Air Industries Group: Form 10-K for the period ended Dec 31, 2022

Introduction

As used in this report, unless otherwise stated or the context requires otherwise, the “Company” and terms such as “we,” “us” “our,” and “AIRI” refer to Air Industries Group, a Nevada corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.

We are a manufacturer of complex machined parts and assemblies for the Aerospace and Defense (“A&D”) market. Our products are used by Original Equipment Manufacturers (“OEM”) in the manufacture of fixed wing aircraft, helicopters jet turbine engines, and other complex sophisticated A&D products. We also manufacture parts for the ground power turbine industry and are in discussions to manufacture products for submarines.

We are a holding company with three legal subsidiaries, Air Industries Machining, (“AIM”) Nassau Tool Works (“NTW”) and Sterling Engineering Company (“SEC”). Our subsidiaries have been manufacturers of A&D product for decades; SEC began manufacturing aircraft components in 1941 – over 80-years ago – for use in World War II. NTW was formed in the early 1960’s and AIM has been in business since 1951. Collectively, our subsidiaries have over 200 years of manufacturing experience in the A&D market.

We operate our business using two main facilities. One is located in Long Island, New York, and the other is in Barkhamsted, Connecticut. We have over 150,000 square feet of manufacturing space, approximately 75,000 square feet in each location, and employ approximately 190 people.

Historically, we operated our businesses and reported their results as two separate segments, with AIM and NTW comprising our Complex Machining Segment (“CMS”) and our SEC as the Turbine & Engine Component Segment (“TEC”). Our CMS segment specializes in flight critical components including flight controls and landing gear. Our TEC segment focuses on manufacturing components for jet engines. Historically, each segment had different customers and utilized different production facilities.

In recent years the operations of our CMS and TEC segments have become increasingly integrated. In addition, we have made significant capital expenditures to modernize our manufacturing equipment and all of our operations now share the same manufacturing facilities and use most, if not all, of the same sales and marketing functions. We made these changes to take advantage of the long-term growth opportunities we see in the A&D market. In early fiscal 2022, we further changed our management approach and now make decisions regarding the allocation of resources and assess operating performance based on one integrated business rather than two reporting segments. As such, effective with our first quarter ended March 31, 2022, we began to present our operations as one reportable operating segment.

The A&D business is comprised of a small number of OEM’s relying on several “tiers” or layers of many more numerous smaller manufacturers supplying product. Each successive tier supplies increasingly larger, more complex product to the next higher tier and OEM companies. Air Industries is generally either a tier one manufacturer supplying product directly to an OEM, or a tier two manufacturer supplying product to a tier one supplier which delivers to an OEM.

Our business has evolved over the years, our products becoming increasing complex. Where once we manufactured smaller individual components for others to assemble into complex assemblies, we now manufacture those complex assemblies ourselves. For example, in the past we, along with other suppliers, manufactured individual components to be assembled into a landing gear by an OEM customer. Today we manufacture the entire landing gear, assembling over 200 individual parts, most manufactured internally, others sub-contracted or purchased into a complete landing gear delivered directly to an OEM, ready to be installed on an aircraft.

We are predominately a supplier of military aviation product. Defense products were 82.6% and 87.7% of our business in 2022 and 2021 respectively. Our OEM customers in the defense sector include:

• Raytheon Technologies Corporation (f/k/a United Technologies Corporation). We supply products for several units of Raytheon Technologies Corporation, including:
• Goodrich Landing Systems – we manufacture landing gear components for the Northrop Grumman E2-D Hawkeye, airborne warning and control aircraft deployed with the US Navy and several foreign governments, the Lockheed F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike multi-role fighter aircraft used by all branches of the US military and multiple foreign militaries and for the F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft.

Pratt & Whitney – we manufacture jet turbine engine components for several military and commercial jet engines.

• Lockheed Martin Corporation. We supply products for the Sikorsky Aircraft unit of Lockheed primarily for the UH-60 BlackHawk multi-purpose helicopter used by the US and many foreign militaries.
• General Electric Corporation. We supply products used in General Electric jet turbine aircraft engines used by several military aircraft platforms.
• US Department of Defense. We supply landing gear product for the US Navy F-18 fighter aircraft directly to the Defense Department.
• Northrop Grumman Corporation. We supply product used on the E2-D Hawkeye, airborne warning and control aircraft.

The balance of our business, comprising 17.4% and 12.3% of our business in 2022 and 2021 respectively, is in commercial aviation and to a minor degree in ground power electricity generation. Our OEM customers in the commercial sector include:

• Rohr Inc., (a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies) We manufacture a component used in several versions of the Pratt & Whitney new geared turbine fan commercial jet turbine engine.
• General Electric Corporation. We supply products used in General Electric jet turbine aircraft engines used by several commercial aircraft platforms and ground power electricity generation.

Our business is concentrated on five aircraft platforms which comprised 76.9% and 76.6% of our business in 2022 and 2021 respectively.

• UH-60 BlackHawk. We have manufactured many components and assemblies for the BlackHawk and its many variants for more than 20 years. BlackHawk helicopters entered service in 1979 and remain in production today. It is the primary helicopter used by the US Army and other branches of the US military. The BlackHawk is also used by many foreign countries and militaries. Over 4,000 aircraft have been produced with many, perhaps as many as 3,000, remaining in use today and generating significant after-market demand.
• F-35 Lightning II. The F-35 Lightning also known as the Joint Strike Fighter is a new aircraft that will in coming years replace the US Air Force F-15 and the US Navy and Marine Corps F-18 fighters. Eight other nations have participated in the development of the aircraft and will be users of the aircraft, as will other international militaries. There are three variants of the aircraft, conventional take-off and landing F-35A, short take-off and vertical landing F-35B and a carrier based variant F-35C. The aircraft entered service with the US Marine Corps in 2015 and approximately 2,300 are expected to be produced.
• F-18 Hornet. The F-18 Hornet currently is the primary fighter aircraft for the US Navy operating primarily from aircraft carriers. The F-18 is also in service internationally, notably Finland and Australia. We manufacture complete landing gear and landing gear components for the many variants of the aircraft.
• Northrop Grumman E2-D Advanced Hawkeye. The ED-D Hawkeye is a US Navy carrier-based aircraft used to provide airborne warning and control for carrier-based air operations. The aircraft’s role is to maintain control of the airspace surrounding an aircraft carrier for protection of the vessel and aircraft in operation. The “D” version, the most current of the E2 remains in production. The aircraft is also used by seven foreign militaries notably Japan.
• Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo-Fan. The P&W Geared Turbo-Fan (“GTF”) is a next generation jet turbine engine used in commercial aviation. The GTF engine is widely acknowledged to deliver improved fuel economy and a lower noise footprint than existing jet engines. There are several versions of the GTF. Air Industries produces a component for the smaller versions of the engine used on the popular A-220 and Embraer narrow body aircraft.

Our Market

The A&D industry has become very consolidated, now dominated by just a few very large prime contractors and OEM’s. These include Airbus, Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies. Many if not most of the large prime contractors and OEM’s are our direct Tier One customers, and we also supply product as a Tier two supplier to many of their Tier one suppliers. We also sell directly to the US Department of Defense (“DOD”).

Our products are incorporated into many aircraft platforms, the majority of which remain in production today. The demand for after-market products for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (“MRO”) of aircraft can continue for many years, even decades, after the production line for new aircraft is shut-down.

We target products that are flight critical, whose flawless operation is essential to the safe operation of the aircraft. To qualify to produce these products a manufacturer needs to maintain various accreditations. Obtaining accreditation while not impossible is difficult, time consuming and thus a barrier to entry for competitors. Further, flight critical components are frequently replaced on aircraft on a flight time, or flight cycle basis. Thus, demand for these products arises from both production of new aircraft, and MRO demand based on the flight hours of existing fleets of aircraft.

For many of our products we are the sole or single source of product for our customers. Sole source product means that we are the only manufacturer of the product. Single source means that while other manufacturers could supply the product, we are the only producer currently in the market. Single or sole sourcing is more likely to occur with legacy aircraft. OEM’s generally prefer to have multiple sources of product to support a production line of new aircraft and avoid single point of failure issues, particularly in light of the supply chain disruptions caused by the outbreak of Covid-19.

Our market is predominately military. As such demand for our products is closely aligned with the budget of the DOD. We monitor two components of the DOD budget; procurement which affects demand resulting from new production and operations & maintenance which affects demand resulting from the maintaining of existing aircraft. For Fiscal Year 2022, procurement and operations and maintenance accounted for more than 50% of the entire defense budget.

Sales and Marketing

We are generally recognized as a Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier in the A&D industry. We are also recognized as having extensive experience and accreditation to produce and assemble complex flight safety products.

Most of our contracts with our customers are in the form of a Long-Term Agreement (“LTA”). These LTA’s specify the number and price of products that the customer may order from us for a period of time. The quantity and price in any year may vary from other years within the LTA. Once awarded, the customer places orders against the LTA. These orders are called releases. Once released the order is a firm order. While a firm order may be cancelled the customer is subject to termination liability and must pay us for the cost of material, labor and other costs incurred up to the date of termination.

Our sales cycle is highly variable, ranging from a few weeks to several years depending upon the complexity of the product and the number of steps necessary to complete manufacturing. Contracts for product can be very short, just a few months to as long as ten-years.

We obtain new or follow-on LTA’s through competitive bidding. We respond to a customer’s Request for Quotation (“RFQ”) with proposed prices based on quantities, sometimes varying quantities per year, for shipments over a number of years. There may be several rounds of submissions from us and from competitive suppliers, and a period of negotiation before an LTA is awarded. In addition to products sold pursuant to LTA’s there are also “spot buys” of product by customers.

LTA’s, particularly for defense products, may be extended or new orders placed without competitive bidding. In this instance and in some others our price for the product must be supported by an analysis or audit and approval of our costs by the customer or by the Government.

In 2021 and to a lesser extent in the first half of 2022 our sales and marketing efforts were negatively affected by Covid travel restrictions limiting our ability to visit customers and the reluctance of the employees of some of our customers to return to the office and attend trade shows, complicating our ability to contact them. As a result of these challenges our “book-to-bill” ratio (new orders booked divided by sales) was 0.75 to 1.00 and 0.9 to 1.00 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 respectively, below historic levels.

Our approach to sales and marketing can be best understood through the concept of customer alignment. The aerospace industry is dominated by a small number of large prime contractors and OEM’s. These customers rely heavily upon subcontractors to supply quality parts meeting specifications on a timely and cost effective basis. These customers and other customers we supply routinely rate their suppliers based on a variety of performance factors. One of our principal goals is to be highly rated and thus deemed reliable by all of our customers and throughout the industry.

The large prime contractors are increasingly seeking subcontractors who can supply and are qualified to integrate the fabrication of larger, more complex and more complete subassemblies. We seek to position ourselves within the supply chain of these contractors and manufacturers to be selected for subcontracted projects. Successful positioning requires that we qualify to be a preferred supplier by achieving and maintaining independent third party quality approval certifications, specific customer quality system approvals and top supplier ratings through strong performance on existing contracts.

During our sales and marketing efforts we let customers know that we have employees with the talent and experience to manage the manufacture of sections of aircraft structures to be delivered to the final assembly phase of the aircraft manufacturing cycle, and customers have now engaged us for these services.

Initial contracts are usually obtained through competitive bidding against other qualified subcontractors, while follow-on contracts are usually retained by successfully performing initial contracts. Our long term business generally benefits from barriers to entry resulting from investments, certifications, familiarization with the needs and systems of customers, and manufacturing techniques developed during the initial manufacturing phase. We endeavor to develop each of our relationships to one of a “partnership” where we participate in the resolution of pre-production design and build issues, and initial contracts are obtained as single source awards and follow-on pricing is determined through negotiations. In response to the impediments to traditional means of marketing our products and services encountered during 2020 and 2021 as a result of the cancellation of industry-wide events and the difficulties in scheduling meetings with our customers, we have adapted our business development efforts to increase our use of social media and online presentations, and will continue to look for new ways to interact with our customers.

Our Backlog

The backlog we report consists solely of firm orders received from customers. We do not estimate possible or probable future orders pursuant to LTA’s or anticipated contract renewals. Our backlog exists due to the long lead times necessary to produce many of our products. Our production cycle from ordering raw material to delivering finished product can vary from several weeks to more than one year. Customers must place orders in light of these lead-times creating a back-log of future deliveries. The production cycle for jet engine products is much shorter and accordingly the backlog for jet engine products is much lower. Our total 18-Month firm backlog was $60.1 and $75.0 Million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Our backlog today is the result of purchase orders for the Sikorsky Black Hawk, the F-25 Joint Strike Fighter, the Northrop Grumman E2-D, the F-18 fighter aircraft and the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo-Fan jet engine.

Competition

Winning a new contract is highly competitive. We manufacture to customer design specifications. We compete against companies that have similar, or better manufacturing capabilities and often greater financial, physical and technical resources in the domestic and, to a lesser degree, in the global marketplace. Our ability to win new contracts requires providing quality products on a timely basis at competitive prices. This requires that we strive for continuous improvement in our capabilities to enhance our competitiveness. To accomplish this, we have made significant investments in new machinery and equipment totaling approximately $3,725,000; $1,364,000 and $2,361,000 in 2021 and 2022, respectively. This new equipment improves the productive capacity of our employees, increases efficiency and speed, while maintaining closer tolerances, and increasing the size of product we can manufacture with a larger working “envelope”. We anticipate spending an additional $1,750,000 to $2,500,000 in 2023 to continue to expand our productive capacity.

Our marketing strategy involves developing long-term working relationships with customers. These relationships enable us to develop barriers to entry to competitors by establishing and maintaining advanced quality approvals, certifications and tooling investments that are difficult and expensive to duplicate.

Among our competitors are: Monitor Aerospace, a division of Stellex Aerospace; Hydromil, a division of Triumph Aerospace Group; Heroux Aerospace and Ellanef Manufacturing, a division of Magellan Corporation.

Raw Materials and Replacement Parts

The manufacturing process for certain products, particularly those for which we serve as product integrator, requires significant purchases of raw materials, hardware and subcontracted details. As a result, much of our success in profitably meeting customer demand for these products requires efficient and effective subcontract management. Price and availability of many raw materials utilized in the aerospace industry are subject to volatile global markets and political conditions. Most suppliers of raw materials are unwilling to commit to long-term contracts at fixed prices. This is a substantial risk as our strategy often involves long term fixed price commitments to our customers.

Employees

As of May 1, 2023, we employed 185 people. Of these, 76 were in administration, 9 were in sales and procurement, and 100 were in manufacturing.

AIM is a party to a collective bargaining agreement (the “Agreement”) with the United Service Workers, IUJAT, Local 355 (the “Union”) with which we believe we maintain good relations. The Agreement was renewed as of December 31, 2021 and expires on December 31, 2024 and covers the majority of AIM’s personnel, approximately 130 individuals, which equates to approximately 70% of all of our employees.

AIM is required to make a monthly contribution to each of the Union’s United Welfare Fund and the United Services Worker’s Security Fund. This is the only pension benefit required by the Agreement and the Company is not obligated for any future defined benefit to retirees. The Agreement contains a “no-strike” clause, whereby, during the term of the Agreement, the Union will not strike and AIM will not lockout its employees.

All of our employees are covered under a co-employment agreement with Insperity Services, LLC, a professional employer organization that provides out-sourced human resource and payroll services.

Regulations

Environmental Regulation; Employee Safety

We are subject to regulations administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, various state agencies and county and local authorities acting in cooperation with federal and state authorities. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions that require us to control air, soil and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use and release of certain hazardous chemicals and substances. The extensive regulatory framework imposes compliance burdens and financial and operating risks on us. Governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and to obtain injunctions or impose civil and criminal fines in the case of violations.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”) imposes strict, joint and several liabilities on the present and former owners and operators of facilities that release hazardous substances into the environment. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”) regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. New York and Connecticut, the states where our production facilities are located, also have stringent laws and regulations governing the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous substances, counterparts of CERCLA and RCRA. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, obligates employers to provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances.

Federal Aviation Administration

We are subject to regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We have never been subject to such fines or disqualifications.

Government Contract Compliance

Our government contracts and those of many of our customers are subject to the procurement rules and regulations of the United States government, including the Federal Acquisition Regulations. Many of the contract terms are dictated by these rules and regulations. During and after the fulfillment of a government contract, we may be audited in respect of the direct and allocated indirect costs attributed to the project. These audits may result in adjustments to our contract costs. Additionally, we may be subject to U.S. government inquiries and investigations because of our participation in government procurement. Any inquiry or investigation can result in fines or limitations on our ability to continue to bid for government contracts and fulfill existing contracts.

We believe that we are in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations governing our operations and have obtained all material licenses and permits required for the operation of our business.

The purchase of our common stock involves a very high degree of risk.

In evaluating our common stock and our business, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and the other information and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included herein. If any of the events described in the risks below actually occurs, our financial condition or operating results may be materially and adversely affected, the price of our common stock may decline, perhaps significantly, and you could lose all or a part of your investment.

The risks below can be characterized into four groups:

1) Risks related to disruptive global events such as a widespread public health crisis, the outbreak of an international conflict, a terrorist event or a banking crisis, such as Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine, and responses to such events;

2) Risks related to our business, including risks specific to the defense and aerospace industry;

3) Risks arising from our indebtedness; and

4) Risks related to our common stock.

The financial statements contained in this Report, as well as the description of our business contained herein, unless otherwise indicated, principally reflect the status of our business and the result of operations as of December 31, 2022.

Risks Related to Global Events

Disruptive national and international events, such as the outbreak of a public health crisis, an international conflict, a terrorist event, a banking crisis, the possibility of default by the United States on its obligations due to its debt ceiling or the actuality of such an event, and the response of the United States, other countries and the public to such events, and the resulting macroeconomic disruption to the financial markets and the businesses of our customers and suppliers, could have a negative impact on our results of operation and financial condition.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and the measures adopted by various governments and agencies, as well as the decision by many individuals and businesses to voluntarily shut down or self-quarantine and work from home in response to the outbreak of Covid-19 had serious adverse impacts on domestic and foreign economies, the financial markets and our ability, as well as the ability of some of our customers and suppliers, to operate in the ordinary course. While we continued to operate substantially in the normal course of business since the outbreak of Covid-19, we were forced to adjust our sales and marketing practices due to difficulties encountered in contacting our customers to maintain existing programs and win new orders and did not receive new contracts during 2021 and 2022 at a rate consistent with historical levels. Although business has substantially returned to pre-Covid-19 operating levels and our ability to win new orders appears to be returning to historical levels, there is no assurance that there will not be another event, such as a public health crisis, an international conflict, a terrorist event, a banking crisis or the possibility of a default by the United States on its obligations due to its debt ceiling or the actuality of such an event, which will have a material adverse impact on our industry, operations or financial condition. Moreover, although our industry appears to be operating in the normal course, employees of certain customers continue to work from home impacting our ability to communicate with them and the future economic impact of changes in business practices which resulted from Covid-19 or which might result from a future event, cannot be predicted with certainty. Covid-19 caused significant disruption to the commercial travel and aerospace industries. Although air travel has increased, it may take several years for overall economic conditions to return to normal, particularly in the aerospace industry, for air travel and the resulting demand for new and refurbished aircraft to return to normal. If conditions do not improve, or if they worsen, it could make it difficult for us to access debt and equity capital on attractive terms, or at all, and impact our ability to fund business activities and repay debt on a timely basis.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, continued tensions between the US and the European Union with China and Russia, may alter countries’ willingness to rely on others as the source of certain products and material.

Historically, prime contractors and OEMs in the United States A & D industry have relied upon suppliers outside the United States for products and raw materials, including suppliers in Russia and China. Supply chain disruptions resulting from China’s initial response to Covid-19, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the economic disruption resulting from retaliatory measures, continued tensions between the US and other countries, may cause many companies in the A&D industry and the governments of the countries in which they are located, including the United States, to rethink these strategies and seek or mandate that such companies obtain more reliable sources of supply. To the extent they do so, it could disrupt the markets for raw materials and supplies, our ability and the ability of our suppliers to obtain raw materials and supplies and the market for the skilled laborers we need to manufacture our products.

We cannot forecast with any certainty whether such disruptions, restrictions imposed by various governments in response thereto and resulting changes in business practices, may materially impact our ability and the ability of our suppliers to obtain necessary raw material, our business and our consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In reading the remaining risk factors set forth below, in each case, consider the additional uncertainties caused by the potential for disruptive global events such as a widespread public health crisis, the outbreak of an international conflict, terrorist event or banking crisis and continued rivalries between various countries.

Risks Related to Our Business

We may need additional financing.

We may need to obtain additional financing to fund acquisitions of capital items necessary for our growth and to upgrade equipment to remain competitive. We may also need to obtain the agreement of holders of portions of our debt to extend or otherwise refinance such debt. We may need to offer these holders increases in the rates of interest they receive or otherwise compensate them through payments of cash or issuances of our equity securities. Future financings or refinancings may involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our equity securities. Additional funding may not be available to us on reasonable terms, if at all. If we are able to consummate such financings or re-financings, the trading price of our common stock could be adversely affected and the terms of such financings may adversely affect the interests of our existing stockholders. Any failure to obtain additional working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and may result in a decline in our stock price. Any issuances of our common stock, preferred stock, or securities such as warrants or notes that are convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, our capital stock, would have a dilutive effect on the voting and economic interest of our existing stockholders.

A reduction in government spending on defense could materially adversely impact our revenues, results of operations and financial condition.

A large percentage of our revenue is derived from products for US military aviation. There are risks associated with programs that are subject to appropriation by Congress, which could be potential targets for reductions in funding. Reductions in United States Government spending on defense or future changes in the mix of defense products required by United States Government agencies could limit demand for our products and may have a materially adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. For the past several years, our operations have been impacted by volatility in government procurement cycles and spending patterns. There can be no assurance that our financial condition and results of operations will not be materially adversely impacted by future volatility in defense spending or a change in the mix of products purchased by defense departments in the United States or other countries, or the perception on the part of our customers that such changes are about to occur.

We depend on revenues from a few significant relationships. Any loss, cancellation, reduction, or interruption in these relationships could harm our business.

We derive most of our revenues from a small number of customers. Four customers represented approximately 77% and three customers represented 75% of total sales for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The markets in which we sell our products are dominated by a relatively small number of customers which have contracts with United States governmental agencies, thereby limiting the number of potential customers. Our success depends on our ability to develop and manage relationships with significant customers. We cannot be sure that we will be able to retain our largest customers or that we will be able to attract additional customers, or that our customers will continue to buy our products in the same amounts as in prior years. The loss of one or more of our largest customers, any reduction or interruption in sales to these customers, our inability to successfully develop relationships with additional customers or future price concessions that we may have to make, could significantly harm our business.

We depend on revenues from components for a few aircraft platforms and the cancellation or reduction of either production or use of these aircraft platforms could harm our business.

We derive a significant portion of our revenues from components for a few aircraft platforms, specifically the Sikorsky BlackHawk helicopter, the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye naval aircraft, the F-18 Hornet and the Pratt & Whitney Geared TurboFan Jet engine. A reduction in demand for our products as a result of either a reduction in the production of new aircraft or a reduction in the use of existing aircraft in the fleet (reducing after-market demand) would have a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

Intense competition in our markets may lead to a reduction in our revenues and market share.

The defense and aerospace component manufacturing market is highly competitive and we expect that competition will increase and perhaps intensify. In particular, we anticipate that manufacturers which have historically operated predominately in the commercial sector may seek to increase the revenue derived in the defense aerospace market to utilize excess capacity. Many competitors have significantly greater technical, manufacturing, financial and marketing resources than we do. We may not be able to compete successfully against either current or future competitors. Increased competition could result in reduced revenue, lower margins or loss of market share, any of which could significantly harm our business, our operating results and financial condition.

We may lose sales if we fail to timely meet the needs of any of our customers.

Our customers incorporate our products into larger aircraft assemblies or completed aircraft. They rely upon us to deliver products meeting their specifications on a timely basis to ensure smooth operation of their assembly lines. If a customer were to conclude that it could not rely upon us for timely delivery of quality products, it could look to dual source a product or rely upon another party altogether. A customer could reach such a conclusion even if our failure to timely deliver product was the result of events beyond our control, such as the failure of the customer to place an order for a long lead time product on a timely basis or supply us with agreed upon raw materials for processing. Any decision by a customer to rely upon an alternate supplier for some or all of its needs could significantly harm our business, our operating results and our financial condition.

We may lose sales if our suppliers fail to meet our needs or shipments of raw materials are not timely made.

Although we procure most of our raw materials, parts and components from multiple sources and rely upon a number of subcontractors to perform detailed services, or believe that these materials, components and services are readily available from numerous sources, certain materials, components and services are available only from a sole or limited number of sources and often need to be sourced by our customer. While we believe that substitute supplies, components or assemblies and subcontractors could be obtained, use of substitutes would require development of new suppliers or would require us to re-engineer our products, or both, which could delay shipment of our products and could have a materially adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition. Any delays in the shipment of raw materials or the performance of subcontracted services could significantly harm our business, our operating results and our financial condition.

A reduction in our revenues could have a disproportionate effect on our gross profit as a percentage of sales.

Our operations have a large percentage of fixed factory overhead relative to our overall expenses. As a result, our gross profit as a percentage of sales is highly linked with sales volume. Any reduction in our sales volume causes us to absorb the fixed overhead costs over a smaller base of sales, likely causing our profit margin to decrease. Any reduction in our profit margin adversely impacts our reported performance and would have a material adverse impact on results of operation and consolidated financial position.

There are risks associated with the bidding processes in which we compete.

We obtain many contracts through a competitive bidding process. We must devote substantial time and resources to prepare bids and proposals and may not have contracts awarded to us. Even if we win contracts, there can be no assurance that the prices that we have bid will be sufficient to allow us to generate a profit from any particular contract. There are significant costs involved with producing a small number of initial units of any new product and it may not be possible to recoup such costs on later production runs.

Due to fixed contract pricing, increasing contract costs expose us to reduced profitability and the potential loss of future business.

The cost estimation process requires significant judgment and expertise. Reasons for cost growth may include unavailability and productivity of labor, the nature and complexity of the work to be performed, the effect of change orders, the availability of materials, the effect of any delays in performance, availability and timing of funding from the customer, natural disasters, and the inability to recover any claims included in the estimates to complete. A significant change in cost estimates on one or more programs could have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.

The prices of raw materials we use are volatile.

The prices of raw materials used in our manufacturing processes are volatile. Our contracts generally allow us to increase our prices due to increases in the price of raw materials. Many contracts, however, require that we absorb all or a portion of the increase in expense resulting from inflation before passing the increase on to the customer. If the prices of raw materials rise, we may not be able to pass along all of such increases to our customers and this could have an adverse impact on our consolidated financial position and results of operations. It is possible that some of the raw materials we use might become subject to new or increased tariffs. Significant increases in the prices of raw materials could adversely impact our customers’ demand for certain products which could lead to a reduction in our revenues and have a material adverse impact on our revenues and on our consolidated financial position and results of operations.

Some of the products we produce have long lead times.

Some of the products we produce require months to produce and we sometimes produce products in excess of the number ordered intending to sell the excess as spares when orders arise. As a result, our inventory turns slowly and ties up our working capital. Our inventory represented approximately 60% of our assets as of December 31, 2022. Any requirement to write down the value of our inventory due to obsolescence, excess and slow moving, or a drop in the price of materials could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations and could result in a breach of the financial covenants in our Loan Facility with Webster Bank (“Webster”).

We do not own the intellectual property rights to products we produce.

Nearly all the parts and subassemblies we produce are built to customer specifications and the customer owns the intellectual property, if any, related to the product. Consequently, if a customer desires to use another manufacturer to fabricate its part or subassembly, it would be free to do so, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, our operating results and financial condition.

There are risks associated with new programs.

New programs typically carry risks associated with design changes, acquisition of new production tools, funding commitments, imprecise or changing specifications, timing delays and the accuracy of cost estimates associated with such programs. In addition, any new program may experience delays for a variety of reasons after significant expenditures are made. If we were unable to perform under new programs to the customers’ satisfaction or if a new program in which we had made a significant investment was terminated or experienced weak demand, delays or other problems, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. This could result in low margin or forward loss contracts, and the risk of having to write-off costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts if it were deemed to be unrecoverable over the life of the program.

To perform on new programs, we may be required to incur material up-front costs which may not have been separately negotiated and may not be recoverable. Such charges and the loss of up-front costs could have a material impact on our liquidity.

The need to control our expenses will place a significant strain on our management and operational resources. If we are unable to control our expenses effectively, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

There are risks associated with offering new services.

To reduce our dependence on subcontractors we may offer new services to our customers, such as painting and finishing products we manufacture. There are risks associated with offering new services and even if such services are performed timely and correctly, it is likely that our margins will be low in the initial phases when volume is low.

Attracting and retaining executive talent and other key personnel is an essential element of our future success.

Our future success depends to a significant extent upon our ability to attract executive talent, as well as the continued service of our existing executive officers and other key management and technical personnel. Experienced management and technical, marketing and support personnel in the defense and aerospace industries are in demand and competition for their talents is intense. Our failure to attract executive talent, or retain our existing executive officers and key personnel, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to intense competition for the skilled machinists necessary to manufacture our products.

We are subject to intense competition for the services of skilled machinists necessary to manufacture our products and those of other companies in the A & D industry. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the competition for skilled employees has intensified. Moreover, certain large employers in our industry in the Northeast are currently seeking to hire a large number of skilled technicians. We are currently seeking to hire machinists for our Long Island and Connecticut manufacturing facilities to expand our business. The demand for these individuals may increase as other manufacturers seek to bring to the United States manufacturing processes currently outsourced overseas. If the United States economy undergoes a period of inflation, our labor costs may increase which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to strict governmental regulations relating to the environment, which could result in fines and remediation expense in the event of non-compliance.

We are required to comply with extensive and frequently changing environmental regulations at the federal, state and local levels. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions to control air, soil and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use and release of certain hazardous substances into the environment. This extensive regulatory framework imposes significant compliance burdens and risks on us. In addition, these regulations may impose liability for the cost of removal or remediation of certain hazardous substances released on or in our facilities without regard to whether we knew of, or caused, the release of such substances. Furthermore, we are required to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances. Our operations require the use of chemicals and other materials for painting and cleaning that are classified under applicable laws as hazardous chemicals and substances. If we are found to be in violation of any of these rules, regulations or permits, we may be subject to fines, remediation expenses and the obligation to change our business practice, any of which could result in substantial costs that would adversely impact our business operations and financial condition.

We may be subject to fines and disqualification for non-compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

We are subject to regulation by the FAA under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We have never been subject to such fines or disqualification.

Cyber security attacks, internal system or service failures may adversely impact our business and operations.

Any system or service disruptions, including those caused by projects to improve our information technology systems, if not anticipated and appropriately mitigated, could disrupt our business and impair our ability to effectively provide products and related services to our customers and could have a material adverse effect on our business. We could also be subject to systems failures, including network, software or hardware failures, whether caused by us, third-party service providers, intruders or hackers, computer viruses, natural disasters, power shortages or terrorist attacks. Cyber security threats are evolving and include, but are not limited to, malicious software, unauthorized attempts to gain access to sensitive, confidential or otherwise protected information related to us or our products, customers or suppliers, or other acts that could lead to disruptions in our business. Any such failures could cause loss of data and interruptions or delays in our business, cause us to incur remediation costs or require us to pay ransom to a hacker which takes over our systems, or subject us to claims and damage our reputation. In addition, the failure or disruption of our communications or utilities could cause us to interrupt or suspend our operations or otherwise adversely affect our business. Although we utilize various procedures and controls to monitor and mitigate the risk of these threats, there can be no assurance that these procedures and controls will be sufficient. Our property and business interruption insurance may be inadequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur as a result of any system or operational failure or disruption which would adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, expenditures incurred in implementing cyber security and other procedures and controls could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Terrorist acts and acts of war may seriously harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

United States and global responses to actual or potential military conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, terrorism, perceived nuclear, biological and chemical threats and other global political crises increase uncertainties with respect to the U.S. and other business and financial markets. Several factors associated, directly or indirectly, with actual or potential military conflicts, terrorism, perceived nuclear, biological and chemical and cyber threats, and other global political crises and responses thereto, may adversely affect the mix of products purchased by defense departments in the United States or other countries to platforms not serviced by us. A shift in defense budgets to product lines we do not produce could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks Related to Our Indebtedness

Our indebtedness may have a material adverse effect on our operations.

We have substantial indebtedness under our loan facility with Webster (“Loan Facility”). As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $18,748,000 of indebtedness outstanding under the Loan Facility. All of our indebtedness under the Loan Facility is secured by substantially all of our assets.

We also have approximately $6,162,000 of indebtedness outstanding in the form of subordinated notes payable on July 1, 2026. These notes are held by related parties, specifically Michael N. Taglich (our Chairman) and Robert F. Taglich (a Director), and their affiliates.

Notes with a principal value of approximately $2,732,000 carry an interest rate of 6% per annum and are convertible into approximately 182,000 shares of common stock at a conversion price of $15.00 per share. Notes with a principal value of approximately $2,080,000 carry an interest rate of 7% per annum and are convertible into approximately 224,000 shares of common stock at a conversion price of $9.30 per share.

If we are unable to pay amounts due under our Loan Facility or the subordinated notes when due, our operations may be materially and adversely affected. We may need to offer the holders of this debt increases in the rates of interest they receive or otherwise compensate them through payments of cash or issuances of our equity securities. Future financings or re-financings may involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our equity securities. If we are able to consummate such financings or re-financings, the terms of such financings may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock and the interests of our existing stockholders. Any failure to obtain additional working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and may result in a decline in our stock price. Any issuances of our common stock, preferred stock, or securities such as warrants or notes that are convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, our capital stock, would have a dilutive effect on the voting and economic interest of our existing stockholders.

Our leverage may adversely affect our ability to finance future operations and capital needs, may limit our ability to pursue business opportunities and may make our results of operations more susceptible to adverse economic conditions.

The interest rate associated with portions of our current debt may increase.

Under the terms of the Webster Facility, amounts due to Webster bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the greater of (i) 3.50% and (ii) a rate per annum equal to the rate per annum published from time to time in the “Money Rates” table of the Wall Street Journal (or such other presentation within The Wall Street Journal as may be adopted hereafter for such information) as the base or prime rate for corporate loans at the nation’s largest commercial bank, less sixty-five hundredths (-0.65%) of one percent per annum. Consequently, the rate of interest we paid under the Facility did not increase despite the initial increases in the target rates set by the Federal Reserve, though the more recent increases have resulted increases in the interest rate we pay under the Webster Facility. The weighted average interest rate paid during the year-ended December 31, 2022 was 4.50%. Given current interest rates, the interest rate we pay under the Webster Facility will increase as the Federal Reserve continues to increase its target rate of interest. In addition, under the terms of the Webster Facility we are required to maintain a defined Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of 1.25 to 1.00 at the end of each fiscal quarter. If we were to fail to meet such covenant, Webster would have the right to increase the rate of interest payable on amounts outstanding under the Facility. The Company was in compliance with the covenant at December 31, 2022. The Company was in default of its covenant to provide its audited financial statements to Webster bank within ninety (90) days of its fiscal year end. The Company has subsequently received a waiver from the bank for this default. Any increase in the rate of interest payable under the Webster Facility would increase our interest expense and have a material adverse impact on our on our consolidated financial position and results of operations.

Our indebtedness may limit our ability to pay dividends in the future.

We currently do not pay dividends and the terms of our Loan Facility require that we maintain certain financial covenants. In the future should we decide to pay dividends, we would need to seek covenant changes or a waiver under our Loan Facility. There can be no assurance our lenders would agree to covenant changes or waivers acceptable to us or at all. In addition, we may in the future incur indebtedness or otherwise become subject to agreements whose terms restrict our ability to pay dividends in the future. Even if our lender would agree to allow us to pay a dividend, our Board of Directors may choose to use the amount which could be paid as a dividend to reduce our outstanding indebtedness.

Risks Related to our common stock

The price of our common stock can fluctuate.

The financial markets have been impacted in various ways by the reactions to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and government stimulus programs adopted in response to the pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and government responses thereto. The price of our common stock has and is expected to continue to be volatile. We cannot forecast with any certainty whether and to what degree the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and reactions thereto will continue to adversely impact financial markets and the impact to our common stock. Likewise, we cannot state with certainty the degree to which financial markets were supported by government stimulus programs and whether such support will continue as governments elect not to adopt similar measures in the future.

The ownership of our common stock is highly concentrated, and your interests may conflict with the interests of our existing stockholders.

Two of our directors, Michael N. Taglich and Robert F. Taglich, and their affiliates own a significant number of shares of our outstanding common stock as well as a significant amount of debt convertible into our common stock, which together with their position as directors of our Company, give them significant influence over the outcome of corporate actions, including those requiring stockholder approval and the terms on which we complete transactions with their affiliates. The interests of these directors may be different from the interests of other stockholders on these and other matters. This concentration of ownership could also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in our control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could reduce the price of our common stock.

We can provide no assurance that our common stock will continue to meet NYSE American listing requirements. If we fail to comply with the continuing listing standards of the NYSE American, our common stock could be delisted.

If we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NYSE American, the NYSE American may take steps to delist our common stock. The delisting of our common stock would likely have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase common stock when you wish to do so.

There is only a limited public market for our common stock.

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE American. However, there is only a limited number of our shares available in the public float and the market capitalization of the shares in our public float is relatively small. The trading volume for our common stock has been limited and a more active public market for our common stock may not develop or be sustained over time. The lack of a robust market may impair a stockholder’s ability to sell shares of our common stock. In the absence of a more active trading market, any attempt to sell our shares could result in a decrease in the price of our stock. Specifically, you may not be able to resell your shares of common stock at or above the price you paid for such shares or at all.

Moreover, sales of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could negatively impact the price of our common stock. As a result, you may not be able to sell your shares of our common stock in short time periods, or possibly at all, and the price per share of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.

If we fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts or investors, our stock price could decline significantly.

Our quarterly and annual operating results fluctuate significantly due to a variety of factors, some of which are outside our control. Accordingly, we believe period-to-period comparisons of our results of operations are not meaningful and should not be relied upon as indications of future performance. Some of the factors that could cause quarterly or annual operating results to fluctuate include conditions inherent in government contracting and our business such as the timing of cost and expense recognition for contracts, the United States Government contracting and budget cycles, introduction of new government regulations and standards, contract closeouts, variations in manufacturing efficiencies, our ability to obtain components and subassemblies from contract manufacturers and suppliers, general economic conditions and economic conditions specific to the defense market and disruptions caused by global events such as COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Because we base our operating expenses on anticipated revenue trends and a high percentage of our expenses are fixed in the short term, any delay in generating or recognizing forecasted revenues could significantly harm our business.

Fluctuations in quarterly results or announcements of extraordinary events such as an award of a new contract, acquisitions or litigation, may cause earnings to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. In this event, the trading price of our common stock could significantly decline. These fluctuations, as well as general economic and market conditions, may adversely affect the future market price of our common stock, as well as our overall operating results. Consequently, our share price may experience significant volatility and may not necessarily reflect the value of our expected performance.

Future financings or acquisitions may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Future sales or issuances of our common stock, including upon conversion of our outstanding convertible notes, upon exercise of our outstanding warrants and options, or as part of future financings or acquisitions, would be substantially dilutive to the outstanding shares of common stock. Any dilution or potential dilution may cause our stockholders to sell their shares, which would contribute to a downward movement in the price of common stock.

We incur significant costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management is required to devote substantial time to compliance requirements, including establishing and maintaining internal controls over financial reporting, and we may be exposed to potential risks if we are unable to comply with these requirements.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, together with rules implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable market regulators. These rules impose various requirements on public companies, including requiring certain corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these requirements. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costlier.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, among other things, requires that we maintain effective internal controls for financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluations and testing of our internal controls over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Compliance with Section 404 may require that we incur substantial accounting expenses and expend significant management efforts. Our testing may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses. In the event we identify significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal controls that we cannot remediate in a timely manner, the market price of our stock could decline if investors and others lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other applicable regulatory authorities.

If we are unable to effectively maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial results and our stock price could be adversely affected.

Our management determined that as of December 31, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting were not effective due to certain material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting related to our review controls related to the preparation of our income tax provision, appropriate segregation of duties with respect to and validation of data produced by certain portions of our financial IT systems and the establishment of appropriate inventory reserves. Any failure to maintain our controls or operation of these controls, could harm our operations, decrease the reliability of our financial reporting, and cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, which could adversely affect our business and reduce our stock price.

We lease a 5.4-acre corporate campus in Bay Shore, New York, which houses our executive offices and a majority of our operations. This lease expires in September 2026. We also maintain a warehouse lease nearby in Bohemia, New York. That lease term commenced on April 1, 2020 and expires on May 31, 2025.

The balance of our operations are conducted in a 74,923 square foot facility in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, which we own.

On October 2, 2018, Contract Pharmacal Corp. (“Contract Pharmacal”) commenced an action, relating to a Sublease entered into between us and Contract Pharmacal in May 2018 with respect to the property formerly occupied by our subsidiary Welding Metallurgy, Inc. (“WMI”), at 110 Plant Avenue, Hauppauge, New York. In the action, Contract Pharmacal sought damages for an amount in excess of $1,000,000 for our failure to make the entire premises available by the Sublease commencement date. On July 8, 2021, the Court denied Contract Phamacal’s motion for summary judgement. In the Order, the court granted Contract Pharmacal’s Motions to drop its claim for specific performance and to amend its Complaint to reduce its claim for damages to $700,000. Subsequently, Contract Phamacal moved to amend its Complaint. We opposed and the Court denied the request to amend the Complaint. Contract Pharmacal filed a Motion to reargue which the Court denied on November 30, 2021. On March 10, 2022, Contract Pharmacal filed an appeal to the Court’s decision with the Appellate Division which we have opposed. We dispute the validity of the claims asserted by Contract Pharmacal, continue to believe we have a meritorious defense to those claims and intend to dispute the validity of the claim asserted by Contract Pharmacal.

From time to time we may be engaged in various lawsuits and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of our business. We are currently not aware of any legal proceedings the ultimate outcome of which, in our judgment based on information currently available, would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. There are no proceedings in which any of our directors, officers or affiliates, or any registered or beneficial stockholder of our common stock, is an adverse party or has a material interest adverse to our interest.

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and the notes to those statements included elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should specifically consider the various risk factors identified in this report that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

Business Overview

Air Industries Group is a holding company with three legal subsidiaries, AIM, NTW and SEC. SEC began manufacturing aircraft components in 1941 – over 80-years ago – for use in World War II. NTW was formed in the early 1960’s and AIM has been in business since 1971. We became a public company in 2005.

We manufacture aerospace components primarily for the defense industry. AIM and NTW, manufacture structural parts and assemblies focusing on flight safety, including aircraft landing gear, arresting gear, engine mounts, flight controls, throttle quadrants, and other components. SEC makes components and provides services for aircraft jet engines and ground-power turbines.

Products of AIM and NTW are currently deployed on a wide range of high-profile military and commercial aircraft including the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk, Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Northrop Grumman E2D Hawkeye, the US Navy F-18 and USAF F-16 and F-15 fighter aircraft. They also make a critical component for the Pratt & Whitney Geared TurboFan (“GTF”) aircraft engine used on commercial airliners. SEC makes products used in jet engines that are used on military and commercial aircraft including the USAF F-15 and F-16, the Airbus A-330 and the Boeing 777, and others, and in addition, a number of ground-power turbine applications.

The aerospace market is highly competitive in both the defense and commercial sectors and we face intense competition in all areas of our business. Nearly all of our revenues are derived by producing products to customer specifications after being awarded a contract through a competitive bidding process. As the commercial aerospace and defense industries continue to consolidate and major contractors seek to streamline supply chains by buying more complete sub-assemblies from fewer suppliers, we have sought to remain competitive not only by providing cost-effective world class products and service but also by increasing our ability to produce more complex and complete assemblies for our customers.

We are focused on maintaining profitability and positive cash flows from operating activities. We remain resolute on meeting customers’ needs. To take advantage of the long-term growth opportunities we see in our markets, we have made significant capital investments in new equipment in recent years. We believe these investments will increase the velocity and efficiency of production, increase the size of product we can make and allow us to offer additional services to our customers. Some of our investment expands our capabilities allowing us to internally process product that was previously outsourced to third party suppliers. We are pleased with the positive responses from our customers about these initiatives.

Our ability to operate profitably and generate positive cash flows from operating activities is determined by our ability to win new or renewal contracts and fulfilling these contracts on a timely and cost effective basis. Winning a contract generally requires that we submit a bid containing fixed prices for the product or products covered by the contract for an agreed upon period of time, sometimes for five-years or longer, with negotiated increases to reflect a portion of the impact of inflation. Thus, when submitting bids, we are required to estimate our future costs of production and, since we often rely upon subcontractors, the prices we can obtain from our subcontractors.

While our revenues are largely determined by the number of contracts we are awarded, the volume of product delivered and price of product under each contract, our costs are determined by a number of factors. The principal factors impacting our variable costs are the cost of materials and supplies, labor, financing and the efficiency at which we can produce our products. The cost of materials used in the aerospace industry is highly volatile. The invasion of the Ukraine by the Russian Federation and retaliatory measures imposed by the United States, United Kingdom, the European Union and other countries, and the responses of Russia to such measures, have negatively impacted the availability and market price of certain minerals, such as titanium, for which Russia was a source of supply. To obtain necessary raw materials at prices deemed acceptable, we are working with those of our larger customers which have access to sources of metals necessary to manufacture their products not readily available to us or other companies of our size. Nevertheless, there can be no assurance that disruptions in the markets for metals will not adversely impact our ability to timely meet the needs of our customers.

In addition, the market for the skilled labor we require to operate our plants is highly competitive. Changes in the available pool of labor caused by Covid-19 and life-style changes in response to Covid-19 have not materially adversely impacted our ability to meet our production schedules. Nevertheless, as we seek to grow our business, there can be no assurance that the skilled labor we need to operate our machinery will be available to us or that the costs incurred to maintain our current labor force and those we seek to bring on will not increase.

The profit margin of the various products we sell varies based upon a number of factors, including the complexity of the product, the intensity of the competition for such product and, in some cases, the ability to deliver replacement parts on short notice. Thus, in assessing our performance from one period to another, a reader must understand that changes in profit margin can be the result of shifts in the mix of products sold. Our operations have a large percentage of fixed factory overhead. As a result, our profit margins are also highly variable with sales volumes as under-absorption of factory overhead decreases profits.

Our revenues are principally determined by orders from our customers for the delivery of product – which we call releases – against LTA’s with those customers. These long-term agreements generally have fixed prices for product with negotiated increases to reflect a portion of the impact of inflation, though over the term of a LTA prices often increase and not all of the increase is covered b agreed upon price protection clauses in our agreements. Our direct costs of production include costs for material, labor, and factory overhead; all of these costs may vary based on the efficiency of our factory operations. Our gross profit is highly variable due to the mix of products sold, and by sales volume, which can lead to the over absorption or under absorption of factory overhead costs.

Beyond these direct costs of production, we incur general and administrative costs termed Operating Expenses and financing costs for borrowed money, income taxes and miscellaneous income and expense.

A very large percentage of the products we produce are used on military as opposed to civilian aircraft. These products can be replacements for aircraft already in the fleet of the armed services or for the production of new aircraft. Reductions to the Defense Department budget and decreased usage of aircraft reduces the demand for both new production and replacement spares and could adversely impact our business and our revenue.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:

Selected Financial Information:

19

Balance Sheet Data:

Net Sales:

Consolidated net sales for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $53,238,000, a decrease of $5,701,000, or 9.7%, compared with $58,939,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease in sales resulted principally from the sale of products with lower selling prices and from contracts that expired in 2021 that were not renewed in 2022.

As indicated in the table below, four customers represented 76.5% and three customers represented 75.4% of total sales for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

* Customer was less than 10% of sales for the year-ended December 31, 2021

As indicated in the table below, three customers represented 70.3% and three customers represented 74.7% of gross accounts receivable at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

* Customer was less than 10% of accounts receivable at December 31, 2022

** Customer was less than 10% of accounts receivable at December 31, 2021

Gross Profit:

Consolidated gross profit from operations for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $7,452,000, a decrease of $2,801,000, or 27.3%, as compared to gross profit of $10,253,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021. Consolidated gross profit as a percentage of sales was 14.0% and 17.4% for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. These decreases were attributable to lower sales and the mix of products sold during 2022 as compared to 2021. The Company also corrected its policy for determining the reserve for slow-moving and excess inventory which led to an increase in the reserve, further decreasing the gross profit and gross profit percentage.

Operating Expenses

Consolidated operating expenses were $7,646,000 and $7,766,000 for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively, representing a decrease of $120,000 or 1.5%. As a percentage of consolidated net sales, operating expenses were 14.4% and 13.2% for fiscal 2022 and 2021, respectively. There were increase in cost related to employment costs, including employee health benefits which were not passed on to the employees, increases in investor relations and increased travel costs resulting from the resumption of travel to customers as Covid-19 restrictions eased. The increased costs were primarily offset by reductions in expenses related to information technology and the recovery of bad debt.

Gain on write-off of Accounts Payable

During the year ending December 31, 2022, the Company, reviewed all old outstanding payables that were not paid and based on the statute of limitations, a claim would no longer be enforceable. The Company determined that approximately $317,000 of old payables fell into this category. This adjustment is recorded as Write-off of accounts payable on the accompanying Statement of Operations.

Interest and Financing Costs

Our interest and financing costs for the year ended December 31, 2022 totaled $1,338,000, an increase of $73,000 or 5.8% from $1,265,000 in 2021, as a result of higher interest rates on our Loan Facility during 2022. The average interest rate charged was 4.50% and 3.50% for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Net (Loss) Income

Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $1,076,000, compared to net income of $1,627,000 for the year ended December 31, 2021, for the reasons discussed above.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Our material cash requirements are for debt service, capital expenditures and funding working capital/operating costs.

As of December 31, 2022, we have debt service requirements related to:

1) Our Webster Facility of $18,748,000 consisting of a Revolving Loan of $13,352,000 and a term loan in the amount of $5,396,000.

2) Related party debt consisting of convertible subordinated note payables of $4,812,000 and subordinated note payables of $1,350,000. This debt is not due until July 1, 2026. We are permitted to make principal payments against this debt in the amount of $250,000 per quarter pursuant to the Third Amendment to the Loan and Security Agreement with Webster, as long as certain conditions are met. On July 14, 2022, a principal payment in the amount of $250,000 was made as the conditions for such payment were met for the first quarter of 2022.

3) Various equipment leases and contractual obligations related to our normal business.

We have historically met our cash requirements with funds provided by a combination of cash generated from operating activities and cash generated from equity and debt financing transactions. Based on our current revenue visibility and strength of our backlog, we believe that we have sufficient liquidity to meet our short-term cash requirements over the next twelve months. On May 17, 2022, we entered into the Fourth Amendment to the Loan and Security Agreement with Webster. The purpose of the amendment was to increase the Term Loan to $5,000,000, reduce the monthly principal installments to be made in respect to the term loan and establish a capital expenditure line of credit in the amount of $2,000,000 which we can draw upon from time to time to finance purchases of machinery and equipment, thereby increasing the amount of capital expenditures we may make each year. During December 2022 we borrowed $878,000 for a capital expenditure and again in January 2023 we borrowed $739,500 for an additional capital expenditure.

For so long as the Webster term loan remains outstanding, if Excess Cash Flow (as defined) is a positive amount for any Fiscal Year, we are obligated to pay Webster an amount equal to the lesser of (i) twenty-five percent (25%) of the Excess Cash Flow and (ii) the outstanding principal balance of the term loan. Such payment shall be made to Webster and applied to the outstanding principal balance of the term loan, on or prior to the April 15 immediately following such Fiscal Year. As required, we provided the calculation for the Excess Cash Flow payment of $208,000 for fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 to Webster prior to the April 15, 2023 deadline for such payment. Additionally, we authorized such payment to be made from the Revolving Loan. As of the date of this filing, such payment has not been processed by Webster.

Because we believe that our sales in 2023 will be comparable to those of 2022, we believe our liquidity will remain stable, though our borrowing costs would increase if prevailing interest rates increased or we failed to meet our covenant in the Webster Facility. As a result of recent increases in the federal funds borrowing rate, interest rates and related expense under our Webster Facility are expected to increase from current levels, which could be significant. However, such increases are not expected to materially impact our liquidity. Nevertheless, our liquidity may be adversely impacted by various risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to future and current impacts of global events such as a widespread health crisis, the continuation of the war in the Ukraine, the outbreak of another conflict and the ongoing tensions between the United States and China, increases in inflation, disruptions in the labor market and other risks detailed in Part 1, Item 1A of this Annual Report.

In addition to our loan with Webster and Subordinated Notes, we have various equipment leases and contractual obligations of an ongoing nature which we service in the ordinary course out of our cash flow from operations. Substantially all of these obligations are described in the notes to our financial statements included in this report

Changes in our cash flow during fiscal 2022 are discussed further below.

Cash Flow

The following table summarizes our net cash flow from operating, investing and financing activities for the periods indicated (in thousands):

Cash Provided By Operating Activities

Cash provided by or used in operating activities reflects our net income adjusted for certain non-cash items and changes to working capital items.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, net loss of $(1,076,000) and $3,094,000 of non-cash items, consisting primarily of employee and director stock-based compensation of $526,000, amortization of right-of-use assets of $545,000, depreciation of property and equipment of $2,522,000 and Impairment of Goodwill of $163,000 were partially offset by non-cash other income recognized in the amount of $94,000, a reduction in bad debt expense in the amount of $313,000 and accounts payable write-offs in the amount of $317,000. Operating assets and liabilities used cash in the net amount of $1,570,000, consisting primarily of the net increases in inventory, deposits and other assets and prepaid expenses, taxes and other current assets of $2,289,000, $194,000 and $87,000, respectively, and net decreases in operating lease liabilities, customer deposits and deferred payroll tax expense-CARES ACT in the amounts of $686,000, $439,000 and $314,000, which were partially offset by a decrease in accounts receivable of $1,303,000 and an increase in accounts payable in the amount of $1,136,000.

Cash Used In Investing Activities

Cash used in investing activities consists of cash used for capital expenditures for property and equipment.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, cash used in investing activities was $2,361,000. This was primarily for the purchase of state-of-the-art machinery.

Cash Provided by Financing Activities

Cash provided by financing activities consists of the borrowings and repayments under our credit facilities with our senior lender, Webster, increases in and repayments of finance lease obligations and other notes payable.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, cash provided by financing activities was $1,567,000. This was comprised of net borrowings of $916,000 on our Webster revolving loan, increased borrowings of $2,823,000 under the Webster term loan, offset by repayments of $1,609,000 on our Webster term loan, and payments on our financed lease obligations, related party notes and our financed asset note payables in the amounts of $284,000, $250,000 and $9,000, respectively.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

For a discussion of our contractual obligations see “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” – “Note 8. Debt” and “Note 9. Operating Lease Liabilities”.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

A critical accounting policy is one that is both important to the portrayal of a company’s financial condition and results of operations and requires management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgements, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.

Our consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). All applicable U.S. GAAP accounting standards effective as of December 31, 2022 have been taken into consideration in preparing the consolidated financial statements. The preparation of consolidated financial statements requires estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures. Some of those estimates are subjective and complex, and consequently, actual results could differ from those estimates. The following accounting policies and estimates have been highlighted as significant because changes to certain judgements and assumptions inherent in these policies could affect our consolidated financial statements:

• Inventory Valuation, which includes the estimates and methodology used in accounting for the transition of production costs to inventory costs. In our financial statements, inventory is reflected at the lower of cost or net realizable value including write-downs for obsolescence, slow moving and excess inventory; and
• Income Taxes, which includes the determination of the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.

See Note 2 of the notes to our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a more complete description of our significant accounting policies.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

An evaluation was conducted under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), our principal executive officer, and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), our principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act, as of December 31, 2022. Based on that evaluation, the CEO and CFO concluded for the reasons discussed below that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2022, to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the required time periods, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management to allow timely decisions regarding required.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that management document and test the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting and include in this Annual Report, as term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act, and include in this Form 10-K a report on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting.

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal controls over financial reporting refers to those policies, procedures and processes that pertain to the maintenance of records that accurately and fairly reflect transactions with respect to our assets; provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures are made only in accordance with authorizations of our management; and provide reasonable assurance regarding the prevention and timely detection of unauthorized transactions with respect to our assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements.

Because of inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Our management relies upon the criteria established in the Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) in designing a system intended to meet the needs of our Company and provide reasonable assurance for its assessment.

In connection with their review of our internal controls over financial reporting for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our internal controls over financial reporting were not effective as of December 31, 2022, as a result of certain material weaknesses discovered during the course of their review.

In particular, we have outsourced certain IT related functions to a third-party vendor and have identified a material weakness with respect to our IT systems in that we did not design and/or implement primary user access controls and program change management systems over key information technology systems to validate that data produced by the relevant IT systems were complete and accurate and to ensure appropriate segregation of duties to adequately restrict user and privileged access to the financially relevant systems and data to the Company’s personnel. Further, we have identified a material weakness with respect to the activities of such vendor in connection with the design and operation of our IT systems in that because this vendor is unable to provide a SOC 1 (Standard Operating Control) Report, we are unable to verify and validate the effectiveness of the vendor’s control procedures when implementing changes to our IT systems, including systems affecting our financial IT applications and underlying data account records. We also identified a material weakness related to the effectiveness of management’s review controls over the determination if the methodology used in determining the appropriate reserves to be taken with respect to certain excess quantities and slow moving inventory was operating at a level to prevent or detect a potential material misstatement. The Company determined that the estimates used in prior periods could not be substantiated by actual results and updated it methodology. We have also identified a material weakness relating to the effectiveness of management's review controls over the income tax provision in our financial footnotes, such that management's review procedures were not operating at a level of precision to prevent or detect a potential material misstatement in our consolidated financial statements.

We are currently assessing the actions that need to be taken to remedy each of the material weaknesses identified above. With respect to those weaknesses related to the calculation of our inventory reserve and the review of our tax management provision, we intend to promptly establish written controls and operating procedures to address the issue. With respect to the material weaknesses related to our IT systems, we intend to meet with the third-party vendor to determine the actions to be taken to address each of the weaknesses and consider what actions need to be taken if the issues cannot be adequately addressed. Each of the material weaknesses noted will only be deemed to have been remediated after the new controls and procedures have been in place for a sufficient period and management has concluded through appropriate testing that the controls are operating effectively.

This annual report does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. The rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission do not require an attestation of the Management’s report by our registered public accounting firm in this annual report.

Change in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There have not been any changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, during our most recently completed fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2022 which is the subject of this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.