HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS INC - Quarter Report: 2021 March (Form 10-Q)

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

☑ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2021

or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from ______ to ______

Commission file number 1-14982

HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(314) 216-2600

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☑    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☑    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated filer”, “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☑

The number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on April 26, 2021 was 27,399,870 shares.

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PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1 — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited)

(in millions, except per share data)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

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HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)

(in millions)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

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HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)

(in millions, except share data)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

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HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(unaudited)

(in millions)

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HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

(in millions)

See notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

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HUTTIG BUILDING PRODUCTS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARY

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Huttig Building Products, Inc. and its subsidiary (the “Company” or “Huttig”) were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and reflect all adjustments (including normal recurring accruals) which, in the opinion of management, are considered necessary for the fair presentation of the results for the periods presented. Financial statement preparation further requires management to make estimates and assumptions. Management bases these estimates and assumptions on historical results and known trends as well as management forecasts. Actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions and these differences may be material. These statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

The condensed consolidated results of operations and resulting cash flows for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that might be expected for the full year, or any other interim period, which may differ materially due to, among other things, the factors described in Part I, Item 2 of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and those set forth under Part I, Item 1A – “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Due to the seasonal nature of Huttig’s business, operating profitability is usually lower in the Company’s first and fourth quarters than in the second and third quarters.

2. NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 requires a financial asset (or a group of financial assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be assessed for impairment under the current expected credit loss model rather than an incurred loss model. The measurement of expected credit losses is based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount.  The primary financial asset of the Company within the scope of ASU 2016-13 is trade receivables.  The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not materially impact the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Recent accounting pronouncements pending adoption and not discussed above are either not applicable or will not have, or are not expected to have, a material impact on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

3. REVENUE

Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for transferring goods.  The Company reports sales revenue, including direct sales, on a net basis, which includes gross revenue adjustments for estimated returns, cash payment discounts based on the satisfaction of outstanding receivables, and volume purchase rebates.  The Company’s customer payment terms vary by customer, location, and the products purchased, but are typical for the Company’s industry.

Regarding direct sales, the Company is the principal of these arrangements and is responsible for fulfilling the promise to provide specific goods to its customers, including product specifications, pricing and modifications prior to delivery.  Direct sales as a percentage of net sales were 25.8% and 21.8% in the three-month periods ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

The following table disaggregates revenue by product classification (in millions):

4.  LEASES

The Company has operating and financing leases for corporate offices, distribution centers, vehicles, and certain equipment. These leases have remaining lease terms of less than 1 year to 12 years, and many of the leases have renewal options.  Because the Company is not reasonably certain to exercise the renewal options, the options are not considered in determining the lease term, and associated potential option payments are excluded from lease payments and right-of-use calculations.  Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are likewise excluded from right-of-use calculations.

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In addition to fixed payments, many of the Company’s lease contracts contain variable payments. Vehicle lease variable payments typically include mileage, and real estate leases include variable charges for taxes and common area maintenance.  Variable lease payments and payments for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are recognized in the period incurred.

The following lease assets and liabilities are included on the condensed consolidated balance sheet (in millions):

As of March 31, 2021, the weighted average remaining lease term for the Company’s operating leases was 4.9 years and for its financing leases was 2.7 years. These leases have weighted average discount rates of 6.0% and 5.2% for operating leases and financing leases, respectively. The rate implicit in the lease is used to discount leases when known. While the implicit rate is often known for finance leases, the Company is generally unable to calculate the implicit rate in operating leases because it does not have access to the lessor’s residual value estimates nor the amount of the lessor’s deferred initial direct costs.  When the implicit rate is not known, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate for secured loans of similar term. The Company uses available data for unsecured loans to borrowers of similar credit to the Company and adjusts the rate to reflect the effect of providing collateral equivalent to the outstanding obligation balance.

The following cash flow items are included on the condensed consolidated statement of cash flows (in millions):

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Maturities of lease liabilities are as follows (in millions):

5. GOODWILL

Goodwill is reviewed for impairment annually, or more frequently if certain indicators arise. The Company assesses each reporting period whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the previously established useful lives.

During the first quarter of 2020, a decline in the market value of the Company’s public equity concurrent with the COVID-19 pandemic triggered an assessment of goodwill. The fair value of each reporting unit was determined using a market approach to consider factors such as market capitalization of the Company at March 31, 2020, observed ratios of enterprise value to earnings and the relative sales contribution of each reporting unit. If a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeded its estimated fair value, an impairment was recorded for the amount in excess. As a result of the interim goodwill impairment test, the Company recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $9.5 million.  The following table summarizes goodwill activity for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2021 and 2020 (in millions):

6. ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS

The allowance for doubtful accounts consisted of the following (in millions):

7. DEBT

Debt consisted of the following (in millions): 

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Credit Facility — The Company has a $250.0 million asset-based senior secured revolving credit facility (the “credit facility”).  Borrowing availability under the credit facility is based on eligible accounts receivable, inventory and real estate. The real estate component of the borrowing base amortizes monthly over 12.5 years on a straight-line basis.  Borrowings under the credit facility are collateralized by substantially all of the Company’s assets, and the Company is subject to certain operating limitations applicable to a loan of this type, which, among other things, place limitations on indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers and acquisitions, dispositions of assets, cash dividends and transactions with affiliates.  The entire unpaid balance under the credit facility is due and payable on July 14, 2022.    

At March 31, 2021, the Company had revolving credit borrowings of $111.2 million outstanding at a weighted average interest rate of 1.67% per annum, letters of credit outstanding totaling $3.2 million, primarily used as collateral for health and workers’ compensation insurance, and $81.0 million of excess committed borrowing availability.  The Company pays an unused commitment fee of 0.25% per annum. In addition, the Company had $0.9 million of other obligations maturing in 2023 at a borrowing rate of 6.11%. The Company also had $3.1 million of financing lease obligations at March 31, 2021.  See Note 4 – “Leases” for more information.  

The sole financial covenant in the credit facility is the minimum fixed charge coverage ratio (“FCCR”) of 1.00:1.00, which must be tested by the Company if the excess committed borrowing availability falls below an amount in the range of $17.5 million to $31.3 million, depending on the borrowing base. The FCCR must also be tested on a pro forma basis prior to consummation of certain significant business transactions outside the ordinary course of business, as defined in the agreement. 

While the Company believes its cash on hand, borrowing capacity available under the credit facility, and cash flows from operations for the next twelve months will be sufficient to service its liquidity needs, it cannot predict whether future developments associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will materially adversely affect its liquidity position. See Note 13, “Impact of and Company Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic” for additional disclosure regarding the potential impact the current pandemic may have on the Company’s future liquidity and financial position.

8. OTHER ACCRUED LIABILITIES

The Company had other accrued liabilities consisting of the following (in millions):

9. CONTINGENCIES

The Company carries insurance policies on insurable risks with coverage and other terms that it believes to be appropriate. The Company has self-insured retention limits and has obtained fully insured layers of coverage above such self-insured retention limits. Accruals for self-insurance losses are made based on claims experience. Liabilities for existing and unreported claims are accrued when it is probable that future costs will be incurred and can be reasonably estimated.

Environmental and Legal Matters

The Company accrues expenses for contingencies when it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred and management can reasonably estimate the expense. Contingencies for which the Company has made accruals include environmental and other legal matters. It is possible, however, that actual expenses could exceed the accruals by a material amount, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s future liquidity, financial condition, and operating results in the period in which any such additional expenses are incurred or recognized.

Environmental Matters

The Company was previously identified as a potentially responsible party in connection with contamination cleanup at a formerly owned property in Montana. On February 18, 2015, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (the “DEQ”) issued an amendment to the unilateral administrative order of the DEQ outlining the final remediation of the property in its Record of Decision.  In September 2015, the remedial action work plan (“RAWP”) was approved.

The Company paid less than $0.1 million in the first three months of 2021 implementing the RAWP.  The Company estimates the total remaining cost of implementing the RAWP to be $2.7 million at March 31, 2021, with $1.1 million in short-term other accrued liabilities and $1.6 million in other non-current liabilities. As of March 31, 2021, the Company believes the accrual represents a reasonable best estimate of the total remaining remediation costs, based on facts, circumstances, and information currently available.  However, there are currently unknown variables relating to the actual levels of contaminants and amounts of soil that will ultimately require treatment or removal. As part of the remediation process, additional soil and groundwater sampling, and bench and pilot testing are required to

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ensure the remediation will achieve the outcome required by the DEQ.  The ultimate final amount of remediation costs and expenditures is difficult to estimate with certainty and as a result, the amount of actual costs and expenses ultimately incurred by the Company with respect to this property could be lower than, or exceed the amount accrued as of March 31, 2021 by a material amount.  If actual costs are materially higher, the incremental expenses over the amount currently accrued could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s liquidity, financial condition and operating results.

With consent of the DEQ, remediation efforts and expenditures were temporarily suspended during 2020 as a result of pandemic-related health, safety, financial and other considerations.  During the first quarter of 2021, the Company re-engaged in remediation efforts in cooperation with the DEQ.  

In addition, some of the Company’s current and former distribution centers are located in areas where environmental contamination may have occurred, and for which the Company, among others, could be held responsible. The Company currently believes that there are no material environmental liabilities at any of its distribution center locations.

10. EARNINGS (LOSS) PER SHARE

The Company calculates its basic income (loss) per share by dividing net income (loss) allocated to common shares outstanding by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Unvested shares of restricted stock participate in dividends on the same basis as common shares. As a result, these share-based awards meet the definition of participating securities and the Company applies the two-class method to compute earnings per share. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that treats participating securities as having rights to earnings that would otherwise have been available to common stockholders. In periods in which the Company has net losses, the losses are not allocated to participating securities because the participating security holders are not obligated to share in such losses.

The following table presents the number of participating securities (in millions):

The diluted earnings per share calculations include the effect of assumed exercise using the treasury stock method for unvested restricted stock units, except when the effect would be anti-dilutive.  The following table presents the number of common shares used in the calculation of net income (loss) per share from continuing operations (in millions):

11. INCOME TAXES

The Company assesses available positive and negative evidence to estimate whether sufficient future taxable income will be generated to permit use of existing deferred tax assets.  For the three-year period ended December 31, 2020, the Company was in a three year cumulative loss position. This constitutes a significant piece of objective negative evidence.  Such objective negative evidence limits the ability to consider other subjective evidence, such as our projections for future profitability and growth.  Based on this evaluation, as of March 31, 2021, the Company maintained a valuation allowance of $18.2 million to reduce net deferred tax assets as their realization did not meet the more-likely-than-not criterion.  The amount of deferred tax assets considered realizable, however, could be adjusted in the future if objective negative evidence in the form of cumulative losses is no longer present and additional weight is given to subjective evidence such as our projections for future profitability and growth.

The Company’s effective tax rate from continuing operations was a benefit of 0% and 0% in the three-month periods ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“the Act”) was signed into law, making several changes to the Internal Revenue Code. The Act provides numerous tax provisions and other stimulus measures, including temporary changes regarding the prior and future utilization of net operating losses, temporary changes to the prior and future limitations on interest deductions, temporary suspension of certain payment requirements for the employer portion of Social Security taxes, technical corrections from prior tax legislation for tax depreciation of certain qualified improvement property, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, and the creation of certain refundable employee retention credits. Under the Act, the 163(j) interest deduction limitation was increased from 30% to 50% for the 2019 and 2020 tax years. The Company benefitted from the provision by being able to deduct an additional $4.3 million of interest expense in 2020. No other provisions of the Act were materially beneficial to the Company.

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12. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company recognized $0.4 million and $0.3 million in non-cash, stock-based compensation expense for the first quarter of 2021 and 2020, respectively.  During the first three months of 2021, the Company granted an aggregate of 436,990 shares of restricted stock at a weighted average value of $3.63 per share under its 2005 Executive Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated. Most restricted shares vest in three equal installments on the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant date, or cliff vest in five years. During the first three months of 2021, the Company granted an aggregate of 139,880 shares of restricted stock under its Non-Employee Directors’ Restricted Stock Plan, as amended, at an average fair market value of $3.58 per share. The directors’ restricted shares vest on the first anniversary of the grant date. Unearned compensation expense is amortized into expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. As of March 31, 2021 and 2020, the total compensation expense not yet recognized related to all outstanding restricted stock awards was $2.2 million and $1.8 million, respectively.

13. IMPACT OF AND COMPANY RESPONSE TO COVID-19

In March 2020, the World Health Organization recognized the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, as a pandemic.  The United States, various other countries and state and local jurisdictions have imposed, among other things, travel and business operation restrictions intended to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus and have advised or required individuals to adhere to social distancing or limit or forego their time outside of their home.  This pandemic and the governmental response have resulted in significant and widespread economic disruptions to, and uncertainty in, the global and U.S. economies, including in the regions in which the Company operates.  In many jurisdictions, the Company and its customers were deemed “essential businesses” and continued to operate, reducing the impact of these restrictions on its operations and results for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020.  However, the Company’s management cannot reliably predict the future impact of the pandemic and the governmental response to the pandemic on the Company’s operations and future results.

With the exception of closing two branches as a part of the Company’s restructuring efforts, all of the Company’s branches remain open and capable of meeting customer needs. The Company has taken protective measures to guard the health and well-being of its employees and customers, including the implementation of social distancing requirements and remote work options where possible. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company observed certain of its customers reducing purchases and operations due to the impact of the pandemic and governmental restrictions. The pandemic has also had an adverse impact to the supply chain, with some of the Company’s vendors putting the Company on allocation as a result of reduced inventory and labor shortages resulting in longer lead-times for the fulfillment of certain products. The Company previously took proactive measures to protect its operating liquidity, including communicating with vendors and customers, seeking modification of payment and other terms of rental and procurement agreements and monitoring its accounts receivable. The Company rationalized inventory levels to meet anticipated demand and has implemented cost containment measures, including closing two of its branches, suspension of matching contributions to its qualified defined contribution plan, and eliminated non-essential spend. The Company has utilized its diverse overseas network to source alternative suppliers of its proprietary products, while simultaneously rationalizing its purchase volume to better align with its current sales projections and to manage the supply chain. While the Company believes these actions have mitigated the impact of the pandemic on its operations, it cannot provide any assurance that these actions will be successful if the pandemic continues to have a longer-term impact on the economy. As of March 31, 2021, the Company does not have any material outstanding deferred obligations to suppliers as deferred amounts have been substantially repaid. The Company continues to implement COVID-19 safety protocols, including social distancing requirements and remote work options where possible.

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ITEM 2 — MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Cautionary Statement Relevant to Forward-Looking Information for the Purpose of “Safe Harbor” Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  The words or phrases “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project” or similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words.  Statements made in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our Annual Report on Form 10-K looking forward in time, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our current views with respect to financial performance, future growth in the housing market, distribution channels, sales, favorable supplier relationships, inventory levels, the ability to meet customer needs, enhanced competitive posture, strategic initiatives, absence of material financial impact from litigation or contingencies, including environmental proceedings, are included pursuant to the “safe harbor” provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

These statements present management’s expectations, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding our future business and financial performance. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statements will be realized or achieved.  These forward-looking statements are based on current projections, estimates, assumptions and judgments, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

There are a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements.  These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: the success of our growth initiatives; risks associated with our private brands; the strength of new construction, home improvement and remodeling markets and the recovery of the homebuilding industry to levels consistent with the historical annual average total housing starts from 1959 to 2020 of approximately 1.4 million starts based on statistics tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau (“Historical Average”); the cyclical nature of our industry; risks of international suppliers; the impact of global health concerns, including the current COVID-19 pandemic, and governmental responses to such concerns, on our business, results of operations, liquidity and capital resources; product liability claims and other legal proceedings; commodity prices and demand in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; competition with existing or new industry participants; our failure to attract and retain key personnel; deterioration in our relationship with our unionized employees, including work stoppages or other disputes; funding requirements for multi-employer pension plans for our unionized employees; our ability to comply with, and the restrictive effect of, the financial covenant applicable under our credit facility; deterioration of our customers’ creditworthiness or our inability to forecast such deteriorations, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; the loss of a significant customer; termination of key supplier relationships; the ability to source alternative suppliers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; supply chain disruption; current or future litigation; the cost of environmental compliance, including actual expenses we may incur to resolve proceedings we are involved in arising out of a formerly owned facility in Montana; federal and state transportation regulations; uncertainties resulting from changes to United States and foreign laws, regulations and policies; the potential impact of changes in tariff costs, including tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, and potential anti-dumping or countervailing duties; fuel cost increases; stock market volatility; failure to meet exchange listing requirements; stockholder activist disruption; information technology failures, network disruptions, cybersecurity attacks or breaches in data security; significant uninsured claims; the integration of any business we acquire and the liabilities of such businesses; the seasonality of our operations; any limitations on our ability to utilize our deferred tax assets to reduce future taxable income and tax liabilities; intangible asset impairment; and those factors set forth under Part I, Item 1A – “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 These factors may not constitute all factors that could cause actual results to differ from those discussed in any forward-looking statement. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results.

Overview

We are a distributor of a broad array of building material products used principally in new residential construction, home improvement, and remodeling and repair projects.  We distribute our products through 25 distribution centers serving 41 states and sell primarily to building materials dealers, national buying groups, home centers and industrial users, including makers of manufactured homes.

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The following table sets forth our sales by product classification as a percentage of total sales:

Industry Conditions

New housing activity has recently recovered to a pace consistent with the historical annual average of 1.4 million total housing starts from 1959 to 2020 based on statistics tracked by the United States Census Bureau. Total housing starts were approximately 1.3 million in 2020. Through March 31, 2021, based on the most recent data provided by the United States Census Bureau, total new housing starts were 10.2% higher than 2020 levels for the corresponding three-month period.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization recognized the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, as a pandemic. The United States, various other countries and state and local jurisdictions have imposed, among other things, travel and business operation restrictions intended to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus and are advising or requiring individuals to adhere to social distancing or limit or forego their time outside of their home. This pandemic and the governmental response have resulted in significant and widespread economic disruptions to, and uncertainty in, the global and U.S. economy, including in the regions in which we operate. In many jurisdictions, we and our customers were deemed “essential businesses” and continued to operate, reducing the impact of these restrictions on our operations and results for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2021 and March 31, 2020. However, we cannot reliably predict the future impact of the pandemic and the governmental response to the pandemic on our operations and future results.

With the exception of closing two branches as a part of our restructuring efforts, all of our branches remain open and capable of meeting customer needs. We have taken protective measures to guard the health and well-being of our employees and customers, including the implementation of social distancing requirements and remote work options where possible. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed certain of our customers reducing purchases and operations due to the impact of the pandemic and governmental restrictions. The pandemic has also had an adverse impact to the supply chain, with some of our vendors putting us on allocation as a result of reduced inventory and labor shortages, resulting in longer lead-times for the fulfillment of certain products. We adjusted our sales forecast accordingly and previously took proactive measures to protect our operating liquidity, including communicating with vendors and customers, seeking modification of payment and other terms of rental and procurement agreements and monitoring accounts receivable. We also rationalized inventories in response to our strategic product initiative and adjusted levels to meet changing demand. We previously implemented cost containment measures, including closing two of our branches during the third quarter of 2020, suspension of matching contributions to our qualified defined contribution plan, and eliminating non-essential spend. During the first quarter of 2021 we increased orders for replacement capital essential to our business. We have utilized our diverse overseas network to source alternative suppliers of our proprietary products, while simultaneously adjusting our purchase volume to better align with our current sales projections and to manage the supply chain.

Early in the pandemic we also communicated with lenders regarding potential modification of terms under our credit facility. Modification has not been deemed necessary based on our financial performance. However, we continue to proactively communicate with our lending partners in the normal course of business. If in the future, we fail to meet our borrowing covenants and are unable to maintain excess borrowing availability of more than the applicable required amount, our lenders would have the right to terminate the loan commitments and accelerate the repayment of the entire amount outstanding under the credit facility. Our lenders also could foreclose on our assets securing our credit facility. In that event, we would be forced to seek alternative sources of financing. Our ability to restructure our debt or refinance may depend on the condition of the financial markets and the availability of credit during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may result in credit being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.

While we believe these actions have mitigated the impact of the pandemic on our operations, we cannot provide any assurance that these actions will be successful if the pandemic continues to have a longer-term impact on the economy. As of March 31, 2021, we do not have any material outstanding deferred obligations to suppliers as deferred amounts have been substantially repaid.

Various factors cause our results of operations to fluctuate from period to period. These factors include levels of residential construction, the mix of single family and multi-family starts as a percentage of total residential construction, home improvement and remodeling activity, weather, prices of commodity wood and steel products, dumping duties, tariffs, interest rates, competitive pressures, availability of credit and other local, regional and national economic conditions. Many of these factors are cyclical or seasonal in nature. We anticipate that further fluctuations in operating results from period to period will continue in the future. Our results in the first and fourth

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quarters of each year are generally adversely affected by winter weather patterns in the Midwest, Northeast and Northwest, which typically result in seasonal decreases in levels of construction activity in these areas. As much of our overhead and expenses remain relatively fixed throughout the year, our operating profits tend to be lower during the first and fourth quarters.

We believe we have the product offerings, distribution channels, personnel, systems infrastructure and financial and competitive resources necessary for continued operations. Our future revenues, costs and profitability, however, are all likely to be influenced by a number of risks and uncertainties, all of which may be amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. If the pandemic were to worsen or negatively impact our industry due to its duration, we are prepared to selectively re-activate or extend actions previously taken as part of our readiness and response plan. These actions may include deferral or cancelation of planned capital spending, negotiation of terms with vendors and customers, lay-offs and wage reductions, suspension of matching contributions to our qualified defined contribution plan, further rationalization of inventories and reduction of other fixed and variable costs. We have communicated with our lenders regarding potential modification to terms of our credit facility should it be deemed necessary.

Early and aggressive actions taken to mitigate the impact of the pandemic coupled with a subsequent level of market stability have resulted in our improved financial performance. Management believes that certain actions taken with regard to working capital management and efficiency, as well as cost reduction activities, can be sustainable and provide leverage if the economy continues to improve. However, there remains a significant amount of uncertainty related to the continued impact the pandemic may have on our operating results.

Strategic Initiatives

Our strategy is to increase shareholder value through focused, profitable growth and diversification of our business.  To accomplish this, we have developed strategic initiatives that require investments in our infrastructure, our people and technology platform.  Our goals are to accelerate profitable growth and diversify our business, which we believe will improve operating leverage over the intermediate term.  We have continued to make progress on our strategic initiatives, although our ability to continue advancing these initiatives has been, and may continue to be, impaired by present and future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations.

To accelerate profitable growth and diversification, we have made strategic capital and operating investments to execute our product line expansion and market segment penetration organic growth initiatives.  The national expansion of our Huttig-Grip product line, which is sourced both domestically and internationally, expands the breadth and geographic coverage of our private label specialty building product lines.  Through our investments in automated, high-capacity, pre-finish door lines and segment-focused sales resources, further penetration of the home improvement, repair and remodel market diversifies our business to be less dependent on new home construction, reinforces our position as the largest, value-add door fabricator to the professional residential construction market in the country, and accelerates our growth in higher-value, and higher-gross margin products.  We evaluate our strategic initiatives on a regular basis as part of our overall strategic planning process.

In addition to the above initiatives, we continue to invest in our organization to attract the best talent to achieve our goal of creating a top-performing, disciplined organization with talented, engaged, and empowered people.  We also continue to invest in our technology platform to achieve improved operating efficiencies in the functional areas of the business while delivering advanced customer interface technology to make Huttig the clear supplier of choice for the products we sell.

Critical Accounting Policies

We prepare our condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, which requires management to make estimates and assumptions. Management bases these estimates and assumptions on historical results and known trends as well as management forecasts. Actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions, and these differences may be material. For a discussion of our significant accounting policies and estimates, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 in Part II, Item 7 - “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Critical Accounting Policies.” During the three months ended March 31, 2021, there were no material changes to the critical accounting policies and estimates discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Results of Operations

Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

Net sales were $214.7 million in the first quarter of 2021, which were $11.7 million, or 5.8%, higher than the first quarter of 2020.  The increase in net sales was primarily attributable to an increase in residential construction activity. Income growth in the first quarter of 2021 was moderated in comparison to the first quarter of 2020 by restructuring activities announced in the second quarter of last year, and by our 2020 product rationalization program. We also continued to experience supply chain disruption across several key product categories which mitigated revenue growth, although first quarter sales were favorably impacted by pricing for certain products we sell.

Millwork sales of $96.2 million in the first quarter were unchanged from the first quarter of last year. Millwork is the category most impacted by supply chain disruption and was also impacted by 2020 restructuring and product rationalization activities. Building products sales increased 10.0% in the first quarter of 2021 to $101.9 million, compared to $92.6 million in the first quarter of 2020, with first quarter 2021 sales benefitting from consistent high levels of demand for certain product lines within the category, including certain strategic product lines. The year-over-year sales growth in this category was mitigated by supply chain disruption and by product

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rationalization activities related to our objective of focusing on higher-margin, non-commoditized products. Wood product sales increased 16.9% in the first quarter of 2021 to $16.6 million, compared to $14.2 million in the first quarter of 2020.

Gross margin was $45.7 million in the first quarter of 2021, compared to $40.9 million in the first quarter of 2020. As a percentage of sales, gross margin was 21.3% in the first quarter of 2021, compared to 20.1% in the first quarter of 2020. Gross margins were favorably impacted by our continued focus on non-commoditized strategic product lines, which carry higher margins, as well as improved pricing management. The increase in our gross margin percentage from these actions was more pronounced considering we had a disproportionate increase in direct sales in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to 2020. These sales were at lower margins as compared to warehouse shipments.

Operating expenses decreased $2.1 million to $36.9 million in the first quarter of 2021, compared to $39.0 million in the first quarter of 2020.  Personnel costs decreased $0.6 million, or 2.7%, reflecting workforce and other adjustments made to our cost structure. These cost reductions were partially offset by higher incentive compensation driven by improved operating results. Non-personnel costs decreased $1.5 million, or 8.9%. Operationally, first quarter discretionary spending such as travel and advertising was curtailed, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, our bad debt provision improved in the first quarter of 2021 as pandemic-related disruption began to subside. Higher insurance costs for property and vehicles partially offset the reduction in operating costs. Overall, the cost structure was levered against higher sales volume. As a percentage of net sales, operating expenses were 17.2% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to 19.2% in the first quarter of 2020.

Net interest expense was $0.7 million in the first quarter of 2021 compared to $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2020.  The lower expense in the first quarter of 2021 reflects both lower average debt balances and lower interest rates.

Income taxes were zero for the quarters ended both March 31, 2021 and 2020.  

As a result of the foregoing factors, we reported net income of $8.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021, compared to net loss of $8.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.  Adjusted for the goodwill impairment charge in 2020, adjusted net income was $0.6 million.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We depend on our cash flows from operations and funds available under our revolving credit facility to finance seasonal working capital needs, capital expenditures, additional investments in our product lines, and any acquisitions that we may undertake. To the extent that our sales decline or our customers are unable to meet their obligations, including as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic and global economic instability, our cash flows would be negatively affected.

Typically, our working capital requirements are greatest in the second and third quarters, which reflects the seasonal nature of our business. The second and third quarters also tend to be our strongest operating quarters, largely due to more favorable weather throughout many of our markets compared to the first and fourth quarters. We typically generate cash from working capital reductions in the fourth quarter of the year and build working capital during the second quarter in preparation for our second and third quarters. We also maintain significant inventories to meet the rapid delivery requirements of our customers and to enable us to obtain favorable pricing, delivery and service terms with our suppliers. As part of our COVID-19 readiness and response plan, we significantly reduced our inventory levels in the second quarter of 2020. Reductions were made in anticipation of reduced sales demand which improved as the second and third quarters progressed. As a result, in the second and third quarters, we were able to generate cash from operations and reduce our indebtedness.

At March 31, 2021, we had $81.0 million of excess committed borrowing availability and $4.4 million in cash.  We reduced our senior indebtedness year-over-year at March 31, 2021 by $33.6 million.  However, the current COVID-19 pandemic could have a negative impact on our excess committed borrowing availability if sales and working capital levels decline and outstanding debt increases. Our liquidity assumptions and our ability to meet our credit facility covenants are dependent on many additional factors, including those included in the “Risk Factors” set forth in Part I, Item 1A of the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.  

Operations.  Cash used in operating activities was $16.5 million during the first three months of 2021, compared to cash usage of $14.5 million during the first three months of 2020. The increase in cash used in operating activities was primarily due to investment in inventories for the normal seasonal build for anticipated increases in sales activity. Inventory growth during the first three months of 2020 was curtailed by inventory reduction efforts commencing late in the quarter as a result of our actions around an anticipated decline in sales demand. The impact from the increased inventory investment in 2021 was substantially offset by higher cash flows from improved financial results in the first three months of 2021 compared to the first three months of 2020.

Investing.  Investing activities used $0.2 million and $0.4 million of cash during the first three months of 2021 and 2020, respectively. These expenditures were primarily for replacement equipment at various distribution centers.

Financing.  Cash provided by financing activities of $20.8 million during the first three months of 2021 resulted from a $21.4 million increase in net borrowings under our credit facility, offset by $0.4 million for repayment of other debt and $0.2 million for the repurchase of shares to satisfy employee tax withholdings on stock-based awards. Cash provided by financing activities of $13.1 million in the first three months of 2020 reflected net borrowings under our credit facility.

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While we believe that our cash on hand, borrowing capacity available under our credit facility, and cash flows from operations for the next twelve months will be sufficient to service our liquidity needs, we cannot predict whether future developments associated with the COVID-19 pandemic will materially adversely affect our liquidity position. Our liquidity assumptions and our ability to meet our credit facility covenants are dependent on many additional factors, including the “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

At March 31, 2021, the minimum fixed charge coverage ratio (“FCCR”) was not required to be tested, as excess borrowing availability was greater than the minimum threshold. If our availability had fallen below that threshold, we would have met the minimum FCCR. If we are unable to maintain excess borrowing availability of more than the applicable amount in the range of $17.5 million to $31.3 million, and we did not meet the minimum FCCR, our lenders would have the right to terminate the loan commitments and accelerate the repayment of the entire amount outstanding under our credit facility. Our lenders could also foreclose on our assets securing the credit facility. If the credit facility was terminated, we would be forced to seek alternative sources of financing, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all.

Goodwill Analysis

We review goodwill annually for impairment, or more frequently if Company or market conditions indicate reporting units may be at risk of impairment.  Our last review was performed as of March 31, 2020 following a broad market selloff over concerns of the impact of COVID-19 on macroeconomic conditions; our market capitalization had declined below the carrying value of equity.  Therefore, we reassessed the implied value of our reporting units relative to their net book value. As a result of our interim goodwill impairment test, we recognized a goodwill impairment charge of $9.5 million in the first quarter of 2020.  We have no remaining goodwill on our balance sheet.  

Contingencies

We carry insurance policies on insurable risks with coverage and other terms that we believe to be appropriate. We generally have self-insured retention limits and have obtained fully insured layers of coverage above such self-insured retention limits. Accruals for self-insurance losses are made based on claims experience. Liabilities for existing and unreported claims are accrued for when it is probable that future costs will be incurred and can be reasonably estimated.

See Note 9 – “Contingencies” of the Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) in Part I, Item 1 for information on legal proceedings in which we are involved.  See also Note 10- “Commitments and Contingencies” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements under Part II, Item 8 – “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 3 – QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

There have been no material changes in market risk from the information provided in Part II, Item 7A – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

ITEM 4 — CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures – The Company, under the supervision and with the participation of our Disclosure Committee and management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e)) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Based upon that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2021 in all material respects to (a) cause information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file or submit under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and (b) cause such information to be accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Control systems must reflect resource constraints and be cost-effective, can be undercut by simple errors and misjudgments, and can be circumvented by individuals within an organization. Because of these and other inherent limitations in all control systems, no matter how well they are designed, our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls can provide reasonable, but not absolute, protection from error and fraud.

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting – The Company’s 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). Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Management’s assessment included an evaluation of the design of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and testing of the operational effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Management reviewed the results of its assessment with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors. Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013), our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of March 31, 2021.

Changes in Internal Control of Financial Reporting – The Company did not modify any existing internal controls as a result of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1 — LEGAL PROCEEDINGS 

See Note 9 – “Contingencies” of the Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) in Part I, Item 1 for information on legal proceedings in which the Company is involved. See also Note 10 – “Commitments and Contingencies” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements under Part II, Item 8 “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

ITEM 1A — RISK FACTORS

In addition to the other information set forth in this report, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A – “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Such risk factors could materially affect our business, financial condition, and future results. These described risks are not the only risks that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us, or that we currently deem to be immaterial, also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, and operating results. There have been no material changes to the risk factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

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ITEM 6 — EXHIBITS

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

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