CHICAGO RIVET & MACHINE CO.
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Results of Operations
Net sales for the third quarter of 2019 were $8,188,905 compared to $8,856,049 in the third quarter of 2018, a decline of $667,144, or 7.5%. As of September 30, 2019, year to date sales totaled $25,686,034 compared to $28,660,474, for the first three quarters of 2018, a decline of $2,974,440, or 10.4%. The decline in net sales in the current year is primarily due to reduced demand for fastener segment parts, especially from automotive customers. Net income for the third quarter of 2019 was $315,797, or $0.32 per share, compared to $287,749, or $0.30 per share, in the third quarter of 2018. Net income for the first three quarters of 2019 was $832,198, or $0.86 per share, compared with $1,698,629, or $1.76 per share, reported in 2018. Net income in the current year has been negatively impacted by the decline in sales as well as the increase in certain production costs.
Fastener segment revenues were $7,306,895 in the third quarter of 2019 compared to $7,936,798 in the year earlier quarter, a decline of $629,903, or 7.9%. For the first three quarters of 2019, fastener segment revenues were $22,702,719 compared to $25,896,172 in 2018, a decline of $3,193,453, or 12.3%. The automotive sector is the primary market for our fastener segment products and while North American light-vehicle production has declined in 2019 compared to the first nine months of 2018, our sales to automotive customers in certain other locations has been particularly weak in the current year due to the global economic slowdown impacting many foreign countries. Fastener segment sales to automotive customers declined $592,735, or 11.2%, in the third quarter and $2,928,923, or 17.0%, in the first three quarters of 2019 compared to the prior year periods. Sales tonon-automotive customers have declined a more modest 3.1% in the first three quarters of the current year. Fastener segment gross margins were $1,314,044 in the third quarter of 2019 compared to $1,336,509 in the third quarter of 2018, a decline of $22,465. The decline in gross margin during the quarter was less than the decline in net sales due to the combined effects of improved operating efficiencies and significant reductions in tooling and supplies expenditures as well as lower repair expenses. For the first nine months of 2019, gross margins for the fastener segment were $3,858,277 compared to $5,360,521 in the first nine months of 2018, a decline of $1,502,244. In addition to the negative impact lower sales have had on gross margins, certain production costs in 2019 have been higher than a year earlier. Steel is our primary raw material and on average, steel prices were 7% higher in the first three quarters of 2019 than a year earlier. The impact of higher steel prices was more pronounced in the first half of the year as we were able to obtain more favorable pricing in the third quarter. Labor costs have also risen more than expected in the current year due to the tight labor market.
Assembly equipment segment revenues were $882,010 in the third quarter of 2019 compared to $919,251 in the third quarter of 2018, a decline of $37,241, or 4.1%. Despite the decline in sales during the quarter, gross margins improved from $297,725 to $335,723 due to a more profitable product mix. For the first nine months of 2019, assembly equipment segment sales were $2,983,315 compared to $2,764,302 for the same period in 2018, an increase of $219,013, or 7.9%. For the first three quarters of the year, assembly equipment segment gross margins were $1,001,223 compared to $905,152 in 2018, an increase of $96,071.
Selling and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2019 were $1,282,149, a decline of $26,735, or 2%, compared to the year earlier quarter total of $1,308,884. The decline was primarily due to a $20,000 reduction in commission expense related to lower sales in the current year quarter. Selling and administrative expenses for the first three quarters of 2019 were $3,931,510 compared to $4,185,571 for the same period of 2018, a reduction of $254,061, or 6.1%. The decline was primarily due to a $121,000 reduction in profit sharing expense related to lower operating profit in the current year and a $103,000 reduction in sales commissions due to lower sales. Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales for the first nine months of 2019 was 15.3% compared to 14.6% for the first nine months of 2018.
Other Income
Other income in the third quarter of 2019 was $47,179 compared to $38,399 in the third quarter of 2018. Other income for the first three quarters of 2019 was $145,208 compared to $109,527 in the same period of 2018. 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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