TRIUMPH GROUP INC - Annual Report: 2011 (Form 10-K)

Use these links to rapidly review the document
Table of Contents
PART IV

Table of Contents

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission File No. 1-12235

Triumph Group, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

          Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý    No o

          Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes o    No ý

          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 ý    No o

          Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate website, 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 ý    No o

          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 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. o

          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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (Check one)

          Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Yes o    No ý

          As of September 30, 2010, the aggregate market value of the shares of Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant was approximately $1,774 million. Such aggregate market value was computed by reference to the closing price of the Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on September 30, 2010. For purposes of making this calculation only, the Registrant has defined affiliates as including all directors and executive officers.

          The number of outstanding shares of the Registrant's Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, on May 9, 2011 was 24,517,850.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

          Portions of the following document are incorporated herein by reference:

          The Proxy Statement of Triumph Group, Inc. to be filed in connection with our 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders is incorporated in part in Part III hereof, as specified herein.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

2

Table of Contents

PART I

Item 1.    Business

        This report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to our future operations and prospects, including statements that are based on current projections and expectations about the markets in which we operate, and management's beliefs concerning future performance and capital requirements based upon current available information. Actual results could differ materially from management's current expectations. Additional capital may be required and, if so, may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all, at the times and in the amounts we need. In addition to these factors and others described elsewhere in this report, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include competitive and cyclical factors relating to the aerospace industry, dependence of some of our businesses on key customers, requirements of capital, product liabilities in excess of insurance, uncertainties relating to the integration of acquired businesses, general economic conditions affecting our business segment, technological developments, limited availability of raw materials or skilled personnel, changes in governmental regulation and oversight and international hostilities and terrorism. For a more detailed discussion of these and other factors affecting us, see the Risk Factors described in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We do not undertake any obligation to revise these forward-looking statements to reflect future events.

General

        Triumph Group, Inc. ("Triumph" or the "Company") was incorporated in 1993 in Delaware. Our companies design, engineer, manufacture, repair, overhaul and distribute a broad portfolio of aerostructures, aircraft components, accessories, subassemblies and systems. We serve a broad, worldwide spectrum of the aviation industry, including original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, of commercial, regional, business and military aircraft and aircraft components, as well as commercial and regional airlines and air cargo carriers.

        On June 16, 2010, we announced the completion of the acquisition of Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. ("Vought") from The Carlyle Group. The acquisition of Vought establishes the Company as a leading global manufacturer of aerostructures for commercial, military and business jet aircraft. Products include fuselages, wings, empennages, nacelles and helicopter cabins. Strategically, the acquisition of Vought substantially increases our design capabilities and provides further diversification across customers and programs, as well as exposure to new growth platforms. The acquired business is operating as Triumph Aerostructures—Vought Commercial Division, Triumph Aerostructures—Vought Integrated Programs Division and Triumph Structures—Everett. The results of Vought are included in the Company's Aerostructures Segment from the date of acquisition.

Products and Services

        We offer a variety of products and services to the aerospace industry through three groups of operating segments: (i) Triumph Aerostructures Group, whose companies' revenues are derived from the design, manufacture, assembly and integration of metallic and composite aerostructures and structural components for the global aerospace original equipment manufacturers, or OEM, market; (ii) Triumph Aerospace Systems Group, whose companies design, engineer and manufacture a wide range of proprietary and build-to-print components, assemblies and systems also for the OEM market; and (iii) Triumph Aftermarket Services Group, whose companies serve aircraft fleets, notably commercial airlines, the U.S. military and cargo carriers, through the maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft components and accessories manufactured by third parties.

        Our Aerostructures Group utilizes its capabilities to design, manufacture and build complete metallic and composite aerostructures and structural components. This group also includes companies

3

Table of Contents

performing complex manufacturing, machining and forming processes for a full range of structural components, as well as complete assemblies and subassemblies. This group services the full spectrum of aerospace customers, which include aerospace OEMs and the top-tier manufacturers who supply them and airlines, air cargo carriers, and domestic and foreign militaries.

        The products that companies within this group design, manufacture, build and repair include:

•

Acoustic and thermal insulation systems



•

Aircraft wings



•

Composite and metal bonding



•

Composite ducts and floor panels



•

Empennages



•

Engine nacelles



•

Flight control surfaces



•

Floor beams



•

Fuselage sections



•

Helicopter cabins



•

Stretch-formed leading edges and fuselage skins



•

Windows and window assemblies



•

Wing spars and stringers

        Our Aerospace Systems Group utilizes its capabilities to design and engineer mechanical, electromechanical, hydraulic and hydromechanical control systems, while continuing to broaden the scope of detailed parts and assemblies that we supply to the aerospace market. Customers typically return such systems to us for repairs and overhauls and spare parts. This group services the full spectrum of aerospace customers, which include aerospace OEMs and the top-tier manufacturers who supply them and airlines, air cargo carriers, and domestic and foreign militaries.

        The products that companies within this group design, engineer, build and repair include:

•

Aircraft and engine mounted accessory drives



•

Cargo hooks



•

Cockpit control levers



•

Control system valve bodies



•

Exhaust nozzles and ducting



•

Geared transmissions



•

Heat exchangers



•

High lift actuation



•

Hydraulic systems and components



•

Landing gear actuation systems



•

Landing gear components and assemblies



•

Main engine gear box assemblies

4

Table of Contents

•

Secondary flight control systems



•

Vibration absorbers

        Our Aftermarket Services Group performs maintenance, repair and overhaul services ("MRO") and supplies spare parts of various types of cockpit instruments, and gauges for the commercial and military aviation industry and primarily services the world's airline and air cargo carrier customers. This group also designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls aftermarket aerospace gas turbines engine components, offers comprehensive MRO solutions, leasing packages, exchange programs and parts and services to airline, air cargo and third-party overhaul facilities. We also continue to develop Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, approved Designated Engineering Representative, or DER, proprietary repair procedures for the components we repair and overhaul, which range from detailed components to complex subsystems. Some specialties include navigation, flight, and engine monitoring instruments as well as autopilots, voice and data recorders, smoke detection systems and aircraft lighting. Companies in our Aftermarket Services Group repair and overhaul various components for the aviation industry including:

•

Air cycle machines



•

APUs



•

Cockpit instrumentation



•

Constant speed drives



•

Engine and airframe accessories



•

Flight control surfaces



•

Integrated drive generators



•

Nacelles



•

Remote sensors



•

Thrust reversers



•

Blades and vanes



•

Cabin interior panes, shades, light lenses and other plastic components



•

Combustors



•

Stators



•

Transition ducts



•

Sidewalls



•

Light assemblies



•

Overhead bins

        Certain financial information about our three segments can be found in Note 22 of "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements."

Proprietary Rights

        We benefit from our proprietary rights relating to designs, engineering and manufacturing processes and repair and overhaul procedures. For some products, our unique manufacturing capabilities are required by the customer's specifications or designs, thereby necessitating reliance on us for the production of such specially designed products.

5

Table of Contents

        We view our name and mark, as well as the Vought tradename, as significant to our business as a whole. Our products are protected by a portfolio of patents, trademarks, licenses or other forms of intellectual property that expire at various dates in the future. We develop and acquire new intellectual property on an ongoing basis and consider all of our intellectual property to be valuable. However, based on the broad scope of our product lines, management believes that the loss or expiration of any single intellectual property right would not have a material effect on our results of operations, our financial position or our business segments. Our policy is to file applications and obtain patents for our new products as appropriate, including product modifications and improvements. While patents generally expire 20 years after the patent application filing date, new patents are issued to us on a regular basis.

        In our overhaul and repair businesses, OEMs of equipment that we maintain for our customers increasingly include language in repair manuals that relate to their equipment asserting broad claims of proprietary rights to the contents of the manuals used in our operations. There can be no assurance that OEMs will not try to enforce such claims including the possible use of legal proceedings. In the event of such legal proceedings, there can be no assurance that such actions against the Company will be unsuccessful. However, we believe that our use of manufacture and repair manuals is lawful.

Raw Materials and Replacement Parts

        We purchase raw materials, primarily consisting of extrusions, forgings, castings, aluminum and titanium sheets and shapes, from various vendors. We also purchase replacement parts which are utilized in our various repair and overhaul operations. We believe that the availability of raw materials to us is adequate to support our operations.

6

Table of Contents

Operating Locations

        We conduct our business through operating segments. The following chart describes the operations, customer base and certain other information with respect to our principal operating locations at March 31, 2011:

7

Table of Contents

8

Table of Contents

9

Table of Contents

10

Table of Contents

11

Table of Contents

12

Table of Contents

13

Table of Contents

14

Table of Contents

15

Table of Contents

(1)

Designates FAA-certified repair station.

(2)

Through an affiliate, Triumph Insulation Systems, LLC manages an 80% interest in a joint venture, operating in Beijing, China, with Beijing Kailan Aviation Technology Co., Ltd., an unrelated party based in China. Our interest in the joint venture is accounted for in our consolidated financial statements on the equity method.

16

Table of Contents

Sales, Marketing and Engineering

        While each of our operating companies maintains responsibility for selling and marketing its specific products, we have developed two group marketing teams focused on cross-selling our broad capabilities. The focus of these two marketing organizations, one for the Aerostructures and Aerospace Systems Groups and one for the Aftermarket Services Group, is to sell systems, integrated assemblies and repair and overhaul services, reaching across our operating companies, to our OEM, military, airline and air cargo customers. We also conduct sales activities in the Wichita, Kansas area through Triumph Wichita Support Center, a third-party sales organization dedicated solely to a sales effort on behalf of Triumph Group companies, which is staffed by sales professionals focused on Boeing IDS, Spirit AeroSystems, Cessna, Bombardier/Learjet and Raytheon. In certain limited cases, we use independent, commission-based representatives to facilitate responsiveness to each customer's changing needs and current trends in each market/geographic region in which we operate.

        All three of these marketing organizations operate as the front-end of the selling process, establishing or maintaining relationships, identifying opportunities to leverage our brand, and providing service for our customers. Each individual operating company is responsible for its own engineering and technical support, pricing, manufacturing and product support. Also, within the Aerospace Systems Group, we have created a group engineering function to provide integrated solutions to meet our customer needs by designing systems that integrate the capabilities of our companies.

        A significant portion of our government and defense contracts are awarded on a competitive bidding basis. We generally do not bid or act as the primary contractor, but will typically bid and act as a subcontractor on contracts on a fixed-price basis. We generally sell to our other customers on a fixed-price, negotiated contract or purchase order basis.

Backlog

        We have a number of long-term agreements with several of our customers. These agreements generally describe the terms under which the customer may issue purchase orders to buy our products and services during the term of the agreement. These terms typically include a list of the products or repair services customers may purchase, initial pricing, anticipated quantities and, to the extent known, delivery dates. In tracking and reporting our backlog, however, we only include amounts for which we have actual purchase orders with firm delivery dates or contract requirements generally within the next 24 months, which primarily relates to sales to our OEM customer base. Purchase orders issued by our aftermarket customers are usually completed within a short period of time. As a result, our backlog data relates primarily to the OEM customers. The backlog information set forth below does not include the sales that we expect to generate from long-term agreements for which we do not have actual purchase orders with firm delivery dates.

        As of March 31, 2011, our continuing operations had outstanding purchase orders representing an aggregate invoice price of approximately $3,780 million, of which $3,082 million, $664 million and $34 million relate to the Aerostructures Group, the Aerospace Systems Group and the Aftermarket Services Group, respectively. As of March 31, 2010, our continuing operations had outstanding purchase orders representing an aggregate invoice price of approximately $1,309 million, of which $695 million, $580 million and $34 million relate to the Aerostructures Group, the Aerospace Systems Group and the Aftermarket Services Group, respectively. Of the existing backlog of $3,780 million, approximately $988 million will not be shipped by March 31, 2012.

Dependence on Significant Customer

        For the years ended March 31, 2011 and 2010, the Boeing Company, or Boeing, represented approximately 45% and 30%, respectively, of our net sales, covering virtually every Boeing plant and

17

Table of Contents

product. A significant reduction in sales to Boeing could have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

United States and International Operations

        Our revenues from continuing operations to customers in the United States for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009 were approximately $2,510 million, $1,039 million, and $974 million, respectively. Our revenues from our continuing operations to customers in all other countries for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009 were approximately $395 million, $256 million, and $267 million, respectively.

        As of March 31, 2011 and 2010, our long-lived assets for continuing operations located in the United States were approximately $3,134 million and $855 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2011 and 2010, our long-lived assets for continuing operations located in all other countries were approximately $96 million and $74 million, respectively.

Competition

        We compete primarily with the top-tier systems integrators and manufacturers that supply them, some of which are divisions or subsidiaries of other large companies, in the manufacture of aircraft systems components and subassemblies. OEMs are increasingly focusing on assembly activities while outsourcing more manufacturing and repair to third parties, and therefore are less of a competitive force than in previous years.

        Competition for the repair and overhaul of aviation components comes from three primary sources, some with greater financial and other resources than we have: OEMs, major commercial airlines and other independent repair and overhaul companies. Some major commercial airlines continue to own and operate their own service centers, while others have begun to sell or outsource their repair and overhaul services to other aircraft operators or third parties. Large domestic and foreign airlines that provide repair and overhaul services typically provide these services not only for their own aircraft but for other airlines as well. OEMs also maintain service centers which provide repair and overhaul services for the components they manufacture. Other independent service organizations also compete for the repair and overhaul business of other users of aircraft components.

        Participants in the aerospace industry compete primarily on the basis of breadth of technical capabilities, quality, turnaround time, capacity and price.

Government Regulation and Industry Oversight

        The aerospace industry is highly regulated in the United States by the FAA and in other countries by similar agencies. We must be certified by the FAA and, in some cases, by individual OEMs, in order to engineer and service parts and components used in specific aircraft models. If material authorizations or approvals were revoked or suspended, our operations would be adversely affected. New and more stringent government regulations may be adopted, or industry oversight heightened, in the future and these new regulations, if enacted, or any industry oversight, if heightened, may have an adverse impact on us.

        We must also satisfy the requirements of our customers, including OEMs, that are subject to FAA regulations, and provide these customers with products and repair services that comply with the government regulations applicable to aircraft components used in commercial flight operations. The FAA regulates commercial flight operations and requires that aircraft components meet its stringent standards. In addition, the FAA requires that various maintenance routines be performed on aircraft components, and we currently satisfy these maintenance standards in our repair and overhaul services. Several of our operating locations are FAA-approved repair stations.

18

Table of Contents

        Generally, the FAA only grants licenses for the manufacture or repair of a specific aircraft component, rather than the broader licenses that have been granted in the past. The FAA licensing process may be costly and time-consuming. In order to obtain an FAA license, an applicant must satisfy all applicable regulations of the FAA governing repair stations. These regulations require that an applicant have experienced personnel, inspection systems, suitable facilities and equipment. In addition, the applicant must demonstrate a need for the license. Because an applicant must procure manufacturing and repair manuals from third parties relating to each particular aircraft component in order to obtain a license with respect to that component, the application process may involve substantial cost.

        The license approval processes for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA was formed in 2002 and is handling most of the responsibilities of the national aviation authorities in Europe, such as the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority), which regulates this industry in the European Union, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and other comparable foreign regulatory authorities are similarly stringent, involving potentially lengthy audits.

        Our operations are also subject to a variety of worker and community safety laws. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, or OSHA, mandates general requirements for safe workplaces for all employees. In addition, OSHA provides special procedures and measures for the handling of hazardous and toxic substances. Specific safety standards have been promulgated for workplaces engaged in the treatment, disposal or storage of hazardous waste. We believe that our operations are in material compliance with OSHA's health and safety requirements.

Environmental Matters

        Our business, operations and facilities are subject to numerous stringent federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulation by government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, or the EPA. Among other matters, these regulatory authorities impose requirements that regulate the emission, discharge, generation, management, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials, pollutants and contaminants, govern public and private response actions to hazardous or regulated substances which may be or have been released to the environment, and require us to obtain and maintain licenses and permits in connection with our operations. This extensive regulatory framework imposes significant compliance burdens and risks on us. Although management believes that our operations and our facilities are in material compliance with such laws and regulations, future changes in these laws, regulations or interpretations thereof or the nature of our operations or regulatory enforcement actions which may arise, may require us to make significant additional capital expenditures to ensure compliance in the future.

        Certain of our facilities, including facilities acquired and operated by us or one of our subsidiaries have at one time or another been under active investigation for environmental contamination by federal or state agencies when acquired, and at least in some cases, continue to be under investigation or subject to remediation for potential environmental contamination. We are frequently indemnified by prior owners or operators and/or present owners of the facilities for liabilities which we incur as a result of these investigations and the environmental contamination found which pre-dates our acquisition of these facilities, subject to certain limitations. We also maintain a pollution liability policy that provides coverage for material liabilities associated with the clean-up of on-site pollution conditions, as well as defense and indemnity for certain third-party suits (including Superfund liabilities at third-party sites), in each case, to the extent not otherwise indemnified. This policy applies to all of our manufacturing and assembly operations worldwide. However, if we were required to pay the expenses related to environmental liabilities for which neither indemnification nor insurance coverage is available, these expenses could have a material adverse effect on us.

19

Table of Contents

Employees

        As of March 31, 2011, for our continuing operations we employed 12,097 persons, of whom 3,131 were management employees, 87 were sales and marketing personnel, 585 were technical personnel, 723 were administrative personnel and 7,571 were production workers. As of March 31, 2011, for our discontinued operations, we employed 23 persons, of whom 9 were management employees, 2 were technical personnel, one was administrative and 11 were production workers.

        Several of our subsidiaries are parties to collective bargaining agreements with labor unions. Under those agreements, we currently employ approximately 3,465 full-time employees. Currently, approximately 29% of our permanent employees are represented by labor unions and approximately 61% of net sales are derived from the facilities at which at least some employees are unionized. Our inability to negotiate an acceptable contract with any of these labor unions could result in strikes by the affected workers and increased operating costs as a result of higher wages or benefits paid to union members. If the unionized workers were to engage in a strike or other work stoppage, or other employees were to become unionized, we could experience a significant disruption of our operations and higher ongoing labor costs, which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

        We have not experienced any material labor-related work stoppage and consider our relations with our employees to be good.

Research and Development Expenses

        Certain information about our research and development expenses for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009 is available in Note 2 of "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements."

Executive Officers

        Richard C. Ill was elected Chairman in July 2009, and had been our President and Chief Executive Officer and a director since 1993. Mr. Ill continues to serve as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Ill is a director of P.H. Glatfelter Company, Mohawk Industries, Inc. and Baker Industries and a trustee of the Eisenhower Fellowships.

        Jeffry D. Frisby has been our President and Chief Operating Officer since July 2009. Before that, for a period in excess of five years, Mr. Frisby served as Group President of our Aerospace Systems Group. Mr. Frisby serves on the Board of Directors of Quaker Chemical Corporation.

        M. David Kornblatt became Executive Vice President in July 2009 and had been Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since June 2007. Mr. Kornblatt continues to serve as Chief Financial Officer. From 2006 until joining us, Mr. Kornblatt served as Senior Vice President—Finance and Chief Financial Officer at Carpenter Technology Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of specialty alloys and various engineered products. From 2003 to 2005, he was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at York International, prior to its acquisition by Johnson Controls in December 2005. Before that, Mr. Kornblatt was the Director of Taxes-Europe for The Gillette Company in London, England for three years. Mr. Kornblatt is a director of Universal Stainless & Alloy Products, Inc.

20

Table of Contents

        John B. Wright, II has been a Vice President and our General Counsel and Secretary since 2004. From 2001 until he joined us, Mr. Wright was a partner with the law firm of Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP, where he practiced corporate and securities law.

        Kevin E. Kindig has been our Controller since 1993 and a Vice President since April 1999.

Available Information

        For more information about us, visit our website at www.triumphgroup.com. The contents of the website are not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our electronic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC (including all Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and any amendments to these reports) are available free of charge through our website immediately after we electronically file with or furnish them to the SEC. These filings may also be read and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room which is located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Information about the operation of the Public Reference Room can be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers who file electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.

Item 1A.    Risk Factors

Factors that have an adverse impact on the aerospace industry may adversely affect our results of operations and liquidity.

        A substantial percentage of our gross profit and operating income was derived from commercial aviation for fiscal year 2011. Our operations have been focused on designing, engineering, manufacturing, repairing and overhauling a broad portfolio of aerostructures, aircraft components, accessories, subassemblies and systems. Therefore, our business is directly affected by economic factors and other trends that affect our customers in the aerospace industry, including a possible decrease in outsourcing by OEMs and aircraft operators or projected market growth that may not materialize or be sustainable. We are also significantly dependent on sales to the commercial aerospace market, which has been cyclical in nature with significant downturns in the past. When these economic and other factors adversely affect the aerospace industry, they tend to reduce the overall customer demand for our products and services, which decreases our operating income. Economic and other factors that might affect the aerospace industry may have an adverse impact on our results of operations and liquidity. We have credit exposure to a number of commercial airlines, some of which have encountered financial difficulties. In addition, an increase in energy costs and the price of fuel to the airlines, similar to that which occurred in 2008, could result in additional pressure on the operating costs of airlines. The market for jet fuel is inherently volatile and is subject to, among other things, changes in government policy on jet fuel production, fluctuations in the global supply of crude oil and disruptions in oil production or delivery caused by sudden hostility in oil producing areas. Often airlines are unable to pass on increases in fuel prices to customers by increasing fares due to the competitive nature of the airline industry, and this compounds the pressure on operating costs. Other events of general impact such as natural disasters, war, terrorist attacks against the industry or pandemic health crises may lead to declines in the worldwide aerospace industry that could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

        In addition, demand for our maintenance, repair and overhaul services is strongly correlated with worldwide flying activity. A significant portion of the maintenance, repair and overhaul ("MRO") activity required on commercial aircraft is mandated by government regulations that limit the total time or number of flights that may elapse between scheduled MRO events. As a result, although short-term deferrals are possible, MRO activity is ultimately required to continue to operate the aircraft in revenue-producing service. Therefore, over the intermediate and long-term, trends in the MRO market are closely related to the size and utilization level of the worldwide aircraft fleet, as reflected by the

21

Table of Contents

number of available seat miles, commonly referred to as ASMs, and cargo miles flown. Consequently, conditions or events which contribute to declines in worldwide ASMs and cargo miles flown, such as those mentioned above, could negatively impact our MRO business.

Cancellations, reductions or delays in customer orders may adversely affect our results of operations.

        Our overall operating results are affected by many factors, including the timing of orders from large customers and the timing of expenditures to manufacture parts and purchase inventory in anticipation of future sales of products and services. A large portion of our operating expenses are relatively fixed. Because several of our operating locations typically do not obtain long-term purchase orders or commitments from our customers, they must anticipate the future volume of orders based upon the historic purchasing patterns of customers and upon our discussions with customers as to their anticipated future requirements. These historic patterns may be disrupted by many factors, including changing economic conditions, inventory adjustments, or work stoppages or labor disruptions at our customers. Cancellations, reductions or delays in orders by a customer or group of customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may fail to realize all of the expected benefits of the acquisition of Vought.

        On June 16, 2010, we completed the acquisition of Vought. Vought was a company with revenues almost twice our revenues prior to the acquisition and approximately as many employees. The acquisition of Vought is by far the largest acquisition we have made. The success of the acquisition of Vought will depend, in part, on our ability to realize the anticipated benefits from combining the businesses of Triumph and Vought. However, to realize these anticipated benefits, we must successfully combine the businesses. If we are not able to achieve these objectives, or do not do so in a timely manner, the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Vought may not be realized fully or at all or may take longer to realize than expected.

        In addition, it is possible that the integration process could result in the loss of key employees, the disruption of each company's ongoing businesses or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures and policies that adversely affect our ability to maintain relationships with customers, suppliers and employees or to achieve the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Vought. Integration efforts between the two companies will also divert management attention and resources and could have an adverse effect on us during the transition period.

Our acquisition strategy exposes us to risks, including the risk that we may not be able to successfully integrate acquired businesses.

        We have a consistent strategy to grow, in part, through the acquisition of additional businesses in the aerospace industry and are continuously evaluating various acquisition opportunities, including those outside the United States and those that may have a material impact on our business. Our ability to grow by acquisition is dependent upon, among other factors, the availability of suitable acquisition candidates. Growth by acquisition involves risks that could adversely affect our operating results, including difficulties in integrating the operations and personnel of acquired companies, the risk of diverting the attention of senior management from our existing operations, the potential amortization of acquired intangible assets, the potential impairment of goodwill and the potential loss of key employees of acquired companies. We may not be able to consummate acquisitions on satisfactory terms or, if any acquisitions are consummated, successfully integrate these acquired businesses.

A significant decline in business with a key customer could have a material adverse effect on us.

        The Boeing Company, or Boeing Commercial, Military & Space, represented approximately 45% of our net sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, covering virtually every Boeing plant and

22

Table of Contents

product. As a result, a significant reduction in purchases by Boeing could have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. In addition, some of our other group companies rely significantly on particular customers, the loss of which could have an adverse effect on those businesses.

Demand for military and defense products is dependent upon government spending.

        The military and defense market is largely dependent upon government budgets, particularly the U.S. defense budget, and even an increase in defense spending may not be allocated to programs that would benefit our business. Moreover, the new military aircraft programs in which we participate may not enter full-scale production as expected. A change in the levels of defense spending or levels of military flight operations could curtail or enhance our prospects in the military and defense market depending upon the programs affected.

        For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, approximately 37% of our net sales were derived from the military and defense market, which includes primarily indirect sales to the U.S. Government. As a result, our exposure to the military and defense market is significant.

        We also face the risk that the C-17 program could be completed upon fulfillment of currently outstanding production orders. We currently have a contract with Boeing for firm orders to support C-17 production through June 2011 and partial funding for the next production order, which we expect to complete in April 2013. The President's proposed FY2012 budget does not include funding for the procurement of new C-17 aircraft. Boeing currently has confirmed orders with the U.S. Air Force and various foreign countries to produce C-17 through 2012 at a rate of approximately 10 aircraft per year. In addition, Boeing has reported that there is strong interest from India for 10 aircraft as well as interest from other foreign countries. These additional orders should allow production to be continued through 2014 at today's current rate. However, there can be no assurance that these additional orders will materialize. Our business could be adversely impacted if the U.S. Government does not fund additional C-17 aircraft or if additional orders from Foreign Militaries do not materialize and Boeing decides not to fund beyond their current commitment. As a result, the loss of the C-17 program and the failure to win additional work to replace the C-17 program could materially reduce our cash flow and results of operations.

Future volatility in the financial markets may impede our ability to successfully access capital markets and ensure adequate liquidity and may adversely affect our customers and suppliers.

        Future turmoil in the capital markets may impede our ability to access the capital markets when we would like, or need, to raise capital or restrict our ability to borrow money on favorable terms. Such market conditions could have an adverse impact on our flexibility to react to changing economic and business conditions and on our ability to fund our operations and capital expenditures in the future. In addition, interest rate fluctuations, financial market volatility or credit market disruptions may also negatively affect our customers' and our suppliers' ability to obtain credit to finance their businesses on acceptable terms. As a result, our customers' need for and ability to purchase our products or services may decrease, and our suppliers may increase their prices, reduce their output or change their terms of sale. If our customers' or suppliers' operating and financial performance deteriorates, or if they are unable to make scheduled payments or obtain credit, our customers may not be able to pay, or may delay payment of, accounts receivable owed to us, and our suppliers may restrict credit or impose different payment terms. Any inability of customers to pay us for our products and services or any demands by suppliers for different payment terms may adversely affect our earnings and cash flow.

23

Table of Contents

Our international sales and operations are subject to applicable laws relating to trade, export controls and foreign corrupt practices, the violation of which could adversely affect our operations.

        We must comply with all applicable export control laws and regulations of the United States and other countries. United States laws and regulations applicable to us include the Arms Export Control Act, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations ("ITAR"), the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR") and the trade sanctions laws and regulations administered by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC"). EAR restricts the export of dual-use products and technical data to certain countries, while ITAR restricts the export of defense products, technical data and defense services. The U.S. Government agencies responsible for administering EAR and ITAR have significant discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations. We cannot provide services to certain countries subject to United States trade sanctions unless we first obtain the necessary authorizations from OFAC. In addition, we are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which generally bars bribes or unreasonable gifts to foreign governments or officials.

        Violations of these laws or regulations could result in significant additional sanctions, including fines, more onerous compliance requirements, more extensive debarments from export privileges, loss of authorizations needed to conduct aspects of our international business and criminal penalties and may harm our ability to enter into contracts with the U.S. government. A future violation of ITAR or the other regulations enumerated above could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our expansion into international markets may increase credit, currency and other risks, and our current operations in international markets expose us to such risks.

        As we pursue customers in Asia, South America and other less developed aerospace markets throughout the world, our inability to ensure the creditworthiness of our customers in these areas could adversely impact our overall profitability. In addition, with operations in China, Germany, Mexico, Thailand and the United Kingdom, and customers throughout the world, we will be subject to the legal, political, social and regulatory requirements and economic conditions of other jurisdictions. In the future, we may also make additional international capital investments, including further acquisitions of companies outside the United States or companies having operations outside the United States. Risks inherent to international operations include, but are not limited to, the following:

•

difficulty in enforcing agreements in some legal systems outside the United States;



•

imposition of additional withholding taxes or other taxes on our foreign income, tariffs or other restrictions on foreign trade and investment, including currency exchange controls;



•

fluctuations in exchange rates which may affect demand for our products and services and may adversely affect our profitability in U.S. dollars;



•

inability to obtain, maintain or enforce intellectual property rights;



•

changes in general economic and political conditions in the countries in which we operate;



•

unexpected adverse changes in the laws or regulatory requirements outside the United States, including those with respect to environmental protection, export duties and quotas;



•

failure by our employees or agents to comply with U.S. laws affecting the activities of U.S. companies abroad;



•

difficulty with staffing and managing widespread operations; and



•

difficulty of and costs relating to compliance with the different commercial and legal requirements of the countries in which we operate.

24

Table of Contents

We may need additional financing for acquisitions and capital expenditures and additional financing may not be available on terms acceptable to us.

        A key element of our strategy has been, and continues to be, internal growth supplemented by growth through the acquisition of additional aerospace companies and product lines. In order to grow internally, we may need to make significant capital expenditures, such as investing in facilities in low cost countries, and may need additional capital to do so. Our ability to grow is dependent upon, and may be limited by, among other things, access to markets and conditions of markets, availability under the Credit Facility and Securitization Facility and by particular restrictions contained in the Credit Facility and our other financing arrangements. In that case, additional funding sources may be needed, and we may not be able to obtain the additional capital necessary to pursue our internal growth and acquisition strategy or, if we can obtain additional financing, the additional financing may not be on financial terms that are satisfactory to us.

Competitive pressures may adversely affect us.

        We have numerous competitors in the aerospace industry. We compete primarily with the top-tier systems integrators and the manufacturers that supply them, some of which are divisions or subsidiaries of OEMs and other large companies that manufacture aircraft components and subassemblies. Our OEM competitors, which include Boeing, Airbus, Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Gulfstream, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Rolls Royce and Sikorsky, may choose not to outsource production of aerostructures or other components due to, among other things, their own direct labor and overhead considerations, capacity utilization at their own facilities and desire to retain critical or core skills. Consequently, traditional factors affecting competition, such as price and quality of service, may not be significant determinants when OEMs decide whether to produce a part in-house or to outsource. We also face competition from non-OEM component manufacturers, including Alenia Aeronautica, Fuji Heavy Industries, GKN Westland Aerospace (U.K.), Goodrich Corp., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Spirit AeroSystems and Stork Aerospace. Competition for the repair and overhaul of aviation components comes from three primary sources: OEMs, major commercial airlines and other independent repair and overhaul companies.

We may need to expend significant capital to keep pace with technological developments in our industry.

        The aerospace industry is constantly undergoing development and change and it is likely that new products, equipment and methods of repair and overhaul service will be introduced in the future. In order to keep pace with any new developments, we may need to expend significant capital to purchase new equipment and machines or to train our employees in the new methods of production and service.

The construction of aircraft is heavily regulated and failure to comply with applicable laws could reduce our sales or require us to incur additional costs to achieve compliance, and we may incur significant expenses to comply with new or more stringent governmental regulation.

        The aerospace industry is highly regulated in the United States by the FAA and in other countries by similar agencies. We must be certified by the FAA and, in some cases, by individual OEMs in order to engineer and service parts, components and aerostructures used in specific aircraft models. If any of our material authorizations or approvals were revoked or suspended, our operations would be adversely affected. New or more stringent governmental regulations may be adopted, or industry oversight heightened in the future, and we may incur significant expenses to comply with any new regulations or any heightened industry oversight.

25

Table of Contents

Some contractual arrangements with customers may cause us to bear significant up-front costs that we may not be able to recover.

        Many new aircraft programs require that major suppliers bear the cost of design, development and engineering work associated with the development of the aircraft usually in exchange for a long-term agreement to supply critical parts once the aircraft is in production. If the aircraft fails to reach the full production stage or we fail to win the long-term contract, the outlays we have made in research and development and other start-up costs may not generate our anticipated return on investment.

We may not realize our anticipated return on capital commitments made to expand our capabilities.

        We continually make significant capital expenditures to implement new processes and to increase both efficiency and capacity. Some of these projects require additional training for our employees and not all projects may be implemented as anticipated. If any of these projects do not achieve the anticipated increase in efficiency or capacity, our returns on these capital expenditures may be lower than expected.

Any product liability claims in excess of insurance may adversely affect our financial condition.

        Our operations expose us to potential liability for personal injury or death as a result of the failure of an aircraft component that has been serviced by us or the failure of an aircraft component designed or manufactured by us. While we believe that our liability insurance is adequate to protect us from these liabilities, our insurance may not cover all liabilities. Additionally, as the number of insurance companies providing general aviation product liability insurance coverage has decreased in recent years, insurance coverage may not be available in the future at a cost acceptable to us. Any material liability not covered by insurance or for which third-party indemnification is not available could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

The lack of available skilled personnel may have an adverse effect on our operations.

        From time to time, some of our operating locations have experienced difficulties in attracting and retaining skilled personnel to design, engineer, manufacture, repair and overhaul sophisticated aircraft components. Our ability to operate successfully could be jeopardized if we are unable to attract and retain a sufficient number of skilled personnel to conduct our business. Additionally, the service of key members of the Vought management team and other personnel are expected to be critical to ensure the smooth and timely integration of Vought's business into Triumph.

Any exposure to environmental liabilities may adversely affect us.

        Our business, operations and facilities are subject to numerous stringent federal, state, local and foreign environmental laws and regulations, and we are subject to potentially significant fines or penalties, including criminal sanctions, if we fail to comply with these requirements. In addition, we could be affected by future laws and regulations, including those imposed in response to climate change concerns and other actions commonly referred to as "green initiatives." Compliance with current and future environmental laws and regulations currently requires and is expected to continue to require significant operating and capital costs.

        Pursuant to certain environmental laws, a current or previous owner or operator of a contaminated site may be held liable for the entire cost of investigation, removal or remediation of hazardous materials at such property, whether or not the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of any hazardous materials. Although management believes that our operations and facilities are in material compliance with such laws and regulations, future changes in such laws, regulations or interpretations thereof or the nature of our operations or regulatory enforcement actions which may arise, may require us to make significant additional capital expenditures to ensure compliance in the

26

Table of Contents

future. Certain of our facilities, including facilities acquired and operated by us or one of our subsidiaries, have at one time or another been under active investigation for environmental contamination by federal or state agencies when acquired and, at least in some cases, continue to be under investigation or subject to remediation for potential or identified environmental contamination. Lawsuits, claims and costs involving environmental matters are likely to continue to arise in the future. Individual facilities of ours have also been subject to investigation on occasion for possible past waste disposal practices which might have contributed to contamination at or from remote third-party waste disposal sites. In some instances, we are indemnified by prior owners or operators and/or present owners of the facilities for liabilities which we incur as a result of these investigations and the environmental contamination found which pre-dates our acquisition of these facilities, subject to certain limitations, including but not limited to specified exclusions, deductibles and limitations on the survival period of the indemnity. We also maintain a pollution liability policy that provides coverage, subject to specified limitations, for specified material liabilities associated with the clean-up of certain on-site pollution conditions, as well as defense and indemnity for certain third-party suits (including Superfund liabilities at third-party sites), in each case, to the extent not otherwise indemnified. However, if we were required to pay the expenses related to environmental liabilities for which neither indemnification nor insurance coverage is available, these expenses could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

We are currently involved in intellectual property litigation, which could have a material and adverse impact on our profitability, and we could become so involved again in the future.

        We and other companies in our industry possess certain proprietary rights relating to designs, engineering, manufacturing processes and repair and overhaul procedures. In the event that we believe that a third party is infringing upon our proprietary rights, we may bring an action to enforce such rights. In addition, third parties may claim infringement by us with respect to their proprietary rights and may initiate legal proceedings against us in the future. The expense and time of bringing an action to enforce such rights or defending against infringement claims can be significant, as in the case of the litigation arising out of the claims of Eaton Corporation discussed in "Item 3. Legal Proceedings." Intellectual property litigation involves complex legal and factual questions which makes the outcome of any such proceedings subject to considerable uncertainty. Not only can such litigation divert management's attention, but it can also expose the Company to damages and potential injunctive relief which, if granted, may preclude the Company from making, using or selling particular products or technology. The expense and time associated with such litigation may have a material and adverse impact on our profitability.

We do not own certain intellectual property and tooling that is important to our business.

        In our overhaul and repair businesses, OEMs of equipment that we maintain for our customers increasingly include language in repair manuals relating to their equipment asserting broad claims of proprietary rights to the contents of the manuals used in our operations. Although we believe that our use of manufacture and repair manuals is lawful, there can be no assurance that OEMs will not try to enforce such claims, including through the possible use of legal proceedings, or that any such actions will be unsuccessful.

        Our business also depends on using certain intellectual property and tooling that we have rights to use pursuant to license grants under our contracts with our OEM customers. These contracts contain restrictions on our use of the intellectual property and tooling and may be terminated if we violate certain of these restrictions. Our loss of a contract with an OEM customer and the related license rights to use an OEM's intellectual property or tooling would materially adversely affect our business.

27

Table of Contents

Our fixed-price contracts may commit us to unfavorable terms.

        For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, a significant portion of our net sales were derived from fixed-price contracts under which we have agreed to provide components or aerostructures for a price determined on the date we entered into the contract. Several factors may cause the costs we incur in fulfilling these contracts to vary substantially from our original estimates, and we bear the risk that increased or unexpected costs may reduce our profit or cause us to sustain losses on these contracts. In a fixed-price contract, we must fully absorb cost overruns, notwithstanding the difficulty of estimating all of the costs we will incur in performing these contracts. Because our ability to terminate contracts is generally limited, we may not be able to terminate our performance requirements under these contracts at all or without substantial liability and, therefore, in the event we are sustaining reduced profits or losses, we could continue to sustain these reduced profits or losses for the duration of the contract term. Our failure to anticipate technical problems, estimate delivery reductions, estimate costs accurately or control costs during performance of a fixed-price contract may reduce the profitability of a fixed-price contract or cause significant losses.

Any significant disruption from key suppliers of raw materials and key components could delay production and decrease revenue.

        We are highly dependent on the availability of essential raw materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum and titanium, and purchased engineered component parts from our suppliers, many of which are available only from single customer-approved sources. Moreover, we are dependent upon the ability of our suppliers to provide raw materials and components that meet our specifications, quality standards and delivery schedules. Our suppliers' failure to provide expected raw materials or component parts could require us to identify and enter into contracts with alternate suppliers that are acceptable to both us and our customers, which could result in significant delays, expenses, increased costs and management distraction and adversely affect production schedules and contract profitability.

        We have from time to time experienced limited interruptions of supply, and we may experience a significant interruption in the future. Our continued supply of raw materials and component parts are subject to a number of risks including:

•

availability of capital to our suppliers;



•

the destruction of our suppliers' facilities or their distribution infrastructure;



•

a work stoppage or strike by our suppliers' employees;



•

the failure of our suppliers to provide raw materials or component parts of the requisite quality;



•

the failure of essential equipment at our suppliers' plants;



•

the failure or shortage of supply of raw materials to our suppliers;



•

contractual amendments and disputes with our suppliers; and



•

geopolitical conditions in the global supply base.

        In addition, some contracts with our suppliers for raw materials, component parts and other goods are short-term contracts, which are subject to termination on a relatively short-term basis. The prices of our raw materials and component parts fluctuate depending on market conditions, and substantial increases in prices could increase our operating costs, which, as a result of our fixed-price contracts, we may not be able to recoup through increases in the prices of our products.

        Due to economic difficulty, we may face pressure to renegotiate agreements resulting in lower margins. Our suppliers may discontinue provision of products to us at attractive prices or at all, and we may not be able to obtain such products in the future from these or other providers on the scale and

28

Table of Contents

within the time periods we require. Furthermore, substitute raw materials or component parts may not meet the strict specifications and quality standards we and our customers demand, or that the U.S. Government requires. If we are not able to obtain key products on a timely basis and at an affordable cost, or we experience significant delays or interruptions of their supply, revenues from sales of products that use these supplies will decrease.

Our operations depend on our manufacturing facilities, which are subject to physical and other risks that could disrupt production.

        Our manufacturing facilities could be damaged or disrupted by a natural disaster, war, or terrorist activity. We maintain property damage and business interruption insurance at the levels typical in our industry, however, a major catastrophe, such as an earthquake, hurricane, flood, tornado or other natural disaster at any of our sites, or war or terrorist activities in any of the areas where we conduct operations could result in a prolonged interruption of our business. Any disruption resulting from these events could cause significant delays in shipments of products and the loss of sales and customers and we may not have insurance to adequately compensate us for any of these events.

Significant consolidation by aerospace industry suppliers could adversely affect our business.

        The aerospace industry has recently experienced consolidation among suppliers. Suppliers have consolidated and formed alliances to broaden their product and integrated system offerings and achieve critical mass. This supplier consolidation is in part attributable to aircraft manufacturers more frequently awarding long-term sole-source or preferred supplier contracts to the most capable suppliers, thus reducing the total number of suppliers. This consolidation could cause us to compete against certain competitors with greater financial resources, market penetration and purchasing power. When we purchase component parts and services from suppliers to manufacture our products, consolidation reduces price competition between our suppliers, which could diminish incentives for our suppliers to reduce prices. If this consolidation continues, our operating costs could increase and it may become more difficult for us to be successful in obtaining new customers.

Due to the size and long-term nature of many of our contracts, we are required by GAAP to estimate sales and expenses relating to these contracts in our financial statements, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated under different assumptions or conditions.

        Our financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. These principles require our management to make estimates and assumptions regarding our contracts that affect the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Contract accounting requires judgment relative to assessing risks, estimating contract sales and costs, and making assumptions for schedule and technical issues. Due to the size and nature of many of our contracts, the estimation of total sales and cost at completion is complicated and subject to many variables. While we base our estimates on historical experience and on various assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances at the time made, actual results may differ materially from those estimated.

We may be subject to work stoppages at our facilities or those of our principal customers and suppliers, which could seriously impact the profitability of our business.

        At March 31, 2011, we employed 12,097 people, of which 28.7% belonged to unions. Our unionized workforces and those of our customers and suppliers may experience work stoppages. For example, the International Association of Machinists-represented employees at Vought's Nashville, Tennessee, plant engaged in a strike that continued for approximately 16 weeks during 2008 and 2009 (prior to our acquisition of Vought). A contingency plan was implemented that allowed production to continue in Nashville during the course of that strike. Additionally, our union contract with the

29

Table of Contents

International Association of Machinists-represented employees at our Nashville, Tennessee, facility expires in February 2012. If we are unable to negotiate a new contract with that workforce, our operations may be disrupted and we may be prevented from completing production and delivery of products from those facilities, which would negatively impact our results of operations.

        Many aircraft manufacturers, airlines and aerospace suppliers have unionized workforces. Strikes, work stoppages or slowdowns experienced by aircraft manufacturers, airlines or aerospace suppliers, such as the recent strike at Boeing's C-17 facilities, could reduce our customers' demand for our products or prevent us from completing production. In turn, this may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

Financial market conditions may adversely affect the benefit plan assets we have inherited from Vought, increase funding requirements and materially impact our statements of financial position and cash flows.

        The benefit plan assets we have inherited as a result of the acquisition of Vought are invested in a diversified portfolio of investments in both the equity and debt categories, as well as limited investments in real estate and other alternative investments. The current market values of all of these investments, as well as the related benefit plan liabilities are impacted by the movements and volatility in the financial markets. In accordance with the Compensation—Retirement Benefits topic of the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC), we have recognized the over-funded or under-funded status of a defined benefit postretirement plan as an asset or liability in its balance sheet, and will recognize changes in that funded status in the year in which the changes occur. The funded status is measured as the difference between the fair value of the plan's assets and the projected benefit obligation. A decrease in the fair value of these plan assets or an increase in interest rates resulting from movements in the financial markets will increase the under-funded status of the plans recorded in our statement of financial position and result in additional cash funding requirements to meet the minimum required funding levels.

The U.S. Government is a significant customer of our largest customers, and we and they are subject to specific U.S. Government contracting rules and regulations.

        As a result of the acquisition of Vought, we have become a more significant provider of aerostructures to military aircraft manufacturers. The military aircraft manufacturers' business, and by extension, our business, is affected by the U.S. Government's continued commitment to programs under contract with our customers. The terms of defense contracts with the U.S. Government generally permit the government to terminate contracts partially or completely, either for its convenience or if we default by failing to perform under the contract. Termination for convenience provisions provide only for our recovery of unrecovered costs incurred or committed, settlement expenses and profit on the work completed prior to termination. Termination for default provisions provide for the contractor to be liable for excess costs incurred by the U.S. Government in procuring undelivered items from another source. On contracts where the price is based on cost, the U.S. Government may review our costs and performance, as well as our accounting and general business practices. Based on the results of such audits, the U.S. Government may adjust our contract-related costs and fees, including allocated indirect costs. In addition, under U.S. Government purchasing regulations, some of our costs, including most financing costs, portions of research and development costs, and certain marketing expenses may not be subject to reimbursement.

        We bear the potential risk that the U.S. Government may unilaterally suspend our customers or us from new contracts pending the resolution of alleged violations of procurement laws or regulations. Sales to the U.S. Government are also subject to changes in the government's procurement policies in advance of design completion. An unexpected termination of, or suspension from, a significant government contract, a reduction in expenditures by the U.S. Government for aircraft using our products, lower margins resulting from increasingly competitive procurement policies, a reduction in the

30

Table of Contents

volume of contracts awarded to us, or substantial cost overruns could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We are subject to the requirements of the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual for facility security clearance, which is a prerequisite for our ability to perform on classified contracts for the U.S. Government.

        A Department of Defense, or DoD, facility security clearance is required in order to be awarded and perform on classified contracts for the DoD and certain other agencies of the U.S. Government, which is a significant part of our business. We have obtained clearance at appropriate levels that require stringent qualifications, and it may be required to seek higher level clearances in the future. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain our security clearance. If for some reason our security clearance is invalidated or terminated, we may not be able to continue to perform our present classified contracts or be able to enter into new classified contracts, which could affect our ability to compete for and capture new business.

We may be unable to effectively implement the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system at Vought.

        In 2009, Vought began the planning and design phase of an ERP system which "went live" on May 3, 2011. If this implementation is not managed effectively, it may delay our ability to obtain accurate financial information with respect to the Vought business or obtain the information necessary to effectively manage the Vought business, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial health and our ability to fulfill our obligations.

        After completing the acquisition of Vought, we have a substantial amount of indebtedness. Our indebtedness could have important consequences, including:

•

making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations;



•

increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;



•

requiring that a portion of our cash flow from operations be used for the payment of interest on our debt, thereby reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and general corporate requirements;



•

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and general corporate requirements;



•

limiting our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the aerospace and defense industry; and



•

placing us at a competitive disadvantage to our competitors that have less indebtedness.

        We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur additional indebtedness in the future. Our existing debt agreements do not fully prohibit us or our subsidiaries from doing so. If new indebtedness is added to our and our subsidiaries' current indebtedness levels, the related risks that we and they now face could intensify.

        If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds necessary to make required payments on our indebtedness, we would be in default. Our ability to meet our obligations will depend upon our future performance, which will be subject to prevailing economic conditions, and to financial, business and other factors, including factors beyond our control.

31

Table of Contents

Item 1B.    Unresolved Staff Comments

        None.

Item 2.    Properties

        As of April 30, 2011, we owned or leased the following facilities.

32

Table of Contents

        We believe that our properties are adequate to support our operations for the foreseeable future.

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings

        On July 9, 2004, Eaton Corporation and several Eaton subsidiaries filed a complaint against us, our subsidiary, Frisby Aerospace, LLC (now named Triumph Actuation Systems, LLC), certain related subsidiaries and certain employees of ours and our subsidiaries. The complaint was filed in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi and alleged nineteen causes of action under Mississippi law. In particular, the complaint alleged the misappropriation of trade secrets and intellectual property allegedly belonging to Eaton relating to hydraulic pumps and motors used in military and commercial aviation. Triumph Actuation Systems and the individual defendants filed separate responses to Eaton's claims. Triumph Actuation Systems filed counterclaims against Eaton alleging common law unfair competition, interference with existing and prospective contracts, abuse of

33

Table of Contents

process, defamation, violation of North Carolina's Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and violation of the false advertising provisions of the Lanham Act. We and defendant Jeff Frisby, President of Triumph Actuation Systems at the time the engineer defendants were hired, moved to dismiss the complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction.

        The above allegations also relate to alleged conduct that has been the subject of an investigation by the office of the U.S. Attorney in Jackson, Mississippi. On January 22, 2004, a search warrant was executed on the offices of Triumph Actuation Systems in connection with this investigation. Triumph Actuation Systems cooperated with the investigation. On December 20, 2006, five engineers of Triumph Actuation Systems who are former employees of Eaton Aerospace, LLC, were indicted by a grand jury sitting in the Southern District of Mississippi on five counts of trade secret misappropriation, conspiracy to misappropriate trade secrets, and mail and wire fraud. On June 15, 2007, all counts other than part of one count were dismissed by the court, leaving a charge of conspiracy to misappropriate trade secrets.

        On October 11, 2007, the government obtained a new indictment against the same five engineer defendants, raising new charges arising out of the same investigation, which were essentially reiterated in a second superseding indictment obtained on November 7, 2007. The defendant engineers subsequently filed pretrial motions, including motions to dismiss. On April 25, 2008, the court granted some of those motions and dismissed seven of the twelve counts of the second superseding indictment. The government appealed the dismissal with respect to three of the seven counts dismissed. On January 21, 2009, while the appeal was still pending, the government obtained a new indictment against the five engineers containing three counts stating essentially the same charges as those covered by the government's appeal. On February 9, 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit unanimously affirmed the dismissal of one of the counts covered by the government's appeal and reversed as to the other two counts. (The government thereafter dismissed the two counts of the most recent indictment similar to the two counts restored by the appellate court.) Thus, there are seven charges against the engineers remaining pending under the second superseding indictment in addition to the one count remaining in the most recent indictment. On September 10, 2009, upon agreement of the government and the defendant engineers, the trial court entered an order continuing the case until after the trial in the civil case filed by Eaton and staying all proceedings except the issuance of orders related to previously filed motions and the parties' compliance with ongoing discovery obligations. The trial court has since disposed of all pending motions.

        No charges have been brought against Triumph Actuation Systems or us, and we understand that neither Triumph Actuation Systems nor the Company is currently the subject of the criminal investigation.

        In the civil case, following stays of most discovery while the parties litigated a motion to dismiss and a motion to protect the defendant engineers' Fifth Amendment rights, discovery recommenced in late August 2007. However, on January 4, 2008, the judge in the civil case, Judge Bobby DeLaughter, recused himself on his own motion. The case was reassigned to Chief Judge W. Swan Yerger.

        On January 24, 2008, Triumph Actuation Systems filed a motion to stay all discovery in order to review and reconsider Judge DeLaughter's prior orders based on the ongoing federal investigation of an alleged ex parte and inappropriate relationship between Judge DeLaughter and Ed Peters, a lawyer representing Eaton for whom Judge DeLaughter had worked prior to his appointment to the bench. Judge DeLaughter was thereafter suspended from the bench and indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in the Northern District of Mississippi. On July 30, 2009, Judge DeLaughter pled guilty to a count of obstruction of justice contained in the indictment and, on November 13, 2009, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.

        Triumph Actuation Systems filed other motions relating to this alleged inappropriate relationship with Mr. Peters, including a motion for sanctions. Judge Yerger ordered that this conduct be examined

34

Table of Contents

and has undertaken, along with a newly appointed Special Master, to review Judge DeLaughter's rulings in the case from the time Mr. Peters became involved.

        On December 22, 2010, the court entered a final order dismissing with prejudice all of the claims that had been asserted by Eaton. The order of dismissal fully ended the litigation of claims by Eaton in the Circuit Court. On December 28, 2010, Eaton filed a notice of appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court appealing the order of dismissal and other matters.

        On December 28, 2010, Triumph, Frisby and the engineer defendants filed a motion for leave to amend the counterclaims which remained pending to include causes of action based on the Eaton misconduct that led to the dismissal of their claims. Judge Yerger retired from the bench on December 31, 2010, and the matter was reassigned to Judge Jeffrey Weill. On March 14, 2011, Judge Weill granted to the motion for leave to amend the counterclaims. The amended counterclaims were filed on March 18, 2011. In addition, on February 1, 2011, Triumph Actuation Systems filed a complaint in the District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against Eaton Corporation and several of its subsidiaries alleging three counts of antitrust violations under the Sherman Act based on the various actions and misconduct of Eaton and its subsidiaries in the Mississippi state court litigation.

        Given the fact of Eaton's appeal of the dismissal of its claims, it is too early to determine what, if any, exposure to liability Triumph Actuation Systems or the Company might face as a result of the civil suit. We intend to continue to vigorously defend the dismissal of Eaton's claims on appeal and to vigorously prosecute the counterclaims brought by Triumph Actuation Systems.

        In addition to the foregoing, in the ordinary course of our business, we are involved in disputes, claims, lawsuits, and governmental and regulatory inquiries that we deem to be immaterial. Some may involve claims or potential claims of substantial damages, fines or penalties. While we cannot predict the outcome of any pending or future litigation or proceeding, we do not believe that any pending matter will have a material effect, individually or in the aggregate, on our financial position or results of operations, although no assurances can be given to that effect.

Item 4.    Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

        None.

35

Table of Contents

PART II

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

Range of Market Price

        Our Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TGI." The following table sets forth the range of high and low prices for our Common Stock for the periods indicated:

        On May 9, 2011, the reported closing price for our Common Stock was $88.55. As of May 9, 2011, there were approximately 128 holders of record of our Common Stock and we believe that our Common Stock was beneficially owned by approximately 22,000 persons.

Dividend Policy

        During fiscal 2011 and 2010, we paid cash dividends of $0.16 per share and $0.16 per share, respectively. However, our declaration and payment of cash dividends in the future and the amount thereof will depend upon our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, future prospects, limitations imposed by credit agreements or indentures governing debt securities and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors. No assurance can be given that cash dividends will continue to be declared and paid at historical levels or at all. Certain of our debt arrangements, including our credit facility, restrict our paying dividends and making distributions on our capital stock, except for the payment of stock dividends and redemptions of an employee's shares of capital stock upon termination of employment. On May 3, 2011, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.04 per share on its outstanding common stock. The dividend is payable June 15, 2011 to stockholders of record as of May 1, 2011.

Repurchases of Stock

        The following summarizes repurchases made pursuant to the Company's share repurchase plan during the three years ended March 31, 2011. In December 1998, we announced a program to repurchase up to 500,000 shares of our common stock. In February 2008, the Company's Board of Directors authorized an increase in the Company's existing stock repurchase program by up to an additional 500,000 shares of its common stock. From the inception of the program through March 31, 2011, we have repurchased a total of 499,200 shares for a total purchase price of $19.2 million. As a result, as of May 9, 2011, the Company remains able to purchase an additional 500,800 shares. Repurchases may be made from time to time in open market transactions, block purchases, privately

36

Table of Contents

negotiated transactions or otherwise at prevailing prices. No time limit has been set for completion of the program.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

        The information required regarding equity compensation plan information is included in our Proxy Statement in connection with our 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on July 27, 2011, under the heading "Equity Compensation Plan Information" and is incorporated herein by reference.

        The following graph compares the cumulative 5-year total return provided stockholders on Triumph Group, Inc.'s common stock relative to the cumulative total returns of the Russell 2000 index and the S&P Aerospace & Defense index. An investment of $100 (with reinvestment of all dividends) is assumed to have been made in our common stock and in each of the indexes on March 31, 2006 and its relative performance is tracked through March 31, 2011.

COMPARISON OF 5-YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*
Among Triumph Group, Inc., The Russell 2000 Index
And The S&P Aerospace & Defense Index

*

$100 invested on March 31, 2006 in stock or index, including reinvestment of dividends. Fiscal year ended March 31.

        The stock price performance included in this graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.

37

Table of Contents

Item 6.    Selected Financial Data

        The following selected financial data should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and related Notes thereto and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included herein.

38

Table of Contents

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