UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒ Annual Report Pursuant To Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the fiscal year ended: December 31, 2024 

or

☐ Transition Report Under Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the transition period from ______ to_______

Commission File No. 001-35927 

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

(Name of small business issuer in its charter)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐  No ☒ 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes ☐  No ☒ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the past 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes ☒ No ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐ 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐  No ☒ 

As of June 30, 2024, the aggregate market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates was $8,675,961, based on 2,500,277 shares of outstanding common stock held by non-affiliates, and a price of $3.47 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on the NYSE American on that date. 

There were 3,694,095 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding as of April 9, 2025.

DOCUMENTS IINCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: None

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

FORM 10-K

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2024

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by Air Industries Group (herein referred to as “Air Industries”, the “company”. “we”, “us”, or “our”) contains forward-looking statements. Certain of the matters discussed herein concerning, among other items, our operations, cash flows, financial position and economic performance including, in particular, future sales, product demand, competition and the effect of economic conditions, include forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are predictive in nature and can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and generally include words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions. Although we believe that these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, including projections of orders, sales, operating margins, earnings, cash flow, research and development costs, working capital, capital expenditures, distribution channels, profitability, new products, adequacy of funds from operations, and general economic conditions, these statements and other projections contained herein expressing opinions about future outcomes and non-historical information, are subject to uncertainties and, therefore, there is no assurance that the outcomes expressed in these statements will be achieved.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from the expectations expressed in forward-looking statements contained herein. Given these uncertainties, you should not place any reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date hereof. See “Risk factors” for a discussion of factors that could cause our actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.

We do not intend to update, or revise publicly and undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. You are advised, however, to consult any additional disclosures we make in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS

Introduction

We believe we are one of the leading manufacturers of precision components and assemblies for large aerospace and defense prime contractors. Our products include landing gears, flight controls, engine mounts and components for aircraft jet engines, ground turbines and other complex machines. The ultimate end-user for most of our products is the U.S. Government, international governments, and commercial global airlines. Whether it is a small individual component for assembly by others or complete assemblies we manufacture ourselves, our high quality and extremely reliable products are used in mission critical operations that are essential for safety of military personnel and civilians.

We specialize in the aerospace and defense markets, operating within a hierarchical network of suppliers. At the top of the supply chain pyramid is the prime contractor, also known as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”). A prime contractor designs, develops and produces the final product for the end-user. We play a critical role in this ecosystem, operating as a “Tier One” supplier, delivering our products directly to prime contractors, or as a “Tier Two” supplier, providing larger complex components to others. In some cases, we ship products directly to the U.S. Government. Our strategic position has made us a key partner for many prominent defense prime contractors and global commercial aviation manufacturers, often leading us to become the exclusive or primary supplier for certain high precision parts and assemblies. We often receive Long-Term Agreements (“LTAs”) from our customers, demonstrating their commitment to us.

We are renowned for our unwavering commitment to genuine quality and exceptional reliability. Our rich history dates to 1941, producing parts for World War II fighter aircraft. Since then, we have maintained an impeccable record with no known incidents of part failure leading to a mission failure resulting in a fatality. In an era plagued by foreign counterfeit parts, we strategically operate all our facilities within the United States. Our two state-of-the-art manufacturing centers located in Long Island, New York, and Barkhamsted, Connecticut, allow for rigorous oversight of production and adherence to stringent quality standards. Spanning over 150,000 square feet, our manufacturing centers serve as the operational hubs for our three legal subsidiaries, Air Industries Machining, (“AIM”) Nassau Tool Works (“NTW”) and Sterling Engineering Company (“STE”).

For the past several years we have strategically invested substantial amounts in new capital equipment, tooling, and processes to bolster our competitive position. Additionally, we expanded our sales and marketing efforts, with a sharp focus on expanding relationships with customers and cultivating new ones. Fiscal 2024 marked a year of progress and positioning for growth.

We finished 2024 with $55.1 million of net sales. Our backlog, which represents the value of all funded orders received, stood at $117.9 million an increase of 19.9% as compared to our backlog on December 31, 2023. Our marketing efforts bore fruit and we secured our first order with a new foreign-based defense and aerospace prime customer. We made significant investments in capital equipment and related processes. On the bottom-line, we reported a net loss of $1.4 million. As we enter fiscal 2025, we believe our future is looking brighter.

Moving forward, our business strategy is geared towards competing and winning contracts that enable us to achieve sustainable and profitable business growth and delivering high quality reliable products to our customers. At its core, lies a highly trained and close-knit team of over 180 individuals committed to driving excellence and precision in every aspect of our operations. We are firmly focused on securing new contract awards, improving operations and successful execution. With total unfilled contract values amounting to $271.3 million (including our $117.9 million in funded backlog and all potential orders against LTA agreements previously awarded to us), as of December 31, 2024, we are confident in our ability to boost sales in 2025, attain profitability and improve our financial position.

Customer Profiles

In 2024 and 2023, approximately 69.9% and 82.3% of our net sales were attributed to customers who use our products for end-use on military aircraft. The rest of our net sales are attributable to commercial aviation uses and, to a much lesser extent, ground power electricity generation and other uses.

We have cultivated long-standing relationships with many large and well-known customers including:

Platform and Program Profiles

Most of our machined components and assemblies are integral to high-profile platforms and named programs. Platforms generally refer to equipment that is utilized in missions or operations whereas programs are broader initiatives and can encompass the development and production of new platforms, upgrades to existing systems and other initiatives. The following platforms and programs (ranked in descending order by their 2024 net sales), accounted for 79.3% and 85.2% of our net sales in 2024 and 2023, respectfully:

Our Market

The aerospace and defense industry is dominated by a select few large prime contractors including Airbus, Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and RTX. These prime contractors oversee large platforms and programs for ultimate end-user, the U.S. government, foreign governments or global aviation companies.

Once a supplier is chosen and integrated into a platform or selected for a specific program, replacing them becomes a complex challenge. In many cases, suppliers often become the sole or single source. Being a sole source means being chosen as the exclusive supplier by the customer, whereas being a single source indicates that, despite the availability of other potential manufacturers, only one supplier is currently used. This scenario of single or sole sourcing is especially prevalent with legacy aircraft. While prime contractors generally prefer multiple sources for new aircraft production lines to mitigate single points of failure, utilizing a single vendor can lead to higher production volumes, lower average unit costs, and opportunities for quality improvements.

Demand for both defense and commercial aviation components is based on new production and subsequent maintenance, repair and overhaul (“MRO”). Flight critical components are frequently replaced on aircraft on a flight time, or flight cycle basis. The demand for MRO and after-market products can continue for many years, even decades, after the production line for new aircraft is shut down.

At a high level, we are able to monitor the DoD budget for both new production and operations and maintenance components as well as industry reports to gauge overall industry spending. While large U.S. Government programs are managed through specific budget lines and oversight structures, most, if not all, of our machine parts and assemblies are not explicitly identified in the U.S. Government budget. Therefore, predicting period-to-period demand with precision is challenging. While we primarily rely on our customers to help us project short-term and long-term demand, the timing of receipt of contract awards and related orders is difficult to predict. Consequently, comparative period-to-period net sales for any customer or program may not be meaningful.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing activities during 2024 were robust, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1.29x, growth in our funded backlog to $117.9 million and total unfilled contract values amounting to $271.3 million (including our $117.9 million funded backlog and all potential orders against LTA agreements).

We primarily rely upon a small team of highly skilled sales and business development professionals with extensive industry experience with hands on support from management. Our goal is to cultivate customer relationships akin to partnerships and the concept of customer alignment. For example, our customers heavily rely on suppliers to deliver high-quality parts that meet specifications in a timely and cost-effective manner. They regularly assess suppliers based on various quantitative criteria such as on-time delivery performance, defect rates, adherence to specifications, cost performance, lead times, order processing time, stockout rates, and similar metrics. Therefore, one of our primary objectives is to maintain high ratings and leverage these metrics in our sales and marketing activities.

Our sales cycle varies significantly, ranging from a few weeks to over a year, depending on the complexity of the product and manufacturing steps involved. While customers may occasionally engage in spot buys, most of our orders (also known as bookings) stem from LTAs. LTAs outline the quantity and price of products the customer may order within a specified time frame. When actual products are needed, the customer places a funded order against the LTA. The value of this funded order is included in our funded backlog until we ship it. Although cancellations of funded orders are possible, customers are usually subject to termination liability, necessitating payment to us for costs incurred up to the termination date. In certain termination cases, the customer is also required to pay us a reasonable profit.

We secure new or follow-on LTAs through competitive bidding in response to a customer’s Request for Quotation (“RFQ”). These proposals detail prices based on quantities, which may vary annually, for shipments over multiple years. The bidding process typically entails several rounds of submissions and negotiations before an award is granted. For defense products, in certain cases, LTAs may be awarded or extended without an RFQ or competitive bidding. In such cases, pricing may be determined through cost analysis or audit with ultimate approval by the customer or the U.S. government.

Bookings and Backlog

Bookings represent funded orders secured during a given financial period. In fiscal 2024, bookings were $71,000,000, a 14% increase compared to $62,262,000 in 2023. Our “book-to-bill” ratio, which is our bookings divided by net sales, was 1.29x for 2024, a significant improvement over the 1.20x ratio of 2023. Although bookings are subject to wide variations in timing, resulting in period-to-period comparisons not necessarily being meaningful, we do use bookings and our book-to-bill as a gauge of future net sales.

Our backlog, which can be considered our “funded backlog,” stood at $117.9 million as of December 31, 2024, marking a 19.9% increase from $98.3 million on December 31, 2023. This represents the net sales we expect to realize from funded orders received and is equivalent to our remaining performance obligations pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. These funded orders, approved by customers, come from LTAs, spot-buys, or other contracts and are for essential machined components and assemblies used in the key platforms and programs we serve. Our definition provides visibility into the value of all firm orders. The bulk of our $117.9 million backlog is expected to ship over the next 24 months. but does not include possible or probable future orders pursuant to existing LTAs or probable contract renewals that would also contribute sales during such period. The total potential net sales under contracts actually awarded to us as of December 31, 2024, was $271.3 million, including the value of our existing funded backlog of $117.9 million. 

Competition

Winning a new contract award is highly competitive. Not only must we have the capabilities to manufacture to customer design specifications, but we compete against companies that have greater financial, physical and technical resources. Our ability to win new contracts generally requires us to become a trusted partner to the customer by having the capabilities to deliver superior quality product, more quickly and with lower pricing than our competitors. Accordingly, we must continually invest in process improvements and capital equipment.

In recent years, we have strategically made significant investments to enhance our competitiveness and market position. For example, in fiscal 2024 and 2023, we invested $2,301,000 and $2,119,000 in new property and equipment to support our goals. These investments have increased production efficiency and speed, while maintaining closer tolerances, have expanded the size of products we can manufacture and have been appreciated by our customers. While we plan to continue this strategy in 2025 it will likely be on a much smaller level.

Our competitors include: Monitor Aerospace, a division of GKN Aerospace; Hydromil, a division of Triumph Aerospace Group; Heroux Devetek and Ellanef Manufacturing, a division of Magellan Corporation.

Manufacturing, Raw Materials and Replacement Parts

Our production cycle spanning from ordering raw materials to delivering finished products, can vary from several weeks to over a year. Consequently, for certain products, especially those involving finished assemblies, we must procure significant amounts of raw materials and begin processing well ahead of actual ship dates. This underscores the importance of efficient subcontract management in meeting customer delivery deadlines. In some cases, customers may provide us with these raw materials as they may be able to obtain better processing or delivery schedules from other suppliers and in other cases the customer chooses to rely on us to manage suppliers.

The price and availability of many raw materials in the aerospace industry are susceptible to fluctuations in global markets and political conditions. Most raw material suppliers are hesitant to commit to long-term contracts at fixed prices, posing a substantial risk given our strategy often entails entering into LTA agreements which require us to commit to long-term price commitments. However, many of our LTAs provide pricing protection when there is a large increase in the cost of raw materials.

Employees

As of March 31, 2025, we employed 184 people. Of these, 98 were involved in manufacturing and production activities, 26 were in quality control, 52 were in administration, and the remaining 8 were in sales and procurement. All of our employees are covered under a co-employment agreement with Insperity Services, LLC, a professional employer organization. This arrangement allows us to provide employees with comprehensive benefits at a lower cost than we could provide.

Our AIM subsidiary has a collective bargaining agreement with the United Service Workers, IUJAT, Local 355 (the “Union”). This agreement is effective until December 31, 2027 and covers the majority of AIM’s 125 personnel. We are required to make a monthly contribution to Union’s United Welfare Fund and the United Services Worker’s Security Fund, the sole pension benefit for covered employees. We are not obligated to provide any future defined benefits. Additionally, the collective bargaining agreement contains a “no-strike” clause, and a “no-lock-out” clause. We believe we maintain good relationships with the Union and expect to renew the collective bargaining agreement before it expires.

Regulations

We believe that we are in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations governing our operations and have obtained all material licenses and permits required for the operation of our business.  They key regulations impacting our business are further discussed below:

Environmental Regulation and Employee Safety: We are subject to regulations administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, various state agencies and county and local authorities acting in cooperation with federal and state authorities. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions that require us to control air, soil and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and require notification or reporting of the storage, use and release of certain hazardous chemicals and substances. This regulatory framework imposes compliance burdens and financial and operating risks on us. Governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and to obtain injunctions or impose civil and criminal fines in the case of violations.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (“CERCLA”) imposes strict, joint and several liabilities on the present and former owners and operators of facilities that release hazardous substances into the environment. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (“RCRA”) regulates the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. New York and Connecticut, the states where our production facilities are located, also have stringent laws and regulations governing the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous substances, counterparts of CERCLA and RCRA. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires employers to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, obligates employers to provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances.

Federal Aviation Administration: We are subject to regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We have never been subject to such fines or disqualifications.

Federal Acquisition Regulations: All our U.S government contracts and those of many of our customers are subject to the procurement rules and regulations of the Federal Acquisition Regulations. As such, many of our LTA agreements require us to adhere to these rules and regulations. During and after the fulfillment of a government contract, we may be audited in respect of the direct and allocated indirect costs attributed to the project. These audits may result in adjustments to our contract costs. Additionally, we may be subject to U.S. government inquiries and investigations because of our participation in government procurement. Any inquiry or investigation can result in fines or limitations on our ability to continue to bid for government contracts and fulfill existing contracts.

More Information About Our Business and Where to Find It

Our Internet website is AirIndustriesGroup.com, at which you can find our filings with the SEC, including press releases, annual reports, quarterly reports, current reports, and any amendments to those filings. We also use our website to disseminate other material information to our investors. We also make announcements regarding company developments and financial and operating performance through social media channels such as at LinkedIn.com/company/air-industries-group to communicate with customers and the public about our Company, our products, services, and other issues. Among other things, we post on our website and social media channels information about our public conference calls (including the scheduled dates, times and the methods by which investors and others can listen to those calls), and we make available for replay webcasts of those calls and other presentations for a limited time. Information and updates about our Annual Meetings will also be posted on our website including on the “Home Page” and in the “Investor Relations” section. None of the information on our website, blog or any other website identified herein is incorporated by reference in this annual report and such information should not be considered a part of this annual report.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS 

The purchase of our common stock involves a very high degree of risk.

In evaluating our common stock and our business, you should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below and the other information and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included herein. If any of the events described in the risks below actually occurs, our financial condition or operating results may be materially and adversely affected, the price of our common stock may decline, perhaps significantly, and you could lose all or a part of your investment.

The risks below can be characterized into three groups:

Risks Related to Our Business

We may need additional financing to fund investments in new or upgraded property or equipment.

We may require additional financing to fund investments in new or upgraded property or equipment, in order to remain competitive. If we do, we may also need to obtain the agreement of holders of portions of our debt to extend or otherwise refinance such debt. In order to gain consent, we may need to offer these holders increases in the rates of interest they receive or otherwise compensate them through payments of cash or issuances of our equity securities. Such additional financing or refinancing may involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our equity securities and may not be available to us on reasonable terms, if at all. If we are unable to consummate such additional financing or re-financing, the trading price of our common stock could be adversely affected, and the terms of such financing may adversely affect the interests of our existing stockholders. Any failure to fund working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and may result in a decline in our stock price. Any issuances of our common stock, preferred stock, or securities such as warrants or notes that are convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, our capital stock, would have a dilutive effect on the voting and economic interest of our existing stockholders.

A reduction in budgeted or actual U.S. government spending for defense or changes in the mix of defense products could materially adversely impact our business strategy, revenues, operating results and financial condition. 

The ultimate end-user for most of our products is the U.S. Government, with significant emphasis on military aircraft. In certain instances, our products may be exported to allied foreign governments by the U.S. Government. Although we expect to generate net sales from all of our key aerospace and defense platforms and programs for many years, they are subject to significant risk. Congressional appropriation and presidential approval are required for funding, leaving our platforms and programs vulnerable to potential budget reductions at any point. For instance, a decrease in U.S. government defense spending or a strategy shift to rocket and drone platforms instead of large military aircraft platforms, could curtail demand for our landing gear parts and other components we provide which would likely have a materially adverse effect on our business strategy, revenues, operating results and financial condition.

Our operations have historically been subject to the fluctuations in government procurement cycles and spending patterns by our customers. There can be no assurance that our financial condition and future results of operations will not be materially adversely impacted by volatility in defense spending or changes in the mix of product favored by the U.S. Government or other nations, or the perception among our customers regarding the likelihood of such shifts.

Although we have cultivated long-standing relationships with many of our customers, the aerospace and defense industry is characterized by a smaller number of large and well-known prime customers. We depend on revenues from these relationships and any loss, cancellation, reduction, or interruption in these relationships could harm our business.

Our products are purchased by a relatively small number of large aerospace and defense customers who incorporate them into larger products for ultimate end-use by the U.S. Government, international governments, and commercial global airlines. Consequently, we have a high degree of sales concentration among specific customers making it challenging to diversify our customer base. In fiscal years 2024 and 2023, four customers, accounted for approximately 73.4% and 64.2% of net sales, respectively.

Our future success relies heavily on nurturing expanding and effectively managing these relationships. Nevertheless, we cannot assure retention of these customers or their continuing to purchasing at previous levels. The loss of any key customers, a decline or interruption in sales to them, or our inability to establish relationships with new customers, could significantly impact our business.

We depend on revenues from components for a few aircraft programs and platforms and the cancellation or reduction of funding of them will harm our business.

We derive a significant portion of our net sales from supplying components for select aircraft programs and platforms, such as the F-18 Hornet, the E-2D Hawkeye, the UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter, Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo-Fan Engine, the CH-53 Helicopter, the F-35 Lightning II (also known as the Joint Strike Fighter) and the F-15 Eagle Tactical Fighter. A decrease in demand for our products, stemming from reduced aircraft production or diminished aircraft utilization, would adversely affect our future operating results and financial condition.

Changes in outsourcing strategies and intense competition in our markets may lead to a reduction in our revenues and market share.

The defense and aerospace component manufacturing market is highly competitive. Competition has been increasing and is expected to intensify further. Our large aerospace and defense prime customers, Tier One suppliers and many of our competitors have significantly greater technical, manufacturing, financial and marketing resources than we do. In the future, our defense and aerospace customers could make changes in their supply chain strategies that could adversely impact us. For instance, they could decide to in-source manufacturing, stop purchasing pursuant to existing LTA agreements or seek other sources at any time. If they seek other suppliers, we may not be able to compete successfully against either current or future competitors (including commercial manufacturers that wish to diversify their revenues and expand into the defense supply chain). Increased competition could result in reduced revenue, lower margins or loss of market share, any of which could significantly harm our business, our operating results and financial condition.

We may lose sales if we fail to timely meet the specifications and requirements of our customers.

Most of our customers incorporate our products into larger products such as aircraft assemblies or completed aircraft. They rely upon us to deliver products pursuant to existing LTA agreements that include detailed specifications and requirements. If a customer were to conclude that it could not rely upon us for any reason, it could look to dual source a product or rely upon another party altogether. We could be informed of a change in sourcing decisions with limited notice or not at all. Any decision by a customer to rely upon an alternate supplier for some or all of its needs could significantly harm our business, our operating results and our financial condition.

We may lose sales if our suppliers fail to meet our needs or ship raw materials to us on timely.

We must deliver our products timely with high quality to ensure smooth operation of our customer production lines. In order to do so, we attempt to procure our raw materials, parts and components as well as subcontracted services from various sources and utilize multiple subcontractors. However, certain materials, components and services are exclusively available from a sole or limited number of suppliers and we are reliant upon them. Additionally, material sourced from overseas are susceptible to supply chain disruptions stemming from global events and political decisions. While we believe that, in many cases, alternative supplies, components, assemblies, or subcontractors could be secured, sourcing substitutes may necessitate the development of new suppliers or require product re-engineering and qualification, potentially leading to shipment delays. Any interruptions in raw material shipments or subcontracted service performance could significantly harm our business, our operating results and our financial condition.

We may not be able to improve our gross margin and a reduction in future sales levels could have a disproportionate effect on our gross profit as a percentage of our net sales.

Our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities currently have a large percentage of fixed factory overhead relative to our overall expenses. Consequently, our gross profit as a percentage of sales is highly linked with sales volume. If we do not increase our sales volume, it will be difficult to materially improve our gross profit margin. Although we have plans to improve operating efficiencies at our current sales levels, we may not be able to do so. Further, any reduction in sales volume would likely cause us to absorb the fixed overhead costs over a smaller base of sales, causing our gross profit as a percentage of sales to decline from current levels. Any reduction in our profit margin adversely impacts our reported performance and would have a material adverse impact on results of operation and our financial position.

There are risks associated with the bidding processes in which we compete.

We obtain many LTA and other contracts through a competitive bidding process. We must devote substantial time and resources to prepare bids and proposals and may not have contracts awarded to us. Even if we win contracts, there can be no assurance that the prices that we bid will be sufficient to allow us to generate a profit from any particular contract. There are significant costs involved with producing a small number of initial units of any new product and it may not be possible to recoup such costs on later production runs.

Due to fixed contract pricing, increasing contract costs expose us to reduced profitability and the potential loss of business.

The cost estimation process requires significant judgment and expertise. Reasons for cost growth include unavailability and productivity of labor, the nature and complexity of the work to be performed, the effect of change orders, the availability of materials, the effect of delays in performance, availability and timing of funding from the customer, natural disasters, supply chain disruptions and the inability to recover any claims for added services necessary to complete production. A significant change in costs from those on which we based our estimates on one or more programs could have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.

The prices of raw materials we use are volatile.

The prices of raw materials used in our manufacturing processes are volatile. Some LTA agreement with customers allow us to increase our prices due to increases in the price of raw materials. However, these LTA agreements generally require that we first absorb all or a portion of the price increases before being able to pass on the increase to the customer. For some LTA agreements, we are at full risk for future price agreements. If the prices of raw materials rise, we may not be able to pass along all of such increases to our customers and this could have an adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations. It is possible that some of the raw materials we use might become subject to new or increased tariffs. Significant increases in the prices of raw materials could adversely impact our customers’ demand for certain products which could lead to a reduction in our revenues and have a material adverse impact on our revenues and on our financial position and results of operations.

Some of the products we produce have long lead times.

Some of the products we produce require months to produce and we sometimes produce products in excess of the number ordered intending to sell the excess as spares when orders arise. As a result, our inventory turns slowly and ties up our working capital. Our inventory represented approximately 56% of our assets as of December 31, 2024. Any requirement to write down the value of our inventory due to obsolescence, excess and slow moving, or a drop in the price of materials could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position and results of operations.

We do not own the intellectual property rights to products we produce.

Although we develop our internal processes, nearly all the parts and subassemblies we produce are built to customer specifications and the customer owns the intellectual property, if any, related to the product. Consequently, if a customer desires to use another manufacturer to fabricate its part or subassembly, it would be free to do so, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, our operating results and financial condition.

There are risks associated with new programs.

New programs typically carry risks associated with design changes, acquisition of new production tools, funding commitments, imprecise or changing specifications, timing delays and the accuracy of cost estimates associated with such programs. In addition, any new program may experience delays for a variety of reasons after significant expenditures are made. If we were unable to perform under new programs to the customers’ satisfaction or if a new program in which we made a significant investment was terminated or experienced weak demand, delays or other problems, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. This could result in low margin or forward loss contracts, and the risk of having to write-off costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts if it were deemed to be unrecoverable over the life of the program.

To perform on new programs, we may be required to incur material up-front costs which may not have been separately negotiated and may not be recoverable. Such charges and the loss of up-front costs could have a material impact on our liquidity.

The need to control our expenses places a significant strain on our management and operational resources. If we are unable to control our expenses effectively, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

There are risks associated with offering new services to our customers.

From time-to-time in order to reduce our dependence on subcontractors, increase our customers’ reliance upon us or increase our gross margins we offer new services to our customers, such as painting and finishing products we already manufacture for them. There are risks associated with offering new services and even if performed timely and correctly, it is likely that our margins for these new services will be relatively low, or even negative, in the initial phases when volume is low. We may not be successful in achieving positive gross margins for new services or be able to ultimately meet our customer requirements. If we are unsuccessful, it could hurt our relationship with our customers. 

Attracting and retaining executive talent and other key personnel is an essential element of our future success.

Our future success depends to a significant extent upon our ability to attract executive talent, as well as the continued service of our existing executive officers and other key management and technical personnel. We are a relatively small company and experienced management and technical, marketing and support personnel in the defense and aerospace industries are in demand and competition for their talents is intense. Our failure to attract or retain executive, key management and technical personnel, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to intense competition for the skilled machinists necessary to manufacture our products.

We are subject to intense competition for the services of skilled machinists necessary to manufacture our products and those of other companies in the aerospace and defense industry. In recent years, the competition for skilled employees has intensified and we have experienced wage inflation. We have strategically located our operations in the U.S. and many companies are expanding their domestic production. As such, there is currently a shortage of skilled workers in the U.S. In order to maintain and increase production levels, we must hire new employees and machinists for our two state-of-the art manufacturing facilities and we may not be able to do so or the costs to hire and/or train them may significantly exceed our budget. If the U.S. economy continues to experience inflation, our labor costs may further increase which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to strict governmental regulations relating to the environment, which could result in fines and remediation expense in the event of non-compliance.

We are required to comply with extensive and frequently changing environmental regulations at the federal, state and local levels. Among other things, these regulatory bodies impose restrictions to control air, soil and water pollution, to protect against occupational exposure to chemicals, including health and safety risks, and to require notification or reporting of the storage, use and release of certain hazardous substances into the environment. This extensive regulatory framework imposes significant compliance burdens and risks on us. In addition, these regulations may impose liability for the cost of removal or remediation of certain hazardous substances released on or in our facilities without regard to whether we knew of, or caused, the release of such substances.

We are also required to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized and preventable hazards that are likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, provide notice to employees regarding the presence of hazardous chemicals and to train employees in the use of such substances. Our operations require the use of chemicals and other materials for painting and cleaning that are classified under applicable laws as hazardous chemicals and substances. If we are found to be in violation of any of these rules, regulations or permits, we may be subject to fines, remediation expenses and the obligation to change our business practice, any of which could result in substantial costs that would adversely impact our business operations and financial condition.

We may be subject to fines and disqualification for non-compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

We are subject to regulation by the FAA under the provisions of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958, as amended. The FAA prescribes standards and licensing requirements for aircraft and aircraft components. We are subject to inspections by the FAA and may be subjected to fines and other penalties (including orders to cease production) for noncompliance with FAA regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in the termination of or our disqualification from some of our contracts, which could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We have never been subject to such fines or disqualification.

Cyber security attacks, internal system or service failures, and any unauthorized access to our customer data will have an adverse effect on our business and reputation.

Most of our products are used by large aerospace and prime contractors who ultimately provide them to the U.S. Government, foreign governments and commercial airlines. As such, in most cases, we are required to maintain confidential and proprietary information on our information systems. Hackers, whether they be individuals, entities or hostile enemies, may attempt to penetrate our network or those of our third-party hosting and storage providers, to gain access to confidential and proprietary data. If any of this data is hacked or leaked, obtained by others or destroyed without authorization, it could harm our reputation, we could be exposed to civil and criminal liability, which will materially impact our financial results and financial condition. Any system or service disruptions caused by hackers or even those caused by projects to improve our information technology capabilities, if not mitigated, could significantly disrupt our production and assembly could have an immediate material adverse effect on our business. We could also be subject to systems failures, including network, software or hardware failures, whether caused by us or third-party service providers, computer viruses, natural disasters or power shortages.

If hackers gain access to sensitive, confidential or otherwise protected information, they may attempt to force us to pay a ransom before stopping their attack. Any hacker penetration could cause loss of data and interruptions or delays in our business, cause us to incur remediation costs or subject us to claims and damage our reputation. In addition, the failure or disruption of our communications or utilities could cause us to interrupt or suspend our operations or otherwise adversely affect our business. Although we utilize various procedures and controls to monitor and mitigate the risk of these threats and have increased recent investment to improve our cyber-security posture, there can be no assurance that these procedures and controls or new investments will be sufficient. Our property and business interruption insurance may be inadequate to compensate us for all losses that may occur as a result of any system or operational failure or disruption which would adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, expenditures incurred in implementing cyber security and other procedures and controls could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to an extensive and highly-evolving regulatory landscape, and requirements imposed by our customers to secure our communications, and any adverse changes to, or our failure to comply with, any laws and regulations or requirements of our clients could adversely affect our brand, reputation, business, operating results, and financial condition.

We subject to extensive laws, rules and regulations directed to those who conduct business over the internet, in addition to security requirements imposed by our clients, including those governing privacy, data governance, data protection and cybersecurity. Many LTAs that we sign with our customers also require us to comply with strict vendor clauses including replications of specific sections of the FAR. These legal and regulatory regimes, including the laws, rules, and regulations thereunder, may be modified, interpreted, and applied in an inconsistent manner. To the extent we have not complied with such laws, rules, and regulations, or requirements imposed by our LTAs, we could be subject to significant fines, limitations the products and services we provide, reputational harm, and other regulatory consequences, each of which may be significant and could adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Complying with the requirements imposed by the U.S. Government and our customers with respect to privacy, data governance, data protection and cybersecurity is costly and requires a significant amount of attention form management.

Any disruptive national or international events, such as potential future public health crises, ongoing or new conflicts, domestic or foreign terrorist activities, banking crises, the imposition of tariffs, shifts in government alliances, and responses from the U.S. Government, other nations, and the public to such occurrences, could significantly disrupt the operations of us or our suppliers and impede our ability to procure, receive, or replenish inventory (including raw materials). These disruptions may also present challenges in communication and lead to sudden and unexpected shifts in product demand by our customers. Furthermore, global financial markets could experience disruptions, affecting our business and our ability to secure future financing, including accessing debt or equity. The occurrence of any of these events could result in lost sales and otherwise adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.

Conflicts between nations (such as the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict), or between nations and terrorist organizations (such as the ongoing conflict between terrorist groups and Israel), as well as terrorist attacks, natural disasters (such as hurricanes, fires, floods and earthquakes), unusually adverse weather conditions, pandemic outbreaks or a banking crisis, the imposition of tariffs, shifts in government alliances, could adversely affect our operations and financial performance. If any of these events affect us or our suppliers, it could result in an inability on our part to manufacture products and/or result in lost sales, materially affecting our operations and financial performance.

Additionally, such events could disrupt travel, making it a challenge to communicate with our customers, as evidenced during the coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, they could lead to increases in fuel or other energy prices, fuel shortages, temporary labor shortages, temporary or long-term disruptions in delivery of products from our suppliers and disruption to our information systems, any of which could have an adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition. Disruptive events could make it difficult for us to access debt and equity capital on attractive terms, or at all, and impact our ability to service or refinance our debt, fund business activities, and repay debt on a timely basis.

Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East, continued tensions between the US and the European Union with China and Russia, and tension between the US and the European Union with respect to funding Ukraine’s war effort, tariffs and other issues, may alter countries’ willingness to rely on others as the source of certain products and material.

Historically, prime contractors and the entire U.S. aerospace and defense supply chain have relied upon parts, components, and raw materials from foreign suppliers including those located in Russia and China. Conversely, many nations chose to rely upon U.S. manufacturers as their primary source for defense products, such as helicopters and fighter aircraft. Geo-political tensions have increased during the past several years and we expect them to continue. Supply chain disruptions resulting from escalating political tensions and the economic disruption resulting from retaliatory measures between any countries could result in production delays and cancellations of programs.

Additionally, any material changes to the current aerospace and defense supplier structure resulting from geo-political tensions or otherwise could disrupt the markets for raw materials and supplies and our ability and the ability of our suppliers to obtain raw materials, may be significantly impacted. We cannot forecast with any certainty whether such disruptions, restrictions imposed by various governments in response thereto and resulting changes in business practices, may materially impact our ability and the ability of our suppliers to obtain necessary raw material, our business and our consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

Risks Related to Our Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2024, we have total indebtedness of approximately $26,283,000, large portions of which must be redeemed or refinanced prior to December 30, 2025 and July 1, 2026. We may not be able to achieve favorable financing terms in the future or consummate any refinancing of our existing loans prior to their respective maturity dates. Failure to do so would materially impact our business and our stock price.

As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $18,130,000 of indebtedness outstanding pursuant to a loan facility that matures on December 30, 2025 with Webster Bank (“Current Credit Facility”). The average interest rate on this indebtedness during fiscal 2024 was 7.66%. This indebtedness is secured by a lien on substantially all our assets.

Additionally, as of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $6,162,000 of subordinated notes payables (“Related Party Notes”) that mature on July 1, 2026 and which are held by two directors Michael N. Taglich and Robert F. Taglich, and their affiliates. The Related Party Notes payable carry interest rate ranging between 7% and 12% per year. Subsequent to December 31, 2024, we repaid approximately $1,291,000 of this debt.

In addition to $1,007,000 of finance lease obligations and a $14,000 vehicle loan, we also had $970,000 of borrowings for the solar energy systems installed at our Barkhamsted facility pursuant to a financing agreement (“Solar Facility”) with CT Green Bank. On October 1, 2024, the Solar Facility converted to a 20-year level payment term loan.

If we are unable to pay or refinance our indebtedness when due, our operations may be materially and adversely affected. We must pay or refinance large portions of this indebtedness prior to December 30, 2025, and July 1, 2026. Since it is unlikely that we will be able to pay this debt, we have initiated steps to satisfy portions and refinance the balance. Refinancing may require us to pay higher interest rates than we currently pay, agree to more restrictive business or financial covenants or involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or new securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock which may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock and the interests of our existing stockholders. Any failure to refinance our existing debt or obtain additional working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition and may result in a decline in our stock price. Any issuances of our common stock, preferred stock, or securities such as warrants or notes that are convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, our capital stock, would have a dilutive effect on the voting and economic interest of our existing stockholders.

Our current or future leverage may adversely affect our ability to finance future operations and capital needs, may limit our ability to pursue business opportunities and may make our results of operations more susceptible to adverse economic conditions. Ultimately, we may not be able to successfully refinance our indebtedness and if we cannot, we would become insolvent.

The weighted average interest rate we paid in 2024 on borrowings outstanding on the Current Credit Facility was 7.66% and this interest rate may increase in the future.

The weighted average interest rate paid during the year-ended December 31, 2024 on borrowings outstanding on the Current Credit Facility was 7.66% as compared to 7.55% for the year-ended December 31, 2023, the increase reflects the increase in the target rates set by the Federal Reserve. Under the terms of our Current Credit Facility, amounts due bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the greater of (i) 3.50% and (ii) a rate per annum equal to the rate per annum published from time to time in the “Money Rates” table of the Wall Street Journal (or such other presentation within The Wall Street Journal as may be adopted hereafter for such information) as the base or prime rate for corporate loans at the nation’s largest commercial bank, less sixty-five hundredths (-0.65%) of one percent per annum. Consequently, we may be susceptible to future increased rates if the Federal Reserve chooses to increase its target rate of interest.

We have a history of net losses, need to refinance our bank debt and the opinion of our auditor contains an explanatory paragraph as to our ability to continue as a going concern.

We incurred net losses for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 of $1,366,000, $2,131,000 and $1,076,000, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, we had approximately $18,130,000 of indebtedness outstanding pursuant to our Current Credit Facility that matures on December 30, 2025 with Webster Bank (“Current Credit Facility”) and approximately $6,162,000 of subordinated notes payables (“Related Party Notes”) that mature on July 1, 2026 and which are held by two directors Michael N. Taglich and Robert F. Taglich, and their affiliates. We must pay or refinance large portions of this indebtedness prior to its respective due dates. Further, as a condition to refinancing our Current Credit Facility prior to December 31, 2025, Webster may require that the holders of our Related Party Notes extend or otherwise modify the subordination agreements they have given in favor of the lender. Since it is not likely that we will be able to pay this debt, we have initiated steps to satisfy portions and refinance the balance. These steps included the sale of shares of our common stock pursuant to our Registration Statement on Form S-3 that was declared effective on December 19, 2024. As of March 31, 2025, we have sold 326,791 shares of our common stock for gross proceeds of $1,412,000 of which $1,291,000 has been used to satisfy portions of the Related Party Notes. Because of the uncertainty regarding our ability to refinance our indebtedness, our auditors have included an explanatory paragraph in their opinion as to our ability to continue as a going concern. Refinancing our indebtedness may require us to pay higher interest rates than we currently pay, agree to more restrictive business or financial covenants or involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or new securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock. Any failure to refinance our existing debt or obtain additional working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

We may not be able to comply with the covenants of the Current Credit Facility and our debt could be called.

Under the terms of the Current Credit Facility, we are required to maintain certain business and financial covenants. As of December 31, 2024, we were in compliance with the minimum EBITDA (as defined in the Current Credit Facility) which represents net income (or loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $2,800,000 on a rolling twelve-month basis. Beginning in with the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2025 on a rolling twelve-month basis and continuing for the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2025 on a rolling twelve-month basis we are required to achieve a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (as defined) of 1.05x which is a financial metric that is used to measure our ability to cover fixed charges such as interest and lease expenses as divided by EBITDA. This metric increase for future fiscal quarter on a rolling twelve-month basis to 1.25x. If we were not in compliance with the required covenant we would have to seek a waiver with our lender, but we may not be able to do so.

Even if we obtain a waiver for the failure to meet a financial covenant, if we do not achieve our fiscal 2025 plan and successfully execute our business strategy, we may not be able to comply with future quarterly covenant requirements. If we fail to do so and/or are unable to obtain future waivers, we may have to pay increased interest rates or may be required to immediately pay any outstanding debt. An increase in the interest rate would likely have a material adverse impact on our consolidated financial position and results of operations. If we were required to make immediate repayment, we may not be able to obtain financing to do so and would become insolvent.

We currently do not pay dividends and the terms of our Current Credit Facility limit our ability to pay dividends.

We currently do not pay dividends and have no foreseeable plans to do so. Additionally, the terms and covenants of our Current Credit Facility do not currently allow us to. In the future should we decide to pay dividends, we would need to seek covenant changes or a waiver under our Current Credit Facility. There can be no assurance our lenders would agree to covenant changes or grant a waiver. In addition, we may in the future incur additional indebtedness or otherwise become subject to agreements whose terms restrict our ability to pay dividends in the future.

Risks Related to our status as a public company and our common stock

There is only a limited public market for our common stock.

Although our common stock is listed on the NYSE American, there is only a limited number of our shares available in the public float and the related market capitalization of such float is relatively small. The trading volume for our common stock has been limited and a more active public market for our common stock may not develop or be sustained over time. The lack of a robust market may impair a stockholder’s ability to sell shares of our common stock. In the absence of a more active trading market, any attempt to sell our shares could result in a decrease in the price of our stock. Specifically, our shareholders may not be able to resell their shares of common stock at or above the price paid for such shares or at all.

Moreover, sales of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could negatively impact the price of our common stock. As a result, our shareholders may not be able to sell your shares of our common stock in short time periods, or possibly at all, and the price per share of our common stock may fluctuate significantly.

The ownership of our common stock is highly concentrated amongst related parties, and their interests may conflict with the interests of other stockholders.

Two of our directors, Michael N. Taglich and Robert F. Taglich, and their affiliates own a significant portion of our outstanding shares of common stock. They also hold $4,871,000 of Related Party Notes as of March 31, 2025, some of which are convertible into our common stock. Although the Related Party Notes are subordinate to the $18,130,000 of debt outstanding pursuant to the Current Credit Facility, we may require additional concessions from the holders of the Related Party Notes when we seek to refinance the Current Credit Facility. These related parties have significant influence over the outcome of corporate actions, including those requiring stockholder approval. The interests of these related parties may be different from the interests of other stockholders on these and other matters. Additionally, this concentration of ownership could also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in our control or otherwise discouraging a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of us, which in turn could reduce the price of our common stock.

The market price of our common stock is likely to be highly volatile, which could result in substantial losses to investors.

The market price of our common stock has historically been volatile and is likely to continue to be volatile. The market price of our common stock could fluctuate widely due to factors relating to our operations as well as those beyond our control. Because our common stock is thinly traded, the trading price may be volatile due to factors concerning our operations, such as variations in our operating results, failure to meet the covenants under the Current Credit Facility, news regarding the loss of a major customer or termination or a reduction in funding for a program we are on, the loss of management personnel, the outcome or perception of the potential outcome of any litigation, general industry conditions and significant industry developments. In addition, the market price of our common stock may be affected by factors unrelated to our operations, such as general economic factors, government budgeting decisions affecting our industry and developments in the financial markets and availability of credit.

Disruptive national and international events and the response of the United States, other countries and the public to such events, and the resulting macroeconomic disruption to the financial markets could lead to increased volume and price volatility for publicly traded securities which could adversely impact the price of our common stock.

Disruptive national and international events, such as the outbreak of a public health crisis, conflicts between nations or between nations and terrorist organizations, terrorists acts, natural disasters, a banking crisis, the imposition of tariffs, shifts in international alliances, the possibility of default by the U.S. Government on its obligations due to its debt ceiling or the actuality of such an event, and the response of the U.S. Government, other countries and the public to such events, and the resulting macroeconomic disruption to the financial markets could lead to increased volume and price volatility for publicly traded securities which could adversely impact the price of our common stock.

We can provide no assurance that our common stock will continue to be listed on the NYSE American. If we fail to meet the continued listing standards of the NYSE American, our common stock could be delisted. The delisting of our common stock could impair your ability to purchase shares of our common stock or sell your common stock when you wish to do so which could have a negative effect on the price of our common stock.

If we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the NYSE American, it may take steps to delist our common stock. There are measures that can be taken to remain in compliance with certain of the listing requirements of NYSE American which often require the undertaking of a reverse stock split, selling common stock at prices below what the Board of Directors may believe is its true value or completing a merger to acquire a new business. There are other exchanges and trading platforms on which we could choose to list our common stock. Our Board periodically examines the costs and benefits of listing our common stock on the NYSE American with the costs and benefits that would result from an alternative trading platform.  If our Board were to choose to seek another platform for the trading of our common stock, this could entail suspending our obligation to file periodic reports with the SEC and using other means to make information publicly available to shareholders and potential buyers of our common stock.  There can be no assurance that any cost savings and other benefits we might achieve from trading on another platform would outweigh any negative impact to the trading market and price of our common stock that would result from delisting from the NYSE American.

If we fail to meet the expectations of securities analysts or investors, our stock price could decline significantly.

Our quarterly and annual operating results fluctuate significantly due to a variety of factors, some of which are outside our control. Accordingly, we believe period-to-period comparisons should not be relied upon as indications of future performance. Some of the factors that could cause quarterly or annual operating results to fluctuate include conditions inherent in government contracting and our business such as the timing of cost and expense recognition for contracts, the U.S. Government contracting and budget cycles, introduction of new government regulations and standards, contract closeouts, variations in manufacturing efficiencies, our ability to obtain components and subassemblies from contract manufacturers and suppliers, general economic conditions and economic conditions specific to the defense market and disruptions caused by global events. Because we base our operating expenses on anticipated revenue trends and a high percentage of our expenses are fixed in the short term, any delay in generating or recognizing forecasted revenues could significantly harm our business.

Fluctuations in quarterly results may cause earnings to fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors. In this event, the trading price of our common stock could significantly decline. These fluctuations, as well as general economic and market conditions, may adversely affect the future market price of our common stock, as well as our overall operating results. Consequently, our share price may experience significant volatility and may not necessarily reflect the value of our expected performance.

Future financings or acquisitions may adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Future sales or issuances of our common stock, including upon conversion of our outstanding convertible notes, upon exercise of our outstanding warrants and options, or as part of future financings or acquisitions, would be substantially dilutive to the outstanding shares of common stock. Any dilution or potential dilution may cause our stockholders to sell their shares, which would contribute to a downward movement in the price of common stock.

We incur significant costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management is required to devote substantial effort to compliance requirements, including establishing and maintaining internal controls over financial reporting, and we may be exposed to potential risks if we are unable to comply with these requirements. Costs to comply may increase in the future.

As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, together with rules implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable market regulators. These rules impose various requirements on public companies, including requiring certain corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these requirements. Moreover, if new rules or regulations are adopted in future periods, they will likely increase our compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costlier.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, among other things, requires that we maintain effective internal controls for financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures. In particular, we must perform system and process evaluations and testing of our internal controls over financial reporting to allow management to report on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Compliance with Section 404 may require that we incur substantial accounting expenses and expend significant management efforts. Our testing may reveal deficiencies in our internal controls over financial reporting that are deemed to be material weaknesses. In the event we identify significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our internal controls that we cannot remediate in a timely manner, the market price of our stock could decline if investors and others lose confidence in the reliability of our financial statements and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the SEC or other applicable regulatory authorities.

If we are unable to effectively maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting, we may not be able to accurately or timely report our financial results and our stock price could be adversely affected.

Our management determined that as of December 31, 2024, our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting were not effective due to a material weakness regarding appropriate segregation of duties with respect to and validation of data produced by certain modules of our financial IT systems. We first determined this weakness in fiscal 2022. Although new controls have been implemented during fiscal 2023 and 2024, we will need to enhance and further formalize these controls during fiscal 2025. We expect to conclude our testing of effectiveness in fiscal 2025 but we may find that fiscal 2023 and 2024 remediations were not effective and have to incur additional costs to adopt new controls. A significant increase in costs in 2025 or any failure to maintain our controls or operation of these controls, could harm our operations, decrease the reliability of our financial reporting, and cause us to fail to meet our financial reporting obligations, which could adversely affect our business and reduce our stock price.

ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

None.

ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY

ITEM 2. PROPERTIES

We have strategically located our properties in the U.S. We lease and maintain an approximately 81,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility located in Bay Shore, New York. We maintain our corporate headquarter at this facility whose lease expires in September 2026. We also lease a small warehouse nearby in Bohemia, New York. That lease term expires in May 2025 and the property will be vacated at such time.

We own a second 74,923 square foot state-of the-art manufacturing facility located in Barkhamsted, Connecticut.

ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

On October 2, 2018, Contract Pharmacal Corp. (“Contract Pharmacal”) commenced an action, relating to a Sublease entered into between us and Contract Pharmacal in May 2018 with respect to the property formerly occupied by our subsidiary Welding Metallurgy, Inc. (“WMI”), at 110 Plant Avenue, Hauppauge, New York. Contract Pharmacal sought damages for an amount in excess of $1,000,000 for our failure to make the entire premises available by what it claims was the Sublease commencement date. On July 8, 2021, the Court denied Contract Pharmacal’s motion for summary judgement. In the Order, the court granted Contract Pharmacal’s Motions to drop its claim for specific performance and to amend its Complaint to reduce its claim for damages to $700,000. Subsequently, Contract Pharmacal moved to amend its Complaint. We opposed and the Court denied the request to amend the Complaint. Contract Pharmacal filed a Motion to reargue which the Court denied on November 30, 2021. On March 10, 2022, Contract Pharmacal filed an appeal to the Court’s decision with the Appellate Division. The Appellate Division upheld the denial of Contract Pharmacal’s motion for summary judgement and upheld the denial of its motion to amend its Complaint. On March 28, 2024, Contract Pharmacal filed a motion to reargue the appeal previously denied by the Appellate Division. Pending a decision by the Appellate Division the Trial Court has adjourned the case.  Regardless of the decision by the Appellate Division, Contract Pharmacal will be required to file an amended complaint. We have consistently disputed the validity of the claims asserted by Contract Pharmacal and continue to believe we have a meritorious defense to those claims based on, among other items, language in the Sublease. We intend to continue to dispute the validity of the claim asserted by Contract Pharmacal.

From time to time we may be engaged in various lawsuits and legal proceedings in the ordinary course of our business. We are currently not aware of any legal proceedings the ultimate outcome of which, in our judgment based on information currently available, would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. There are no proceedings in which any of our directors, officers or affiliates, or any registered or beneficial stockholder of our common stock, is an adverse party or has a material interest adverse to our interest.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market for Our Common Stock

Our common stock is listed on the NYSE American under the symbol “AIRI.” 

Holders

On April 11, 2025, there were 78 stockholders of record of our common stock. The number of record holders does not include persons who held our Common Stock in nominee or “street name” accounts through brokers.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

The following table summarizes shares of our Common Stock to be issued upon exercise of options and warrants, the weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options and warrants and options available for future issuance pursuant to our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2024:

The provisions of each of our equity compensation plans provide that shares covered by an award that is forfeited, expires or is settled in cash, and shares that are retained by us upon exercise of an award to satisfy the exercise price of such award or withholding taxes due in respect of such award, are available for future issuance under such plan, provided the plan has not been terminated or expired. We anticipate that a portion of the option awards that have been granted will expire or be forfeited without having been exercised and will increase the number of shares remaining for issuance under our equity compensation plans.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Equity Securities

Except as previously reported in our periodic reports filed under the Exchange Act, we did not issue any unregistered equity securities during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

Purchases of Our Equity Securities

No repurchases of our common stock were made during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

ITEM 6. [RESERVED]

Not required.

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

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 and the notes to those statements included elsewhere in this report. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. You should specifically consider the various risk factors identified in this report that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements.

Business Overview

We believe we are one of the leading manufacturers of precision components and assemblies for large aerospace and defense contractors. Our rich history dates to 1941, producing parts for World War II fighter aircraft. Since then, we have maintained an impeccable record with no known incidents of part failure leading to a fatal mission. We became a public company in 2005.

Our products include landing gear, flight controls, engine mounts and components for aircraft jet engines and ground turbines and other complex machines. The ultimate end-user for most of our products is the U.S. government, international governments, and commercial global airlines. Whether it is a small individual component for assembly by others or complete assemblies we manufacture ourselves, our high quality and extremely reliable products are used in mission critical operations that are essential for safety of military personnel and civilians.

Although our net sales are concentrated amongst a number of defense and aerospace prime contractors, we have cultivated long-standing relationships with a number of their subsidiaries and/or business units. Additionally, our net sales are generated across several high-profile platforms and programs including: the F-18 Hornet, the E-2 Hawkeye, the UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters, Geared Turbo Engines (used on smaller aircraft such as the Airbus A220 and Embraer E2), the CH-53 Helicopter, the F-35 Lighting II and the F-15 Eagle Tactical Fighter. In many cases, we are the sole or single supplier of certain parts and components and receive LTAs from our customers, both demonstrating their commitment to us.

Winning a new contract award is highly competitive. Our ability to win new contract awards generally requires us to deliver superior quality products, more quickly and with lower pricing than our competitors. Accordingly, we must continually invest in process improvements and capital equipment. Recent investments in new equipment have improved the productive capacity of our employees, increased our efficiency and speed, and expanded the size of products we can manufacture. We strategically operate two state-of-the-art manufacturing centers in the U.S. This allows for rigorous oversight of production and the adherence to stringent quality standards. Although there is currently a shortage of skilled workers, we maintain a highly trained and close- knit team of over 184 professionals committed to driving excellence and precision in every aspect of our operations.

Our period-to-period net sales and operating results are significantly impacted by timing. In addition, our gross profit is affected by a variety of factors, including the mix and complexity of products, production efficiencies, price competition and general business operating environments. In some cases, our gross profit is impacted by our ability to deliver replacement parts on short notice. Our operations have a large percentage of fixed factory overhead. As a result, our profit margins are highly variable with sales volumes.

For the past several years, despite facing significant financial and operational challenges, we have strategically invested substantial amounts in new capital equipment, tooling, and processes to bolster our competitive position. Additionally, we expanded our sales and marketing efforts, with a sharp focus on expanding relationships with existing customers and cultivating new ones. Fiscal 2024 marked a year of overall progress and positioning for growth. Looking forward to fiscal 2025, our business strategy is geared towards achieving sustainable and profitable business growth. We are firmly focused on securing new contract awards, improving operations and successful execution.

With total unfilled contract values amounting to $271.3 million (including our $117.9 million in backlog and all potential orders against LTA agreements previously awarded to us), as of December 31, 2024, we are confident in our ability to boost sales in 2025, attain profitability and improve our financial position.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

Selected Financial Information:

Balance Sheet Data:

Comparison of Fiscal 2024 to 2023

Net Sales: Net sales in 2024 were $55,108,000, an increase of $3,592,000 or 7.0%, compared with $51,516,000 that we achieved in 2023. The year-over-year increase in net sales was primarily driven by the impact of the Company’s enhanced sales and marketing initiatives which contributed to higher shipment volumes against our expanding backlog. Additionally, there have been changes in customer mix and production requirements for other key platforms and programs.

The composition of customers that exceeded 10% of our net sales in either 2024 or 2023 are shown below:

The composition of our net sales by platform or program profiles for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 are shown below:

Period-to-period changes in customer mix and related platforms and programs are largely attributable to customer requirements, availability of parts, production capacity and timing.

Gross Profit: Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2024, amounted to $8,932,000, an increase from the $7,428,000 achieved in 2023. Our gross profit percentage in fiscal 2024 increased to 16.2% from the 14.4% we achieved in 2023. This improvement can be attributed to our increase in sales, changes in sales across our major platforms, shifts in product mix, and overall operating efficiencies.

Operating Expenses: In fiscal 2024, operating expenses totaled $8,473,000, higher than the $7,723,000 recorded in 2023. As a percentage of consolidated net sales, operating expenses rose to 15.4%, compared to the 15.0% achieved in fiscal 2023. The increase in both dollars and percentage was primarily driven by higher professional fees and costs associated with the improvement of our information technology system and hardening our cyber-security protection. We continue to look for ways to reduce our costs and improve our operating performance and financial results.

Interest Expense: Interest expense (which includes amortization of deferred financing costs) was $1,893,000 in fiscal 2024, a decrease of $27,000 or 1.4% from $1,920,000 in 2023. The decrease is primarily attributable to a decrease in the average amount outstanding under our Current Credit Facility. The average interest rate on our Current Credit Facility increased to 7.66% in 2024 as compared to 7.55% in 2023.

Net Loss: Net loss for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $1,366,000, compared to a net loss of $2,131,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023, for the reasons discussed above.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

As of December 31, 2024, we have debt service requirements related to:

Under the terms of the Current Credit Facility, as amended, we are required to achieve prescribed levels of EBITDA (as defined in the Current Credit Facility) at the end of each Fiscal Quarter on a rolling basis, for the Fiscal Quarters ending September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Beginning with the Fiscal Quarter ending March 31, 2025 we are required to meet a prescribed Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (as defined) that is determined at the end of each fiscal quarter. This ratio is a financial metric that we use to measure our ability to cover fixed charges such as interest and lease expenses as divided by EBITDA (as defined in the Current Credit Facility) which represents net income (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. For the twelve months cumulative period ending December 31, 2024, we achieved an EBITDA of $3,640,000 as compared to the required $2,800,000.

As of December 31, 2024, we met all the financial and business covenants required under the terms of the Current Credit Facility which included a minimum EBITDA on a twelve-month basis of $2.8 million. In the past, we have not met our financial and business covenants, most recently as of March 31, 2024, and therefore historically classified the term loan at December 31, 2023 in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 470-10-45. “Debt – Other Presentation Matters”, related to the classification of callable debt.

The Current Credit Facility expires on December 30, 2025. In addition, we are required to maintain a collection account with our lender into which substantially all cash receipts are remitted. If we were to default under the Current Credit Facility, our lender could choose to increase the rate of interest or refuse to make loans under the revolving portion of the Current Credit Facility and keep the funds remitted to the collection account. If the lender were to raise the rate of interest, it would adversely impact our operating results. If the lender were to cease making new loans under the revolving facility, we would lack the funds to continue operations. The Current Credit Facility expiration date and the rights granted to the lender, combined with the reasonable possibility that the we might fail to meet covenants in the future, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for the one year commencing as of the date of filing this report.

The following is a brief discussion of recent amendments to the Current Credit Facility (all of which have been filed with the SEC):

Although navigating the current business landscape remains challenging and it is difficult to predict period-to-period financial performance, we believe we will be able to meet our financial obligations for the foreseeable future. However, if we are unable to obtain a waiver from our lender and they were to cease lending, we would not be able meet our financial obligations. As of December 31, 2024, we have borrowing capacity of approximately $7,095,000 under the Revolving Loan.

In addition to required Term Loan payments of approximately $1,011,000 in fiscal 2025, we may have to make additional payments. For so long as the Term Loan under the Current Credit Facility remains outstanding, if Excess Cash Flow (as defined) is a positive amount for any fiscal year, we are obligated to pay an amount equal to the lesser of (i) twenty-five percent (25%) of the Excess Cash Flow and (ii) the outstanding principal balance of the Term Loan. Such payment shall be applied to the outstanding principal balance of the Term loan, on or prior to the April 15 immediately following such fiscal year. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, based on the calculation there is a $43,500 Excess Cash Flow payment required.

In addition to the outstanding indebtedness under the Current Credit Facility and Related Party Notes, we have various equipment leases and contractual obligations of an ongoing nature which we service in the ordinary course out of our cash flow from operations.

Our material cash requirements are for debt service, capital expenditures and funding working capital. We have historically met these requirements with funds provided by a combination of cash generated from operating activities and cash generated from equity and debt financing transactions. Based on our current revenue visibility and strength of our backlog, we believe that we have sufficient liquidity to meet our cash requirements for our operations. However,

we must pay or refinance large portions of our indebtedness prior to December 30, 2025, and July 1, 2026. Further, as a condition to refinancing our Current Credit Facility prior to December 31, 2025, our lender may require that the holders of our Related Party Notes extend or otherwise modify the subordination agreements they have given in favor of the lender. Since it is not likely that we will be able to pay this debt, we have initiated steps to satisfy portions and refinance the balance. These steps included entering an At The Market Offering Agreement dated December 13, 2024, with Craig-Hallum Capital Group LLC pursuant to which, as of March 31, 2025, we have sold 326,791 shares of our common stock for gross proceeds of $1,412,000 of which $1,291,000 has been used to satisfy portions of the Related Party Notes.

We expect to engage in discussions during 2025 with our lender under the Current Credit Facility and related party note holders to explore potential extensions or refinancing of our obligations. Refinancing our indebtedness may require us to pay higher interest rates than we currently pay, agree to more restrictive business or financial covenants or involve the issuance of debt, equity and/or new securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock. Any failure to refinance our existing debt or obtain additional working capital when required would have a material adverse effect on our business and financial condition.

Cash Flow

The following table summarizes our net cash flow from operating, investing and financing activities for the periods indicated (in thousands):

Cash Provided By Operating Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2024, we generated cash flows from operations of $324,000 as compared to $4,862,000 for fiscal 2023.

The decrease in cash flows was primarily due to the use of a portion, $2,442,000, of customer deposits which had been advanced prior to 2024 for the procurement of long lead time raw materials expected to be utilized in 2024.

Cash Used In Investing Activities

We continue to make significant investments to enhance our competitiveness and market position. Cash used in investing activities of $2,285,000 and $2,112,000, in 2024 and 2023, respectively, was for new property and equipment.

We continue to make strategic investments in capital equipment to enhance our competitiveness. The investments in 2024 and 2023 increased production efficiency and speed, while maintaining closer tolerances. They also expanded the size of products we can manufacture. We expect to invest approximately $1,600,000 in 2025 for new or upgraded equipment.

Cash Provided by (Used In) Financing Activities

For the year ended December 31, 2024, cash provided by financing activities was $2,368,000. During fiscal 2024, we increased borrowings under our Current Credit Facility by $2,238,000 (consisting of a net increase in Revolving Loan borrowings of $2,101,000 and a net increase of $137,000 against the Term Loan) and received advances of $533,000 against the Solar Facility. We also made payments of $196,000 pursuant to financing lease obligations and $9,000 on a loan payable.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, cash used in financing activities was $2,685,000. During fiscal 2023, we reduced borrowings under our Current Credit Facility by $2,921,000 (consisting of net reduction in Revolving Loan borrowings of $2,548,000 and a net decrease of $373,000 against the Term Loan). We also made payments of $123,000 pursuant to financing lease obligations and $9,000 on a loan payable. During fiscal 2023, we also took advances of $393,000 against the Solar Facility including origination fees of $25,000.

Critical Accounting Estimates

A critical accounting estimate is one that is both important to the portrayal of a company’s financial condition and results of operations and requires management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgements, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The financial statements include estimates based on currently available information and our judgment as to the outcome of future conditions and circumstances. Significant estimates in these financial statements include, inventory valuation and income tax provision. Changes in the status of certain facts or circumstances could result in material changes to the estimates used in the preparation of the financial statements and actual results could differ from the estimates and assumptions. 

Below is a description of our critical accounting estimates:

ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK 

No disclosure is required in response to this Item.

ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Consolidated Financial Statements

The financial statements required by this item begin on page F-1 hereof.

ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.

ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

An evaluation was conducted under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), our principal executive officer, and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), our principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act, as of December 31, 2024. Based on that evaluation, the CEO and CFO concluded for the reasons discussed below that our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2024 to ensure that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the required time periods, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management to allow timely decisions when required.

Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that management document and test the Company’s internal control over financial reporting and include in this Form 10-K a report on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting refers to those policies, procedures and processes that pertain to the maintenance of records that accurately and fairly reflect transactions with respect to our assets; provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures are made only in accordance with authorizations of our management; and provide reasonable assurance regarding the prevention and timely detection of unauthorized transactions with respect to our assets that could have a material effect on our financial statements.

Because of inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024. In making this assessment, management used criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013).

In connection with their review of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our internal controls over financial reporting were not effective as of December 31, 2024 as a result of a material weakness identified in 2022 that was considered to not yet be remediated.

Both in 2024 and 2023, we outsourced certain information technology (“IT”) related functions to a third-party vendor. In 2022, we identified a material weakness with respect to our IT systems in that we did not design and/or implement primary user access controls and program change management systems over key IT systems to validate that data produced by the relevant IT systems were complete and accurate and to ensure appropriate segregation of duties to adequately restrict user and privileged access to the financially relevant systems and data to the Company’s personnel. Further, we identified a material weakness with respect to the activities of such vendor in connection with the design and operation of our IT systems in that because this vendor is unable to provide a SOC 1 (Standard Operating Control) Report, we were unable to verify and validate the effectiveness of the vendor’s control procedures when implementing changes to our IT systems, including systems affecting our financial IT applications and underlying data account records.

In fiscal 2023 and continuing in fiscal 2024, we implemented new IT controls that required our third-party vendor to make only changes to our IT systems with specific authorization and a requirement that such change be monitored, in real-time by an employee of our company that is familiar with the changes that are being made by our third-party vendor. Although we implemented a process to monitor users being granted privileged access and that such access is being monitored by a periodic user review process, additional enhancements and more formalized documentation is still required. As such, we consider this material weakness not to be remediated as of December 31, 2024.

This annual report does not include an attestation report of our registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting. The rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission do not require an attestation of the Management’s report by our registered public accounting firm in this annual report.

Change in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

During the fourth quarter of 2024, we implemented and enhanced our internal control over financial reporting to include a process to monitor users being granted privileged access and periodic user reviews to ensure such privileged access continues to be appropriate. Except for these items, there have not been any changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, during our most recently completed fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2024, which is the subject of this report, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION

None

ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTION

Not Applicable

PART III

ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE  

Our directors and executive officers are:

Luciano (Lou) Melluzzo has been our President and Chief Executive Officer since November 15, 2017. He joined our company on September 11, 2017 as Chief Executive Officer. From November 2003 to September 2011, Mr. Melluzzo was employed in various capacities by EDAC Technologies Corporation (“EDAC”) rising to the level of Chief Operating Officer in 2005. EDAC is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of precision aerospace components and assemblies, precision spindles and complex fixturing, tooling and gauging with design and build capabilities, whose shares were then listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. From September 2011 to November 2015, Mr. Melluzzo was self-employed in the residential real estate redevelopment industry. From November 2015 to January 2017, he was general manager of Polar Corporation, a privately-held company specializing in computer numeric controlled milling and turning of small hardware components for the aerospace industry.

Scott Glassman was appointed to the positions of Chief Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Secretary of our Company on October 16, 2023. Mr. Glassman has been employed by the Company since March of 2019, most recently serving as the Chief Accounting Officer. Mr. Glassman previously had been employed by the Company from February of 2007 to February of 2015, serving in various senior positions in the Company’s Financial Department. From March of 2015 to November of 2018, Mr. Glassman worked at a privately held distributor of commercial equipment where he served as Controller. Mr. Glassman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the State University of New York at Albany. Mr. Glassman has been a CPA licensed in the state of NY since 2002.

Peter D. Rettaliata has been a director of our Company since 2005 and was appointed Chairman of the Board on July 11, 2023. He served as our Acting President and Chief Executive Officer from March 2, 2017 to November 15, 2017 and served as our President and Chief Executive Officer from November 30, 2005 to December 31, 2014. He also served as the President of our wholly-owned subsidiary, AIM, from 1994 to 2008. Prior to his involvement at AIM, Mr. Rettaliata was employed by Grumman Aerospace Corporation for twenty-two years, as the Senior Procurement Officer. Professionally, Mr. Rettaliata has served as the Chairman of “ADDAPT”, an organization of regional aerospace companies, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the AIA Supplier Council. He is a graduate of Niagara University where he received a B.A. in History and Harvard Business School where he completed the PMD Program.

Michael N. Taglich served as Chairman of our Board of Directors from September 22, 2008 until July 11, 2023. He is Chairman and President of Taglich Brothers, a New York City based securities firm which he co-founded in 1992. Mr. Taglich is currently Chairman of the Board of Mare Island Dry Dock LLC, a company engaged in ship repair services, He also serves as a Chairman of the Board of Intellinetics Inc., and is on the board of a number of private companies.

Robert F. Taglich has been a director of our Company since 2008. He is a Managing Director of Taglich Brothers, which he co-founded in 1992. Prior to founding Taglich Brothers, Mr. Taglich was a Vice President at Weatherly Securities. Mr. Taglich has served in various positions in the securities brokerage industry for the past 25 years Mr. Taglich holds a Bachelor’s degree from New York University.

David J. Buonanno has been a director of our Company since 2008. He is the Founder and President of Buonanno Enterprises Consulting, providing strategic management, supply chain/operations and recruitment services to aerospace and defense industry clients. Mr. Buonanno has extensive experience in manufacturing, supply management and operations. He was employed by Sikorsky Aircraft, Inc., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation, as Vice President, Supply Management and International Offset (from January 1997 to July 2006) and as Director, Systems Subcontracts (from November 1992 to January 1997). From May 1987 to November 1992, he was employed by General Electric Company serving as Operations Manager and Manager, Program Materials Management of GE’s Astro-Space Division. From June 1977 to May 1987, he was employed by RCA and affiliated companies. Mr. Buonanno attended Lehigh University College of Electrical Engineering and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Rutgers University. He completed the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School in 1996.

Michael Brand has been a director of our Company since 2012.  He enjoyed a successful 32-year career in aerospace manufacturing primarily focused on jet engines and landing gear. In 2005, he joined Goodrich as President of Goodrich Landing Gear. Prior to joining Goodrich, he had senior management roles at GE Aircraft Engines and Teleflex Aerospace.  Mr. Brand has a BS from Clarkson University, with advanced degrees and certificates from Xavier University and the Wharton School.

Michael Porcelain has been a director of our Company since October 23, 2017. Mr. Porcelain has been a CPA since 1996 and currently acts as a consultant and board member for The Independent Adviser Corporation. This privately held company operates various financial planning and advisory websites including TheAdviser.com, 1800ADVISER.com and IRSADVISER.com. In addition to managing these platforms, the company itself provides consulting services. Mr. Porcelain is also a private investor in a number of small and emerging companies. From 2006 through 2022, Mr. Porcelain served in several executive positions including service as a member of the Board of Directors of Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (“Comtech”), a publicly traded company and a leading global provider of next-generation 911 emergency systems and secure wireless communications technologies. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Comtech in January 2022 and President of Comtech in January 2020. He also served as Comtech’s Chief Operating Officer from October 2018 to January 2022. Prior to holding these positions, he served as Comtech’s Chief Financial Officer from 2006 through 2018, and from 2002 to March 2006, he served as Comtech’s Vice President of Finance and Internal Audit.

From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Porcelain was Director of Corporate Profit and Business Planning for Symbol Technologies, a mobile wireless information solutions company. Previously, he spent five years in public accounting holding various positions, including Manager in the Transaction Advisory Services Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers. In March 2021, Mr. Porcelain was elected to the Board of Directors of The Fund for Modern Court, an independent court reform organization that advocates for the improvements of the New York State Court system to ensure a diverse, highly qualified, and independent judiciary. Since 1998, he has owned and operated The Independent Adviser Corporation, a privately held company which holds the rights to use certain intellectual properties and trademarks (including various Internet websites) related to the financial planning and advisory industry. 

Mr. Porcelain has served as an Adjunct Professor at both Adelphi University and St. John’s University located in New York where he taught graduate level accounting courses. Mr. Porcelain has a B.S. in Business Economics from State University of Oneonta, New York, a M.S. in Accounting and an M.B.A. degree from Binghamton University.

Michael N. Taglich and Robert F. Taglich are brothers.

All directors hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders and until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. Officers are elected by and serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Employee directors do not receive any compensation for their services as directors. Non-employee directors are entitled to receive compensation for serving as directors and may receive option or stock grants from our company.

Information Concerning the Board of Directors

Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight

The Board does not have a policy requiring separation of the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. The Board has determined that a non-employee director serving as Chairman is in the best interests of our stockholders at this time. This structure ensures a greater role of non-employee Directors in the active oversight of our business, including risk management oversight, and in setting agendas and establishing Board priorities and procedures. This structure also allows the Chief Executive Officer to focus to a greater extent on the management of our day-to-day operations.

The Board of Directors as a whole is responsible for consideration and oversight of the risks we face and is responsible for ensuring that material risks are identified and managed appropriately. Certain risks are overseen by committees of the Board of Directors and these committees make reports to the full Board of Directors, including reports on noteworthy risk-management issues. Members of the Company’s senior management team regularly report to the full Board about their areas of responsibility and a component of these reports is the risks within their areas of responsibility and the steps management has taken to monitor and control such exposures. Additional review or reporting on risks is conducted as needed or as requested by the Board or one of its committees. 

Board Independence

Our Board of Directors has determined that David Buonanno, Peter Rettaliata, Michael Brand and Michael Porcelain are “independent directors” within the meaning of NYSE American Rule 803A(2).

Director Compensation

Non-employee Directors are entitled to receive compensation for serving as directors and may receive option grants from our company. Each Director also is entitled to be repaid or prepaid all traveling, hotel and incidental expenses reasonably incurred or expected to be incurred in attending meetings of our Board of Directors or committees of our Board of Directors or stockholder meetings or otherwise in connection with the discharge of his duties as a Director. The compensation committee will assist the directors in reviewing and approving the compensation structure for our directors.

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the compensation paid to, earned by or accrued for, our directors during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Board Meetings; Committees and Membership

The Board of Directors held seven meetings during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and each of the directors attended more than 75% of the aggregate of (i) the number of meetings of the Board of Directors and (ii) the number of meetings of all committees of the Board on which such director served.

We maintain the following committees of the Board of Directors: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating Committee and the Executive Committee. Each committee other than the Executive Committee is comprised entirely of directors who are “independent” within the meaning of NYSE American Rule 803A(2). Each committee acts pursuant to a separate written charter, and each such charter has been adopted and approved by the Board of Directors. Copies of the committee charters are available on our website at airindustriesgroup.com under the heading “Investor Relations.”

Audit Committee. Messrs. Porcelain, Brand and Buonanno are members of the Audit Committee. Mr. Porcelain serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee and also qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as that term is defined in Item 407(d)(5)(ii) of Regulation S-K. The Board has determined that each member of our Audit Committee meets the financial literacy requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and SEC rules and the independence requirements under NYSE American Rule 803A(2).

Our Audit Committee is responsible for preparing reports, statements and charters of audit committees required by the federal securities laws, as well as:

The Audit Committee held five meetings during fiscal 2024.

Compensation Committee. Our Compensation Committee is composed of Messrs. Rettaliata, Brand and Buonanno.

The Compensation Committee is responsible for:

The Compensation Committee held four meetings during fiscal 2024.

Nominating Committee. Our Nominating Committee is composed of Messrs. Rettaliata, Brand and Porcelain. The purpose of the Nominating Committee is to seek and nominate qualified candidates for election or appointment to our Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee held one meeting during fiscal 2024.

The Nominating Committee will seek candidates for election and appointment that possess the integrity, leadership skills and competency required to direct and oversee the Company’s management in the best interests of its stockholders, customers, employees, communities it serves and other affected parties.

A candidate must be willing to regularly attend Committee and Board of Directors meetings, to develop a strong understanding of our company, its businesses and its requirements, to contribute his or her time and knowledge to our company and to be prepared to exercise his or her duties with skill and care. In addition, each candidate should have an understanding of all corporate governance concepts and the legal duties of a director of a public company.

Stockholders may contact the Nominating Committee Chairman, the Chairman of the Board or the Corporate Secretary in writing when proposing a nominee. This correspondence should include a detailed description of the proposed nominee’s qualifications and a method to contact that nominee if the Nominating Committee so chooses.

Executive Committee. Our Executive Committee is composed of our Chairman, Peter Rettaliata, Michael Taglich and Robert Taglich. The purpose of the Executive Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its functions during the intervals between meetings of the Board. The Executive Committee has all the powers and authority of the Board in connection with the business of the Company and may act in its stead, except as set forth in the Executive Committee Charter.

Stockholder Communications

Any stockholder who desires to contact any of our directors can write to Air Industries Group, 1460 Fifth Avenue, Bay Shore, New York 11706, Attention: Stockholder Relations. Your letter should indicate that you are an Air Industries Group stockholder. Depending on the subject matter, our stockholder relations personnel will:

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a written code of ethics that applies to our principal executive officers, senior financial officers and persons performing similar functions. Our code of ethics is available on our website and upon written request to our corporate secretary, we will provide you with a copy, without cost.

ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The following summary compensation table shows, for the periods indicated, information regarding the compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to each individual that served as our principal executive officer during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, each other individual that was serving as an executive officer as of December 31, 2024, and each other individual who served as executive officer during the two years ended December 31, 2024 whose compensation for either of such fiscal years exceeded $100,000 for all services rendered in all capacities to our company and its subsidiaries. The individuals listed in the following table are referred to herein collectively as our “Named Executive Officers.” 

Summary Compensation Table

Our executive officers named in the above table do not have employment agreements providing for a fixed term of employment. All are employees at will, terminable at any time without any severance, other than that payable to employees generally.

Executive Compensation Policies as They Relate to Risk Management

The Compensation Committee and management have considered whether our compensation policies might encourage inappropriate risk taking by the Company’s executive officers and other employees. The Compensation Committee has determined that the current compensation structure aligns the interests of the executive officers with those of the Company without providing rewards for excessive risk taking by awarding a mix of fixed and performance based or discretionary bonuses with the performance-based compensation focused on profits as opposed to revenue growth.

The Compensation Committee working with management adopts a plan each year intended to award members of our management including executive officers for meeting or exceeding targeted goals, The Committee believes the amounts to be paid to Messrs. Melluzzo and Glassman for services rendered in fiscal 2024 are appropriate in light of the significant improvement in our financial performance 2024.

Equity Awards – 2024

The following table shows the grant of stock option awards to the Named Executive Officers during 2024.

GRANT OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS

Each named executive officer was granted restricted stock units (RSUs) on August 23, 2024.

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2024 Year-End

The following table shows certain information regarding outstanding equity awards held by our Named Executive Officers as of December 31, 2024.

Equity Incentive Plans

We have four equity incentive plans all of which are substantially identical except as to the number of awards which may be granted, pursuant to which we can grant awards with respect to an aggregate of 540,000 shares of our common stock. We have the right to grant awards pursuant to each plan until the tenth anniversary of the date on which it was approved by our stockholders.  The 2022 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, authorizes grants as to 350,000 shares and was approved by our stockholders on June 2022, and amended and restated in May 23 2023; the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan authorizes grants as to 120,000 shares and was approved by our stockholders in October 2017; the 2016 Equity Incentive Plan authorizes grants as to 35,000 shares and was approved by our stockholders in November 2016, and the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan authorizes grants as to 35,000 shares and was approved by our stockholders in June 2015.

The Plans permit the Company to grant stock awards, non-qualified and incentive stock options, restricted stock units and other forms of rewards to employees, directors and consultants. The Plans are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board and each has a term of ten years from the date it was adopted by the Board.

We adopted the Plans to provide a means by which employees, directors, and consultants of our Company and those of our subsidiaries and other designated affiliates, which we refer to together as our affiliates, may be given an opportunity to purchase our common stock, to assist in retaining the services of such persons, to secure and retain the services of persons capable of filling such positions, and to provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for our success and the success of our affiliates.

ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The following table sets forth information known to us regarding beneficial ownership of our Common Stock as of April 3, 2025 by (i) each person known by us to own beneficially more than 5% of our outstanding Common Stock, (ii) each of our directors, (iii) our chief executive officer and the other Named Executive Officers, and (iii) all of our directors and executive officers as a group.

Except as otherwise indicated, we believe, based on information provided by each of the individuals named in the table below, that such individuals have sole investment and voting power with respect to such shares, subject to community property laws, where applicable. As of April 3, 2025, we had outstanding 3,694,095 shares of Common Stock. Except as stated in the table, the address of the holder is c/o our company, 1460 Fifth Avenue, Bay Shore, New York 11706.

ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

Our Policy Concerning Transactions with Related Persons

Under Item 404 of SEC Regulation S-K, a related person transaction is any actual or proposed transaction, arrangement or relationship or series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, including those involving indebtedness not in the ordinary course of business, to which we or our subsidiaries were or are a party, or in which we or our subsidiaries were or are a participant, in which the amount involved exceeded or exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years and in which any of our directors, nominees for director, executive officers, beneficial owners of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities (a “significant shareholder”), or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons, had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

We recognize that transactions between us and any of our Directors or Executives or with a third party in which one of our officers, directors or significant shareholders has an interest can present potential or actual conflicts of interest and create the appearance that our decisions are based on considerations other than the best interests of our Company and stockholders.

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is charged with responsibility for reviewing, approving and overseeing any transaction between the Company and any related person (as defined in Item 404 of Regulation S-K), including the propriety and ethical implications of any such transactions, as reported or disclosed to the Committee by the independent auditors, employees, officers, members of the Board of Directors or otherwise, and to determine whether the terms of the transaction are not less favorable to us than could be obtained from an unaffiliated party.

There were no transactions completed by us since January 1, 2023, in which the amount involved exceeded $120,000 and in which any related person has a direct or indirect material interest except that during 2024 we incurred interest expense of $472,000 in respect of the subordinated noted held by Michael Taglich, Robert Taglich and certain of their affiliates. As of December 31, 2024, Michael Taglich, Robert Taglich and certain of their affiliates held subordinated notes in the aggregate principal amount of $6,162,000 as a result of transactions entered into prior to January, 2024. Of the $6,162,000, approximately $2,732,000 bears an annual rate of interest of 6%, $2,080,000 bears an annual rate of 7% and $1,350,000 bears an annual interest rate of 12%. Of the $6,162,000, approximately $2,732,000 can be converted at the option of the holder into our common stock at $15.00 per share and $2,080,000 can be converted at the option of the holder into our common stock at $9.30 per share. Subsequent to December 31, 2024 we repaid $1,291,000 of these related party notes.

There are no transactions currently proposed by us in which a related party has a direct or indirect financial interest in which the amount involved exceeds $120,000.

ITEM 14.  PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES and SERVICES

As required by our Audit Committee charter, our Audit Committee pre-approved the engagement of Marcum LLP for all audit and permissible non-audit services. The Audit Committee annually reviews the audit and permissible non-audit services performed by our principal accounting firm and reviews and approves the fees charged by our principal accounting firm. The Audit Committee considered the role of Marcum LLP in providing tax and audit services and other permissible non-audit services to us while it was serving as our auditor and concluded that the provision of such services, if any, was compatible with the maintenance of such firm’s independence in the conduct of its auditing functions.

During fiscal years 2024 and 2023, the aggregate fees which we paid to or were billed by Marcum for professional services were as follows:

PART IV

ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Dated: April 15, 2025

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant on April 15, 2025 in the capacities indicated.

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

December 31, 2024 and 2023

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of

Air Industries Group

Explanatory Paragraph – Going Concern

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As more fully described in Note 1, the Current Credit Facility expires on December 30, 2025. In addition, the Company is required to maintain a collection account with its lender into which substantially all the Company’s cash receipts are remitted. If the Company’s lender were to cease lending and keep the funds remitted to the collection account, the Company would lack the funds to continue its operations. The Current Credit Facility expiration date and the rights granted to the lender, combined with the reasonable possibility that the Company might fail to meet covenants in the future, raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. 

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company's financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ("PCAOB") and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Critical Audit Matters

Critical audit matters are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. We determined that there are no critical audit matters.

/s/ Marcum LLP

Marcum LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2008 (such date takes into account the acquisition of Rotenberg Meril Solomon Bertiger & Guttilla, P.C., by Marcum LLP effective February 1, 2022).

Saddle Brook, NJ

April 15, 2025

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

Consolidated Balance Sheets

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the Years Ended December 31,

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity

For the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and 2023

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

AIR INDUSTRIES GROUP

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the Years Ended December 31,