CHICAGO RIVET & MACHINE CO.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Results of Operations
Net sales in the third quarter were $8,856,049 this year compared to $8,386,756 in the third quarter of 2017, an increase of $469,293, or 5.6%. As of September 30, 2018, year to date sales totaled $28,660,474 compared to $27,305,591, for the first three quarters of 2017, an increase of $1,354,883, or 5.0%. Net income for the third quarter of 2018 was $287,749, or $0.30 per share, compared with $335,835, or $0.35 per share, in the third quarter of 2017. Net income for the first three quarters of 2018 was $1,698,629, or $1.76 per share, compared with $1,309,112, or $1.36 per share, reported in 2017.
Fastener segment revenues were $7,936,798 in the third quarter of 2018 compared to $7,486,193 in the year earlier quarter, an increase of $450,605, or 6.0%. For the first three quarters of 2018, fastener segment revenues were $25,896,172 compared to $24,319,725 in 2017, an increase of $1,576,447, or 6.5%. The automotive sector is the primary market for our fastener segment products and while North American light-vehicle production has declined in 2018 compared to the first nine months of 2017, our sales to automotive customers increased 2.1% during the third quarter and 0.6% on a year to date basis. Additionally, we have added a number ofnon-automotive customers in the past year which has contributed to an increase in such sales of 14.8% and 20.4% in the third quarter and the first nine months of 2018, respectively, compared to 2017. For the third quarter, the fastener segment gross margin was $1,336,359 compared to $1,457,421 in the year earlier quarter, a decline of $121,062. Steel is our primary raw material and while we had incurred higher steel prices early in the current year, such increases were more pronounced during the third quarter compared to a year earlier, and were primarily responsible for the net decline in gross margins during the quarter despite the increase in sales. Further impacting third quarter margins was an increase in tooling expense of $202,000 compared to the third quarter of 2017. For the first nine months of the year, the gross margin was $5,360,071 compared to $5,044,905 in the same period of 2017, an increase of $315,166. In addition to higher raw material prices, we have also incurred higher than expected wages in the current year due to the tight labor market. These factors combined to limit the improvement in gross margins reported on a year to date basis.
Assembly equipment segment revenues were $919,251 in the third quarter of 2018, an increase of $18,688, or 2.1%, compared to the third quarter of 2017 when revenues were $900,563. The increase in third quarter sales was primarily due to an increase in the number of machines sold. The increase in sales for the quarter left segment gross margin relatively unchanged compared to last year’s third quarter at $297,725. For the first nine months of 2018, assembly equipment segment sales were $2,764,302 compared to $2,985,866 for the first nine months of 2017, a decline of $221,564, or 7.4%. Although we have shipped a greater number of machines through the first three quarters of 2018 than a year earlier, there have been fewer high-dollar machines shipped in the current year. Due to the decline in machine sales, assembly equipment segment gross margin for the first nine months of 2018 declined to $905,152 from $1,035,700 for the same period of 2017.
Selling and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2018 were $1,308,884 compared to the year earlier quarter total of $1,278,646, an increase of $30,238, or 2.4%. The increase during the quarter was primarily due to higher commissions related to the increase in sales. Selling and administrative expenses for the first three quarters of 2018 were $4,185,571 compared to $4,205,493 for the same period of 2017, a reduction of $19,922, or 0.5%. Expenditures for the first three quarters of 2018 were lower than the prior year primarily due to the ERP system conversion that was completed at one of our locations last year. This accounted for $167,000 of additional expenses over the first three quarters of 2017, which was only partially offset by increases in sales commissions of $113,000 and profit sharing expense of $28,000 during the current year. Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales for the first nine months of 2018 was 14.6% compared to 15.4% for the first nine months of 2017.
Other Income
Other income in the third quarter of 2018 was $38,399 compared to $24,795 in the third quarter of 2017. Other income for the first three quarters of 2018 was $109,527 compared to $68,000 in the same period of 2017. Other income consists primarily of interest income on certificates of deposit. The increases were primarily due to higher interest rates in the current year compared to the year earlier periods.
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