AAON Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

PR Newswire


TULSA, Okla.
, Feb. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AAON, INC. (NASDAQ: AAON), a leading producer of premium HVAC solutions, today announced its results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024.

Gary Fields, CEO, stated, “As we anticipated early in the year, 2024 had its share of triumphs and obstacles for AAON. The BASX brand made a significant impact on the data center market with the industry’s first large-scale development and sale of a custom-designed liquid cooling solution. Along with strong demand for BASX’s air-side data center cooling equipment, this drove the Company’s total backlog to finish the year up 70.0% from the end of 2023. To meet a strengthening pipeline of demand beyond the backlog, we also successfully increased production capacity in 2024 with the completion of our 245,000 square foot addition at our Longview, Texas location and the purchase of our new 787,000 square foot building in Memphis, Tennessee. Conversely, the Company’s AAON brand faced two major challenges: an industry-regulated refrigerant transition and nonresidential construction activity that weakened throughout the year. Despite the challenges, sales of AAON-branded equipment were down only modestly in 2024. Bookings and year-end backlog of this equipment were up year-over-year in the mid-to-high teens.  All in, we deem the year to be a success.”   

Net sales for the fourth quarter of 2024 decreased 2.9% to $297.7 million from $306.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.  The AAON Oklahoma segment was the driving factor in the decline in net sales. The segment realized a year-over-year decline of 16.1%, the result of a combination of factors including weak macro conditions and temporary adverse effects of the industry-regulated refrigerant transition.  However, looking at our two year growth for the years ended December 31, 2022-2024, AAON Oklahoma sales are up 29.4% speaking to the strong share gains over that period. This was partially offset by an increase in sales of 129.9% at the AAON Coil Products segment, which benefited from the onset of production of BASX-branded liquid cooling data center equipment at the AAON Coil Products facility, as well as solid growth of AAON-branded split systems.   

Gross profit for the quarter decreased 30.5% to $77.6 million, or 26.1% of sales, compared to the same period a year ago. The contraction in gross margin partially reflects lower volumes and the related deleveraging of fixed costs at the AAON Oklahoma segment. Additionally, our investments in growth at both AAON Coil Products and BASX segments supporting the increasing demand for data center products has resulted in temporary negative impacts on gross profits in both segments.

The fourth quarter benefited from a large excess tax benefit of $4.6 million relating to stock based compensation compared to $2.5 million in the same period a year ago. Earnings per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2024 decreased 46.4% to $0.30 from $0.56 in the fourth quarter of 2023. 


Financial Highlights:


Three Months Ended 

 December 31,


%


Years Ended  


 December 31,


%


2024


2023


Change


2024


2023


Change


(in thousands, except share and per share data)


(in thousands, except share and per share data)


GAAP Measures

Net sales

$       297,718

$    306,638

(2.9) %

$ 1,200,635

$ 1,168,518

2.7 %

Gross profit

$         77,615

$     111,739

(30.5) %

$    397,109

$    399,020

(0.5) %

Gross profit margin

26.1 %

36.4 %

33.1 %

34.1 %

Operating income

$         29,429

$      63,884

(53.9) %

$    209,118

$    227,494

(8.1) %

Operating margin

9.9 %

20.8 %

17.4 %

19.5 %

Net income

$         24,690

$      47,049

(47.5) %

$    168,559

$    177,623

(5.1) %

Earnings per diluted share

$             0.30

$          0.56

(46.4) %

$          2.02

$          2.13

(5.2) %

Diluted average shares

83,575,989

83,446,051

0.2 %

83,629,502

83,295,290

0.4 %


Non-GAAP Measures

EBITDA1

$         47,024

$      77,046

(39.0) %

$    272,231

$    274,465

(0.8) %

EBITDA margin1

15.8 %

25.1 %

22.7 %

23.5 %

Adjusted EBITDA1

$         47,024

$      77,046

(39.0) %

$    272,231

$    281,215

(3.2) %

Adjusted EBITDA margin1

15.8 %

25.1 %

22.7 %

24.1 %


1These are non-GAAP measures. See “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for reconciliation to GAAP measures.

 


Backlog


December 31,
2024


September 30,
2024


December 31,
2023

Backlog

$       867,090

$         647,694

510,028

Year over year change

70.0 %

32.0 %

(6.9) %

Backlog was up from a year ago at all three segments, with the largest increase at the AAON Coil Products segment, which received over $200.0 million of orders in the fourth quarter. Most of these orders were associated with the BASX-branded data center liquid cooling order, which was addressed on the third quarter earnings call.

Mr. Fields concluded, “As we progress through the early months of 2025, we believe we are nearing the end of this temporary slowdown we have been experiencing since early last year. Many of the headwinds we faced in 2024 are behind us. The adverse effects of the refrigerant transition will likely linger through the first quarter. However, as we move into the second quarter, we expect these headwinds will dissipate, resulting in an acceleration in demand. The backlog of BASX-branded equipment entered the year up over 100.0% compared to a year ago, and the pipeline of future orders remains robust. We anticipate a vast majority of the Company’s total backlog will convert in 2025. Margins will remain under pressure early in the year as we endure less-than-optimal volumes at the AAON Oklahoma segment and absorb pre-production start-up costs at the new Memphis facility. However, this will be temporary, and we expect margins to significantly improve throughout the year as volume growth accelerates and we right-size capacity and production efficiencies across the four main manufacturing locations.  Over the next two years, we anticipate gross margins returning to levels we realized in the second half of 2023. The Company’s fundamentals are strong, with substantial organic revenue and earnings growth potential, which we look forward to capitalizing on.”

As of December 31, 2024, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of $6.5 million and $154.9 million total debt. Rebecca Thompson, CFO, commented, “Cash flows from operating activities in the fourth quarter were impacted by lower net income and investments made in working capital. Due to the significant increase in backlog, we had to make necessary inventory purchases to facilitate production early in 2025. Capital expenditures in the fourth quarter increased nearly four-fold from a year ago due to the $63.4 million spent in December on the closing of our new Memphis facility. Both expenditures are related to investments in capacity and infrastructure to accommodate the robust growth we anticipate in the future. These cash outlays led us to borrow $20.8 million during the quarter through our revolving line of credit and establish our new term loan facility. Our balance sheet remains strong, with a current ratio of 2.8 and a leverage ratio of 0.57. Given this and the Company’s strong fundamentals, our Board of Directors approved a new $100.0 million share repurchase program that we would utilize opportunistically. In the near-term, our primary focus will be on organic investments to accommodate growth, including bringing the Memphis facility up to speed for production to commence later this year.” 

Conference Call and Webcast
The Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss its financial results and outlook on February 27, 2025 at 9:00 A.M. ET. The conference call will be accessible via a dial-in for those who wish to participate in Q&A as well as a listen-only webcast. The accessible dial-in is accessible at 1-800-836-8184. To access the listen-only webcast, please register at https://app.webinar.net/0kBVxQBboaR. On the next business day following the call, a replay of the call will be available on the Company’s website at https://aaon.com/Investors

About AAON
Founded in 1988, AAON is a global leader in HVAC solutions for commercial, industrial and data center indoor environments. The Company’s industry-leading approach to designing and manufacturing highly configurable and custom-made equipment to meet exact needs creates a premier ownership experience with greater efficiency, performance and long-term value. Its highly engineered equipment is sold under the AAON and BASX brands.  AAON is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where its world-class innovation center and testing lab allows AAON engineers to continuously push boundaries and advance the industry. For more information, please visit www.AAON.com

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believes”, “seeks”, “estimates”, “should”, “will”, and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligations to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important factors that could cause results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include (1) the timing and extent of changes in raw material and component prices, (2) the effects of fluctuations in the commercial/industrial new construction market, (3) the timing and extent of changes in interest rates, as well as other competitive factors during the year, and (4) general economic, market or business conditions.

Contact Information

Joseph Mondillo

Director of Investor Relations
Phone: (617) 877-6346
Email: [email protected] 


AAON, Inc. and Subsidiaries


Consolidated Statements of Income


(Unaudited)


Three Months Ended 

 December 31,


Years Ended  

 December 31,


2024


2023


2024


2023


(in thousands, except share and per share data)

Net sales

$           297,718

$           306,638

$        1,200,635

$        1,168,518

Cost of sales

220,103

194,899

803,526

769,498

Gross profit

77,615

111,739

397,109

399,020

Selling, general and administrative expenses

48,194

47,855

188,014

171,539

Gain on disposal of assets

(8)

(23)

(13)

Income from operations

29,429

63,884

209,118

227,494

Interest expense, net

(1,208)

(884)

(2,905)

(4,843)

Other income, net

45

133

378

503

Income before taxes

28,266

63,133

206,591

223,154

Income tax provision

3,576

16,084

38,032

45,531

Net income

$             24,690

$             47,049

$           168,559

$           177,623

Earnings per share:

Basic

$                 0.30

$                 0.58

$                 2.07

$                 2.19

Diluted

$                 0.30

$                 0.56

$                 2.02

$                 2.13

Cash dividends declared per common share:

$                 0.08

$                 0.08

$                 0.32

$                 0.32

Weighted average shares outstanding:

Basic

81,345,236

81,293,549

81,473,131

81,156,114

Diluted

83,575,989

83,446,051

83,629,502

83,295,290

 


AAON, Inc. and Subsidiaries


Consolidated Balance Sheets


(Unaudited)


December 31, 2024


December 31, 2023


Assets


(in thousands, except share and per share data)

Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$                                 14

$                               287

Restricted cash

6,500

8,736

Accounts receivable, net

147,434

138,108

Income tax receivable

4,115

Inventories, net

187,420

213,532

Contract assets

135,421

45,194

Prepaid expenses and other

7,308

3,097

Total current assets

488,212

408,954

Property, plant and equipment, net

510,356

369,947

Intangible assets, net and goodwill

160,152

149,945

Right of use assets

15,436

11,774

Other long-term assets

242

816

Deferred tax assets

836

Total assets

$                     1,175,234

$                        941,436


Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

Current liabilities:

Debt, short-term

$                          16,000

$                                 —

Accounts payable

44,645

27,484

Accrued liabilities

99,347

85,508

Contract liabilities

14,913

13,757

Total current liabilities

174,905

126,749

Debt, long-term

138,891

38,328

Deferred tax liabilities

12,134

Other long-term liabilities

20,743

16,807

New market tax credit obligations

16,113

12,194

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders’ equity:

Preferred stock, $.001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued

Common stock, $.004 par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized, 81,436,594 and 81,508,381 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively

326

326

Additional paid-in capital

68,946

122,063

Retained earnings

755,310

612,835

Total stockholders’ equity

824,582

735,224

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$                     1,175,234

$                        941,436

 


AAON, Inc. and Subsidiaries


Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows


(Unaudited)


Years Ended  

 December 31,


2024


2023


Operating Activities


(in thousands)

Net income

$                            168,559

$                            177,623

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

62,735

46,468

Amortization of debt issuance cost

154

82

Amortization of right of use assets

189

324

Provision for (recoveries of) accounts receivable, net of adjustments

715

(154)

Provision for credit losses on contract assets, net of adjustments

399

(Recoveries of) provision for excess and obsolete inventories, net of write-offs

(968)

1,633

Share-based compensation

16,729

16,384

Other

(4)

(44)

Deferred income taxes

(6,606)

(6,527)

Changes in assets and liabilities:

Accounts receivable

(10,041)

(9,978)

Income taxes

(5,285)

(11,302)

Inventories

27,080

(16,226)

Contract assets

(90,626)

(30,043)

Prepaid expenses and other long-term assets

(3,707)

(1,048)

Accounts payable

16,959

(18,316)

Contract liabilities

1,156

(7,667)

Extended warranties

1,835

2,600

Accrued liabilities and other long-term liabilities

13,259

15,086

Net cash provided by operating activities

192,532

158,895


Investing Activities

Capital expenditures

(195,660)

(104,294)

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

25

129

Acquisition of intangible assets

(17,491)

(5,197)

Principal payments from note receivable

51

51

Net cash used in investing activities

(213,075)

(109,311)


Financing Activities

Borrowings of debt

717,897

597,111

Payments of debt

(601,091)

(629,787)

Proceeds from financing obligation, net of issuance costs

4,186

6,061

Payments related to financing costs

(664)

(398)

Stock options exercised

31,861

33,259

Repurchase of stock

(100,034)

(25,009)

Employee taxes paid by withholding shares

(8,037)

(1,302)

Dividends paid to stockholders

(26,084)

(26,445)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

18,034

(46,510)


Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

(2,509)

3,074


Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period

9,023

5,949


Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period

$                                6,514

$                                9,023

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), additional non-GAAP financial measures are provided and reconciled in the following tables. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures, when considered together with the GAAP financial measures, provide information that is useful to investors in understanding period-over-period operating results. The Company believes that this non-GAAP financial measure enhances the ability of investors to analyze the Company’s business trends and operating performance as they are used by management to better understand operating performance. Since adjusted net income, adjusted net income per diluted share, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP measures and are susceptible to varying calculations, adjusted net income, adjusted net income per diluted share, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA margin, as presented, may not be directly comparable with other similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Non-GAAP Adjusted Net Income

The Company defines non-GAAP adjusted net income as net income adjusted for any infrequent events, such as litigation settlements, net of profit sharing and tax effect, in the periods presented.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (GAAP) to non-GAAP adjusted net income for the periods indicated:


Three Months Ended 

 December 31,


Years Ended

 December 31,


2024


2023


2024


2023


(in thousands)

Net income, a GAAP measure

$          24,690

$          47,049

$        168,559

$        177,623

Litigation settlement

7,500

Profit sharing effect1

(750)

Tax effect

(1,242)

Non-GAAP adjusted net income

$          24,690

$          47,049

$        168,559

$        183,131

Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per diluted share

$              0.30

$              0.56

$              2.02

$              2.20


1Profit sharing effect of litigation settlement in the respective period.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA

EBITDA (as defined below) is presented herein and reconciled from the GAAP measure of net income because of its wide acceptance by the investment community as a financial indicator of a company’s ability to internally fund operations. The Company defines EBITDA as net income, plus (1) depreciation and amortization, (2) interest expense (income), net and (3) income tax expense. EBITDA is not a measure of net income or cash flows as determined by GAAP. EBITDA margin is defined as EBITDA as a percentage of net sales.

The Company’s EBITDA measure provides additional information which may be used to better understand the Company’s operations. EBITDA is one of several metrics that the Company uses as a supplemental financial measurement in the evaluation of its business and should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income, as an indicator of operating performance. Certain items excluded from EBITDA are significant components in understanding and assessing a company’s financial performance. EBITDA, as used by the Company, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. The Company believes that EBITDA is a widely followed measure of operating performance and is one of many metrics used by the Company’s management team and by other users of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as EBITDA adjusted by items in non-GAAP adjusted net income, above, except for taxes, as taxes are already excluded from EBITDA.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income (GAAP) to EBITDA (non-GAAP) and Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the periods indicated:


Three Months Ended 

 December 31,


Years Ended

 December 31,


2024


2023


2024


2023


(in thousands)

Net income, a GAAP measure

$      24,690

$      47,049

$    168,559

$    177,623

Depreciation and amortization

17,550

13,029

62,735

46,468

Interest expense

1,208

884

2,905

4,843

Income tax expense

3,576

16,084

38,032

45,531

EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure

47,024

77,046

272,231

274,465

Litigation settlement

7,500

Profit sharing effect1

(750)

Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure

$      47,024

$      77,046

$    272,231

$    281,215

Adjusted EBITDA margin

15.8 %

25.1 %

22.7 %

24.1 %


1Profit sharing effect of litigation settlement in the respective period.

 

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SOURCE AAON