Quarterlytics / Technology / Hardware, Equipment & Parts / CTS Corporation / FY2021 Annual Report

CTS Corporation
Annual Report 2021

CTS · NYSE Technology
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Ticker CTS
Exchange NYSE
Sector Technology
Industry Hardware, Equipment & Parts
Employees 3549
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FY2021 Annual Report · CTS Corporation
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2021
ANNUAL REPORT

Our Vision
“We aim to be a leading provider of sensing 
and motion devices as well as connectivity 
components, enabling an intelligent and 
seamless world.”

Our Values

Play to Win
Be ambitious for customers and ourselves.

Seize opportunities to create outcomes that benefit everyone.

Be prepared to challenge in order to get the best results.

Act with humility, intelligence and integrity at all times.

Responsiveness
Be nimble and act fast, but never at the expense of quality.

Take the time to understand our customers’ needs. 

Respect the views and needs of others. 

Work with a sense of urgency that helps us exceed our customers’ expectations.

Simplicity
Be straightforward and easy to deal with. 

Reduce bureaucracy and complexity to keep things simple. 

Use language our customers understand.

Focus on delivering solutions efficiently and effectively, time after time.

Solution Oriented
Stay curious and resourceful. 

Embrace the challenge of solving our customers’ problems.

Put yourself in the customers’ shoes to understand their challenges.

Find new and better ways of working together to deliver greater value.

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“Thanks to the dedication, hard work, 
and  adaptability  of  our  teams,  CTS 
was  able  to  deliver  strong  financial 
results.”

Kieran O’Sullivan  
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Dear Shareholders,

2021  was  a  defining  period  for  CTS  as  we  advanced  our  diversification  strategy  with  non-
transportation  sales  growing  25%.  We  also  secured  record  new  business  awards,  close  to 
$700  million,  and  delivered  Operating  Earnings  and  Adjusted  EBITDA  margins  of  15%  and  21%1 , 
respectively. Despite the pandemic and supply chain challenges, we persevered, effectively serving 
our customers while continuing to invest in our future, guided by our Focus 2025 initiative. The 
resilience of our employees shone through as we finished the year in a position of strength, with 
exciting opportunities ahead. 

2021 Financial Results

Thanks  to  the  dedication,  hard  work,  and  adaptability  of  our  teams,  CTS  was  able  to  deliver 
strong financial results. Full-year sales were up 21% year-over-year to $513 million. Sales to non-
transportation end markets increased 25%, while sales into the transportation end market increased 
18%, over 2020. Full-year gross margin rose 320 basis points to 36%, and full-year adjusted diluted 
earnings per share1 increased 72% to $1.93. Full-year operating cash flow was strong at $86M. 

Revenue
($ millions)

$513

$469

$424

Adjusted EBITDA as a % of Net Sales

(Non-GAAP)1 

21.0%

19.1%

18.3%

Operating Cash Flow
($ millions)

$86

$77

$64

2019

2020

2021

2019

2020

2021

2019

2020

2021

3

Acquisitions Fueling Growth
We continue to adhere to our strategy to drive profitable growth around 
products that sense, connect and move. 

In February 2022, we completed the acquisition of Tewa Temperature Sensors. Based in Poland, this 
acquisition grows our temperature sensing platform and expands our industrial applications, while 
strengthening our European presence and distribution capabilities. 

Beyond our acquisition of Tewa, we continue to evaluate acquisition opportunities that complement 
our existing capabilities in the areas of ceramics, sensing technologies, and potentially for applications 
related to electric vehicle platforms. Our strong balance sheet provides us with a solid foundation 
to advance our diversification strategy.

TEMPERATURE
SENSORS

THERMISTORS

Tewa  offers  a  wide  range  of  standard  and 
customized high quality temperature sensors 
designed  according  to  individual  customer 
requirements and applications.

Tewa  thermistors  have  many  advantageous 
temperature 
features  compared 
sensors.  They  continue  to  be  among  the 
most  versatile  portfolio  of  sensors  for  critical 
temperature sensing and control applications.

to  other 

4

Creating Long-Term Value 
for Our Shareholders

We  remain  committed  to  our  long-term  strategy,  which  centers  on  diversifying  our  end  market 
profile by expanding our range of technologies, products, customers, and geographic reach. We 
believe this diversification enhances the value creation opportunities for our shareholders, as well 
as the quality of our earnings. This past year we made good progress on our diversification efforts, 
increasing non-transportation sales to 45% of total 2021 sales, compared to 35% of total sales in 
2017.  Looking  ahead,  we  will  continue  to  focus  on  diversification  through  faster  growth  in  non-
transportation revenues, while continuing to strategically grow our transportation business. We are 
targeting an overall revenue growth rate of 10%, with a long-term goal of greater than 50% of total 
revenue coming from non-transportation end markets.

2017
Revenues $423M

2021 
Revenues $513M

Long term target
+10% CAGR

4% 5%

8%

18%

65%

3%

9%

9%

24%

55%

5-15%

10-20%

<50%

20-30%

Transportation

Industrial

Medical

Aero & Defense

Telecom & IT

Revenue
Gross Margin
SG&A Expense
R&D Expense
CapEx

20122

$304M
30.1%
20.7%
6.9%
4.6%

2021

$513M
36.0%
16.1%
4.7%
3.0%

Long-Term Target

+10% /yr
34-38%
13-15%
5-7%
~4%

Our  high  performance,  results  driven,  collaborative,  and  empowered  culture  as  well  as  a  global 
presence  of  manufacturing  and  engineering  centers  continue  to  be  key  drivers  of  our  success. 
These  advantages  enable  us  to  quickly  support  our  customers  wherever  they  may  be.  Our  end-
market exposure has helped us to navigate the dynamic macroeconomic trends of late, and we 
continue to maintain a disciplined approach to acquisitions in line with our strategic priorities and 
diversification goals. 

5

Advancing ESG Initiatives

CTS is committed to ethical and sustainable
environmental, social, and governance practices.

At  CTS,  our  purpose  is  to  enable  an  intelligent  and  seamless 
world. We understand that we have a responsibility to help shape 
not  only  a  smarter  future,  but  one  that  is  sustainable  for  future 
generations.  We  work  to  build  deeper  relationships  that  enable 
our  customers  to  deliver  complex  solutions  with  technologies 
that make their products more intelligent. 

We  support  sustainable  applications  for  the  transportation  end 
market  where  our  products  help  reduce  harmful  emissions  in 
commercial vehicles and support the electrification of passenger 
cars. In medical markets, CTS products enable less invasive health 
diagnostics  through  medical  ultrasound  and  aid  the  targeted 
delivery of treatments to sites of disease. 

Additionally,  we  expanded  the  role  of  our  Nominating  and 
Governance Committee (now the Nominating, Governance and 
Sustainability Committee) to include oversight of our sustainability 
initiatives and look forward to issuing our first sustainability report 
in 2023.

 At CTS, we understand that our success depends on fostering an 
inclusive and empowered work environment where all employees 
are respected and treated equally. With a business spanning the 
globe,  we  strive  for  our  facilities  and  workforce  to  reflect  the 
diversity of our geographical footprint. 

We take the importance of continuing to strengthen the  diversity 
of our workforce seriously. Our Board of Directors is comprised 
of  members  who  reflect  a  diverse  set  of  skills,  backgrounds, 
perspectives and experiences, and we are proud that more than 
40% of our board is comprised of female and minority directors.

We are continuing our legacy of community outreach and support 
through the launch of CTS CARES - a global program designed to 
promote charitable giving and community involvement. 

6

CTS  products  enable  solutions 
that  enhance  and  save  lives  
every  day.  We  pride  ourselves 
on  partnering  to  accelerate 
such  important  technological 
advances.

7

Key Trends Driving 
Long-Term Growth

The  need  for  increased  safety,  electrification,  automation, 
connectivity, and efficiency will continue to drive demand for 
CTS  solutions.  Our  non-transportation  markets  are  growing 
fast,  where we leverage core technology and domain exper-
tise to expand CTS’ presence. By partnering with our custom-
ers  to  create  new  solutions,  we  ensure  deeper  penetration 
with current applications. Overall, we anticipate robust order 
levels in the first half of the year and remain cautious about 
the demand environment in the second half of 2022. 

The  pace  of  recovery  in  our  transportation  market  remains 
pressured by ongoing supply challenges and inflation, which 
are  expected  to  persist  in  2022.  Mobility  is  a  fast-growing 
market,  with  vehicles  requiring  increased  processing  power 
and  communications.  Electrification  is  forecast  to  drive  the 
penetration of electric vehicles from 6% today to greater than 
30% globally by 2030. CTS’ electrification growth is enabled 
by the expansion of our accelerator sensors, applying induc-
tive technology, and expanding modular solutions as we also 
continue to advance passive safety sensors. More recently, we 
have developed advanced E-Brake products to satisfy the re-
quirements of new electric vehicle architectures. 

As  our  world  becomes  smarter  and  more  connected,  there 
is  a  growing  need  for  more  efficient  and  automated  solu-
tions.  The  medical  field  increasingly  requires  more  portable 
and connected ultrasound products. Automation of medical 
procedures continues to advance with the growth of robot-
ics.  Physicians seek less invasive procedures to limit damage 
incurred during surgery, and enhancements in  drug delivery 
techniques make treatment more effective and patient recov-
ery less taxing. CTS technologies play an important role in this 
rapidly  evolving  space. 

8

We are expanding CTS’ customer base in defense, where 
we provide underwater sonar solutions. Our teams are 
also researching new applications for unmanned auton-
omous products. 

The  demand  for  our  temperature  products  in  industri-
al applications, both hot and cold, continues to expand 
globally, aided by our ceramic technology expertise. 
Additionally, the demand for microactuators in printing 
is  growing,  driven  by  the  growth  of  online  purchasing 
and the associated growth in packaging, warehousing, 
and logistics. We are confident that CTS will continue to 
innovate and grow, increasing revenues, expanding mar-
gins, and generating stronger cash flows as we leverage 
secular growth opportunities and seek meaningful M&A 
opportunities to advance our strategy.

Looking Forward

With the full dedication and care of our leadership team 
and  every  CTS  employee  globally,  we  will  continue  to 
drive  the  company  forward  to  deliver  superior  perfor-
mance  for  our  customers,  shareholders,  and  employ-
ees. We will be guided by the Focus 2025 initiatives of 
profitable  growth,  customer  focus,  CTS  operating  sys-
tems,  talent,  and  leadership  development.  I  want  to 
thank our valued customers, employees, shareholders, 
business  partners,  and  the  Board  of  Directors  for  their 
support this past year. I look forward to reporting on our 
progress  and  continued  success  next  year.

Automation

Connectivity

Electrification

Kieran O’Sullivan  
Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer

Safety

9

Efficiency

1From time to time, CTS may use non-GAAP financial measures in discussing CTS’ business. These measures are intended to supplement, 
not replace, CTS’ presentation of its financial results in accordance with U.S. GAAP. CTS’ management believes that non-GAAP financial 
measures can be useful to investors in analyzing CTS’ financial performance and results of operations over time. CTS recommends that 
investors consider both actual and adjusted measures in evaluating the performance of CTS with peer companies.

This letter to shareholders includes the non-GAAP financial measures of adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted earnings per share. These 
non-GAAP financial measures exclude the effect of certain expenses and income not related directly to the underlying performance of 
CTS’ fundamental business operations.  A reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial 
measure is set forth below.  

CTS believes that adjusted EBITDA and adjusted diluted earnings per share provide useful information to investors regarding its operational 
performance because they enhance an investor’s overall understanding of CTS’ core financial performance and facilitate comparisons to 
historical results of operations, by excluding items that are not related directly to the underlying performance of CTS’ fundamental business 
operations or were not part of CTS’ business operations during a comparable period.

CTS believes that these non-GAAP financial measures are commonly used by financial analysts and others in the industries in which CTS 
operates, and thus further provide useful information to investors. Note that CTS’ definitions of these non-GAAP financial measures may 
differ from those terms as defined or used by other companies.  

Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Earnings to Adjusted EBITDA:
($ in millions)

Net (loss) earnings

Depreciation and amortization expense

Interest expense

Tax (benefit) expense

EBITDA

Adjustments to EBITDA:

Restructuring charges

Environmental charges

Legal settlement

Transaction costs

Costs of tax improvement initiatives

Non-cash pension expense

Foreign currency loss (gain)

Total adjustments to EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA

Net sales

Adjusted EBITDA as a % of net sales

Reconciliation of Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share to Adjusted Diluted Earnings 
Per Share:

Diluted (loss) earnings per share

Tax affected adjustments to reported diluted (loss) earnings per share

Restructuring charges

Environmental charges

Transaction costs

Non-cash pension expense

Foreign currency loss (gain)

Other discrete tax items

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$

22012 financials from continuing operations (Excluding EMS business)

10

Full Year

2021

2020

2019

$

 (41.9)

$

26.9

2.1

(19.0)

(31.8)

1.7

2.3

-

-

-

132.4

3.3

139.7

107.8

512.9

21.0%

$

$

$

$

$

$

$

34.7

26.7

3.3

10.8

75.4

1.8

2.8

-

0.3

-

2.5

(5.3)

2.1

77.5

424.1

18.3%

36.1

24.6

2.6

14.1

77.5

6.9

2.3

(0.5)

0.7

0.1

0.8

1.8

12.0

89.5

469.0

19.1%

Full Year

2021

2020

2019

$

 (1.30)

$

1.06

$

1.09

0.06

0.05

-

3.13

0.10

(0.11)

1.93

0.04

0.07

0.01

0.06

(0.16)

0.04

1.12

$

$

0.18

0.05

0.02

0.02

0.05

0.05

1.45

Safe Harbor

This letter to shareholders contains statements that are, or may be deemed to be, forward-look-
ing statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These 
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, any financial or other guidance, state-
ments that reflect CTS’ current expectations concerning future results and events, and any other 
statements that are not based solely on historical fact. Forward-looking statements are based on 
management’s  expectations,  certain  assumptions,  and  currently  available  information.  Readers 
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only 
as of the date hereof and are based on various assumptions as to future events, the occurrence 
of  which  necessarily  are  subject  to  uncertainties.  These  forward-looking  statements  are  made 
subject  to  certain  risks,  uncertainties  and  other  factors,  which  could  cause  CTS’  actual  results, 
performance or achievements to differ materially from those presented in the forward-looking 
statements. Examples of factors that may affect future operating results and financial condition 
include, but are not limited to: the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CTS’ business, 
results of operations or financial condition; changes in the economy generally and in respect to 
the business in which CTS operates; unanticipated issues in integrating acquisitions; the results 
of  actions  to  reposition  CTS’  business;  rapid  technological  change;  general  market  conditions 
in the transportation industry, as well as conditions in the industrial, aerospace and defense, and 
medical markets; reliance on key customers; unanticipated public health crises, natural disasters 
or other events; environmental compliance and remediation expenses; the ability to protect CTS’ 
intellectual property; pricing pressures and demand for CTS’ products; and risks associated with 
CTS’ international operations, including trade and tariff barriers, exchange rates and political and 
geopolitical risks including, without limitation, the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. 
Many of these, and other, risks and uncertainties are discussed in further detail in Item 1A. of CTS’ 
Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Com-
mission. CTS undertakes no obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements to reflect 
new information or events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof, including market or 
industry changes.

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