TechPrecision Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

Quartr
Provided by Quartr
February 29, 2024

There are 8 speakers on the call.

Operator

Greetings. Welcome to the TechPrecision Corporation Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results Conference Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentation. Please note this conference is being recorded.

Operator

I will now turn the conference over to your host, Brett Mas, Managing Partner of Hayden IR. You may begin.

Speaker 1

Thank you. On the call today is Alex Shen, Chief Executive Officer and Bobby Lilly, Chief Financial Officer. Before we begin, I'd like to remind our listeners that management's remarks may contain forward looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties, and management may make additional forward looking statements in response to your question. Therefore, the company claims the protection of the Safe Harbor for forward looking statements as contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from those discussed today, and therefore, we refer you to a more detailed discussion of risks and uncertainties in the company's financial filings with the SEC.

Speaker 1

In addition, projections as to the company's future performance represent management's estimates as of today, February 29, 2024. Pet Precision assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward looking statements. With that out of

Speaker 2

the way, I'd like to

Speaker 1

turn the call over to Alex Shen, Chief Executive Officer, to provide opening remarks. Alex, the floor is yours.

Speaker 3

Thank you, Brett. Good afternoon to everyone and thank you for joining us. I'm happy to report that customer confidence remains high as our consolidated backlog further strengthened to $50,800,000 at December 31, 2023 from $44,600,000 at September 30, 2023. We have since captured new bookings over 6,000,000 in January February of 2024. For Ranor, backlog increased content features both new penetration as well as recapture of significant sole source content in the defense sector, namely the Virginia class and the Columbia class submarine programs.

Speaker 3

For STAADCO, backlog increased content features significant recapture of military aerospace sole source content, combined with new penetration into military space launch and aerospace related tooling. For the Q3, consolidated net sales were $7,700,000 or 8% lower when compared to $8,300,000 for the same period 1 year ago. For the 9 months of fiscal 2024, consolidated net sales were $23,000,000 or 4% lower when compared to $23,900,000 for the same period a year ago. For the Q3 of fiscal 2024, consolidated gross profit was $1,200,000 operating loss was $1,000,000 And SG and A expense increased by $1,000,000 primarily due to outside advisory costs in connection with a potential acquisition. For the Q3 of fiscal 2020 4, STADCO gross profit was essentially breakeven@negative3percentofnet sales, a loss of $216,000 in a quarter with a lower number of labor hours available during the November December holiday calendar.

Speaker 3

Ranor gross profit was $1,400,000 for the Q3 of fiscal 2024. We do expect to deliver our strong backlog over the course of the next 1 to 3 fiscal years with both revenue growth and better gross margin. The STANCO turnaround continues. I would like to share one specific success story, which revolves around our customers' requirements for electron beam welding technology. STATCO operates 1 of the largest electron beam vacuum welding chambers in the United States.

Speaker 3

We have methodically overhauled and upgraded key components of our STATCO chamber with good results, improving on time delivery from 25% at start of acquisition to 100% on time today. We have improved throughput 800%. In other words, we can put out 8x as much work today compared to August 2021 at the close of the STAADCO acquisition. As a result, we have been able to recapture customer confidence and secured and have secured new purchase orders, which feed this specific work center as well as other machining supported work centers. We continue to focus on tactical execution and risk mitigation, driving both subsidiaries to fully and successfully meet customer expectations, enabling continuous recapture and continuous retention of customer confidence.

Speaker 3

We all clearly see the positive results of this focus, evidenced by the continued high customer confidence, which has enabled us to grow an already strong backlog. We remain highly focused on cash management, a critical piece of risk mitigation and continue to manage and control expenses, capital expenditures, customer advances, progress billings and final invoicing at shipment. I will now turn over the call to our CFO, Bobby Lilly to continue with the review of our first of our quarter results. Bobby?

Speaker 4

Thank you, Alex. Net sales for the Q3 of fiscal year 2024 were $7,700,000 or 8% lower when compared to the same quarter a year ago. Direct labor hours charged to projects were lower at both segments. Consolidated cost of sales were $6,500,000 or 5% lower than the prior year period, due primarily to the lower revenue recognized during the Q3. Consolidated gross profit was 1,200,000 dollars or 23% lower compared to the same quarter a year ago.

Speaker 4

SG and A expense increased by $1,000,000 primarily due to outside advisory costs in connection with a potential acquisition. Operating loss was $1,000,000 for the Q3 of fiscal 2024. Interest expense increased due to more borrowing under our revolver loan and higher interest rates. There was $2,600,000 of outstanding debt under the revolver loan at December 31, 2023. Net loss for the 3rd quarter was $865,000 compared to net income of $134,000 a year ago.

Speaker 4

For the 9 months of fiscal year 2024, net sales were $23,000,000 or 4% lower when compared to the same period a year ago with $13,000,000 for Ranor $10,000,000 for Stadco. Cost of sales were $20,100,000 or 1% higher than the prior year period due primarily to a decline in absorption rates as a result of as a lower number of labor hours were utilized during the period. Gross profit was $2,900,000 or 29% lower due primarily to the decrease in net sales. SG and A expense increased by 636 $1,000 or 14%, primarily due to an increase in outside advisory costs in connection with a potential acquisition. Operating loss was $2,200,000 due to lower net sales and increased SG and A expense.

Speaker 4

Interest expense increased by $76,000 due to more borrowing under our revolver loan and higher interest rates. Net loss for the 9 months of fiscal 2024 was $1,900,000 compared to a net income of $24,000 a year ago. The prior year period included a one time gain of $624,000 from the ERC tax credit refund. Moving on to our financial position for the 9 months ended December 31, 2023. Cash provided by operating activities was $1,200,000 Cash used for the capital expenditures was $2,800,000 Financing activities provided net cash of $1,400,000 dollars primarily from the borrowings under the revolver loan.

Speaker 4

Our total debt was $7,600,000 on December 31, 2023 compared to $6,100,000 at the end of March 31, 2023 as we borrowed an additional $1,900,000 under the revolver loan in fiscal 2024. Cash balance at December 31, 2023 was $400,000 compared to $500,000 at March 31, 2023. Working capital was negative at December 31, 2023 as we reclassified all of our long term debt to current because of certain debt covenant violations. With that, I will now turn the call back over to Alex.

Speaker 3

Bobby, thank you. For those on the call today who may not be very familiar with our company, TechPrecision is a custom manufacturer of precision large scale fabricated and welded components and precision large scale machined metal structural components. The components that we manufacture are customer designed. We sell to customers in 2 main industry sectors, defense and precision industrial, predominantly defense. We do most of our work in industries that are highly sensitive to confidentiality, which preclude us from speaking publicly about many things that a company not operating in these fields might discuss.

Speaker 3

As such, there are real limits as to what I can discuss and sometimes those limits change. Please understand that my saying, I am not allowed to discuss that, is based on customer requirements and the environment in which we conduct business. Even though I have read the last statement at every conference call for the last several years, we continue to get questions both written and oral or hear about individuals making statements that what I am saying is not accurate, that it is the Board silencing me or that I alone am making these decisions. As I have said repeatedly over and over again, we are not the ones making these rules, not me, not the Board. The decision as to what we can say is based solely and completely on rules, rules from our clients.

Speaker 3

These are not my rules, these are not the Board's rules. There are many things we would love to speak about, but we are restricted. It is the same for all of our direct competitors. As a final point, I do not see these clients changing these restrictions anytime in the near or even distant future. So please do not expect anything to change.

Speaker 3

Where we can speak about it, we will. But we will not jeopardize our relationships with our clients and we will not jeopardize the future orders we expect to receive from them. TechPrecision is proud and honored to serve the United States Defense Industry, specifically naval submarine manufacturing through our Ranor subsidiary and military aircraft manufacturing through our Stadco subsidiary. We aim to secure and maintain enduring partnerships with our customers. Overall, in both the Ranor and the STAADCO subsidiaries, we continue to see meaningful opportunities in the defense sector as evidenced by the strength and continuing growth of our backlog.

Speaker 3

We are encouraged by these prospects for growing our revenue and increasing profitability in future quarters. Operator, we can open the line for questions. Thank

Operator

you. The first question comes from Mark Gomes with Pipeline. Please proceed.

Speaker 2

Hey Alex, congrats on the rebound in orders and backlog consistent with what we're seeing in the industry. So that's nice to see. How do you feel about your cash and access to capital right now for operations? I'm not looking for a forward looking statement, but obviously, you have an idea of what you need going forward. I'm wondering if you feel safe about what you've got there.

Speaker 3

Well, I think let me answer the question if we feel safe about what we have, we do feel safe about what we have. I'm going to turn the rest of the more technical stuff over to our CFO, Bobby.

Speaker 4

We still have a facility that we've had for the last year in place with our bank. And we did go up at the end of Q3, but we're in the process of renegotiating that facility and borrowed in anticipation that the negotiations might not be done at the end of Q3. The borrowing is back down and we still have that facility.

Speaker 2

Okay. That's great to hear. Thank you for that. And then with anticipated increases throughout the industry, I know you guys spent quite a bit of money on CapEx in recent quarters, which as you stated on the last call, it'd be safe to say that that's for capacity expansion. How you feel about your human capital expansion as you have any luck on the hiring front?

Speaker 3

We are. In conjunction with CapEx, you bring up a very good point. Human machine interface needs a human to interface with the machine to make it work. So, as we increase our capacity as well as capability, we have for example, I go back to the success story I shared with STADCO's welding chamber. The electron beam welding chamber that we have has been upgraded with several key components, but also the manpower that's driving it is a very critical piece of driving that 8% 800% excuse me, 8 times 800% throughput increase.

Speaker 3

So yes, we have had I wouldn't say luck. I think we have been methodically grinding away to make sure that whatever gains we make with our humans and with our machines, we do not drop back. We have been able to maintain that throughput. So, it's good news. Thank you for the question.

Speaker 2

Thank you. And then final question. In consulting with some investment banking professionals, they indicate an amount of borrowing that one could expect you be able to attract in order to close this pending acquisition? And the amount that they provide, the range they provide, leaves quite a bit left over that would presumably have to come through equity, but your equity is obviously depressed at this point in time. How do you feel about your ability to pay for this acquisition?

Speaker 2

And what are the how do you feel about the how optimistic are you your ability to even to close it?

Speaker 3

Mark, I don't mean to sound negative or closed, but I've been instructed to that we cannot legally speak about the acquisition the potential acquisition at this time.

Speaker 2

I understand. Was there any part of that question that you are able to speak on?

Speaker 3

I think I need to on the side of caution and just obey my instructions.

Speaker 2

Fair enough. I'll go back into the queue. Thank you very much.

Speaker 3

Mark, one more thing to leave you. I think one thing we can say is the potential acquisition activities continue.

Speaker 2

Yes, that's very clear from the forecast that you provided, which we're pretty optimistic. And I think you did a pretty good job of explaining the methodology by which you think that you can hit those numbers. So and that's consistent with what we're seeing in the industry. So that was nice to see that as well as the order flow coming through. We're just I think what a lot of folks are waiting on bated breath to figure out is not so much is the deal going to close, but can it even be closed given your situation?

Speaker 2

And so I think that's been a big part of the frustration out there, which is why I asked the questions.

Speaker 3

Understood.

Operator

Okay. The next question comes from Greg Slater, private investor. Please proceed.

Speaker 5

Yes. I've got a couple of questions. Since you managed to be consistent at losing money this quarter, am I reading this right that you're having to borrow money to pay legal fees to find out if you can acquire this company? Is that what's going on? You're borrowing money to pay the legal fees to even see if you can purchase the company?

Speaker 5

I

Speaker 3

think go ahead.

Speaker 4

There has been some borrowings. There's also been inflow of cash from operations. But yes, there have been some borrowings for some of the expenses.

Speaker 5

So my question is if you can't even pay the attorneys out of cash to acquire a company that size, how on earth do you expect to be able to pull a deal off, 1? And 2, once it is pulled off, how do you even manage the cash flow within that company when you have, what do you have, dollars 400,000 in the bank and that's it?

Speaker 3

I believe that you are mischaracterizing our report.

Speaker 6

Okay. Thank you.

Operator

Please proceed.

Speaker 6

Thank you. Couple of questions. Alex, what level of capacity do you think you're running at in Ranor and also in Statco? It would strike me that the revenues you're running at are a fraction of what you're capable of running at. So I'm trying to get a handle on how much unused capacity you're sitting on in those two facilities?

Speaker 3

Quite a bit. I think it varies with the ebb and flow of the business, We have open capacity. We have also ups and downs of the PO flow and the material flow coming in. And it's a question of really timing and product mix that sometimes is going to help us and sometimes does not. Our order flow is good.

Speaker 3

Our capacity is available and we have more open capacity.

Speaker 6

Okay. Why have you not stepped away from DoD business in an effort to utilize more of your capacity even on a temporary basis. I could see what it would allow you to add to your workforce to employ them to get them worked up so that when you get these important the opportunities from the DoD, you'd be ready not only to execute, but to execute at a very high level if you were bringing on more outside business. The company used to do a lot of industrial. It seems to have abandoned that segment.

Speaker 6

Why was that decision made?

Speaker 3

Well, if you remember back then, the company used to do a lot of business with potentially over 1,000 customers. And much of the time when we do that much business that is so fragmented, the losses continue to mount instead of concentrating our forces on one set of specifications and one business sector. These are small companies that don't deal well with a fragmented approach.

Speaker 6

Okay. In the recent information that you published with regard to the acquisition, I'm not going to ask you about that, but what struck me as you're offering 3 years forward view on expected revenues, expected EBITDA and the like. You don't give us a quarter out. Why is it that you're able to give us 3 years of information on Votaw and you're not able to give us out 3 months on TechPrecision?

Speaker 3

Sorry, Ross. No, the numbers include all 3 well, the 2 current subsidiaries as well as the acquisition of VOTA. It combines all 3. Right. Yes.

Speaker 3

It combined all 3.

Speaker 6

As you're giving so you actually have pretty long visibility, not only on VOTAV, but also on your 2 businesses. I think it would be very helpful to your investors if you were if it didn't take this acquisition, which by the way, I'm strongly in favor of. I think the acquisition when it's done will be a home run. I think that those who don't quite understand what's going on or where the money is coming from, I think it's quite clear this is a deal that you're financing on BOTAS. This is likely a deal with a strategic investor or investors involved on BOTAS us and who are likely to be providing perhaps taking the equity and providing the debt.

Speaker 6

I'm just guessing on that, but that's my experience. And when a company is taking over someone much larger than they are, it's usually done in this type of fashion. So and they're also proven of being profitable. It just strikes me as it would actually be you can do it. So it would be helpful if you did do it.

Speaker 6

You do talk about the fact you can't give us insight. No one's asking you about specific programs. So the idea of being able to talk about the combined company, you've got 4 at least 4 major programs, possibly others and the like. So that would be helpful. Also, have you been finding in here that you're picking up business from are your primes or those who are employing you bringing new business from others who are not able to execute?

Speaker 3

Some of this information is in the public arena as far as what you just alluded to in the second part of your last sentence, those of us that cannot execute are out there.

Speaker 6

Are you winning business that others had that they were not able to execute on? It's a simple yes or no question. I'm not asking program specific, but I don't know why you wouldn't be able to answer it.

Speaker 3

Well, the reason I'm not able to answer is because somebody has told me that you're not going to talk badly about people who have lost their business. But I think you're on the right track there with your question. Is that good enough?

Speaker 6

No, not actually. I think this is part of what the crisis we have with investors is that you that's a question that can be answered. I don't think you need to dance around it. I think you need to build a bridge with us. But honestly, if you built a bridge with us, I think the stock would be $6 to $8 a share, not $4 a share because I think when you look at the economics and you've laid them out for this acquisition, this is what I have referred to, to others as your Graham moment.

Speaker 6

You have a chance to literally do for this company what happened to Graham over the last year or so, 14, 15 months, where its stock went parabolic. And it's done it without with a growing backlog, has not grown revenues, EBITDA and the like. If you look at what's going significantly in out years, I expect it. Here, you're looking at a home run.

Speaker 3

This is Let me try to rephrase myself then, Ross, if you give me a chance.

Speaker 6

So I

Speaker 3

think the holistic way to not only do we have new orders come from several different places. 1 is the offload from our clients. 1 is new part numbers that become designed and released with the new capabilities of the nuclear submarines. And certainly, when there is a competitive bid, we are winning those. So perhaps that's a much better and more comprehensive way to answer your question.

Speaker 6

So you're winning new orders, new part numbers and you're picking up business implied from others who have struggled to execute on their end. That's just kind of basically where I'm getting to. Is that correct?

Speaker 3

Yes, inclusively, yes.

Speaker 6

Inclusively, okay. Now you've lost money in 8 of the last 11 quarters. You've made money in 2 and broken even in 1. What is it going to take short of the closure of this acquisition, which will, I think, change that. But short of that, what's it going to take and why can't we get this company to where it's making money?

Speaker 3

If I can perhaps characterize this, Raynor by itself is in a much better place. It's had 10 years of good recovery, whereas STAADCO was a very damaged suffering turnaround that we acquired. We acquired it and closed it in 2021. There have been certain success stories and the much of the deferred maintenance has been a big drag on earnings and on profits. We're not over the hump yet.

Speaker 3

It continues to be a turn around, but we do have success stories and we continue to methodically really thump down these problems that occur. You'll recall that a few months ago, we had a number of different machines suffering at the same time, drastically causing a loss

Speaker 6

at STAADCO.

Speaker 3

So put together, yes, we are suffering. Separated, the focus really needs to be 2 fold. 1 is to preserve the gains that we have made at Ranor and continue to be profitable and increase that profitability. We are at an inflection point now, especially with Ranor. We are not at that inflection point completely with STATCO.

Speaker 3

So sharing the success story is showing some progress and the progress is not good enough to reverse the flow completely for both subsidiaries and TechPrecision at the same time. We are also spending money on the potential acquisition because that's what we need to do to get through our activities and our steps. So, there is a combination of 3 things that are contributing towards the recent anyway numbers. I expect this to get better.

Speaker 6

And did you indicate that, Statco was breakeven operationally this or close to it this quarter? Yes. Okay. So you are getting quite close to that.

Speaker 3

Yes. Operationally, the loss is like negative 3% of sales basically. We're almost there, not there yet. I remember back in the day, Ross, you've supported us for quite a while. Thank you very much.

Speaker 3

I remember back in the day, we were carefully delineating black and white. We were still red. We reported red. We're still once we got black, it was perhaps even a very, very small amount of black. We would like to cross that line soon with STATCO.

Speaker 6

Okay. Well, it appears that you are working in that direction. It also strikes me as if my read is right that this deal will not only be a home run for the company, but I think it and this is I think the frustration investors have is if indeed everyone is waiting on the financing, I think a lot of people are waiting expecting there to be a public equity offering, something that you hire someone to go out and try to shop millions of shares in the public market. If my read and experience is right, you don't do that. And I think it's imperative, therefore, you get this deal closed and you prove me right or wrong, because if you prove me right, this stock is going to be back where it was and better because the numbers you put out the other day are absolutely fantastic.

Speaker 6

If you can get that in this company even with a significantly larger shareholder base, if you double your shareholder base, that's still a home run deal. And I would like to see that deal close. And I'd like to see us get to where we can get the profitability because patient is not a virtue I was born with. And while I have supported you, I am losing my patient. And I'm losing my patient because I think that this deal was communicated poorly and I don't think we should be sitting here with a $4 stock looking at this deal.

Speaker 6

I think we should be looking at a stock that actually is probably higher than it was when you announced the deal, if these numbers are correct or even close to right. So thank you. I'll let someone else queue on your ear.

Speaker 3

Thank you.

Operator

Up next is Mark Gomes with Pipeline. Mark, please proceed.

Speaker 2

Yes. First, I'd like to I agree with everything Ross said. That was kind of a command performance. I do commend your response to him, Alex. So when he asked about stealing business and I understand not talking bad about competitors, but that was you found a way to answer that question without talking badly specifically about any competitors.

Speaker 2

So that's the sort of thing where best done proactively as opposed to proactively shutting a question down. I think that's where a little frustration comes in. That being said, are you free to provide any kind of color commentary whatsoever, any regarding what gives you confidence in the BOTAR forecast numbers? In other words, you without telling us, of course, you know what businesses they're in, what programs they're working on, things like that. Can you tell us a little bit about the confidence you have that, that will continue, that this you're not buying a business that's at its peak, but is going to continue to be robust?

Speaker 3

I'm going to answer this question, Mark, and not going to avoid this. I'm going to carefully answer this question. So I'm just give me a moment here. So the numbers that we published reflect part of the answer to your question, which is do we expect this to fall flat? Do we expect it to already be peaked?

Speaker 3

The numbers do not show that. The numbers show an increase.

Speaker 2

I understand that.

Speaker 3

I'm sorry, Mark. There was another part of it is the I pride myself on releasing information that I believe in. I'm not sure how far that goes with all of us, but I do do that.

Speaker 2

Yes. That adds a little bit of color to it. We deal with forecasts every day. And Mike, obviously, the forecast that you put out was clearly the best forecast that you believe that you have at your disposal. My question was more around the confidence in the numbers, right?

Speaker 2

I can put together a forecast and tell you, well, this is my best guess, but I don't know how much confidence I have in it or this is my best guess and I'm 100% confident in it. So that's where the crux of that question was.

Speaker 3

Understood. And I think also the forecast, as we had pointed out in an answer to an earlier question, is a combined forecast.

Speaker 2

That was clear from your commentary in the methodology. It was very good what you put there.

Speaker 6

Okay.

Speaker 2

And then I guess last question. The deferred maintenance issues that you're working through at STAADCO, What inning are we in? Is this the 8th inning? Are we 1 or 2 quarters away from being out of the woods there? How does it are we 75% away?

Speaker 2

I don't know, however you want to kind of characterize it qualitatively, not something that we're going to hold you in a noose over, but when you say we're almost there, what does almost mean?

Speaker 3

I think there's a 2 part answer to that question. As we implement and execute some of the deferred maintenance, we are winning. So we illustrated one win. Okay. The other piece of it that is not so apparent is the ability to hold the line and not let it backslide is the other piece that's a hidden piece and not so apparent to any of us that are not in the execution and operational role of running these machines and making sure they don't backslide and fall apart again.

Speaker 3

That piece is going pretty well, meaning if you compare our performance to a quarter by quarter comparison to a year ago, a year ago, we were negative 2% of net sales, and we're able to hold that despite the mishaps that were that happened this fiscal year from last from the quarter a year ago. I'm not sure I'm coming across very articulately right now, but the point is this quarter negative 3%, essentially breakeven. The quarter a year ago was 2%, also essentially breakeven. We are attempting to not only fix and implement deferred maintenance, but whatever gains we have, our job is to hold the line and not let it backslide. And that piece of it seems to be going well.

Speaker 3

We just need to continue to repair what we can to make sure that whatever is repaired doesn't backslide. How does that translate into what inning we are? I'm not able to quite tell yet, to be honest, but we're more ahead than behind. With the recovery of Ranor, it took a number of years. We're in the 3rd year now with the Stadco acquisition.

Speaker 3

So, I think there should be more good things to come. We need to also timing wise, it would be good. And also, product mix wise, it would be good for our customers to really support us by giving us business that dovetails into the high throughput machines that we've recovered. So, if we can highly populate the electron beam welding chamber, that would help quite a bit. But the good that's the good part.

Speaker 3

Will they do that? They are doing that to a certain extent. We need more of it. So, at the very least, we now have equipment and people that are ready to take on much more than we ever have before in the history of STADCO in certain pieces and certain work centers. I'm sorry for the very long explanation, but I'm trying to give color and trying to build a bridge.

Speaker 2

Don't ever apologize for giving a long winded answer. I think the communication that you're providing on this call is reminiscent of a few quarters ago when you started a move in that direction. And trust me, the feedback from the substantial number of folks that own the stock due to my coverage, it waxes and wanes with your communication and on this call. It's greatly improved and I appreciate that and I'm sure they will as well. Thank you.

Speaker 3

Thank you.

Operator

The next question comes from Richard Greulich with REG Capital Advisors. Please proceed.

Speaker 7

Good afternoon. First of all, I apologize. I was only able to get on the call about 5 minutes ago. So I may be covering something that was covered. The first thing I heard was when Ross was saying, even if you double your shares, that's great, whatsoever.

Speaker 7

Have you discussed at all shares or debt financing?

Speaker 3

Again, as I alluded to earlier, I've been instructed to not speak about the potential acquisition. Okay.

Speaker 7

Who is the firm or the firms that are working with you on the financing?

Speaker 4

I think for anything that you have for the potential acquisition, you need to refer to the press release that just went out. And it states in there what we can say and are saying at this time.

Speaker 7

Well, this is the first time I've ever heard somebody making an looking to make an acquisition without naming the brokerage firm or the advisor that's helping them obtain financing? Could you say what that is?

Speaker 3

I cannot at this time.

Operator

Okay. The next question comes from Ross Taylor with ARS Investment Partners. Please proceed. Ross, your line is live.

Speaker 6

I wanted to touch on a couple of things real quick. Not sure I should come back and ask questions after I got the rave reviews. But Alex, V-twenty two tiltrotor Osprey has been grounded for some time. The program is deeply troubled at this point. The Navy and Marines are flying their CH-53Es at a much higher rate.

Speaker 6

It was my understanding that those airframes had been hours limited before. I know the Israelis' hour limited theirs. Are you seeing business coming back into DADCO for the CH-53E?

Speaker 3

I can tell you that we have we see business for D, E and K.

Speaker 6

Okay. Okay. I actually know a K flew over my house on Saturday rather. I thought that was interesting, big and actually surprisingly quiet. So that is a real positive situation developing there in that.

Speaker 6

2nd is we've seen some of your peers talk about the availability of funding, whether it be from the federal government. The government is working very hard to build out its defense industrial base infrastructure. Talking to people in your industry, there are a lot of small companies, sub $100,000,000 companies, many of which are in positions like you are. Is the federal government or are your customers legitimate sources of financing should you need it for work, not for financing the acquisition, but for actual operational work?

Speaker 3

I think I'm allowed to say on this next piece. So, I would recharacterize that as customer funded CapEx.

Speaker 6

Okay. And that is available to you? And you've made use of it?

Speaker 3

That has been made available and partially executed. Okay.

Speaker 6

And when you read that

Speaker 3

I'm sorry, Ross, by Raynor.

Speaker 6

By Raynor. And when you yes, which makes sense. When you do that, does that come with backlog or does that come with a promise of future backlog?

Speaker 3

Well, I think it would be foolish to have funded CapEx to a company and not give them anything to do.

Speaker 6

Well, technically, backlog is there's a technical definition of backlog. You have your definition and the like. So they might well basically obviously, they're obviously they're giving it to you to do something, but it might be is it something that actually shows up in your $50,000,000 plus backlog, which by the way it's nice to see you finally get to that number Or is it something that is

Speaker 3

I can answer that question very clearly. The it does not show up as backlog, because our definition of backlog is actual purchase orders for components that we manufacture.

Speaker 6

Yes. And that's what I was getting at. So you have that, but it's likely that you have more that you have a and it is clear from what you laid out earlier this month on the 3 years that you have visibility well beyond this year and that is why you're confident and that is why this deal in the end when it gets done a year, 2 years, 3 years out, will actually not appear to be a step over the line and a moment of insanity, but actually a really rather smart transaction that changes the fate and the future of this company in a favorable fashion? Yes, sir. Okay.

Speaker 6

I'll give it back to someone else. Thank you, sir.

Speaker 3

Thank you.

Operator

We have reached the end of the question and answer session. I'd now like to turn the floor back to Alex Shen for closing remarks.

Speaker 3

Thank you everyone. Have a great day.

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Earnings Conference Call
TechPrecision Q3 2024
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