Moog Inc. Reports Strong Performance for Fourth Quarter 2024 and Issues Positive Guidance for Fiscal 2025

Moog Inc. (NYSE: MOG.A and MOG.B), a worldwide designer, manufacturer and systems integrator of high-performance precision motion and fluid controls and control systems, today reported strong fiscal fourth quarter 2024 results that marked another record year.

"Our fourth quarter was strong, bringing to a close an exceptional year with record sales and expanded margins," said Pat Roche, CEO. "Our performance reflects the success in pricing and simplification initiatives that continue to build momentum into 2025, with stronger sales, expanded margin and improved cash flow generation."

Quarter Highlights

• Net sales increased driven by growth in defense businesses.
• Operating margin declined due to higher levels of charges related to simplification initiatives.
• Adjusted operating margin improved within Military Aircraft, Industrial and Space and Defense, while Commercial Aircraft declined from a strong quarter a year ago.
• Diluted net earnings per share increased due to improved operational performance, partially offset by the net of prior and current year one-time charges and benefits.
• Adjusted diluted net earnings per share increased due to incremental profit from higher sales and the benefit of capitalizing interest, partially offset by the absence of last year's favorable litigation settlement.
• Twelve-month backlog increased 3%, reaching a record level of $2.5 billion.

Year Highlights

• Net sales increased due to higher demand across our aerospace and defense businesses.
• Operating margin increased within Space and Defense and Military Aircraft, while Industrial and Commercial Aircraft declined.
• Adjusted operating margin expanded in Military Aircraft, Space and Defense and Industrial reflecting the benefits of pricing and simplification initiatives, while Commercial Aircraft declined from a strong prior year.
• Diluted net earnings per share increased due to largely the same factors as the fourth quarter.
• Adjusted diluted net earnings per share increased driven by operating margin expansion and incremental profit from higher sales.

Quarter Results

"We had a great quarter," said Jennifer Walter, CFO. "Sales were very strong, adjusted operating margin was robust and on plan, and adjusted earnings per share exceeded the high end of our guidance range. In addition, we generated a substantial amount of free cash flow."

Sales in the fourth quarter of 2024 increased compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, with notable growth in Military Aircraft and Space and Defense. Military Aircraft sales increased 17% to $216 million due to the ramp of the FLRAA and other production programs. Space and Defense sales increased 9% to $263 million driven by strong European defense demand and launch vehicle activity. Commercial Aircraft sales increased 2% to $197 million due to increased production volume, muted by the absence of last year's retroactive pricing benefit and inventory sale from exiting a mature product line. Industrial segment sales decreased 5% to $242 million due to a slowdown in orders for industrial automation applications, partially offset by higher medical product and automotive test business demand.

Operating margin decreased 100 basis points to 9.1% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Commercial Aircraft operating margin declined 680 basis points to 11.0%, driven by the absence of last year's benefits. Operating margins in Space and Defense and in Industrial declined 200 basis points and 130 basis points, respectively, due to incremental charges related to simplification initiatives. Military Aircraft operating margin improved 590 basis points to 11.8%, driven by reduced research and development expense, improved sales mix and cost absorption on the FLRAA program.

Adjusted operating margin in the fourth quarter of 2024 was unchanged at 12.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. We incurred charges primarily in Industrial and in Space and Defense. Adjusted operating margin in Industrial increased 90 basis points to 12.8% as the benefits of pricing more than offset an unfavorable sales mix and planned product transfers. Adjusted operating margin in Space and Defense increased 70 basis points to 13.5% associated with improved performance across the business.

Non-operating expenses in the fourth quarter of 2024 declined compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. The fourth quarter of 2024 included a $10 million adjustment to capitalize interest for 2023 and 2024. Non-operating expenses in the fourth quarter of 2023 included a pension settlement charge and a favorable litigation settlement.

Free cash flow in the fourth quarter was driven by strong customer collections and by timing of vendor payments.

Year Results

Sales in 2024 increased compared to 2023 with notable growth in Commercial Aircraft, Military Aircraft and Space and Defense. Commercial Aircraft sales increased 18% to $788 million due to increased production ramps on widebody, narrowbody and business jet programs. Military Aircraft sales increased 13% to $812 million due largely to having a full year's worth FLRAA sales. Space and Defense sales increased 7% to $1 billion due to strong, broad-based, defense demand. Industrial sales increased slightly at 1% to $991 million, as softening industrial automation sales were compensated by growth in other sub-markets.

Operating margin in 2024 increased compared to 2023, reflecting the benefits of pricing and simplification efforts, partially offset by higher amounts of charges related to simplifying our operations. Operating margin increased in Space and Defense and Military Aircraft, while Commercial Aircraft operating margin decreased, all due to the same factors as the fourth quarter. Also, Industrial operating margin decreased due to higher amounts of simplification charges.

Adjusted operating margin increased in 2024 compared to 2023, inclusive of a 40 basis-point contribution from the Employee Retention Credit, and increased in all of our segments except for Commercial Aircraft. Adjusted operating margin in Military Aircraft increased 300 basis points to 12.0% due to cost absorption on the FLRAA program and due to lower research and development expense. Adjusted operating margin in Space and Defense increased 290 basis points to 13.4% due to strong operational performance, including improved performance on space vehicle programs. Adjusted operating margin in Industrial increased 90 basis points to 12.4% due largely to pricing initiatives. Adjusted operating margin in Commercial Aircraft decreased 90 basis points to 11.8% due to the absence of the prior year's one-time benefits, partially offset by efficiencies from the current year's higher production sales volume.

2025 Financial Guidance

When the company provides adjusted, non-GAAP figures on a forward-looking basis, a reconciliation of the differences between the non-GAAP expectations and the corresponding GAAP measures generally is not available without unreasonable effort.

Conference call information

In conjunction with today’s release, Pat Roche, CEO, and Jennifer Walter, CFO, will host a conference call today beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET, which will be simultaneously broadcast live online. Listeners can access the call and supplemental financial materials at www.moog.com/investors/communications.

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which can be identified by words such as: “may,” “will,” “should,” “believes,” “expects,” “expected,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “approximate,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “anticipates,” “presume,” “assume” and other words and terms of similar meaning (including their negative counterparts or other various or comparable terminology). These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, are neither historical facts nor guarantees of future performance and are subject to several factors, risks and uncertainties, the impact or occurrence of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expected results described in the forward-looking statements.

Although it is not possible to create a comprehensive list of all factors that may cause our actual results to differ from the results expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements or that may affect our future results, some of these factors and other risks and uncertainties are described in Item 1A “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in our other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and include, but are not limited to, risks relating to: (i) our operation in highly competitive markets with competitors who may have greater resources than we possess; (ii) our operation in cyclical markets that are sensitive to domestic and foreign economic conditions and events; (iii) our heavy dependence on government contracts that may not be fully funded or may be terminated; (iv) supply chain constraints and inflationary impacts on prices for raw materials and components used in our products; (v) failure of our subcontractors or suppliers to perform their contractual obligations; and (vi) our accounting estimations for over-time contracts and any changes we need to make thereto. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made in this press release in the context of these risks and uncertainties.

While we believe we have identified and discussed in our SEC filings the material risks affecting our business, there may be additional factors, risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently consider immaterial that may affect the forward-looking statements we make herein. Given these factors, risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as predictive of future results. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement made in this press release, except as required by applicable law.

Results shown above have been adjusted to exclude impacts associated with restructuring and other charges related to continued portfolio shaping activities, asset impairments and other charges due to program termination and the devaluation of an investment, fair value adjustments from businesses being held for sale at year end, a one-time pension settlement charge, as well as impacts from the sale of buildings and a business. While management believes that these adjusted financial measures may be useful in evaluating the financial condition and results of operations of the Company, this information should be considered supplemental and is not a substitute for financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

While management believes that these adjusted financial measures may be useful in evaluating the financial condition and results of operations of the Company, this information should be considered supplemental and is not a substitute for financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided (used) by operating activities, less purchase of property, plant and equipment, less the benefit from the Receivables Purchase Agreement. Free cash flow conversion is defined as free cash flow divided by adjusted net earnings. Free cash flow and free cash flow conversion are not measures determined in accordance with GAAP and may not be comparable with the measures as used by other companies. However, management believes these adjusted financial measures may be useful in evaluating the liquidity, financial condition and results of operations of the Company. This information should be considered supplemental and is not a substitute for financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241101207281/en/