INTEST CORP - Quarter Report: 2017 June (Form 10-Q)

We are an independent designer, manufacturer and marketer of thermal, mechanical and electrical products that are primarily used by semiconductor manufacturers in conjunction with automatic test equipment ("ATE") in the testing of integrated circuits ("ICs" or "semiconductors"). We also market our thermal products in markets outside the ATE market, such as the automotive, consumer electronics, defense/aerospace, energy, industrial and telecommunications markets. We manufacture our products in the U.S. Marketing and support activities are conducted worldwide from our facilities in the U.S., Germany and Singapore. The consolidated entity is comprised of inTEST Corporation (parent) and our wholly-owned subsidiaries.

During 2016, we reorganized our business from three product segments (Thermal Products, Mechanical Products and Electrical Products) into two product segments (inTEST Thermal Products ("Thermal") and inTEST Electromechanical Semiconductor Products ("EMS"). Certain operational changes undertaken in the first quarter of 2016 in connection with this reorganization are discussed further in Note 3 of our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2017 (the "2016 Form 10-K"). Accordingly, effective January 1, 2017, we have two reportable segments, which are also our reporting units. Prior period information has been reclassified to be comparable to the presentation for 2017.

On May 24, 2017, we completed the acquisition of Ambrell Corporation ("Ambrell"). The acquisition was completed by acquiring all of the outstanding capital stock of Ambrell. Ambrell is a manufacturer of precision induction heating systems which are used to conduct fast, efficient, repeatable non-contact heating of metals or other electrically conductive materials, in order to transform raw materials into finished parts. The Ambrell acquisition will complement our current thermal technologies and broaden our diverse customer base, allowing expansion within many non-ATE related markets, such as consumer product packaging, fiber-optics, automotive and other markets. Ambrell's operations will be included in our Thermal segment. Ambrell manufactures its products in the U.S. and conducts marketing and support activities from its facilities in the U.S., the Netherlands and the U.K. This acquisition is discussed further in Note 3.

The ATE market in which we operate is characterized by rapid technological change, competitive pricing pressures and cyclical as well as seasonal market patterns. This market is subject to significant economic downturns at various times. Our financial results are affected by a wide variety of factors, including, but not limited to, general economic conditions worldwide and in the markets in which we operate, economic conditions specific to the ATE market and the other markets we serve, our ability to safeguard patented technology and intellectual property in a rapidly evolving market, downward pricing pressures from customers, and our reliance on a relatively few number of customers for a significant portion of our sales. In addition, we are exposed to the risk of obsolescence of our inventory depending on the mix of future business and technological changes within the markets that we serve. We also continue to implement an acquisition strategy that may cause us to incur substantial expense in reviewing and evaluating potential transactions. We may or may not be successful in locating suitable businesses to acquire. In addition, we may not be able to successfully integrate any business we do acquire with our existing business and we may not be able to operate the acquired business profitably. As a result of these or other factors, we may experience significant period-to-period fluctuations in future operating results.

Basis of Presentation and Use of Estimates

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain of our accounts, including inventories, long-lived assets, goodwill, identifiable intangibles, contingent consideration liabilities and deferred tax assets and liabilities, including related valuation allowances, are particularly impacted by estimates.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and changes in cash flows for the interim periods presented. Certain footnote information has been condensed or omitted from these consolidated financial statements. Therefore, these consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnotes included in our 2016 Form 10-K.

Reclassification

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to be comparable with the current period's presentation.

Business Combinations

Acquired businesses are accounted for using the purchase method of accounting, which requires that the purchase price be allocated to the net assets acquired at their respective fair values. Any excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Fair values of intangible assets are estimated by valuation models prepared by our management and third party advisors. The assets purchased and liabilities assumed have been reflected in our consolidated balance sheets, and the results are included in the consolidated statements of operations and consolidated statements of cash flows from the date of acquisition. Any change in the fair value of acquisition-related contingent consideration subsequent to the acquisition date, including changes from events after the acquisition date, will be recognized within general and administrative expense in the period of the estimated fair value change. Acquisition-related transaction costs, including legal and accounting fees and other external costs directly related to the acquisition, are recognized separately from the acquisition and expensed as incurred in general and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Fair Value Measurements

The fair values of our financial instruments reflect the amounts that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price).

The carrying amounts of our financial instruments of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value due to their short maturities.

We carry our contingent consideration liability at fair value. In accordance with the three-tier fair value hierarchy, we determined the fair value of our contingent consideration liability using the income approach with assumed discount rates and payment probabilities. The income approach uses Level 3, or unobservable inputs, as defined under the accounting guidance for fair value measurements. See Notes 3 and 4 for more information regarding our contingent consideration liability.

Inventories

Inventories are valued at cost on a first-in, first-out basis, not in excess of market value. Cash flows from the sale of inventories are recorded in operating cash flows. On a quarterly basis, we review our inventories and record excess and obsolete inventory charges based upon our established objective excess and obsolete inventory criteria. These criteria identify material that has not been used in a work order during the prior twelve months and the quantity of material on hand that is greater than the average annual usage of that material over the prior three years. In certain cases, additional excess and obsolete inventory charges are recorded based upon current market conditions, anticipated product life cycles, new product introductions and expected future use of the inventory. The excess and obsolete inventory charges we record establish a new cost basis for the related inventories. We incurred excess and obsolete inventory charges of $90 and $118 for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Goodwill, Intangible and Long-Lived Assets

We account for goodwill and intangible assets in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 350 (Intangibles - Goodwill and Other). Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful economic life and are carried at cost less accumulated amortization. Goodwill is assessed for impairment annually in the fourth quarter on a reporting unit basis, or more frequently when events and circumstances occur indicating that the recorded goodwill may be impaired. As a part of the goodwill impairment assessment, we have the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If we determine this is the case, we are required to perform a two-step goodwill impairment test to identify potential goodwill impairment and measure the amount of goodwill impairment loss to be recognized. The two-step test is discussed below. If we determine that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the reporting unit is greater than its carrying amounts, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required.

If we determine it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a result of our qualitative assessment, we will perform a quantitative two-step goodwill impairment test. In the Step I test, the fair value of a reporting unit is computed and compared with its book value. If the book value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, a Step II test is performed in which the implied fair value of goodwill is compared with the carrying amount of goodwill. If the carrying amount of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value, an impairment loss is recorded in an amount equal to that excess. The two-step goodwill impairment assessment is based upon a combination of the income approach, which estimates the fair value of our reporting units based upon a discounted cash flow approach, and the market approach which estimates the fair value of our reporting units based upon comparable market multiples. This fair value is then reconciled to our market capitalization at year end with an appropriate control premium. The determination of the fair value of our reporting units requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions including the selection of appropriate peer group companies, control premiums, discount rate, terminal growth rates, forecasts of revenue and expense growth rates, income tax rates, changes in working capital, depreciation, amortization and capital expenditures. Changes in assumptions concerning future financial results or other underlying assumptions could have a significant impact on either the fair value of the reporting unit or the amount of the goodwill impairment charge.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed for impairment annually in the fourth quarter, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. As a part of the impairment assessment, we have the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If, as a result of our qualitative assessment, we determine that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount, the quantitative impairment test is required. Otherwise, no further testing is required. The quantitative impairment test consists of a comparison of the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

Long-lived assets, which consist of finite-lived intangible assets and property and equipment, are assessed for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of these assets are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a comparison of the estimated undiscounted cash flows to the recorded value of the asset. If impairment is indicated, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value. The cash flow estimates used to determine the impairment, if any, contain management's best estimates using appropriate assumptions and projections at that time.

Stock-Based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC Topic 718 (Compensation - Stock Compensation) which requires that employee share-based equity awards be accounted for under the fair value method and requires the use of an option pricing model for estimating fair value of stock options granted, which is then amortized to expense over the service periods. See further disclosures related to our stock-based compensation plan in Note 9.

Subsequent Events

We have made an assessment of our operations and determined that there were no material subsequent events requiring adjustment to, or disclosure in, our consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2017.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the price is fixed or determinable, and collection of the related receivable is reasonably assured. Sales of our products are made through our sales employees, third-party sales representatives and distributors. There are no differences in revenue recognition policies based on the sales channel. We do not provide our customers with rights of return or exchanges. Revenue is generally recognized upon product shipment. Our customers' purchase orders do not typically contain any customer-specific acceptance criteria, other than that the product performs within the agreed upon specifications. We test all products manufactured as part of our quality assurance process to determine that they comply with specifications prior to shipment to a customer. To the extent that any customer purchase order contains customer-specific acceptance criteria, revenue recognition is deferred until customer acceptance.

In addition, we lease certain of our equipment to customers under non-cancellable operating leases. These leases generally have an initial term of six months. We recognize revenue for these leases on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

With respect to sales tax collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities, we use a net presentation in our consolidated statement of operations. As a result, there are no amounts included in either our net revenues or cost of revenues related to sales tax.

Product Warranties

We generally provide product warranties and record estimated warranty expense at the time of sale based upon historical claims experience. Warranty expense is included in selling expense in our consolidated statement of operations. 

Income Taxes

The asset and liability method is used in accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for operating loss and tax credit carryforwards and for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the results of operations in the period that includes the enactment date. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized.

Net Earnings Per Common Share

Net earnings per common share - basic is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each period. Net earnings per common share - diluted is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding during each period. Common share equivalents represent unvested shares of restricted stock and stock options and are calculated using the treasury stock method. Common share equivalents are excluded from the calculation if their effect is anti-dilutive.

The table below sets forth, for the periods indicated, a reconciliation of weighted average common shares outstanding - basic to weighted average common shares and common share equivalents outstanding - diluted and the average number of potentially dilutive securities that were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because their effect was anti-dilutive:

In January 2017, the FASB issued amendments to clarify the current guidance on the definition of a business. The objective of the amendments is to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The amendments are effective for us as of January 1, 2018, with early application permitted. We do not expect the implementation of these amendments to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued amendments to the guidance on presentation of restricted cash within the statement of cash flows. The amendments require that restricted cash be included within cash and cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows. The amendments are effective for us as of January 1, 2018, and are to be applied retrospectively. Early application is permitted. We do not expect the implementation of these amendments to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued amendments to the current guidance on accounting for lease transactions, which is presented in ASC Topic 842 (Leases). The intent of the updated guidance is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by leases and to disclose key information about leasing arrangements. Under the new guidance, a lessee will be required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The amendments are effective for us as of January 1, 2019. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. We are currently evaluating the impact of the implementation of these amendments on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued new guidance on the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. Subsequent to May, 2014, the FASB has issued additional clarifying guidance on certain aspects of this new guidance. This guidance is presented in ASC Topic 606 (Revenue from Contracts with Customers). This new guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. Companies can use either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. In August 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date of this new guidance for one additional year. As a result, this new guidance is effective for us as of January 1, 2018. Early application is only permitted as of the prior effective date, which in our case would be as of January 1, 2017. We currently plan to implement this new guidance on January 1, 2018 with a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings as opposed to retrospectively adjusting prior periods. During the fourth quarter of 2016, we completed a preliminary review of all our revenue streams to identify any differences in timing, measurement or presentation of revenue recognition. Our implementation process is ongoing; however, based on the results of our assessment to date, we currently do not expect the implementation of this new guidance to have a significant impact on the timing or amount of revenue we recognize in any given period in comparison to the amount recognized under current guidance.

On May 24, 2017, we completed our acquisition of Ambrell, a manufacturer of precision induction heating systems. Ambrell's systems are used to conduct fast, efficient, repeatable non-contact heating of metals or other electrically conductive materials, in order to transform raw materials into finished parts. The Ambrell acquisition will complement our current thermal technologies and broaden our diverse customer base, allowing expansion within many non-ATE related markets, such as consumer product packaging, fiber-optics, automotive and other markets.

The purchase price for Ambrell was $22,000 in cash paid at closing, subject to a customary post-closing working capital adjustment. Additional consideration in the form of earnouts may be paid based upon a multiple of adjusted EBITDA for 2017 and 2018, as further discussed below. The acquisition was completed by acquiring all of the outstanding capital stock of Ambrell. Total acquisition costs incurred to complete this transaction were $849. Acquisition costs were expensed as incurred and included in general and administrative expense.

The acquisition of Ambrell has been accounted for as a business combination using purchase accounting, and, accordingly, the results of Ambrell have been included in our consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition. The allocation of the purchase price for Ambrell is not yet complete. As a result, the values reflected below are preliminary and

we expect them to change. The preliminary allocation of the Ambrell purchase price was based on estimated fair values as of May 24, 2017. We are currently working with third-party valuation specialists to assist us with determining the fair value of intangible assets acquired, the related deferred tax liabilities, our liability for contingent consideration and any step-up in the fair value of inventories acquired. We have not yet received their final report. In addition, the final fair values assigned to acquired property and equipment are also preliminary as we have not yet had adequate time to complete our review of salvage values and estimated useful lives. We are also in the process of reviewing the final working capital adjustment and are currently working through certain discrepancies in the calculation between ourselves and the seller. Adjustments to these preliminary amounts will be included in the final allocation of the purchase price for Ambrell, which we expect to finalize in the third quarter of 2017. These adjustments could be material.

The excess of the purchase price over the identifiable intangible and net tangible assets was allocated to goodwill and is not deductible for tax purposes. Goodwill is attributed to synergies that are expected to result from the operations of the combined businesses.

The total preliminary purchase price of $24,334 was comprised of:

We estimated the fair value of identifiable intangible assets acquired using a combination of the income, cost and market approaches. As part of the preliminary valuation analysis, we identified intangible assets, including technology, trade names, customer relationships and backlog. The fair value of the identifiable intangible assets is determined primarily using the income approach, which requires a forecast of all expected future cash flows. Since all information required to perform a detailed valuation of Ambrell's intangible assets is not yet available, we used certain assumptions based on historical and industry data for our preliminary valuation. As previously noted, we are currently working with valuation specialists to finalize the estimate of the fair value of identifiable intangible assets as of the acquisition date, and have not yet received their final report. The following table summarizes the estimated fair value of Ambrell's identifiable intangible assets and their estimated useful lives and uses the straight-line method of amortization:

ASC Topic 820 (Fair Value Measurement) establishes a fair value hierarchy for instruments measured at fair value that distinguishes between assumptions based on market data (observable inputs) and our own assumptions (unobservable inputs). Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of us. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect our assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, and are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

ASC 820 identifies fair value as the exchange price, or exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As a basis for considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, ASC 820 establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy that distinguishes among the following:

Goodwill and intangible assets on our balance sheets are the result of our acquisitions of Sigma Systems Corp. ("Sigma") in October 2008, Thermonics, Inc. ("Thermonics") in January 2012 and Ambrell in May 2017. All of our goodwill and intangible assets are allocated to our Thermal segment. Our allocation of the purchase price for Ambrell is not yet complete; as a result, the values reflected below for intangible assets and goodwill related to the Ambrell acquisition are preliminary and we expect them to change. The preliminary allocation of the Ambrell purchase price was based on estimated fair values as of May 24, 2017. Adjustments to these estimates will be included in the final allocation of the purchase price of Ambrell. These adjustments could be material. We expect to finalize the purchase price allocation in the third quarter of 2017.

Goodwill

Changes in the amount of the carrying value of goodwill for the six months ended June 30, 2017 are as follows:

We generally amortize our finite-lived intangible assets over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis, unless an alternate amortization method can be reliably determined. Any such alternate amortization method would be based on the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are expected to be consumed. None of our intangible assets have any residual value.

Total amortization expense for our finite-lived intangible assets was $303 and $116, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. The following table sets forth the estimated annual amortization expense for each of the next five years:

During the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, Texas Instruments Incorporated accounted for 15% and 11% of our consolidated net revenues, respectively. While both of our operating segments sold products to this customer, these revenues were primarily generated by our EMS segment. During the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, Hakuto Co., Ltd., one of our distributors, accounted for 13% and 15% of our consolidated net revenues, respectively. These revenues were generated by our Thermal segment. No other customers accounted for 10% or more of our consolidated net revenues during the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016.

Inventories held at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 were comprised of the following:

Letters of Credit

We have issued letters of credit as the security deposits for certain of our domestic leases. These letters of credit are secured by pledged certificates of deposit which are classified as Restricted Certificates of Deposit on our balance sheets. The terms of our leases require us to renew these letters of credit at least 30 days prior to their expiration dates for successive terms of not less than one year until lease expiration. Our outstanding letters of credit at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consisted of the following:

As of June 30, 2017, we have unvested restricted stock awards and stock options granted under stock-based employee compensation plans that are described more fully in Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements in our 2016 Form 10-K.

As of June 30, 2017, total unrecognized compensation expense related to unvested restricted stock awards and stock options was $732. The weighted average period over which this expense is expected to be recognized is 3.0 years. The following table shows the allocation of the compensation expense we recorded during the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, related to stock-based compensation:

The fair value for stock options granted during the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 was estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:

On October 27, 2015, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $5,000 of our common stock from time to time on the open market, in compliance with Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), or in privately negotiated transactions (the "2015 Repurchase Plan"). Repurchases may also be made under trading plans entered into with RW Baird & Co. (each a "10b5-1 Plan"), which permit shares to be repurchased when we might otherwise be precluded from doing so under insider trading laws. The timing, price and amount of any shares repurchased under the 2015 Repurchase Plan is determined by our management, based on our evaluation of market conditions and other factors. To date, all purchases have been made in accordance with 10b5-1 Plans which provided for purchases to be made so long as the price did not exceed a maximum price. Recently, the price of our shares has exceeded the cap. Management is considering new parameters for future purchases and may enter into a new 10b5-1 Plan at some point under those new parameters. As of June 30, 2017 all of our 10b5-1 Plans had expired. The 2015 Repurchase Plan does not obligate us to repurchase any particular amount of common stock and may be suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. The 2015 Repurchase Plan is funded using our operating cash flow or available cash.

During the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, we repurchased 13,883 and 190,725 shares under the 2015 Repurchase Plan, respectively. The total cost to repurchase these shares was $62 and $770, respectively. As of June 30, 2017, we had repurchased a total of 297,020 shares under the 2015 Repurchase Plan at a cost of $1,195. All of the repurchased shares were retired.

We have defined contribution 401(k) plans for our employees who work in the U.S. All permanent employees of inTEST Corporation, Temptronic Corporation and inTEST Silicon Valley Corporation who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to participate in the inTEST Corporation Incentive Savings Plan (the "inTEST Plan"). We match employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 10% of the employee's annual compensation, with a maximum limit of $5. Employer contributions vest ratably over four years. Matching contributions are discretionary. For the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, we recorded $245 and $249 of expense for matching contributions, respectively.

All permanent employees of Ambrell Corporation are immediately eligible to participate in the Ambrell Corporation Savings & Profit Sharing Plan (the "Ambrell Plan") upon employment and are eligible for employer matching contributions after completing one year of service, as defined in the Ambrell Plan. The Ambrell Plan allows eligible employees to make voluntary contributions up to 100% of compensation, up to the federal government contribution limits. We will make a matching contribution of 25% of each employee's contributions up to a maximum of 2% of such employee's compensation. From the date of acquisition through June 30, 2017, we made matching contributions of $5.

As discussed in Note 1, during 2016, we reorganized our business from three product segments (Thermal Products, Mechanical Products and Electrical Products) into two product segments (Thermal and EMS). Accordingly, effective January 1, 2017, we have two reportable segments, which are also our reporting units. Prior period information has been reclassified to be comparable to the presentation for 2017.

Thermal includes the operations of Temptronic Corporation, Thermonics, Sigma, inTEST Thermal Solutions GmbH (Germany), inTEST Pte, Limited (Singapore) and Ambrell, which we acquired in May 2017, as discussed in Note 3. Sales of this segment consist primarily of temperature management systems which we design, manufacture and market under our Temptronic, Thermonics and Sigma product lines, and precision induction heating systems which are designed, manufactured and marketed by Ambrell. In addition, this segment provides post-warranty service and support.

EMS includes the operations of our manufacturing facilities in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey and Fremont, California. Sales of this segment consist primarily of manipulator, docking hardware and tester interface products, which we design, manufacture and market.

We operate our business worldwide, and both segments sell their products both domestically and internationally. Both segments sell to semiconductor manufacturers, third-party test and assembly houses and ATE manufacturers. Thermal also sells into a variety of markets outside of the ATE market, including the automotive, consumer electronics, defense/aerospace, energy, industrial and telecommunications markets.

Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis contains statements relating to possible future events and results that are considered "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can often be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "intends," "may," "will," "should" or "anticipates" or similar terminology. See Part I, Item 1 - "Business - Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in our 2016 Form 10-K for examples of statements made in this report which may be "forward-looking statements." These statements involve risks and uncertainties and are based on various assumptions. Although we believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, investors and prospective investors are cautioned that such statements are only projections, and there cannot be any assurance that these events or results will occur.

Information about the primary risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual future results to differ materially from our historic results or the results described in the forward-looking statements made in this report or presented elsewhere by Management from time to time are included in Part I, Item 1A - "Risk Factors" in our 2016 Form 10-K. Material changes to such risk factors may be reported in subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q in Part II, Item 1A. There have been no such changes from the risk factors set forth in our 2016 Form 10-K. 

Overview

This MD&A should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

Our business and results of operations are substantially dependent upon the demand for ATE by semiconductor manufacturers and companies that specialize in the testing of ICs. As further discussed below, on May 24, 2017, we acquired Ambrell. Ambrell sells its products almost exclusively to customers in the industrial market which is a non-ATE market. We expect that the acquisition of Ambrell will significantly reduce our dependence on customers in the ATE market. We expect that our future orders and net revenues will be approximately equally split between the ATE and non-ATE markets. Demand for ATE is driven by semiconductor manufacturers that are opening new, or expanding existing, semiconductor fabrication facilities or upgrading existing equipment, which in turn is dependent upon the current and anticipated market demand for semiconductors and products incorporating semiconductors. Such market demand can be the result of market expansion, development of new technologies or redesigned products to incorporate new features, or the replacement of aging equipment. In addition, we continue to focus on design improvements and new approaches for our own products which contribute to our net revenues as our customers adopt these new products.

In the past, the semiconductor industry has been highly cyclical with recurring periods of oversupply, which often have a severe impact on the semiconductor industry's demand for ATE, including the products we manufacture. This can cause wide fluctuations in both our orders and net revenues and, depending on our ability to react quickly to these shifts in demand, can significantly impact our results of operations. ATE market cycles are difficult to predict and in recent years have become more volatile and, in certain cases, shorter in duration. Because the market cycles are generally characterized by sequential periods of growth or declines in orders and net revenues during each cycle, year over year comparisons of operating results may not always be as meaningful as comparisons of periods at similar points in either up or down cycles. In addition, during both downward and upward cycles in our industry, in any given quarter, the trend in both our orders and net revenues can be erratic. This can occur, for example, when orders are canceled or currently scheduled delivery dates are accelerated or postponed by a significant customer or when customer forecasts and general business conditions fluctuate during a quarter.

In addition to being cyclical, the ATE market has also developed a seasonal pattern in the last several years, with the second and third quarters being the periods of strong demand and the first and fourth quarters being periods of weakened demand. We believe this change has been driven by the strong demand for consumer products containing semiconductor content sold during the year-end holiday shopping season.

Third-party market share statistics are not available for the products we manufacture and sell into the ATE market; therefore, comparisons of period over period changes in our market share are not easily determined. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain if ATE market volatility in any period is the result of macro-economic or customer-specific factors impacting ATE market demand, or if we have gained or lost market share to a competitor during the period.

As part of our ongoing strategy to reduce the impact of ATE market volatility on our business operations, we continue to diversify our served markets to address the thermal test requirements of several other markets outside the ATE market. These include the automotive, consumer electronics, defense/aerospace, energy, industrial and telecommunications markets. We believe that these markets usually are less cyclical than the ATE market. While market share statistics exist for some of the markets we serve outside the ATE market, due to the nature of our highly specialized product offerings in these non-ATE markets, we do not expect broad market penetration in many of these markets and, therefore, do not anticipate developing meaningful market shares in these non-ATE markets. In addition, our orders and net revenues in any given period in these markets do not necessarily reflect the overall trends in these non-ATE markets due to our limited market shares. Consequently, we are continuing to evaluate buying patterns and opportunities for growth in these non-ATE markets that may affect our performance. The level of our orders and net revenues from these non-ATE markets has varied in the past, and we expect will vary significantly in the future, as we work to build our presence in these markets and establish new markets for our products. As previously mentioned, Ambrell, which we acquired in May 2017, sells its products almost exclusively to customers in the industrial market, which is one of the non-ATE markets we serve. We expect that the acquisition of Ambrell will significantly increase our orders and net revenues from markets outside the ATE market. As a result, we expect that our future orders and net revenues will be approximately equally split between the ATE and non-ATE markets.

While the majority of our orders and net revenues are derived from the ATE market, our operating results do not always follow the overall trend in the ATE market in any given period. We believe that these anomalies may be driven by a variety of factors within the ATE market, including, for example, changing product requirements, longer time periods between new product offerings by original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") and changes in customer buying patterns. In particular, demand for our mechanical and electrical products, which are sold exclusively within the ATE market, and our operating margins in these product segments have been affected by shifts in the competitive landscape, including (i) customers placing heightened emphasis on shorter lead times (which places increased demands on our available engineering and production capacity increasing unit costs) and ordering in smaller quantities (which prevents us from acquiring component materials in larger volumes at lower cost and increasing unit costs), (ii) the practice of OEMs specifying other suppliers as primary vendors, with less frequent opportunities to compete for such designations, (iii) the in-house manufacturing activities of OEMs building certain products we have historically sold to them, including manipulators, docking hardware and tester interfaces, which has had the impact of significantly reducing the size of the available market for those certain products (iv) the role of third-party test and assembly houses in the ATE market and their requirement of products with a greater range of use at the lowest cost, (v) customer supply chain management groups demanding lower prices and spreading purchases across multiple vendors, and (vi) certain competitors aggressively reducing their products' sales prices (causing us to either reduce our products' sales price to be successful in obtaining the sale or causing loss of the sale).

In addition, in recent periods we have seen instances where demand for ATE is not consistent for each of our product segments or for any given product within a particular product segment. This inconsistency in demand for ATE can be driven by a number of factors, but in most cases, we have found that the primary reason is unique customer-specific changes in demand for certain products driven by the needs of their customers or markets served. These shifts in market practices and customer-specific needs have had, and may continue to have, varying levels of impact on our operating results and are difficult to quantify or predict from period to period. Management has taken, and will continue to take, such actions it deems appropriate to adjust our strategies, products and operations to counter such shifts in market practices as they become evident.

Acquisition

On May 24, 2017, we completed the acquisition of Ambrell by acquiring all of the outstanding capital stock of Ambrell. Ambrell is a manufacturer of precision induction heating systems. Ambrell's systems are used to conduct fast, efficient, repeatable non-contact heating of metals or other electrically conductive materials, in order to transform raw materials into finished parts. The Ambrell acquisition will complement our current thermal technologies and broaden our diverse customer

base, allowing expansion within many non-ATE related markets, such as consumer product packaging, fiber-optics, automotive and other markets. This acquisition has been accounted for as a business combination using purchase accounting. The purchase price for Ambrell was $22 million in cash paid at closing, subject to a customary post-closing working capital adjustment. Additional consideration in the form of earnouts may be paid based upon a multiple of adjusted EBITDA for 2017 and 2018. The 2017 and 2018 earnouts, in the aggregate, are capped at $18 million. For further discussion of the acquisition, see Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements.

Orders and Backlog

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, a breakdown of the orders received by product segment and market (in thousands).

Total consolidated orders for the six months ended June 30, 2017 were $29.6 million compared to $22.4 million for the same period in 2016. Adjusted to eliminate the impact of orders attributable to Ambrell, our consolidated orders for the six months ended June 30, 2017 would have been $27.3 million, and would have increased $4.9 million, or 22%, as compared to the same period in 2016. Although we experienced increased demand from both ATE and non-ATE market customers, the largest increase in demand was from our customers in the ATE market. This higher level of demand is being driven, in part, by the increasing number of ICs utilized in the automotive industry and the need to test those ICs. In addition, demand for ATE is also being driven by products which enable the Internet of Things (IoT) and the increasing number of ICs in consumer electronics and industrial applications.

Adjusted to eliminate the orders attributable to Ambrell, orders from customers in non-ATE markets for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 were $3.7 million, or 30% of total consolidated orders, compared to $4.4 million, or 35% of total consolidated orders, for the same period in 2016 and $3.5 million, or 23% of total consolidated orders, for the quarter ended March 31, 2017. Adjusted to eliminate the orders attributable to Ambrell, orders from customers in non-ATE markets for the six months ended June 30, 2017, were $7.1 million, or 26% of total consolidated orders as compared to $6.4 million, or 28% of total consolidated orders for the same period in 2016. The increase in demand in the first six months of 2017 as compared to the same period in 2016 primarily reflects increased demand from the manufacturers of optical transceiver products. To a lesser extent there were also increases in demand from customers in the automotive markets. These increases were partially offset by a decrease from customers in the defense/aerospace market. The level of our orders in these non-ATE markets has varied in the past, and we expect it will vary significantly in the future as we build our presence in these markets and establish new markets for our products.

At June 30, 2017, our backlog of unfilled orders for all products was approximately $11.1 million compared with approximately $5.7 million at June 30, 2016 and $8.2 million at March 31, 2017. At June 30, 2017, our backlog included $4.4 million attributable to Ambrell. Our backlog includes customer orders which we have accepted, substantially all of which we expect to deliver in 2017. While backlog is calculated on the basis of firm purchase orders, a customer may cancel an order or accelerate or postpone currently scheduled delivery dates. Our backlog may be affected by the tendency of customers to rely on short lead times available from suppliers, including us, in periods of depressed demand. In periods of increased demand, there is a tendency towards longer lead times that has the effect of increasing backlog. As a result, our backlog at a particular date is not necessarily indicative of sales for any future period.

Net Revenues

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, a breakdown of the net revenues by product segment and market (in thousands).

Quarter Ended June 30, 2017 Compared to Quarter Ended June 30, 2016

Net Revenues. Net revenues were $15.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 compared to $10.5 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $5.4 million, or 52%. Our net revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 included $2.0 million of net revenues attributable to Ambrell. We believe the increase in our net revenues during the second quarter of 2017 primarily reflects the factors previously discussed in the Overview.

Gross Margin. Our consolidated gross margin was 53% for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 as compared to 51% for the same period in 2016. The increase in gross margin primarily reflects a reduction in our component material costs as a result of changes in product and customer mix. Although our fixed operating costs increased $641,000 in absolute dollar terms, this increase was absorbed by the higher net revenue levels and, as a result, these costs represented 12% of our net revenues in each of the quarters ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. Of the $641,000 increase in the absolute dollar value of these costs, $404,000 represents the fixed operating costs attributable to Ambrell. The remaining $237,000 increase in our fixed operating costs primarily reflects higher salary and benefits expense for our Thermal segment as a result of an increased use of temporary labor for operations support due to the increased order and shipment activity.

Selling Expense. Selling expense was $1.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 compared to $1.5 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $400,000, or 27%. Our expense for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 included $317,000 of selling costs attributable to Ambrell. The remaining increase of $83,000 primarily reflects higher levels of commission expense reflecting the higher net revenues, and to a lesser extent, an increase in salary and benefits expense for our Thermal segment.

Engineering and Product Development Expense. Engineering and product development expense was $982,000 in each of the quarters ended June 30, 2017 and 2016. Engineering expense attributable to Ambrell in the second quarter of 2017 was $82,000. Adjusted to eliminate this amount, engineering expense would have decreased $82,000, or 8%, for the second quarter of 2017 as compared to same period in 2016. This decrease primarily reflects reduced spending on legal matters related to our intellectual property and, to a lesser extent, a decrease in the cost of materials used in new product development for our Thermal segment.

General and Administrative Expense. General and administrative expense was $3.3 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2017 compared to $2.1 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $1.1 million, or 53%. Our expenses for the second quarter of 2017 included $849,000 of transaction costs related to the acquisition of Ambrell on May 24, 2017, and $536,000 of general and administrative expense attributable to Ambrell. Our expenses for the second quarter of 2016 included $456,000 of transaction costs related to an acquisition that did not close. Adjusted to eliminate these items, general and administrative expense would have increased $212,000 or 13%, primarily reflecting an increase in accruals for profit related bonuses and higher salary and benefits expense.

Income Tax Expense. For the quarter ended June 30, 2017, we recorded income tax expense of $891,000 compared to $263,000 for the same period in 2016. Our effective tax rate was 38% for the quarter ended June 30, compared to 35% for the same period in 2016. On a quarterly basis, we record income tax expense or benefit based on the expected annualized effective tax rate for the various taxing jurisdictions in which we operate our businesses. The increase in the effective tax rate primarily reflects not recording tax benefits on losses incurred in Ambrell's European operations, as we do not expect to be able to utilize them due to expected changes to our operating structure.

Six Months Ended June 30, 2017 Compared to Six Months Ended June 30, 2016

Net Revenues. Net revenues were $30.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to $19.1 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $10.9 million, or 57%. Our net revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2017 included $2.0 million of net revenues attributable to Ambrell. We believe the increase in our net revenues during the first six months of 2017 primarily reflects the factors previously discussed in the Overview.

Gross Margin. Our consolidated gross margin was 54% for the six months ended June 30, 2017 as compared to 49% for the same period in 2016. Although our fixed operating costs increased $743,000 in absolute dollar terms, they were more fully absorbed by the higher net revenue levels. As a result, these costs represented 11% of our net revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to 14% for the same period in 2016. Of the $743,000 increase in the absolute dollar value of these costs, $404,000 represents the fixed operating costs attributable to Ambrell. The remaining $339,000 increase in our fixed operating costs primarily reflects higher salary and benefits expense for our Thermal segment as a result of an increased use of temporary labor for operations support due to the increased order and shipment activity. To a lesser extent, the increase in gross margin also reflects a reduction in our component material costs as a result of changes in product and customer mix.

Selling Expense. Selling expense was $3.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to $2.8 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $733,000, or 26%. Our expense for the six months ended June 30, 2017 included $317,000 of selling costs attributable to Ambrell. The remaining increase of $416,000 primarily reflects higher levels of commission expense reflecting the higher net revenues, and to a lesser extent, an increase in travel costs and salary and benefits expense for our Thermal segment.

Engineering and Product Development Expense. Engineering and product development expense was $1.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to $2.0 million for the same period in 2016, a decrease of $56,000 or 3%. Our expense for the six months ended June 30, 2017 included $82,000 of engineering costs attributable to Ambrell. Adjusted to eliminate this amount, engineering expense would have decreased $138,000, or 7%, for the first six months of 2017 as compared to same period in 2016. This decrease primarily reflects lower salary and benefits expense for our EMS product segment, a decrease in the cost of materials used in new product development for our Thermal segment, and, to a lesser extent, reduced spending on legal matters related to our intellectual property.

General and Administrative Expense. General and administrative expense was $5.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2017 compared to $3.8 million for the same period in 2016, an increase of $1.5 million, or 39%. Our expenses for the first six months of 2017 included $849,000 of transaction costs related to the acquisition of Ambrell on May 24, 2017, and $536,000 of general and administrative expense attributable to Ambrell. Our expenses for the first six months of 2016 included $456,000 of transaction costs related to an acquisition that did not close. Adjusted to eliminate these items, general and administrative expense would have increased $561,000 or 17%, primarily reflecting higher salary and benefits expense and an increase in accruals for profit related bonuses. To a lesser extent there was also an increase in travel costs and professional fees.

Income Tax Expense. For the six months ended June 30, 2017, we recorded income tax expense of $2.0 million compared to $306,000 for the same period in 2016. Our effective tax rate was 36% for the six months ended June 30, compared to 35% for the same period in 2016. On a quarterly basis, we record income tax expense or benefit based on the expected annualized effective tax rate for the various taxing jurisdictions in which we operate our businesses. The increase in the effective tax rate primarily reflects not recording tax benefits on losses incurred in Ambrell's European operations, as we do not expect to be able to utilize them due to expected changes to our operating structure.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As discussed more fully in the Overview, our business and results of operations are substantially dependent upon the demand for ATE by semiconductor manufacturers and companies that specialize in the testing of ICs. The cyclical and volatile nature of demand for ATE makes estimates of future revenues, results of operations and net cash flows difficult.

Our primary historical source of liquidity and capital resources has been cash flow generated by our operations, and we manage our businesses to maximize operating cash flows as our primary source of liquidity. We use cash to fund growth in our operating assets, for new product research and development, for acquisitions and for stock repurchases.

Liquidity

Our cash and cash equivalents and working capital were as follows:

on appropriate and customary assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Some of these accounting estimates and assumptions are particularly sensitive because of their significance to our consolidated financial statements and because of the possibility that future events affecting them may differ markedly from what had been assumed when the financial statements were prepared. As of June 30, 2017, there have been no significant changes to the accounting policies that we have deemed critical. These policies are more fully described in our 2016 Form 10-K.

Off -Balance Sheet Arrangements

There were no off-balance sheet arrangements during the six months ended June 30, 2017 that have or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that is material to our interests.

This disclosure is not required for a smaller reporting company.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). Because there are inherent limitations in all control systems, a control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, as opposed to absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control. Further, the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs. Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and Chief Financial Officer ("CFO"), does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting will prevent all error and all fraud. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected. Accordingly, our management has designed the disclosure controls and procedures to provide reasonable assurance that the objectives of the control system were met.

CEO/CFO Conclusions about the Effectiveness of the Disclosure Controls and Procedures. As required by Rule 13a-15(b), inTEST management, including our CEO and CFO, conducted an evaluation as of the end of the period covered by this Report, of the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based on that evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that, as of the end of the period covered by this Report, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

During the period covered by this Report, there has been no change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that occurred during the period covered by this Report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

From time to time we may be a party to legal proceedings occurring in the ordinary course of business. We are not currently involved in any material legal proceedings.

Information regarding the primary risks and uncertainties that could materially and adversely affect our future performance or could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements, appears in Part I, Item 1A -- "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 27, 2017.

On October 27, 2015, our Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $5.0 million of our common stock from time to time on the open market, in compliance with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act, or in privately negotiated transactions (the "2015 Repurchase Plan"). Repurchases may also be made under trading plans entered into with RW Baird & Co. (each a "10b5-1 Plan"), which permit shares to be repurchased when we might otherwise be precluded from doing so under insider trading laws. The 2015 Repurchase Plan does not obligate us to repurchase any particular amount of common stock and may be suspended or discontinued at any time without prior notice. The 2015 Repurchase Plan is funded using our operating cash flow or available cash. The timing, price and amount of any shares repurchased under the 2015 Repurchase Plan is determined by our management, based on our evaluation of market conditions and other factors. To date, all purchases have been made in accordance with 10b5-1 Plans which provided for purchases to be made so long as the price did not exceed a maximum price. Recently, the price of our shares has exceeded the cap. Management is considering new parameters for future purchases and may enter into a new 10b5-1 Plan at some point under those new parameters. For the three months ended June 30, 2017, there were no shares repurchased. As of June 30, 2017 all of our 10b5-1 Plans had expired.

None.

Not applicable.

None.

A list of the Exhibits which are required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K and filed with this Report is set forth in the Index to Exhibits immediately following the signature page, which Index to Exhibits is incorporated herein by reference.