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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

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FORM 10-K

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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019

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Commission file number: 001-13337

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INDEX

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Forward-Looking Statements

Portions of this report on Form 10-K contain “forward-looking statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements appear in a number of places in this report and may include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, with respect to, among other things, our (i) future product and facility expansion, (ii) acquisition strategy, (iii) investments and new product development, (iv) growth opportunities related to awarded business and (v) operational expectations. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “will,” “may,” “should,” “designed to,” “believes,” “plans,” “projects,” “intends,” “expects,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “continue,” and similar words and expressions. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among other factors:

The forward-looking statements contained herein represent our estimates only as of the date of this filing and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise.

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Control Devices. Our Control Devices segment designs and manufactures products that monitor, measure or activate specific functions within a vehicle. This segment includes product lines such as actuators, sensors, switches and connectors. Actuator products enable OEMs to deploy power functions in a vehicle and can be designed to integrate switching and control functions including our park and shift by wire products. Sensor products are employed in major vehicle systems such as the emissions, safety, powertrain, braking, climate control, steering and suspension systems. Switches and connectors transmit signals that activate specific functions. Our switch and connector technology is principally used in two capacities, user-activated and hidden. User-activated switches are used by a vehicle’s operator or passengers to manually activate in-vehicle accessories. Hidden switches are not typically visible to vehicle operators or passengers and are engaged to activate or deactivate selected functions as part of normal vehicle operations. We sell these products principally to the automotive market. To a lesser extent, we also sell these products to the commercial vehicle and agricultural markets.

Electronics. Our Electronics segment designs and manufactures driver information systems, camera-based vision systems, connectivity and compliance products and electronic control units. Driver information systems and connectivity and compliance products collect, store and display vehicle information such as speed, pressure, maintenance data, trip information, operator performance, temperature, distance traveled and driver messages related to vehicle performance. Camera-based vision products provide enhanced vehicle visibility to drivers. Electronic control units regulate, coordinate, monitor and direct the operation of the electrical system within a vehicle. These products are sold principally to the commercial vehicle market through both the OEM and aftermarket channels. In addition, camera-based vision systems are sold principally to the off-highway vehicle market.

Stoneridge Brazil. Our Stoneridge Brazil segment, formerly referred to as “PST”, primarily serves the South American market and specializes in the design, manufacture and sale of vehicle tracking devices and monitoring services, vehicle security alarms and convenience accessories, in-vehicle audio and infotainment devices and telematics solutions primarily for the automotive and motorcycle markets. This segment includes product lines such as vehicle monitoring and tracking devices, security alarms, convenience applications such as parking sensors and review view cameras, audio and infotainment systems and telematics products used for fleet management. These products improve the performance, safety and convenience features of our customers’ vehicles. Stoneridge Brazil sells its products through the aftermarket distribution channel, to factory authorized dealer installers, also referred to as original equipment services, direct to OEMs and through mass merchandisers. In addition, monitoring services and tracking devices are sold directly to corporate and individual customers.

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Our products and systems are sold to numerous OEM and Tier 1 customers, as well as aftermarket distributors and mass merchandisers, for use on many different vehicle platforms. We supply multiple parts to many of our principal OEM and Tier 1 customers under requirements contracts for a particular vehicle model. These contracts range in duration from one year to the production life of the model, which commonly extends for three to seven years.

The following table sets forth for the periods indicated, the percentage of net sales derived from our principal end markets for the years ended December 31:

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For further information related to our reportable segments and financial information about geographic areas, see Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements.

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Production Materials

The principal production materials used in the Company’s manufacturing process are molded plastic components and resins, copper, steel, precious metals and certain electrical components such as printed circuit boards, semiconductors, microprocessors, memory devices, resistors, capacitors, fuses, relays, infotainment devices and cameras. We purchase production materials pursuant to both annual contract and spot purchasing methods. Such materials are available from multiple sources, but we generally establish collaborative relationships with a qualified supplier for each of our key production materials in order to lower costs and enhance service and quality. As global demand for our production materials increases, we may have difficulties obtaining adequate production materials from our suppliers to satisfy our customers. Any extended period of time for which we cannot obtain adequate production material or which we experience an increase in the price of production material would materially affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Patents, Trademarks and Intellectual Property

We maintain and have pending various U.S. and foreign patents, trademarks and other rights to intellectual property relating to the reportable segments of our business, which we believe are appropriate to protect the Company’s interests in existing products, new inventions, manufacturing processes and product developments. We do not believe any single patent is material to our business, nor would the expiration or invalidity of any patent have a material adverse effect on our business or ability to compete.

Industry Cyclicality and Seasonality

The markets for products in each of our reportable segments have been cyclical. Because these products are used principally in the production of vehicles for the automotive, commercial, off-highway, motorcycle and agricultural vehicle markets, revenues and therefore results of operations, are significantly dependent on the general state of the economy and other factors, like the impact of environmental regulations on our customers and end market consumers, which affect these markets. A significant decline in automotive, commercial, off-highway, motorcycle and agricultural vehicle production of our principal customers could adversely impact the Company. Our Control Devices and Electronics and segments are typically not affected by seasonality, however the demand for our Stoneridge Brazil segment consumer products is typically higher in the second half of the year, the fourth quarter in particular.

Customers

We have several customers which account for a significant percentage of our sales. The loss of any significant portion of our sales to these customers, or the loss of a significant customer, would have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations. We supply numerous different products to each of our principal customers. Contracts with several of our customers provide for supplying their requirements for a particular model, rather than for manufacturing a specific quantity of products. Such contracts range from one year to the life of the model, which is generally three to seven years. These contracts are subject to potential renegotiation from time to time, which may affect product pricing and generally may be terminated by our customers at any time. Therefore, the loss of a contract for a major model or a significant decrease in demand for certain key models or group of related models sold by any of our major customers would have a material adverse impact on the Company. We may enter into contracts to supply products, the introduction of which may then be delayed or cancelled. We also compete to supply products for successor models, and are therefore subject to the risk that the customer will not select the Company to produce products on any such model, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

Due to the competitive nature of the markets we serve, we face pricing pressures from our customers in the ordinary course of business. In response to these pricing pressures we have been able to effectively manage our production costs by the combination of lowering certain costs and limiting the increase of others, the net impact of which has not been material. However, if we are unable to effectively manage production costs in the future to mitigate future pricing pressures, our results of operations would be adversely affected.

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The following table presents our principal customers, as a percentage of net sales:

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Backlog

The Company typically enters into customer agreements at the beginning of a vehicle life cycle with the intent to fulfill customer-purchasing requirements for the entire vehicle production life cycle. The vehicle life cycle usually includes the two to four year pre-production period and production for a term covering the life of such vehicle model or platform, generally between three to seven years, although there is no guarantee that this will occur. Our customers make no firm commitments regarding volume and may terminate these agreements or orders at any time. The Company’s estimated sourced future sales may also be impacted by various assumptions, including new program vehicle production levels, customer price reductions, foreign currency exchange rates and program launch timing. The Company’s customer agreements may be terminated by customers at any time and, accordingly, estimated sourced future sales information does not represent firm orders or firm commitments. The Company defines backlog as the estimated cumulative awarded sales for the next five years (or “estimated sourced future sales”). The Company’s estimated sourced future sales was $3.2 billion as of December 31, 2019, compared to $3.4 billion as of December 31, 2018. Sales related to the disposal of the Control Devices Non-core Products business are excluded from our estimated sourced future sales as of December 31, 2019.

Competition

The markets for our products in our reportable segments are highly competitive. We compete based on technological innovation, price, quality, performance, service and delivery. We compete for new business both at the beginning of the development of new models and upon the redesign of existing models for OEM customers. New model development generally begins two to five years before the marketing of such models to the public. Once a supplier has been selected to provide parts for a new program, an OEM customer will usually continue to purchase those parts from the selected supplier for the life of the program, although not necessarily for any model redesigns. We compete for aftermarket and mass merchandiser sales based on price, product functionality, quality and service.

Our diversity in products creates a wide range of competitors, which vary depending on both market and geographic location. We compete based on strong customer relations and a fast and flexible organization that develops technically effective solutions at or below target price. We compete against the following companies:

Control Devices. Our primary competitors include Aisin, American Axle and Manufacturing, BorgWarner, Bosch, Continental, Dana Incorporated, Denso Corporation, Dura Automotive, EFI Automotive, Ficosa Corporation, GHSP, GKN Automotive, Kongsberg Automotive, Nidec and ZF Friedrichshafen.

Electronics. Our primary competitors include Actia Group, Aptiv, Bosch, Continental, Delphi Technologies, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., Magneti Marelli, Mekra Lang, Valeo, Visteon and ZF Frierichshafen.

Stoneridge Brazil. Our primary competitors include Autotrac, Bosch, CalAmp, Car System, Continental, Dalgas Precision Equipment, Harman Automotive, Hinor, Ituran, Kostal, Magneti Marelli, Maxtrack, MultiLaser, Onix, Pioneer Corporation, Quelink, Sascar, SOFT Automotiva, Suntech, Taramps, Tury and Visteon.

Product Development

Our research and development efforts for our reportable segments are largely product design and development oriented and consist primarily of applying known technologies to customer requests. We work closely with our customers to solve customer requests using innovative approaches. The majority of our development expenses are related to customer-sponsored programs where we are involved in designing custom-engineered solutions for specific applications or for next generation technology. To further our vehicle platform penetration, we have also developed collaborative relationships with the design and engineering departments of key customers. These collaborative efforts have resulted in the development of new and complimentary products and the enhancement of existing products.

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While our engineering and product development departments are organized by market, our segments interact and collaborate on new products. The product development operations are complimented by technology groups in Barneveld, Netherlands; Campinas, Brazil; Juarez, Mexico; Lexington, Ohio; Novi, Michigan; Pune, India and Stockholm, Sweden.

We have invested, and will continue to invest heavily in technology to develop new products for our customers. Product development costs, other than capitalized software development costs, incurred in connection with the development of new products and manufacturing methods, to the extent not recoverable from the customer, are expensed as incurred. Such costs amounted to approximately $52.2 million, $51.1 million, and $48.9 million for 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively, or 6.3%, 5.9%, and 5.9% of net sales for these periods.

We will continue to prioritize investment spending toward the design and development of new products over sustaining existing product programs for specific customers, which allows us to sell our products to multiple customers. The typical product development process takes three to seven years to show tangible results. As part of our effort to evaluate our investment spending, we review our current product portfolio and adjust our spending to either accelerate or eliminate our investment in these products based on our position in the market and the potential of the market and product.

Environmental and Other Regulations

Our operations are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing, among other things, emissions to air, discharge to water and the generation, handling, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste and other materials. We believe that our business, operations and facilities have been and are being operated in compliance, in all material respects, with applicable environmental and health and safety laws and regulations, many of which provide for substantial fines and criminal sanctions for violations.

Employees

As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately 4,700 employees, approximately 78% of whom were located outside of the United States. Although we have no collective bargaining agreements covering U.S. employees, a significant number of employees located in Brazil, China, Estonia, Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom either (i) are represented by a union and are covered by a collective bargaining agreement, or (ii) are covered by a work council or other employment arrangements required by law. We believe that relations with our employees are good.

Joint Ventures

We form joint ventures in various global markets in order to achieve several strategic objectives including (i) diversifying our business by expanding in high-growth regions, (ii) employing complementary design processes, growth technologies and intellectual capital, and (iii) realizing cost savings from combined sourcing.

We have a 49% noncontrolling equity interest in Minda Stoneridge Instruments Ltd. (“MSIL”). Based in India, MSIL manufactures electromechanical/electronic instrumentation equipment and sensors primarily for the automotive, motorcycle and commercial vehicle markets. We leverage our investment in MSIL by sharing our knowledge and expertise in electrical components and systems and expanding MSIL’s product offering through the joint development of our products designed for the market in India.

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Jonathan B. DeGaynor, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Mr. DeGaynor was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer in March 2015. He has served as a director since May 2015. Prior to joining Stoneridge, Mr. DeGaynor served as the Vice President of Strategic Planning and Innovation of Guardian Industries Corp. (“Guardian”), from October 2014 until March 2015. Mr. DeGaynor served as Vice President of Business Development, Managing Director Asia for SRG Global, Inc., a Guardian company, from 2008 through September 2014. Mr. DeGaynor served as Chief Operating Officer, International for Autocam Corporation from 2005 to 2008. Prior to that, Mr. DeGaynor held positions of increasing responsibility with Delphi Corporation from 1993 to 2005.

Robert R. Krakowiak, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Mr. Krakowiak was appointed as Executive Vice President in October 2018 and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in August 2016. Prior to joining Stoneridge, Mr. Krakowiak served as Vice President, Treasurer and Investor Relations at Visteon Corporation from 2012 until August 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Krakowiak held the following positions at Owens Corning: from 2009 until 2012, Vice President of Finance (Composite Solutions Business); from 2008 until 2009, Vice President–Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis; from 2006 until 2008, Vice President and Controller (Roofing and Asphalt); and from 2005 until 2006, Assistant Treasurer.

Susan Benedict, Chief Human Resources Officer and Assistant General Counsel. Ms. Benedict was appointed chief human resources officer and assistant general counsel – labor and employment (CHRO) in June 2019. Ms. Benedict previously served as Stoneridge’s Director of Legal since November 2017. Prior to Stoneridge, Ms. Benedict served as Senior Counsel for Koch Industries in October 2017 and Corporate Counsel for Guardian Industries from December 2012 to September 2017.

Laurent Borne, President of the Electronics Division and Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Borne was appointed as President of the Electronics Division in January 2019.  Mr. Borne joined the Company in August 2018 and has been serving as the Company’s Chief Technology Officer and will continue to serve in this role. Prior to joining Stoneridge, Mr. Borne served as Vice President of Product Development at Whirlpool Corporation from 2014 until August 2018.

Thomas M. Dono, Jr., Chief Legal Officer and Secretary. Mr. Dono was appointed as Chief Legal Officer and Secretary in January 2018. Prior to joining Stoneridge, Mr. Dono served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Metaldyne Performance Group, Inc. from July 2016 to April 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Dono served as Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Key Safety Systems, Inc. from May 2009 to July 2016.

Caetano R. Ferraiolo, President of the PST Electronics Division. Mr. Ferraiolo was appointed to President of the Stoneridge Brazil Electronics Division in June 2017. Mr. Ferraiolo joined the Company in 2015 and previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of Stoneridge Brazil. From 2010 to 2015 he served as Vice President of Operations for Cannondale Sports Group in Brazil. Prior to that, Mr. Ferraiolo served as Director of European Commercial and Development, Autocam Corporation from 2005 to 2010.

Robert J. Hartman Jr., Chief Accounting Officer. Mr. Hartman was appointed as Chief Accounting Officer and to the role of principal accounting officer in July 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Hartman served as Corporate Controller of the Company since 2006 and prior to that as Stoneridge’s Director of Internal Audit from 2003.

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Kevin Heigel, Vice President of Operations. Mr. Heigel was appointed Vice President of Operations in January 2020. Prior to that Mr. Heigel had been employed at ALPHA Performance Group, LLC as its Co-Founder and Managing Director from 2009 until December 2019. Prior to that Mr. Heigel was at served in various roles at Delphi last serving as Managing Director, Delphi Electrical Centers from 2006 to 2009.

Daniel M. Kusiak, Chief Procurement Officer. Mr. Kusiak was appointed as Chief Procurement Officer in October 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Kusiak served as Vice President of Global Procurement since he joined Stoneridge in 2015. Prior to that, he served as head of Strategic Business Initiatives at Sypris Technologies, Inc. from 2013. Prior to that, Kusiak was employed at Meritor, Inc. where he held positions of increasing responsibility in the purchasing function over a 10-year tenure.

Robert Willig, President of the Control Devices Division. Mr. Willig was appointed to President of the Control Devices Division in October 2017. Until his employment with the Company, Mr. Willig served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Plasan Carbon Composites from April 2017 to October 2017. From April 2013 to July 2016, he served as President of Driveline Americas, GKN PLC and from September 2010 to April 2013 President of Sinter Americas, GKN, PLC. Prior to that, he served as President of the Power Transmission Division of Tomkins PLC from 2008.

Available Information

We make available, free of charge through our website (www.stoneridge.com), our Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”), Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, all amendments to those reports, and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with the SEC. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Code of Ethics for Senior Financial Officers, Whistleblower Policy and Procedures and the charters of the Board of Director’s Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees are posted on our website as well. Copies of these documents will be available to any shareholder upon request. Requests should be directed in writing to Investor Relations at Stoneridge, Inc., 39675 MacKenzie Drive, Suite 400, Novi, Michigan 48377. The SEC maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including the Company.

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We are subject to risks related to our international operations.

Approximately 45% of our net sales in 2019 were derived from sales outside of North America. At December 31, 2019, significant concentrations of net assets outside of North America included $38.3 million in South America and $207.4 million in Europe and Other. Non-current assets outside of North America accounted for approximately 68% of our non-current assets as of December 31, 2019. International sales and operations are subject to significant risks, including, among others:

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We operate our business on a global basis and policy changes affecting international trade could adversely impact the demand for our products and our competitive position.

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We manufacture, sell and service products globally and rely upon a global supply chain to deliver the raw materials, components, systems and parts that we need to manufacture and service our products. Changes in government policies on foreign trade and investment can affect the demand for our products and services, cause non-U.S. customers to shift preferences toward domestically manufactured or branded products and impact the competitive position of our products or prevent us from being able to sell products in certain countries. Our business benefits from free trade agreements, such as the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the U.S. trade relationship with China and Brazil and efforts to withdraw from, or substantially modify such agreements or arrangements, in addition to the implementation of more restrictive trade policies, such as more detailed inspections, higher tariffs import or export licensing requirements, exchange controls or new barriers to entry, could adversely impact our production costs, customer demand and our relationships with customers and suppliers. Any of these consequences could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

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Our manufacturing and supply chain may be adversely impacted by an extended slowdown of our operations in China due to the recent coronavirus outbreak.

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Beginning in December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus began to impact the population of Wuhan, China.  The outbreak uncertainties continue and has resulted in travel disruption and has effected certain companies’ operations in China, including some of the Company’s suppliers located in China.  We rely upon our suppliers to support our business in China, as well as to export components for use in products in other parts of the world.  Further government restrictions or health concerns in China, or in other countries in which we operate, could result in supply and labor instability.  While the closures and limitations on movement in the region are expected to be temporary, the duration of the production and supply chain disruption, and related financial impact, cannot be estimated at this time. Should the production and distribution closures continue for an extended period of time, the impact on our supply chain in China and globally could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.

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The prices that we can charge some of our customers are predetermined and we bear the risk of costs in excess of our estimates, in addition to the risk of adverse effects resulting from general customer demands for cost reductions and quality improvements.

Our supply agreements with some of our customers require us to provide our products at predetermined prices. In some cases, these prices decline over the course of the contract and may require us to meet certain productivity and cost reduction targets. In addition, our customers may require us to share productivity savings in excess of our cost reduction targets. The costs that we incur in fulfilling these contracts may vary substantially from our initial estimates. Unanticipated cost increases or the inability to meet certain cost reduction targets may occur as a result of several factors, including increases in the costs of labor, components or materials. In some cases, we are permitted to pass on to our customers the cost increases associated with specific materials. However, cost overruns that we cannot pass on to our customers could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

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OEM customers have exerted and continue to exert considerable pressure on component suppliers to reduce costs, improve quality and provide additional design and engineering capabilities and continue to demand and receive price reductions and measurable increases in quality through their use of competitive selection processes, rating programs and various other arrangements. We may be unable to generate sufficient production cost savings in the future to offset required price reductions. Additionally, OEMs have generally required component suppliers to provide more design engineering input at earlier stages of the product development process, the costs of which have, in some cases, been absorbed by the suppliers. Future price reductions, increased quality standards and additional engineering capabilities required by OEMs may reduce our profitability and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We have limited or no redundancy for certain of our manufacturing facilities, and therefore damage or disruption to those facilities could interrupt our operations, increase our costs of doing business and impair our ability to deliver our products on a timely basis.

If certain of our existing production facilities become incapable of manufacturing products for any reason, we may be unable to meet production requirements, we may lose revenue and we may not be able to maintain our relationships with our customers. Without operation of certain existing production facilities, we may be limited in our ability to deliver products until we restore the manufacturing capability at the particular facility, find an alternative manufacturing facility or arrange an alternative source of supply. We carry business interruption insurance to cover lost revenue and profits in an amount we consider adequate, this insurance does not cover all possible situations and may be insufficient. Also, our business interruption insurance would not compensate us for the loss of opportunity and potential adverse impact on relations with our existing customers resulting from our inability to produce products for them.

Our business is very competitive and increased competition could reduce our sales and profitability.

The markets for our products are highly competitive. We compete based on technological innovation, price, quality, performance, service and delivery. Many of our competitors are more diversified and have greater financial and other resources than we do. In addition, with respect to certain products, some of our competitors are divisions of our OEM customers. We cannot assure that our business will not be adversely affected by competition or that we will be able to maintain our profitability if the competitive environment changes.

The loss or insolvency of any of our principal customers would adversely affect our future results.

We are dependent on several principal customers for a significant percentage of our net sales. In 2019, our top five customers were Ford Motor Company, Volvo, Daimler, MAN and American Axle which comprised 11%, 8%, 6%, 5% and 5% of our net sales, respectively. In 2019, our top ten customers accounted for 53% of our net sales. The loss of any significant portion of our sales to these customers would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. In addition, we have significant receivable balances related to these customers and other major customers that would be at risk in the event of their bankruptcy.

The discontinuation of, loss of business or lack of commercial success, with respect to a particular vehicle model for which the Company is a significant supplier could reduce the Company’s sales and harm its profitability.

Although the Company has purchase orders from many of its customers, these purchase orders generally provide for the supply of a customer’s annual requirements for a particular vehicle model and assembly plant, or in some cases, for the supply of a customer’s requirements for the life of a particular vehicle model, rather than for the purchase of a specific quantity of products. In addition, it is possible that our customers could elect to manufacture components internally that are currently produced by outside suppliers, such as our Company. The discontinuation of, the loss of business with respect to or a lack of commercial success of a particular vehicle model for which the Company is a significant supplier, could reduce the Company’s sales and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

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The Company’s estimated sourced future sales from awarded programs may not be realized.

The Company typically enters into customer agreements at the beginning of a vehicle life cycle with the intent to fulfill customer-purchasing requirements for the entire vehicle production life cycle. The vehicle life cycle typically included the two to four year pre-production period and production for a term covering the life of such vehicle model or platform, generally between three to seven years, although there is no guarantee that this will occur. The Company’s customers make no firm commitments regarding volume and may terminate these agreements or orders at any time. Therefore, these arrangements do not represent firm orders. The Company’s estimated sourced future sales from awarded programs, also referred to as backlog, is the estimated remaining cumulative awarded life-of-program sales. Several factors may change forecasted revenue from awarded programs; namely, new business wins, vehicle production volume changes, customer price reductions, foreign currency exchange rates, component take rates by customers and short cycled or cancelled models or platforms.

Our inability to effectively manage the timing, quality and costs of new program launches could adversely affect our financial performance.

In connection with the award of new business, we obligate ourselves to deliver new products and services that are subject to our customers’ timing, performance and quality standards. Additionally, as a Tier 1 supplier, we must effectively coordinate the activities of numerous suppliers in order for the program launches of our products to be successful. Given the complexity of new program launches, we may experience difficulties managing product quality, timeliness and associated costs. In addition, new program launches require a significant ramp up of costs; however, our sales related to these new programs generally are dependent upon the timing and success of our customers’ introduction of new vehicles. Our inability to effectively manage the timing, quality and costs of these new program launches could adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are dependent on the availability and price of raw materials and other supplies.

We require substantial amounts of raw materials and other supplies, and substantially all such materials we require are purchased from outside sources. The availability and prices of raw materials and other supplies may be subject to curtailment or change due to, among other things, new laws or regulations, suppliers’ allocations to other purchasers and interruptions in production by suppliers, weather emergencies, natural disasters, commercial disputes, acts of terrorism or war, changes in exchange rates and worldwide price levels. If demand for raw materials we require increases, we may have difficulties obtaining adequate raw materials and other supplies from our suppliers to satisfy our customers. At times, we have experienced difficulty obtaining adequate supplies of semiconductors and memory chips. In addition, there have been challenges at times in obtaining timely supply of nylon and resins for our Control Devices segment and audio component parts for our Stoneridge Brazil segment. If we cannot obtain adequate raw materials and other supplies, or if we experience an increase in the price of raw materials and other supplies, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

We use a variety of commodities, including copper, zinc, resins and certain other commodities. Increasing commodity costs could have a negative impact on our results. We have sought at times to alleviate the effect of increasing costs by selectively hedging a portion of our exposure. The inability to effectively hedge any commodity cost increase may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We must implement and sustain a competitive technological advantage in producing our products to compete effectively.

Our products are subject to changing technology, which could place us at a competitive disadvantage relative to alternative products introduced by competitors. Our success will depend on our ability to continue to meet customers’ changing specifications with respect to technological innovation, price, quality, performance, service and delivery by implementing and sustaining competitive technological advances. Our business may, therefore, require significant recurring additional capital expenditures and investment in product development and manufacturing and management information systems. We cannot assure that we will be able to achieve technological advances or introduce new products that may be necessary to remain competitive. Our inability to continuously improve existing products, to develop new products and to achieve technological advances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

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We rely on independent dealers and distributors to sell certain products in the aftermarket sales channel and a disruption to this channel would harm our business.

Because we sell certain products such as security accessories and driver information products to independent dealers and distributors, we are subject to many risks, including risks related to their inventory levels and support for our products. If dealers and distributors do not maintain sufficient inventory levels to meet customer demand, our sales could be negatively impacted.

Our dealer network also sells products offered by our competitors. If our competitors offer our dealers more favorable terms, those dealers may de-emphasize or decline to carry our products. In the future, we may not be able to retain or attract a sufficient number of qualified dealers and distributors. Our inability to maintain successful relationships with dealers and distributors, or to expand our distribution channels, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our Global Positioning Systems (“GPS”) products depend upon satellites maintained by the United States Department of Defense. If a significant number of these satellites become inoperable, unavailable or are not replaced, or if the policies of the United States government for the use of the GPS without charge are changed, our business will suffer.

The GPS is a satellite-based navigation and positioning system consisting of a constellation of orbiting satellites. The satellites and their ground control and monitoring stations are maintained and operated by the United States Department of Defense. The Department of Defense does not currently charge users for access to the satellite signals. These satellites and their ground support systems are complex electronic systems subject to electronic and mechanical failures and possible sabotage.

If a significant number of satellites were to become inoperable, unavailable or are not replaced, it would impair the current utility of our GPS products and the growth of market opportunities. In addition, there can be no assurance that the U.S. government will remain committed to the operation and maintenance of GPS satellites over a long period, or that the policies of the U.S. government that provide for the use of the GPS without charge and without accuracy degradation will remain unchanged. Because of the increasing commercial applications of the GPS, other U.S. government agencies may become involved in the administration or the regulation of the use of GPS signals. Any of the foregoing factors could affect the willingness of buyers of our products to select GPS-based products instead of products based on competing technologies, which could adversely affect our operational revenues, financial condition and results of operation.

We may incur material product liability costs.

We may be subject to product liability claims in the event that the failure of any of our products results in personal injury or death and we cannot assure that we will not experience material product liability losses in the future. We cannot assure that our product liability insurance will be adequate for liabilities ultimately incurred or that it will continue to be available on terms acceptable to us. In addition, if any of our products prove to be defective, we may be required to participate in government-imposed or customer OEM-instituted recalls involving such products. A successful claim brought against us that exceeds available insurance coverage or a requirement to participate in any product recall could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Increased or unexpected product warranty claims could adversely affect us.

We typically provide our customers a warranty covering workmanship, and in some cases materials, on products we manufacture. Our warranty generally provides that products will be free from defects and adhere to customer specifications. If a product fails to comply with the warranty, we may be obligated or compelled, at our expense, to correct any defect by repairing or replacing the defective product. Our customers are increasingly seeking to hold suppliers responsible for product warranties, which could negatively impact our exposure to these costs. We maintain warranty reserves in an amount based on historical trends of units sold and costs incurred, combined with our current understanding of the status of existing claims. To estimate the warranty reserves, we must forecast the resolution of existing claims, as well as expected future claims on products previously sold. The costs of claims estimated to be due and payable could differ materially from what we may ultimately be required to pay. An increase in the rate of warranty claims or the occurrence of unexpected warranty claims could have a material adverse effect on our customer relations, our business, our financial condition or results of operations.

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If we fail to protect our intellectual property rights or maintain our rights to use licensed intellectual property or are found liable for infringing the rights of others, our business could be adversely affected.

Our intellectual property, including our patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and license agreements, are important in the operation of our businesses, and we rely on the patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws of the United States and other countries, as well as nondisclosure agreements, to protect our intellectual property rights. We may not, however, be able to prevent third parties from infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating our intellectual property, breaching any nondisclosure agreements with us, or independently developing technology that is similar or superior to ours and not covered by our intellectual property. Any of the foregoing could reduce any competitive advantage we have developed, cause us to lose sales or otherwise harm our business. We cannot assure that any intellectual property will provide us with any competitive advantage or will not be challenged, rejected, cancelled, invalidated or declared unenforceable. In the case of pending patent applications, we may not be successful in securing issued patents, or securing patents that provide us with a competitive advantage for our businesses. In addition, our competitors may design products around our patents that avoid infringement and violation of our intellectual property rights.

We cannot be certain that we have rights to all intellectual property currently used in the conduct of our businesses or that we have complied with the terms of agreements by which we acquire such rights, which could expose us to infringement, misappropriation or other claims alleging violations of third party intellectual property rights. Third parties have asserted and may assert or prosecute infringement claims against us in connection with the services and products that we offer, and we may or may not be able to successfully defend these claims. Litigation, either to enforce our intellectual property rights or to defend against claims regarding intellectual property rights of others, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our resources. Any such claims and resulting litigation could require us to enter into licensing agreements (if available on acceptable terms or at all), pay damages and cease making or selling certain products and could result in a loss of our intellectual property protection. Moreover, we may need to redesign some of our products to avoid future infringement liability. We also may be required to indemnify customers or other third parties at significant expense in connection with such claims and actions. Recently, the Company has seen an increase in customer requests for indemnification in connection with third party patent claims related to connectivity-enabled products. These claims are being made by patent-holders seeking royalties and who may enter into litigation based on patent infringement allegations. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We may not be able to successfully integrate acquisitions into our business or may otherwise be unable to benefit from pursuing acquisitions.

Failure to successfully identify, complete and/or integrate acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on us. A portion of our growth in sales and earnings has been generated from acquisitions and subsequent improvements in the performance of the businesses acquired. We expect to continue a strategy of selectively identifying and acquiring businesses with complementary products. We cannot assure you that any business acquired by us will be successfully integrated with our operations or prove to be profitable. We could incur substantial indebtedness in connection with our acquisition strategy, which could significantly increase our interest expense.

We anticipate that acquisitions could occur in foreign markets in which we do not currently operate. As a result, the process of integrating acquired operations into our existing operations may result in unforeseen operating difficulties and may require significant financial resources that would otherwise be available for the ongoing development or expansion of existing operations. Any failure to successfully integrate such acquisitions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our debt obligations could limit our flexibility in managing our business and expose us to risks.

As of December 31, 2019, there was $126.0 million in borrowings outstanding on our revolving credit facility (the “2019 Credit Facility”). In addition, we are permitted under our 2019 Credit Facility to incur additional debt, subject to specified limitations. Our leverage and the terms of our indebtedness may have important consequences including the following:

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These and other consequences of our leverage and the terms of our indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Covenants in our 2019 Credit Facility may limit our ability to pursue our business strategies.

Our 2019 Credit Facility limits our ability to, among other things:

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The agreement governing our 2019 Credit Facility requires us to maintain a maximum leverage ratio of 3.50 to 1.00, and a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.50 to 1.00 and places a maximum annual limit on capital expenditures. Our ability to comply with these covenants as well as the negative covenants under the terms of our indebtedness, may be affected by events beyond our control.

A breach of any of the negative covenants under our indebtedness or our inability to comply with the leverage and interest ratio requirements in the 2019 Credit Facility could result in an event of default. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the 2019 Credit Facility could elect to declare all outstanding borrowings, together with accrued interest and other fees, to be immediately due and payable and terminate any commitments they have to provide further borrowings, and the 2019 Credit Facility lenders could pursue foreclosure and other remedies against us and our assets.

A failure of our information technology (IT) networks and systems, or the inability to successfully implement upgrades to our enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, could adversely impact our business and operations.

We rely upon information technology networks and systems to process, transmit and store electronic information, and to manage or support a variety of business processes and/or activities. The secure operation of these IT networks and systems and the proper processing and maintenance of this information are critical to our business operations. Despite the implementation of security measures, our IT networks and systems are at risk to damages from computer viruses, unauthorized access, cyber-attack and other similar disruptions. The occurrence of any of these events could compromise our IT networks and systems, and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed or lost. Any such access, disclosure, loss of information or disruption of our operations could cause significant damage to our reputation, affect our relationships with our customers, suppliers and employees, lead to claims against the Company and ultimately harm our business.  We may be required to incur significant costs to protect against damage caused by these disruptions or security breaches in the future.

Also, we continually expand and update our IT networks and systems in response to the changing needs of our business and periodically upgrade our ERP systems. Should our networks or systems not be implemented successfully, or if the systems do not perform in a satisfactory manner once implementation is complete, our business and operations could be disrupted and our results of operations could be adversely affected, including our ability to report accurate and timely financial results.

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We may be subject to risks relating to our information technology systems and cybersecurity.

We rely on information technology systems to process, transmit and store electronic information and manage and operate our business. A breach in security could expose us and our customers and suppliers to risks of misuse of confidential information, manipulation and destruction of data, production downtimes and operations disruptions, which in turn could adversely affect our reputation, competitive position, business or results of operations. While we have taken reasonable steps to protect the Company from cybersecurity risks and security breaches (including enhancing our firewall, workstation, email security and network monitoring and alerting capabilities, and training employees around phishing, malware and other cybersecurity risks), and we have policies and procedures to prevent or limit the impact of systems failures, interruptions, and security breaches, there can be no assurance that such events will not occur or that they will be adequately addressed if they do. Although we rely on commonly used security and processing systems to provide the security and authentication necessary to effect the secure transmission of data, these precautions may not protect our systems from all potential compromises or breaches of security.

Privacy and security concerns relating to the Company’s current or future products and services could damage its reputation and deter current and potential users from using them.

We may gain access to sensitive, confidential or personal data or information that is subject to privacy and security laws, regulations and customer-imposed controls. Concerns about our practices with regard to the collection, use, disclosure, or security of personal information or other privacy related matters, even if unfounded, could damage our reputation and adversely affect our financial condition or operating results. Furthermore, regulatory authorities around the world are considering a number of legislative and regulatory proposals concerning cybersecurity and data protection. In addition, the interpretation and application of consumer and data protection laws in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere are often uncertain and in flux. Complying with these various laws could cause the Company to incur substantial costs.

Compliance with environmental and other governmental regulations could be costly and require us to make significant expenditures.

Our operations are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations governing, among other things:

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Our business, operations and facilities are subject to environmental and health and safety laws and regulations, many of which provide for substantial fines for violations. The operation of our manufacturing facilities entails risks and we cannot assure you that we will not incur material costs or liabilities in connection with these operations. In addition, potentially significant expenditures could be required in order to comply with evolving environmental, health and safety laws, regulations or requirements that may be adopted or imposed in the future. Changes in environmental, health and safety laws, regulations and requirements or other governmental regulations could increase our cost of doing business or adversely affect the demand for our products.

Our annual effective tax rate could be volatile and materially change as a result of changes in the mix of earnings and other factors including changes in the recognition and/or release of valuation allowances against deferred tax assets.

Our overall effective tax rate is computed by dividing our total tax expense (benefit) by our total earnings (loss) before tax. However, tax expense and benefits are not recognized on a global basis, but rather on a jurisdictional or legal entity basis. Losses in certain jurisdictions may not provide a current financial statement tax benefit as a result of the need to maintain a valuation allowance against the associated deferred tax asset. Also, management periodically evaluates the realizability of our deferred tax assets which may result in the recognition and/or release of valuation allowances. As a result, changes in the mix of earnings between jurisdictions and changes in the recognition and/or release of valuation allowances, among other factors, could have a significant effect on our overall effective tax rate.

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Performance Graph

Set forth below is a line graph comparing the cumulative total return of a hypothetical investment in our Common Shares with the cumulative total return of hypothetical investments in the Morningstar Auto Parts Industry Group Index and the NYSE Composite Index based on the respective market price of each investment as of December 31, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 assuming in each case an initial investment of $100 on December 31, 2014, and reinvestment of dividends.

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For information on “Related Stockholder Matters” required by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K, refer to Item 12 of this report.

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Our Stoneridge Brazil segment net sales decreased by 15.8% due to lower volumes for our Argentina aftermarket channel, audio and alarm products, tracking devices and monitoring service revenues. This decrease was offset by higher volumes for our OEM and factory authorized dealer installer products. Segment gross margin declined due to the reduction in sales volume and adverse sales mix. Operating income increased 31.1% compared to 2018 primarily due to the recovery of Brazilian indirect taxes offsetting the impact of lower sales and gross margin.

In 2019, SG&A expenses were favorably impacted by Stoneridge Brazil’s recovery of indirect taxes and Control Device’s transitional service cost reimbursement associated with the disposal of its Non-core Products offset by an increase in year-over-year restructuring and business realignment costs.

At December 31, 2019 and 2018, we had cash and cash equivalents of $69.4 million and $81.1 million, respectively. Cash and cash equivalents decreased during 2019 primarily due to the repurchase of our Common Shares and lower cash flows from operations as well as the cash payment of the Orlaco earn-out consideration which were offset by proceeds from the disposal of Non-core Products and net borrowings on the 2019 Credit Facility. At December 31, 2019 and 2018 we had $126.0 million and $96.0 million, respectively, in borrowings outstanding on our 2019 Credit Facility and the Amended Agreement, as applicable.

Outlook

The Company believes that focusing on products that address industry megatrends will have a positive impact on both our top-line growth and underlying margins.

The North American automotive market is expected to increase from 16.3 million units in 2019 to 16.7 million units in 2020. Based on our product mix and expected certain program volume reductions related to the legacy shift-by-wire programs, the Company expects sales volumes in our Control Devices segment to be consistent with the prior year excluding the impact of the sale of Non-core Products.

We expect full year 2020 European commercial vehicle volumes to decline compared to prior year volumes. The North American commercial vehicle market increased in 2019, however we expect it to decline significantly in 2020.

Our 2019 Stoneridge Brazil segment revenues declined compared to the prior year due to lower volumes in our Brazilian served markets for our audio and alarm products, monitoring products and service revenues. In addition, revenues were adversely affected by the continued decline in the Argentinian economy. In January 2020, the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) forecasted the Brazil gross domestic product to grow 2.2% in 2020 and 2.3% in 2021. We expect our served market channels to improve with improvements in the Brazilian economy and expect higher OEM related revenues from new program launches occurring in 2020. Our financial performance in our Stoneridge Brazil segment is also subject to uncertainty from movements in the Brazilian Real and Argentina Peso foreign currencies.

Because of the recent coronavirus outbreak in China, we are currently experiencing operational limitations at our Suzhou, China facility. We continue to be impacted due to national and regional Chinese government declarations requiring closures, quarantines and travel restrictions. Numerous variables and uncertainties related to this outbreak limit our ability to calculate the overall impact on our business; however, we expect that the impact will be material in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. 

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Trade actions initiated by the U.S. imposing tariffs on imports have been met with retaliatory tariffs by other countries, adding a level of uncertainty to the global economic environment. These and other actions are likely to impact trade polices with other countries and the overall global economy which could adversely impact our results of operations.

Other Matters

A significant portion of our sales are outside of the United States. These sales are generated by our non-U.S. based operations, and therefore, movements in foreign currency exchange rates can have a significant effect on our results of operations, which are presented in U.S. dollars. A significant portion of our raw materials purchased by our Electronics and Stoneridge Brazil segments are denominated in U.S. dollars, and therefore movements in foreign currency exchange rates can also have a significant effect on our results of operations. The U.S. Dollar strengthened against the Swedish krona, euro, Brazilian real and Argentinian peso in 2019 and 2018, unfavorably impacting our material costs and reported results.

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In January 2019, we committed to a restructuring plan that will result in the closure of our Canton, Massachusetts facility (“Canton Facility”) which is expected by March 31, 2020 and the consolidation of manufacturing operations at that site into other Company locations. The estimated costs for the Canton Restructuring include employee severance and termination costs, contract termination costs, professional fees and other related costs such as moving and set-up costs for equipment and costs to restore the engineering function previously located at the Canton Facility.  We recognized $12.5 million of expense as a result of these actions during the year ended December 31, 2019. We expect to incur additional costs related to the Canton Restructuring of $1.5 million to $1.9 million through December 2020.

On April 1, 2019, the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement by and among the Company, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc. (“SCD”), and Standard Motor Products, Inc. (“SMP”). On the same day pursuant to the APA, in exchange for $40.0 million (subject to a post-closing inventory adjustment which was a payment to SMP of $1.6 million) and the assumption of certain liabilities, the Company and SCD sold to SMP product lines and assets related to certain non-core switches and connectors (the “Non-core Products”). On April 1, 2019, the Company and SMP also entered into certain ancillary agreements, including a transition services agreement, a contract manufacturing agreement and a supply agreement, pursuant to which the Company provided and was compensated for certain manufacturing, transitional, administrative and support services to SMP on a short-term basis. The products related to the Non-core Products were manufactured in Juarez, Mexico and Canton, Massachusetts, and include ball switches, ignition switches, rotary switches, courtesy lamps, toggle switches, headlamp switches and other related components. On April 1, 2019, the Company’s Control Devices segment recognized net sales and costs of goods sold of $4.2 million and $2.8 million, respectively, for the one-time sale of finished goods inventory and a gain on disposal of $33.9 million for the sale of fixed assets, intellectual property and customer lists associated with the Non-core Products less transaction costs.

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On October 26, 2018 the Company announced a Board approved share repurchase program authorizing Stoneridge to repurchase up to $50.0 million of our Common Shares. Thereafter, on May 7, 2019, we announced that the Company had entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Citibank N.A. to repurchase an aggregate of $50.0 million of our Common Shares. Pursuant to the accelerated share repurchase agreement in the second quarter of 2019 we made an upfront payment of $50.0 million and received an initial delivery of 1,349,528 Common Shares which became treasury shares and were recorded as a $40.0 million reduction to shareholder’ equity. The remaining $10.0 million of the initial payment was recorded as a reduction to shareholders’ equity as an unsettled forward contract indexed to our Common Shares. The number of shares to be ultimately purchased by the Company will be determined based on the volume weighted-average price of our Common Shares during the terms of the transaction, minus an agreed upon discount between the parties. The program is expected to be completed by May 8, 2020.

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In March 2017, the Supreme Court of Brazil issued a decision concluding that a certain state value added tax should not be included in the calculation of federal gross receipts taxes. The decision reduced Stoneridge Brazil’s gross receipts tax prospectively and, potentially, retrospectively. In April 2019, the Company received judicial notification that the Superior Judicial Court of Brazil rendered a favorable decision on Stoneridge Brazil’s case granting the Company the right to recover, through offset of federal tax liabilities, amounts collected by the government from June 2010 to February 2017. Based on the Company’s determination that these tax credits will be used prior to expiration, we recorded a pre-tax benefit of $6.5 million as a reduction to SG&A expense which is inclusive of related interest income of $2.4 million, net of applicable professional fees of $1.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company received administrative approval in January 2020 and is now able to offset eligible federal tax with the tax credit. The Brazilian tax authorities have sought clarification before the Supreme Court of Brazil (in a leading case involving another taxpayer) of certain matters that could affect the rights of Brazilian taxpayers regarding these credits, and a hearing is scheduled for April 2020. If the Brazilian tax authorities challenge our rights to these credits, we may become subject to new litigation that could impact the amount ultimately realized by Stoneridge Brazil.

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In the fourth quarter of 2018, we undertook restructuring actions for our Electronics segment affecting our European Aftermarket business and China operations.  For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, we recognized expense of $0.6 million and $3.5 million, respectively, as a result of these actions for related costs and non-cash accelerated depreciation. We expect to incur additional costs related to the Electronics segment restructuring actions of $0.4 million through 2020.

In addition, we regularly evaluate the performance of our businesses and their cost structures, including personnel, and make necessary changes thereto in order to optimize our results.  We also evaluate the required skill sets of our personnel and periodically make strategic changes.  As a consequence of these actions, we incur severance related costs which we refer to as business realignment charges.

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Because of the competitive nature of the markets we serve, we face pricing pressures from our customers in the ordinary course of business. In response to these pricing pressures we have been able to effectively manage our production costs by the combination of lowering certain costs and limiting the increase of others, the net impact of which to date has not been material. However, if we are unable to effectively manage production costs in the future to mitigate future pricing pressures, our results of operations would be adversely affected.

Net Sales. Net sales for our reportable segments, excluding inter-segment sales are summarized in the following table (in thousands):