# Karat Packaging Inc. (KRT) FY 2024 MD&A

Verbatim Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis from Karat Packaging Inc.'s 10-K for fiscal year 2024.

SEC filing source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1758021/000162828025012816/krt-20241231.htm
Accession: 0001628280-25-012816
Filing date: 2025-03-14
Report date: 2024-12-31
Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Published MD&A gate trimmed front/tail over-capture.
Confidence: high

Company profile: /company/KRT/
All MD&A years: /company/KRT/mda/
Previous year: /company/KRT/mda/fy2023/ (FY 2023)
Next year: /company/KRT/mda/fy2025/ (FY 2025)

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes to the consolidated financial statements. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors including, but not limited to, those discussed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors.” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. See “Forward Looking Statements” above for further explanation.

Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this report may not add up precisely to totals we provide and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

Overview

We are a rapidly-growing and nimble distributor and manufacturer of disposable foodservice products and related items, including food and take-out containers, bags, boxes, tableware, cups, lids, cutlery, straws, specialty beverage ingredients, gloves, janitorial supplies, and other products. Our products are available in plastic, paper, biopolymer-based, and other compostable forms. We are a leader in product innovation, offering a growing line of environmentally-friendly products to our customers, who are increasingly focused on sustainability. We also offer customized solutions to our customers, including new product development, design, printing and logistics services.

We operate our business strategically and with broad flexibility to provide both our large and small customers with the wide spectrum of products they need to successfully run and grow their businesses. We believe we have established ourselves as a differentiated provider of high-quality products relative to our competitors. Our operating model entails generating the majority of our revenue from the distribution of products sourced from a diversified global network, complemented by select manufacturing capabilities in the U.S., which allows us to provide customers with broad product choices and customized offerings with short lead times. This model provides us with the flexibility to adjust the mix of our product offering from import and manufacturing in evolving economic environments to drive operating efficiency and sustained margin expansion. Starting in 2023 and continuing into 2024, in light of the rising domestic labor and other operating costs and dropping ocean freight rates, we executed a strategy to pivot into a more asset-light model by increasing imports and scaling back domestic manufacturing. At the same time, we have expanded our vendor network by prioritizing strong partnerships with reliable and cost-efficient sources. This has enabled us to diversify our supplier base, minimize reliance on individual suppliers, enhance the resilience of our supply chain, expand our margin and improve our operating cash flows.

We operate an approximately 500,000 square foot distribution center located in Rockwall, Texas, an approximately 300,000 square foot distribution center in Chino, California, and an approximately 76,000 square foot distribution center located in Kapolei, Hawaii. We have selected manufacturing capabilities in all of these facilities. In addition, we operate seven other warehouse spaces and distribution centers located in Puyallup, Washington; Summerville, South Carolina; Branchburg, New Jersey; Kapolei, Hawaii; Aurora, Illinois; Mesa, Arizona; and Sugar Land, Texas. Our distribution centers are strategically located in proximity to major population centers, including the Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Honolulu metro areas. Further, as described in Note 22 — Subsequent Events in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we entered into a lease agreement on March 3, 2025 for an additional distribution center of approximately 187,000 square foot in Chino, California and are currently in the process of setting up this location to be fully operational by the second quarter of 2025.

We manage and evaluate our operations in one reportable segment.

2024 Business Highlights and Trends

•We initiated a strategic emphasis on expanding into the supermarket segment, and have started to see early positive results.

•We continued our transition to a more asset-light model by further scaling back manufacturing in the U.S., increasing imports, and expanding our vendor network, leading to strong margin expansion.

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•We recorded net sales of $422.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, an increase of 4.2% compared to the year ended December 31, 2023 in net sales amount and an increase of 7.4% in volume.

•We achieved a record gross margin of 38.9% for the year ended December 31, 2024, a 120-basis-point increase from the year ended December 31, 2023.

•We recorded net income of $30.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of 7.1% compared to the year ended December 31, 2023.

•We achieved net income margin of 7.3% for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 8.2% for the year ended December 31, 2023.

•We generated net cash provided by operating activities of $48.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of $5.4 million compared to the year ended December 31, 2023.

•We generated Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure defined below, of $55.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, a 6.5% decrease from the year ended December 31, 2023.

•Our Adjusted EBITDA margin, a non-GAAP measure defined below, was 13.1% for the year ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of 150 basis points from the year ended December 31, 2023.

•We had financial liquidity of $67.8 million and additional short-term investments of $28.3 million as of December 31, 2024.

•During the year ended December 31, 2024, we returned a total of $31.0 million to our shareholders in the form of special and regular cash dividends.

•On February 13, 2025, our Board of Directors declared another quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per share on our common stock, which was paid on or around February 28, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 24, 2025.

Trends in Our Business

The following trends have contributed to the results of our operations, and we anticipate that they will continue to affect our future results:

•A significant trend in the restaurant industry is the changing perception of food delivery and take-out compared to traditional on-premise dining. There is a clear growing preference for delivery and take-out, and we expect this trend to continue positively influencing our operating results, as more customers will need packaging and containers to support the rising demand from food delivery and take-out consumers.

•Environmental concerns regarding disposable products, broadly, have resulted in a number of significant changes to the food-service industry, including regulations applicable to our customers. We believe this trend will have a positive long-lasting impact on our results of operations, as we expect there will be an increased demand for eco-friendly and compostable single-use disposable products. Our eco-friendly products made up 33.6% of total sales during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to 32.7% during the prior year.

•Most of our products are sourced from vendors abroad and as a result we incur freight costs from these overseas import shipments, which could be a significant component of our cost of goods sold. Elevated ocean freight rates could pressure our gross margin, and if we raise our price, dampen the demand for our products. Steady or dropping ocean freight could yield significant opportunities for us to expand our margin. However, it could also reduce the barrier of entry, intensifying the competition.

•U.S. foreign trade policy continues to evolve, such as the imposition of tariffs on imports from China and other countries. We believe this trend will have either a positive or a negative impact on our results of operations, depending on whether we are able to source our raw materials or manufactured products from countries where tariffs have not been imposed, whether any previously imposed tariffs are removed an whether we can implement procedures to mitigate the impact from the tariffs.

•The cost of raw materials used to manufacture our products, including polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, plastic resin, aluminum, and paper boards, may continue to fluctuate. Since negotiated sales contracts and the market largely determine the pricing for our products, we are, at times, limited in our ability to raise prices and pass through any impacts of inflation to our costs. There can also be lags between cost inflation and the implementation of price increases, which could negatively impact our gross margin. Conversely, periods of deflation, where raw material costs decrease, may create pricing pressure and start price wars, potentially requiring us to lower prices,

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which could also affect our gross margin. We believe price fluctuations will have either a positive or a negative impact on our results of operations in the future, depending on whether raw material costs increase or decrease and whether we can successfully implement price adjustments to maintain gross margin.

•Supplier chain effectiveness could have a long-lasting impact on our operations and financial results. We believe this trend will have either a positive or a negative impact on our results of operations, depending on whether we are able to manage our global supply chain effectively, including the accurate forecast of demand, the successful procurement and transportation of raw materials and products, and the effective management of our inventory, production and distribution.

•Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could impact either positively or negatively various aspects of our business activities, including but not limited to our purchasing power and capacity to source inventory.

•Since early 2023, we have pivoted into a more asset-light growth model by increasing import and scaling back manufacturing in the U.S. We believe this will have either a positive or a negative impact on our results of operations, depending on whether we can successfully source and import finished goods at a price that is more favorable than domestically manufacturer products, and effectively realize savings from reduced manufacturing capabilities.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The preparation of our consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. 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 dates of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates those estimates. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily available from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Critical accounting estimates are those estimates made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on the financial condition or results of operations of the registrant. We believe the following critical accounting estimates and policies have the most significant impact on our consolidated financial statements:

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

We recognize an allowance for doubtful accounts on accounts receivable in an amount equal to the estimated expected losses net of recoveries. The allowance is based on an analysis of historical bad debt write-offs, current past due customers in the aging, risk profiles associated with different customer types, as well as an assessment of specific identifiable customer accounts considered at risk or uncollectible. While such losses have historically been within our expectations and the provisions established, we cannot guarantee that we will continue to experience the same credit loss rates we have in the past. A significant change in the liquidity or financial position of our customers could cause unfavorable trends in receivable collections and additional allowances may be required. These additional allowances could materially affect our future financial results. As of December 31, 2024, and 2023, we had a total allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.8 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

Inventory Reserve

We maintain a reserve for excess and obsolete inventory and carry our inventory at net realizable value, taking into account various factors including historic usage, expected demand, anticipated sales price, and product expiration and obsolescence. While such losses have historically been within our expectations and the provisions established, we cannot guarantee that the future trend will be similar to what we have experienced in the past. A significant change in demand or selling prices could result in additional reserve and materially affect our future financial results. We had an inventory reserve of $0.6 million and $0.4 million as of December 31, 2024, and 2023, respectively.

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2023

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[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Net sales

Net sales were $422.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $405.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $17.0 million, or 4.2%. The year-over-year increase is primarily driven by an increase of $36.7 million from volume growth and change in product mix, an increase of $4.6 million in online sales platform fees due to higher sales within the e-commerce channel, and an increase of $0.8 million in logistics and shipping revenue. Such increases were partially offset by $25.2 million of unfavorable year-over-year pricing comparison, as the overall pricing environment remained competitive especially in the distributor channel, driven largely by customers' heightened focus on value and quality.

Cost of goods sold

Cost of goods sold was $258.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $252.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $5.7 million, or 2.3%. Freight and duty costs for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased $4.4 million from the year ended December 31, 2023 as a result of a 14% increase in import volume coupled with 27% higher freight container rates, despite a $3.0 million year-over-year decrease in anti-dumping and countervailing duty charges. Additionally, product costs for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased $1.1 million from the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily as a result of increased sales volume, as discussed above, partially offset by favorable impact from reduced vendor pricing, a stronger United States Dollar against New Taiwan Dollar, and an increase in imports as a percentage of total product mix, in keeping with our asset-light strategy. Inventory reserve adjustment for the year ended December 31, 2024 increased $0.6 million from the year ended December 31, 2023. These increases were partially offset by a decrease in inventory adjustments and write-offs of $2.4 million, as 2023 included a $1.7 million write-off of raw materials as we disposed of certain machinery and equipment in executing our strategy to scale back production.

Gross profit

Gross profit was $164.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $153.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $11.3 million, or 7.4%. Gross margin was 38.9% for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to 37.7% for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of 120 basis points. Product costs as a percentage of net sales decreased to 50.2% for the year ended December 31, 2024 from 52.1% during the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to more favorable vendor pricing, foreign currency impact and product mix, as discussed above. Additionally, gross margin improved 60 basis points as the year ended December 31, 2023 included more inventory write-offs from expired products as well as a $1.7 million write-off of raw materials as we disposed of certain machinery and equipment in executing our strategy to scale back production in certain locations, as discussed above. At the same time, freight and duty costs as a percentage of net sales increased to 8.2% during the year ended December 31, 2024 from 7.5% during the year ended December 31, 2023.

Operating expenses

Operating expenses were $126.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $111.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $15.6 million, or 14.1%. Selling expenses increased $10.8 million from the year ended December 31, 2023, which included a $4.6 million increase in online sales platform fees due to higher sales within the e-commerce channel in the current year, a $1.9 million increase in marketing expense primarily due to a ramp up

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in online marketing efforts to grow our e-commerce sales channel, a $1.4 million increase in shipping costs, and a $0.8 million increase in labor costs for our sales team. General and administrative expenses increased $4.6 million from the year ended December 31, 2023, which included a $4.7 million increase in rent and warehouse expense due to the opening of new distribution centers in late 2023 and early 2024 and a higher rate on our Chino, California facility lease extension, a $1.0 million increase in stock-based compensation and a $0.8 million increase in labor costs, partially offset by a $1.1 million decrease in write-off charges as 2023 included a write-off of a vendor prepayment upon the resolution of a legal contingency and a $0.5 million reduction in fees associated with the secondary offering that occurred in 2023. In addition, impairment expense and loss, net, on disposal of machinery of $2.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 included a $0.8 million loss, net, on disposal of machinery and a $2.0 million non-cash ROU asset impairment charge resulting from the sublease of our City of Industry warehouse in California, as we optimized our distribution footprint in the southwest region with the opening of a new warehouse in Mesa, Arizona. In comparison, impairment expense and loss, net, on disposal of machinery of $2.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 included a $0.5 million impairment on deposits paid for property and equipment and a $2.0 million loss, net, on disposal of machinery in keeping with our asset-light strategy.

Operating income

Operating income was $37.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $42.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $4.3 million, or 10.3%. The decrease was primarily due to an increase in operating expenses of $15.6 million, partially offset by an increase in gross profit of $11.3 million, as discussed above.

Other income, net

Other income, net was $2.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $2.0 million, or 223.1%. The increase was primarily due to an increase of $1.0 million in rental income as we sublet our City of Industry warehouse in California in early 2024, an increase of $0.5 million in interest income from our investments in certificates of deposit, and an increase of $0.4 million in gain on foreign currency transactions.

Provision for income taxes

Provision for income taxes was $9.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, an increase of $0.1 million, or 0.7%. The Company’s effective tax rate was 24.3% for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to 22.8% for the year ended December 31, 2023. The year-over-year increase in effective tax rate was primarily due to the decrease in research and development tax credit and the stock compensation windfall.

Net income

Net income was $30.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $33.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, a decrease of $2.4 million, or 7.1%. The decrease was primarily driven by a decrease in operating income of $4.3 million, partially offset by an increase in other income, net of $2.0 million, as discussed above.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We use certain non-GAAP financial measures to assess our financial and operating performance that are not defined by, or calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP. A non-GAAP financial measure is defined as a numerical measure of a company’s financial performance that (i) excludes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of excluding amounts, that are included in the comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP; or (ii) includes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of including amounts, that are excluded from the comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Our primary non-GAAP financial measures are listed below and reflect how we evaluate our operating results.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

Adjusted EBITDA is a financial measure calculated as net income excluding (i) interest income, (ii) interest expense, (iii) provision for income taxes, (iv) depreciation and amortization, (v) stock-based compensation expense, (vi) secondary

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offering transaction costs, (vii) write-off of certain inventory items outside the normal course of business, (viii) impairment expense and loss, net, on disposal of machinery outside the normal course of business, and (ix) operating right-of-use asset impairment. Adjusted EBITDA margin is calculated by dividing Adjusted EBITDA by net sales.

We present Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin as supplemental measures of our financial performance. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin assist management in assessing our core operating performance. We believe these measures provide investors with useful perspective on underlying business results and trends and facilitate a comparison of our performance from period to period.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to net income, net income margin, or other measures determined in accordance with US GAAP. Also, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.

Set forth below is a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA and net income margin to Adjusted EBITDA margin.

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[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

(1) Secondary offering transaction costs represent legal and professional fees incurred in connection with the completion of the secondary offering, which were directly related to the offering and were incremental to our normal operating expenses.

(2) The write-off of inventory and impairment expense and loss, net, on disposal of machinery represent amounts recognized in connection with the scaling back of production in certain locations. As part of the execution of this strategy, certain machinery and equipment were disposed of or impaired, and raw materials associated with those machinery and equipment were written-off.

Free Cash Flow

Free Cash Flow is a financial measure calculated as cash from operating activities less cash used in (i) purchases of property and equipment, and (ii) deposits paid for property and equipment, offset by (iii) deposits refunded from cancelled machinery orders.

We present Free Cash Flow as a supplemental measure of our financial liquidity. Free Cash Flow assists management in assessing our ability to fund growth through generation of additional cash from business operations. We believe this measure also provides investors with an important liquidity measure of the cash that is available, after capital expenditures, for operational expenses and investment in our business.

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Free Cash Flow should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to net income or cash flows from operating activities. Also, Free Cash Flow is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.

Set forth below is a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to Free Cash Flow:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
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[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Sources and Uses of Funds

Our primary sources of liquidity are cash provided by operations, borrowings under our line of credit with the Hanmi Bank (the “Line of Credit”), and promissory notes. On an annual basis, we have typically generated positive cash flows from operations. Our ability to generate positive cash flow from operations in the future will be, at least in part, dependent on global economic conditions and our ability to navigate challenging macro environment at times.

As described in Note 8 — Line of Credit in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Line of Credit is available for working capital and general corporate purposes, and is secured by our assets. It consists of a $40.0 million revolving loan facility and a standby letter of credit sublimit. We are not required to pay a commitment (unused) fee on the undrawn portion of the Line of Credit and interest is payable monthly. On March 14, 2023, we amended the Line of Credit. Prior to March 14, 2023, interest accrued at the annual rate of prime less 0.25% with a minimum floor of 3.25%. The amendment on March 14, 2023, among other things, (1) extended the maturity date to March 14, 2025, and (2) revised the interest on any Line of Credit borrowings to an annual rate of one month term Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") plus 2.50%, with a SOFR floor of 1.0%. On June 20, 2023, we amended the Line of Credit which increased the standby letter of credit sublimit from $2.0 million to $5.0 million. As of December 31, 2024, the amount issued under the standby letter of credit was $3.8 million, and the maximum remaining amount that could be borrowed under the Line of Credit was $36.2 million. As described in Note 22 — Subsequent Events in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, on March 3, 2025, the Company amended the Line of Credit again, which among other things, (1) extended the maturity date to March 14, 2027, (2) reduced the revolving loan facility to $20.0 million, and (3) revised the interest on any Line of Credit borrowings to an annual rate of one month term SOFR plus 2.25%, with a SOFR floor of 1.00%.

As described in Note 10 — Long-Term Debt in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, on June 17, 2022, we entered into a $28.7 million term loan agreement which matures July 1, 2027 (the “2027 Term Loan”). The 2027 Term Loan had an initial balance of $20.7 million and an option to request for additional advances up to a maximum of $8.0 million through June 2023, which we exercised in March 2023. Interest accrues at a fixed rate of 4.375% per annum. Principal and interest payments of $0.1 million are due monthly throughout the term of the loan, with the remaining principal balance due at maturity. The 2027 Term Loan is collateralized by substantially all of Global Wells’ assets and is guaranteed by one of our stockholders. In accordance with the loan agreement, Global Wells is required to comply with certain financial covenants, including a minimum debt service coverage ratio. Proceeds from the 2027 Term Loan were used to pay down an existing term loan with the same lender, which was set to mature in May 2029 with interest accruing at prime rate less 0.25%, and had an outstanding balance of $20.6 million as of the repayment date.

Additionally, as of December 31, 2024, we have a $23.0 million term loan that matures September 30, 2026 (the “2026 Term Loan”). The 2026 Term Loan had an initial balance of $16.1 million and an option to request for additional advances up to a maximum of $6.9 million through September 2022, which we exercised in February 2022. Interest accrues at a

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fixed rate of 3.50% per annum. Principal and interest payments of $0.1 million are due monthly throughout the term of the loan, with the remaining principal balance due at maturity. The 2026 Term Loan is collateralized by substantially all of Global Wells’ assets and is guaranteed by Global Wells and one of our stockholders. In accordance with the loan agreement, Global Wells is required to comply with certain financial covenants, including a minimum debt service coverage ratio.

As of December 31, 2024, we were in compliance with the financial covenants under all of our loan agreements, and do not expect material uncertainties in our continued ability to be in compliance with all financial covenants through the remaining term of all of our loan agreements. As of December 31, 2024, we had no borrowing on the Line of Credit, $27.7 million in outstanding balance under the 2027 Term Loan, and $20.9 million in outstanding balance under the 2026 Term Loan.

As described in Note 4 — Joint Venture in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we entered into a joint venture agreement (the "JV Agreement") in April 2022 to establish a new corporation, Bio Earth, to build a bagasse factory in Taiwan. Through March 31, 2023, we had made net payments totaling $6.0 million as stipulated in the JV Agreement. In May 2023, we entered into a share transfer agreement to sell all of our equity interest in Bio Earth to Keary Global. Concurrent with the share transfer agreement, the Company also entered into an agreement with Keary Global, Bio Earth and Happiness Moon Co., Ltd. (“Happiness Moon”) pursuant to which (i) Lollicup agreed to transfer all Bio Earth shares, as well as its rights and obligations under the JV Agreement to Keary Global, (ii) Happiness Moon and Bio Earth agree to foregoing and (iii) Bio Earth shall manage the regulatory and registration requirements related to the share transfer. As of the end of the second quarter of 2023, the share transfer to Keary Global had been completed and we received the full amount of the total consideration owed to us in connection with the sale of our equity interest in Bio Earth of $6.1 million, representing the original deposits totaling $6.0 million plus interest which accrued at 5% per annum.

Additionally, as discussed in Note 19 — Commitments and Contingencies in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, on February 5, 2024, we received a Notice of Determination from U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("CBP") related to its investigation to determine whether we have evaded the anti-dumping and countervailing duty on certain imported thermal paper products. On March 19, 2024, we initiated an appeal process by submitting a request for an administrative review of the initial determination issued by CBP. On June 11, 2024, CBP completed the administrative review and upheld its initial conclusion. In February 2025, we started to receive bills related to certain of our thermal paper shipments. We are in the process of protesting the received bills with CBP, and are also evaluating other appeal options. Payments on bills received will be due upon the resolution of the protests, currently expected to occur within the next 12 months. Although we have an import duty liability reserve of $3.1 million as of December 31, 2024, the amount of the final payments could vary significantly from the estimated liability reserve.

In 2023, our Board of Directors declared and initiated regular quarterly cash dividends. During the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, we paid out regular and special quarterly cash dividend totaling $31.0 million and $20.9 million, respectively. Additionally, as described in Note 22 — Subsequent Events in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, on February 13, 2025, our Board of Directors declared another regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per share on our common stock, which was paid on or around February 28, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 24, 2025.

We have certain contractual obligations, such as operating lease obligations and purchase obligations that require us to make periodic payments. At December 31, 2024, we had operating leases, primarily for manufacturing and distribution facilities, and purchase obligations primarily for machinery and equipment, expiring at various dates through 2031. As described further in Note 14 — Leases in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we had a total of $44.4 million of operating lease liabilities as of December 31, 2024 with minimum lease payments ranging from approximately $5.7 million to $12.2 million on an annual basis over the next five years. We had purchase obligations of $0.2 million outstanding as of December 31, 2024, all of which are due in 2025. Such purchase obligations are primarily related to the purchase of machinery and equipment. Other than these contractual obligations, our off-balance sheet arrangements primarily consists of letters of credits issued under our Line of Credit. As of December 31, 2024, we had $3.8 million of letters of credits issued and outstanding under our Line of Credit.

Our ongoing operations and growth strategy may require us to continue to make investments in new markets and products, logistics and manufacturing infrastructure, e-commerce platform, talent, and technology capabilities. In addition, we may consider making strategic acquisitions and investments which could require significant liquidity. The rapidly

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changing macroeconomic and geopolitical dynamics created significant uncertainty in the global economy and capital markets, which could have long-lasting adverse effects. We currently believe that our cash on hand, ongoing cash flows from our operations and funding available under our borrowings will be adequate to meet our working capital needs, service our debt, make lease payments, and fund capital expenditures for at least the next 12 months. We continue to explore other options to further expand our liquidity to support the business growth and enhance shareholder value.

Beyond the next 12 months, if we require additional capital resources to grow our business, either organically or through acquisition, we may seek to sell additional equity securities, increase use of the Line of Credit, and acquire additional debt. The sale of additional equity securities or certain forms of debt financing could result in additional dilution to our stockholders. We may not be able to obtain financing arrangements in amounts or on terms acceptable to us in the future. In the event we are unable to obtain additional financing when needed, we may be compelled to delay or curtail our plans to develop our business, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations, market position and competitiveness. Notwithstanding the potential liquidity challenges described above, we expect to meet our long-term liquidity needs with cash flows from operations and financing arrangements.

Liquidity Position

The following table summarizes total current assets, current liabilities, and working capital at December 31, 2024 compared to December 31, 2023:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","December 31, 2024","","December 31, 2023","","Increase"],["","(in thousands)"],["Current assets","$","160,997","","$","154,929","","$","6,068"],["Current liabilities","46,447","","44,401","","2,046"],["Working capital","$","114,550","","$","110,528","","$","4,022"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

As of December 31, 2024, we had working capital of $114.6 million, compared with $110.5 million as of December 31, 2023, representing an increase of $4.0 million, or 3.6%. The improvement in working capital was driven by an increase of $6.1 million in current assets, partially offset by an increase of $2.0 million in current liabilities. The increase in current assets was primarily driven by an increase in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments of $10.5 million, partially offset by a decrease in prepaid expenses and other current assets of $2.6 million as tax prepayments as of December 31, 2023 were applied in 2024, a decrease in account receivable of $1.0 million, and a decrease in inventories of $0.8 million. The increase in current liabilities was primarily driven by an increase in operating lease liabilities due within twelve months of $4.2 million primarily from our Chino facility lease renewal and an increase in accrued expenses of $3.0 million, partially offset by a decrease in accounts payable and related party payable of $2.8 million, and a decrease in other current liabilities of $2.2 million.

Cash Flows

The following table summarizes cash flow for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

[[GREPCENT_TABLE]]
[["","Year Ended December 31,"],["","2024","","2023"],["","(in thousands)"],["Net cash provided by operating activities","$","47,982","","","$","53,379"],["Net cash used in investing activities","(5,855)","","","(30,174)"],["Net cash used in financing activities","(33,619)","","","(16,170)"],["Net change in cash and cash equivalents","$","8,508","","","$","7,035"]]
[[/GREPCENT_TABLE]]

Cash flows provided by operating activities. Net cash provided by operating activities was $48.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily the result of net income of $30.8 million, adjusted for certain non-cash items totaling $21.2 million, consisting mainly of depreciation and amortization of fixed and operating right-of-use assets, stock-based compensation, impairment of operating right-of-use asset, write-off of inventory, loss, net, on disposal of machinery and equipment, adjustments to the allowance for doubtful accounts and inventory reserve, deferred income taxes, and

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government grant income. In addition, cash decreased $4.1 million primarily as a result of changes in working capital, which included a decrease of $6.7 million from a reduction in operating lease liabilities, a decrease of $2.4 million from a reduction in accounts payable and related party payable, and a decrease of $0.9 million from increased inventory purchases, partially offset by an increase of $2.8 million from a reduction in prepaid expenses and other current assets due to tax prepayments as of December 31, 2023 being applied in 2024, an increase of $3.0 million from increases in accrued expenses, and an increase of $0.6 million from a reduction in accounts receivable.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $53.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily the result of net income of $33.2 million, adjusted for certain non-cash items totaling $22.0 million, consisting mainly of depreciation and amortization of fixed and operating right-of-use assets, write-off of inventory and vendor prepayment, loss, net, on disposal of machinery, stock-based compensation, impairment of deposits, deferred income taxes, and adjustments to the allowance for doubtful accounts and inventory reserve. In addition, cash decreased $1.8 million, primarily as a result of changes in working capital, which included a decrease of $4.6 million from a reduction in operating lease liabilities and a decrease of $3.8 million from additional inventory to accommodate higher sales volume, partially offset by an increase of $2.9 million from lower accounts receivable due to improved cash collections and lower sales, an increase of $1.6 million from higher accrued expenses, an increase of $1.4 million from a reduction in other assets, and an increase of $1.1 million from higher accounts payable and related party payable.

Cash flows used in investing activities. Net cash used in investing activities was $5.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which primarily included $50.8 million in purchases of short-term investments, $3.1 million in deposits made towards the purchase of property and equipment, and $0.9 million paid to directly acquire property and equipment, partially offset by $48.9 million in redemptions of short-term investments. Net cash used in investing activities was $30.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, which primarily included $49.2 million in purchases of short-term investments, $6.3 million in deposits made towards the purchase of property and equipment, and $2.8 million paid to directly acquire property and equipment, partially offset by $23.0 million in redemptions of short-term investments, $4.0 million of net refund from the joint venture investment, $0.8 million of proceeds from the sale of machinery and equipment, and $0.5 million of deposits refunded from cancelled machinery orders.

Cash flows used in financing activities. Net cash used in financing activities was $33.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which primarily included $31.0 million of dividend payments to shareholders, $2.3 million paid for the redemption of a non-controlling member's interest in Global Wells, and $1.1 million of payments towards long-term debt, partially offset by cash proceeds of $0.7 million received from the exercise of stock options. Net cash used in financing activities was $16.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, which primarily included $20.9 million of dividend payments to shareholders, $2.3 million of distributions from our variable interest entity to shareholders, and $1.0 million of payments towards long-term debt, partially offset by $8.0 million of additional borrowings under the 2027 Term Loan.

Related Party Transactions

For a description of significant related party transactions, see Note 16 — Related Party Transactions in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Information regarding recent accounting pronouncements is contained in Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Part II, Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.