ESCO TECHNOLOGIES INC

We own or have other rights in various forms of intellectual property (i.e., patents, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, mask works, trade secrets and other items). As a major supplier of engineered products to industrial and commercial markets, we emphasize developing intellectual property and protecting our rights therein. However, the legal protection afforded by intellectual property rights is often uncertain and can involve complex legal and factual issues. Some intellectual property rights, such as patents, have a limited term, and there can be no assurance that third parties will not infringe or design around our intellectual property. Policing the unauthorized use of intellectual property is difficult, and infringement and misappropriation are persistent problems for many companies, particularly in some international markets, and in some cases, we may elect not to pursue an unauthorized user due to the high costs and uncertainties associated with litigation. Further, there can be no assurance that courts will ultimately hold issued patents or other intellectual property valid and enforceable. See Item 1A, “Risk Factors.”

A number of products in the A&D segment are based on patented or otherwise proprietary technology that sets them apart from the competition, such as PTI’s metal fiber media filter elements and Westland’s signature reduction solutions. In addition, Globe has developed significant manufacturing and logistics capability utilized for special hull treatments for submarines, and Maritime produces technologically differentiated solutions for demanding applications across Naval defense, with intellectual property generated and retained in key design, engineering and manufacturing processes.

In the USG segment, our policy is to seek patent and/or other forms of intellectual property protection on new and improved products, components of products, and methods of operation for our businesses, as such developments are made. Doble has obtained and is pursuing additional patent protection on improvements to its line of diagnostic equipment, NERC CIP compliance tools, and its Calisto R9 dissolved gas analyzer. Doble also holds an extensive library of apparatus performance information useful to entities that generate, distribute or consume electric energy, and it makes part of this library available to registered users via an Internet portal. Altanova has obtained and is pursuing additional patent protection on instruments and methods for detecting partial discharges in electrical apparatus. NRG has intellectual property related to certain LIDAR technology and applications, and it has obtained and is pursuing additional patent protection on its line of bat deterrent systems, which are designed to significantly reduce bat mortality at windfarms and in other applications where bat conservation is a concern.

In the Test segment, we have sought patent protection for significant inventions. Examples of such inventions include novel designs for window and door assemblies used in shielded enclosures and a variety of unique antennas. In addition, the Test segment holds a number of patents, and has patents pending, on products used to perform wireless device testing. In 2025, ETS-Lindgren purchased a portfolio of intellectual properties consisting of domestic and foreign patents and supporting assets covering the Model 3170 Intell-I-Tune Antenna, a tunable antenna designed for high-power testing in defense, aerospace and select automotive applications and capable of meeting a specific proposed Department of Defense testing standard.

We consider our patents and other intellectual property to be of significant value to each of our segments.