Carolina Jolly

A. Carolina Jolly from Gabelli Funds asked whether the completion of the Shawnee distribution center in 2026 would lead to improved margins and efficiency at the EBIT level. She also questioned if tariff costs were expected to decrease in the third quarter compared to the second, based on recent developments.

Answer

CFO Nathan Iles responded that while the Shawnee facility will bring freight savings and efficiencies, higher lease and depreciation expenses will result in a net cost increase of $3-4 million from the 2023 baseline. CEO Eric Sills clarified that tariff costs are not expected to come down in Q3 based on what has been implemented so far. He reiterated that pricing actions have only covered tariffs already in effect, and the company will continue to adjust as the fluid landscape evolves.

A. Carolina Jolly from Gabelli Funds asked about the expected margin and efficiency impact once the Shawnee distribution center is fully operational post-2025. She also questioned whether tariff costs might decrease in the third quarter compared to the second, based on recent developments.

Answer

CFO Nathan Iles explained that while the Shawnee DC will bring efficiencies, higher lease and depreciation expenses will result in a net cost increase of $3-4 million from the 2023 baseline. Chair, CEO & President Eric Sills clarified that based on currently implemented tariffs, costs are not expected to decrease in Q3. He reiterated that pricing actions only cover tariffs that have already taken effect, and future changes will be addressed as they occur.

A. Carolina Jolly from Gabelli Funds asked if the completion of the Shawnee distribution center in 2026 would result in improved margins and efficiency at the EBIT level. She also questioned whether tariff costs might decrease in Q3 compared to Q2 based on recent developments.

Answer

CFO Nathan Iles responded that while the Shawnee facility will bring efficiencies and freight savings, higher lease and depreciation expenses will lead to a net higher cost of $3-4 million against the 2023 baseline. Chair, CEO & President Eric Sills clarified that based on implemented tariffs, costs are not expected to decrease, and pricing actions have only covered tariffs that have already taken effect, with future tariffs to be addressed as they are implemented.

Carolina Jolly from Gabelli & Company sought clarification on whether tariffs impacted Q1 results and asked why guidance was maintained despite the strong quarterly performance, probing for any one-time benefits.

Answer

CFO Nathan Iles clarified that there was no material cost impact from new tariffs in Q1's P&L, as these costs work through inventory over time. He explained that guidance was maintained because some Temperature Control pre-season orders were pulled into Q1 from Q2, and the company felt it was prudent to wait for more clarity on the overall tariff situation before making adjustments.

Carolina Jolly sought clarification on the mid-teens growth guidance for 2025, asking about the underlying growth drivers excluding the Nissens acquisition, particularly for the vehicle control business. She also asked if start-up costs for the Shawnee distribution center are included in the 2025 EBITDA forecast and if those costs are expected to abate in 2026.

Answer

CEO Eric Sills confirmed that the Nissens acquisition accounts for the majority of the guided growth. He noted that underlying trends from Q4 are continuing: the Vehicle Control market remains healthy, Temperature Control faces tough comparisons, and Engineered Solutions continues to experience softness. CFO Nathan Iles affirmed that a couple of million dollars in Shawnee start-up costs are included in the 2025 EBITDA guidance and are not adjusted out, and these costs are expected to be eliminated in 2026.

Carolina Jolly asked about potential market softening in Europe and whether Standard Motor Products has been able to coordinate with the Nissens Automotive team ahead of the acquisition's closing to navigate the environment.

Answer

Chairman and CEO Eric Sills responded that while the deal has not yet closed, limiting specific coordination, the European market dynamics are nuanced. He noted that Nissens' business, much like SMP's, is largely nondiscretionary and is over-indexed towards temperature control products, which benefited from a strong summer in Europe. He stated that more detailed information would be shared once Nissens is officially part of SMP.

Carolina Jolly from Gabelli Funds asked for the basis of management's confidence in a second-half rebound for seed box demand and requested an update on the integration progress of the Signature acquisition.

Answer

President and CEO Aaron Schapper stated that confidence in the seed box rebound comes directly from customer demand forecasts and orders, which align with the product's typical seasonality. Regarding the Signature acquisition, Schapper highlighted that its strong operational culture is being leveraged across the Material Handling segment and that it presents a significant growth opportunity in infrastructure, with more strategic details to be shared in November.

Carolina Jolly of Gabelli & Company inquired about the key learnings and performance of the Signature acquisition one year after its completion and asked for more details on recent pricing strategies within the Material Handling segment.

Answer

CFO Grant Fitz described the Signature acquisition as highly successful, highlighting that it surpassed synergy targets ($12M achieved vs. $8M goal) and provided valuable process improvements for the broader company. CEO Aaron Schapper added that Signature's strong culture has been a significant benefit. Regarding pricing, VP, Corporate Controller Daniel Hoehn and CEO Aaron Schapper explained that strategic price adjustments were made in Material Handling to remain competitive and drive volume, with a focus on ensuring pricing reflects the value delivered to customers.

Carolina Jolly asked for an update on the integration of the Signature Systems acquisition and its performance relative to expectations. She also questioned the root causes of the Distribution segment's struggles, asking whether they stemmed from integration issues, end-market weakness, or a potential lack of competitive scale.

Answer

CEO Aaron Schapper described the Signature integration as positive, highlighting a strong cultural fit and alignment on core values. EVP & CFO Grant Fitz added that the acquisition is financially on track with original projections, noting a strong Q4 and potential upside on synergies. Regarding the Distribution business, Schapper acknowledged a combination of factors, including end-market consolidation and 'mistakes we've made ourselves,' specifically mentioning past acquisition integrations. He confirmed management changes have been made to fix the issues.

A. Carolina Jolly from Gabelli Funds sought clarification on the tariff impact, asking if the amount seen in the quarter was representative of future impacts. She also questioned whether the announced price increases have already been implemented and asked for the key catalysts behind the expected margin expansion in the next fiscal year.

Answer

Chairman, President & CEO Selwyn Joffe stated that the timing of tariff impacts is currently unpredictable but will resolve as price increases take full effect. He confirmed that nearly 100% of the necessary price increases have already been accepted by customers. Both Joffe and CFO David Lee attributed the expected margin expansion to increased sales volume leading to better overhead absorption and various ongoing operational cost-reduction initiatives.

Carolina Jolly inquired about the size of the automotive business outside the U.S. and its potential immunity to the current tariff discussions. She also asked for a differentiation between market-driven and initiative-driven performance in the U.S. auto business.

Answer

CFO Herbert Nappier detailed that the APAC and European auto businesses represent about 10% and 15% of revenue, respectively, and are not expected to be directly impacted by the U.S. tariff announcements. CEO William Stengel stated that the U.S. auto market has been flattish to slightly down, and GPC has been tracking around its target of gaining about one point of market share from its strategic initiatives.

Carolina Jolly asked for more detail on the sluggish performance within the hardware portion of the Repair Systems & Information (RS&I) business.

Answer

CEO Nicholas Pinchuk explained the slowdown in hardware, such as undercar equipment, is due to repair shop owners delaying large capital investments amid macroeconomic uncertainty and higher interest rates. He added that the CDK cyberattack during the quarter also likely diverted dealership attention and resources away from new equipment purchases, contributing to the headwind.