, 2024, Stoneridge had compliance net debt of $161.4 million resulting in a net debt to trailing twelve-month EBITDA compliance leverage ratio of 2.89x, an improvement of 0.24x compared to December 31, 2023.

The Company continues to focus on both operating performance and working capital improvement to drive cash performance, particularly related to inventory reduction. During the first half of the year, inventory balances declined by $9.0 million. The Company expects to continue to reduce inventory balances throughout the year. The Company expects a net debt to EBITDA ratio for compliance purposes of approximately 2.5x by the end of 2024.

2024 Outlook

The Company is updating its previously provided full-year 2024 guidance ranges including sales guidance of $940 million to $970 million, gross margin guidance of 22.75% to 23.0%, adjusted operating margin guidance of approximately 2.75%, adjusted earnings per share guidance of $0.18 to $0.28 and adjusted EBITDA guidance of $58 million to $64 million, or 6.2% to 6.6% of sales.

Matt Horvath, chief financial officer, commented, “We are updating our full-year 2024 revenue guidance to reflect updated foreign currency rates, updated OEM production volumes and current expectations for non-OEM and customer demand-based products. This results in a midpoint of $955 million for the year. Due primarily to our year-to-date performance, expectation of continued reduction in material costs and a continued focus on operational excellence, we are increasing our full-year gross margin expectations by 50 basis points. We are expecting improved gross margin and operating cost control to significantly offset the decremental impact of reduced revenue. As a result, we are reducing our adjusted EBITDA margin midpoint guidance by 30 basis points, or $61 million of adjusted EBITDA. This results in a 130 basis point margin improvement and 27% growth in adjusted EBITDA over 2023. Finally, we are reducing our full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a midpoint of $0.23 to reflect the lower contribution from reduced sales partially offset by improved operating performance.”

Horvath, concluded, “By continuing to focus on improving the fundamentals of our business, we drove significant margin expansion across our business in the second quarter. Additionally, we continue to focus on inventory reduction to improve our cash position and reduce our leverage profile. We expect to continue those efforts in the second half of the year to help drive financial performance. Stoneridge remains well positioned to outpace our underlying end market growth and drive significant earnings expansion going forward.”

Conference Call on the Web
A live Internet broadcast of Stoneridge’s conference call regarding 2024 second quarter results can be accessed at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 1, 2024, at www.stoneridge.com, which will also offer a webcast replay.

About Stoneridge, Inc.
Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is a global designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic systems, components and modules for the automotive, commercial, off-highway and agricultural vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at www.stoneridge.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Statements in this press release contain “forward-looking statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements appear in a number of places in this report and may include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, with respect to, among other things, our (i) future product and facility expansion, (ii) acquisition strategy, (iii) investments and new product development, (iv) growth opportunities related to awarded business, and (v) operational expectations. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “will,” “may,” “should,” “designed to,” “believes,” “plans,” “projects,” “intends,” “expects,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “continue,” and similar words and expressions. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among other factors:

the ability of our suppliers to supply us with parts and components at competitive prices on a timely basis, including the impact of potential tariffs and trade considerations on their operations and output;fluctuations in the cost and availability of key materials and components (including semiconductors, printed circuit boards, resin, aluminum, steel and copper) and our ability to offset cost increases through negotiated price increases with our customers or other cost reduction actions, as necessary;global economic trends, competition and geopolitical risks, including impacts from ongoing or potential global conflicts and any related sanctions and other measures, or an escalation of sanctions, tariffs or other trade tensions between the U.S. and other countries;our ability to achieve cost reductions that offset or exceed customer-mandated selling price reductions;the reduced purchases, loss or bankruptcy of a major customer or supplier;the costs and timing of business realignment, facility closures or similar actions;a significant change in automotive, commercial, off-highway or agricultural vehicle production;competitive market conditions and resulting effects on sales and pricing;foreign currency fluctuations and our ability to manage those impacts;customer acceptance of new products;our ability to successfully launch/produce products for awarded business;adverse changes in laws, government regulations or market conditions affecting our products, our suppliers, or our customers’ products;our ability to protect our intellectual property and successfully defend against assertions made against us;liabilities arising from warranty claims, product recall or field actions, product liability and legal proceedings to which we are or may become a party, or the impact of product recall or field actions on our customers;labor disruptions at our facilities, or at any of our significant customers or suppliers;business disruptions due to natural disasters or other disasters outside of our control;the amount of our indebtedness and the restrictive covenants contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness, including our revolving Credit Facility;capital availability or costs, including changes in interest rates;the failure to achieve the successful integration of any acquired company or business;risks related to a failure of our information technology systems and networks, and risks associated with current and emerging technology threats and damage from computer viruses, unauthorized access, cyber-attack and other similar disruptions; andthe items described in Part I, Item IA (“Risk Factors”) in our Form 10-K filed with the SEC.

The forward-looking statements contained herein represent our estimates only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
This press release contains information about the Company’s financial results that is not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). Such non-GAAP financial measures are reconciled to their closest GAAP financial measures at the end of this press release. The provision of these non-GAAP financial measures for 2024 and 2023 is not intended to indicate that Stoneridge is explicitly or implicitly providing projections on those non-GAAP financial measures, and actual results for such measures are likely to vary from those presented. The reconciliations include all information reasonably available to the Company at the date of this press release and the adjustments that management can reasonably predict.

Management believes the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release are useful to both management and investors in their analysis of the Company’s financial position and results of operations. In particular, management believes that adjusted sales, adjusted operating income and margin, adjusted income (loss) before tax, adjusted income tax expense (benefit), adjusted net income, adjusted EPS, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net debt, adjusted debt and adjusted cash are useful measures in assessing the Company’s financial performance by excluding certain items that are not indicative of the Company’s core operating performance or that may obscure trends useful in evaluating the Company’s continuing operating activities. Management also believes that these measures are useful to both management and investors in their analysis of the Company’s results of operations and provide improved comparability between fiscal periods.

Adjusted sales, adjusted operating income and margin, adjusted income (loss) before tax, adjusted income tax expense (benefit), adjusted net income, adjusted EPS, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net debt, adjusted debt and adjusted cash should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for sales, operating income, income (loss) before tax, income tax expense (benefit), net income, EPS, debt, cash and cash equivalents, cash provided by operating activities or other income statement or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands)

June 30,
2024

December 31,
2023

(Unaudited)

ASSETS

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$            42,112

$            40,841

Accounts receivable, less reserves of $620 and $1,058, respectively

168,215

166,545

Inventories, net

178,749

187,758

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

32,882

34,246

Total current assets

421,958

429,390

Long-term assets:

Property, plant and equipment, net

103,061

110,126

Intangible assets, net

43,586

47,314

Goodwill

34,244

35,295

Operating lease right-of-use asset

8,722

10,795

Investments and other long-term assets, net

55,080

46,980

Total long-term assets

244,693

250,510

Total assets

$         666,651

$         679,900

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Current portion of debt

$              2,064

$              2,113

Accounts payable

108,085

111,925

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

76,098

64,203

Total current liabilities

186,247

178,241

Long-term liabilities:

Revolving credit facility

187,417

189,346

Deferred income taxes

6,276

7,224

Operating lease long-term liability

5,814

7,684

Other long-term liabilities

10,446

9,688

Total long-term liabilities

209,953

213,942

Shareholders’ equity:

Preferred Shares, without par value, 5,000 shares authorized, none issued

Common Shares, without par value, 60,000 shares authorized, 28,966 and

28,966 shares issued and 27,679 and 27,549 
shares outstanding at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively,

with no stated value

Additional paid-in capital

224,599

227,340

Common Shares held in treasury, 1,287 and 1,417 shares at June 30, 2024

and December 31, 2023, respectively, at cost

(39,066)

(43,344)

Retained earnings

193,169

196,509

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(108,251)

(92,788)

Total shareholders’ equity

270,451

287,717

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

$         666,651

$         679,900

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

Three months ended
June 30,

Six months ended
June 30,

(in thousands, except per share data)

2024

2023

2024

2023

Net sales

$         237,059

$         266,814

$         476,216

$         508,139

Costs and expenses:

Cost of goods sold

183,319

206,326

374,119

404,849

Selling, general and administrative

31,876

33,491

62,299

63,354

Design and development

18,457

22,666

36,060

39,634

Operating income

3,407

4,331

3,738

302

Interest expense, net

3,801

3,120

7,435

5,866

Equity in loss of investee

52

329

329

500

Other (income) expense, net

(2,296)

2,387

(260)

3,535

Income (loss) before income taxes

1,850

(1,505)

(3,766)

(9,599)

(Benefit) provision for income taxes

(936)

1,487

(426)

779

Net income (loss)

$              2,786

$            (2,992)

$            (3,340)

$          (10,378)

Income (loss) per share:

Basic

$                0.10

$              (0.11)

$              (0.12)

$              (0.38)

Diluted

$                0.10

$              (0.11)

$              (0.12)

$              (0.38)

Weighted-average shares outstanding:

Basic

27,611

27,452

27,570

27,400

Diluted

27,853

27,452

27,570

27,400

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Six months ended June 30, (in thousands)

2024

2023

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

Net loss

$              (3,340)

$            (10,378)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used for) operating activities:

Depreciation

13,054

13,161

Amortization, including accretion and write-off of deferred financing costs

4,440

4,004

Deferred income taxes

(7,004)

(3,782)

Loss of equity method investee

329

500

Loss (gain) on sale of fixed assets

258

(854)

Share-based compensation expense

2,207

1,271

Excess tax deficiency related to share-based compensation expense

238

66

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable, net

(6,094)

(28,100)

Inventories, net

3,438

(23,142)

Prepaid expenses and other assets

(1,038)

3,313

Accounts payable

(849)

27,069

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

12,123

12,184

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities

17,762

(4,688)

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

Capital expenditures, including intangibles

(12,920)

(18,025)

Proceeds from sale of fixed assets

222

1,729

Investment in venture capital fund, net

(260)

Net cash used for investing activities

(12,958)

(16,296)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

Revolving credit facility borrowings

57,000

42,000

Revolving credit facility payments

(58,000)

(38,068)

Proceeds from issuance of debt

17,677

16,402

Repayments of debt

(17,690)

(18,086)

Repurchase of Common Shares to satisfy employee tax withholding

(666)

(1,325)

Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities

(1,679)

923

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

(1,854)

(32)

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

1,271

(20,093)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

40,841

54,798

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$             42,112

$             34,705

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:

Cash paid for interest, net

$               8,003

$               5,622

Cash paid for income taxes, net

$               4,372

$               5,927

 

Regulation G Non-GAAP Financial Measure Reconciliations

Exhibit 1 – Reconciliation of Adjusted EPS

Reconciliation of Q2 2024 Adjusted EPS

(USD in millions, except EPS)

Q2 2024

Q2 2024 EPS

Net Income

$               2.8

$             0.10

Add: After-Tax Business Realignment Costs

1.9

0.07

Adjusted Net Income

$               4.7

$             0.17

 

Exhibit 2 – Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA

(USD in millions)

Q1 2023

Q2 2023

Q3 2023

Q4 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Income (Loss) Before Tax

$     (8.1)

$     (1.5)

$       4.4

$       3.2

$      (5.6)

$      1.9

Interest expense, net

2.7

3.1

3.3

3.8

3.6

3.8

Depreciation and amortization

8.3

8.4

8.5

8.4

8.6

8.5

EBITDA

$       3.0

$     10.0

$     16.2

$     15.5

$       6.6

$    14.2

Add: Pre-Tax Business Realignment Costs

1.3

1.9

1.2

0.1

1.9

Less: Pre-Tax Gain on Disposal of Fixed Assets

(0.8)

Add: Pre-Tax Environmental Remediation Costs

0.1

Add: Pre-Tax Brazilian Indirect Tax Credits, Net

(0.5)

Adjusted EBITDA

$       3.6

$     11.9

$     17.0

$     15.6

$       6.6

$    16.1

 

Exhibit 3 – Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income

(USD in millions)

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Operating Income

$           0.3

$           3.4

Add: Pre-Tax Business Realignment Costs

1.9

Adjusted Operating Income

$           0.3

$           5.4

 

Exhibit 4 – Segment Adjusted Operating Income

 

Reconciliation of Control Devices Adjusted Operating Income

(USD in millions)

Q2 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Control Devices Operating Income

$       5.1

$       2.2

$       3.7

Add: Pre-Tax Business Realignment Costs

0.4

Control Devices Adjusted Operating Income

$       5.5

$       2.2

$       3.7

Reconciliation of Electronics Adjusted Operating Income

(USD in millions)

Q2 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Electronics Operating Income

$       7.4

$       7.1

$       9.8

Add: Pre-Tax Business Realignment Costs

1.3

1.9

Electronics Adjusted Operating Income

$       8.8

$       7.1

$     11.7

 

Exhibit 5 – Reconciliation of Electronics Adjusted Sales

(USD in millions)

Q2 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Electronics Sales

$   168.3

$   156.1

$   153.5

Less: Sales from Spot Purchases Recoveries

(4.4)

Electronics Adjusted Sales

$   163.9

$   156.1

$   153.5

 

Exhibit 6 – Reconciliation of Adjusted Tax Rate

Reconciliation of Q2 2024 Adjusted Tax Rate

(USD in millions)

Q2 2024

Tax Rate

Income Before Tax

$             1.9

Add: Pre-Tax Business Realignment Costs

1.9

Adjusted Income Before Tax

$             3.8

Income Tax Benefit

(0.9)

(50.6) %

Add: Tax Impact from Pre-Tax Adjustments

Adjusted Income Tax Benefit on Adjusted Income Before Tax

$            (0.9)

(24.3) %

 

Exhibit 7 – Reconciliation of Compliance Leverage Ratio

Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA for Compliance Calculation

(USD in millions)

Q1 2023

Q2 2023

Q3 2023

Q4 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Income (Loss) Before Tax

$     (8.1)

$     (1.5)

$       4.4

3.2

(5.6)

1.9

Interest Expense, net

2.7

3.1

3.3

3.8

3.6

3.8

Depreciation and Amortization

8.3

8.4

8.5

8.4

8.6

8.5

EBITDA

$       3.0

$     10.0

$     16.2

$     15.5

$       6.6

$     14.2

Compliance adjustments:

Add: Non-Cash Impairment Charges and Write-offs or Write Downs

0.2

Add: Adjustments from Foreign Currency Impact

1.4

3.1

0.4

(0.7)

2.2

(2.4)

Add: Extraordinary, Non-recurring or Unusual Items

0.2

0.5

Add: Cash Restructuring Charges

1.4

0.5

0.1

0.3

1.6

0.5

Add: Charges for Transactions, Amendments, and Refinances

0.3

Add: Adjustment to Autotech Fund II Investment

0.2

0.3

0.1

(0.1)

0.3

0.1

Adjusted EBITDA (Compliance)

$       6.1

$     13.9

$     17.4

$     15.3

$     10.9

$     12.3

Adjusted TTM EBITDA (Compliance)

$     52.7

$     57.5

$     55.9

 

Reconciliation of Adjusted Cash for Compliance Calculation

(USD in millions)

Q4 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Total Cash and Cash Equivalents

$       40.8

$       48.4

$      42.1

Less: 35% of Cash in Foreign Locations

(12.8)

(14.8)

(12.5)

Total Adjusted Cash (Compliance)

$       28.0

$       33.6

$      29.6

Reconciliation of Adjusted Debt for Compliance Calculation

(USD in millions)

Q4 2023

Q1 2024

Q2 2024

Total Debt

$     191.5

$     196.5

$     189.5

Outstanding Letters of Credit

1.6

1.6

1.6

Total Adjusted Debt (Compliance)

$     193.0

$     198.1

$     191.1

Adjusted Net Debt (Compliance)

$     165.0

$     164.5

$     161.4

Compliance Leverage Ratio (Net Debt / TTM EBITDA)

3.13x

2.86x

2.89x

 

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SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — LYT, a leader in NextGen intelligent connected traffic technology solutions, announced today it has signed a contract with the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) and the city of Fullerton for a one-year pilot program and the implementation of LYT’s leading NextGen transit priority solution (TSP), LYT.transit. 

Serving as the primary contractor for TSP under the Master Service Agreement with Arcadis, a leading global design and consultancy organization for natural and built assets, LYT.transit will help solve congestion issues for traffic signals across the busy corridor of Harbour Blvd. The Orange County TSP deployment extends LYT’s rapid expansion throughout the west coast. 

LYT’s leading transit signal priority solution, LYT.transit, moves bus transit vehicles through congested intersections faster, safer, and more intelligently. Harnessing the power of a single-edge device installed in the Traffic Management Center (TMC), bus transit vehicles speak directly to networked traffic signals through LYT’s open architecture cloud platform. This results in a consistent and reliable green light for every bus transit vehicle in the network.

Cities are realizing the distinct benefits of this technology due to LYT’s machine learning models and artificial intelligence technology that knows when to prioritize and activate a traffic signal. LYT’s system uses automotive data in an actionable way as it takes a broader traffic pattern ecosystem into account to have an impact on other surrounding signals, not just the one signal that traffic is heading toward. 

“As the Southern California region continues to thrive, it is essential to implement advanced traffic signal prioritization technology to improve the daily commutes of Orange County residents,” said Tim Menard, CEO and Founder of LYT. “Our cutting-edge AI-powered technology ensures smoother traffic flow, reduces congestion, and enhances safety on today’s roads. By prioritizing public transportation and optimizing traffic signals, we are committed to creating a more efficient and sustainable transportation network that benefits all residents and businesses throughout Orange County.” 

Gabriel Murillo, ITS and Connected Mobility Market Leader at Arcadis, said: “We are pleased to partner with LYT on LYT.transit, to help ease the impacts of traffic congestion for buses in Orange County. By harnessing the power of advanced AI and machine learning, LYT.transit is set to elevate transit efficiency, enhance safety, and contribute to a more sustainable transportation network for the residents and businesses of Orange County.” 

About LYT

LYT is the leading provider of smart cities NextGen intelligent connected traffic technologies that orchestrates today’s Intelligent Transportation Systems. LYT’s AI-powered, open architecture, machine learning technology enables a suite of transit signal priority and emergency vehicle preemption solutions that utilize pre-existing vehicle tracking sensors and city communication networks to dynamically adjust the phase and timing of traffic signals to provide sufficient green clearance time while minimally impacting cross traffic. LYT is headquartered in Silicon Valley and serves municipalities across the US and Canada. Learn more at LYT.ai.

ABOUT ARCADIS

Arcadis is the world’s leading company delivering data-driven sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. We are more than 36,000 architects, data analysts, designers, engineers, project planners, water management and sustainability experts, all driven by our passion for improving quality of life. As part of our commitment to accelerating a planet positive future, we work with our clients to make sustainable project choices, combining digital and human innovation, and embracing future-focused skills across the environment, energy and water, buildings, transport, and infrastructure sectors. We operate in over 30 countries, and in 2023 reported €5.0 billion in gross revenues. www.arcadis.com

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SOURCE LYT

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Safire Group Raises $8 Million in New Financing to Deliver Lithium-ion Battery Safety Technology to Government, Automotive Markets

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Canaan Partners Leads Round to Establish SAFIRE™ Technology as New Benchmark for Battery Safety

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Safire Technology Group, Inc. (“Safire Group”), today announced $8 million in new financing led by Canaan Partners, with participation from Correlation Ventures, Higher Life Ventures, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Automotive Ventures, Outpost Ventures, Potomac Angel Capital, and MaC Venture Capital. This Pre-Series A priced round of financing brings total funding to $11 million and fuels continued development of the company’s Safe, Impact-Resistant Electrolyte (SAFIRE™) technology to transform the safety benchmarks of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries across government and automotive industries. Canaan’s Hrach Simonian will join co-founders John Lee and Mike Grubbs on the board of directors.

“We are grateful to have a highly regarded, deeply experienced, and values-aligned investor in Canaan, and we are eager to continue building Safire Group together,” said Mike Grubbs.

“Safire Group is revolutionizing Li-ion battery technology with a focus on safety. Their innovative solutions are addressing the critical issue of battery volatility and setting new standards in the industry,” said Hrach Simonian, General Partner of Canaan Partners. “Safety should be intrinsic to battery design, not an afterthought. Safire Group’s commitment to redefining how these batteries are used in mobility and government applications promises to unlock unprecedented opportunities on a global scale.”

SAFIRE is the world’s only patented and proprietary drop-in additive for Li-ion batteries that prevents fires through an instantaneous liquid to solid transformation upon kinetic impact, such as an electric vehicle (EV) crash or ballistic event. During an impact, Safire Group’s shear thickening electrolyte technology enables the battery to resist deformation and prevents a short circuit – providing EV makers with lightweight crash protection and enabling Li-ion batteries to be used in novel ways.

Invented after nearly a decade of research and development by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), SAFIRE is currently being deployed by the company in four distinct use cases across broad domains: a ruggedized electric motorcycle, a rapidly deployable sensor tower, an unmanned ground vehicle, and multifunctional body armor.

“There is significant demand across the government to integrate SAFIRE technology into novel, ruggedized applications. This financing allows us to expand our operations in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, continue collaboration with ORNL, and further demonstrate the benefits of SAFIRE in government and automotive markets,” said John Lee, CEO of Safire Group. “We are excited about our partnership with Canaan and the opportunities it brings for the next stages of growth in deploying safety solutions for energy systems. Our focus remains on protecting people and critical assets while driving innovation in safety.”

About SAFIRE

Safire Group is a venture-backed company developing advanced Li-ion battery technologies for government and automotive markets. The company’s core technology, SAFe Impact Resistant Electrolyte (SAFIRE™), is the world’s only patented and proprietary drop-in additive for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that prevents fire through an instantaneous liquid-to-solid transformation upon kinetic impact, such as an electric vehicle (EV) crash or ballistic event. For more information, visit: www.safire.co.

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info@safire.co

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SOURCE Safire Technology Group, Inc.

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Logistics Automation Market to Reach $55 Billion by 2030, Driven by E-Commerce and Supply Chain Transformation – LogisticsIQ

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NEW DELHI, Sept. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — According to LogisticsIQ‘s latest report (5th edition), Logistics Automation Market is expected to grow to $55 Billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 15% between 2024 and 2030. The drivers of growth are the growth in the e-commerce industry, multichannel distribution channels, digital services, increasing e-grocery penetration and dark stores, globalization of supply chain networks, emergence of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and increasing demand for same day / same hour delivery.

Market Trends and Key Drivers

E-Commerce Boom and Its Impact on Logistics
The exponential growth of the e-commerce industry has significantly transformed the $5 trillion global logistics industry. Online retail requires more complex logistical processes, including individual picking, packing, and shipping, which contrasts with the bulk transportation model of brick-and-mortar retail. This surge in online retail, coupled with the increasing need for faster delivery times, is putting immense pressure on logistics providers to automate.Challenges and Market Conditions (2021-2025)
In 2021, logistics automation companies had a huge order intake, however, revenue growth was constrained by supply chain disruptions. Thus, the industry entered in 2022 with a backlog of orders, which was eventually reduced by 2023 due to macroeconomic uncertainties. In 2024, order volumes began to rise again, but cautious capital expenditure from retailers slowed down investments due to inflation, low consumer spending, and geopolitical tensions. We expect order volumes expected to rebound in 2025 as retailers aim to meet increasing consumer demand.Emerging Technologies and Market Players
The past few years have seen the emergence of cutting-edge technologies like automated picking systems, mobile manipulators, and automated cold storage solutions. Significant investments in companies like Symbotic, Geek+, Fabric, and Exotec Solutions reflect this growth. At the same time, established players such as Dematic, Honeywell Intelligrated, SSI Schafer, and Toyota Advanced Logistics continue to innovate. Additionally, major retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Amazon, Ocado, and Carrefour are actively adopting these technologies to enhance their supply chain capabilities.Apart this, piece picking players such as Righthand Robotics, Nimble, Fizyr, Kindred, Covariant, OSARO, Plus One Robotics, Berkshire Grey, and AWL have established a new attractive capability for order picking in ecommerce fulfillment as picking is least automated process in existing warehouses.

Download a Free Sample of our report on the Logistics Automation Market

Industry Consolidation in Logistics Automation Market

Over the last decade, the logistics automation market has experienced significant consolidation. Traditional industry players are acquiring innovative technology leaders to stay competitive and address evolving market demands. Notable examples include:

Rockwell Automation’s acquisition of Clearpath Robotics and OTTO MotorsZebra’s acquisition of Fetch RoboticsToyota’s acquisition of Vanderlande, Bastian Solutions and ViaStoreHoneywell’s acquisition of Intelligrated and TransnormJungheinrich acquired Magazino and ArculusSSI Schafer acquired DS AutomotionABB acquired ASTI Mobile Robotics and SevensenseKPI Solutions acquired Kuecker Logistics Group, Pulse Integration, QC SoftwareKörber acquired Cohesio Group, Siemens Logistics, HighJumpTeradyne acquired MiR, Energid, AutoGuide Mobile Robots

These mergers and acquisitions reflect the ongoing shift towards automation and the integration of cutting-edge technologies across the supply chain.

Read full report on the Logistics Automation Market Size, Growth, Share, Trends, and Forecast

Key Markets and Growth Opportunities

Top Markets: The United States, China, and Germany account for more than 50% of the demand for logistics automation, with strong market penetration in Europe, particularly in Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands. Western Europe represents around 30% of the global market. Emerging markets in APAC, particularly in India and Southeast Asia, are also showing strong growth potential, as are regions like the Middle East and Latin America.Emerging opportunities: Latin America is still under-penetrated with regards to automation; however, things are set to change and market is set to observe a high growth in Brazil and Mexico. Within Europe, Central and Eastern Europe is a fast-growing region, with Poland and Czech Republic emerging as logistics hub and showing good growth prospects.Grocery Industry: The grocery sector is a key area for logistics automation, driven by the need for high-frequency deliveries and the growing demand for online grocery services. Grocery distributors ship high cubic volumes of merchandise to retail stores with frequent deliveries to ensure product freshness.  Grocery distribution center operations are amongst the most labour intensive of any industry. Grocery automation market is expected to reach over $7 billion by 2030.AGV and AMR Market Growth: The market for Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) is projected to experience rapid growth, with a CAGR of over 20% by 2030. AMRs, which can operate without external guidance systems like optical tape or sensors, are becoming increasingly popular due to their ease of deployment in existing warehouse infrastructures.We expect AGVs/AMRs to have more than 20% market share by 2030 in this market led by players such as Seegrid, Balyo, Hai Robotics, Geek+, GreyOrange, HikRobot, Quicktron, Locus Robotics, Fetch Robotics (Zebra), 6 River Systems (Ocado), Teradyne (MiR, AutoGuide Mobile Robots), Rocla, JBT, ek-robotics, Omron, Rockwell Automation (Clearpath Robotics, OTTO Motors). We further see more consolidation and M&A in the mobile robots space as larger System integrators look to complete their product portfolios.

Order Picking and Automation Trends

Manual vs. Automated Picking: The order picking process remains one of the most labor-intensive tasks in the warehouse, especially in e-commerce fulfillment. While manual picking is still preferred for operations with a large variety of SKUs, automated picking systems and robotic solutions are gaining traction. Technologies such as RFID, pick-to-light, and pick-to-voice systems help improve efficiency even in semi-automated environments.Piece Picking Robots: Companies such as Righthand Robotics, Berkshire Grey, Osaro, and Covariant are leading the charge in developing piece picking robots that are ideal for e-commerce fulfillment. These robots significantly reduce labor costs and increase throughput, offering a high return on investment for businesses.

Purchase the full report on the Logistics Automation Market By Technology (AGV/AMR, ASRS, Conveyors, Sortation, Order Picking, Automatic Identification and Data Capture, Palletizing & Depalletizing, Overhead Systems, MRO Services and WMS/WES/WCS), By Industry (E-commerce, General Merchandise, Grocery, Apparel, Food & Beverage, Pharma, 3PL), By Geography – Global Forecast to 2030

What will you get in this report?

500+ Pages, 290+ Exhibits and 350+ Market tables for7 major Industry Verticals (eCommerce, Grocery, General Merchandise, Apparel, Food & Beverage, 3PL, Wholesale)10 Technologies (Mobile Robots, AS/RS, Conveyors, Sortation, Order Picking, Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC), Palletizing and Depalletizing Robots, Overhead systems, Software (Warehouse Management, Warehouse Execution, and Warehouse Control), and MRO services.6 regions and 28 countries (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Nordics, China, Japan, India, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico)Pivot-friendly Excel file with 350+ market tables including forecast till 2030In-depth analysis of 700 companies in the ecosystem with more than 140+ company profilesFocus Group Discussion with 100+ key industry stakeholders across the value chain to collect the first-hand information to validate our analysis2 Analyst Sessions to brainstorm furtherInvestment details with 150+ M&A and 750+ funding dealsLogisticsIQ™ Exclusive Market Map (~700 Players across 15+ categories)

About LogisticsIQ

LogisticsIQ is a dedicated market research and advisory firm in Logistics & Supply Chain sector, empowering decision makers from top fortune 1000 companies, financial and research institutions, private equity and high potential start-ups with market insights to make better decisions. We enable this by analysing the right mix of the best data, the best research methodologies, and the best industry panel to deliver value to our clients.

Media Contact
Name: Sunny M.
Email: sunny@thelogisticsiq.com
Phone: +91-952-918-4938

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