Schmitt Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMIT) is a diversified company that operates in two distinct business segments: the Ice Cream Segment and the Measurement Segment. The company has faced its fair share of challenges in recent years, but its resilience and innovative spirit have been instrumental in navigating these turbulent waters.
Business Overview
The Ice Cream Segment, which encompasses the operations of Ample Hills Acquisition, LLC, focuses on the retail and wholesale sales of ice cream and related products through a network of 11 individual retail locations located in New York, New Jersey, and California. The Measurement Segment, on the other hand, includes two main product lines: the Acuity product line, which offers laser-based distance measurement and dimensional sizing laser sensors, and the Xact product line, which provides ultrasonic-based remote tank monitoring products and related monitoring revenues for markets in the Internet of Things (IoT) environment.Financials
In the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022, Schmitt Industries reported annual revenue of $9,893,210, a decrease from the previous year's figure. The company's annual net income stood at -$3,708,884, while its annual operating cash flow and free cash flow were -$8,047,275 and -$9,044,180, respectively. These financial results reflect the challenges the company has faced in recent years.Quarterly Highlights
For the three months ended February 28, 2022, Schmitt Industries reported consolidated revenues of $1,848,913, a 10.8% increase compared to the same period in the prior year. The Ice Cream Segment generated revenues of $972,920, accounting for 52.6% of total revenue, while the Measurement Segment contributed $875,993, or 47.4% of total revenue. Gross margin for the quarter improved to 50.7%, up from 49.8% in the same period last year.Segmental Performance
The Ice Cream Segment's performance was a bright spot, with revenues increasing 56.5% year-over-year to $972,920 for the three months ended February 28, 2022. This growth was driven by the inclusion of the Ample Hills business for the full quarter, as well as the opening of an additional retail location in May 2021. Gross margin for the Ice Cream Segment decreased slightly to 40.1% from 42.4% in the prior-year period, but the segment's overall profitability improved due to better factory utilization and production efficiencies.In contrast, the Measurement Segment experienced a 16.3% decline in revenues to $875,993 for the three months ended February 28, 2022, compared to the same period in the prior year. This decrease was primarily driven by lower sales in the Acuity product line, as well as decreases in Xact product and monitoring revenues. Gross margin for the Measurement Segment, however, improved to 62.5% from 54.2% in the prior-year period, due to a higher percentage of Xact Monitoring revenue.
Operational Highlights and Initiatives
During the fiscal year, Schmitt Industries made significant progress in integrating the Ample Hills business, which it acquired in July 2020. The company has expanded the accounting and finance department headcount and is in the process of fully integrating the new business line into the company's overall internal control environment.Additionally, the company has been actively pursuing the sale of its real estate assets, which it views as a potential source of liquidity. In November 2021, Schmitt Industries closed on the sale of a two-story, 35,050 square-foot building in Portland, Oregon for $5.1 million, recording a gain of $4.6 million on the transaction.