EML Eastern Company

Note A – Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 8-03 of Regulation S-X and do not include all the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) for complete financial statements. Refer to the consolidated financial statements of The Eastern Company (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 12, 2024 (the “2023 Form 10-K”), for additional information.

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited. However, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations for interim periods have been reflected therein. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. All intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated.

The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 30, 2023 has been derived from the audited consolidated balance sheet at that date.

The Company’s fiscal year is a 52-53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday nearest to December 31. References in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 29, 2024 (this “Form 10-Q”) to 2023, the 2023 fiscal year or fiscal 2023 mean the 52-week period ended on December 30, 2023, and references to 2024, the 2024 fiscal year or fiscal 2024 mean the 52-week period ending on December 28, 2024. In a 52-week fiscal year, each quarter has 13 weeks. References to the second quarter of 2023, the second fiscal quarter of 2023 or the three months ended July 1, 2023, mean the 13-week period from April 2, 2023 to July 1, 2023. References to the second quarter of 2024, the second fiscal quarter of 2024 or the three months ended June 29, 2024, mean the 13-week period from March 31, 2023 to June 29, 2024. References to the first six months of 2023 or the six months ended July 1, 2023 mean the period from January 1, 2023 to July 1, 2023. References to the first six months of 2024 or the six months ended June 29, 2024 mean the period from December 31, 2023 to June 29, 2024.

Certain amounts in the 2023 financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the 2024 presentation with no impact or change to previously reported net income or shareholders’ equity.

Note B – Earnings Per Share

The denominators used to calculate earnings per share are as follows:

Note C – Fair Value of Instruments

Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The company utilizes a fair value hierarchy, which maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. The fair value hierarchy has three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value:

The Company’s financial instruments are primarily investments in marketable securities (Level 1), designated foreign currency hedge contracts – see Note O, Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements, and pension assets, see Note L, Retirement Benefit Plans.

The carrying amounts of other financial instruments (cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, accounts receivable, accounts payable and debt) as of June 29, 2024 and December 30, 2023, approximate fair value because of their short-term nature and market-based interest rates.

Note D – Inventories

Inventories consist of the following components:

Note E - Goodwill

The aggregate carrying amount of goodwill is approximately $70.7 million as of June 29, 2024. No impairment was recognized in the second quarter of 2024.

The Company evaluates its reporting units for impairment annually in December, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. Such events and circumstances could include, among other things, increased competition or unexpected loss of market share, significant adverse changes in the markets in which the Company operates, or unexpected business disruptions. The Company tests reporting units for impairment by comparing the estimated fair value of each reporting unit with its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the Company records an impairment loss based on the difference between fair value and carrying amount not to exceed the associated carrying amount of goodwill. Determining the fair value of a reporting unit involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions. The values assigned to the key assumptions represent management’s assessment of future trends in the relevant industry and have been based on historical data from both external and internal sources.

Note F – Leases

The Company presents right-of-use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months, in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases. The Company accounts for non-lease components as part of the lease component to which they relate. Lease accounting involves significant judgements, including making estimates related to the lease term, lease payments, and discount rate.

Note G - Debt

On June 16, 2023, the Company entered into a credit agreement with TD Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, Bank of America, and M&T Bank as lenders (the “Credit Agreement”), that included a $60 million term portion and a $30 million revolving commitment portion. The proceeds of the term loan were used to repay the Company’s remaining outstanding term loan and to terminate its existing credit facility with Santander Bank, N.A. (approximately $59 million). The term loan portion of the credit facility requires quarterly principal payments of (i) $750,000 beginning on September 30, 2023 through June 30, 2025, (ii) $1,125,000 beginning on September 30, 2025 through June 30, 2027, and (iii) $1,500,000 beginning on September 30, 2027 through March 31, 2028, with the balance of the term loan payable on the maturity date of June 16, 2028. Amounts outstanding under the revolving portion of the credit facility are generally due and payable on the expiration date of the Credit Agreement (June 16, 2028). The Company can elect to prepay some or all of the outstanding balance from time to time without penalty. A commitment fee is payable on the unused portion of the revolving credit facility based on the Company’s consolidated ratio of net debt to adjusted EBITDA from time to time. Currently, the commitment fee is 0.30%. The Company has no borrowings outstanding under the revolving commitment portion of the credit facility as of June 29, 2024.

The term loan bears interest at a variable rate based on the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), plus an adjustment of ten basis points, plus an applicable margin of 1.875% to 2.625%, depending on the Company’s senior net leverage ratio. Borrowings under the revolving portion bear interest at a variable rate based on, at the Company’s election, a base rate plus an applicable margin of 0.875% to 1.625% or SOFR, plus an adjustment of ten basis points, plus an applicable margin of 1.875% to 2.625%, with such margins determined based on the Company’s senior net leverage ratio. The Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement are secured by a lien on certain of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ assets pursuant to a Pledge and Security Agreement, dated as of June 16, 2023, with TD Bank N.A., as administrative agent.

The Company’s loan covenants under the Credit Agreement require the Company to maintain a senior net leverage ratio not to exceed 3.5 to 1. In addition, the Company is required to maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio to be not less than 1.25 to 1. The Company was in compliance with all its covenants under the Credit Agreement on June 29, 2024, and through the date of filing this Form 10-Q.

Note H - Stock Options and Awards

On February 19, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) adopted The Eastern Company 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”), which replaced The Eastern Company 2010 Executive Stock Incentive Plan after its expiration in February 2020. On April 29, 2020, at the Company’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the shareholders of the Company approved and adopted the 2020 Plan. The Company has no other existing plan pursuant to which equity awards may be granted.

Incentive stock options granted under the 2020 Plan must have exercise prices that are not less than 100% of the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the dates the stock options are granted. Restricted stock awards may also be granted to participants under the 2020 Plan with restrictions determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Under the 2020 Plan, non-qualified stock options granted to participants will have exercise prices determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board. During the first six months of fiscal 2024 and 2023, the Company granted stock awards with respect to 92,016 and 64,500 shares of Company common stock, respectively, that were subject to the meeting of performance measurements or time based. For the first six months of fiscal years 2024 and 2023, the Company used fair market value to determine the associated expense with stock awards.

The 2020 Plan also permits the issuance of Stock Appreciation Rights (“SARs”). The SARs are in the form of an option with a cashless exercise price equal to the difference between the fair value of the Company’s common stock at the date of grant and the fair value as of the exercise date resulting in the issuance of the Company’s common stock. The Company did not issue any SARs during the first six months of fiscal 2024 and 2023.

Stock-based compensation (income) expense, including forfeitures, in connection with SARs and stock awards previously granted to employees was approximately $(20,000) and $21,000 in the second quarter of 2024 and the second quarter of 2023, respectively, and was approximately $414,000 and $(163,000) in the first six months of fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively.

As of June 29, 2024, there were 792,819 shares of Company common stock reserved and available for future grant under the 2020 Plan.

The following tables set forth the outstanding SARs for the period specified:

Note I – Share Repurchase Program

On August 21, 2023, the Company announced that the Board had approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the Company to repurchase up to 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock through August 20, 2028. The Company’s share repurchase program does not obligate it to acquire the Company’s common stock at any specific cost per share. Under this program, shares may be repurchased in privately negotiated and/or open market transactions, including under plans complying with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Below is a summary of the Company’s shares repurchased during the second quarter of 2024 under the share repurchase program.

Note J – Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenues result from the sale of goods and services and reflect the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled. The Company records revenues in accordance with FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” The Company has defined purchase orders as contracts in accordance with ASC Topic 606. For its customer contracts, the Company identifies its performance obligations, which are delivering goods or services, determines the transaction price, allocates the contract transaction price to the performance obligations (when applicable), and recognizes the revenue when (or as) the performance obligation is transferred to the customer. A good or service is transferred when the customer obtains control of that good or service. The Company’s revenues are recorded at a point in time from the sale of tangible products. Revenues are recognized when products are shipped.

Customer volume rebates, product returns, discount and allowance are variable considerations and are recorded as a reduction of revenue in the same period that the related sales are recorded. The Company has reviewed the overall sales transactions for variable consideration and has determined that these costs are not material.

The Company has no future performance obligations and does not capitalize costs to obtain or fulfill contracts.

Note K - Income Taxes

The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. at the federal and state levels, and in foreign jurisdictions. With limited exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U.S. federal, state, and local income tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2019 and is no longer subject to non-U.S. income tax examinations by foreign tax authorities for years prior to 2017.

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits could increase or decrease within the next 12 months for several reasons, including the closure of federal, state, and foreign tax years by expiration of the statute of limitations and the recognition and measurement considerations under FASB ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.”  There have been no significant changes to the value of unrecognized tax benefits during the six months ended June 29, 2024. The Company believes that it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will not increase or decrease significantly over the next twelve months.

Note L - Retirement Benefit Plans

The Company has four non-contributory defined benefit pension plans covering most U.S. employees. All of these pension plans are frozen and participants in these plans have not accrued benefits since the date on which these plans were frozen. Plan benefits are generally based upon age at retirement, years of service and, for the plan covering salaried employees, the level of compensation. The Company also sponsors unfunded non-qualified supplemental retirement plans that provide certain former officers with benefits in excess of limits imposed by federal tax law.

The Company also provides health care and life insurance for retired salaried employees in the United States who meet specific eligibility requirements.

Significant disclosures relating to these benefit plans for the first three months and first six months 2024 and 2023 are as follows:

Note M - Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which amends the reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. We do not expect this new standard to have a significant impact on our disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740), which modifies the rules on income tax disclosures to require entities to disclose (1) specific categories in the rate reconciliation, (2) the income or loss from continuing operations before income tax expense or benefit disaggregated between domestic and foreign and (3) income tax expense or benefit from continuing operations disaggregated by federal, state, and foreign. The update also requires entities to disclose their income tax payments to various jurisdictions. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. We do not expect this new standard to have a significant impact on our disclosures.