SYPRIS SOLUTIONS INC - Annual Report: 2018 (Form 10-K)

PART I

Item 1.      Business

General

We were formed as a Delaware corporation in 1997. We are a diversified provider of truck components, oil and gas pipeline components and aerospace and defense electronics. We produce a wide range of manufactured products, often under multi-year, sole-source contracts.

We are organized into two business segments, Sypris Technologies and Sypris Electronics. Sypris Technologies, which is comprised of Sypris Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries, generates revenue primarily from the sale of forged, machined, welded and heat-treated steel components primarily for the heavy commercial vehicle and high-pressure energy pipeline applications. Sypris Electronics, which is comprised of Sypris Electronics, LLC, is focused on circuit card and full “box build” manufacturing, high reliability manufacturing, systems assembly and integration, design for manufacturability and design to specification work.

We focus on those markets where we believe we have the expertise, qualifications and leadership position to sustain a competitive advantage. We target our resources to support the needs of industry participants that embrace multi-year contractual relationships as a strategic component of their supply chain management. These contracts, many of which are sole-source by part number, historically have created opportunities to invest in leading-edge processes or technologies to help our customers remain competitive. The productivity and innovation that can result from such investments helps to differentiate us from our competition when it comes to cost, quality, reliability and customer service.

Our manufacturing processes frequently involve the fabrication or assembly of a product or subassembly according to specifications provided by our customers. We strive to enhance our manufacturing capabilities by advanced quality and manufacturing techniques, lean manufacturing, just-in-time procurement and continuous flow manufacturing, six sigma, total quality management, stringent and real-time engineering change control routines and total cycle time reduction techniques. At the same time, we are working to develop new designs and product innovations by re-engineering traditional solutions to eliminate cost without reducing durability or quality.

Sypris Technologies. Through Sypris Technologies, we are a significant supplier of forged and machined components, serving the commercial vehicle, off highway vehicle, light truck, automotive and energy markets in North America. We have the capacity to produce drive train components including axle shafts, transmission shafts, gear sets, steer axle knuckles, and other components for ultimate use by the leading automotive and truck manufacturers, including FCA US (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles), General Motors Company (GM), Nissan Motor Corporation (Nissan), Freightliner LLC (Freightliner), Mack Truck (Mack), Navistar International Corporation (Navistar), PACCAR, Inc. (PACCAR) and Volvo Truck Corporation (Volvo). We support our customers’ strategies to outsource non-core operations by supplying additional components and providing additional value added operations for drive train assemblies. We also manufacture high-pressure closures and other fabricated products for oil and gas pipelines.

Our manufacturing contracts for the truck components and assemblies markets are often sole-source by part number. Part numbers may be specified for inclusion in a single model or a range of models. Where we are the sole-source provider by part number, we are generally the exclusive provider to our customer of those specific parts for the duration of the manufacturing contract.

Sypris Technologies also manufactures energy-related products such as pressurized closures, insulated joints and other specialty products, primarily for oil and gas pipelines and related energy markets. This product line is an important source of diversified revenues and is becoming an area of greater focus for the Company going forward. We are committed to exploring new product developments and potential new markets, which will also be an increasing area of focus for the Company going forward.

The Company has reduced its reliance on certain of its traditional Tier 1 customers that represent the primary suppliers to the original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) in the commercial vehicle markets, while targeting to replace these customers with longer-term, more diversified relationships, especially among the OEMs and others who place a higher value on the Company’s innovation, flexibility and core commitment to lean manufacturing principles. Among the customer programs not being renewed was a supply agreement with Meritor Inc. (“Meritor”), which expired on January 1, 2017, which utilized production at the Company’s Louisville, Kentucky automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturing plant (the “Broadway Plant”). The Company has also not renewed its business with Eaton Corporation (“Eaton”). As a result of these decisions, the Company experienced a significant reduction in its commercial vehicle revenues in 2017. This change in strategy culminated with the Company’s decision to exit the Broadway Plant, one of our largest commercial vehicle component manufacturing facilities, and to consolidate certain assets from the Broadway Plant into other manufacturing facilities, as needed, to serve and grow our customer base.

On February 21, 2017, the Board of Directors approved a modified exit or disposal plan with respect to the Broadway Plant, which was substantially complete as of the end of 2017. The Company has relocated certain assets from the Broadway Plant to other manufacturing facilities as needed to serve its existing and targeted customer base and identified underutilized or non-core assets for disposal. Management expects to use the proceeds from the sale of any underutilized or non-core assets to help fund costs of transferring any additional equipment from the Broadway Plant. Management is continuing to explore various options for the real estate and any remaining assets in the Broadway Plant.

Sypris Technologies has adjusted its overhead and infrastructure to be more in line with lower projected levels of customer demand and market requirements. We are working to rebuild Sypris Technologies’ revenues in an effort to become profitable again. See Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K. There can be no assurances that such conditions will continue or that our efforts to cut costs and rebuild our revenues through new customers will be successful.

Sypris Technologies represented approximately 68% of our net revenues in 2018.

Sypris Electronics. Sypris Electronics generates revenue primarily through circuit card and full box build manufacturing, high reliability manufacturing, systems assembly and integration, design for manufacturability and design to specification, for customers in the aerospace and defense electronics markets. This includes circuit card assemblies for electronic sensors and systems including radar and targeting systems, tactical ground stations, navigation systems, weapons systems, targeting and warning systems and those used in the nation’s high priority space programs.

We provide our customers with a broad variety of value added solutions, from low-volume prototype assembly to high-volume turnkey manufacturing. Our manufacturing contracts for the aerospace and defense electronics market are generally sole-source by part number. Our customers include large aerospace and defense companies such as Lockheed Martin Corporation (Lockheed Martin), Northrop Grumman Corporation (Northrop Grumman), Harris Corporation (Harris) and Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI).

The engineering and manufacturing of highly complex components for the aerospace and defense industries is a fairly fragmented industry with no dominant player in the market. The industry has continued to grow with more companies developing printed circuit board assembly capabilities and others entering the market via mergers and acquisitions of smaller companies. This has led to increased competition from larger companies that have significant financial resources. This competitive business environment, along with the impact of federal government spending uncertainties in the U.S. and the allocation of funds by the U.S. Department of Defense has challenged Sypris Electronics over the past several years.

We announced new program awards for Sypris Electronics that contributed to revenue in 2017 and 2018, with certain programs continuing into 2019. In addition to program awards related to weapons systems, electronic warfare and infrared countermeasures in our traditional aerospace and defense markets, we have also been awarded programs related to the communication and navigation markets which align with our capabilities for delivering products for complex, high cost of failure platforms. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 provides nearly $700 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Defense, which is expected to support program growth and market expansion during the coming year for aerospace and defense participants. We expect that our reduction in overhead following our relocation to a new manufacturing facility in 2017 will allow us to compete favorably for follow-on business opportunities on future builds of these programs.

In the near term, certain electronic component shortages and extensive lead-time issues are becoming prevalent in many of the segments in the electronic manufacturing industry that we serve. These shortages and extended lead times are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. We are working with our customers to qualify alternative components or suppliers to mitigate the impact on our business. The majority of our aerospace and defense programs require specific components that are sole-sourced from specific suppliers; therefore, the resolution of supplier constraints requires coordination with our customers or the end-users of the products.

Sypris Electronics accounted for approximately 32% of net revenue in 2018.

Our Markets

Sypris Technologies. The industrial manufacturing markets include automotive, truck and off-highway components and assemblies and specialty closures. The automotive and truck components and assemblies market consists of the original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, including FCA, Freightliner, GM, Mack, Navistar, PACCAR and Volvo, and an extensive supply chain of companies of all types and sizes that are classified into different levels or tiers. Tier 1 companies represent the primary suppliers to the OEMs and include Meritor, Dana Inc. (Dana), Detroit Diesel Corporation (Detroit Diesel), American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (America Axle) and Eaton, among others. Below this group of companies reside numerous suppliers that either supply the OEMs directly or supply the Tier I companies. In all segments of the truck components and assemblies, however, suppliers are under intense competitive pressure to improve product quality and to reduce capital expenditures, production costs and inventory levels. As noted above, the Company has determined to migrate away from certain of its traditional Tier 1 customers in the commercial vehicle markets, while seeking to replace these customers with mutually beneficial relationships, especially among the heavy truck, off-highway and automotive OEMs and others who place a higher value on the Company’s innovation, flexibility and core commitment to lean manufacturing principles. The customers for our specialty closure products consists primarily of operators and builders of oil and gas pipelines, which are also facing significant pressures to improve quality, reduce costs and defer capital expenditures.

Sypris Electronics Although we believe that our programs are well aligned with national defense and other priorities, shifts in domestic and international spending and tax policy, changes in security, defense and intelligence priorities, the affordability of our products, changes in or preferences for new or different technologies, general economic conditions and other factors may affect the level of funding for existing or proposed programs.

Market conditions for our electronic manufacturing business are characterized by a number of obstacles. The nature of providing manufactured products to the aerospace and defense electronics industry as well as other regulated markets differs substantially from the commercial electronics manufacturing industry. The cost of failure can be extremely high, the manufacturing requirements are typically complex and products are produced in relatively small quantities. Companies within this industry are required to maintain and adhere to a number of strict and comprehensive certifications, security clearances and traceability standards.

Our Business Strategy

Our objective is to improve our position in each of our core markets by increasing our number of multi-year relationships with customers and investing in highly innovative and efficient production capacity to remain competitive on a global scale. We intend to serve our customers and achieve this objective by continuing to:

Concentrate on our Core Markets. We are a significant supplier of forged, machined, welded and heat-treated components and subassemblies, serving the commercial vehicle, off highway vehicle, light truck and energy markets in North America. We have been an established supplier to major aerospace and defense companies and agencies of the U.S. Government for over 40 years. We will continue to focus on those markets where we have the expertise, capacity and qualifications to achieve a competitive advantage.

Dedicate our Resources to Support Strategic Partnerships. We will continue to prioritize our resources to support the needs of industry leaders that embrace multi-year contractual relationships as a strategic component of their supply chain management and have the potential for long-term growth. We prefer contracts that are sole-source by part number so we can work closely with the customer to the mutual benefit of both parties.

Pursue the Strategic Acquisition of Assets. Over the long-term, we may consider the strategic acquisition of assets to consolidate our position in our core markets, expand our presence outside the U.S., create or strengthen our relationships with leading companies and expand our range of products in return for multi-year supply agreements. We will consider assets that can be integrated with our core businesses and that can be used to support other customers, thereby improving asset utilization and achieving greater productivity, flexibility and economies of scale.

Grow Through the Addition of New Value-Added Manufacturing Capabilities. We hope to grow through the addition of new value-added manufacturing capabilities and the introduction of additional components in the supply chain that enable us to provide a more complete solution by improving quality and reducing product cost, inventory levels and cycle times for our customers. In many instances, we offer a variety of state-of-the-art machining capabilities to our customers in the industrial manufacturing markets that enable us to reduce labor and shipping costs and minimize cycle times for our customers over the long-term, which we believe will provide us with additional growth opportunities in the future.

We believe that the number and duration of our strategic relationships should grow to enable us to invest in our business with greater certainty and with less risk. The investments we make in support of these relationships are targeted to provide us with the productivity, flexibility, technological edge and economies of scale that we believe will help to differentiate us from the competition in the future when it comes to cost, quality, reliability and customer service.

Our Customers

Our five largest customers in 2018 were Sistemas Automotrices de Mexico, S.A de C.V. (Sistemas), Northrop Grumman, Detroit Diesel, Harris and Jamison Products (Jamison), which in the aggregate accounted for 61% of net revenue. Our five largest customers in 2017 were Detroit Diesel, Northrop Grumman, Sistemas, Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC (Tyco) and Harris, which in the aggregate accounted for 52% of net revenue. In 2018, Sistemas, Northrup Grumman and Detroit Diesel represented approximately 19%, 14% and 14% of our net revenue, respectively. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of our net revenue in 2018. In 2017, Detroit Diesel, Northrup Grumman and Sistemas represented approximately 14%, 13% and 13% of our net revenue, respectively. No other customer accounted for more than 10% of our net revenue in 2017.

Geographic Areas and Currency Fluctuations

Our operations are located in the U.S. and Mexico. Our Mexican subsidiaries and affiliates are a part of Sypris Technologies and manufacture and sell a number of products similar to those Sypris Technologies produces or previously produced in the U.S. In addition to normal business risks, operations outside the U.S. may be subject to a greater risk of changing political, economic and social environments, changing governmental laws and regulations, currency revaluations and market fluctuations. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates have primarily impacted our earnings only to the extent of remeasurement gains or losses related to U.S. dollar denominated accounts of our foreign subsidiaries, because the vast majority of our transactions are denominated in U.S. dollars. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, “other income, net” included foreign currency translation gains of less than $0.1 million and losses of $0.8 million, respectively.

Net revenues from Mexican operations were $39.7 million, or 45%, and $22.9 million, or 28%, of our consolidated net revenues in 2018 and 2017, respectively. In 2018, net income from our Mexican operations was $1.6 million, as compared to our consolidated net loss of $3.5 million. In 2017, net loss from our Mexican operations was $4.3 million, as compared to our consolidated net loss of $10.8 million. Revenues from our Mexican operations have grown significantly as a percentage of our consolidated net revenues, especially in connection with the shutdown of the Broadway Plant, which occurred at the end of 2017. You can find more information about our regional operating results, including our export sales, in Note 22 to our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Sales and Business Development

Our principal sources of new business originate from the expansion of existing relationships, referrals and direct sales through senior management, direct sales personnel, domestic and international sales representatives, distributors and market specialists. We supplement these selling efforts with a variety of sales literature, advertising in trade media and participating in trade shows. We also utilize engineering specialists to facilitate the sales process by working with potential customers to reduce the cost of the products they need. Our specialists achieve this objective by working with the customer to improve their product’s design for ease of manufacturing or by reducing the amount of set-up time or material that may be required to produce the product. The award of contracts or programs can be a lengthy process, which in some circumstances can extend well beyond 24 months. Upon occasion, we commit resources to potential contracts or programs that we ultimately do not win.

Our objective is to increase the value we provide to the customer on an annual basis beyond the contractual terms that may be contained in a supply agreement. To achieve this objective, we commit to the customer that we will continuously look for ways to reduce the cost, improve the quality, reduce the cycle time and improve the life span of the products we supply the customer. Our ability to deliver on this commitment over time is expected to have a significant impact on customer satisfaction, loyalty and follow-on business.

We have signed long term supply agreements with Detroit Diesel, Volvo, Transmisiones y Equipos Mecanicos, S.A. de C.V. (“Tremec”) and Sistemas. We have also been awarded purchase orders for various products and components from American Axle, Meritor, and Dana. We have launched the Sypris Ultra^® axle shaft with Detroit Diesel and have strong interest from others within the customer base who are interested in this patented product. We are continuing to explore other opportunities as they arise and have a significant number of outstanding quotations in progress, but there can be no assurances that our efforts to develop new sources of revenues will be successful.

Competition

The markets that we serve are highly competitive, and we compete against numerous domestic and international companies in addition to the internal capabilities of some of our customers. In the industrial manufacturing markets, we compete primarily against other component suppliers such as Ramkrishna Forgings Limited, Mid-West Forge, Inc., GNA Axles Limited, Brunner International, Inc., Bharat Forge, Commercial Forged Products, Spencer Forge and Machine, Inc., Traxle, SPX Flow, Inc., T.D. Williamson Inc. and National Oilwell Varco, Inc., certain of which serve as suppliers to many Tier I and smaller companies. In the aerospace and defense electronics market, we compete primarily against companies such as Celestica Inc., Jabil Circuit, Inc. and Spartan Corporation. We may face new competitors in the future as the outsourcing industry evolves and existing or start-up companies develop capabilities similar to ours. In addition, we will face new competitors as we attempt to increase and expand our business.

We believe that the principal competitive factors in our markets include the availability of capacity, currency exchange rates (especially in low-cost countries), technological capability, flexibility, financial strength and timeliness in responding to design and schedule changes, price, quality and delivery. Although we believe that we generally compete favorably with respect to many of these factors, some of our competitors, as compared to us, are larger and have greater financial and operating resources, greater geographic breadth and range of products, customer bases and brand recognition than we do. We also face competition from manufacturing operations of our current and potential customers that continually evaluate the relative benefits of internal manufacturing compared to outsourcing.

Suppliers

For portions of our business, we purchase raw materials and component parts from our customers or from suppliers chosen by our customers, at prices negotiated by our customers. When these suppliers increase their prices, cause delays in production schedules or fail to meet our customers’ quality standards, these customers have typically agreed to reimburse us for the costs associated with such price increases and not to charge us for costs caused by such delays or quality issues. Accordingly, our risks are largely limited to accurate inspections of such materials, timely communications and the collection of such reimbursements or charges, along with any additional costs incurred by us due to delays in, interruptions of, or non-optimal scheduling of production schedules. However, for a meaningful part of our business, we arrange our own suppliers and assume the additional risks of price increases, quality concerns and production delays.

Raw steel and fabricated steel parts are a major component of our cost of sales and net revenue for the industrial manufacturing business. We purchase a portion of our steel for use in this business at the direction of our customers, with periodic changes in the price of steel being reflected in the prices we are paid for our products. Increases in the costs of steel or other supplies can increase our working capital requirements, scrap expenses and borrowing costs.

Recently, the Company has encountered higher than normal electronic component shortages and extended lead time issues due to shortages of certain components in the marketplace for the Sypris Electronics business. These shortages and extended lead times are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. This may result in higher prices, extension of our product delivery dates, and increased inventory levels for these components as we seek to secure the necessary components from our suppliers or alternative suppliers.

There can be no assurance that supply interruptions or price increases will not slow production, delay shipments to our customers or increase costs in the future, any of which could adversely affect our financial results. Delays, interruptions or non-optimal scheduling of production related to interruptions in raw materials supplies can be expected to increase our costs.

Patents, Trademarks and Licenses

We own or license a number of patents and trademarks, but our business as a whole is not materially dependent upon any one patent, trademark, license or technologically related group of patents or licenses.

We regard our manufacturing processes and certain designs as proprietary trade secrets and confidential information. We rely largely upon a combination of trade secret laws, non-disclosure agreements with customers, suppliers and consultants, and our internal security systems, confidentiality procedures and employee confidentiality agreements to maintain the trade secrecy of our designs and manufacturing processes.

Government Regulation

Our operations are subject to compliance with regulatory requirements of federal, state and local authorities, in the U.S. and Mexico, including regulations concerning financial reporting and controls, labor relations, minimum pension funding levels, export and import matters, health and safety matters and protection of the environment. While compliance with applicable regulations has not adversely affected our operations in the past, there can be no assurance that we will continue to be in compliance in the future or that these regulations will not change or that the costs of compliance will not be material to us.

We must comply with detailed government procurement and contracting regulations and with U.S. Government security regulations, certain of which carry substantial penalty provisions for nonperformance or misrepresentation in the course of negotiations. Our failure to comply with our government procurement, contracting or security obligations could result in penalties or our suspension or debarment from government contracting, which would have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations.

We are required to maintain U.S. Government security clearances in connection with certain activities of Sypris Electronics. These clearances could be suspended or revoked if we were found not to be in compliance with applicable security regulations. Any such revocation or suspension would delay our delivery of products to customers. Although we have adopted policies designed to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, there can be no assurance that the approved status of our facilities or personnel will continue without interruption.

We are also subject to comprehensive and changing federal, state and local environmental requirements, both in the U.S. and in Mexico, including those governing discharges to air and water, the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes and the remediation of contamination associated with releases of hazardous substances. We use hazardous substances in our operations and, as is the case with manufacturers in general, if a release of hazardous substances occurs on or from any properties that we may own or operate, we may be held liable and may be required to pay the cost of remedying the condition. The amount of any resulting liability could be material.

Employees

As of December 31, 2018, we had a total of 716 employees, of which 563 were engaged in manufacturing, 13 were engaged in sales and marketing, 46 were engaged in engineering and 94 were engaged in administration. Approximately 459 of our employees were covered by collective bargaining agreements with various unions that expire on various dates through 2019. Excluding certain Mexico employees covered under an annually ratified agreement, collective bargaining agreements covering 36 employees expire within the next 12 months. Our ability to maintain our workforce depends on our ability to attract and retain new and existing customers. Although we believe overall that relations with our labor unions are positive, there can be no assurance that present and future issues with our unions will be resolved favorably, that negotiations will be successful or that we will not experience a work stoppage, which could adversely affect our consolidated results of operations.

Internet Access

Copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to these reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available free of charge through our website (www.sypris.com) as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the material with, or furnish it to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including us, at www.sec.gov. The references to these website addresses do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the websites, which should not be considered part of this document.

Item 1A.     Risk Factors

Risks Related to Our Business and Forward-Looking Statements

This annual report and our other oral or written communications may contain “forward-looking” statements. These statements include our expectations or projections about the future of our industries, business strategies, the markets in which we operate, potential acquisitions, contracts with customers, new business opportunities, controlling or cutting our costs, winning new customers, returning to profitability on a consolidated basis, our financial results, our financial condition and our views about developments beyond our control, including government spending, domestic or global economic conditions, trends and market forces. These statements are based on management’s views and assumptions at the time originally made, and we undertake no obligation to update these statements, except as may be required by law. There can be no assurance that our expectations, projections or views will come to pass, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

A number of significant risk factors could materially affect our specific business operations and cause our performance to differ materially from any future results projected or implied by our prior statements, including those described below. Many of these risk factors are also identified in connection with the more specific descriptions contained throughout this report.

Customers and Revenue Growth

We have experienced recent operating losses, and anticipate further operating losses in the near term, as we seek to generate new business revenues to replace the nonrenewal of several large customer contracts.

Our businesses generally require a higher level of new business revenues in order to operate profitably. We have recently experienced operating losses and may not become profitable if we are unable to execute on management’s plans. While we expect to generate further operating losses in the near term, we are working to increase our revenues with new and existing customers. However, without near term success, we may be unable to maintain the critical mass of capital investments or talented employees that are needed to succeed in our chosen markets or to maintain our existing facilities, which could result in additional restructuring or exit costs. As we expand our customers and our products, we must also effectively manage a more diverse production schedule to avoid slowing our production output. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully complete final contract negotiations with regard to our announced contract “orders”, “wins” or “awards” or that these contracts will generate the additional revenue needed to return to profitability.

We depend on a few key customers in challenging industries for most of our revenues.

Our five largest customers in 2018 were Sistemas, Northrup Grumman, Detroit Diesel, Harris and Jamison, which in the aggregate accounted for 61% of net revenue. While we have reduced the dependence of Sypris Technologies on certain non-strategic customers, an inability to increase our revenues while effectively controlling our costs would materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. In 2019 and beyond, we will need to continue attracting new clients and diversifying our customer base, despite the longer lead times typically required for new programs.

The truck components and assemblies industry has experienced consolidation, credit risk, highly cyclical market demand, labor unrest, rising steel costs, bankruptcy and other obstacles. The demand for our energy-related products lines, historically, has risen and fallen with the prices of oil and/or natural gas, as our customers’ capital expenditures budgets tend to be dependent upon energy prices. We depend on the continued growth and financial stability of customers in these industries and our core markets, as well as general economic conditions. Adverse changes affecting these customers, markets or economic conditions could harm our operating results.

The aerospace and defense electronics industry has experienced consolidation, increased competition, disruptive new technologies and uncertain funding levels. The aerospace and defense industry is also pressured by cyclicality, rapid technological change, shortening product life cycles, decreasing margins, component obsolescence and shortages and government procurement and certification processes. Our aerospace and defense business faces reduced revenues in the final phases of several key legacy programs which must be replenished with new technologies if we are to successfully maintain or expand our market share. Our failure to address any of these factors could impair our ability to grow and diversify our base of customers in this segment.

There can be no assurance that any of our customers will not default on, delay or dispute payment of, or seek to reject our outstanding invoices in bankruptcy or otherwise. In addition, the existence of these factors may result in fewer customers in our target markets due to consolidation, bankruptcy, competitive or other market reasons, making it more difficult to obtain new clients and diversify our customer base in the near future.

Customer contracts could be less profitable than expected.

We generally bear the risk that our contracts could be unprofitable or less profitable than planned, despite our estimates of revenues and future costs to complete such contracts.

A material portion of our business, historically, has been conducted under multi-year contracts, which generally include fixed prices or periodic price reductions without minimum purchase requirements. Over time, our revenues may not cover any increases in our operating costs which could adversely impact our results. Our financial results are at greater risk when we accept contractual responsibility for raw material or component prices, when we cannot offset price reductions, freight penalties, importation fees and cost increases with operating efficiencies or other savings, when we must submit contract bid prices before all key design elements are finalized or when we are subjected to other competitive pressures which erode our margins. The profitability of our contracts also can be adversely affected by unexpected start-up costs on new programs, inability to negotiate milestone billings, operating inefficiencies, scheduling constraints, ineffective capital investments, inflationary pressures or inaccurate forecasts of future unit costs.

In light of the recent strength of the U.S. dollar, tightening margins and the strategic reduction of our traditional market share in certain commercial vehicle manufacturing sectors, the Company has relocated certain portions of its customer production to its Toluca, Mexico plant, introducing new costs and operational risks. Rising costs of steel or component parts can cause increases in our inventory and working capital levels. The Company’s management has also implemented various profit recovery and protection plans and evaluated strategic alternatives to optimize asset values in each of the Company’s segments. Our ability to successfully execute on such plans in a timely manner and without customer disruption will be critical to our financial performance.

Unexpected changes in our customers’ demand levels and our ability to execute our production efficiently have harmed our operating results in the past and could do so in the future. Many of our customers will not commit to firm production or delivery schedules. Inaccurate forecasting of our customers’ requirements can disrupt the efficient utilization of our manufacturing capacity, inventories or workforce and can cause increases in our inventory and working capital levels. If we receive unanticipated orders or rapid increases in demand, these incremental volumes could be unprofitable due to the higher costs of operating above our optimal capacity. Disagreements over pricing, quality, delivery, capacity, exclusivity or trade credit terms could disrupt order schedules. Orders may also fluctuate due to changing global capacity and demand, new products, changes in market share, reorganizations or bankruptcies, material shortages, labor disputes, freight costs, tariffs or other factors that discourage outsourcing. These forces could increase, decrease, accelerate, delay or cancel our delivery schedules.

Our ability to stabilize employee retention and execute on existing customer orders could put current revenues at risk as we proceed with the execution of our Plans. If we lose anticipated revenues, we might not succeed in redeploying our substantial capital investments and other fixed costs, potentially forcing additional plant closures, impairments of long-lived and other assets or increased losses.

Congressional budgetary constraints or reallocations could reduce our government related sales.

Sypris Electronics serves as a contractor for large aerospace and defense companies such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Harris, typically under federally funded programs, which represented approximately 25% and 26% of net revenue in 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Sypris Electronics was adversely affected by declines in the overall government defense market due to the effects of sequestration in the past, and may be further affected if funding for programs in which we participate, either by selling products directly to U.S. government agencies or as a subcontractor to prime contractors such as Northrup Grumman, Harris, Tyco and Analog Devices Inc., is reduced, delayed or cancelled. Our ability to obtain new contract awards also could be negatively affected.

Competition

Increasing competition could limit or reduce our market share.

As an outsourced manufacturer, we operate in highly competitive environments that often include our customers’ internal capabilities. We believe that the principal competitive factors in our markets include the availability of manufacturing capacity, increasingly unfavorable currency exchange rates (especially in low-cost countries), technological strength, speed and flexibility in responding to design or schedule changes, price, quality, delivery, cost management and financial strength. Our earnings could decline if our competitors or customers can provide comparable speed and quality at a lower cost, or if we fail to adequately invest in the range and quality of products our customers require.

Many of our competitors are larger and have greater financial and organizational resources, geographic breadth and range of products, customer bases and brand recognition than we do. As a result, our competitors may respond more quickly to technological changes or customer needs, consume lower fixed and variable unit costs, negotiate reduced component prices, and obtain better terms for financing growth. If we fail to compete in any of these areas, we may lose market share and our business could be seriously harmed. There can be no assurance that we will not experience increased competition or that we will be able to achieve profitability as these new challenges arise.

Our technologies could become obsolete, reducing our revenues and profitability.

The markets for our products are characterized by changing technology and continuing process development. The future of our business will depend in large part upon the continuing relevance of our technological capabilities. We could fail to make required capital investments, develop or successfully market products that meet changing customer needs and anticipate or respond to technological changes in a cost-effective and timely manner. Our inability to successfully launch or sustain new or next generation programs or product features, especially in accordance with budgets or committed delivery schedules, could materially adversely affect our financial results. We could encounter competition from new or developing technologies that render our technologies and equipment less profitable or obsolete in our chosen markets and our operating results may suffer. In particular, the Company is currently developing new products and pursuing new programs in an attempt to increase Sypris Electronics’ revenue stream. However, commercializing the new products and programs is costly and has been slower than anticipated. The launch of any new products or programs within Sypris Electronics may not be successful.

Execution

Contract terminations or delays could harm our business.

We often provide products under contracts that contain detailed specifications, quality standards and other terms. If we are unable to perform in accordance with such terms, our customers might seek to terminate such contracts, demand price concessions or other financial consideration or downgrade our performance ratings or eligibility for new business. Moreover, many of our contracts are subject to termination for convenience or upon default. These provisions could provide only limited recoveries of certain incurred costs or profits on completed work and could impose liability for our customers’ costs in procuring undelivered items from another source. If any of our significant contracts were to be repudiated, terminated or not renewed, we could lose substantial revenues, and our operating results as well as prospects for future business opportunities could be adversely affected.

We are subject to various audits, reviews and investigations, including private party “whistleblower” lawsuits, relating to our compliance with federal and state laws. Should our business be charged with wrongdoing, or determined not to be a “presently responsible contractor,” we could be temporarily suspended or debarred from receiving new government contracts or government-approved subcontracts.

We must operate more efficiently due to lower revenues.

If we are unable to improve the cost, efficiency and yield of our operations, and if we are not able to control costs, our financial results could suffer and we could be forced to sell additional assets, take on additional debt at higher costs or take other measures to restructure our operations or capital structure. A number of major obstacles could include:

Our management or systems could be inadequate to support our existing or future operations, especially as we downsize our operating staff to reduce expenses while we work to increase revenues. New customers or new contracts, particularly with new product offerings, could require us to invest in additional equipment or other capital expenditures which exceed our budgeted plans. We may have limited experience or expertise in installing or operating such equipment, which could negatively impact our ability to deliver products on time or with acceptable costs. In addition, a material portion of our manufacturing equipment requires significant maintenance to operate effectively, and we may experience maintenance and repair issues. Our efforts to restructure, relocate and consolidate a significant number of the operations, especially as we migrate new products into our Mexico operations, could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The risk of technical failures, nonconformance with customer specifications, an inability to deliver next generation products or other quality concerns could materially impair our operating results. Similarly, expanding production for our energy-related products without effective process controls could materially increase scrap rates and may impact the safety of our operating environment.

Cyber security risks could negatively affect operations and result in increased costs.

Sypris Electronics, as a U.S. defense contractor, and our Company overall, face cyber security threats, threats to the physical security of our facilities and employees and terrorist or criminal acts, as well as the potential for business disruptions associated with information technology failures and natural disasters.

We routinely experience cyber security threats, threats to our information technology infrastructure and attempts to gain access to our sensitive information, as do our customers, suppliers and subcontractors. Prior cyber attacks directed at us have not had a material impact on our financial results. Due to the evolving nature of these security threats, however, the impact of any future incident cannot be predicted.

Although we work cooperatively with our customers and our suppliers, subcontractors, and other partners to seek to minimize the impacts of cyber threats, other security threats or business disruptions, we must rely on the safeguards put in place by those entities, and those safeguards might not be effective.

The costs related to cyber security or other security threats or disruptions may not be fully insured or indemnified by other means. Occurrence of any of these events could adversely affect our internal operations, the products we provide to customers, loss of competitive advantages derived from our research and development efforts, early obsolescence of our products, our future financial results, our reputation or our stock price.

Suppliers

Interruptions in the supply of key components and quality systems could disrupt production.

Some of our products require one or more components that are available from a limited number of providers or from sole-source providers. In the past, some of the materials we use, including steel, certain forgings or castings, capacitors and memory and logic devices, have been subject to industry-wide shortages or capacity allocations. As a result, suppliers have been forced to allocate available quantities among their customers, and we have not been able to obtain all of the materials desired. Some of our suppliers have struggled to implement reliable quality control systems which can negatively impact our operating efficiency and financial results. In downward business cycles, the tightening of credit markets has threatened the financial viability of an increasing number of suppliers of key components and raw materials and forced unanticipated shutdowns. Our inability to reliably obtain these or any other materials when and as needed could slow production or assembly, delay shipments to our customers, cause noncompliance with product certifications, impair the recovery of our fixed costs and increase the costs of recovering to customers’ schedules, including overtime, expedited freight, equipment maintenance, operating inefficiencies, higher working capital and the obsolescence risks associated with larger buffer inventories. Each of these factors could adversely affect operating results.

Shortages or increased costs of utilities could harm our business and our customers.

We and our customers depend on a constant supply of electricity and natural gas from utility providers for the operation of our respective businesses and facilities. In the past, we have experienced power outages which reduced our ability to deliver products and meet our customers’ demand for those products. If we or our customers experience future interruptions in service from these providers, our production and/or delivery of products could be negatively affected. We have experienced increased costs due to the heavy consumption of energy in our production process, which have been offset through revised production schedules. However, if the cost of energy continues to increase, our results of operations and those of certain customers could be negatively impacted.

Fluctuations in the price of raw materials, including tariffs or other trade restrictions on imported steel or other goods, could negatively impact us.

For significant portions of our business, we purchase raw materials and component parts which have been designated or specified by our customers, at prices negotiated by our customers.  Raw material price fluctuations and volatility in the commodity markets, including tariffs and trade restriction could impact prices in the future. While our customers have generally agreed to reimburse us for the cost of such materials, this could change in the future, and our risks will continue to include the timely communication and successful collection of any such reimbursements.  In any event, for a growing part of our business, we arrange our own suppliers and we could be impacted by the risks of any landed price increases, trade restrictions or production delays.  Increases in the costs of steel or other supplies could also increase our working capital requirements, scrap expenses and borrowing costs.

In general, there can be no assurance that any price fluctuations relating to tariffs or trade restrictions will not reduce demand, slow production, delay shipments to our customers or increase our costs in the future, any of which could adversely affect our financial results.

Access to Capital and Acquisitions

Until we have returned to sustained levels of profitability, our access to capital may be limited. 

Until the Company becomes profitable again, there can be no assurances that the Company will succeed in attracting new, affordable, sources of debt or equity capital. If we are unable to become profitable on a timely basis, we may need to use existing cash resources or other assets to fund operating losses. While we have borrowed from Gill Family Capital Management, Inc. (“GFCM”) on acceptable terms in the past, there can be no assurances that such debt financing would be available in the future.

Our ability to finance expansion or new business opportunities may be limited.

Our future liquidity and capital requirements depend on numerous factors other than bank borrowings or debt financing, including the pace at which we can effectively cut costs, increase revenues or successfully launch new products. One method we have historically used to increase our revenues and obtain multi-year supply agreements is to buy a customer’s non-core manufacturing assets, or to acquire alternative, but equivalent, production capabilities and to produce products for such customers under a multi-year contract. We have also pursued strategies that rely on research and development efforts to develop and commercialize our new products. We may not have the financial resources or be able to raise funds necessary to pursue these strategies under our future debt agreements which could further limit our ability to replace the loss of revenues.

Our growth strategies could be ineffective due to the risks associated with further acquisitions.

Our growth strategy has included acquiring complementary businesses. We could fail to identify, obtain financing or complete suitable acquisitions on acceptable terms and prices. Acquisition efforts entail a number of risks, including: diversion of management’s attention; difficulties in integrating systems, operations and cultures; potential loss of key employees and customers of the acquired companies; lack of experience operating in the geographic market of the acquired business; an increase in our expenses and working capital requirements; risks of entering into markets or producing products where we have limited or no experience; difficulties in integrating purchased technologies and products with our technologies and products; our ability to improve productivity and implement cost reductions; our ability to secure collective bargaining agreements with employees; and exposure to unanticipated liabilities.

Our discovery of, or failure to discover, material issues during due diligence investigations of acquisition targets, either before closing with regard to potential risks of the acquired operations, or after closing with regard to the timely discovery of breaches of representations or warranties, or of certain indemnified environmental conditions, could seriously harm our business.

We could fail to fully implement our growth plans.

As the Company seeks to expand its revenues and strategically diversify its customer base, we could fail to adequately overcome significant obstacles such as slowing markets, the loss of key employees, unexpected increases in costs, or new competitors or technologies in our key markets, among other risks. The failure to fully implement our growth plans could materially adversely affect our revenues, operating results and financial condition.

Labor Relations

We must attract and retain qualified employees while successfully managing related costs.

Our future success in a changing business environment, including during rapid changes in the size, complexity or skills required of our workforce, as we experienced in 2018 and 2017, will depend to a large extent upon the efforts and abilities of our executive, managerial and technical employees. The loss of key employees, especially in a strong economic environment, and our ability to effectively train existing employees, could have a material adverse effect on our operations. Our future success will also require an ability to attract and retain qualified employees, especially those with engineering or production expertise in our core business lines.

Changes in our labor costs such as salaries, wages and benefits, or the cost of providing pension and other employee benefits, changes in health care costs, investment returns on plan assets and discount rates used to calculate pension and related liabilities or other requirements to accelerate the level of our pension fund contributions to reduce or eliminate underfunded liabilities, could lead to increased costs or disruptions of operations in any of our business units.

Disputes with labor unions could disrupt our business plans.

As of December 31, 2018, we had collective bargaining agreements covering approximately 459 employees (all of which were in Sypris Technologies), or 64% of our total employees. Excluding certain Mexico employees covered under an annually ratified agreement, collective bargaining agreements covering 36 employees expire within the next 12 months. Certain Mexico employees are covered by an annually ratified collective bargaining agreement. These employees in Mexico represented approximately 59% of the Company’s workforce, or 423 employees at December 31, 2018. Our ability to maintain our workforce depends on our ability to attract and retain new and existing customers. We could experience a work stoppage or other disputes which could disrupt our operations or the operations of our customers and could harm our operating results.

Regulatory 

Environmental, health and safety risks could expose us to potential liability.

We are subject to a variety of environmental regulations relating to the use, storage, discharge and disposal of hazardous chemicals and substances used in our operations. If we fail to comply with present or future regulations, we could be forced to alter, suspend or discontinue our manufacturing processes and pay substantial fines or penalties.

Groundwater and other contamination has occurred at certain of our current and former facilities during the operation of those facilities by their former owners, and this contamination may occur at future facilities we operate or acquire. There is no assurance that environmental indemnification agreements we have secured from the former owners of certain of these properties will be adequate to protect us from liability.

Our business is also subject to potential liabilities with respect to health and safety matters. We are required to comply with federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing the health and safety of our workforce, and we could be held liable for damages arising out of human exposure to hazardous substances or other dangerous working conditions. Health and safety laws and regulations are complex and change frequently. As a result, our future costs to comply with such laws or the liabilities incurred in the event of any violations may increase significantly.

Adverse regulatory developments or litigation could harm our business.

Our businesses operate in heavily regulated environments. We must successfully manage the risk of changes in or adverse actions under applicable law or in our regulatory authorizations, licenses and permits, governmental security clearances or other legal rights to operate our businesses, to manage our work force or to import and export goods and services as needed. Our business activities expose us to the risks of litigation with respect to our customers, suppliers, creditors, stockholders or from product liability, environmental or asbestos-related matters. We also face the risk of other adverse regulatory actions, compliance costs or governmental sanctions, as well as the costs and risks related to our ongoing efforts to design and implement effective internal controls.

Other Risks

We face other factors which could seriously disrupt our operations.

Many other risk factors beyond our control could seriously disrupt our operations, including: risks relating to war, future terrorist activities, or political uncertainties; risks relating to natural disasters or other casualties which could shut down our domestic or foreign facilities, disrupt transportation of products or supplies, increase the costs under our self-insurance program or change the timing and availability of funding in our aerospace and defense electronics markets; risks inherent in operating abroad, including foreign currency exchange rates, adverse regulatory developments, and miscommunications or errors due to inaccurate foreign language translations or currency exchange rates; or our failure to anticipate or to adequately insure against other risks and uncertainties present in our businesses including unknown or unidentified risks. 

Item 1B.     Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2.     Properties

Our principal manufacturing operations are engaged in electronics manufacturing for our aerospace and defense customers and industrial manufacturing for our truck components and assemblies and oil and gas pipeline component customers. The following chart indicates the significant facilities that we own or lease, the location and size of each such facility and the manufacturing certifications that each facility possesses. The facilities listed below (other than the corporate office) are used principally as manufacturing facilities.

The Company also owns a 450,000 square foot facility in Louisville, Kentucky (the “Broadway Plant”), which was idled as of December 31, 2017.

Below is a listing and description of the various manufacturing certifications or specifications that we utilize at various of our facilities.

Item 3.     Legal Proceedings

Groundwater and other contamination has occurred at certain of our current and former facilities during the operation of those facilities by their former owners, and this contamination may occur at future facilities we operate or acquire. There is no assurance that environmental indemnification agreements we have secured from the former owners of certain of these properties will be adequate to protect us from liability. No administrative or judicial proceedings with respect to these or any other environmental regulations or conditions are pending against the Company or known by the Company to be contemplated by Government authorities.

The Company is subject to other legal proceedings and claims that have not been fully resolved and that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. In the opinion of management, there was not at least a reasonable possibility the Company may have incurred a material loss, or a material loss in excess of a recorded accrual, with respect to loss contingencies for these other asserted legal and other claims. However, the outcome of legal proceedings and claims brought against the Company is subject to significant uncertainty. In addition, there may be other potential claims, liabilities, materials or design defects, or other customer complaints that have not been asserted, but which could adversely impact us in the future. Therefore, although management considers the likelihood of such an outcome to be remote, if one or more of these other legal matters or potential matters were resolved against the Company in a reporting period for amounts in excess of management’s expectations, the Company’s consolidated financial statements for that reporting period could be materially adversely affected.

Item 4.      Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

PART II

Item 5.     Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

We are a smaller reporting company as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K and thus are not required to provide the performance graph required in paragraph (e) of Item 201 of Regulation S-K.

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “SYPR.”

As of March 15, 2019, there were 596 holders of record of our common stock. No cash dividends were declared during 2018 or 2017.

Dividends may be paid on common stock only when, as and if declared by our Board of Directors in its sole discretion. We do not anticipate paying dividends in 2019.

There were no shares of common stock repurchased during the three months ended December 31, 2018.

Item 6.     Selected Financial Data

We are a smaller reporting company as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K and thus are not required to report the selected financial data in Item 301 of Regulation S-K.

Item 7.     Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion of our consolidated results of operations and financial condition should be read together with the other financial information and consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Overview

We are a diversified provider of truck components, oil and gas pipeline components and aerospace and defense electronics. We offer a wide range of manufactured products, often under multi-year sole-source contracts with corporations and government agencies.

We are organized into two business segments, Sypris Technologies and Sypris Electronics. Sypris Technologies, which is comprised of Sypris Technologies, Inc. and its subsidiaries, generates revenue primarily from the sale of forged, machined, welded and heat-treated steel components primarily for the heavy commercial vehicle and high-pressure energy pipeline applications. Sypris Electronics, which is comprised of Sypris Electronics, LLC, is focused on circuit card and full “box build” manufacturing, high reliability manufacturing, systems assembly and integration, design for manufacturability and design to specification work.

We target those markets where we have the expertise, qualifications and leadership position to sustain a competitive advantage. We focus our resources to support the needs of industry leaders that embrace technological innovation and flexibility, coupled with multi-year contractual relationships where possible, as a strategic component of their supply chain management. Our leading-edge processes and technologies help our customers remain competitive, and the resulting productivity and flexibility offer an important opportunity for differentiating ourselves from our competitors when it comes to cost, quality, reliability and customer service.

Sypris Technologies Outlook

The Sypris Technologies segment continues to migrate from its historical, concentrated dependence upon the commercial vehicle markets to a more diversified base of customers who place value on our innovation, flexibility and lean manufacturing capabilities. The continued strength of the U.S. dollar, the tightening of margins in certain sectors of the commercial vehicle markets and the generally softening markets led the Company to reevaluate the strategic importance of each of its customers to the Company’s long-term success. In connection with this reevaluation process, the Company and Meritor determined not to renew their supply agreement for certain of Meritor’s domestic, forged axle shafts beginning in 2017. The Company has also not renewed its business with Eaton. However, the Company continues to supply component parts to Sistemas Automotrices de Mexico, S.A de C.V. (“Sistemas”), Meritor’s joint venture in Mexico, and continues to supply axle shafts to Meritor’s Brazilian subsidiary. During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a new three-year agreement to supply axle shafts to Sistemas, as well as a number of other product lines for periods of up to six years from the commencement of production.

The oil and gas markets, served by our Tube Turns® brand of engineered product lines, have strengthened along with the overall economy, and domestic pipeline projects continue to be active with U.S. domestic gas and oil production increasing in 2017 and 2018.

We are pursuing new business in a wide variety of markets from light automotive to refrigeration valves to new energy related product lines to achieve a more balanced portfolio across our customers, markets and products. We have recently announced new program awards in each of these markets that have contributed to revenue growth for Sypris Technologies in 2018. We believe these opportunities provide a solid multi-year foundation for growth and that additional prospective business will result in increased revenue in 2019.

Sypris Electronics Outlook

We have faced challenges within Sypris Electronics, such as the uncertainty in the worldwide macroeconomic climate and its impact on aerospace and defense spending patterns globally over the last several years, the emergence of new competitors to our manufacturing capabilities, as well as federal government spending uncertainties in the U.S. and the allocation of funds by the U.S. Department of Defense. More recently, we have begun to generate revenue from the ramp-up of new electronic manufacturing programs.

We announced new program awards for Sypris Electronics that contributed to revenue in 2017 and 2018, with certain programs continuing into 2019. In addition to program awards related to weapons systems, electronic warfare and infrared countermeasures in our traditional aerospace and defense markets, we have also been awarded programs related to the communication and navigation markets which align with our unique capabilities for delivering products for complex, high cost of failure platforms. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 provides nearly $700 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Defense, which is expected to support program growth and market expansion during the coming year for aerospace and defense participants. We expect to compete favorably for follow-on business opportunities on future builds of these programs, as our competitiveness is enhanced by the reduction in our overhead structure following our relocation into a new manufacturing facility as of the beginning of 2017.

In the near term, certain electronic component shortages and extensive lead-time issues are becoming prevalent in many of the segments in the electronic manufacturing industry that we serve. We are working with our customers to qualify alternative components or suppliers to mitigate the impact on our business. The majority of our aerospace and defense programs require specific components that are sole-sourced to specific suppliers; therefore, the resolution of supplier constraints requires coordination with our customers or the end-users of the products.

Strategic Actions

The Company completed a number of strategic actions during the past three years in response to the nonrenewal of its supply agreement with certain Tier I automotive customers primarily due to global pricing constraints, the downturn in the commercial vehicle market beginning in the fourth quarter of 2015 and other market and economic factors impacting the Company during this period. Strategic actions taken included: (i) the initiation of the exit of the Broadway Plant (see discussion below), (ii) the sale of the Company’s SioMetrics, Cyber Range, Information Security Solutions and Data Systems product lines (the “CSS business”) in 2016, (iii) the sale and leaseback of the Company’s facility in Toluca, Mexico in 2016, (iv) the sale of the Company’s manufacturing facility in Morganton, North Carolina in 2015, (v) the capacity reallocation of certain oil and gas industry components to Mexico, (vi) the relocation of its Sypris Electronics operation to a new facility, and (vii) reductions in employment costs through senior management pay reductions. Using a portion of the proceeds generated from asset sales noted above, the Company paid off all of its most senior, secured debt consisting of a “Term Loan” and “Revolving Credit Facility” in August 2016. During this period, the Company also received the benefit of cash infusions from Gill Family Capital Management, Inc. (“GFCM”) in the form of secured promissory note obligations totaling $6.5 million in principal, scheduled to mature in part in 2021, 2023 and 2025 (see Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K).

The Company has reduced its reliance on certain of its traditional Tier 1 customers that represent the primary suppliers to the original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) in the commercial vehicle markets, while targeting to replace these customers with more diversified, longer-term relationships, especially among the OEMs and others who place a higher value on the Company’s innovation, flexibility and core commitment to lean manufacturing principles. Among the customer programs not being renewed was a supply agreement with Meritor Inc. (“Meritor”) that expired on January 1, 2017, which utilized production at the Company’s Broadway Plant, and the Company has also not renewed its business with Eaton. As a result of these decisions, the Company experienced a significant reduction in its commercial vehicle revenues in 2017 (see Note 3 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K).

On February 21, 2017, the Board of Directors approved a modified exit or disposal plan with respect to the Broadway Plant, which was substantially complete as of the end of 2017. The Company has relocated certain assets from the Broadway Plant to other manufacturing facilities as needed to serve its existing and targeted customer base and identified underutilized or non-core assets for disposal. Management expects to use a portion of the proceeds from the sale of any underutilized or non-core assets to help fund costs of transferring any additional equipment from the Broadway Plant. Management is currently evaluating options for the real estate and any remaining assets in the Broadway Plant.

Our failure or inability to realize our key financial objectives could materially and adversely impair the Company’s ability to operate, its cash flows, financial condition and ongoing results. See “Risk Factors – We have experienced recent operating losses, and anticipate further operating losses in the near term, as we seek to generate new business revenues to replace the nonrenewal of several large customer contracts” in Part I, Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. See also Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires that we make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Changes in facts and circumstances could have a significant impact on the resulting estimated amounts included in our consolidated financial statements. We believe the following critical accounting policies affect our more complex judgments and estimates. We also have other policies that we consider to be key accounting policies, such as our policies for revenue recognition for Sypris Technologies, including cost of sales; however, these policies do not meet the definition of critical accounting policies because they do not generally require us to make estimates or judgments that are difficult or subjective.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. We establish reserves for uncollectible accounts receivable based on overall receivable aging levels, a specific evaluation of accounts for customers with known financial difficulties and evaluation of customer chargebacks, if any. These reserves and corresponding write-offs could significantly increase if our customers experience deteriorating financial results or in the event we receive a significant chargeback, which is deemed uncollectible.

Net Revenue and Cost of Sales. The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control of a promised product or rendering a service to a customer. The amount of revenue recognized reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for the product or service (the “transaction price”). The Company’s transaction price in its contracts with customers is generally fixed; no payment discounts, rebates or refunds are included within its contracts. The Company does not provide service-type warranties, nor does it allow customer returns. In connection with the sale of various parts to customers, the Company is subject to typical assurance warranty obligations covering the compliance of the electronics parts produced to agreed-upon specifications (See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K). Customer returns, when they occur, relate to quality rework issues and are not connected to any repurchase obligation of the Company.

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct product or render a service to a customer and is the unit of account to which the transaction price is allocated under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. When a contract contains multiple performance obligations, we allocate the transaction price to the individual performance obligations using the price at which the promised goods or services would be sold to customers on a standalone basis. For most sales within our Sypris Technologies segment and a portion of sales within Sypris Electronics, control transfers to the customer at a point in time. Indicators that control has transferred to the customer include the Company having a present right to payment, the customer obtaining legal title and the customer having the significant risks and rewards of ownership. The Company’s principal terms of sale are FOB Shipping Point, or equivalent, and, as such, the Company primarily transfers control and records revenue for product sales upon shipment.

For contracts where Sypris Electronics serves as a contractor for aerospace and defense companies under federally funded programs, we generally recognize revenue over time as we perform due to the continuous transfer of control to the customer. This continuous transfer of control to the customer is supported by clauses in the contracts that allow the customer to unilaterally terminate the contract for convenience, pay us for costs incurred plus a reasonable profit and take control of any work in process. Because control is transferred over time, revenue is recognized based on the extent of progress towards completion of the performance obligation. We use labor hours incurred as a measure of progress for these contracts because it best depicts the Company’s performance of the obligation to the customer, which occurs as we incur labor on our contracts. Under this measure of progress, the extent of progress towards completion is measured based on the ratio of labor hours incurred to date to the total estimated labor hours at completion of the performance obligation.

Our contract profit margins may include estimates of revenues for goods or services on which the customer and the Company have not reached final agreements, such as contract changes, settlements of disputed claims, and the final amounts of requested equitable adjustments permitted under the contract. These estimates are based upon management’s best assessment of the totality of the circumstances and are included in our contract profit based upon contractual provisions and our relationships with each customer.

Long-lived asset impairment. We perform periodic impairment analysis on our long-lived amortizable assets whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. When indicators are present, we compare the estimated future undiscounted net cash flows of the operations to which the assets relate to their carrying amount. If the operations are unable to recover the carrying amount of their assets, the long-lived assets are written down to their estimated fair value. Fair value is determined based on discounted cash flows, third party appraisals or other methods that provide appropriate estimates of value. A considerable amount of management judgment and assumptions are required in performing the impairment test, principally in determining whether an adverse event or circumstance has triggered the need for an impairment review. The Company did not have any long-lived assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis as of December 31, 2018 or 2017.

Pension Plan Funded Status. Our U.S. defined benefit pension plans are closed to new entrants and only $4,000 of service-related costs was recorded in 2018 related to a small number of participants who are still accruing benefits in the Louisville Hourly and Salaried Plans. Changes in our net obligations are principally attributable to changing discount rates and the performance of plan assets. Pension obligations are valued using discount rates established annually in consultation with our outside actuarial advisers using a theoretical bond portfolio, adjusted according to the timing of expected cash flows for our future obligations. Plan liabilities at December 31, 2018 are based upon a discount rate of 4.25% which reflects the Above Mean Mercer Yield Curve rate as of December 31, 2018 rounded to the nearest 5^th basis point. Declining discount rates increase the present value of future pension obligations; a 25 basis point decrease in the discount rate would increase our U.S. pension liability by about $0.8 million. As indicated above, when establishing the expected long-term rate of return on our U.S. pension plan assets, we consider historical performance and forward looking return estimates reflective of our portfolio mix and investment strategy. Based on the most recent analysis of projected portfolio returns, we concluded that the use of 3.95% for the Louisville Hourly Plan, 4.30% for the Marion Plan and 4.20% for the Louisville Salaried Plan as the expected return on our U.S. pension plan assets for 2018 was appropriate. A change in the assumed rate of return on plan assets of 100 basis points would result in a $0.3 million change in the estimated 2019 pension expense.

At December 31, 2018, we have $13.8 million of unrecognized losses relating to our U.S. pension plans. Actuarial gains and losses, which are primarily the result of changes in the discount rate and other assumptions and differences between actual and expected asset returns, are deferred in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income and amortized to expense following the corridor approach. We use the average remaining service period of active participants unless almost all of the plan’s participants are inactive, in which case we use the average remaining life expectancy for all active and inactive participants.

Reserve for Excess, Obsolete and Scrap Inventory. We record inventory at the lower of cost, determined under the first-in, first-out method, or net realizable value, and we reserve for excess, obsolete or scrap inventory. These reserves are primarily based upon management’s assessment of the salability of the inventory, historical usage of raw materials, historical demand for finished goods and estimated future usage and demand. An improper assessment of salability or improper estimate of future usage or demand, or significant changes in usage or demand could result in significant changes in the reserves and a positive or a negative impact on our consolidated results of operations in the period the change occurs.

Stock-based Compensation. We account for stock-based compensation in accordance with the fair value recognition provisions using the Black-Scholes option-pricing method, which requires the input of several subjective assumptions. These assumptions include estimating the length of time employees will retain their vested stock options before exercising them (expected term) and the estimated volatility of our common stock price over the expected term. The dividend yield is assumed to be zero as we have not paid dividends nor do we anticipate paying any dividends in the foreseeable future. Changes in the subjective assumptions can materially affect the fair value estimate of stock-based compensation and consequently, the related expense recognized in the consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes. We account for income taxes as required by the provisions of ASC 740, Income Taxes, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the tax effects of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities measured using enacted tax rates.

Management judgment is required in determining income tax expense and the related balance sheet amounts. In addition, under ASC 740-10, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, judgments are required concerning the ultimate outcome of uncertain income tax positions. Actual income taxes paid may vary from estimates, depending upon changes in income tax laws, actual results of operations and the final audit of tax returns by taxing authorities. Tax assessments may arise several years after tax returns have been filed. We believe that our recorded income tax liabilities adequately provide for the probable outcome of these assessments.

Deferred tax assets are also recorded for operating losses and tax credit carryforwards. However, ASC 740 requires that a valuation allowance be recorded when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. This assessment is largely dependent upon projected near-term profitability including the effects of tax planning. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined separately for each tax jurisdiction in which we conduct our operations or otherwise incur taxable income or losses. We have recorded valuation allowances against deferred tax assets in the U.S. and Mexico where realization has been determined to be uncertain. If we determine that we would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future in excess of the net recorded amount, an adjustment to reduce the valuation allowance would increase net income in the period that such determination is made. 

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Act”). The Tax Act was enacted on December 22, 2017 (see Note 20 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K for discussion of the charge recorded upon enactment). The Tax Act significantly modifies the U.S. corporate income tax system by, among other things, reducing the federal income tax rate from 35% to 21% beginning in 2018, limiting certain deductions, including limiting the deductibility of interest expense to 30% of U.S. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”), imposing a mandatory one-time deemed repatriation tax on accumulated foreign earnings and creating a territorial tax system that changes the manner in which future foreign earnings are subject to U.S. tax. The Company recognized a tax benefit of $0.2 million in 2017 primarily from the realization of alternative minimum tax credits.

Results of Operations

We operate in two segments, Sypris Technologies and Sypris Electronics. The table presented below compares our segment and consolidated results of operations from 2018 to 2017. The table presents the results for each year, the change in those results from one year to another in both dollars and percentage change and the results for each year as a percentage of net revenue.

In addition, as used in the table, “NM” means “not meaningful.”

Year Ended December 31, 2018 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2017

Net Revenue. Sypris Technologies derives its revenue from the sale of forged and finished steel components and subassemblies and high-pressure closures and other fabricated products. Net revenue for Sypris Technologies increased $4.9 million from the prior year to $59.8 million in 2018. The net revenue growth for the year was primarily attributable to increased sales volume of $5.8 million with customers in the commercial vehicle market and increased energy related product sales of $0.9 million. Additionally, price increases on one of our commercial vehicle programs implemented during the fourth quarter of 2018 resulted in an increase of $0.3 million for the year. The growth for the year was partially offset by the expiration of the Eaton supply agreement, which accounted for $2.1 million of revenue in the prior year. Revenue for Sypris Technologies is expected to increase in 2019, primarily attributable to expected commercial vehicle and oil and gas market growth and new program launches.

Sypris Electronics derives its revenue primarily from circuit card and box build manufacturing, high reliability manufacturing and systems assembly and integration. Net revenue for Sypris Electronics increased $0.8 million to $28.2 million in 2018. The majority of the programs that generated revenue in 2017 continued into 2018, however volumes declined on certain programs based on customer demand and government funding. The lower volumes were primarily offset by the addition of two new programs, both of which are expected to provide long-term production volumes. One program was launched during 2018 and is expected to have an 18-month production cycle with potential follow-on awards, while the second was an engineering manufacturing development program that is expected to lead to the award of a long-term production contract that is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2019. Volumes on certain other smaller programs also increased during 2018 that are expected to provide long-term growth opportunities for Sypris Electronics.

At the beginning of 2018, we adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606) using the modified retrospective transition method applied to contracts that were not substantially complete at the end of 2017. We recorded a $0.2 million adjustment to decrease accumulated deficit to reflect the cumulative impact of adopting this standard at the beginning of 2018, primarily related to certain contracts where Sypris Electronics serves as a contractor for aerospace and defense companies under federally funded programs that converted from an output method to an input method for revenue recognition. Revenues in 2018 for these federally funded contracts are primarily recognized as labor costs are incurred, while revenues for 2017 were primarily recognized as units were delivered. The comparative information has not been restated and is reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. We estimate that the impact on revenue for the year ended December 31, 2018 was an increase in revenue of $0.6 million (See Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K).

Gross Profit. Sypris Technologies’ gross profit improved $6.8 million to $7.5 million in 2018 as compared to $0.7 million in the prior year. The net increase in volumes contributed to an increase in gross profit of $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. Additionally, gross profit for 2018 was positively impacted by cost improvements following the transfer of production from our Broadway Plant, which was completed at the end of 2017 and a price increase on a commercial vehicle program implemented during the fourth quarter of 2018.

Sypris Electronics’ gross profit decreased $2.5 million to $0.1 million in 2018. The decrease in gross profit resulted from an unfavorable revenue mix, which included the start-up of new programs, and shortages of certain electronic components. The engineering manufacturing development program that was started and substantially completed during 2018 involved a number of design and material component changes and supply issues which contributed to labor inefficiencies and engineering support costs in excess of planned levels. Shipments on this program were complete during the first quarter of 2019. Additionally, lower volumes, on certain higher margin programs from 2017 were replaced with the start-up of new programs during 2018 and margin performance during the ramp-up phase of the new programs is lower than what is expected after full run rates are achieved. Gross profit was further impacted during 2018 by a $0.4 million physical inventory adjustment and additional excess and obsolete inventory reserves of $0.5 million. The adoption of ASC 606 decreased our gross profit by $0.1 million in 2018.

Selling, General and Administrative. Selling, general and administrative expense decreased $2.6 million to $10.5 million in 2018 as compared to $13.1 million in 2017, primarily as a result of the resolution of an outstanding disputed legal fee for an amount less than originally charged and lower employment costs during the year as compared to 2017. The resolution of the disputed legal fee resulted in a decrease in selling, general and administrative expense of $1.9 million and was recognized in the fourth quarter of 2018. Selling, general and administrative expense decreased as a percentage of revenue to 11.9% in 2018 from 15.9% in 2017, primarily due to the legal fee adjustment.

Severance, Relocation and Other Costs. Severance, relocation and other costs were $1.4 million and $2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The charges for 2018 included $0.4 million in equipment relocation costs and $1.0 million of other costs primarily related to mothball costs associated with the closure of the Broadway Plant. The charges for 2017 included $1.0 million in severance and benefit related costs and $1.4 million in equipment relocation and other costs associated with the closure of the Broadway Plant (see Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K).

Other Income, Net. Other income, net, decreased $0.1 million to $1.4 million for 2018 from $1.5 million in 2017. As described in Note 1 and Note 6 to the consolidated financial statements, in the first quarter of 2018, the Company adopted ASU No. 2017-07, Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost (ASU 2017-07). The ASU requires the Company to disaggregate the service cost component from the other components of net periodic benefit costs and requires application on a retrospective basis. As such, the other components of net periodic benefit costs included in other income for 2018 and 2017 were $0.6 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

During 2018, the Company recognized an insurance recovery gain of $2.3 million related to proceeds received for damage sustained at the Broadway Plant (see Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K). The gain was partially offset by a loss of $0.2 million related to the sale or disposal of idle assets.

Other income for 2017 includes $2.7 million related to the gain recorded on the sale of idle assets within Sypris Technologies. The gain was partially offset by foreign currency related translation losses of $0.8 million related to the net U.S. dollar denominated monetary asset position of our Mexican subsidiaries for which the Mexican peso is the functional currency.

Income Taxes. The 2018 income tax provision consists of current tax expense of $0.3 million and a deferred tax benefit of $0.5 million. The current tax expense in 2018 and 2017 includes taxes paid by our Mexican subsidiaries and domestic state income taxes. The 2018 deferred tax benefit includes a $0.2 million benefit recorded due to the required intraperiod tax allocation resulting from the loss from continuing operations and other comprehensive income. The deferred tax benefit also includes a $0.3 million benefit from the partial reversal of a valuation allowance by one of our Mexican subsidiaries.

The 2017 current tax includes $0.2 million benefit from the realization of alternative minimum tax credits as a result of the recent tax legislation. The 2017 deferred tax benefit includes a $0.7 million benefit recorded due to the required intraperiod tax allocation resulting from the loss from continuing operations and other comprehensive income.

Quarterly Results

The following table presents our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations data for each of the eight quarters in the two-year period ended December 31, 2018. The quarterly results are presented on a 13-week period basis. We have prepared this data on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements and, in our opinion, have included all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of this information. You should read these unaudited quarterly results in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The consolidated results of operations for any quarter are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any subsequent period. The sum of quarterly earnings per share may differ from the full-year amounts due to rounding.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Gill Family Capital Management Note. The Company has received the benefit of cash infusions from GFCM in the form of secured promissory note obligations totaling $6.5 million in principal as of December 31, 2018 and 2017. GFCM is an entity controlled by the Company’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, Jeffrey T. Gill and one of our directors, R. Scott Gill. GFCM, Jeffrey T. Gill and R. Scott Gill are significant beneficial stockholders of the Company.

During 2017, the Company amended its secured promissory note obligation with GFCM to, among other things: (i) extend the maturity dates for $2.5 million of the obligation to April 1, 2021, $2.0 million to April 1, 2023 and the balance to April 1, 2025, (ii) adjust the interest rate beginning on April 1, 2019 and on each April 1 thereafter, to reflect the greater of 8.0% or 500 basis points above the five-year Treasury note average during the previous 90-day period, (iii) allow for up to an 18-month deferral of payment for up to 60% of the interest due on the notes maturing in April of 2021 and 2023, and (iv) provide for a first security interest in substantially all assets, including those in Mexico (see Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K).

Capital Lease Obligations. On March 9, 2016, the Company completed the sale of its 24-acre Toluca property for 215 million Mexican Pesos, or approximately $12.2 million in U.S. dollars. Simultaneously, the Company entered into a ten-year lease of the 9 acres and buildings currently occupied by the Company and needed for its ongoing business in Toluca (see Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K). As a result of the Toluca Sale-Leaseback, the Company has a capital lease obligation of $2.7 million for the building as of December 31, 2018.

In January 2018, the Company entered into a capital lease for $1.3 million for new production equipment installed at its Sypris Electronics facility during 2017. As a result of the transaction, the Company has a capital lease obligation of $0.7 million for the equipment as of December 31, 2018.

Purchase Commitments. We also had purchase commitments totaling approximately $12.0 million at December 31, 2018, primarily for inventory and manufacturing equipment.

Cash Balance. At December 31, 2018, we had approximately $10.7 million of cash and cash equivalents, of which $1.6 million was held in jurisdictions outside of the U.S. that, if repatriated, could result in withholding taxes. We expect existing cash and cash flows of operations to continue to be sufficient to fund our operating activities and cash commitments for investing and financing activities, such as capital expenditures, for at least the next 12 months.

We have projected that our cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to allow us to continue operations for the next 12 months. Significant changes from our current forecasts, including, but not limited to: (i) meaningful shortfalls in our projected revenues or in the sales proceeds from underutilized or non-core equipment, (ii) unexpected costs or expenses, and/or (iii) operating difficulties which cause unexpected delays in scheduled shipments, could require us to seek additional funding or force us to make further reductions in spending, extend payment terms with suppliers, liquidate assets where possible and/or suspend or curtail planned programs. Any of these actions could materially harm our business, results of operations and future prospects.

Cash Flows from Operating, Investing and Financing Activities

Operating Activities. Net cash provided by operating activities was $1.9 million in 2018, as compared to net cash used of $9.5 million in 2017. Cash of $0.6 million was used to finance increased accounts receivable in 2018 as a result of the timing of revenue being weighted toward the last month of the year. The investment in inventory in 2018 resulted in a usage of cash of $2.9 million. There was a corresponding increase in accounts payable in 2018, which resulted in a source of cash of $2.9 million. The increase in inventory and accounts payable primarily includes balances to support the new program revenue growth for Sypris Electronics. Accrued and other liabilities increased in 2018 by $7.5 million, primarily as a result of several substantial prepayments from customers of Sypris Electronics. Additionally, prepaid expenses increased by $1.2 million during the year, primarily from an increase in taxes refundable in Mexico.

Investing Activities. Net cash provided by investing activities was $1.6 million in 2018 as compared to $1.2 million in 2017. Net cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December, 31, 2018 includes $2.3 million from insurance proceeds related to damage sustained at the Broadway Plant (See Note 5 to the consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-K). Additionally, the Company received proceeds of $1.4 million from the sale of idle assets by Sypris Technologies during the period.

Net cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December, 31, 2017 includes proceeds of $2.8 million from the sale of idle assets by Sypris Technologies during the period. Capital expenditures in both periods represented maintenance levels of investment.

Financing Activities. Net cash used in financing activities was $0.9 million in 2018 as compared to $0.3 million in 2017. Net cash used in financing activities in 2018 included capital lease payments of $0.8 million and payments of $0.1 million for minimum statutory tax withholdings on stock-based compensation. Net cash used in financing activities in 2017 included capital lease payments of $0.2 million and payments of $0.1 million for minimum statutory tax withholdings on stock-based compensation.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

On December 31, 2018, other than operating leases, we had no material off-balance sheet arrangements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements for a full description of recent accounting pronouncements, including the respective dates of adoption and effects on our results of operations and financial condition.

Item 7A.     Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

We are a smaller reporting company as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K and thus are not required to provide the quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk specified in Item 305 of Regulation S-K.

Item 8.     Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Stockholders and the Board of Directors of Sypris Solutions, Inc.

Louisville, Kentucky

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Sypris Solutions, Inc. (the "Company") as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the years then ended, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "financial statements"). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ Crowe LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2014.

Louisville, Kentucky

March 28, 2019

 SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except for per share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(in thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except for share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in thousands, except for share data)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

SYPRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2018 and 2017