NORTHERN TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORP
For the period ended Nov 30, 2024. Filed Jan 10, 2025.
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Nov 30, 2024 · Filed Jan 10, 2025
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)-15
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)
| 1. | INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION |
In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all necessary adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, and present fairly the consolidated financial position of Northern Technologies International Corporation and its subsidiaries (the Company) as of November 30, 2024 and August 31, 2024, the results of the Company’s operations for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023, the changes in stockholders’ equity for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023 and the Company’s cash flows for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP).
These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024. These consolidated financial statements also should be read in conjunction with the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section appearing in this report.
Operating results for the three months ended November 30, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full fiscal year ending August 31, 2025.
Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations. An adjustment has been made to the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended November 30, 2023 to reclassify joint venture receivables, tax receivables and tax payables.
The Company evaluates events occurring after the date of the consolidated financial statements, through the date the consolidated financial statements were available to be issued, requiring recording or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.
| 2. | NEW SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES |
For the three months ended November 30, 2024, there have been no new significant accounting policies from those disclosed in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2024.
| 3. | ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS |
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280):Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. ASU 2023-07 is intended to enhance financial reporting by requiring incremental disclosures for significant segment expenses on an annual and interim basis by public entities required to report segment information in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 280. The amendments in ASU 2023-07 are to be applied retrospectively to all periods presented in the financial statements and early adoption is permitted. This standard will be applicable to the Company for the 2025 annual period and quarterly periods thereafter. The Company is evaluating its disclosure approach for ASU 2023-07 and anticipates adopting the standard for the year ended August 31, 2025 and filings thereafter.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740):Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. The new guidance is expected to improve income tax disclosures primarily related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid information by requiring 1) consistent categories and greater disaggregation of information in the rate reconciliation and 2) income taxes paid disaggregated by jurisdiction. The guidance is effective on a prospective basis, although retrospective application and early adoption is permitted. The Company is evaluating its disclosure approach for ASU 2023-09 and anticipates adopting the standard for the annual period starting September 1, 2025.
In March 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted rules under SEC Release No. 33-11275,The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors, which requires the disclosure of material Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions and other climate-related topics in annual reports and registration statements. For large-accelerated filers and accelerated filers, disclosure requirements will begin phasing in for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2026, respectively, subject to legal challenges and the SEC’s voluntary stay of the disclosure requirements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact these rules will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
| 4. | INVENTORIES |
Inventories consisted of the following:
| November 30, 2024 | August 31, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Production materials | $5,543,326 | $5,513,409 |
| Finished goods | 8,794,058 | 8,877,435 |
| $14,337,384 | $14,390,844 |
| 5. | PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET |
Property and equipment, net consisted of the following:
| November 30, 2024 | August 31, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Land | $1,238,180 | $1,238,180 |
| Buildings and improvements | 14,760,250 | 14,760,250 |
| Construction in process | 4,171,288 | 3,086,479 |
| Machinery and equipment | 7,298,297 | 7,276,151 |
| 27,468,015 | 26,361,060 | |
| Less accumulated depreciation | (10,414,776) | (10,095,407) |
| $17,053,239 | $16,265,653 |
Depreciation expense was $267,155 for the three months ended November 30, 2024, compared to $307,010 for the three months ended November 30, 2023.
| 6. | INTANGIBLE ASSETS, NET |
Intangible assets, net consisted of the following:
| Gross Carrying Amount | Accumulated Amortization | Net Carrying Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patents and trademarks | $3,498,597 | $(2,896,469) | $602,128 |
| Customer relationships | 6,347,000 | (1,375,183) | 4,971,817 |
| Total intangible assets, net | $9,845,597 | $(4,271,652) | $5,573,945 |
| Gross Carrying Amount | Accumulated Amortization | Net Carrying Amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patents and trademarks | $3,459,877 | $(2,854,532) | $605,345 |
| Customer relationships | 6,347,000 | (1,269,400) | 5,077,600 |
| Total intangible assets, net | $9,806,877 | $(4,123,932) | $5,682,945 |
Amortization expense related to intangible assets was $147,720 and $147,655 for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
As of November 30, 2024, future amortization expense related to intangible assets for each of the next five fiscal years and thereafter is estimated as follows:
| Remainder of fiscal 2025 | $459,191 |
|---|---|
| Fiscal 2026 | 485,814 |
| Fiscal 2027 | 450,739 |
| Fiscal 2028 | 450,739 |
| Fiscal 2029 | 450,739 |
| Thereafter | 3,276,723 |
| Total | $5,573,945 |
| 7. | INVESTMENTS IN JOINT VENTURES |
The consolidated financial statements of the Company’s foreign joint ventures are initially prepared using the accounting principles accepted in the respective joint ventures’ countries of domicile. Amounts related to foreign joint ventures reported in the below tables and the accompanying consolidated financial statements have subsequently been adjusted to conform with U.S. GAAP in all material respects. All material profits on sales recorded that remain on the consolidated balance sheet from the Company to its joint ventures and from joint ventures to other joint ventures have been eliminated for financial reporting purposes.
Financial information from the audited and unaudited financial statements of the Company’s joint venture in Germany, Excor Korrosionsschutz – Technologien und Produkte GmbH (EXCOR), and all the Company’s other joint ventures are summarized as follows:
| Total | EXCOR | All Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current assets | $56,703,487 | $26,050,938 | $30,652,549 |
| Total assets | 64,773,897 | 31,700,918 | 33,072,979 |
| Current liabilities | 12,976,356 | 2,455,785 | 10,520,571 |
| Non-current liabilities | 300,116 | — | 300,116 |
| Joint ventures’ equity | 51,497,426 | 29,245,133 | 22,252,293 |
| NTIC’s share of joint ventures’ equity | 25,493,228 | 14,622,568 | 10,870,660 |
| NTIC’s share of joint ventures’ undistributed earnings | 24,548,560 | 14,591,663 | 9,956,897 |
| Total | EXCOR | All Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net sales | $23,837,010 | $8,738,814 | $15,098,196 |
| Gross profit | 10,315,283 | 4,757,686 | 5,557,597 |
| Net income | 2,259,187 | 1,247,500 | 1,011,687 |
| NTIC’s share of equity in income from joint ventures | 1,129,593 | 623,750 | 505,843 |
| NTIC’s dividends received from joint ventures | — | — | — |
| Total | EXCOR | All Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current assets | $56,420,503 | $26,234,664 | $30,185,839 |
| Total assets | 64,183,071 | 31,513,288 | 32,669,783 |
| Current liabilities | 12,553,716 | 2,221,726 | 10,331,990 |
| Non-current liabilities | 323,199 | — | 323,199 |
| Joint ventures’ equity | 51,306,156 | 29,291,562 | 22,014,594 |
| NTIC’s share of joint ventures’ equity | 25,397,287 | 14,645,783 | 10,751,504 |
| NTIC’s share of joint ventures’ undistributed earnings | 23,645,685 | 14,614,878 | 9,030,807 |
| Total | EXCOR | All Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net sales | $23,560,661 | $8,420,960 | $15,139,701 |
| Gross profit | 10,103,800 | 4,375,075 | 5,728,725 |
| Net income | 2,204,482 | 1,026,907 | 1,177,575 |
| NTIC’s share of equity in income from joint ventures | 1,102,241 | 513,453 | 588,788 |
| NTIC’s dividends received from joint ventures | 371,104 | — | 371,104 |
| 8. | CORPORATE DEBT |
On January 6, 2023, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the Credit Agreement) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPM), which provided the Company with a senior secured revolving line of credit (the Credit Facility) of up to $10.0 million, which included a $5.0 million sublimit for standby letters of credit. Borrowings of $4,518,734 and $4,291,608 were outstanding under the Credit Facility as of November 30, 2024 and August 31, 2024, respectively. The Company was in compliance with all covenants under the Credit Agreement as of November 30, 2024.
On January 6, 2025, the Company and JPM entered into an amendment to the Credit Agreement to extend the maturity date of the Credit Facility from January 6, 2025 to January 5, 2026, reduce the availability under the Credit Facility from $10.0 million to $8.0 million and increase the applicable margin for Adjusted SOFR Rate (as defined below) advances from 2.15% to 2.35%. All other material terms of the Credit Facility and the Credit Agreement remain the same.
The principal amount under the Credit Facility, together with all accrued unpaid interest and other amounts owing thereunder, if any, will be payable in full on the January 5, 2026 maturity date, unless the Credit Facility is extended or renewed or terminated earlier.
Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at a floating rate, at the option of the Company, equal to either the CB Floating Rate or the Adjusted SOFR Rate. The term “CB Floating Rate” means the greater of the Prime Rate in the United States or 2.50%. The term “Adjusted SOFR Rate” means the term secured overnight financing rate for either one, three or six months (depending on the interest period selected by the Company) plus 0.10% per annum. With respect to any borrowings using an Adjusted SOFR Rate, there is an applicable margin of 2.35% applied per annum. There is no applicable margin with respect to borrowings using a CB Floating Rate. The weighted average interest rate was 7.07% and 7.43% for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023.
To secure the Credit Agreement, the Company assigned JPM a continuing security interest in all of its right, title and interest in collateral made up of the assets of the Company.
The Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including, among other matters, limitations on the Company’s ability to incur additional debt, grant liens, engage in certain business operations and transactions, make certain investments, modify its organizational documents or form any new subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. Further, the Credit Agreement contains a negative covenant that restricts the ability of the Company to redeem or repurchase its common stock or pay dividends if the result of which would cause an event of default under the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement also requires the Company to maintain a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of at least 1.25 to 1.00. The term “Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio” means the ratio, computed for the Company on a consolidated basis, of net income plus income tax expense, plus amortization expense, plus depreciation expense, plus interest expense, and plus dividends received from joint ventures, minus unfinanced capital expenditures and equity in income from joint ventures, all computed for the twelve month period then ending, to scheduled principal payments made, plus scheduled finance lease payments made, plus interest expense paid, plus income tax expense paid, and plus cash distributions and dividends paid, all computed for the same twelve month period then ending.
The Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default, including, without limitation, payment defaults, material inaccuracy of representations and warranties, covenant defaults, bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings, cross-defaults to certain other agreements, breach of any financial covenant and change of control. Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any event of default, JPM may accelerate the payment of the obligations thereunder and exercise various other customary default remedies.
On each of April 10, 2023 and May 30, 2023, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary in China, NTIC China, entered into a loan agreement with China Construction Bank Corporation. Each term loan provided NTIC China with a RMB 10,000,000 (USD $1.45 million). The term loans mature in April 2025 and June 2025, respectively, unless extended. Both term loans have an annual interest rate of 3.25% with interest due monthly. Both term loans are secured by an office building owned by NTIC China and the loan agreements contain certain financial and other covenants. The Company was in compliance with the covenants as of November 30, 2024. The current outstanding balance for both term loans was USD $2,761,592 as of November 30, 2024 and USD $2,820,835 as of August 31, 2024.
| 9. | STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
On October 16, 2024, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.07 per share of the Company’s common stock, payable on November 13, 2024 to stockholders of record on October 30, 2024. On October 18, 2023, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.07 per share of the Company’s common stock, payable on November 15, 2023 to stockholders of record on November 1, 2023.
During the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023, the Company repurchasedno shares of its common stock.
The Company issued 3,527 and 3,496 shares of common stock on September 1, 2023 and 2022, respectively, under the Northern Technologies International Corporation Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the ESPP). The ESPP is compensatory for financial reporting purposes. As of November 30, 2024,51,727 shares of common stock remained available for sale under the ESPP.
| 10. | NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE |
Basic net income per common share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net income per share assumes the exercise of stock options and the settlement of restricted stock units using the treasury stock method, if dilutive.
The following is a reconciliation of the net income per share computation for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023:
| Three Months Ended November 30, | ||
|---|---|---|
| Numerator: | 2024 | 2023 |
| Net income attributable to NTIC | $561,091 | $895,521 |
| Denominator: | ||
| Basic – weighted shares outstanding | 9,470,507 | 9,427,588 |
| Weighted shares assumed upon exercise of stock options and settlement of restricted stock units | 283,702 | 278,993 |
| Diluted – weighted shares outstanding | 9,754,209 | 9,706,581 |
| Basic net income per share: | $0.06 | $0.09 |
| Diluted net income per share: | $0.06 | $0.09 |
The dilutive impact summarized above relates to the periods when the average market price of the Company’s common stock exceeded the exercise price of the potentially dilutive option securities granted. Net income per common share was based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods when computing basic net income per share. When dilutive, stock options and restricted stock units are included as equivalents using the treasury stock market method when computing the diluted net income per share. Excluded from the computation of diluted net income per share for the three months ended November 30, 2024 were options outstanding to purchase 751,153 shares of common stock. Excluded from the computation of diluted net income per share for the three months ended November 30, 2023 were options outstanding to purchase 580,869 shares of common stock.
| 11. | STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION |
Stock Options
A summary of stock option activities under the Northern Technologies International Corporation 2024 Stock Incentive Plan (2024 Plan), the Northern Technologies International Corporation Amended and Restated 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and the Northern Technologies International Corporation Amended and Restated 2007 Stock Incentive Plan is as follows:
| Number of Options Outstanding | Weighted Average Exercise Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding as of August 31, 2024 | 1,752,667 | $11.48 |
| Granted | 245,190 | $13.26 |
| Exercised | — | — |
| Cancelled/Forfeited | — | — |
| Outstanding as of November 30, 2024 | 1,997,857 | $11.69 |
The weighted average per share fair value of options granted during the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023 was $4.95 and $5.05, respectively. The weighted average remaining contractual life of the options outstanding as of November 30, 2024 and 2023 was 6.27 years and 6.55 years, respectively.
The Company recognized stock option compensation expense of $304,930 and $350,933 during the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. As of November 30, 2024, there was $1,916,887 of unrecognized stock option compensation expense. The amount is expected to be recognized over a period of 2.75 years.
Restricted Stock Units
Restricted stock units were granted under the 2024 Plan on September 1, 2024 to certain non-employee directors during the three months ended November 30, 2024 and vest in full on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant. A summary of restricted stock unit activity for the three months ended November 30, 2024 is as follows:
| Number of Restricted Stock Units | Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding as of August 31, 2024 | — | $— |
| Granted | 11,313 | 13.14 |
| Vested/Settled | — | — |
| Cancelled/Forfeited | — | — |
| Outstanding as of November 30, 2024 | 11,313 | $13.14 |
Restricted stock units are valued using the closing stock price on the grant date. The Company recognizes the grant date fair value of the restricted stock units over one year. For the three months ended November 30, 2024, the Company recognized $36,960 in stock-based compensation expense. As of November 30, 2024, there is an unrecognized stock-based compensation expense of $111,692, which is expected to be recognized over 0.75 years.
| 12. | SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION |
Segment Information
The Company’s chief operating decision maker is its Chief Executive Officer. The Company’s business is organized intotwo reportable segments: ZERUST® and Natur-Tec®. The Company has been selling its proprietary ZERUST® rust and corrosion inhibiting products and services to the automotive, electronics, electrical, mechanical, military and retail consumer markets for over 50 years and, more recently, has also expanded into the oil and gas industry. The Company also sells a portfolio of proprietary bio-based and compostable (fully biodegradable) polymer resins and finished products under the Natur-Tec® brand.
The following table sets forth the Company’s net sales for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023 by segment:
| Three Months Ended November 30, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| ZERUST® net sales | $15,475,803 | $15,405,745 |
| Natur-Tec® net sales | 5,862,590 | 4,775,930 |
| Total net sales | $21,338,393 | $20,181,675 |
The following table sets forth the Company’s cost of goods sold for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023 by segment:
| November 30, 2024 · % of Product Sales* · November 30, 2023 · % of Product Sales* | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct cost of goods sold | |||||||
| ZERUST® | $8,678,706 | 56.1% | $8,744,024 | 56.8% | |||
| Natur-Tec® | 3,689,183 | 62.9% | 3,228,583 | 67.6% | |||
| Indirect cost of goods sold | 807,551 | NA | 874,794 | NA | |||
| Total net cost of goods sold | $13,175,440 | $12,847,401 | |||||
| * | The percent of product sales is calculated by dividing the direct cost of goods sold for each individual segment category by the net sales for each segment category. |
|---|
The Company utilizes product net sales and direct and indirect cost of goods sold for each product in reviewing the financial performance of a product type. Further allocation of Company expenses or assets, aside from amounts presented in the tables above, is not utilized in evaluating product performance, nor does such allocation occur for internal financial reporting.
Geographic Information
Net sales by geographic location for the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:
| Three Months Ended November 30, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Inside the U.S. to unaffiliated customers | $13,088,319 | $12,097,843 |
| Outside the U.S. to: | ||
| Joint ventures in which the Company is a shareholder directly and indirectly | 767,456 | 851,452 |
| Unaffiliated customers | 7,482,618 | 7,232,380 |
| $21,338,393 | $20,181,675 | |
Net sales by geographic location are based on the location of the customer.
Fees for services provided to joint ventures by geographic location as a percentage of total fees for services provided to joint ventures during the three months ended November 30, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:
| Three Months Ended November 30, | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | % of Total Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures | 2023 | % of Total Fees for Services Provided to Joint Ventures | |
| Poland | $220,010 | 17.1% | $198,017 | 15.9% |
| Germany | 206,329 | 16.1% | 205,643 | 16.5% |
| Japan | 148,538 | 11.6% | 136,081 | 10.9% |
| Finland | 131,460 | 10.2% | 103,744 | 8.3% |
| United Kingdom | 116,226 | 9.1% | 63,149 | 5.1% |
| Thailand | 94,165 | 7.3% | 79,438 | 6.4% |
| France | 79,064 | 6.2% | 121,966 | 9.8% |
| Czech Republic | 72,631 | 5.7% | 77,812 | 6.2% |
| South Korea | 67,701 | 5.3% | 74,957 | 6.0% |
| Sweden | 66,928 | 5.2% | 110,536 | 8.9% |
| Other | 81,067 | 6.3% | 77,615 | 6.2% |
| $1,284,119 | 100.0% | $1,248,958 | 100.0% | |
The geographical distribution of total property and equipment and net sales is as follows:
| At November 30, 2024 | At August 31, 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| China | $5,453,786 | $5,627,202 |
| Other | 1,212,917 | 1,217,400 |
| United States | 10,386,536 | 9,421,051 |
| Total property and equipment, net | $17,053,239 | $16,265,653 |
| Three Months Ended November 30, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| China | $3,994,769 | $3,678,523 |
| Brazil | 1,385,194 | 1,529,623 |
| India | 6,045,735 | 5,180,391 |
| Other | 2,430,077 | 2,560,757 |
| United States | 7,482,618 | 7,232,381 |
| Total net sales | $21,338,393 | $20,181,675 |
Long-lived assets consist of property and equipment. These assets are periodically reviewed to assure the net realizable value from the estimated future production based on forecasted sales exceeds the carrying value of the assets.
Sales to the Company’s joint ventures are included in the foregoing segment and geographic information; however, sales by the Company’s joint ventures to other parties are not included. The foregoing segment and geographic information represents only sales recognized directly by the Company and sold in that geographic territory.
All joint venture operations, including equity in income, fees for services and related dividends, are primarily related to ZERUST® products and services.
| 13. | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
Legal Matters
From time to time, the Company is subject to various other claims and legal actions in the ordinary course of its business. The Company records a liability in its consolidated financial statements for costs related to claims, including future legal costs, settlements and judgments, where the Company has assessed that a loss is probable, and an amount could be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of a probable loss is a range, the Company records the most probable estimate of the loss or the minimum amount when no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount. The Company discloses a contingent liability even if the liability is not probable or the amount is not estimable, or both, if there is a reasonable possibility that material loss may have been incurred. In the opinion of management, as of November 30, 2024, the amount of liability, if any, with respect to these matters, individually or in the aggregate, will not materially affect the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
| 14. | SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION |
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information consisted of:
| Three Months Ended November 30, | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2023 | |
| Cash paid for interest | $120,220 | $111,138 |
| 15. | INCOME TAXES |
Income tax expense for the three months ended November 30, 2024 was $217,871 compared to $226,796 for the three months ended November 30, 2023. The expense was largely due to foreign operations. The Company has federal and state tax credit carry forwards, net operating loss carry forwards and foreign tax carry forwards. The Company has recorded a full valuation allowance against the U.S. deferred tax assets as of November 30, 2024 and August 31, 2024.
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’**S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.