METHODE ELECTRONICS INC

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of our Interim Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of April 27, 2024. As defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, disclosure controls and procedures are controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance 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 time periods specified in the SEC’s applicable rules and forms. Based upon this evaluation, our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at the reasonable assurance level as of April 27, 2024 due to material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting, as described below.

Notwithstanding the ineffectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures due to the material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting as of April 27, 2024, we believe there are no material inaccuracies or omissions of material fact in this Form 10-K and, to the best of our knowledge, we believe that the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K fairly present in all material aspects our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in conformity with GAAP.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). Under the supervision of our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of April 27, 2024, based on the guidelines established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework(2013 Framework) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”). Our internal control over financial reporting includes policies and procedures that provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.

A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

Management identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting associated with ineffective information technology general controls (ITGCs) over one of its information technology (IT) systems that is relevant to the preparation of the financial information at a substantial portion of the Company’s subsidiaries throughout the year ended April 27, 2024, which resulted in ineffective business process controls (automated and IT-dependent manual controls) that could result in misstatements potentially impacting significant financial statement accounts and disclosures. Specifically, management did not design and execute program change management controls to provide reasonable assurance that IT program changes affecting financial applications are authorized, tested, and implemented appropriately. As a result, business process controls (automated and IT-dependent manual controls) that are reliant on the affected ITGCs, or that use data produced from the affected systems, were deemed ineffective at April 27, 2024.

Management also identified a material weakness associated with ineffective controls over its impairment analyses for goodwill. Specifically, management did not retain sufficient contemporaneous documentation to demonstrate the operation of sufficiently precise review controls over certain significant assumptions used in the determination of fair value of its reporting units.

Management also identified a material weakness associated with ineffective controls related to the application of GAAP to non-routine events and conditions. Specifically, we did not design and maintain controls to properly evaluate all of the events and conditions relevant to the Company’s going concern evaluation, including the assessment and disclosure of management’s plans in accordance with GAAP.

Because of these material weaknesses, management concluded that we did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of April 27, 2024. Management reviewed the results of its assessment with the Audit Committee. Our independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, has issued an attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting. This report is included on page F-4 of this Annual Report.

Previously Reported Material Weakness

As previously reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 29, 2023, management had identified a material weakness in its control environment related to revenue at a business unit in our Automotive segment. Specifically, we did not maintain effective review, approval and validation controls over pricing data entered into the business unit's financial system and non-standard contract terms.

Our management, under the oversight of the Audit Committee, implemented several measures as part of our remediation efforts that included, among other items, (1) executing a new control and enhancing the design and operating effectiveness of existing internal controls over the review, approval and validation of customer pricing data and non-standard contract terms; and (2) developing and deploying additional training programs around the operation and importance of internal controls. These measures have resulted in the remediation of the previously reported material weakness. However, to the degree that business process controls that were executed as part of our remediation efforts use data produced from the system affected by the ineffective ITGCs discussed above, those controls which use or rely upon that data are included in consideration of the ITGC material weakness described above.

Remediation Plan for Material Weakness in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We and our Board of Directors treat the controls surrounding, and the integrity of, our financial statements with the utmost priority. Management is committed to the planning and implementation of remediation efforts to address control deficiencies and any other identified areas of risk. These remediation efforts are intended to both address the identified material weaknesses and to enhance our overall financial control environment. We will not consider the material weaknesses remediated until the enhanced controls are operational for a sufficient period of time and tested, enabling us to conclude that the enhanced controls are operating effectively.

We are committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment. Our remediation efforts will include, among other items, (1) enhancing the design and operating effectiveness of internal controls over IT change management, review of significant assumptions used in goodwill impairment analyses, and the application of GAAP to non-routine events and conditions; and (2) developing and deploying additional training programs around the operation and importance of these controls. As we continue to evaluate and work to improve our internal control over financial reporting, management may determine to take additional measures to strengthen controls or to modify the remediation plan described above.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Except for the remediation efforts implemented in connection with the previously reported material weakness described above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 or 15d-15 that was conducted during the last fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Inherent Limitations on Effectiveness of Controls

Our management, including our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, do not expect that our disclosure controls or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within the Company have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people or by a management override of the controls. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions; over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.