TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP - Annual Report: 2012 (Form 10-K)

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U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012

For the transition period from             to             

Commission File Number 001-34816

Technical Communications Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(978) 287-5100

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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

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

Not applicable

(Title of Class)

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    YES  ¨    NO  x

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.    YES  ¨    NO  x

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    YES  x    NO  ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  x

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).    YES  ¨    NO  x

Based on the closing price as of March 24, 2012, the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $16,773,118.

The number of shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $ 0.10 per share, outstanding as of December 14, 2012 was 1,838,716.

Portions of the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement to be delivered to shareholders in connection with the Company’s 2013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held February 11, 2013 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.

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TECHNICAL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

Annual Report on Form 10-K

For the Year Ended September 29, 2012

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PART I

Technical Communications Corporation (“TCC” or the “Company”) was organized in 1961 as a Massachusetts corporation to engage primarily in consulting activities. Since the late 1960s, the business has consisted entirely of the design, development, manufacture, distribution, marketing and sale of communications security devices and systems. The secure communications solutions provided by TCC protect vital information transmitted over a wide range of data, fax and voice networks. TCC’s products have been sold into over 115 countries and are in service with governments, military agencies, telecommunications carriers, financial institutions and multinational corporations. The Company’s business consists of one industry segment, which is the design, development, manufacture, distribution, marketing and sale of communications security devices and systems.

Overview

The Company’s products consist of sophisticated electronic devices that enable users to transmit information in an encrypted format and permit recipients to reconstitute the information in a deciphered format if the recipient possesses the right decryption “key”. The Company’s products can be used to protect confidentiality in communications between radios, telephones, facsimile machines and data processing equipment over wires, fiber optic cables, radio waves, and microwave and satellite links. A customer may order equipment that is specially programmed to scramble transmissions in accordance with a code to which only the customer has access. The principal markets for the Company’s products are foreign and domestic governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and multinational companies requiring protection of mission-critical information.

TCC historically and presently designs and develops its own equipment and software to meet the requirements of general secure communications applications, as well as the custom-tailored requirements of specific users. Management believes the coordinated development of cryptographic software and associated hardware allows TCC to provide high-strength encryption security products with efficient processing and transmission. Both criteria, the Company believes, are essential to customer satisfaction.

TCC manufactures most of its products using third-party vendors for the supply of components and selected processing. Final assembly, software loading, testing and quality assurance are performed by TCC at its factory. This manufacturing approach allows TCC to competitively procure the components from multiple suppliers while maintaining control of the manufacture and performance of the final product.

TCC’s products are sold worldwide through a variety of channels depending on the country and the customer. Generally, TCC does not use stocking distributors because the Company’s products are required to be sold under an applicable U.S. government license, which generally requires end-user information. Rather, the Company sells directly to customers, original equipment manufacturers and value-added resellers using its in-house sales force as well as domestic and international representatives, consultants and distributors. The marketing and selling approach varies with each country and often involves extensive test and demonstration activity prior to the consummation of a sale. TCC has a network of in-country representatives and consultants who conduct performance demonstrations, market the products and close the sale, and who handle on behalf of TCC many of the ancillary requirements pertaining to importation duties, taxes, registration fees, and product receipt and acceptance. After-sale, in-country support by the representatives maintains customer satisfaction and provides a liaison for the Company’s customer support services.

The worldwide market for our Government Systems products remains a principal focus for TCC, as the Company believes increasing concerns with security will sustain demand for increased protection of both voice and data networks. Management plans selected, evolutionary upgrades to our government/military products both to meet new requirements of the market and to provide entry into new markets. We believe the ability of TCC to custom-tailor cryptographic functions and control systems to meet unique customer requirements will meet a growing demand as governments become more sophisticated in defining their communications security needs.

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2012 Highlights and Recent Events

The Company experienced a slowdown in sales during fiscal 2012 principally driven by delays in the receipt of certain key contracts for Mid-East customers. This situation was a result of the political unrest in the region, which diverted foreign government attention to domestic issues. We expect that these market areas will recover during the next 18 months and the Company hopes to experience increased demand for communications security due to the turnover in governing administrations.

During fiscal 2012, TCC delivered its DSP9000 universal radio encryption system for use in Afghanistan, its DSD72A-SP military grade network encryptors for use in Taiwan and its TCC CX series encryptors for use in private satellite communications systems. TCC also continued its commitment to internal product development by completing key milestones in the expansion of our SONET/STM and IP network product lines.

Revenues in fiscal 2012 were $8,117,000 with a net loss of $841,000 or $0.46 per share. The fiscal 2012 results are largely due to the continuing slowdown in sales of our encryption products for foreign military networks, partially offset by strong sales for radio applications. TCC’s backlog at the end of the year was $315,000 and was $1,773,000 as of December 7, 2012.

In fiscal 2012, TCC delivered $5.7 million of its DSP 9000 universal radio encryption systems for use by both the coalition and indigenous forces in Afghanistan. TCC’s DSP 9000 family of radio encryption products is a large success in many countries where the need for high quality, ruggedized encryption is required for secure communication over the HF, UHF and VHF radio bands. The DSP 9000 products have the very attractive feature of mating to a wide variety of radios, providing end-to-end security between differing regions, vehicles and forces that may be using radios produced by different manufacturers. We believe that the DSP 9000 system provides a universal encryption solution that is readily deployable, cost effective and adaptable to meet unique user requirements.

TCC also delivered $1.2 million of network encryptors to Raytheon Company for deployment in the Republic of China (Taiwan) with the Patriot Air Defense System in fiscal 2012. This equipment is from TCC’s DSD 72A-SP product line of high performance encryptors used worldwide in tactical and strategic networks requiring strong encryption security and high reliability. The equipment delivered for Taiwan provides network encryption equipment for system expansion.

Revenues from these sales during fiscal 2012 were used to fund the Company’s planned increase in research and development that began in fiscal 2011. This increased internal product development was focused on the development of new products to provide platforms for future growth and a basis for collaboration with OEMs.

TCC initiated the development of a low cost, battery-powered, pocket encryptor to be compatible with our DSP 9000 system and capable of interoperating with essentially all VHF and HF radios during the year. This encryptor, called the HSE 6000, is designed to respond to the many customer requests for a man-borne solution that provides universal encryption capability and is now available as a commercially available solution for military, border patrol, and police forces.

TCC also completed development of new DSD 72A-SP equipment upgrades that allow customers to use new radios, multiplexers and switches in its 2012 fiscal year. In 2011, a new multi-interface system designed to give users the capability of matching a single encryptor to a multiple interface radio was successfully tested by a major user. Procurement of this system up-grade was expected in 2012 but, as mentioned above, has been delayed due to political unrest. Current expectations are that the procurement will proceed in 2013.

For future military network security requirements, TCC completed the development of a very high speed version of the DSD 72A capable of speeds of 155mbs and 622mbs (STM1 and STM4) over fiber optic and electrical interfaces. Customer field tests of TCC’s new STM encryptors were successfully completed in fiscal 2012 and we expect that users of the DSD 72A system will consider these devices for their upcoming network expansions.

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Products and Services

The products described below are currently available and provide communications security solutions for mission-critical networks, voice and facsimile, centralized key and device management, and military ciphering applications.

The Government Systems product line has traditionally been the Company’s core product base and has generated 95% of revenue for the Company over the previous two fiscal years. These products have proven to be highly durable, which has led to significant repeat business from our government customers. The Company believes that these products and their derivatives will continue to be the Company’s most significant source of future revenues.

The Company’s Secure Office Systems product line primarily consists of products that were originally acquired through an asset and rights purchase from a subsidiary of AT&T in 1995. These products have produced modest revenues since their acquisition. Although these products are readily available and remain profitable, demand for them has diminished in recent years. We will continue to offer our Secure Office Systems products from existing inventory, which we anticipate will be sufficient for several more years. We have also developed new products for the line, beginning with the introduction in 2005 of a new secure wireless mobile phone, the first in a new line of secure wireless products. During 2007, we introduced a new flip phone model, during 2009 we introduced a new keyboard/PDA secure wireless phone and a new desktop encryptor, and in 2012 we introduced an IP-based phone to this product line. The market for the secure wireless mobile phones continues to develop modestly.

Although we believe our Network Security Systems products are competitive, demand for the products comprising this product line has been difficult to establish. Strong competition in this market coupled with weak overall demand for network security products both domestically and overseas has hampered the Company’s efforts to develop an active and consistent market. These products are currently available and we believe we will be able to fulfill any customer requirements for the foreseeable future.

The Company also provides customization of its products upon a customer’s request. In addition, the Company actively sells its engineering services in support of funded research and development. These services are typically billed to a customer on a time and materials basis and can run for several months to several years depending on the scope of the project.

Government Systems

The Company’s High Speed Data Encryptor is a rugged military system that provides a high level of cryptographic security for data networks operating at up to 34 million bits per second. The product supports a wide variety of interfaces and integrates into existing networks. Reliable secure communication is achieved with communication synchronization methods built to maintain connections in error and jamming environments such as radio relay networks, missile systems and microwave systems. In October 2010, TCC announced the introduction of a new family of high speed SONET/SDH encryptors capable of operating on fiber optic networks. These encryptors have been designed to meet a wide range of environmental and operational requirements and have been shown to provide a high level of security in a wide range of deployment conditions.

The Company’s Narrowband Radio Security family of products offers strategic security for voice and data communications sent over HF, VHF and UHF channels. Designed for military environments, we believe these products provide high voice quality over poor line connections, making them an attractive security solution for military aircraft, naval, base station and manpack radio applications. These products provide automated key distribution for security and ease of use. They are also radio independent because software programmable interfaces allow radio interface levels to be changed without configuring the hardware. Base station, handset and implant board configurations are available options and the products are compatible with the Company’s secure telephone systems to enable “office-to-field” communications.

The Company’s Secure Telephone, Fax and Data system is a comprehensive office communications security system that provides voice, fax and data encryption in a telephone package. The product has a fallback mode, which was originally developed for poor HF channels. As a result, secure communications are possible even over poor line conditions. TCC’s high-level encryption and automated key distribution system protect sensitive information, and internal storage of 400 keys provides hands-off security.

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Secure Office Systems

The Company’s Secure Portable Telephone Attachment may be placed between any telephone and handset worldwide to provide digital security. The attachment is small and portable, operates over both digital and analog telephone lines, and is designed to ensure protection through new and unique random keys negotiated with each communication session.

The Company’s Fax Security System is a secure, automatic transmission fax system that connects to any standard facsimile machine. Security protection is achieved using key technology, which provides randomly generated keys that are unique to each communication session. Open and closed networks are supported by the device to enable an open exchange of secure documents in the industrial marketplace or to restrict secure communications to authorized parties in highly confidential or government applications.

The Company’s Executive Secure Telephone offers strategic-level voice and data security in a full-featured executive telephone package. Exceptional voice quality can be achieved with three different voice-coding algorithms. The product provides ease-of-use security features such as automated key management, authentication, certification and access control.

The CipherTalk® 8000 and CipherSMS® secure wireless products are designed to provide encrypted mobile communications anywhere in the world. With multi-band radio interfaces, these products operate in the North American, Latin American, and European regions, as well as the Asian and Australian regions. Integrated on leading mobile device platforms, they contain the latest in mobile productivity functionality as well as standard cell phone operation. The CipherTalk 8000 is the inaugural product in the Company’s new line of secure wireless products first introduced in 2005. During fiscal 2012 the Company introduced a new IP-based secure wireless product, which is designed to set up secure calls with all GSM bands, GPRS, EDGE, and 3G. In addition, it can establish secure calls connecting directly to the Internet via Wi-Fi, USB and satellite links, all without need for a SIM card.

Network Security Systems

The CipherONE^® family of Network Security Systems consists of high-performance hardware and software-based encryption products for local area network, wide area network and Internet applications and includes a network security management system.

All of the CipherONE systems have been designed for node-to-node protection and therefore provide node authentication and access control, as well as data integrity. This family of products also utilizes a modular architecture that permits the software to be updated as networks migrate to emerging protocols, thereby protecting the user’s investment. Network transparent, the products support U.S. government-backed and proprietary encryption algorithms as well as industry-standard specifications for security key management.

The Company’s Frame Relay Network Encryptor is an end-to-end frame relay encryption system and is configured locally with Cipher Site Manager, its accompanying software configuration tool, or remotely with KEYNET^TM (discussed below).

The Company’s IP Network Encryptor provides encryption security at the Internet protocol layer and is configured locally with Cipher Site Manager or remotely with KEYNET.

The Company’s KEYNET Network Security Management System is a Windows NT-based key and security device management system that can centrally and simultaneously manage an entire CipherONE Security Systems Network, including those on mixed networks. KEYNET has an intuitive graphical user interface, making it easy to use. The system securely generates, distributes and exchanges keys, sets address tables, provides diagnostics and performs automatic polling and alarms from central and remote locations. KEYNET also provides instant alarm notification. These high security measures facilitate central management while maintaining security for mission-critical networks worldwide.

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Competition

The market for communications security devices and systems is highly competitive and characterized by rapid technological change. The Company has several competitors, including foreign-based companies, in the communications security device field. The Company believes its principal competitors include Crypto AG, Thales Group, Motorola Solutions, Inc., General Dynamics Corporation, Omnisec AG, Cisco Systems, Inc., SafeNet, Inc. and Alcatel-Lucent.

The Company competes based on its service, the operational and technical features of its products, its sales expertise and pricing. Many of TCC’s competitors have substantially greater financial, technical, sales and marketing, distribution and other resources, greater name recognition and longer standing relationships with customers. Competitors with greater financial resources can be more aggressive in marketing campaigns, can survive sustained price reductions in order to gain market share and can devote greater resources to support existing products and develop new competing products.

Our competitive position also depends on our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, obtain and maintain intellectual property protection or otherwise develop proprietary products or processes, and secure sufficient capital resources for product, research and development efforts.

Sales and Backlog

In fiscal 2012, the Company had two customers representing 85% of total net sales. These sales consisted of sales of our radio encryptors to a radio manufacturer for deployment in Afghanistan representing 70% of sales and sales of our bulk encryptors to Raytheon for a Patriot Missile upgrade program in Taiwan representing 15% of sales. In fiscal year 2011, the Company had two customers representing 82% of total net sales. These sales consisted of sales of our radio encryptors to a radio manufacturer for deployment in Afghanistan representing 67% of sales and sales of our bulk encryptors to Raytheon for a Patriot Missile upgrade program in Taiwan representing 15% of sales.

The Company sells directly to customers, original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and value-added resellers using its in-house sales force as well as domestic and international representatives, consultants and distributors. International sales are made primarily through our main office. We seldom have long-term contractual relationships with our customers and, therefore, generally have no assurance of a continuing relationship within a given market.

Orders for our products are usually placed by customers on an as-needed basis and we typically ship products within 30 to 120 days of receipt of a customer’s firm purchase order. Our backlog consists of all orders received where the anticipated shipping date is within 12 months of the order date. Because of the possibility of customer changes in delivery schedules or the cancellation of orders, our backlog as of any particular date may not be indicative of sales in any future period. Our backlog as of September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011 was approximately $315,000 and $5,190,000, respectively.

The Company expects that sales to relatively few customers will continue to account for a high percentage of the Company’s revenues in any accounting period for the foreseeable future. A reduction in orders from any such customer, or the cancellation of any significant order and failure to replace such order with orders from other customers, would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Regulatory Matters

As a party to a number of contracts with the U.S. government and its agencies, the Company must comply with extensive regulations with respect to bid proposals and billing practices. Should the U.S. government or its agencies conclude that the Company has not adhered to federal regulations, any contracts to which the Company is a party could be canceled and the Company could be prohibited from bidding on future contracts. Such a prohibition would have a material adverse effect on the Company.

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All payments to the Company for work performed on contracts with agencies of the U.S. government are subject to adjustment upon audit by the U.S. Defense Contract Audit Agency, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, and other agencies. The Company could be required to return any payments received from U.S. government agencies if it is found to have violated federal regulations. In addition, U.S. government contracts may be canceled at any time by the government with limited or no notice or penalty. Contract awards are also subject to funding approval from the U.S. government, which involves political, budgetary and other considerations over which the Company has no control.

The Company’s security products are subject to export restrictions administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Department of State, which license the export of encryption products, subject to certain technical restrictions. In addition, U.S. export laws prohibit the export of encryption products to a number of hostile countries. Although to date the Company has been able to secure necessary U.S. government export licenses, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue to be able to secure such licenses in a timely manner in the future, or at all.

The U.S. government controls, through a licensing process, the distribution of encryption technology and the sale of encryption products. The procedure for obtaining the applicable license from either the Department of Commerce or the Department of State (depending on the U.S. government’s determination of jurisdiction) is well documented. The Company submits a license request application, which contains information pertaining to: the type of equipment being sold; detailed technical description (if required); the buyer; the end-user and use; quantity; and destination location. The appropriate departments of the U.S. government review the application and a licensing decision is provided to the Company. Pursuant to the receipt of the license, the Company may ship the product.

Many of TCC’s products can be sold under existing “blanket” licenses which have been obtained through a variant of the licensing process that approves products for sale to certain classes of customers (e.g. financial institutions, civilian government entities and commercial users). The Company has obtained “blanket” licenses for its secure telephone and office system products and its family of network encryptors. Licenses for sales of certain other products and/or to certain end users must be submitted for specific approval as described above. Although the U.S. government retains the right and ability to restrict product exports, the Company does not believe that U.S. government licensing will become more restrictive or an impediment to its business. The trend, since the mid-nineties, has been for the U.S. government to reduce the restrictions on the foreign sale of cryptographic equipment. TCC believes this trend is driven by the government’s recognition of the technology available from foreign sources and the need to allow domestic corporations to compete in foreign markets. However, should the regulations become more restrictive, it would have a negative impact on the Company’s international business, which impact could be material.

The costs and effects of compliance by the Company with applicable environmental laws during fiscal 2012 were and historically have been immaterial. In the event the Company’s sales to Europe increase, the Company may have to incur additional costs to provide for the disposal of its products in compliance with applicable laws.

Manufacturing

TCC has several manufacturing subcontractors and suppliers that provide outside processing of electronic circuit boards, fabrication of metal components, and supply of electronic components. For the majority of purchased materials and services, TCC has multiple suppliers that are able to deliver materials and services under short-term delivery purchase orders. Payment is typically made after delivery, based upon standard credit arrangements. For a small minority of parts, there are limited sources of supply. In such cases, TCC monitors source availability and usually stocks for anticipated long-term requirements to assure manufacturing continuity. Notwithstanding the Company’s efforts to maintain material supplies, shortages can and do develop, necessitating delays in production, significant engineering development effort to find alternative solutions and, if production cannot be maintained, the discontinuation of the affected product design.

The Company’s internal manufacturing process consists primarily of adding critical components, final assembly, quality control, testing and system burn-in. Delivery times vary depending on the products and options ordered.

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Technological Expertise

The Company’s technological expertise and experience, including certain proprietary rights which it has developed and maintains as trade secrets, are crucial to the conduct of the Company’s business. Management is of the opinion that, while patent protection is desirable with respect to certain of its products, none of the Company’s patents are material to the conduct of its business. Eight patents have been issued to the Company. The Company also has a number of registered and unregistered trademarks for various products, none of which are material to the conduct of TCC’s business.

TCC has an on-going technology license for communications protocol software used in the CipherONE family of Network Security System products. The license is royalty-based and runs without a specified termination date. The cost of this license is immaterial.

TCC has been designing and producing secure, cryptography-based communications systems for over 50 years, during which time the Company has developed many technology techniques and practices. This expertise and experience is in the areas of cryptographic algorithm design and implementation, key distribution and management systems, cryptographic processors, voice and fax encryption and electronic hardware design. TCC relies on its internal technical expertise and experience, which TCC considers to be proprietary. These proprietary technologies are owned by TCC, are under TCC’s control, and have been documented consistent with standard engineering practices. It is estimated that the majority of sales during the past two years and during the next two years will be of products that are based upon TCC-proprietary designs.

Such technological experience and expertise are important as they enable an efficient design and development process. Loss of this experience and expertise would have an adverse impact on the Company. However, TCC’s practices governing the internal documentation of design data mitigate some of the risk associated with the loss of personnel who are skilled in the core competencies described above.

With the exception of the technology license referred to above, TCC has no material third party rights upon which the Company relies. Sales of the products associated with this license have not been and are not anticipated to be significant to the Company’s revenues.

Research and Development

Research and development efforts are undertaken by the Company primarily on its own initiative. In order to compete successfully, the Company must attract and retain qualified personnel, improve existing products and develop new products. No assurances can be given that the Company will be able to hire and train such technical management and sales personnel or successfully improve and develop its products.

During the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011, the Company spent $4,421,000 and $3,530,000, respectively, on internal product development. In fiscal 2012, the Company’s internal product development expenses were higher than prior years but in line with its planned commitment to research and development, and reflected the costs of product testing and production readiness efforts. It is expected that development expenses will decrease by about 25% in fiscal 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012.

By the middle of fiscal 2013, the Company anticipates the development of three new products and expects to reorient its development investment toward collaborative product developments with major OEMs. Initial work began in 2012 to establish these technical partnerships and we expect that full-scale development will begin in mid-2013. The resulting products will be imbedded proprietary encryption solutions which will significantly enhance the value of the OEMs products and allow TCC encryption to be carried to the market by major equipment providers.

In 2012, TCC completed systems testing and initiated field testing of our high speed SONET/SDH optical encryptor called the 72B, which provides full-rate encryption capability at 155mbs and 622mbs speeds. This encryptor is designed to be compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standard (“FIPS”) level 140-2 and is being offered in three configurations covering applications for commercial telecommunications providers through highly ruggedized military and government requirements. TCC expects that the 72B encryptor family will provide fully interoperable operations between office and harsh field environments.

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Also in 2012, TCC substantially completed development of the HSE 6000, a low cost, battery powered man-borne encryptor that provides highly secure communications between personnel and base command units. The HSE 6000 is designed for the rugged environments of military and police operations and can function with most VHF and HF radios systems. The HSE 6000 can interoperate with the TCC DSP 9000 Radio Encryption System which is deployed extensively throughout the world. Customer field testing is expected to begin in early 2013.

In 2011, TCC began development of an advanced, 100Mbs through 1Gbs family of IP encryptors and the KeyNet Optical Management system to service private network markets for government, military and satellite users. This new network product, named the CX7211, is scheduled for installation with initial customers in early 2013. The CX7211 is the first IP encryptor that is expandable, which allows its throughput capacity to be easily increased as network loads increase. TCC believes this feature makes the CX7211 very cost-effective for new installations and very easy to expand when the market demands it.

Foreign Operations

The Company is dependent upon its foreign sales. Although foreign sales were more profitable than domestic sales during fiscal years 2012 and 2011 because the mix of products sold abroad included a greater number of products with higher profit margins, this does not represent a predictable trend. Sales to foreign markets have been and will continue to be affected by, among other things, the stability of foreign governments, foreign and domestic economic conditions, export and other governmental regulations, and changes in technology. The Company attempts to minimize the financial risks normally associated with foreign sales by utilizing letters of credit confirmed by U.S. and foreign banks and by using foreign credit insurance. Foreign sales contracts are usually denominated in U.S. dollars.

The Company utilizes the services of sales representatives, consultants and distributors in connection with foreign sales. Typically, representatives are paid commissions and consultants are paid fixed amounts on a stipulated schedule in return for services rendered. Distributors are granted discounted pricing.

The export from the United States of many of the Company’s products may require the issuance of a license by the Department of State under the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, as amended, or by the Department of Commerce under the Export Administration Act as kept in force by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, as amended. The licensing process is discussed in more detail under the “Regulatory Matters” section above.

In fiscal years 2012 and 2011, sales directly to international customers accounted for approximately 11.8% and 2.4%, respectively, of our net sales. During those periods a significant portion of domestic sales (70% and 67%, respectively) were made to a domestic radio manufacturer that shipped our radio encryption products overseas for use in Afghanistan. In addition, we completed shipments of products delivered to the Government of Egypt representing 5% of sales under a contract with the U.S. Army during the 2011 fiscal year. Based on our historical results we expect that international sales, including sales to domestic customers that ship to foreign end-users, will continue to account for a significant portion of our revenues for the foreseeable future. As a result, we are subject to the risks of doing business internationally, including:

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While these factors and their impact are difficult to predict, any one or more of these factors could adversely affect our operations in the future.

We also may not be successful in obtaining the necessary licenses to conduct operations abroad, and the U.S. government may prevent proposed sales to foreign governments or other end-users.

Employees

As of September 29, 2012, the Company employed 34 full-time employees and two part-time employees, as well as several full and part-time consultants. The Company believes that its relationship with its employees is good.

You should carefully consider the following risk factors that affect our business. Such risks could cause our actual results to differ materially from those that are expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only ones facing us. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently deem immaterial, also may become important factors that affect us. If any of the following risks occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. You should also consider the other information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012 and subsequent quarterly reports filed with the SEC.

Our quarterly operating results may fluctuate and our future revenues and profitability are uncertain.

We have experienced significant fluctuations in our quarterly operating results during the last five years and anticipate continued substantial fluctuations in our future operating results. A number of factors have contributed to these quarterly fluctuations including, but not limited to:

Our future success will depend on our ability to respond to rapid technological changes in the markets in which we compete.

The markets for TCC’s products and services are characterized by rapid technological developments, changing customer technological requirements and preferences, frequent new product introductions, enhancements and modifications, and evolving industry standards. Our success will depend in large part on our ability to correctly identify emerging technological trends, enhance capabilities, and develop and manufacture new technologies and products quickly, in a cost-effective manner, and at competitive prices. The development of new and enhanced products is a complex and costly process. We may need to make substantial capital expenditures and incur significant research and development costs to develop and introduce such new products and enhancements. Our choices for developing technologies may prove incorrect if customers do not adopt the products we develop or if the technologies ultimately prove to be technically or commercially unviable. Development schedules also may be adversely affected as the result of the discovery of performance problems. If we fail to timely develop and introduce competitive new technologies, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.

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Existing or new competitors may develop competing or superior technologies.

The industry in which the Company competes is highly competitive, and the Company has several domestic and foreign competitors. Many of these competitors have substantially greater financial, technical, sales and marketing, distribution and other resources, greater name recognition and longer standing relationships with customers. Competitors with greater financial resources can be more aggressive in marketing campaigns, can survive sustained price reductions in order to gain market share, and can devote greater resources to support existing products and develop new competing products. Any period of sustained price reductions for our products would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. TCC may not be able to compete successfully in the future and competitive pressures may result in price reductions, loss of market share or otherwise have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations. It is also possible that competing products will emerge that may be superior in quality and performance and/or less expensive than those of the Company, or that similar technologies may render TCC’s products obsolete or uncompetitive and prevent the Company from achieving or sustaining profitable operations.

The operating performance of our products is critical to our business and reputation.

The sale and use of our products entail a risk of product failure, product liability or other claims. Occasionally, some of our products have quality issues resulting from the design or manufacture of the product or the software used in the product. Often these issues are discovered prior to shipment and may result in shipping delays or even cancellation of orders by customers. Other times problems are discovered after the products have shipped, requiring us to resolve issues in a manner that is timely and least disruptive to our customers. Such pre-shipment and post-shipment problems have ramifications for TCC, including cancellation of orders, product returns, increased costs associated with product repair or replacement, and a negative impact on our goodwill and reputation.

Once our products are in use, any product failure, including software or hardware failure, which causes a breach of security with respect to our customer’s confidential communications could have a material adverse effect on TCC. There is no guarantee of product performance or that our products are adequate to protect against all security breaches. While we attempt to mitigate such risks by maintaining insurance and including warranty disclaimers and liability limitation clauses in our arrangements with customers, such mitigation devices may not protect us against liability in all instances. If our products failed for any reason, our clients could experience data loss, financial loss, personal and property losses, harm to reputation, and significant business interruption. Such events may expose us to substantial liability, increased regulation and/or penalties, as well as loss of customer business and a diminished reputation. Any product liability claims and related litigation would likely be time-consuming and expensive, may not be adequately covered by insurance, and may delay or terminate research and development efforts, regulatory approvals and commercialization activities.

If our products and services do not interoperate with our end-users’ products, orders could be delayed or cancelled, which could significantly reduce our revenues.

Our products are designed to interface with our end-users’ existing products, each of which has different specifications and utilizes multiple protocol standards. Many of our end-users’ systems contain multiple generations of products that have been added over time as these systems have grown and evolved. Our products and services must interoperate with all of these products and services as well as with future products and services that might be added to meet our end-users’ requirements. If our products do not interface with those within our end-users’ products and systems, orders for our products could be delayed or cancelled, which could significantly reduce our revenues.

Government regulation and legal uncertainties could harm our business.

As a party to a number of contracts with the U.S. government and its agencies, the Company must comply with extensive regulations with respect to bid proposals and billing practices. Should the U.S. government or its agencies conclude that the Company has not adhered to federal regulations, any contracts to which the Company is a party could be canceled and the Company could be prohibited from bidding on

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future contracts. Moreover, payments to the Company for work performed on contracts with agencies of the U.S. government are subject to audit and adjustment. The Company could be required to return any payments received from U.S. government agencies if it is found to have violated federal regulations. In addition, U.S. government contracts may be canceled at any time by the government with limited or no notice or penalty. Contract awards are also subject to funding approval from the U.S. government, which involves political, budgetary and other considerations over which the Company has no control.

The Company’s security products are subject to export restrictions administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Department of State, which license the export of encryption products, subject to certain technical restrictions. In addition, U.S. export laws prohibit the export of encryption products to a number of hostile countries and some end-users. Although to date the Company has been able to secure necessary U.S. government export licenses, there can be no assurance that the Company will continue to be able to secure such licenses in a timely manner in the future, or at all. Delays in obtaining necessary approvals could be costly in terms of lost sales opportunities and compliance costs. Should export restrictions increase or regulations become more restrictive, or should new laws be enacted, it could have a negative impact on the Company’s international business, which impact could be material.

Contracts with the U.S. government may not be fully funded at inception and are subject to termination.

A portion of our revenues has historically been generated under agreements with the U.S. government. Any changes or delays in the budget of the U.S. government, and in particular defense spending, could affect our business, and funding levels are difficult to predict with any certainty. Moreover, certain multi-year contracts are conditioned on the continuing availability of appropriations. However, funds are typically appropriated on a fiscal-year basis, even though contract performance may extend over many years, making future sales and revenues under multi-year contracts uncertain. Changes in appropriations and budgets as well as economic conditions generally in subsequent years may impact the funding for these contracts. In addition, changes in funding and other factors may lead to the termination of such contracts. The U.S. government typically has the right to terminate agreements for convenience with little or no penalty. Adverse changes in funding and the termination of government contracts could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

Our international operations expose us to additional risks.

The Company is dependent upon its foreign sales and we expect that sales to foreign end-users will continue to account for a significant portion of our revenues for the foreseeable future. As a result, we are subject to the risks of doing business internationally, including imposition of tariffs or embargoes, export controls, trade barriers and trade disputes, regulations related to customs and export/import matters, fluctuations in foreign economies and currency exchange rates, longer payment cycles and difficulties in collecting accounts receivable, the complexity and necessity of using foreign representatives, consultants and distributors, tax uncertainties and unanticipated tax costs due to foreign taxing regimes, the difficulty of managing and operating an enterprise spanning several countries, the uncertainty of protection for intellectual property rights and differing legal systems generally, compliance with a variety of laws, and economic and geopolitical developments and conditions, including international hostilities, armed conflicts, acts of terrorism and governmental reactions, inflation, trade relationships, and military and political alliances.

We also may not be successful in obtaining the necessary licenses to conduct operations abroad, including the export of many of the Company’s products, and the U.S. government may prevent proposed sales to foreign governments or certain international end-users. Export restrictions, compliance with which imposes additional burdens on the Company, may further provide a competitive advantage to foreign competitors facing less stringent controls on their products and services.

Finally, an increasing focus of our business is in emerging markets, including South America and Southwest Asia. In many of these emerging markets, we may be faced with risks that are more significant than if we were to do business in developed countries, including undeveloped legal systems, unstable governments and economies, and potential governmental actions affecting the flow of goods and currency.

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If the protection of our intellectual property is inadequate, our competitors may gain access to our technologies.

The Company’s technological expertise and experience, including certain proprietary rights that it has developed and maintains as trade secrets, are crucial to the conduct of the Company’s business and its ability to compete in the marketplace. Such technological expertise and experience are important as they enable an efficient design and development process. Loss of this experience and expertise would have an adverse impact on the Company. To protect our proprietary information, we rely primarily on a combination of internal procedures, contractual provisions, and patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws. Such internal procedures and contractual provisions may not prove sufficient to maintain the confidentiality and proprietary nature of such information and may not provide meaningful protection in the event of any unauthorized use or disclosure. Trade secret and copyright laws afford only limited protection. Current and potential patents and trademarks may not provide us with any competitive advantage and patents and trademarks must be enforced and maintained to provide protection, which may prove costly and time-consuming.

Despite our efforts to safeguard and maintain our proprietary rights, we may not be successful in doing so or the steps taken by us may be inadequate to deter unauthorized parties from misappropriating our technologies or prevent them from obtaining and using our proprietary information, products and technologies. Moreover, our competitors may independently develop similar technologies or design around patents issued to us.

Other parties may have patent rights relating to the same subject matter covered by our products or technologies, enabling them to prevent us from operating without obtaining a license and paying royalties. Third parties also may challenge our patents or proprietary rights or claim we are infringing on their rights. Any claims of infringement or misappropriation, with or without merit, would likely be time-consuming, result in costly litigation and diversion of resources, and cause delays in the development and commercialization of our products. We may be required to expend significant resources to develop non-infringing intellectual property, pay royalties or obtain licenses to the intellectual property that is the subject of such litigation. Royalties may be costly and licenses, if required, may not be available on terms acceptable to us, the absence of which could seriously harm our business.

In addition, the laws and enforcement mechanisms of some foreign countries may not offer the same level of protection as do the laws of the United States. Legal protections of our rights may be ineffective in such countries, and technologies developed in such countries may not be protected in jurisdictions where protection is ordinarily available. Our inability to protect our intellectual property both in the United States and abroad would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The Company relies on a small number of customers for a large percentage of its revenues.

We will be successful only if a significant number of customers adopt our secure communications products. Historically the Company has had a small number of customers representing a large percentage of its total sales. Although the Company endeavors to expand its customer base, we expect that sales to a limited number of customers will continue to account for a high percentage of our revenues in any given period for the foreseeable future. This reliance makes us particularly susceptible to factors affecting those customers. If such customers’ business declines and as a result our sales to such customers decline without corresponding sales orders from other customers, our financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected. It is difficult to predict the rate at which customers will use our products, even in the case of repeat customers, and we do not typically have long-term contractual arrangements.

We may not be able to maintain effective product distribution channels.

We rely on an in-house sales force as well as domestic and international representatives, consultants and distributors for the sale and distribution of our products. Our sales and marketing organization may be unable to successfully compete against more extensive and well-funded operations of certain of our competitors. In addition, we must manage sales and marketing personnel in numerous countries around the world with the concomitant difficulties in maintaining effective communications due to distance, language and cultural barriers. Further, certain of our distributors may carry competing products lines, which may negatively impact our sales revenues.

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Our management has determined that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is currently not effective.

Our management team, under the supervision and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of the end of the Company’s 2012 fiscal year. In the course of that assessment, management identified a control deficiency that was also identified in the course of its assessments for fiscal years 2008 through 2011. Specifically, management determined that TCC lacked sufficient staff to adequately segregate accounting duties, which could result in a misstatement of financial statement items that would not be detected. Management concluded that such control deficiency constituted a material weakness and that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of September 29, 2012.

Until we are able to remediate the material weakness identified, such material weakness may materially and adversely affect our ability to report accurately our financial condition and results of operations in the future in a timely and reliable manner. In addition, although we review and evaluate our internal control systems to allow management to report on the sufficiency of our internal control over financial reporting, we cannot assure you that we will not discover additional weaknesses in the future or that any corrective actions taken to remediate issues identified during the course of an assessment will be effective. Any such additional weaknesses or failure to remediate any existing weakness could materially adversely affect our financial condition or ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements.

We rely on single or limited sources for the manufacture and supply of certain product components.

For a small percentage of parts, we rely upon a single or limited number of manufacturers and suppliers. Moreover, because we depend on third party manufacturers and suppliers, we do not directly control product delivery schedules or product quality. In addition, we may not be able to maintain satisfactory contractual relations with our manufacturers and suppliers. A significant delay in delivering products to our customers, whether from unforeseen events such as natural disasters or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. If we lose any of the manufacturers or suppliers of certain product components, we expect that it would take from three to six months for a new manufacturer or supplier to begin full-scale production of one of these products. The delay and expense associated with qualifying a new manufacturer or supplier and commencing production could result in a material loss of revenue and reduced operating margins and harm our relationships with customers. While we have not experienced any significant supply problems or problems with the quality of the manufacturing process of our suppliers and there have been no materially late deliveries of components or parts to date, it is possible that in the future we may encounter problems in the manufacturing process or shortages in parts, components or other elements vital to the manufacture, production and sale of our products.

The loss of existing key management and technical personnel and the inability to attract new hires could have a detrimental effect on the Company.

Our success depends on identifying, hiring, training, and retaining qualified professionals. Competition for qualified employees in our industry is intense and we expect this to remain so for the foreseeable future. If we were unable to attract and hire a sufficient number of employees, or if a significant number of our current employees or any of our senior managers resign, we may be unable to complete or maintain existing projects or bid for new projects of similar scope and revenue. The Company’s success is particularly dependent on the retention of existing management and technical personnel, including Carl H. Guild, Jr., the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Although the Company has entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Guild, the loss or unavailability of his services could impede our ability to effectively manage our operations.

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We may need to expand our operations and we may not effectively manage any future growth.

As of December 14, 2012, we employed 35 full-time and two part-time employees as well as several full-time and part-time consultants. In the event our products and services obtain greater market acceptance, we may be required to expand our management team and hire and train additional technical and skilled personnel. We may need to scale up our operations in order to service our customers, which may strain our resources, and we may be unable to manage our growth effectively. If our systems, procedures, and controls are inadequate to support our operations, growth could be delayed or halted, and we could lose our opportunity to gain significant market share. In order to achieve and manage growth effectively, we must continue to improve and expand our operational and financial management capabilities. Any inability to manage growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Not applicable.

In April 2007, the Company entered into a lease for its current facilities. This lease is for 22,800 square feet located at 100 Domino Drive, Concord, MA. The Company has been a tenant in this space since 1983. This is the Company’s only facility and houses all manufacturing, research and development, and corporate operations. The initial term of the lease was for five years through March 31, 2012 at an annual rate of $159,000. In addition the lease contains options to extend the lease for two and one half years through September 30, 2014 and another two and one half years through March 31, 2017, at an annual rate of $171,000 for each renewal term. Rent expense for the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011 was $165,000 and $159,000, respectively. On September 30, 2011, the Company exercised its option to extend the lease for the period April 1, 2012 through September 30, 2014.

There are no current legal proceedings as to which TCC or its subsidiary is a party or as to which any of their property is subject.

Not applicable.

PART II

Market Information

The Company’s common stock, $0.10 par value, began trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on July 14, 2010 under the symbol “TCCO.” Prior to such date, the common stock was traded on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board under the symbol “TCCO.OB.” The following table presents low and high sales prices for the common stock for the time periods specified as reported by The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.

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Holders

As of December 14, 2012, there were approximately 1,250 record holders of our Common Stock.

Dividends

The Company paid cash dividends on its common stock during fiscal years 2012 and 2011 as follows:

On December 6, 2012, the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.10 per share of common stock outstanding. The dividend in the aggregate amount of $183,872 is payable in cash on December 28, 2012 to all shareholders of record on December 20, 2012. It is not the Company’s intention to pay dividends unless future profits warrant such actions.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table presents information about the Technical Communications Corporation 2010 Equity Incentive Plan (as amended and restated), the Technical Communications Corporation 2005 Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan, and the Technical Communications Corporation 2001 Stock Option Plan as of the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012. For more information on these plans, see the discussion of the Company’s stock option plans and stock-based compensation plans included in Note 2 to the Company’s financial statements as of and for the year ended September 29, 2012, included herewith.

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Sales of Unregistered Securities and Repurchases by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

There were no sales by the Company of unregistered shares of the Company’s common stock during the 2012 fiscal year and no repurchases of TCC stock by or on behalf of the Company or any affiliated purchaser during the fourth fiscal quarter of the 2012 fiscal year.

Not applicable.

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The following discussion of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto appearing elsewhere herein.

Forward-Looking Statements

The following discussion may contain statements that are not purely historical. Such statements contained herein or as may otherwise be incorporated by reference herein constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements regarding anticipated operating results, future earnings, and the ability to achieve growth and profitability. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to the effect of foreign political unrest; future changes in export laws or regulations; changes in technology; the ability to hire, retain and motivate technical, management and sales personnel; the risks associated with the technical feasibility and market acceptance of new products; changes in telecommunications protocols; the effects of changing costs, exchange rates and interest rates; and the Company's ability to secure adequate capital resources. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of the risks facing the Company, see the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including this Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012 and the “Risk Factors” section included herein.

Overview

TCC designs, manufactures, markets and sells communications security equipment that utilizes various methods of encryption to protect the information being transmitted. Encryption is a technique for rendering information unintelligible, which information can then be reconstituted if the recipient possesses the right decryption “key”. The Company manufactures several standard secure communications products and also provides custom-designed, special-purpose secure communications products for both domestic and international customers. The Company’s products consist primarily of voice, data and facsimile encryptors. Revenue is generated principally from the sale of these products, which have traditionally been to foreign governments either through direct sale, pursuant to a U.S. government contract or made as a sub-contractor to domestic corporations under contract with the U.S. government. However, we have also sold these products to commercial entities and U.S. government agencies. In addition to product sales, we generate revenues from contract engineering services performed for certain government agencies, both domestic and foreign, and commercial entities.

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates

The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods.

On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates and judgments, including those related to revenue recognition, inventory reserves, receivable reserves, income taxes and stock-based compensation. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. By their nature estimates are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions and such differences may be material.

The accounting policies that management believes are most critical to aid in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results include those listed below. For a more detailed discussion, see Note 2 in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included herewith.

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Revenue Recognition

Product revenue is recognized when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the fee is fixed or determinable, delivery of the product to the customer has occurred and we have determined that collection of the fee is probable. Title to the product generally passes upon shipment of the product, as the products are shipped FOB shipping point, except for certain foreign shipments where title passes upon entry of the product into the first port in the buyer’s country. If the product requires installation to be performed by TCC, all revenue related to the product is deferred and recognized upon completion of the installation. We provide for a warranty reserve at the time the product revenue is recognized.

We perform funded research and development and technology development for commercial companies and government agencies under both cost reimbursement and fixed-price contracts. Cost reimbursement contracts provide for the reimbursement of allowable costs and, in some situations, the payment of a fee. These contracts may contain incentive clauses providing for increases or decreases in the fee depending on how actual costs compare with a budget. Revenue from reimbursement contracts is recognized as services are performed. On fixed-price contracts that are expected to exceed one year in duration, revenue is recognized pursuant to the proportional performance method based upon the proportion of actual costs incurred to the total estimated costs for the contract. In each type of contract, we receive periodic progress payments or payments upon reaching interim milestones, and we retain the rights to the intellectual property developed in government contracts. All payments to TCC for work performed on contracts with agencies of the U.S. government are subject to audit and adjustment by the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Adjustments are recognized in the period made. When the current estimates of total contract revenue and contract costs for a product development contract indicate a loss, a provision for the entire loss on the contract is recorded. Any losses incurred in performing funded research and development projects are recognized as funded research and development expenses.

Cost of product revenue includes material, labor and overhead. Costs incurred in connection with funded research and development are included in cost of sales.

Inventory

We value our inventory at the lower of actual cost (based on first-in, first-out (FIFO)), to purchase and/or manufacture or the current estimated market value (based on the estimated selling prices, less the cost to sell) of the inventory. We periodically review inventory quantities on hand and record a provision for excess and/or obsolete inventory based primarily on our estimated forecast of product demand, as well as historical usage. Due to the custom and specific nature of certain of our products, demand and usage for products and materials can fluctuate significantly. A significant decrease in demand for our products could result in a short-term increase in the cost of inventory purchases and an increase in excess inventory quantities on hand. In addition, our industry is characterized by rapid technological change, frequent new product development and rapid product obsolescence, any of which could result in an increase in the amount of obsolete inventory quantities on hand. Therefore, although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our forecasts of future product demand, any significant unanticipated changes in demand or technological developments could have a significant negative impact on the value of our inventory and would reduce our reported operating results.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are reduced by an allowance for amounts that may become uncollectible in the future. The estimated allowance for uncollectible amounts is based primarily on a specific analysis of accounts in the receivable portfolio and historical write-off experience. While management believes the allowance to be adequate, if the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required, which would reduce net income.

Accounting for Income Taxes

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements requires us to estimate our income taxes in each of the jurisdictions in which we operate, including those outside the United States, which may subject the Company to certain risks that ordinarily would not be expected in the United States. The income tax accounting process involves estimating our actual current exposure together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatments of items, such as deferred revenue, for tax and accounting

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purposes. These differences result in the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities. We must then record a valuation allowance to reduce our deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized.

Significant management judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. We have recorded a valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets of $1.1 million as of September 29, 2012 due to uncertainties related to our ability to utilize these assets. The valuation allowance is based on our estimates of taxable income by jurisdiction and the period over which our deferred tax assets will be recoverable. In the event that actual results differ from these estimates or we adjust these estimates in future periods, we may need to adjust our valuation allowance, which could materially impact our financial position and results of operation.

Due to the nature of our current operations in foreign countries (selling products into these countries with the assistance of local representatives), the Company has not been subject to any foreign taxes in recent years. Also, it is not anticipated that we will be subject to foreign taxes in the near future.

Stock Based Compensation

We record the compensation expense for all share-based payments based on the grant date fair value. We expense share-based compensation over the employee’s requisite service period, generally the vesting period of the award.

The choice of a valuation technique, and the approach utilized to develop the underlying assumptions for that technique, involve significant judgments. These judgments reflect management’s assessment of the most accurate method of valuing the stock options we issue, based on our historical experience, knowledge of current conditions and beliefs of what could occur in the future given available information. Our judgments could change over time as additional information becomes available to us, or the facts underlying our assumptions change. Any change in our judgments could have a material effect on our financial statements. We believe that our estimates incorporate all relevant information available at the time made and represent a reasonable approximation in light of the difficulties involved in valuing non-traded stock options.

Results of Operations

Year ended September 29, 2012 as compared to year ended September 24, 2011

Net Sales

Net sales for the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011 were $8,117,000 and $12,102,000, respectively, a decrease of $3,985,000 or 33%. Sales for fiscal 2012 consisted of $7,160,000, or 88%, from domestic sources and $957,000, or 12%, from international customers as compared to fiscal 2011, in which sales consisted of $11,808,000, or 98%, from domestic sources and $294,000, or 2%, from international customers.

Foreign sales consisted of shipments to seven different countries during the year ended September 29, 2012 and six different countries during the year ended September 24, 2011. A sale is attributed to a foreign country based on the location of the contracting party. Domestic revenue may include the sale of products shipped through domestic resellers or manufacturers to international destinations. The table below summarizes our principal foreign sales by country:

Revenue for the year ended September 29, 2012 was primarily derived from the sale of the Company’s narrowband radio encryptors to a U.S. radio manufacturer for deployment into Afghanistan

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amounting to $5,710,000 and to an additional domestic customer amounting to $113,000. In addition we sold our secure telephone, fax, and data encryptors to a foreign customer amounting to $314,000 and we had sales of our frame relay and internet protocol encryptor products to three customers amounting to $225,000 during the year. We also had sales of our link encryptors into the Middle East for $93,000, sold spare parts to three foreign customers amounting to $287,000 and shipped our high speed bulk encryptors amounting to $1,173,000 under a contract with a domestic customer.

Revenue for fiscal 2011 was derived from the sale of the Company’s narrowband radio encryptors to a U.S. radio manufacturer amounting to $8,160,000 and to an additional domestic customer amounting to $262,000. Billings under programs for engineering services work amounting to $211,000 also were recognized during the period. In addition, we made the final shipment under a contract with CECOM amounting to $610,000 during fiscal 2011. We also sold our secure data link encryptors to a domestic customer amounting to $630,000 and we shipped our high speed bulk encryptors amounting to $1,710,000 under a contract with a domestic customer.

Gross Profit

Gross profit for fiscal year 2012 was $6,278,000, a decrease of $3,532,000 or 36%, compared to gross profit of $9,810,000 for fiscal year 2011. Gross profit expressed as a percentage of sales was 77% in fiscal year 2012 compared to 81% in the prior year. The decrease in gross profit as a percentage of sales was primarily associated with lower sales volume in fiscal 2012 of our higher margin radio encryptors.

Operating Costs and Expenses

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative expenses for fiscal 2012 were $3,310,000, compared to $2,813,000 for fiscal 2011. This increase of $497,000 or 18% was attributable to an increase in selling and marketing expenses of $604,000 offset by a decrease in general and administrative expenses of $107,000 during the 2012 fiscal year.

The increase in selling and marketing costs during fiscal 2012 was attributable to increases in product evaluation expenses of $328,000, travel expenses of $51,000, and personnel-related costs of $67,000. Additionally, there were increases in third party sales and marketing agreements of $30,000 and outside sales commissions of $46,000. There were also increases in engineering support costs of $37,000, product demonstration costs of $25,000 and bid and proposal efforts of $13,000 during the period.

The decrease in general and administrative costs during fiscal 2012 was primarily attributable to a decrease in personnel-related costs of $139,000. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in bank and investment fees of $6,000 and charitable contributions of $20,000.

Product Development

Product development costs for fiscal 2012 were $4,421,000, compared to $3,530,000 for fiscal 2011, an increase of $891,000 or 25%. This increase was primarily attributable to increases in outside contractor costs of $1,281,000, recruiting costs of $81,000 and project material costs of $156,000. These increases were partially offset by decreases in personnel-related costs of $136,000 and an increase in engineering support of business development activities, which decreased product development costs by approximately $504,000 for the 2012 fiscal year. The increased costs were incurred primarily for the development of the CX7211 high speed internet protocol encryptor.

The Company actively sells its engineering services in support of funded research and development. The receipt of these orders is sporadic, although such programs can span over several months. In addition to these programs, the Company invests in research and development to enhance its existing products or to develop new products, as it deems appropriate. There was no billable engineering services revenue generated during fiscal 2012 and $211,000 generated during fiscal 2011.

It is anticipated that cash from operations will fund our near-term research and development and marketing activities. We also believe that, in the long term, based on current billable activities, cash from operations will be sufficient to meet the development goals of the Company, although we can give no assurances. Although expected to decrease in fiscal 2013, any increase in activities - either billable or new

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product related - will require additional resources, which we may not be able to fund through cash from operations. In circumstances where resources will be insufficient, the Company will look to other sources of financing, including debt and/or equity investments.

Net Income

The Company generated a net loss of $841,000 for fiscal 2012, as compared to net income of $2,269,000 for fiscal 2011. This decrease in net income is primarily attributable to a 33% decrease in sales and a 22% increase in operating expenses during fiscal 2012. The Company recorded an income tax benefit of $597,000 during fiscal 2012 based on its expected effective tax rate of 41.5% for the 2012 fiscal year. This compares to an income tax provision of $1,200,000 recorded in the year ended September 24, 2011.

The effects of inflation and changing costs have not had a significant impact on sales or earnings in recent years. As of September 29, 2012, none of the Company’s monetary assets or liabilities was subject to foreign exchange risks. The Company usually includes an inflation factor in its pricing when negotiating multi-year contracts with customers.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash and cash equivalents decreased by $7,176,000 to $2,056,000 as of September 29, 2012, from a balance of $9,232,000 at September 24, 2011. This decrease was primarily attributable to the investment of cash in short-term marketable securities of $5,295,000, the payment of cash dividends of $733,000, capital acquisitions of $193,000, a net loss of $841,000, a decrease in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $616,000 and increases in accounts receivable and income taxes receivable of $513,000 and $509,000, respectively. The decreases were partially offset by the proceeds from the maturity of marketable securities of $626,000 and a decrease in inventory of $646,000.

During fiscal 2012, the Company paid special cash dividends totaling $733,000. The payment of these dividends was based on the profits generated by the Company in recent years. In addition, in December 2012 the Company’s Board of Directors declared a dividend of $0.10 per share of common stock outstanding. The dividend is payable in cash on December 28, 2012 to all shareholders of record on December 20, 2012. It is not the Company’s intention to pay dividends on a regular basis unless future profits warrant such actions.

It is anticipated that our cash balances and cash generated from operations will be sufficient to fund our near-term research and development and marketing activities. We also believe that, in the long term, an anticipated improvement of business prospects, current billable activities and cash from operations will be sufficient to meet the development goals of the Company, although we can give no assurances. Although expected to decrease in fiscal 2013, any increase in activities - either billable or new product related - will require additional resources, which we may not be able to fund through cash from operations. In circumstances where resources will be insufficient, the Company will look to other sources of financing, including debt and/or equity investments.

The Company paid $32,000 during the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012 for current tax estimates of its income tax liability for fiscal year 2012. The Company has recorded refundable income taxes of $859,000 as of September 29, 2012.

The Company’s backlog as of September 29, 2012 was approximately $315,000. The orders in backlog are expected to ship during fiscal 2013 depending on customer requirements and product availability.

The Company has a line of credit agreement with Bank of America (the “Bank”) for a line of credit not to exceed the principal amount of $600,000. The line is supported by a financing promissory note. The loan is a demand loan with interest payable at the Bank’s prime rate plus 1% on all outstanding balances. The loan is secured by all assets of the Company (excluding consumer goods) and requires the Company to maintain its deposit accounts with the Bank, as well as comply with certain other covenants. The Company believes this line of credit agreement provides it with an important external source of liquidity, if necessary. There were no cash borrowings against the line during fiscal years 2012 and 2011.

Certain foreign customers require the Company to guarantee bid bonds and performance of products sold. These guaranties typically take the form of standby letters of credit. Guaranties are generally

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required in amounts of 5% to 10% of the purchase price and last in duration from three months to one year. At September 29, 2012 the Company had one outstanding letter of credit amounting to $18,000, which is secured by a cash certificate of deposit. At September 24, 2011 there were no outstanding standby letters of credit. The Company generally secures its outstanding standby letters of credit with the line of credit facility with the Bank.

In April 2007, the Company entered into a lease for its current facilities. This lease is for 22,800 square feet located at 100 Domino Drive, Concord, MA. The Company has been a tenant in this space since 1983. This is the Company’s only facility and houses all manufacturing, research and development, and corporate operations. The initial term of the lease was for five years through March 31, 2012 at an annual rate of $159,000. In addition the lease contains options to extend the lease for two and one half years through September 30, 2014 and another two and one half years through March 31, 2017, at an annual rate of $171,000 for each renewal term. Rent expense for the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011 was $165,000 and $159,000, respectively. On September 30, 2011 the Company exercised its option to extend the lease for the period April 1, 2012 through September 30, 2014.

Research and development efforts are undertaken by the Company primarily on its own initiative. In order to compete successfully, the Company must attract and retain qualified personnel, improve existing products and develop new products. No assurances can be given that the Company will be able to hire and train such technical management and sales personnel or successfully improve and develop its products.

During the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011, the Company spent $4,421,000 and $3,530,000, respectively, on internal product development. In fiscal 2012, the Company’s internal product development expenses were higher than prior years but in line with its planned commitment to research and development, and reflected the costs of product testing and production readiness efforts. It is expected that development expenses will decrease by about 25% in fiscal 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012.

By the middle of fiscal 2013, the Company anticipates the development of three new products and expects to reorient its development investment toward collaborative product developments with major OEM’s. Initial work began in 2012 to establish these technical partnerships and we expect that full-scale development will begin in mid-2013. The resulting products will be imbedded proprietary encryption solutions which will significantly enhance the value of the OEMs products and allow TCC encryption to be carried to the market by major equipment providers.

In 2012, TCC completed systems testing and initiated field testing of our high speed SONET/SDH optical encryptor called the 72B, which provides full-rate encryption capability at 155mbs and 622mbs speeds. This encryptor is designed to be compliant with the Federal Information Processing Standard (“FIPS”) level 140-2 and is being offered in three configurations covering applications for commercial telecommunications providers through highly ruggedized military and government requirements. TCC expects that the 72B encryptor family will provide fully interoperable operations between office and harsh field environments.

Also in 2012, TCC substantially completed development of the HSE 6000, a low cost, battery powered man-borne encryptor that provides highly secure communications between personnel and base command units. The HSE 6000 is designed for the rugged environments of military and police operations and can function with most VHF and HF radios systems. The HSE 6000 can interoperate with the TCC DSP 9000 Radio Encryption System which is deployed extensively throughout the world. Customer field testing is expected to begin in early 2013.

In 2011, TCC began development of an advanced, 100Mbs through 1Gbs family of IP encryptors and the KeyNet Optical Management system to service private network markets for government, military and satellite users. This new network product, named the CX7211, is scheduled for installation with initial customers in early 2013. The CX7211 is the first IP encryptor that is expandable, which allows its throughput capacity to be easily increased as network loads increase. TCC believes this feature makes the CX7211 very cost-effective for new installations and very easy to expand when the market demands it.

Other than those stated above, there are no plans for significant internal product development in fiscal 2013 and the Company does not anticipate any significant capital expenditures during the year.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The Company does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

New Accounting Pronouncements

ASU 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) - Presentation of Comprehensive Income

This ASU requires all nonowner changes in stockholders’ equity to be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. For public entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. However, ASU 2011-12 has deferred the specific requirement within ASU 2011-05 to present on the face of the financial statements items that are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income separately with their respective components of net income and other comprehensive income. Entities should continue to report reclassifications out of accumulated comprehensive income consistent with the presentation requirements in effect before ASU 2011-05.

Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying financial statements.

Not applicable.

The financial statements and notes thereto listed in the accompanying index to financial statements (Item 15) are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

Not applicable.

Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures. The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have reviewed and evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based on that review and evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company’s current disclosure controls and procedures, as designed and implemented, are effective to ensure that such officers are provided with information relating to the Company required to be disclosed in the reports the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act and that such information is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the specified time periods.

Management’s annual report on internal control over financial reporting. Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, we conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of September 29, 2012. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control - Integrated Framework.

A goal of the assessment was to determine whether any material weaknesses or significant deficiencies existed with respect to the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. A “material weakness” is defined as a significant deficiency, or a combination of significant deficiencies, that results in more than a remote likelihood that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will

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not be prevented or detected. A “significant deficiency” is a control deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, that adversely affects a company’s ability to initiate, authorize, record, process or report external financial data reliably in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles such that there is more than a remote likelihood that a misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements that is more than inconsequential will not be prevented or detected.

In the course of its assessment for fiscal year 2012, management identified a control deficiency that was also identified during its assessments for the 2008 through 2011 fiscal years. During the course of the previous years’ evaluations, and again during the evaluation for the 2012 fiscal year, management determined that the Company lacked sufficient staff to segregate accounting duties. Management believes this control deficiency is primarily the result of the Company employing, due to its limited size, the equivalent of only one and one-half persons performing all accounting-related on-site duties. As a result, TCC does not maintain adequate segregation of duties within its critical financial reporting applications, the related modules and financial reporting processes. This control deficiency could result in a misstatement of our interim or annual consolidated financial statements that would not be detected. Accordingly, management has determined that this control deficiency constituted a material weakness, and that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective, as of September 29, 2012.

Management has discussed the material weakness and related potential corrective actions with the Audit Committee and Board of Directors of the Company and TCC’s independent registered public accounting firm. As part of our 2013 assessment of internal control over financial reporting, our management will test and evaluate additional controls implemented, if any, to assess whether they are operating effectively. Our goal is to take all actions possible given our financial condition to remediate any material weaknesses and enhance our internal controls, but we cannot guarantee that our efforts, if any, will result in the remediation of our material weakness or that new issues will not be exposed in the process. In designing and evaluating our internal control over financial reporting, management recognizes that any controls, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that misstatements due to error or fraud will not occur or that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, with the Company will be detected.

Changes in internal control over financial reporting. There were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Not applicable.

Part III

The information required by this Item 10 is incorporated herein by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, under the captions “Members of the Board of Directors, Nominees and Executive Officers,” “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions; Legal Proceedings,” “Corporate Governance,” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance,” with respect to our 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the end of the Company’s 2012 fiscal year.

The Company has adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all of its employees, officers and directors. A copy of this code can be found on the Company’s website at www.tccsecure.com/investors.

The information required by this Item 11 is incorporated herein by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, under the captions “Compensation” and “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” with respect to our 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the end of the Company’s 2012 fiscal year.

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The information required by this Item 12 is incorporated herein by reference to Part II, Item 5 herein under the caption “Equity Compensation Plan Information” and by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, under the caption “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management,” with respect to our 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the end of the Company’s 2012 fiscal year.

The information required by this Item 13 is incorporated herein by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, under the captions “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions; Legal Proceedings” and “Corporate Governance” with respect to our 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the end of the Company’s 2012 fiscal year.

The information required by this Item 14 is incorporated herein by reference to our Definitive Proxy Statement, under the caption Proposal III - Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm with respect to our 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the end of the Company’s 2012 fiscal year.

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PART IV

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Footnotes:

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

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Technical Communications Corporation and Subsidiary

Consolidated Balance Sheets

September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011

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

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Technical Communications Corporation and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Operations

Years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

Years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011

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

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Technical Communications Corporation and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

Years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011

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

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Technical Communications Corporation and Subsidiary

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

Years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011

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

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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(1) Company Operations

Technical Communications Corporation was incorporated in Massachusetts in 1961; its wholly-owned subsidiary, TCC Investment Corp., was organized in that jurisdiction in 1982. The Company’s business consists of only one industry segment, which is the design, development, manufacture, distribution, marketing and sale of communications security devices and systems. The secure communications solutions provided by TCC protect vital information transmitted over a wide range of data, fax and voice networks. TCC’s products have been sold into over 115 countries and are in service with governments, military agencies, telecommunications carriers, financial institutions and multinational corporations.

The Company’s revenues have historically included significant transactions with foreign governments, U.S. government agencies and other organizations. The Company expects this to continue. The timing of these transactions has in the past and will in the future have a significant impact on the cash flow and the earnings of the Company. Delays in the timing of significant expected sales transactions would have a significant negative effect on the Company’s operations. The Company has some ability to mitigate this effect through cost-cutting measures.

(2) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

We follow accounting standards set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, commonly referred to as the FASB. The FASB sets generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) that we follow to ensure we consistently report our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. References to GAAP issued by the FASB in these footnotes are to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification^TM, sometimes referred to as the Codification or ASC.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, TCC Investment Corp., a Massachusetts corporation. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant judgments and estimates include those related to revenue, receivable reserves, inventory reserves, income taxes and stock-based compensation. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include demand deposits at banks and other investments (including mutual funds) readily convertible into cash. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates market value.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are reduced by an allowance for amounts that may become uncollectible in the future. The estimated allowance for uncollectible amounts is based primarily on a specific analysis of accounts in the receivable portfolio and historical write-off experience. While management believes the allowance to be adequate, if the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required, which would reduce net income.

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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

Inventories

The Company values its inventory at the lower of actual cost (based on first-in, first-out (FIFO) method), to purchase and/or manufacture or the current estimated market value (based on estimated selling prices, less the cost to sell) of the inventory. The Company periodically reviews inventory quantities on hand and records a provision for excess and/or obsolete inventory based primarily on our estimated forecast of product demand, as well as historical usage. The Company evaluates the carrying value of inventory on a quarterly basis to determine if the carrying value is recoverable at estimated selling prices. To the extent that estimated selling prices do not exceed the associated carrying values, inventory carrying values are written down. In addition, the Company makes judgments as to future demand requirements and compares those with the current or committed inventory levels. Reserves are established for inventory levels that exceed future demand. It is possible that additional reserves above those already established may be required in the future if market conditions for our products should deteriorate.

Equipment and Leasehold Improvements

Equipment and leasehold improvements are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the lesser of the estimated useful life of the asset or lease term. When assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is recognized in operations for the period. The costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred; significant renewals and betterments are capitalized.

Long-lived Assets

The Company’s only long-lived assets are equipment and leasehold improvements. Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by such asset. If the carrying amount of the asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized in the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the asset.

Recognition of Revenue

The Company recognizes product revenue when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the fee is fixed or determinable, delivery of the product to the customer has occurred and the Company has determined that collection of the fee is probable. Title to the product generally passes upon shipment of the product, as the products are shipped FOB shipping point, except for certain foreign shipments where title passes upon entry of the product into the first port in the buyer’s country. If the product requires installation to be performed by TCC, all revenue related to the product is deferred and recognized upon completion of the installation. The Company provides for a warranty reserve at the time the product revenue is recognized.

The Company performs funded research and development and technology development for commercial companies and government agencies under both cost reimbursement and fixed-price contracts. Cost reimbursement contracts provide for the reimbursement of allowable costs and, in some situations, the payment of a fee. These contracts may contain incentive clauses providing for increases or decreases in the fee depending on how actual costs compare with a budget. Revenue from reimbursement contracts is recognized as services are performed. On fixed-price contracts that are expected to exceed one year in duration, revenue is recognized pursuant to the proportional performance method based upon the proportion of actual costs incurred to the total estimated costs for the contract. In each type of contract, the Company receives periodic progress payments or payments upon reaching interim milestones. All payments to the Company for work performed on contracts with agencies of the U.S. government are subject to audit and adjustment by the Defense Contract Audit Agency. Adjustments are recognized in the period made. If the current estimates of total contract revenue and contract costs for a product development contract indicate a loss, a provision for the entire loss on the contract is recorded. Any losses incurred in performing funded research and development projects are recognized as funded research and development expenses.

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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

Cost of product revenue includes material, labor and overhead. Costs incurred in connection with funded research and development are included in cost of sales.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the calculated fair value of the award. The expense is recognized over the employee’s requisite service period, generally the vesting period of the award. The related excess tax benefit received upon the exercise of stock options, if any, is reflected in the Company’s statement of cash flows as a financing activity rather than an operating activity. There were no excess tax benefits for the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011.

The Company selected the Black-Scholes option pricing model as the method for determining the estimated fair value of its stock awards. The Black-Scholes method of valuation requires several assumptions: (1) the expected term of the stock award, (2) the expected future stock price volatility over the expected term, (3) a risk-free interest rate and (4) the expected dividend rate. The expected term represents the expected period of time the Company believes the options will be outstanding based on historical information. Estimates of expected future stock price volatility are based on the historic volatility of the Company’s common stock and the risk free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury Note rate. The Company utilizes a forfeiture rate based on an analysis of its actual experience. The forfeiture rate is not material to the calculation of share-based compensation. The fair value of options at date of grant was estimated with the following assumptions:

There were 17,000 options granted during the year ended September 29, 2012 and 162,865 options granted during the year ended September 24, 2011. The following table summarizes share-based compensation costs included in the Company’s consolidated statements of income for the years ended September 29, 2012 and September 24, 2011:

As of September 29, 2012, there was $457,807 of unrecognized compensation cost related to options granted. The unrecognized compensation cost will be recognized as the options vest. The weighted average period over which the compensation cost is expected to be recognized is 2.99 years.

The Company had the following stock option plans outstanding as of September 29, 2012: the Technical Communications Corporation 2001 Stock Option Plan, the 2005 Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan and the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan. There were an aggregate of 750,000 options to acquire shares authorized under these plans, of which 245,202 options were outstanding at September 29, 2012. Vesting periods are at the discretion of the Board of Directors and typically range between zero and five years. Options under these plans are granted with an exercise price equal to fair market value at time of grant and have a term of ten years from the date of grant.

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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

As of September 29, 2012, there were no shares available for new option grants under the 2001 Stock Option Plan; there were 47,028 shares available for grant under the 2005 Non-Statutory Stock Option Plan and 53,386 available for grant under the 2010 Equity Plan.

The following tables summarize stock option activity during fiscal years 2011 and 2012:

Information related to the stock options vested or expected to vest as of September 29, 2012 is as follows: