Crown Crafts Inc: Form 10-Q for the period ended Dec 31, 2023

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain of the statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Quarterly Report”) within this Item 2. and elsewhere, including information incorporated herein by reference to other documents, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of, and subject to the protections of, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based upon management’s current expectations, projections, estimates and assumptions. Words such as “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “projects,” “targets,” “should,” “potential,” “continue,” “aims,” “intends,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would” and variations of such words and similar expressions may identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks include, among others, general economic conditions, including changes in interest rates, in the overall level of consumer spending and in the price of oil, cotton and other raw materials used in the Company’s products, changing competition, changes in the retail environment, the Company’s ability to successfully integrate newly acquired businesses, the level and pricing of future orders from the Company’s customers, the Company’s dependence upon third-party suppliers, including some located in foreign countries with unstable political situations, the Company’s ability to successfully implement new information technologies, customer acceptance of both new designs and newly-introduced product lines, actions of competitors that may impact the Company’s business, disruptions to transportation systems or shipping lanes used by the Company or its suppliers, and the Company’s dependence upon licenses from third parties. Reference is also made to the Company’s periodic filings with the SEC for additional factors that may impact the Company’s results of operations and financial condition. The Company does not undertake to update the forward-looking statements contained herein to conform to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

The Company was originally formed as a Georgia corporation in 1957 and was reincorporated as a Delaware corporation in 2003. The Company operates indirectly through its four wholly-owned subsidiaries, NoJo Baby & Kids, Inc., Sassy Baby, Inc., Manhattan and MTE in the infant, toddler and juvenile products segment within the consumer products industry. The infant, toddler and juvenile products segment consists of infant and toddler bedding and blankets, bibs, disposables, toys and feeding products.

The Company’s products are marketed under Company-owned trademarks, under trademarks licensed from others and as private label goods. Sales of the Company’s products are made directly to retailers, such as mass merchants, large chain stores, juvenile specialty stores, value channel stores, grocery and drug stores, restaurants, wholesale clubs and internet-based retailers.

The infant, toddler and juvenile consumer products industry is highly competitive. The Company competes with a variety of distributors and manufacturers (both branded and private label), including large infant, toddler and juvenile product companies and specialty infant, toddler and juvenile product manufacturers, on the basis of quality, design, price, brand name recognition, service and packaging. The Company’s ability to compete depends principally on styling, price, service to the retailer and continued high regard for the Company’s products and trade names.

Foreign and domestic contract manufacturers produce most of the Company’s products, with the largest concentration being in China. The Company makes sourcing decisions based on quality, timeliness of delivery and price, including the impact of ocean freight and duties. Although the Company maintains relationships with a limited number of suppliers, the Company believes that its products may be readily manufactured by several alternative sources in quantities sufficient to meet the Company's requirements.

The Company’s products are warehoused and distributed domestically from leased facilities located in Compton, California and Eden Valley, Minnesota and internationally from third-party logistics warehouses in Belgium and England.

A summary of certain factors that management considers important in reviewing the Company’s results of operations, financial position, liquidity and capital resources is set forth below, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the preceding sections of this Quarterly Report.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table contains the results of operations for the three- and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023 and the dollar and percentage changes for those periods (in thousands, except percentages):

Net Sales: Sales increased to $23.8 million for the three months ended December 31, 2023, compared with $19.0 million for the three months ended January 1, 2023, an increase of $4.8 million, or 25.2%. Sales of bedding, blankets and accessories decreased by $9,000, and sales of bibs, toys and disposable products increased by $4.8 million. Although Manhattan generated net sales of $6.0 million of developmental toy, feeding and baby care products during the current year quarter, cost pressures facing consumers continue to curb sales even as overall inflation has trended lower in recent months.

Sales increased to $65.1 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2023, compared with $53.4 million for the nine-month period ended January 1, 2023, an increase of $11.6 million, or 21.7%. Sales of bibs, toys and disposable products increased by $14.5 million due to the Manhattan Acquisition. This increase was offset by lower sales of bedding, blankets and accessories, which decreased by $1.7 million, due to the continued impact of retailers that have been managing inventory levels, consumers that have lowered their spending due to inflationary pressures and continued overall softness in the infant and toddler bedding and blankets market.

Gross Profit: Manhattan contributed $1.1 million to the $1.9 million increase in gross profit for the three-month period ended December 31, 2023, as compared with the three-month period ended January 1, 2023. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales increased from 23.7% in the prior year quarter to 27.0% in the current year quarter.

Gross profit increased in amount by $2.7 million, but decreased from 28.3% of net sales for the nine-month period ended January 1, 2023 to 27.3% of net sales for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2023. Manhattan contributed $3.4 million to the increase, which was partially offset by an increase in operating lease costs in the current-year period, including $481,000 in operating lease costs of Manhattan.

Marketing and Administrative Expenses: Marketing and administrative expenses increased by $1.4 million, and increased from 14.4% of net sales for the three-month period ended January 1, 2023 to 17.3% of net sales for the three-month period ended December 31, 2023. The increases in the current-year period consisted primarily of $1.3 million for charges incurred by Manhattan and MTE.

Marketing and administrative expenses for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2023 increased by $3.3 million as compared with the nine-month period ended January 1, 2023, and increased from 16.6% of net sales for the year-to-date period of the prior year to 18.7% for the current-year period. The increases in the current-year period were the result of $3.3 million for charges incurred by Manhattan and MTE.

Income Tax Expense: The Company’s provision for income taxes is based upon an estimated annual effective tax rate (“ETR”) from continuing operations of 21.4% for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2023, as compared with an estimated annual ETR from continuing operations of 23.3% for the nine-month period ended January 1, 2023.

As a result of the consideration of the relevant information regarding the state portion of its income tax provision, the Company recorded discrete reserves for unrecognized tax liabilities of $9,000 and $12,000 during the three-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023, respectively, and $34,000 and $58,000 during the nine-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023, respectively, in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income. The Company also recorded discrete income tax charges of $43,000 and $6,000 during the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023, respectively, to reflect the net effects of the excess tax benefits and tax shortfalls arising from the exercise and expiration of stock options and the vesting of non-vested stock.

The ETR on continuing operations and the discrete income tax charges and benefits set forth above resulted in an overall provision for income taxes of 23.3% and 24.4% for the nine-month periods ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023, respectively.

Although the Company does not anticipate a material change to the ETR from continuing operations for the remainder of fiscal year 2024, several factors could impact the ETR, including variations from the Company’s estimates of the amount and source of its pre-tax income, and the actual ETR for the year could differ materially from the Company’s estimates.

FINANCIAL POSITION, LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased from $4.4 million for the nine-month period ended January 1, 2023 to $4.1 million for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in the current year was partially the result of an increase in inventory in the current year that was $4.0 million lower than the increase in the prior year. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in accounts receivable in the current year that was $3.6 million lower than the decrease in the prior year.

Net cash used in investing activities decreased from $363,000 in the prior year to $69,000 in the current year. In the current-year period, the Company received $488,000 from the settlement of the Aggregate Adjustment from the Manhattan Acquisition, which was offset by an increase in the current year of $263,000 in capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment.

Net cash used in financing activities, which were primarily associated with net repayments under the revolving line of credit, increased by $2.6 million from the prior year to the current year.

As of December 31, 2023, the balance on the revolving line of credit was $10.0 million, there was no letter of credit outstanding and $19.8 million was available under the revolving line of credit based on the Company’s eligible accounts receivable and inventory balances.

To reduce its exposure to credit losses and to enhance the predictability of its cash flow, the Company assigns the majority of its trade accounts receivable to CIT under factoring agreements. Under the terms of the factoring agreements, CIT remits customer payments to the Company as such payments are received by CIT. As such, the Company does not take advances on the factoring agreements.

CIT bears credit losses with respect to assigned accounts receivable from approved shipments, while the Company bears the responsibility for adjustments from customers related to returns, allowances, claims and discounts. CIT may at any time terminate or limit its approval of shipments to a particular customer. If such a termination or limitation occurs, then the Company either assumes (and may seek to mitigate) the credit risk for shipments to the customer after the date of such termination or limitation or discontinues shipments to the customer. Factoring fees, which are included in marketing and administrative expenses in the accompanying unaudited consolidated statements of income, amounted to $106,000 and $77,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023, respectively, and amounted to $265,000 and $224,000 for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 and January 1, 2023, respectively.

The Company’s future performance is, to a certain extent, subject to general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond its control. Based upon the current level of operations, the Company believes that its cash flow from operations and funds available under the revolving line of credit will be adequate to meet its liquidity needs.

For a discussion of market risks that could affect the Company, refer to the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A. of Part 1 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 2, 2023.

INTEREST RATE RISK

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had $10.0 million of indebtedness that bears interest at a variable rate, comprised of borrowings under the revolving line of credit. Based upon this level of outstanding debt, the Company’s annual net income would decrease by approximately $79,000 for each increase of one percentage point in the interest rate applicable to the debt.

COMMODITY RATE RISK

The Company sources its products primarily from foreign contract manufacturers, with the largest concentration being in China. The Company’s exposure to commodity price risk primarily relates to changes in the prices in China of cotton, oil and labor, which are the principal inputs used in a substantial number of the Company’s products. In addition, although the Company pays its Chinese suppliers in U.S. dollars, a strengthening of the rate of the Chinese currency versus the U.S. dollar could result in an increase in the cost of the Company’s finished goods. There is no assurance that the Company could timely respond to such increases by proportionately increasing the prices at which its products are sold to the Company’s customers.

MARKET CONCENTRATION RISK

The Company’s financial results are closely tied to sales to its top two customers, which represented approximately 71% of the Company’s gross sales in fiscal year 2023. In addition, 40% of the Company’s gross sales in fiscal year 2023 consisted of licensed products, which included 29% of sales associated with the Company’s license agreements with affiliated companies of the Walt Disney Company (“Disney”). As of January 30, 2024, three of the license agreements with Disney that expired on December 31, 2023 were renewed. With regard to the one license agreement that had not yet been renewed as of that date, the Company and Disney agreed to continue to operate under the terms of the expired license agreement. The Company’s results could be materially impacted by the loss of one or more of these licenses.

The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report, as required by paragraph (b) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 of the Exchange Act. Based on such evaluation, such officers have concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

During the three-month period ended December 31, 2023, there were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (“ICFR”) identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 of the Exchange Act that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s ICFR.

There have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A of Part 1 of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 2, 2023.