Virco Reports Third Quarter Results: Robust Balance Sheet and Strengthening Cash Flows as School Furniture Market Returns to pre-Pandemic Seasonal Patterns

Rhea-AI Summary

Virco Mfg. (NASDAQ:VIRC) reported its Third Quarter and Nine Months results ended October 31, 2024. Third quarter revenue slightly declined to $82.62M from $84.25M, while nine-month revenue grew 5.0% to $237.77M. Gross profit for Q3 declined 4.0% to $36.68M, though nine-month gross profit increased 7.3% to $107.24M.

The company's financial position strengthened with $38.86M cash on hand and no credit utilization. Inventories decreased 16.9% to $48.95M, and accounts receivable declined 14.7% to $28.17M. The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.025 per share. The company maintains $3.5M for share repurchases and reports Shipments plus Backlog approximately 1% higher than last year.

Positive

• Nine-month revenue growth of 5.0% to $237.77M
• Nine-month gross profit increase of 7.3% to $107.24M
• Strong cash position with $38.86M on hand and no debt utilization
• 16.9% reduction in inventory levels showing improved efficiency
• Stockholder's Equity increased 23.5% to $115.86M

Negative

• Q3 revenue declined to $82.62M from $84.25M
• Q3 gross profit decreased 4.0% to $36.68M
• SG&A expenses increased 8.8% in Q3
• Q3 operating income declined to $11.11M from $14.71M
• Q3 net income decreased to $8.40M from $10.16M

Insights

Financial Analyst

The Q3 results reveal a mixed but generally positive financial picture. Revenue saw a slight decline in Q3 but showed 5% growth for the nine-month period to $237.77M. The company demonstrated strong capital efficiency with $38.86M cash on hand and zero debt utilization, marking a significant improvement in financial health. The 16.9% reduction in inventory to $48.95M and 14.7% decrease in accounts receivable indicate improved operational efficiency. While operating income declined in Q3, the nine-month figure increased by 3.8% to $35.98M. The declaration of a $0.025 quarterly dividend and continuation of share buyback program signals management's confidence in sustained financial performance.

Market Research Analyst

The return to traditional seasonality in the school furniture market indicates a stabilizing business environment post-pandemic. The company's shift toward a Make-to-Order model versus Make-to-Stock demonstrates strategic adaptation to market conditions, improving inventory management and customer satisfaction. The focus on complex projects and customized products appears to be paying off, capturing higher-value market segments. The combination of domestic manufacturing capabilities and proprietary PlanSCAPE project management service provides a competitive advantage in managing supply chain dynamics and meeting specific customer requirements.

Operations Expert

The operational metrics show impressive efficiency gains. The transition to Make-to-Order manufacturing, supported by domestic production facilities and the PlanSCAPE system, has created a more responsive supply chain model. However, increased SG&A expenses, particularly in freight and installation costs (up 8.8% in Q3), present a challenge to margins. The company's ability to maintain gross margins above 44% while dealing with service cost inflation demonstrates strong operational management. The focus on factory innovation and long-term equipment maintenance strategy shows prudent capital management.

• Capital Efficiencies Improved
• Growth and Shareholder Returns Funded by Operating Cash Flows
• Quarterly Dividend of $0.025 per Share Declared
• Traditional Seasonality Returns to Shipments, Orders, Backlog

TORRANCE, Calif., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virco Mfg. Corporation (NASDAQ:VIRC) a leading manufacturer and supplier of movable furniture and equipment for educational environments and public spaces, announced results for the Company’s Third Quarter and first Nine Months ended October 31, 2024:

For the Third Quarter, including the months of August, September, and October, revenue declined slightly to $82,620,000 from $84,252,000 in the same quarter of the prior year. For the first nine months, revenue grew 5.0% to $237,774,000 from $226,516,000 in the first nine months of last year.

Gross Profit for the Third Quarter declined 4.0% to $36,678,000 compared to $38,211,000 in last year’s Third Quarter. Through nine months, Gross Profit increased 7.3% to $107,243,000 compared to $99,991,000 last year. Gross Margin in the Third Quarter was 44.4% compared to 45.4% in the prior year. Through nine months, Gross Margin was 45.1% vs. 44.1% in the prior year.

Selling, General, and Administrative Expenses (SG&A) in the Third Quarter increased 8.8% to $25,565,000, or 30.9% of revenue, from $23,505,000, or 27.9% of revenue, in the same period of the prior year, primarily due to higher freight and installation costs. Through nine months, SG&A increased 9.1% to $71,265,000, or 30.0% of revenue, from $65,343,000, or 28.8% of revenue, driven by higher freight and installation costs as well as a proportionate increase in revenue. Inflation in services such as freight and installation are not reflected in the broader Consumer Price Index of inflation, but these expenses can be very impactful on a direct supplier such as Virco. Management anticipates a continuation of this trend in the short- to mid-term.

Operating Income for the Third Quarter declined to $11,113,000 or 13.5% of sales, compared to $14,706,000, or 17.5% of sales in the Third Quarter of the prior year. Through nine months, Operating Income is up 3.8% to $35,978,000 or 15.1% of sales, compared to $34,648,000, or 15.3% of sales, in the same period last year.

Net interest income in the Third Quarter was $24,000, compared to net interest expense of $765,000 in the same quarter of the prior year. This swing to net interest income reflects the fact that the Company was effectively debt-free during the bulk of the Third Quarter, and was not utilizing its seasonal line of credit to finance operations. Through nine months, net interest expense was $506,000 compared to $2,560,000 last year.

Net income for the Third Quarter was $8,401,000, down from $10,160,000 in the same period of the prior year. Through nine months, net income was $27,374,000, up from $24,252,000 in the first nine months of last year.

The Company has recently seen order rates and timing return to a more traditional seasonal pattern. Management’s preferred measure of business velocity is “Shipments plus Backlog,” a non-GAAP metric that combines actual shipments with the unshipped backlog. As of this press release (December 9, 2024), Shipments plus Backlog is approximately 1% higher than on the same date last year. This reflects both a moderation in the rate of order growth as well as a return to more traditional seasonal patterns, during which orders and related production peak in spring, followed by heavy shipments in summer when schools are out of session. The return to this pattern continued in the Third Quarter, with the bulk of the metric being concentrated in actual year-to-date shipments with a relatively smaller component of unshipped backlog.

The Company’s overall financial position continued to improve in the Third Quarter. As of October 31, 2024, all major activities including operations, regular maintenance capital expenditures, and shareholder returns were being funded by free cash from operations. As of October 31, 2024, the Company had $38,858,000 of cash on hand and was not utilizing any of its available credit under its seasonal revolver with PNC Bank. Management anticipates that this positive condition will persist through much of the coming year, with only modest borrowings under its seasonal revolver during peak delivery season in summer.

Other elements of the Balance Sheet are similarly strong. Inventories have been appropriately matched to shippable orders and were down 16.9% to $48,948,000 compared to $58,931,000 at the end of last year’s Third Quarter. The Company’s domestic factories and early upstream visibility of product specifications and installation details—provided by its proprietary PlanSCAPE project management service—has supported a gradual shift toward Make-to-Order versus Make-to-Stock. This shift has had a similar financial benefit for Virco as “Just-in-Time” used to have for importers before the supply chain disruptions of a few years ago. Virco is currently able to tailor all levels of inventory—from raw materials, through work-in-process, to final finished goods—to match actual customer demand. Management believes this efficiency is reflected not only in financial results but also in customer satisfaction, especially with complex projects and highly customized products, both of which have recently become a larger part of the Company’s revenue mix.

At the end of the Third Quarter, Accounts Receivable had declined 14.7% to $28,168,000 from $33,029,000 at the same period last year. Management views this decline as favorable, since it reflects faster collections on overall higher annual revenue, further reflecting the Company’s strong on-time and complete-delivery performance during this year’s peak summer season.

Stockholder’s Equity was $115,859,000 at the end of the Third Quarter, an increase of 23.5% from $93,789,000 at the same period last year. The Company’s strong financial position will allow it to continue its record of customer support and service, as well as its generous and fair benefits and compensation for its U.S. workers. In addition, Management continues to make strategic investments in new manufacturing processes and platforms, while also remaining open to opportunistic acquisitions that would expand the Company’s current product and service offerings or allow extensions into adjacent markets with characteristics that match Virco’s skills and capabilities.

On December 5, 2024, The Company’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.025 per share, payable on January 10, 2025 to shareholders of record as of December 20, 2024. Additionally, the Company has $3.5 million remaining under its current authorization for open-market share repurchases. Management continues to believe the Company’s shares represent an attractive investment and will balance planned repurchases with other capital projects, including investments in major manufacturing platforms as well as potential acquisitions.

Commenting on recent developments, Virco Chairman and CEO Robert Virtue said: “I’m proud of the Virco team, including our direct sales force, our customer service staff, our highly skilled manufacturing and engineering personnel, our incredible warehousing and logistics team, and our steady, experienced executives who have collectively guided us through the last several challenging years.

“I attribute our success to Virco’s dedicated American workforce, as well as the resilience and social importance of education, which is the market we serve. I also must recognize Virco’s shareholders, who collectively supported Management’s very-long-term strategy that allowed us not just to keep our domestic U.S. factories open, but to continue investing in them and our employees, so that we are globally competitive in all facets of operations, including automation, quality control, speed of execution, customization, project management, and field services.

“There is also a high value to the innovation that happens inside factories, where proximity to tangible materials and processes inspires tinkering and creativity. Many of our very best ideas—and not just for products— have originated on the factory floor. This also includes our warehouses, where innovations in the storage and handling of very heavy, bulky, and highly seasonal products can have equal or greater impacts on customer satisfaction and financial performance.

“We have never offered guidance despite being asked quite often to do so. We prefer instead to focus on preparedness. We have prudently reinforced our balance sheet thanks to the success we’ve enjoyed in the last two years. We have also continued to invest in what we think of as “operating annuities:” new equipment, processes, and software for our factories and operating systems. Given the skill and experience of our maintenance teams we can often extend the useful life of these investments far beyond traditional depreciation schedules. For example, Virco’s very first tubemill, a machine that makes the steel tubing used in school furniture, was purchased in 1950, the year Virco was founded. That same tubemill, maintained with multiple upgrades and repairs, continues to operate today in our Torrance, California factory.

“I’d say we’ve gotten our money out of that one. But we’re not done with it yet. We see more opportunities on the horizon, both for our company and for the students, families, and educators that we serve. We look forward to those opportunities. And we thank our shareholders for supporting us in this important work.”

Contact:
Virco Mfg. Corporation
(310) 533-0474
Robert A. Virtue, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Doug Virtue, President
Robert Dose, Chief Financial Officer

Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: our future financial results and growth in our business; business strategies; market demand and product development; estimates of unshipped backlog; order rates and trends in seasonality; product relevance; economic conditions and patterns; the educational furniture industry generally, including the domestic market for classroom furniture; cost control initiatives; absorption rates; and supply chain challenges. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and beliefs about future events or circumstances, and you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, many of which are out of our control and difficult to forecast. These factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those that are anticipated. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties surrounding the ongoing and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; changes in general economic conditions including raw material, energy and freight costs; state and municipal bond funding; state, local, and municipal tax receipts; order rates; the seasonality of our markets; the markets for school and office furniture generally, the specific markets and customers with which we conduct our principal business; the impact of cost-saving initiatives on our business; the competitive landscape, including responses of our competitors and customers to changes in our prices; demographics; and the terms and conditions of available funding sources. See our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2024, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other reports and material that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a further description of these and other risks and uncertainties applicable to our business. We assume no, and hereby disclaim any, obligation to update any of our forward-looking statements. We nonetheless reserve the right to make such updates from time to time by press release, periodic reports, or other methods of public disclosure without the need for specific reference to this press release. No such update shall be deemed to indicate that other statements which are not addressed by such an update remain correct or create an obligation to provide any other updates.

Financial Tables Follow

Virco Mfg. Corporation
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
	10/31/2024			1/31/2024			10/31/2023
	(In thousands)
Assets
Current assets
Cash	$	38,858		$	5,286		$	4,887
Trade accounts receivables, net		28,168			23,161			33,029
Inventories		48,948			58,371			58,931
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		3,479			2,208			1,988
Total current assets		119,453			89,026			98,835
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment
Land		3,731			3,731			3,731
Land improvements		697			694			694
Buildings and building improvements		51,950			51,576			51,498
Machinery and equipment		118,324			114,400			116,695
Leasehold improvements		523			523			976
Total property, plant and equipment		175,225			170,924			173,594
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		139,604			136,356			138,650
Net property, plant and equipment		35,621			34,568			34,944
Operating lease right-of-use assets		36,876			6,508			7,156
Deferred tax assets, net		6,550			6,634			7,031
Other assets, net		11,645			9,709			9,073
Total assets	$	210,145		$	146,445		$	157,039

Virco Mfg. Corporation
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
	10/31/2024				1/31/2024				10/31/2023
	(In thousands, except share and par value data)
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	$	15,381			$	12,945			$	14,351
Accrued compensation and employee benefits		12,439				10,880				11,102
Income tax payable		1,463				145				3,130
Current portion of long-term debt		256				248				245
Current portion of operating lease liability		863				5,744				5,465
Other accrued liabilities		11,142				8,570				7,339
Total current liabilities		41,544				38,532				41,632
Non-current liabilities
Accrued self-insurance retention		1,033				650				748
Accrued pension expenses		9,345				9,429				9,334
Income tax payable, less current portion		261				128				—
Long-term debt, less current portion		3,943				4,136				7,946
Operating lease liability, less current portion		37,380				1,829				2,933
Other long-term liabilities		780				562				657
Total non-current liabilities		52,742				16,734				21,618
Commitments and contingencies (Notes 6, 7 and 13)
Stockholders’ equity
Preferred stock:
Authorized 3,000,000 shares, $0.01 par value; none issued or outstanding		—				—				—
Common stock:
Authorized 25,000,000 shares, $0.01 par value; issued and outstanding 16,289,406 shares at 10/31/2024, and 16,347,314 at 1/31/2024 and 10/31/2023		163				164				164
Additional paid-in capital		119,796				121,373				121,201
Accumulated deficit		(2,734	)			(29,048	)			(26,379	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(1,366	)			(1,310	)			(1,197	)
Total stockholders’ equity		115,859				91,179				93,789
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	210,145			$	146,445			$	157,039

Virco Mfg. Corporation
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
	Three months ended
	10/31/2024				10/31/2023
	(In thousands, except per share data)
Net sales	$	82,620			$	84,252
Costs of goods sold		45,942				46,041
Gross profit		36,678				38,211
Selling, general and administrative expenses		25,565				23,505
Operating income		11,113				14,706
Unrealized (gain) loss on investment in trust account		(246	)			176
Pension expense		106				301
Interest (income) expense		(24	)			765
Income before income taxes		11,277				13,464
Income tax expense		2,876				3,304
Net income	$	8,401			$	10,160
Cash dividends declared per common share:	$	0.025			$	—
Net income per common share:
Basic	$	0.52			$	0.62
Diluted	$	0.52			$	0.62
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:
Basic		16,289				16,347
Diluted		16,296				16,428

Virco Mfg. Corporation
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
	Nine months ended
	10/31/2024				10/31/2023
	(In thousands, except per share data)
Net sales	$	237,774			$	226,516
Costs of goods sold		130,531				126,525
Gross profit		107,243				99,991
Selling, general and administrative expenses		71,265				65,343
Operating income		35,978				34,648
Unrealized gain on investment in trust account		(1,058	)			(448	)
Pension expense		320				623
Interest expense		506				2,560
Income before income taxes		36,210				31,913
Income tax expense		8,836				7,661
Net income	$	27,374			$	24,252
Cash dividends declared per common share:	$	0.065			$	—
Net income per common share:
Basic	$	1.67			$	1.49
Diluted	$	1.67			$	1.48
Weighted average shares of common stock outstanding:
Basic		16,379				16,277
Diluted		16,382				16,334

FAQ

What was Virco's (VIRC) revenue for Q3 2024?

Virco reported Q3 2024 revenue of $82.62 million, slightly down from $84.25 million in the same quarter last year.

How much cash does Virco (VIRC) have on hand as of October 31, 2024?

Virco had $38.86 million in cash on hand as of October 31, 2024, with no utilization of its seasonal credit facility.

What is Virco's (VIRC) latest quarterly dividend?

Virco declared a quarterly dividend of $0.025 per share, payable on January 10, 2025, to shareholders of record as of December 20, 2024.

How much did Virco's (VIRC) inventory decrease in Q3 2024?

Virco's inventory decreased by 16.9% to $48.95 million compared to $58.93 million in the previous year's Q3.