Simpson Manufacturing (SSD) 10-K2022 FY Annual report

    

    The aggregate market value of the shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, which is the only outstanding class of voting and non-voting equity, held by non-affiliates of the registrant (based on the closing price for the common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2022) was approximately $4,342,946,050.

Portions of the registrant's definitive Proxy Statement for its 2023 annual meeting of stockholders (the "2023 Annual Meeting") are incorporated herein by reference in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K to the extent stated herein. Such Proxy Statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") within 120 days of the registrant's fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

In this filing we make statements concerning our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and future events or performance. Such statements are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “target,” “continue,” “predict,” “project,” “change,” “result,” “future,” “will,” “could,” “can,” “may,” “likely,” “potentially,” or similar expressions that concern our strategy, plans, expectations or intentions. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about future financial and operating results, our plans, objectives, business outlook, priorities, expectations and intentions, expectations for sales and market growth, comparable sales, earnings and performance, stockholder value, capital expenditures, cash flows, the housing market, the home improvement industry, demand for services, share repurchases, the integration of the acquisition of FIXCO Invest S.A.S ("ETANCO"), our strategic initiatives, including the impact of these initiatives, on our strategic and operational plans and financial results, and any statement of an assumption underlying any of the foregoing and other statements that are not historical facts. Although we believe that the expectations, opinions, projections and comments reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties and we can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and other factors that are difficult to predict and could cause our actual results to vary in material respects from what we have expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed in our forward looking statements include, among others, the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and supply chain, the operations of our customers, suppliers and business partners, and the successful integration of ETANCO and those discussed under Item 1A. Risk Factors and Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. Additional risks include: the cyclicality and impact of general economic conditions; changing conditions in global markets including the impact of sanctions and tariffs, quotas and other trade actions and import restrictions; the impact of pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies; volatile supply and demand conditions affecting prices and volumes in the markets for both our products and raw materials we purchase; the impact of foreign currency fluctuations; potential limitations on our ability to access capital resources and borrowings under our existing credit agreement; restrictions on our business and financial covenants under our credit agreement; reliance on employees subject to collective bargaining agreements; and or ability to repurchase shares of our common stock and the amounts and timing of repurchases, if any.

We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by us in this report and in our other reports filed with the SEC that advise of the risks and factors that may affect our business.

The Company attracts and retains customers by designing, manufacturing and selling high quality products that perform well, are easy to use and cost-effective for customers. The Company manufactures and warehouses its products in geographic proximity to its markets to help ensure availability and facilitate timely delivery to customers, which enables us to promptly respond to customer requests for specially designed products and services. The Company maintains levels of inventory intended to operate with minimum backlog and fill most customer orders within a few days. High levels of manufacturing automation and flexibility allow the Company to maintain its high quality standards while continuing to provide prompt delivery to meet our customers' needs.

The Company intends to continue efforts to increase market share in both the wood construction and concrete construction product groups by:

Historically, the Company’s product lines have encompassed connectors, anchors, fasteners, lateral resistive systems, and truss plates, as well as repair and strengthening product lines for the industrial and transportation markets. See “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and “Note 19 — Segment Information” to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for financial information regarding revenues by product

category. Through, the acquisition of ETANCO, the Company expanded its product portfolio to include commercial building envelope solutions and significantly increased its market presence across Europe.

Many of the Company’s products are approved by building code evaluation agencies. To achieve these approvals, the Company conducts extensive product testing, which is witnessed and certified by independent testing laboratories. These tests also provide the basis of load ratings for the Company’s structural products. This test and load information is used by architects, engineers, contractors, building officials, and homeowners in selecting our products and comparing them to those of competitors, and is useful across all applications of the Company’s products, ranging from the deck constructed by a homeowner to a multi-story structure designed by an architect or engineer.

The Company seeks to expand its product and distribution coverage through several channels:

Company’s products carried by those stores. The Company has further developed extensive bar coding and merchandising aids and has devoted a portion of its research and development efforts to DIY products. The Company’s sales to home centers increased year-over-year in 2022, 2021 and 2020. The Company brought back Lowe's as a home center customer in the second quarter of 2020.

The Company seeks to expand existing and identify new distributions channels in the markets we serve, and expand into new markets. Presently, we primarily serve three markets, which are also our operating segments, consisting of the North America, Europe and Asia/Pacific segments. The North America segment includes operations primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The Europe segment includes operations primarily in France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Italy and Romania. The Asia/Pacific segment includes operations primarily in Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. These segments are similar in several ways, including similarities in the products manufactured and distributed, the types of materials used, the production processes, the distribution channels and the product applications.

In order to innovate, advance and diversify our product offerings, the Company commits substantial resources to new product development. The majority of SST’s products have been developed through its internal research and development program. The Company believes it is the only U.S. manufacturer with the capability to internally test multi-story wall systems, thus enabling full scale testing rather than analysis alone to prove system performance. The Company’s engineering, sales, product management, and marketing teams work together with architects, engineers, building inspectors, code officials, builders and customers in the new product development process.

The Company’s product research and development is based largely on products or solutions that are identified within the Company, feedback or requests from customers for new or specialty products and in connection with the Company’s strategic initiatives to expand into new markets and/or develop new product lines. The Company’s strategy is to develop new products on a proprietary basis, to seek patents when appropriate and to rely on trade secret protection for others or depending on availability and circumstances, the Company will acquire products or solutions meeting our strategic initiatives.

Since at least 2006, the Company generally develops 15 to 35 new products each year. In 2022, through our research and development efforts, the Company, including ETANCO, developed over 40 new products expanding its product offerings by adding:

By executing on its research and development strategy, the Company intends to continue to expand its product offerings.

The Company provides expertise and resources to offer software solutions and services to builders and lumber building material dealers, and supports efforts to further develop integrated software component solutions for the building industry. The

Company also has ongoing development of truss software for the design, modeling and truss plate selection for its integrated component manufacturing customers.

The principal raw material used by the Company is steel, including stainless steel. The Company also uses materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, mortars, grouts, epoxies and acrylics in the manufacture of its chemical anchoring and reinforcing products. The Company purchases raw materials from a variety of commercial sources. The Company’s practice is to seek cost savings and enhanced quality by developing business relationships with and purchasing from a limited number of suppliers.

We purchase steel at market prices, which fluctuate as a result of supply and demand driven by economic conditions in the marketplace. The steel industry is highly cyclical and prices for the Company’s raw materials are influenced by numerous factors beyond the Company’s control including geopolitical and macroeconomic factors, supply constraints and supply chain disruptions, foreign currency fluctuations, import tariffs and duties, and unsettled international trade disputes. The steel market continues to be dynamic, with a high degree of uncertainty about future pricing trends. Given current conditions, the Company currently expects that raw material costs may continue to increase. Numerous factors may cause steel prices to remain high in the future. In addition to increases in steel prices, steel mills may add surcharges for zinc, energy and freight in response to increases in their costs. See “Item 1A — Risk Factors” and “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial

Condition and Results of Operations.” The Company historically has not attempted to hedge against changes in prices of steel or other raw materials. However, the Company may purchase and carry more steel or other raw materials in inventory to meet projected sales demand in a tight raw materials market.

The Company’s sales have been seasonal and cyclical, with operating results varying from quarter to quarter. With some exceptions, our sales and income have historically been lower in the first and fourth quarters than in the second and third quarters of a fiscal year, as the Company's customers tend to purchase construction materials in the late spring and summer months for the construction season. Weather conditions, such as extended cold or wet weather, which affected and sometimes delayed installation of some of our products, would negatively affect our results of operations. Operating results vary from quarter to quarter and with economic cycles. The Company’s sales are also dependent, to a degree, on the North American residential home construction industry. As noted above, the same efforts to mitigate the Company's reliance on housing starts have also softened the effects of seasons and adverse weather on the Company's quarterly results. See “Item 1A — Risk Factors” and “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

Through the "Governance" page of our website, it is also possible to access copies of the charters for our Audit and Finance Committee, Compensation and Leadership Development Committee, Corporate Strategy and Acquisitions Committee and Nominating and ESG Committee, Sustainability Reports, as well as our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Each of these documents is made available free of charge. We intend to disclose on our website any amendment to, or waiver of, any provisions of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that apply to any of our directors, executive officers or senior financial officers that would otherwise be required to be disclosed under the rules of the SEC or the NYSE. The foregoing information regarding our website and its content is for your convenience only. The information contained in or connected to our website is not deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Annual Report or filed with the SEC.

In addition, the SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, where you may obtain a copy of all information we file publicly with the SEC. The SEC website address is www.sec.gov.

General global economic downturns and macroeconomic trends, including heightened inflation, capital market volatility, interest rate and currency rate fluctuations, and economic slowdown or recession, may result in unfavorable conditions that could negatively affect demand for our products due to customers decreasing their inventories in the near-term or long-term, reduction in sales due to raw material shortages, reduction in research and development efforts, our inability to sufficiently hedge our currency and raw material costs, insolvency of suppliers and customers and exacerbate some of the other risks that affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Both domestic and international markets experienced significant inflationary pressures in fiscal year 2022 and inflation rates in the U.S., as well as in other countries in which we

operate, are currently expected to continue at elevated levels for the near-term. We may be adversely affected during periods of high inflation, mainly from raw material and labor costs. Inflation could increase our cost of financing, raw materials and labor and could cause our financial results and profitability to decline. In addition, the Federal Reserve in the U.S. and other central banks in various countries have raised, and may again raise, interest rates in response to concerns about inflation, which, coupled with reduced government spending and volatility in financial markets, may have the effect of further increasing economic uncertainty and heightening these risks. Interest rate increases or other government actions taken to reduce inflation could also result in recessionary pressures in many parts of the world.

We are subject to risks associated with public health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The nature and extent of future impacts are highly uncertain and unpredictable. While many countries around the world have removed or reduced the restrictions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus may result in new governmental lockdowns, quarantine requirements or other restrictions to slow the spread of the virus. Any such measures could also impact the global economy more broadly, for example by leading to further economic slowdowns. The global outlook remains uncertain as case counts fluctuate and vaccination and booster rates remain relatively low in many parts of the world.

The scope and duration of any future public health crisis, including the potential emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pace at which government restrictions, including, but not limited to, quarantines, “shelter in place” and “stay at home” order, travel restrictions and other similar measures, are imposed and lifted, the scope of additional actions taken to mitigate the spread of disease, global vaccination and booster rates, may significantly impact our production throughout the supply chain and constrict distribution channels. We are unable to predict the potential future impact that these factors will have on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

These factors could adversely affect demand for our products and services, and our costs of doing business, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be harmed. Further, many of our customers in the construction industry are small and medium-sized businesses that are more likely to be adversely affected by economic downturns than larger, more established businesses. Uncertainty about current global economic conditions may cause these consumers to postpone or refrain from spending or may cause them to switch to lower-cost alternative products, which could reduce demand for our products and materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Our largest customers accounted for a significant portion of net sales for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020. A reduction in, or elimination of, our sales to any of these customers would at least temporarily, and possibly on a longer term basis, cause a material reduction in our net sales, income from operations and net income. Such a reduction in or elimination of our sales to any of our largest customers would also increase our relative dependence on our remaining large customers.

In addition, our distributor customers and builders have increasingly consolidated over time, which has increased the material adverse effect risk of losing any one of them and may increase their bargaining power in negotiations with us. These trends could negatively affect our sales and profitability.

Our continued growth depends upon our ability to develop additional products, services and technologies that meet our customers’ expectations of our brand and quality and that allow us to enter into new markets. Expansion into new markets and the development of new products and services may involve considerable costs and may not generate sufficient revenue to be profitable or cover the costs of development. We might not be able to penetrate these product markets and any market penetration that occurs might not be timely or profitable. We may be unable to recoup part or all of the investments we make in attempting to develop new products and technologies and penetrate new markets. Any of these events could reduce our profitability.

In order to compete effectively we must continue to develop enhancements to our existing products, new products and services on a timely basis that meet changing consumer preferences and successfully develop, manufacture and market these new products, product enhancements and services. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in developing and marketing new products, product enhancements, additional technologies and services. Many of our competitors are dedicating increasing resources to competing with us, especially as our products and services become more affected by technological advances and software innovations. Our inability to effectively compete could reduce the sales of our products and services, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Additionally, our ability to compete effectively depends, to a significant extent, on the specification or approval of our products by architects, engineers, building inspectors, building code officials and customers and their acceptance of our premium brand. If a significant portion of those communities were to decide that the design, materials, manufacturing, testing or quality control of our products is inferior to that of any of our competitors or the cost differences between our products and any competitors are not justifiable, our sales and profits could be materially reduced.

Steel is the principal raw material used in the manufacture of many of our products. The price of steel has historically fluctuated on a cyclical basis and has often depended on a variety of factors over which we have no control including general economic conditions and currency exchange rates. Import tariffs and/or other mandates also could significantly increase the prices on raw materials that are critical to our business, such as steel. The cost of producing our products is also sensitive to the price of energy.

The selling prices of our products have not always increased in response to raw material, energy or other cost increases, and we are unable to determine to what extent, if any, we will be able to pass future cost increases through to our customers. Increases in prices of raw materials and energy, our inability or unwillingness to pass increased costs through to our customers could materially and adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.

Our business depends on the transportation of both our products to our customers and distributors and the transportation of raw materials to us. We rely on third parties for transportation services of these items, which services are occasionally in high demand (especially at the end of calendar quarters) and/or subject to price fluctuations. Damage or disruption to our supply chain, including transportation and distribution capabilities, could impair our ability to manufacture or sell our products. Failure to take adequate steps to mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of disruptions, or to effectively manage such events if they occur could adversely affect our business or financial results.

If the required supply of transportation services is unavailable when needed, our manufacturing processes may be interrupted if we are not able to receive raw materials or we may be unable to sell our products at full value, or at all. This could harm our reputation, negatively impact our customer relationships and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, a material increase in transportation rates or fuel surcharges could have a material adverse effect on our profitability.

Many governments, regulators, investors, employees, customers and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on environmental, social and governance considerations relating to businesses, including climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, human capital and diversity, equity and inclusion. We make statements about our environmental, social and governance goals and initiatives through information provided on our website, press statements and other communications, including through our Environmental, Social and Governance Report. Responding to these environmental, social and governance considerations and implementation of these goals and initiatives involves risks and uncertainties, including those described under “Forward-Looking Statements,” requires investments and are impacted by factors that may be outside our control. In addition, some stakeholders may disagree with our goals and initiatives and the focus of stakeholders may change and evolve over time. Stakeholders also may have very different views on where environmental, social and governance focus should be placed, including differing views of regulators in various jurisdictions in which we operate. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to achieve our goals, further our initiatives, adhere to our public statements, comply with federal, state or international environmental, social and governance laws and regulations, or meet evolving and varied stakeholder expectations and standards could result in legal and regulatory proceedings against us and materially adversely affect our business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition and stock price.

The demand for our products and services is heavily correlated to both seasonal changes, with operating results varying from quarter to quarter, and unpredictable weather patterns. Our sales and income have historically been lower in the first and fourth quarters than in the second and third quarters, as customers tend to purchase construction materials in the late spring and summer months for the construction season. In addition, weather conditions, such as unseasonably warm, cold or wet weather, which affect, and sometimes delay or accelerate installation of some of our products, may significantly affect our results of operations. Sales that we anticipate in one quarter may occur in another quarter, affecting both quarters’ results and potentially our stock price.

In addition, we typically ship orders as we receive them and maintain inventory levels to allow us to operate with minimum backlog. The efficiency of our inventory system, and our ability to avoid backlogs and potential loss of customers, is closely tied to our ability to accurately predict seasonal and quarterly variances. Further, our planned expenditures are also based primarily on sales forecasts. When sales do not meet our expectations, our operating results will be reduced for the relevant quarters, as we will have already incurred expenses based on those expectations. This could result in a material decline in our stock price.

In North America, weather conditions and the level of severe storms can have a significant impact on the markets for residential construction and home improvement. As a result, climate change that results in altered weather conditions or storm activity could have a significant impact on our business by:

Generally, any weather conditions that slow or limit residential or construction activity can adversely impact demand for our products and services.

Lower demand for our products or services as a result of this scenario could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, severely low temperatures may lead to significant and immediate spikes in costs of natural gas, electricity and other commodities that could negatively affect our results of operation.

Many of our products are integral to the structural soundness or safety of the structures in which they are used and we have on occasion found flaws and deficiencies in the design, manufacturing, assembling, labeling, product formulations, chemical mixes or testing of our products. We also have on occasion found flaws and deficiencies in raw materials and finished goods produced by others and used with or incorporated into our products. Some flaws and deficiencies have not been apparent until after the products were installed or used by customers.

As a result of the nature of many of our products and their use in construction projects, claims (including product warranty claims and claims resulting from a natural disaster) may be made against us with regard to damage or destruction of structures incorporating our products whether or not our products failed. Any such claims, if asserted, could require us to expend material time and efforts defending the claim and may materially and adversely affect our business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations. Costs associated with resolving such claims (such as repair or replacement of the affected parts) could be material and may exceed any amounts reserved in our consolidated financial statements.

We enter into many types of contracts with our customers, suppliers and other third parties, including in connection with our expansion into new markets and new product lines. Under some of these contracts, our overall liability may not be limited to a specified maximum amount or we may have significant potential exposure to price or expense increases. If we receive claims under these contracts or experience significant price increases or comparable expense increases, we may incur liabilities significantly in excess of the revenues associated with such contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

Our planning/design software applications facilitate the creation by customers of complex construction and building designs and is extremely complex. If our software applications contain defects or errors, our engineers prepare, approve or seal drawings that contain defects or we are otherwise involved in any design or construction that contains flaws, regardless of whether we caused such flaws, we may be required to correct deficiencies and may become involved in litigation. Further, if any damage or injury is not covered by our insurance and we are held to be liable, we could be required to correct such damage and to compensate persons who might have suffered injury, and our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows could be materially and adversely affected.

In North America the residential construction industry has experienced increased complexity in some home design and builders are more aggressively trying to reduce their costs. One of our responses has been to develop and market sophisticated software and applications to facilitate the specification, selection and use of our product systems. We have continued to commit substantial resources to our software development endeavors in recent years and expect that trend to continue.

We may not be able to create and further develop commercially successful software and applications. Even if we are able to create and develop initially successful ideas, the technology industry is subject to rapid changes. We may not be able to adapt quickly enough to keep up with changing demands, and our software may become obsolete.

We monitor and protect against activities that might infringe, dilute, or otherwise harm our patents, trademarks and other intellectual property and rely on the patent, trademark and other laws of the U.S. and other countries. However, we may be unable to prevent third parties from using our intellectual property without our authorization. To the extent we cannot protect our intellectual property, unauthorized use and misuse of our intellectual property could harm our competitive position and have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the laws of some non-U.S.

jurisdictions provide less protection for our proprietary rights than the laws of the U.S. and we therefore may not be able to effectively enforce our intellectual property rights in these jurisdictions. If we are unable to maintain certain exclusive licenses, our brand recognition and sales could be adversely impacted. Current employees, contractors and suppliers have, and former employees, contractors and suppliers may have, access to trade secrets and confidential information regarding our operations which could be disclosed improperly and in breach of contract to our competitors or otherwise used to harm us.

Third parties may also claim that we are infringing upon their intellectual property rights. If we are unable to successfully defend or license such alleged infringing intellectual property or if we are required to substitute similar technology from another source, our operations could be adversely affected. Even if we believe that such intellectual property claims are without merit, defending such claims can be costly, time consuming and require significant resources. Claims of intellectual property infringement also might require us to redesign affected products, pay costly damage awards, or face injunctions prohibiting us from manufacturing, importing, marketing or selling certain of our products. Even if we have agreements to indemnify us, indemnifying parties may be unable or unwilling to do so.

We employ information technology systems and operate websites which allow for the secure storage and transmission of proprietary or confidential information regarding our customers, employees and others. We make significant efforts to secure our computer network to mitigate the risk of possible cyber-attacks, including, but not limited to, data breaches, and are continuously working to upgrade our existing information technology systems to ensure that we are protected, to the greatest extent possible, against cyber risks and security breaches. Despite these efforts security of our computer networks could be compromised which could impact operations and confidential information could be misappropriated, which could lead to negative publicity, loss of sales and profits or cause us to incur significant costs to reimburse third- parties for damages, which could adversely impact profits.

We strive to comply with all applicable laws, policies, legal obligations and industry codes of conduct relating to privacy and data protection, to the extent possible. However, we continue to see increasingly complex, rigorous and more stringent state and national regulatory standards enacted to protect businesses and personal data, including the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 ("CCPA"). GDPR is a comprehensive European Union privacy and data protection reform, effective in 2018, which applies to companies that are organized in the European Union or otherwise provide services to consumers who reside in the European Union, and imposes strict standards regarding the sharing, storage, use, disclosure and protection of end user data and significant penalties (monetary and otherwise) for non-compliance. The CCPA, which became effective in 2022 established a new privacy framework for covered businesses by, among other things, creating an expanded definition of personal information, establishing new data privacy rights for consumers in the State of California and creating a new and potentially severe statutory damages framework for violations of the CCPA and for businesses that fail to implement reasonable security procedures and practices to prevent data breaches. More recently, on November 3, 2020, California enacted the California Privacy Rights Act (the “CPRA”). The CPRA, which went into effect on January 1, 2023, expands upon the protections provided by the CCPA, including new limitations on the sale or sharing of consumers' personal information, and the creation of a new state agency to enforce the CPRA’s protections. Any failure to comply with GDPR, the CCPA, the CPRA, or other state or regulatory standards, could subject the Company to legal and reputational risks. Misuse of or failure to secure personal information could also result in violation of data privacy laws and regulations, proceedings against us by governmental entities or others, damage to our reputation and credibility, and could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

We are increasingly dependent on technology systems to operate our business, reduce costs, and enhance customer service. These systems include complex software systems and hosted applications that are provided by third parties such as financial management and human capital management platforms from SAP America, Inc. and Workday, Inc. Software systems need to be updated on a regular basis with patches, bug fixes and other modifications. Hosted applications are subject to service availability and reliability of hosting environments. We also migrate from legacy systems to new systems from time to time.

Maintaining existing software systems, implementing upgrades and converting to new systems are costly and require a significant allocation of personnel and other resources. The implementation of these systems upgrades and conversions is a complex and time-consuming project involving substantial expenditures for implementation activities, consultants, system hardware and software, often requires transforming our current business and financial processes to conform to new systems, and therefore, may take longer, be more disruptive, and cost more than forecast and may not be successful. If the implementation is delayed or otherwise is not successful, it may hinder our business operations and negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. There are many factors that may materially and adversely affect the schedule, cost, and execution of the implementation process, including, without limitation, problems during the design and testing phases of new systems; system delays and malfunctions; the deviation by suppliers and contractors from the required performance under their contracts with us; the diversion of management attention from our daily operations to the implementation project; reworks due to unanticipated changes in business processes; difficulty in training employees in the operation of new systems and maintaining internal control while converting from legacy systems to new systems; and integration with our existing systems. Some of such factors may not be reasonably anticipated or may be beyond our control.

We depend on information technology networks and systems, including the Internet, to process, transmit and store electronic information. We depend on our information technology infrastructure for electronic communications among our locations around the world and between our personnel and our subsidiaries, customers and suppliers. We collect and retain large volumes of internal and customer, vendor and supplier data, including some personally identifiable information, for business purposes. We also maintain personally identifiable information about our employees. The integrity and protection of our customer, vendor, supplier, employee and other Company data is critical to our business. The regulatory environment governing information, security and privacy laws is increasingly demanding and continues to evolve. Maintaining compliance with applicable security and privacy regulations may increase our operating costs or adversely affect our business operations.

Despite the security and maintenance measures we have in place, our facilities and systems, and those of the retailers, dealers, licensees and other third-parties with which we do business, we remain vulnerable to security breaches, cyber-attacks, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, malware, data corruption, delays, disruptions, programming and/or human errors or other similar events, such as those accomplished through fraud, trickery or other forms of deceiving our employees, contractors or other agents or representatives and those due to system updates, natural disasters, malicious attacks, accidents, power disruptions, telecommunications failures, acts of terrorism or war, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar events. Such incidents have occurred, continue to occur, and may occur in the future.

Security breaches of our infrastructure could create system disruptions, shutdowns or unauthorized disclosures of confidential information. Despite the security measures we have in place, our facilities and systems, and those of the retailers, dealers, licensees and other third parties with which we do business, we may be vulnerable to security breaches, cyber-attacks, acts of vandalism, computer viruses, misplaced or lost data, programming and/or human errors or other similar events. Such incidents may involve misappropriation, loss or other unauthorized disclosure of confidential data, materials or information, including those concerning our customers, employees or suppliers, whether by us or by the retailers, dealers, licensees and other third-party distributors with which we do business, disrupt our operations, result in losses, damage our reputation, and expose us to the risks of litigation and liability (including regulatory liability); and may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We have various agreements with a number of third parties that provide software and software-as-a-service products to us. These agreements often require reoccurring payments for online access to the products and have limited terms. In the future, we will be required to renegotiate the terms of these agreements, and may be unable to renew such agreements on favorable terms. If any such agreement cannot be renewed or can only be renewed on terms that are materially worse for us, we may be unable to access the applicable software, and our business and operating results may be adversely affected.

We are subject to environmental laws and regulations governing emissions into the air, discharges into water, and generation, handling, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste materials. We are also subject to other federal and state laws and regulations regarding health and safety matters.

Our manufacturing operations involve the use of solvents, chemicals, oils and other materials that are regarded as hazardous or toxic. We also use complex and heavy machinery and equipment that can pose severe safety hazards, especially if not properly and carefully used. Some of our products also incorporate materials that are hazardous or toxic in some forms, such as:

We have in the past, and may in the future, need to take steps to remedy our failure to properly label, store, transport, use and manufacture such toxic and hazardous materials.

If we do not obtain all material licenses and permits required by environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, or otherwise fail to comply with applicable laws and regulations, we may be subject to regulatory action by governmental authorities. If our policies and procedures are flawed, or our employees fail or neglect to follow our policies and procedures in all respects, we might incur liability. Relevant laws and regulations could change or new ones could be adopted that require us to incur substantial expense to comply.

We are currently subject to conflict mineral disclosure regulations in the U.S. and may be affected by new regulations concerning conflict and similar minerals adopted by other jurisdictions where we operate. While we have been successful to date in adapting to such regulations, we have and will continue to incur added costs to comply with the disclosure requirements, including costs related to determining the source of such minerals used in our products. We may not be able to ascertain the origins of such minerals that we use and may not be able to satisfy requests from customers to certify that our products are free of conflict minerals. These requirements also could constrain the pool of suppliers from which we source such minerals. We may be unable to obtain conflict-free minerals at competitive prices. Such consequences will increase costs and may materially and adversely affect our manufacturing operations and profitability.

As part of our product offerings, we may provide engineering and design-related services to our clients. Some of these services require us to stamp drawings or otherwise be involved in the engineering process. While we generally attempt to limit our liability through our internal processes and through our legal agreements with third parties to which we provide such services, under various local, state and federal rules and regulations these limitations may not be effective and we may be held liable for engineering failures. Any such liability could materially and adversely affect our profitability.

We may consider and evaluate acquisitions and compete for acquisitions with other potential acquirers, some of which may have greater financial or operational resources than we do. Any acquisitions we undertake involve numerous risks, including:

As a result, if we fail to evaluate and execute acquisitions properly, we might not achieve the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions and we may incur costs in excess of what we anticipate. These risks would likely be greater in the case of larger acquisitions.

In addition, future acquisitions may involve issuance of additional equity securities that dilute the value of our existing equity securities, increase our debt, cause impairment related to goodwill and cause impairment of, and amortization expenses related to, other intangible assets, which could materially and adversely affect our profitability.

Our capital expenditures are limited by our liquidity and capital resources and the amount we have available for capital spending is limited by the need to pay our other expenses and to maintain adequate cash reserves and borrowing capacity to meet unexpected demands that may arise. Productivity improvements through process re-engineering, design efficiency and manufacturing cost improvements may be required to offset potential increases in labor and raw material costs and competitive price pressures. If we are unable to make sufficient capital expenditures, or to maximize the efficiency of the capital expenditures we do make, our competitive position may be harmed and we may be unable to manufacture the products necessary to compete successfully in our targeted market segments.

If the cash needed for working capital or to fund our growth or other business requirements increases to a level that exceeds the amount of cash that we generate from operations and have available through our current credit arrangements, we will need to seek additional financing. Additional or new borrowings may not be available on reasonable terms, or at all. Our ability to raise money by issuing and selling shares of our common or preferred stock depends on general market conditions and the demand for our stock. If we sell stock, our existing stockholders could experience substantial dilution. Our inability to secure additional financing could prevent the expansion of our business, internally and through acquisitions.

We depend, in part, on the efforts and skills of our executives and other key employees, including members of our sales force. Our executives and key employees are experienced and highly qualified. The loss of any of our executive officers or other key employees could harm the business and the Company’s ability to timely achieve its strategic initiatives. Our success also depends on our ability to identify, attract, hire and retain our key personnel. We face strong competition for such personnel and may not be able to attract or retain such personnel. In addition, when we experience periods with little or no profits, a decrease in compensation based on our profits may make it difficult to attract and retain highly qualified personnel. We may not be able to attract and retain key personnel or may incur significant costs to do so.

A significant number of our employees are represented by labor unions and covered by collective bargaining agreements that will expire between 2023 and 2026. Generally, collective bargaining agreements that expire may be terminated after notice by the union. After termination, the union may authorize a strike similar to the strike which was initiated at our Stockton facility in the third quarter of 2019. Although we believe that our relations with our employees are generally good, no assurance can be given that we will be able to successfully extend or renegotiate our collective bargaining agreements as they expire. If we fail to extend or renegotiate our collective bargaining agreements, if disputes with our unions arise, or if the workers covered by one or more of the collective bargaining agreements engage in a strike, lockout, or other work stoppage, we could have a material adverse effect on production at one or more of our facilities, incur higher labor costs, and, depending upon the length of such dispute or work stoppage, on our business, results of operations, financial position and liquidity.

All of these factors could result in increased costs or decreased revenues and could materially and adversely affect our sales, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, international construction standards, techniques and methods differ from those in the U.S. and as a result, we may need to redesign our products, or design new products, to compete effectively and profitably in international markets.

In addition, we operate in many parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption and we could be adversely affected by violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") and similar worldwide anti-corruption laws. The FCPA and similar anti-corruption laws in other jurisdictions generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Although we mandate compliance with these anti-corruption laws, we cannot provide assurance that these measures will necessarily prevent violations of these laws by our employees or agents. If we were found to be liable for violations of anti-corruption laws, we could be liable for criminal or civil penalties or other sanctions, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to a number of export, import and economic sanction regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”), the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) and U.S. sanction regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets (“OFAC”). Foreign governments where we have operations also implement export, import and sanction laws and regulations, some of which may be inconsistent or conflict with ITAR and EAR. Where we face such inconsistencies, it may be impossible for us to comply with all applicable regulations.

If we do not obtain all necessary import and export licenses required by applicable export and import regulations, including ITAR and EAR, or do business with sanctioned countries or individuals, we may be subject to fines, penalties and other regulatory action by governmental authorities, including, among other things, having our export or import privileges suspended. Even if our policies and procedures for exports, imports and sanction regulations comply, but our employees fail or neglect to follow them in all respects, we might incur similar liability.

Any changes in applicable export, import or sanction laws or regulations or any legal or regulatory violations could materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.

We maintain manufacturing capability in various parts of the world, including Jiangsu, China, in part to allow us to serve our customers with prompt delivery of needed products. In recent years, we have significantly expanded our manufacturing capabilities in China. Substantially all of our manufacturing output in China was and is currently intended for export to other parts of the world. Any halting or disruption to our operations at or near our Jiangsu, China manufacturing facility could substantially interfere with our general commercial activity related to our supply chain and customer base, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, business or prospects. In such event, we may need to seek alternative sources of supply for products for our customers, which may increase the costs to manufacture and deliver our products.

If significant tariffs or other restrictions are placed on Chinese or other imports or any related countermeasures are taken by China or other countries, our costs of doing business, revenue and results of operations may be materially harmed. If duties are imposed on our imports, we may be required to raise our prices, which may result in the loss of customers and harm our operating performance. Alternatively, we may seek to shift production outside of China, resulting in diversion of management's attention, significant costs and disruption to our operations as we would need to pursue the time-consuming processes of establishing a new supply chain, identifying substitute components and establishing new manufacturing locations.

We generally conduct international operations through our wholly-owned subsidiaries. Our income tax liabilities in the different countries where we operate depend in part on internal settlement prices and administrative charges among us and our subsidiaries. These arrangements require us to make judgments with which tax authorities may disagree. Tax authorities may impose additional tariffs, duties, taxes, penalties and interest on us. Transactions that we have arranged in light of current tax rules could have material and adverse consequences if tax rules change, and changes in tax rules or imposition of any new or increased tariffs, duties and taxes could materially and adversely affect our sales, profits and financial condition.

Tax laws are dynamic and subject to change as new laws are passed and new interpretations are issued or applied. If the U.S. or other foreign tax authorities change applicable tax laws, our overall taxes could increase, and our business, financial condition or results of operations may be adversely impacted.

We are subject to income taxation in the U.S. as well as numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required in determining our worldwide income tax provision and, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Although we believe our estimates are reasonable, the ultimate tax outcome may differ from the amounts recorded in our financial statements and may materially affect our financial results in the period or periods for which such determination is made.

A significant portion of our net sales and earnings are generated internationally. Sales outside of the U.S. accounted for 23.6% of our consolidated net sales in 2022 and we anticipate that sales from international operations will continue to represent a significant portion of our net sales in the future. In addition, many of our manufacturing facilities and suppliers are located outside of the U.S. Our foreign operations subject us to certain commercial, political and financial risks. Our business in these

foreign markets is subject to general political conditions, including any political instability (such as those resulting from war, terrorism and insurrections) and general economic conditions in these markets, such as inflation, deflation, interest rate volatility and credit availability. Additionally, a number of factors, including U.S. relations with the governments of the foreign countries in which we operate, changes to international trade agreements and treaties, increases in trade protectionism, or the weakening or loss of certain intellectual property protection rights in some countries, may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Foreign regulatory requirements, including those related to the testing, authorization, and labeling of products and import or export licensing requirements, could affect the availability of our products in these markets.

In addition to risks associated with general political conditions, our international operations are subject to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates The functional currency for most of our foreign operations is the applicable local currency. As a result, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates affect the results of our operations and the value of our foreign assets and liabilities, which in turn may adversely affect results of operations and cash flows and the comparability of period-to-period results of operations. Foreign governmental policies and actions regarding currency valuation could result in actions by the United States and other countries to offset the effects of such fluctuations. Given the unpredictability and volatility of foreign currency exchange rates, ongoing or unusual volatility may adversely impact our business and financial conditions.

Our Board of Directors is authorized by our certificate of incorporation to determine the terms of one or more series of preferred stock and to authorize the issuance of shares of any such series on such terms as our Board of Directors may approve. Any such issuance could be used to impede an acquisition of our business that our Board of Directors does not approve, further dilute the equity investments of holders of our common stock and reduce funds available for the payment of dividends to holders of our common stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our Company or changes in our management that our stockholders may deem advantageous. For example, under our charter documents, our stockholders cannot call special meetings and cannot take action by written consent.

Additionally, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any “interested” stockholder for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an “interested” stockholder and which may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company. Delaware law and our corporate governance documents could deter takeover attempts that might otherwise be beneficial to our stockholders.

Declines in the Company’s business may result in an impairment of the Company’s tangible and intangible assets which could result in a material non-cash charge. At least annually, or at other times when events occur that could affect the value of such assets, we perform impairment tests on our goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets and definite-lived intangible assets. To determine whether an impairment has occurred, we compare fair value of each of our reporting units with its carrying value. In the past, these tests have led us to incur significant impairment charges. Significant and unanticipated changes in circumstances, such as significant adverse changes in business climate, adverse actions by regulatory authorities, unanticipated competition, loss of key customers or changes in technology or markets, can require a charge for impairment that can negatively impact our results of operations.

 

Our headquarters and principal executive offices in Pleasanton, California, and our principal U.S. manufacturing facilities in Stockton and San Bernardino County, California, McKinney, Texas, West Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio, and Gallatin,

Tennessee are located in owned premises. The principal manufacturing facilities located outside the U.S., the majority of which we own, are in France, Italy, Romania, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Portugal and China. We also own and lease smaller manufacturing facilities, warehouses, research and development facilities and sales offices in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. As of February 28, 2023, the Company’s owned and leased facilities were as follows:

 

 

We believe that our properties are maintained in good operating condition. Our manufacturing facilities are equipped with specialized equipment and use extensive automation. Our leased facilities typically have renewal options and have expiration dates through 2032. We believe we will be able to extend leases on our various facilities as necessary, or as they expire. Currently, our manufacturing facilities are being operated with at least one full-time shift. Based on current information and subject to future events and circumstances, we anticipate that we may require additional facilities to accommodate possible future growth.

From time to time, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings and other matters arising in the normal course of business. Corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, cracking, material hardness, wood pressure-treating chemicals, misinstallations, misuse, design and assembly flaws, manufacturing defects, labeling defects, product formula defects, inaccurate chemical mixes, adulteration, environmental conditions, or other factors can contribute to failure of fasteners, connectors, anchors, adhesives, specialty chemicals, such as fiber reinforced polymers, and tool products. In addition, inaccuracies may occur in product information, descriptions and instructions found in catalogs, packaging, data sheets, and the Company’s website.

The Company currently is not a party to any legal proceedings which the Company expects individually or in the aggregate to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, cash flows or results of operations. Nonetheless, the resolution of any claim or litigation is subject to inherent uncertainty and we could in the future incur judgments, enter into settlements of claims or revise our expectations regarding the outcome of the various legal proceedings and other matters we are currently involved in, which could materially impact our financial condition, cash flows or results of operations. Refer to Note 14, “Commitments and Contingencies,” to the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of recent developments related to certain of the legal proceedings in which we are involved.

The Company’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “SSD.”

As of February 23, 2023 there were 46,260 holders of record of the Company’s common stock, although we believe that there are a significantly larger number of beneficial owners of our common stock.

 

During 2022, the Company paid a total of $43.9 million in cash dividends. On January 24, 2023, we declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.26 per share of common stock to be paid on April 27, 2023 to stockholders of record as of April 6, 2023. See "Note 19 — Subsequent Events" to the Company's consolidated financial statements. Future dividends, if any, will be determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, based on the Company’s future earnings, cash flows, financial condition and other factors deemed relevant by the Board of Directors. See “Item 7 — Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

 

The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on the Company’s common stock from December 31, 2017, through December 31, 2022, with the cumulative total return on the S&P 500 Index (a broad equity market index), the Dow Jones U.S. Building Materials & Fixtures Index (a published industry or line-of-business index) and a Peer Group Index over the same period (assuming the investment of $100 in the Company’s common stock and in each of the indices on December 31, 2017, and reinvestment of all dividends into additional shares of the same class of equity securities at the frequency with which dividends are paid on such securities during the applicable fiscal year). To provide an additional comparison to our performance, we included an index consisting of companies in the building products or construction materials industries that are most comparable to us in terms of size and nature of operations, which group has also been referenced by us in connection with setting our executive compensation. The Peer Group Index below consisted of AAON, Inc., Advance Drainage Systems, Inc., Allegion Plc, American Woodmark Corp, Apogee Enterprises, Inc., Armstrong World Industries, Inc., Atkore Inc., Axek Company Inc., Eagle Materials, Inc., Gibraltar Industries, Inc., Masonite International Corp., Patrick Industries, Inc., PGT Innovations, Inc., Quanex Building Products Corp., Summit Materials, Inc., and Trex Company, Inc.

On December 15, 2022, the Board of Directors authorized the repurchase up to $100.0 million of the Company’s common stock from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

 

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes that appear in this Annual Report. In addition to historical consolidated financial information, the following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those discussed below and in this Annual Report, particularly in "Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors."

Overview

In order to grow in these markets, we aspire to be among the leaders in engineered load-rated construction building products and systems and building technology while leveraging our engineering expertise, deep-rooted relationships with top builders, engineers, contractors, code officials and distributors, along with our ongoing commitment to testing, research and innovation. Importantly, we currently have existing products, testing results, distribution and manufacturing capabilities for our key growth

initiatives. Although these initiatives are all currently in different stages of development, our successful growth in these areas will ultimately be a function of expanding our sales and/or marketing functions to promote our products to different end users and distribution channels, expanding our customer base, and potentially introducing new products in the future.

We also highlighted our five-year ambitions in 2021, which are as follows:

Acquisition of ETANCO

The Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations depends in large part on the level of United States housing starts and residential construction activity. Though single-family housing starts increased the prior two years, we have seen demand decline recently due to supply-chain factors, inflation and interest rate increases affecting new home starts and completions. However, the Company also supplies product used in multifamily housing construction, which increased compared to last year. Decreases in product prices are expected to be partially offset by lower raw material costs for inventory on hand, while a tight labor market could further negatively affect operating margins for 2023.

Unlike lumber or other products that have a more direct correlation to United States housing starts, our products are used to a greater extent in areas that are subject to natural forces, such as seismic or wind events. Our products are generally used in a sequential progression that follows the construction process. Residential and commercial construction begins with the foundation, followed by the wall and the roof systems, and then the installation of our products, which flow into a project or a house according to these schedules.

In prior years, our sales were heavily seasonal with operating results varying from quarter to quarter depending on weather conditions that could delay construction starts. Our sales and income have historically been lower in the first and fourth quarters than in the second and third quarters of a fiscal year. Due to efforts in diversifying our global footprint, most notably with our acquisition of ETANCO, sales from our product line, customer base and customer purchases are becoming less seasonal. Political and economic events such as rising energy costs, volatility in the steel market, stressed product transportation systems and increasing interest rates can also have an effect on our gross and operating profits as well. Changes in raw material cost could impact the amount of inventory on-hand, and negatively affect our gross profit and operating margins depending on the timing of raw material purchases or how much sales prices can be increased to offset higher raw material costs.

Our operations also expose us to risks associated with pandemics, epidemics or other public health, such as the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Historically our North America segment has generated more revenues from wood construction products compared to concrete construction products. North America sales increased 24.8% for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021. Our wood construction product sales increased 34.6% for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021 and our concrete construction product sales increased 33.9% over the same periods, for both, primarily due to product price increases throughout 2021 in an effort to offset rising raw material costs and partly due to increased volumes. These product price increases were also the primary contributor to gross profits and operating profits increasing over the same comparable periods. Recently announced decreases for pricing on certain of our wood products for 2023 will likely negatively affect 2023 net sales compared to 2022. We currently anticipate compression of our operating margin for fiscal 2023 compared to 2022 due to the effects of these price decreases, higher average priced steel in cost of sales relative to much of the prior year, and increases in operating expenses.

During 2022, we reviewed the footprint for our U.S. operations with assistance from a third party. As a result, we identified facility expansion in the U.S. that we expect will improve our overall service, production efficiencies and safety in the workplace, as well as reduce our reliance on certain outsourced finished goods and component products and continue to ensure we have ample capacity to meet our customer needs. These investments reinforce our core business model differentiators to

remain the partner of choice as we continue to produce products locally and ensure superior levels of customer service. Facility investments have already started in 2022 with the announced expansion of the Columbus facility, expected to be completed in 2024 while additional facility expansions are being considered.

Europe sales increased 103.2% for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021, primarily due to the acquisition of ETANCO, which contributed $212.6 million in net sales, along with product price increases. If the Company had not acquired ETANCO, Europe net sales would have declined by $23.5 million as a result of foreign currency translation due to a strengthened United States dollar, and lower sales volumes. Wood construction product sales increased 101.1% for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021 with ETANCO contributing $170.3 million. Concrete construction product sales increased 112.5% for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to December 31, 2021 with ETANCO contributing $42.3 million. Gross profit increased $56.5 million due to the acquisition of ETANCO while gross margins decreased mostly due to ETANCO having a lower gross margin profile, and $13.6 million in non-recurring fair-value adjustments to increase the fair value of acquired inventory as a result of purchase accounting related to the acquisition of ETANCO. Operating income was negatively impacted by higher operating expenses with $48.7 million attributable to ETANCO including $12.9 million in amortization costs for acquired intangibles, the $13.6 million in non-recurring fair-value adjustments noted above and acquisition and integration costs of $17.3 million. Fiscal 2023 will include a full year of ETANCO net sales and operating results compared to nine months for 2022. Operating margins will benefit from the absence of the 2022 non-recurring fair-value adjustments of acquired inventory noted above, as well as less integration costs estimated to be between $6 million to $8 million.

Our Asia/Pacific segment has generated revenues from both wood and concrete construction products. We believe that the Asia/Pacific segment is not significant to our overall performance.

Based on business trends and conditions, the Company's outlook for the full fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 is as follows:

 

Our discussion of our results focuses on 2022 and 2021 and year-to-year comparisons between those periods. Discussions of 2020 results and year-to-ear comparison between 2021 and 2020 results are not included in this Form 10K and can be found in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. The following table sets forth, for the years indicated, the Company’s operating results as a percentage of net sales for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively:

 

Unless otherwise stated, the results announced below results, when providing comparisons (which are generally indicated by words such as “increased,” “decreased,” “unchanged” or “compared to”), compare the results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022, against the results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021. Unless otherwise stated, the results announced below, when referencing “both years,” refer to the year ended December 31, 2021 and the year ended December 31, 2022.

The following table shows the change in the Company’s operations from 2021 to 2022, and the increases or decreases from the prior year, for each category by segment:

The following table shows net sales by segment for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively: 

The following table shows segment net sales as percentages of total net sales for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively:

 

The following table shows gross profit by segment for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively:

 

The critical accounting policies described below affect the Company’s more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements. If the Company’s business conditions change or if it uses different assumptions or estimates in the application of these and other accounting policies, the Company’s future results of operations could be adversely affected.

 

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value (market). Cost includes all costs incurred in bringing each product to its present location and condition, as follows:

 

 

The Company applies net realizable value and makes estimates for obsolescence to the gross value of inventory. The Company estimates net realizable value based on estimated selling price less further costs through completion and disposal. The Company impairs slow-moving products by comparing inventories on hand to projected demand. If on-hand supply of a product exceeds projected demand or if the Company believes the product is no longer marketable, the product is considered obsolete inventory. The Company revalues obsolete inventory to its net realizable value and has consistently applied this methodology. The Company believes that this approach is suitable for impairments of slow-moving and obsolete inventory. When impairments are established, a new cost basis of the inventory is created. Unexpected changes in market demand, building codes or buyer preferences could reduce the rate of inventory turnover and require the Company to recognize more obsolete inventory.

Accounting for business combinations requires us to make significant estimates and assumptions. We use our best estimates and assumptions to accurately assign fair value to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date as well as the useful lives of those acquired intangible assets.

Critical estimates in valuing certain of the intangible assets and goodwill we have acquired are:

Unanticipated events and circumstances may occur that may affect the accuracy or validity of such assumptions, estimates or actual results.

The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product to a customer at a point in time. The Company's general shipping terms are Incoterm C.P.T. (F.O.B. shipping point), where the title, and risk and rewards of ownership transfer at the point when the products are no longer on the Company's premises. Other Incoterms are allowed as exceptions depending on the product or service being sold and the nature of the sale. The Company recognizes revenue based on the consideration specified in the invoice with a customer, excluding any sales incentives, discounts, and amounts collected on behalf of third parties (i.e., governmental tax authorities).

Volume rebates, discounts and rights of return are accounted for as variable considerations because the transaction price is either uncertain until the customer completes or fails the specified volumes or returned product are not returned by the return period. The Company estimates allowances based on historical experience from prior periods and the customer’s historical purchasing pattern. These estimates are deducted from revenues and are reevaluated periodically during the reporting period.

As of December 31, 2022, our cash and cash equivalents consisted of deposits and money market funds held with established national financial institutions, and includes $77.9 million held in the local currencies of our foreign operations and could be subject to additional taxation if repatriated to the U.S. The Company is maintaining a permanent reinvestment assertion on its foreign earnings relative to remaining cash held outside the United States.

The following table presents selected financial information as of December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively:

The following table presents the significant categories of cash flows for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively:

Cash flows from operating activities result primarily from our earnings, and are also affected by changes in operating assets and liabilities which consist primarily of working capital balances. Our revenues are derived from manufacturing and sales of building construction materials. Our operating cash flows are subject to seasonality and are cyclically associated with the volume and timing of construction project starts. For example, trade accounts receivable is generally at its lowest at the end of the fourth quarter and increases during the first, second and third quarters.

In 2022, operating activities provided $399.8 million in cash and cash equivalents as a result of $334.0 million from net income and $83.8 million from non-cash adjustments to net income which includes depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation and non-recurring inventory fair-value adjustments from the acquisition of ETANCO, partially offset by a decrease of $18.0 million for the net change in operating assets and liabilities.

Cash provided by financing activities of $465.5 million during the year ended December 31, 2022, consisted primarily of $583.2 million in loan proceeds (net of principal payments) used for the acquisition of ETANCO, offset by $78.6 million for the repurchase of the Company’s common stock and $43.9 million used to pay cash dividends. During 2022, we purchased, received and retired 811,330 shares of the Company’s common stock on the open market at an average price of $96.91 per share, for a total of $78.6 million under a previously announced $100.0 million share repurchase authorization (which expired at the end of 2022).

On December 15, 2022, the Board authorized the Company to repurchase up to $100.0 million of the Company's common stock, effective January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Further, on January 24, 2023, the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board") declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.26 per share payable on April 27, 2023 to stockholders of record on April 6, 2023, and estimated to be $11.1 million in total.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, the Company returned $122.5 million to the Company's stockholders, which represents 36.2% of our free cash flow from operations during the same period. Since the beginning of 2019 to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, we have returned $405.9 million to stockholders, which represents 51.9% of our free cash flow and

over the same period the Company has repurchased over 3.1 million shares of the Company's common stock, which represents approximately 6.8% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock.

From time to time, we are subject to various claims, lawsuits, legal proceedings (including litigation, arbitration or regulatory actions) and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Periodically, we evaluate the status of each matter and assess our potential financial exposure.

The Company records a liability when we believe that it is both probable that a loss has been incurred, and the amount is reasonably estimable. Significant judgment is required to determine both probability of a loss and the estimated amount. The outcomes of claims, lawsuits, legal proceedings and other matters brought against the Company are subject to significant uncertainty, some of which are inherently unpredictable and/or beyond our control. Therefore, although management considers the likelihood of such an outcome to be remote, if one or more of these matters were resolved against the Company for amounts in excess of management’s expectations, they could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial position and liquidity.

See “Item 3 — Legal Proceedings” above and “Note 15 — Commitments and Contingencies” to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

Inflation rates increased significantly during fiscal year 2022, which have negatively affected material costs as well as labor costs and other costs of doing business, and as such may adversely affect our operating profits if we cannot recover the higher costs through price increases. Our main raw material is steel, and as such, increases in steel prices may adversely affect our gross margin if we cannot recover the higher costs through price increases. See “Item 1 — Raw Materials” and “Item 1A — Risk Factors.”

 

 

In the normal course of business, to facilitate transactions of services and products, we have agreed to indemnify certain parties with respect to certain matters. These agreements may limit the time within which an indemnification claim can be made and the amount of the claim. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our officers and directors, and the Company’s bylaws as permitted by the Company’s certificate of incorporation require the Company to indemnify corporate servants, including our officers and directors, to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Company maintains directors and officers liability insurance coverage to reduce its exposure to such obligations. The Company has not incurred significant obligations under indemnification provisions historically, and does not expect to incur significant obligations in the future. It is not possible to determine the maximum potential amount under these indemnities due to the limited history of prior indemnification claims and the unique facts and circumstances involved in each particular agreement. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded any liability for costs related to these indemnities through December 31, 2022.

 

 

We have operations both within the U.S. and internationally, and we are exposed to market risks in the ordinary course of our business, including changes to foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates and fluctuations in commodity prices.

Foreign currency translation adjustments on our underlying assets and liabilities resulted in an accumulated other comprehensive loss of $20.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, due to the effects of the strengthening United States Dollar in relation to almost all other countries, The loss was offset by $32.3 million in accumulated other comprehensive gains from foreign currency forward contracts. Refer to “Note 5 — Stockholders Equity” to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Our primary exposure to interest rate risk results from outstanding borrowings under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, which bears interest at variable rates. As of December 31, 2022, the outstanding debt under the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement subject to interest rate fluctuations was $583.2 million. The variable interest rates on the Credit Agreement fluctuate and expose us to short-term changes in market interest rates as our interest obligation on this instrument is based on prevailing market interest rates. Interest rates fluctuate as a result of many factors, including governmental monetary and tax policies, domestic and international economic and political considerations and other factors that are beyond our control.

We have entered into an interest rate swap agreement to convert the variable interest rate on our revolver and term loan to fixed interest rates. The objective of the interest rate swap agreement is to eliminate the variability of the interest payment cash flows associated with the variable interest rate outstanding under the borrowings. We designated the interest rate swaps as cash flow hedges. Refer to Note 9, "Derivatives Instruments" to the Company’s consolidated financial statements, for further information on our interest rate swap contracts in effect as of December 31, 2022.