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Accounting Policies (Policies)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Accounting Policies

1. In the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company as of September 30, 2024 (unaudited) and December 31, 2023 and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the indicated periods. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted from these unaudited financial statements in accordance with applicable rules. Please refer to the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of operations for the nine month period ended September 30, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year.

The Company classifies assets as held-for-sale if all held-for-sale criteria are met pursuant to ASC 360-10, Property, Plant and Equipment. Criteria include management commitment to sell the disposal group in its present condition and the sale being deemed probable of being completed within one year. Assets classified as held for sale are not depreciated and are measured at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell. The Company assesses the fair value of a disposal group, less any costs to sell, each reporting period it remains classified as held-for-sale and reports any subsequent changes as an adjustment to the carrying value of the disposal group, as long as the new carrying value does not exceed the initial carrying value of the disposal group.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires a public entity to disclose its significant segment expense categories and amounts for each reportable segment. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. This new accounting standard will result in expanded disclosures but it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operation or cash flows.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, to enhance the transparency and decision usefulness of income tax disclosures providing investors with information to better assess how an entity’s operations and related tax risks and tax planning and operational opportunities affect its tax rate and prospects for future cash flows. The new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. The Company is evaluating the impact that it will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Risks and Uncertainties

2. The Company extends credit on the basis of terms that are customary within our markets to various companies doing business primarily in the automotive industry. The Company has a concentration of credit risk primarily within the automotive industry and in the Midwestern United States. The Company has established an allowance for accounts that may become uncollectible in the future. This estimated allowance is based primarily on management's evaluation of the financial condition of the customer and historical experience. The Company monitors its accounts receivable and charges to expense an amount equal to its estimate of potential credit losses. The Company considers a number of factors in determining its estimates, including the length of time its trade accounts receivable are past due, the Company's previous loss history and the customer's current ability to pay its obligation. The Company also considers current economic conditions, the economic outlook and industry-specific factors in its evaluation. Accounts receivable balances are charged off against the allowance when it is determined that the receivable will not be recovered.
Commitments and Contingencies

3. The Company is, from time to time, involved in litigation, including environmental claims and contract disputes, in the normal course of business. While it is not possible at this time to establish the ultimate amount of liability with respect to contingent liabilities, including those related to legal proceedings, management is of the opinion that the aggregate amount of any such liabilities, for which provision has not been made, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, liquidity, results of operations or cash flows.

The Company recognizes a provision if it is probable that an outflow of cash or other economic resources that can be reliably measured will be required to settle the provision. In determining the likelihood and timing of potential cash outflows, management needs to make estimates, the assessment of which is based in part on internal and external financial and legal guidance and other related factors. For contingencies, the Company is required to exercise significant

judgement to determine whether the risk of loss is possible but not probable. Contingencies involve inherent uncertainties including, but not limited to, negotiations between affected parties, among other factors, and the amount of actual loss may be significantly more or less that what was provided for with respect to such contingencies.

As previously disclosed, the Company was recently notified by one of its customers that certain fasteners manufactured by the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, H&L Tool Company Inc., may not conform to customer specifications. These fasteners become part of an assembly that is ultimately used in the braking system of certain vehicles. Based on information provided to the Company and discussions with the customer as well as the Company’s internal review, we understand that it was necessary for the customer to identify and sort the non-conforming parts in its inventory and take certain other related actions as a result of the alleged non-conforming parts. The customer has also indicated that its end customer has incurred costs relating to the alleged defective part, including costs to repair certain of the vehicles that included these non-conforming fasteners. Based on discussions with our customer as to the scope of the actions taken by the customer to date and the Company’s own internal analysis to date, we determined an estimate of $243,000 as a contingent liability within other accrued expenses in our financial statements during the three months ended March 31, 2024, in anticipation of potential reimbursement of certain expenses that the customer may have incurred as a result of the non-conforming parts. Our discussions with the customer and our internal review process are ongoing, and the ultimate amount of such liability, if any, may be more or less than the amount reflected in our financial statements.

The Company may also incur additional potentially significant costs related to this issue, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition. At this time, the Company cannot quantify potential additional financial liability, if any, due to the ultimate costs that may or may not be incurred by the parties involved in this matter, and the allocation of those costs among the parties involved. It is not possible at this time to establish the ultimate amount of any such contingent liabilities, including those related to any legal proceedings that may result related to this matter. Accordingly, no additional amount has been accrued in our financial statements at September 30, 2024.
Revenue

4. Revenue—The Company operates in the fastener industry and is in the business of producing and selling rivets, cold-formed fasteners and parts, screw machine products, automatic rivet setting machines and parts and tools for such machines. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, generally upon shipment of goods or completion of services, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those goods or services. For certain assembly equipment segment transactions, revenue is recognized based on progress toward completion of the performance obligation using a labor-based measure. Labor incurred and specific material costs are compared to milestone payments per sales contract. Based on our experience, this method most accurately reflects the transfer of goods under such contracts. During the third quarter of 2024, the Company realized no revenue related to such contract and has a remaining performance obligation of $372,132 which is expected to be recognized in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Sales taxes we may collect concurrent with revenue producing activities are excluded from revenue. Revenue is recognized net of certain sales adjustments to arrive at net sales as reported on the statement of operations. These adjustments primarily relate to customer returns and allowances, which vary over time. The Company records a liability and reduction in sales for estimated product returns based upon historical experience. If we determine that our obligation under warranty claims is probable and subject to reasonable determination, an estimate of that liability is recorded as an offset against revenue at that time. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 reserves for warranty claims were not material. Cash received by the Company prior to transfer of control is recorded as unearned revenue.

Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are recognized in net sales, and related costs as cost of sales, when incurred.

Sales commissions are expensed when incurred because the amortization period is less than one year. These costs are recorded within selling and administrative expenses in the statement of operations.
Income Taxes

5. The Company’s effective tax rates were approximately (81.9)% and 20.7% for the third quarter of 2024 and 2023, respectively, and (32.0)% and 21.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

The Company’s federal income tax returns for the 2020 through 2023 tax years are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). Management does not anticipate any adjustments that would result in a material change to the results of operations or financial condition of the Company as a result of any unrecognized tax benefits. No statutes of limitation have been extended on any of the Company’s federal income tax filings. The statute of limitations on the Company’s 2020 through 2023 federal income tax returns were set to expire on September 15, 2024 through 2027, respectively.

The Company’s state income tax returns for the 2020 through 2023 tax years remain subject to examination by various state authorities with the latest closing period on October 31, 2027. The Company is not currently under examination by any state authority for income tax purposes and no statutes of limitation for state income tax filings have been extended.

Our income tax expense, deferred tax assets and liabilities, and liabilities for unrecognized tax benefits reflect management’s best estimate of current and future taxes to be paid. Significant judgments and estimates are required in the determination of the consolidated income tax expense. Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements, which will result in taxable or deductible amounts in the future. In evaluating our ability to recover our deferred tax assets in the jurisdiction from which they arise, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. In projecting future taxable income, we begin with historical results and incorporate assumptions about the amount of future state and federal pretax operating income adjusted for items that do not have tax consequences. The assumptions about future taxable income require the use of significant judgment and are consistent with the plans and estimates we are using to manage the underlying businesses.

A valuation allowance is established when necessary to reduce deferred income tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized. Based upon the analysis performed as of September 30, 2024, management believes that it is more likely than not that the benefit from net operating loss ("NOL") carryforwards and other deferred tax assets will not be realized. Accordingly, management concluded to record a valuation allowance of $961,755 on the deferred tax assets and recognized $651,196 in deferred tax expense in the three months ended September 30, 2024. As of December 31, 2023, we have federal income tax NOL carryforwards of $5,711,828 and state NOL carryforwards of $2,997,091.

Inventories

6. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, cost being determined by the first-in, first-out method.
Segment Reporting

7. Segment Information—The Company operates in two business segments as determined by its products. The fastener segment includes rivets, cold-formed fasteners and parts and screw machine products. The assembly equipment segment includes automatic rivet setting machines and parts and tools for such machines.
Exit and Disposal

8. Exit and Disposal – On July 1, 2024, the Company announced the closure of its manufacturing facility in Albia, Iowa on or before October 1, 2024. The Albia facility has supplied tooling for the Company’s full line of mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic riveting machines serving both existing customers who own machines and customers purchasing new machines manufactured in the Company’s Tyrone, Pennsylvania manufacturing facility. As of September 30, 2024, all 19 full and part-time employees at this facility were impacted.

After careful consideration, the Company’s Board of Directors determined that it is in the Company’s best interest to consolidate the operations of the Albia facility into the Tyrone facility. The strategic consolidation is seen as a step to streamline processes, improve delivery, reduce costs and add value for the Company’s customers, shareholders and stakeholders.

In the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, the Company incurred selling and administrative expenses for one-time termination benefits of $64,856, employee travel of $40,277, moving expenses of $27,563 and employee wages of $8,060 as well as cost of goods expenses for direct and indirect labor of $30,517.