M-tron Industries Inc

General

Originally founded in 1965, M-tron Industries, Inc. (the "Company," "MtronPTI," "we," "us," or "our") is engaged in the designing, manufacturing and marketing of highly engineered, high reliability frequency and spectrum control products used to control the frequency or timing of signals in electronic circuits in various applications. MtronPTI’s primary markets are aerospace and defense, space, and avionics.

Our component-level devices and integrated modules are used extensively in electronic systems for applications in aerospace and defense, avionics, satellites, global positioning systems, down-hole drilling, medical systems, instrumentation, and industrial devices. As an engineering-centric company, MtronPTI provides close support to the customer throughout its products' entire life cycles, including product design, prototyping, production and subsequent product upgrades and maintenance. This collaborative approach has resulted in the development and growth of long-standing business relationships with its customers.

All of MtronPTI’s production facilities in the U.S. and India are ISO 9001:2015 certified. U.S. production facilities in Orlando, Florida and Yankton, South Dakota are International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) registered and AS9100 Rev D certified and our Yankton, South Dakota production facility is MIL-STD-790 certified. MtronPTI's production facility in India operates under a Manufacturing License Agreement (MLA) issued by the U.S. Department of State.

We maintain our executive offices at 2525 Shader Road, Orlando, Florida 32804. Our telephone number is (407) 298-2000. Our website is www.mtronpti.com. Our common stock is traded on the NYSE American (“NYSE”) under the symbol "MPTI".

MtronPTI’s Separation

On October 7, 2022, the separation of the MtronPTI business from The LGL Group, Inc. ("LGL" or "LGL Group") was completed (the "Separation") and the Company became an independent, publicly traded company trading on the NYSE American under the stock symbol "MPTI."

Business Strategy

Our objective is to deliver long-term growth to our stockholders and maximize stockholder value. MtronPTI employs a market-based approach of designing and offering new products to its customers through both organic research and development, and through strategic partnerships, joint ventures, acquisitions, or mergers. We seek to leverage our core strength as an engineering leader to expand client access, add new capabilities and continue to diversify our product offerings. We believe that successful execution of this strategy will lead to a transformation of our product portfolio towards multi-component integrated offerings, longer product life cycles, better margins and an improved competitive position.

Business Segment

The Company conducts its business through one business segment: Electronic Components, which includes all products manufactured and sold by MtronPTI.

Products

MtronPTI’s portfolio is divided into three product groupings, Frequency Control, Spectrum Control and Integrated Microwave Assemblies, and has expanded from primarily crystal-based components to include higher levels of integration, advanced materials science, cavity-based products, and various types of compensation methods employing integrated circuits and other methods to create products geared for applications that require high reliability in harsh environments. These products are differentiated by their precise level of accuracy, stability over time and within harsh environments, and very low phase noise.

MtronPTI's Frequency Control product group includes a broad portfolio of quartz crystal resonators, clock oscillators, VCXO, TCXO OCXO and TCVCXO devices which meet some of the tightest specifications, including IEEE 1588 standards. These devices may be based on quartz, quartz MEMS or advanced materials science designed to achieve higher performance levels than quartz. MtronPTI's products offer high reliability over a wide temperature range and are well-suited for harsh environments, including shock and vibration-resistant oscillators with low-g sensitivity. These products are designed for applications within aerospace and defense, avionics, and industrial markets.

MtronPTI's Spectrum Control product group includes a wide array of radio frequency (“RF”), microwave and millimeter wave filters and diplexers covering a frequency range from 1 MHz to 30 GHz, and solid-state power amplifiers covering a frequency range from 300 MHz to 26 GHz, with power output from 10 Watts to 10kW. Filter devices include crystal, ceramic, LC, planar, combline, cavity, interdigital and metal insert waveguide, as well as switched filter arrays and RF subsystems. Power amplifiers add active devices to MtronPTI's portfolio and include GaN, GaAS FET, LDMOS and chip and wire technologies in narrow or broadband, module or rack-mounted packages. These products are employed in applications within the commercial and military aerospace and defense, space, avionics, and industrial markets.

MtronPTI’s Integrated Microwave Assembly (IMA) product group brings over 55 years of expert crystal, filter and oscillator design experience to our Custom Multi-Functional Modules (MFM) and Integrated Microwave Assemblies (IMA). Spanning frequencies from 10MHz to 50GHz, components such as filters, low noise amplifiers, couplers, attenuators, switches, circulators, oscillators, multipliers, phase lock loops, mixers, digitally tuned oscillators, voltage-controlled oscillators, and phase shifters, all with associated control circuitry, are integrated into one exceptional SWaP-C (Size, Weight and Power at a competitive Cost) assembly. Design, assembly, test and integration along with component design and manufacturing is done at MtronPTI’s AS9100 D operations. These products are designed for both extreme aerospace and defense and avionics as well as industrial markets.

New product development continues to be a key focus for MtronPTI as we continue to push our roadmap to meet the needs of our served markets. Within the Frequency Control product group, design efforts are focused on smaller packages, lower power, lower phase noise and use of new materials to provide compensation and harsh environment performance that surpasses customer requirements. The Spectrum Control product group seeks to develop higher power handling and higher frequency along with higher levels of integration and a range of integrated products within the RF subsystem. The IMA product group designs and develops solutions using the same circuit, electromagnetic, mechanical, thermal, and stress analysis tools as our customers, which allows MtronPTI’s MFM and IMA design synthesis to be effortlessly integrated into the customer’s system synthesis at early stages in the development process. This design collaboration essentially makes MtronPTI’s design team an extension of the customer, so our customer’s resources can focus on their areas of expertise, resulting in a shortened design cycle and a faster time to market. The IMA product group also reviews all build-to-print opportunities, utilizing all our in-house assembly and test capabilities to competitively bid this service.

Major Markets

The following table provides a breakdown of revenues by end-market as a percent of consolidated revenues:

Customers

We primarily work directly with original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) to define the appropriate solutions for their unique applications, including the design of custom parts with unique part numbers. Actual sales of production parts may be directly to the OEM or through either its designated contract manufacturers or franchised distributors of our products. As a result, we have highly skilled sales engineers who work directly with the designers and program managers at their OEMs providing a high-level of engineering support at all points within the process.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, our largest customer accounted for $12,921,000, or 31.4%, of the Company's total revenues, compared to $8,190,000, or 25.7%, of the Company’s total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Company’s second largest customer for the year ended December 31, 2023 accounted for $7,822,000, or 19.0%, of the Company's total revenues, compared to $4,857,000, or 15.3%, of the Company’s total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022. The loss of either of these customers, or a decrease in their demand for our products, could have a material adverse effect on our results.

As of December 31, 2023, four of our largest customers accounted for approximately $3,774,000, or 76.4%, of accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2022, four of our largest customers accounted for approximately $2,872,000, or 53.8%, of accounts receivable. The insolvency of any of these customers could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity. The Company carefully evaluates the creditworthiness of its customers in deciding to extend credit and utilizes letters of credit to further limit credit risk for export sales. As a result of these policies, the Company has experienced very low historical bad debt expense and believes the related risk to be minimal.

Competition

We design, manufacture and market products for the generation, synchronization and control of time and frequency as well as spectrum control products. There are numerous domestic and international manufacturers who are capable of providing custom-designed products comparable in quality and performance to our products. Our competitive strategy begins with our focus on niche markets where precise specification and reliability are the major requirements.

Research and Development

Utilizing our understanding of market requirements, we employ a disciplined approach to capital allocation when selecting new product development projects. A cross-functional team comprised of engineering, marketing, operations, sales and finance reviews the merits of specific projects seeking to invest in products that will exceed a specific return on investment level and a payback expectation within one to two years. In addition, the team considers the inherent value of intellectual property that each project presents with consideration for technical roadmap objectives.

Research and development expense was $2,216,000 and $2,006,000 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and will remain a significant part of the Company's efforts to continually revitalize its intellectual property position.

Marketing and Sales

We have a highly skilled team of sales engineers who work in tandem with a worldwide network of independent external manufacturer representatives and franchised electronics distributors to market and sell our products. An important part of the sales process is gaining qualification of specific products from the OEM, confirming suitability for use in a specific system design, which is commonly referred to as a "design-win." Through direct contact with our clients and through our representative network, we are able to understand the needs of the marketplace and then guide our product development process to allocate resources to meet those requirements.

Domestic Revenues

Our domestic revenues were $30,104,000 in 2023, or 73.1% of total consolidated revenues, compared to $22,439,000, or 70.5% of total consolidated revenues, in 2022.

International Revenues

Our international revenues were $11,064,000 in 2023, or 26.9% of total consolidated revenues, compared to $9,406,000, or 29.5% of total consolidated revenues, in 2022. In each of 2023 and 2022, these revenues were derived mainly from customers in Asia, with significant sales in Malaysia. We avoid significant currency exchange risk by transacting and settling substantially all of our international sales in United States dollars.

Seasonality

Our business is not seasonal, although shipment schedules may be affected by the production schedules of our customers, or their contract manufacturers based on regional practices or customs.

Order Backlog

Our order backlog was $47,831,000 and $46,180,000 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The backlog of unfilled orders includes amounts based on signed contracts and purchase orders. Although backlog represents only firm orders that are considered likely to be fulfilled primarily within the 12 to 24 months following receipt of the order, cancellations or scope adjustments may and do occur.

Order backlog is adjusted quarterly to reflect project cancellations, deferrals, revised project scope and cost. We expect to fill a substantial portion of our order backlog as of December 31, 2023 during 2024 and 2025, but cannot provide assurances as to what portion of the order backlog will be fulfilled in any given year.

Raw Materials

Generally, most raw materials used in the production of our products are available in adequate supply from a number of sources though the prices of these raw materials have recently increased as a result of inflation and supply chain issues. Some raw materials, including printed circuit boards, IC’s, quartz and certain metals including steel, aluminum, silver, gold, tantalum and palladium, are subject to greater supply fluctuations and price volatility, as experienced in recent years. In general, we have been able to include some cost increases in our pricing, but in some cases our margins were adversely impacted.

Changes in global economic and geopolitical conditions have disrupted supply chains and the ability to obtain components and raw materials around the world for most companies, including us. On occasion, one or more of the components used in our products have become unavailable resulting in unanticipated redesign and/or delays in shipments. Continued identification of alternative supply sources or other mitigations are important in minimizing disruption to our supply chain.

Intellectual Property

We have no patents, trademarks or licenses that are considered to be significant to our business or operations. Rather, we believe that our technological position depends primarily on the technical competence and creative ability of our engineering and technical staff in areas of product design and manufacturing processes, including our staff’s ability to customize products to meet difficult specifications, as well as proprietary know-how and information.

Government Regulations

As a supplier to certain U.S. Government defense contractors, we must comply with significant procurement regulations and other requirements. Maintaining registration under ITAR for all of our related production facilities is also required. One of those production facilities must comply with additional requirements for its production processes and for selected personnel in order to maintain the security of classified information. These requirements, although customary within these markets, increase our performance and compliance costs.

We are routinely audited and reviewed by the U.S. Government and its agencies such as the Defense Contract Audit Agency and Defense Contract Management Agency. These agencies review our performance under our contracts, our cost structure and our compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards, as well as the adequacy of our internal control systems and policies. Any cost found to be improperly allocated to a specific contract will not be reimbursed. If an audit uncovers improper or illegal activities, we may be subject to civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions.

From time to time, we may also be subject to U.S. Government investigations relating to our or our customers' operations and products and are expected to perform in compliance with a vast array of federal laws, including the Truth in Negotiations Act, the False Claims Act, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations promulgated under the Arms Export Control Act, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. We or our customers may be subject to reductions of the value of contracts, contract modifications or termination, and the assessment of penalties and fines, which could negatively impact our results of operations and financial condition, or result in a diminution in revenue from our customers, if we or our customers are found to have violated the law or are indicted or convicted for violations of federal laws related to government security regulations, employment practices or protection of the environment, or are found not to have acted responsibly as defined by the law. Such convictions or actions could also result in suspension or debarment from serving as a supplier to government contractors for some period of time. Such convictions or actions could have a material adverse effect on us and our operating results. The costs of cooperating or complying with such audits or investigations may also adversely impact our financial results.

Our manufacturing operations, products, and/or product packaging are subject to environmental laws and regulations governing air emissions, wastewater discharges, and the handling, disposal and remediation of hazardous substances, wastes and other chemicals. In addition, more stringent environmental regulations may be enacted in the future, both within the United States and internationally, and we cannot presently determine the modifications, if any, in our operations that any future regulations might require, or the cost of compliance that would be associated with such regulations. To date, capital expenditures, earnings and competitive position of the Company have not been materially affected by compliance with current federal, state, and local laws and regulations (domestic and foreign) relating to the protection of the environment. However, we cannot predict the effect of future laws and regulations.

Employees

As of December 31, 2023, we employed 356 people, including 188 full-time and 20 part-time employees, along with 148 contractors. Of this total, the Company has 176 full-time, 20 part-time, and 6 contract employees within the U.S., with 169 located in Orlando, Florida, and 33 in Yankton, South Dakota. The Company has three full-time employees in Hong Kong, and nine full-time employees and 142 contractors in Noida, India. None of the Company's employees are represented by a labor union and the Company considers its relationships with employees to be good.

As an engineered products and solutions company, a significant number of our workforce consists of degreed engineers providing expertise in product design and process development.