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Matthews International Corporation

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FY2021 Annual Report · Matthews International Corporation
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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 September 30, 2021
or 

☐ Transition Report Pursuant To Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the Transition Period from _____ to _____

Commission File No. 0-09115 
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Pennsylvania
(State or other jurisdiction of 
incorporation or organization)

25-0644320
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Two Northshore Center, Pittsburgh, PA       15212-5851

 (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)

(412) 442-8200

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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

Title of each class
Class A Common Stock, $1.00 par value

Trading Symbol
MATW

Name of each exchange on which registered
Nasdaq Global Select Market

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 preceding 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 and posted 
pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T 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,  a  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.

Large accelerated filer

☒

Accelerated filer

☐

Non-accelerated filer

☐
Smaller reporting company ☐

Emerging growth company ☐

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 13(a) of the Exchange 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. ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  

 Yes ☐                No ☒
The aggregate market value of the Class A Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based upon the closing sale price of the 
Class  A  Common  Stock  on  the  Nasdaq  Global  Select  Market  on  March  31,  2021,  the  last  business  day  of  the  registrant's  most  recently 
completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $1.2 billion.

As of October 31, 2021, shares of common stock outstanding were: Class A Common Stock 31,470,112 shares. 

Documents  incorporated  by  reference:  Specified  portions  of  the  Proxy  Statement  for  the  2022  Annual  Meeting  of  Shareholders  are 
incorporated by reference into Part III of this Report.

 
 
PART I

CAUTIONARY  STATEMENTS  REGARDING  FORWARD  LOOKING  STATEMENTS  AND  NON-GAAP 
FINANCIAL MEASURES:

Any forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (including, but not limited to, those contained 
in Item 1, "Business," Item 1A, "Risk Factors" and Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and 
Results of Operations") are included in this report pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation 
Reform Act of 1995.  Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the 
actual results of Matthews International Corporation ("Matthews" or the "Company") in future periods to be materially different 
from  management's  expectations.    Although  the  Company  believes  that  the  expectations  reflected  in  such  forward-looking 
statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove correct.  In addition to the risk factors 
previously  disclosed  and  those  discussed  elsewhere  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K,  factors  that  could  cause  the 
Company's  results  to  differ  materially  from  the  results  discussed  in  such  forward-looking  statements  principally  include 
changes in domestic or international economic conditions, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in the cost of 
materials  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  Company's  products,  changes  in  mortality  and  cremation  rates,  changes  in  product 
demand or pricing as a result of consolidation in the industries in which the Company operates or other factors such as supply 
chain  disruptions,  labor  shortages  or  labor  cost  increases,  changes  in  product  demand  or  pricing  as  a  result  of  domestic  or 
international  competitive  pressures,  ability  to  achieve  cost-reduction  objectives,  unknown  risks  in  connection  with  the 
Company's  acquisitions,  cybersecurity  concerns,  effectiveness  of  the  Company's  internal  controls,  compliance  with  domestic 
and  foreign  laws  and  regulations,  technological  factors  beyond  the  Company's  control,  impact  of  pandemics  or  similar 
outbreaks  or  other  disruptions  to  our  industries,  customers  or  supply  chains,  and  other  factors  described  in  Item  1A,  "Risk 
Factors"  in  this  Form  10-K.    In  addition,  although  the  Company  does  not  have  any  customers  that  would  be  considered 
individually significant to consolidated sales, changes in the distribution of the Company's products or the potential loss of one 
or  more  of  the  Company's  larger  customers  are  also  considered  risk  factors.    Matthews  cautions  that  the  foregoing  list  of 
important factors is not all inclusive.  Readers are also cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward looking statements, 
which reflect management's analysis only as of the date of this report, even if subsequently made available by Matthews on its 
website or otherwise.  Matthews does not undertake to update any forward looking statement, whether written or oral, that may 
be made from time to time by or on behalf of Matthews to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this report.  
Matthews  posts  important  information  on  its  investor  relations  website,  available  at  matw.com/investors.    The  Company's 
shareholders  are  encouraged  to  review  the  contents  of  such  website.    Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  the  contents  of  such 
website are not incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Included in this report are measures of financial performance that are not defined by generally accepted accounting principles in 
the  United  States  ("GAAP").    These  non-GAAP  financial  measures  assist  management  in  comparing  the  Company's 
performance  on  a  consistent  basis  for  purposes  of  business  decision-making  by  removing  the  impact  of  certain  items  that 
management believes do not directly reflect the Company's core operations.  Refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" in Item 
7 - "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS.

Matthews, founded in 1850 and incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1902, is a global provider of brand solutions, memorialization 
products and industrial technologies.  Brand solutions consists of brand management, pre-media services, printing plates and 
cylinders, engineered products (including energy solutions), imaging services, digital asset management, merchandising display 
systems, and marketing and design services primarily for the consumer goods and retail industries.  Memorialization products 
consist primarily of bronze and granite memorials and other memorialization products, caskets, and cremation and incineration 
equipment  primarily  for  the  cemetery  and  funeral  home  industries.  Industrial  technologies  include  marking  and  coding 
equipment and consumables, industrial automation products and order fulfillment systems for identifying, tracking, picking and 
conveying consumer and industrial products.

2

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

The  Company  manages  its  business  under  three  reporting  segments,  SGK  Brand  Solutions,  Memorialization,  and  Industrial 
Technologies.  The following table sets forth reported sales for the Company's business segments for the past three fiscal years.  
Detailed financial information relating to business segments and to domestic and international operations is presented in Note 
19, "Segment Information" in Item 8 - "Financial Statements and Supplemental Data."

Sales to external customers:
SGK Brand Solutions
Memorialization
Industrial Technologies
Consolidated Sales

2021

Years Ended September 30,
2020
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

2019

$ 

$ 

726,895  $ 
769,016 
175,119 
1,671,030  $ 

693,093  $ 
656,035 
149,178 
1,498,306  $ 

743,869 
636,892 
156,515 
1,537,276 

Effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, the Company transferred its surfaces and engineered products businesses from the 
SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  to  the  Industrial  Technologies  segment.    This  business  segment  change  is  consistent  with 
internal management structure and reporting changes effective for fiscal 2022.

In fiscal 2021, approximately 68% of the Company's sales were made from North America, 27% were made from Europe, 3% 
were made from Asia, and 2% were made from other regions.  For further information on segments, see Note 19, "Segment 
Information" in Item 8 - "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data."  Products and services of the SGK Brand Solutions 
segment are sold throughout the world, with principal locations in North America, Europe and Asia.  Memorialization segment 
products  are  sold  throughout  the  world,  with  the  segment's  principal  operations  located  in  North  America,  Europe,  and 
Australia.    The  Industrial  Technologies  segment  sells  equipment  and  consumables  directly  to  industrial  consumers  and 
distributors  in  North  America  and  internationally  through  the  Company's  subsidiaries  in  Sweden,  Germany  and  China,  and 
other foreign distributors.  Matthews owns a minority interest in Industrial Technologies product distributors in Asia, Australia 
and Europe.

SGK Brand Solutions:

The  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  provides  packaging  and  brand  experience  solutions  that  simplifies  marketing,  amplifies 
brands and delivers value. Matthews has more than 100 years in the packaging business, which is comprised of broad technical, 
engineering, and artistic expertise relating to the creation and production of graphics, their workflows and best practices for the 
commercial packaging channel. This combination of knowledge, experience and skill helps the SGK Brand Solutions segment 
differentiate itself from competitors.  The expertise in the rotary processing of web-based materials has also allowed expansion 
into  engineered  purpose-built  machines  for  new  applications  for  energy  storage  solutions,  primarily  to  support  the  electric 
vehicle market.  

The  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  helps  companies  to  define,  create,  produce  and  transform  their  packaging  and  marketing 
supply chains and the brand assets that flow through them. By simplifying marketing, the segment helps deliver greater speed 
through workflow efficiency, enabling clients to get new product introductions and campaigns to market faster which can result 
in a competitive advantage for the brand. By amplifying brands, the segment helps brands create meaningful experiences online 
and offline that enable them to stand out in the marketplace which can result in a stronger connection between consumers and 
the  brand.  The  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  also  helps  clients  deliver  improved  marketing  productivity  and  profitability 
through innovative technology solutions.

The  packaging  solutions  part  of  its  business  integrates  all  packaging-related  services  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the 
packaging  development  workflow  process.  Clients  may  purchase  stand-alone  services  or  a  combination  of  services  that  are 
designed to fulfill larger, more strategic objectives. These services include design and adaptive packaging design, production 
art,  photography,  retouching,  eCommerce  assets,  premedia,  print  technical  services,  cylinder  production  and  surfaces 
engineering,  workflow  efficiency  consulting,  change  management  and  technology  workflow  solutions.  Historically  a  print 
media-based business, the business leverages their 100+ years of packaging expertise to create packaging assets required for the 
eCommerce channel. What was once a single medium (package on shelf) requiring a finite set of graphic assets for printing, has 
evolved  into  a  multi-medium,  requiring  an  almost  infinite  array  of  digital  assets  across  an  ever-expanding  digital  channel 
universe.

3

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

The  brand  experience  part  of  the  business  integrates  all  marketing-related  services  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the 
marketing  development  workflow  process.  Clients  may  purchase  stand-alone  services  or  a  combination  of  services  that  are 
designed to fulfill larger, more strategic objectives. These services include all the services that help create brand experiences: 
consumer  insights,  brand  strategy,  brand  identity,  content  marketing  strategy,  marketing  content  creation,  campaign  strategy 
and  development,  online  and  in-store  retail  experiences  and  merchandising  fabrication,  creative  process  management  and 
technology  workflow  solutions.  Largely,  an  ideation  and  digital  media-based  business,  the  business  leverages  its  branding 
expertise to drive the creation of digital experiences that “stick” with consumers. 

The  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment’s  principal  clients  are  global,  multinational  and  regional  companies  in  highly  regulated 
industries  such  as  food  and  beverage,  pharmaceutical  and  healthcare,  beauty  and  cosmetics,  and  alcohol  and  tobacco.  The 
segment also serves clients in a diverse range of sectors that includes leaders in home improvement, personal care, technology 
and electronics, snack food and confections, telecommunications, and apparel, as well as a diverse range of shopping formats 
that  include  big-box  stores,  department  stores,  specialty  stores,  grocery  stores,  pharmacy  chains  and  online  retailers.  These 
large,  well-known  companies  represent  a  variety  of  brands  across  the  marketplace  covering  both  national  and  private  label 
brands with numerous packaging and marketing requirements. 

The  segment  is  also  a  leading  international  supplier  of  pre-press,  rotogravure  and  embossing  tooling,  with  principal  clients 
representing  brand  manufacturers,  printers  and  converters.  The  segment  produces  engineered  products,  which  primarily 
represents  purpose-built  machines  for  energy  storage  solutions  to  support  the  electric  vehicle  market,  including  production 
solutions for lithium-ion battery electrodes and hydrogen fuel cell components.

The segment’s products, services and solutions are purchased in part or whole by companies with operations in and/or across 
the North America, Europe and Asia regions. A large portion of these purchases result in annual or multi-year contracts; others 
are initiative-based. The segment generates new business opportunities through referrals and relationships, marketing and lead 
generation and select industry partnerships. The Company has many long-standing relationships among its client base that span 
decades  and  has  new  relationships  with  well-known  global  technology  companies  that  are  driving  change  in  how  consumers 
engage with brands and use devices like smartphones to shop and buy online and in-store.

Major  raw  materials  for  this  segment’s  products  include  photopolymers,  steel,  copper,  film,  wood,  particleboard,  corrugated 
materials,  structural  steel,  plastic,  laminates,  inks  and  graphic  art  supplies.    All  such  materials  are  presently  available  in 
adequate supply from various industry sources.  Competition is on the basis of product quality, timeliness of delivery and price, 
and increasingly, the ability to provide a holistic solution for brand content beyond its use for packaging, while at the same time 
elevating the role of packaging in the marketing mix.  The segment's ability to offer consistent service on a global basis is a key 
differentiator. 

The  segment  competes  in  an  industry  that  is  constantly  challenged  by  emerging  technologies  that  impact  packaging  and 
marketing.  These  challenges  can  create  new  opportunities  for  the  segment  to  create,  produce  and  manage  large  volumes  of 
brand content. They also provide the segment with opportunities to advise its clients on how to plan for, manage and execute 
the  digital  transformation  of  their  packaging  and  marketing  operations.  Increasingly,  with  the  growing  awareness  and 
commitment by its clients to environmental sustainability, the SGK Brand Solutions segment is providing solutions that enable 
its clients to advance their own sustainability initiatives.

Memorialization:

The Memorialization segment manufactures and markets a full line of memorialization products used primarily in cemeteries, 
funeral  homes  and  crematories.  The  segment's  products,  which  are  sold  principally  in  North  America,  Europe  and  Australia, 
include  cast  bronze  memorials,  granite  memorials,  caskets,  cremation  and  incineration  equipment  and  other  memorialization 
products.  The segment also manufactures and markets architectural products that are used to identify or commemorate people, 
places, events and accomplishments.

4

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

Memorial  products  include  flush  bronze  and  granite  memorials,  upright  granite  memorials  and  monuments,  cremation 
memorialization products, granite benches, flower vases, crypt plates and letters, cremation urns, niche units, cemetery features 
and  statues,  along  with  other  related  products  and  services.  Flush  memorials  are  bronze  plaques  or  granite  memorials  that 
contain personal information about a deceased individual (such as name, birth date and death date), photos and emblems.  Flush 
bronze and granite memorials are even or "flush"  with the ground and therefore are preferred by many cemeteries for easier 
lawn  mowing  and  general  maintenance.    The  segment's  memorial  products  also  include  community  and  family  mausoleums 
within  North  America.    The  segment's  other  memorial  products  include  bronze  plaques,  letters,  emblems,  vases,  lights  and 
photo ceramics that can be affixed to granite monuments, mausoleums, crypts and flush memorials.  Principal customers for 
memorial products are cemeteries and memorial parks, which in turn sell the Company's products to the consumer.

The Memorialization segment manufactures a full line of other products, including urns in a variety of sizes, styles and shapes 
as well as standard and custom designed granite cremation pedestals and benches.  Manufactured bronze and granite niche units 
are  comprised  of  numerous  compartments  used  to  display  cremation  urns  in  mausoleums  and  churches.    The  Company  also 
markets turnkey cremation gardens that include design and all related products for a cremation memorial garden.

Customers  of  the  Memorialization  segment  can  purchase  memorials  and  vases  on  a  "pre-need"  basis.    This  concept  permits 
families  to  arrange  for  these  purchases  in  advance  of  their  actual  need.    Upon  request,  the  Company  will  manufacture  the 
memorial to the customer's specifications (e.g., name and birth date) and place it in storage for future delivery.  Memorials in 
storage have been paid in full with title conveyed to each pre-need purchaser.

The segment is a leading manufacturer and distributor of caskets and other funeral home products in North America, producing 
and marketing metal, wood and cremation caskets.  Caskets are offered in a variety of colors, interior designs, handles and trim 
in order to accommodate specific religious, ethnic or other personal preferences and can also be personalized. Other specialized 
funeral home products such as urns, jewelry, interior panels, and stationery are also offered.

Metal caskets are made from various gauges of cold-rolled steel, stainless steel, copper and bronze.  Metal caskets are generally 
categorized by whether the casket is non-gasketed or gasketed, and by material (i.e., bronze, copper, or steel) and in the case of 
steel, by the gauge (thickness) of the metal.  Wood caskets are primarily manufactured from nine different species of wood.  
The  species  of  wood  used  are  poplar,  pine,  ash,  oak,  pecan,  maple,  cherry,  walnut  and  mahogany.    The  Memorialization 
segment  is  a  leading  manufacturer  of  all-wood  constructed  caskets,  which  are  manufactured  using  pegged  and  dowelled 
construction, and include no metal parts.  Cremation caskets are made primarily from wood or cardboard covered with cloth or 
veneer.  These caskets appeal primarily to cremation consumers, environmentally concerned consumers and value buyers.

The Memorialization segment produces casket components, which include stamped metal parts, metal locking mechanisms for 
gasketed  metal  caskets  and  adjustable  beds.    Metal  casket  parts  are  produced  by  stamping  cold-rolled  steel,  stainless  steel, 
copper and bronze sheets into casket component parts.  Locking mechanisms and adjustable beds are produced by stamping and 
assembling  a  variety  of  steel  parts.    The  segment  purchases  various  species  of  uncured  wood  from  sawmills  and  lumber 
distributors, which it dries and cures before being processed into casket components.

The  segment  provides  product  and  service  assortment  planning,  as  well  as  merchandising  and  display  products  to  funeral 
service businesses.  The Memorialization segment develops and sells technology solutions that help funeral homes manage their 
businesses  and  serve  families  through  these  digital  platforms.  Solutions  are  delivered  as  software  as  a  service  and  include 
funeral home management systems and web-based arrangement and presentation systems.  These products assist funeral service 
professionals in providing information, value and satisfaction to their client families. 

The segment offers cremation systems, crematory management, and cremation service and supplies to the pet and human sector, 
and  standard  and  specialized  incineration  systems,  including  abated  filtration  systems  to  satisfy  strict  environmental 
requirements.  The primary market areas for these products and services are North America and Europe, although the segment 
also sells into Latin America and the Caribbean, Australia, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

5

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

Cremation  systems  include  flame-based  systems  for  cremation  of  humans  and  pets,  as  well  as  equipment  for  processing  the 
cremated remains and other related equipment (ventilated workstations, loading systems, tables, cooler racks, vacuums).  The 
principal  markets  for  these  products  are  funeral  homes,  cemeteries,  crematories,  pet  crematories,  animal  disposers  and 
veterinarians. These products primarily are marketed directly by segment personnel.  Human crematory management/operations 
represent  the  actual  operation  and  management  of  client-owned  crematories.    Currently  the  segment  provides  these  services 
primarily to municipalities and private operators in the United States and Europe.  Cremation service and supplies consist of 
operator  training,  preventative  maintenance  and  on-demand  service  work  performed  on  various  makes  and  models  of 
equipment. This work can be as simple as replacing defective bulbs or as complex as complete reconstruction and upgrading or 
retrofitting on site. Supplies are consumable items and replacement parts associated with normal crematory operations.

Waste  incineration  systems  encompass  both  batch  load  and  continuous  feed,  static,  stepped-hearth  and  rotary  systems  for 
incineration of all waste types, as well as equipment for in-loading waste, out-loading ash and energy recovery. The principal 
markets for these products are animal and medical waste disposal, oil and gas "work camp" wastes, industrial wastes and bio-
mass  generators,  as  well  as  destruction  of  low-volume,  high-value  waste  types  such  as  contraband  and  pharmaceutical 
products.    Environmental  and  energy  systems  include  emissions  filtration  units,  waste  heat  recovery  equipment,  waste  gas 
treatment  products,  as  well  as  energy  recovery.  The  segment  also  provides  commissioning,  training  and  user  support  for 
customers of incineration systems.  The principal markets are municipalities or public/state agencies, the cremation industry and 
other industries that utilize incinerators for waste reduction and energy production.

Architectural products include cast bronze and aluminum plaques, etchings and letters that are used to recognize, commemorate 
and identify people, places, events and accomplishments.  The Company's plaques are frequently used to identify the name of a 
building,  or  the  names  of  companies  or  individuals  located  within  a  building.    Such  products  are  also  used  to  commemorate 
events  or  accomplishments,  such  as  military  service  or  financial  donations.    The  principal  markets  for  the  segment's 
architectural  products  are  corporations,  fraternal  organizations,  contractors,  churches,  hospitals,  schools  and  government 
agencies.  These products are sold to and distributed through a network of independent dealers including sign suppliers, awards 
and recognition companies, and trophy dealers.

Raw  materials  used  by  the  Memorialization  segment  to  manufacture  memorials  consist  principally  of  bronze  and  aluminum 
ingot, granite, sheet metal, coating materials, photopolymers and construction materials and are generally available in adequate 
supply.  Ingot is obtained from various North American, European and Australian smelters. The primary materials required for 
casket  manufacturing  are  cold-rolled  steel  and  lumber.  The  segment  also  purchases  copper,  bronze,  stainless  steel, 
particleboard, corrugated materials, paper veneer, cloth, ornamental hardware and coating materials. Purchase orders or supply 
agreements are typically negotiated with large, integrated steel producers that have demonstrated timely delivery, high quality 
material and competitive prices.  Lumber is purchased from a number of sawmills and lumber distributors.  Raw materials used 
to manufacture cremation and incineration products consist principally of structural steel, sheet metal, electrical components, 
combustion devices and refractory materials. These are generally available in adequate supply from numerous suppliers.

Competition from other manufacturers of memorial products is based on reputation, product quality, delivery, price, and design 
availability.  The  Company  believes  that  its  superior  quality,  broad  product  lines,  innovative  designs,  delivery  capability, 
customer responsiveness, experienced personnel and consumer-oriented merchandising systems are competitive advantages in 
its  markets.    Competition  in  the  mausoleum  construction  industry  includes  various  construction  companies  throughout  North 
America  and  is  based  on  design,  quality  and  price.    Competitors  in  the  architectural  market  are  numerous  and  include 
companies that manufacture cast and painted signs, plastic materials, sand-blasted wood and other fabricated products.

The Memorialization segment markets its casket products in the United States through a combination of Company-owned and 
independent casket distribution facilities.  The Company operates approximately 100 distribution centers in the United States.  
Approximately  85%  of  the  segment's  casket  products  are  currently  sold  through  Company-owned  distribution  centers.    The 
casket  business  is  highly  competitive  and  the  Company  competes  with  other  manufacturers  based  on  product  quality,  price, 
service, design availability and breadth of product line.  The Memorialization segment provides a line of casket products that it 
believes is as comprehensive as any of its major competitors.  There are a large number of casket industry participants operating 
in North America, and  a few foreign casket manufacturers, primarily from China, participating in the North American market.  

The  Company  competes  with  several  manufacturers  in  the  cremation  and  accessory  equipment  market  principally  based  on 
product  design,  quality  and  price.    The  Memorialization  segment  and  its  three  largest  global  competitors  account  for  a 
substantial portion of the United States and European cremation equipment market.

6

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

The  Memorialization  segment  works  to  provide  a  total  solution  to  customers  that  own  and  operate  businesses  in  both  the 
cemetery and funeral home markets.  The Company's memorial and casket products serve the relatively stable casketed and in-
ground  burial  death  market,  while  its  memorial  products  and  cremation  and  incineration  equipment  also  serve  the  growing 
cremation market.

Industrial Technologies:

The Industrial Technologies segment designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of marking and coding equipment and 
consumables,  industrial  automation  solutions  and  warehouse  automation  systems.    Manufacturers,  suppliers  and  distributors 
worldwide rely on Matthews' integrated systems to identify, track and pick their products.

Marking systems range from stand-alone marking products to complex ink-jet printing systems that integrate into a customer's 
production  process.    The  Company  manufactures  and  markets  products  and  systems  that  employ  different  marking 
technologies, including laser and ink-jet printing.  These technologies apply product information required for identification and 
traceability, as well as to facilitate inventory and quality control, regulatory compliance and brand name communication.

Warehouse  automation  systems  complement  the  tracking  and  distribution  of  a  customer's  products  with  automated  order 
fulfillment technologies, and controls for material handling systems.  Material handling customers include some of the largest 
retail, eCommerce and automated assembly companies in the United States.  The Company also engineers innovative, custom 
solutions to address specific customer requirements in a variety of industries, including oil field services and security scanning.

A  significant  portion  of  the  revenue  of  the  Industrial  Technologies  segment  is  attributable  to  the  sale  of  consumables  and 
replacement  parts  required  by  the  marking,  coding  and  tracking  products  sold  by  Matthews.    The  Company  develops  inks 
exclusively for the use with its marking equipment, which is critical to ensure ongoing equipment reliability and mark quality.

The  principal  customers  for  the  Company's  marking  and  fulfillment  systems  products  are  manufacturers,  suppliers  and 
distributors of durable goods, building products, consumer goods manufacturers (including food and beverage processors) and 
producers  of  pharmaceuticals.    The  Company  also  serves  a  wide  variety  of  industrial  markets,  including  metal  fabricators, 
manufacturers of woven and non-woven fabrics, plastic, rubber and automotive products.

A portion of this segment's sales are outside the United States, with distribution sourced through the Company's subsidiaries in 
Sweden, Germany, Malaysia and China in addition to other international distributors.  The Company owns a minority interest in 
distributors in Asia, Australia and Europe.

Major raw materials for this segment's products include precision components, electronics, printing components and chemicals, 
all of which are presently available in adequate supply from various sources.

Competitors in the marking and fulfillment systems industries are diverse, with some companies offering limited product lines 
for well-defined specialty markets, while others operate similarly to the Company, offering a broad product line and competing 
in multiple product markets and countries.  Competitive differentiation for marking and fulfillment systems products is based 
on  product  performance,  ease  of  integration  into  the  manufacturing  and/or  distribution  process,  service  and  price.    The 
Company typically competes with specialty companies in specific brand marking solutions and traceability applications.  The 
Company believes that, in general, its Industrial Technologies segment offers one of the broadest lines of products to address a 
wide variety of marking, coding and industrial automation applications.

PATENTS, TRADEMARKS AND LICENSES:

The  Company  holds  a  number  of  trademarks  and  in  excess  of  100  domestic  and  foreign  patents  for  its  products  and  related 
technologies.    In  addition,  the  Company  maintains  numerous  trade  secrets  that  further  comprise  its  portfolio  of  intellectual 
property assets.  However, the Company believes the loss of any individual or a significant number of patents or trademarks 
would not have a material impact on consolidated operations or revenues.

7

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

HUMAN CAPITAL RESOURCES:

Introduction:

The  Company’s  culture  of  Inspired  Possibilities  empowers  global  teams  to  think  creatively  to  inspire  change  that  favorably 
impacts outcomes for the Company's customers, clients, and one another. Matthews’ human resource strategies align with the 
business strategies to enable and optimize internal talent to achieve business and financial performance. At every stage of the 
employee lifecycle, the Company’s people programs are rooted in a set of organizational competencies and capabilities, aligned 
with  the  Company's  core  values,  that  collectively  build  talent,  enhance  employee  engagement,  sustain  retention,  inspire 
innovation and drive results. 

Workforce Composition:

As of October 31, 2021, the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries employed approximately 11,000 people globally in 
more than 250 locations, 26 countries and 6 continents around the world. Its diverse team of talented employees possess a vast 
array of skills including creative design, photography, engineering, manufacturing, research and development, plant operations, 
production, logistics and corporate functional services, including legal, information technology, human resources and finance. 
Many  of  Matthews’  employees  have  highly  specialized  skills  and  subject-matter  expertise  in  their  respective  disciplines, 
enabling the Company to deliver industry leading products and services to its customers throughout the world. 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

Matthews  views  diversity,  equity  and  inclusion  (“DE&I”)  as  a  priority  to  be  valued  and  promoted  in  every  aspect  of  its 
business. The Company understands and firmly believes in the value that diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas bring to 
the  workforce  and  offer  to  clients.  Matthews  knows  its  employees  deserve  equal  opportunities  regardless  of  race,  gender, 
gender expression, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and more. 

As an organization with a history that spans more than 170 years, Matthews has always believed that mutual respect, valuing 
the worth of all people, doing what's right and celebrating diversity is essential to how the Company operates and the way it 
does  business.  During  2020,  the  Company  formalized  its  commitment  to  DE&I  by  charting  a  course  for  building  an  even 
stronger,  more  diverse  and  inclusive  culture.  Matthews’  DE&I  strategy  focuses  on  four  pillars:  Infrastructure,  Talent 
Acquisition, Employee Engagement and Community Engagement. A global council representative of a diverse workforce was 
established to help shape plans and program priorities across these pillars and to champion the work to build a more inclusive 
culture. Matthews is a unique organization, diverse in culture, talent and geography. More recently, in 2021, the Company hired 
a full time DE&I leader who is actively focused on driving progress in this area.  The Company stands committed to a culture 
reflecting the people, clients, customers, and communities it serves.

Talent Acquisition and Total Rewards:

To continue to grow and compete in a highly competitive labor market, Matthews works hard to attract and select top talent 
through a compelling employment value proposition. The Company’s employment brand highlights its values, commitment to 
people  culture,  diversity,  equity  and  inclusion,  employee  development  and  the  efforts  to  ensure  cultural  alignment,  and  the 
selection process includes key behavioral questions that help select the right people for the right roles. 

Matthews understands the highly competitive market for talent and believes that to attract and retain top talent, it must offer 
competitive pay and benefit programs. The Company evaluates roles to ensure pay is at market rate, and offers annual incentive 
pay and a competitive benefit package. As a global company, adjustments are made for global and regional market demands.

Talent Development/Management:

From onboarding to leadership development, Matthews believes investing in its people leads to greater success. The Company’s 
onboarding program reinforces its values and culture, supports its managers in creating a positive employee experience during 
the first 90 days and builds early commitment with all new hires. 

8

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

Matthews  knows  that  when  employees  have  opportunities  to  learn  and  grow,  see  how  their  goals  and  objectives  lead  to 
something  greater  and  understand  their  part  in  the  organization’s  success,  it  helps  build  a  place  where  people  want  to  stay. 
Matthews’  competency-based  learning  center  helps  employees  select  learning  programs  to  continue  their  growth,  and  the 
Company  facilitates  both  formal  and  informal  mentoring  that  reinforces  and  supports  its  leaders  during  key  developmental 
periods and beyond.

The  Company’s  future  success  depends  upon  tomorrow’s  leaders.  Matthews  has  implemented  a  robust  talent  review  process 
that  identifies  critical  talent  and  serves  as  the  basis  for  succession  planning.  Each  year,  at  the  conclusion  of  this  review,  the 
executive  team  selects  a  cohort  of  critical  talent  to  participate  in  a  comprehensive  leadership  program  designed  to  prepare 
leaders for enterprise roles. The Company believes this investment, which includes classroom learning, assessments, coaching/
mentoring  and  project  application,  both  prepares  and  strengthens  the  organization  for  the  future,  while  deepening  the 
commitment of its top talent.

Performance Management:

Connecting employees to the strategy ensures individual effort to a larger goal and strengthens commitment to the organization. 
The Company supports an annual leadership strategy cascade where each segment, division, group and team identify and align 
goals and objectives which serve as the basis for individual performance objectives, keeping employees firmly connected to the 
work and the Company’s collective success. This process is rooted in ongoing coaching and feedback, and measures not just 
what was accomplished, but how it was accomplished because Matthews believes staying true to its values and key behaviors 
serves clients better, strengthens culture and keeps employees engaged. 

Change Management:

Matthews is a constantly evolving multi-national company, leveraging new ways of working to improve its quality, service and 
delivery  systems  to  better  help  customers  and  clients  succeed.  Building  change  capability  to  support  employees  through 
changes accelerates new ways of working, minimizes productivity loss, and accelerates improvement measures. 

Health and Safety:

Employee health and safety in the workplace remains the Company’s highest priority and is one of the Company’s core values. 
Safety efforts are led by the global health and safety team and supported by individuals at the local site level. Hazards in the 
workplace are timely identified and management actively tracks incidents so remedial actions may be implemented to improve 
workplace safety.  In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19") pandemic, Matthews has taken actions aligned 
with the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local requirements to protect its 
workforce  so  employees  can  more  safely  and  effectively  perform  their  work.    In  so  doing,  Matthews  has  prioritized  the 
initiation of comprehensive health and safety protocols, further ensuring strict adherence to responsive measures for mitigating 
the spread of COVID-19.

BACKLOG:

Because  the  nature  of  the  Company's  SGK  Brand  Solutions,  Memorialization  and  Industrial  Technologies  businesses  are 
primarily  custom  products  made  to  order  and  services  with  short  lead  times,  backlogs  are  not  generally  material  except  for 
purpose built machinery projects in the SGK Brand Solutions segment, mausoleums and cremation and incineration equipment 
in  the  Memorialization  segment  and  industrial  automation  and  order  fulfillment  systems  in  the  Industrial  Technologies 
segment.  Backlogs vary in a range of approximately six to twelve months of sales for purpose built machinery projects and 
mausoleums. Cremation and incineration equipment sales backlogs vary in a range of ten to twelve months of sales.  Backlogs 
for Industrial Technologies segment sales generally vary in a range of up to four weeks for standard products, and are currently 
in the range of ten to twelve months for custom systems.  The Company's current backlog is expected to be substantially filled 
in fiscal 2022, absent any disruptions related to COVID-19.

9

ITEM 1.  

BUSINESS, (continued)

REGULATORY MATTERS:

The  Company’s  operations  are  subject  to  various  federal,  state  and  local  laws  and  regulations  requiring  strict  compliance, 
including, but not limited to, the protection of the environment.  The Company has established numerous internal compliance 
programs  to  further  ensure  lawful  satisfaction  of  the  applicable  regulations.    In  addition,  the  Company  is  party  to  specific 
environmental matters which include obligations to investigate and mitigate the effects on the environment of certain materials 
at  operating  and  non-operating  sites.    The  Company  is  currently  performing  environmental  assessments  and  remediation  at 
certain sites, as applicable. 

AVAILABLE INFORMATION:

The  Company's  principal  executive  offices  are  located  at  Two  NorthShore  Center,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania  15212,  its 
telephone number is (412) 442-8200 and its website is www.matw.com.  The Company files or furnishes all required reports 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in accordance with the Exchange Act.  The Company's Annual Report 
on  Form  10-K,  Quarterly  Reports  on  Form  10-Q,  Current  Reports  on  Form  8-K,  proxy  statements  and  amendments  to  those 
reports are available free of charge on the Company's website as soon as reasonably practicable after being filed or furnished to 
the SEC. The Company's reports filed or furnished with the SEC, including exhibits attached to such reports, are also available 
on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.  

ITEM 1A.  RISK FACTORS.

There  are  inherent  risks  and  uncertainties  associated  with  the  Company's  businesses  that  could  adversely  affect  its  operating 
performance  and  financial  condition.    Set  forth  below  are  descriptions  of  those  risks  and  uncertainties  that  the  Company 
currently believes to be material.  Additional risks not currently known or deemed immaterial may also result in adverse effects 
on the Company.

Company-Specific Risk Factors:

Foreign  Operations.    The  Company  conducts  business  in  more  than  26  countries  around  the  world,  and  in  fiscal  2021  
approximately 34% of the Company's sales to external customers were to customers outside the United States. In addition, the 
Company's  manufacturing  operations,  suppliers  and  employees  are  located  in  many  places  around  the  world.    As  such,  the 
Company's future success depends in part on its ability to grow sales in non-U.S. markets. Sales and operations outside of the 
United  States  are  subject  to  certain  inherent  risks,  including  fluctuations  in  the  value  of  the  U.S.  dollar  relative  to  foreign 
currencies,  global  economic  uncertainties,  tariffs,  quotas,  taxes  and  other  market  barriers,  political  and  economic  instability, 
restrictions on the export or import of technology, potentially limited intellectual property protection, difficulties in staffing and 
managing  international  operations,  potentially  adverse  tax  consequences,  and  required  compliance  with  non-U.S.  laws  and 
regulations.

Changes in Foreign Currency Exchange Rates.  Manufacturing and sales of a significant portion of the Company's products 
are outside the United States, and accordingly, the Company holds assets, incurs liabilities, earns revenue and pays expenses in 
a  variety  of  currencies.    The  Company's  consolidated  financial  statements  are  presented  in  U.S.  dollars,  and  therefore,  the 
Company must translate the reported values of its foreign assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses into U.S. dollars.  Increases 
or decreases in the value of the U.S. dollar compared to foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of these items in the 
Company's consolidated financial statements, even though their value has not changed in local currency.

Increased Prices for Raw Materials.  The Company's profitability is affected by the prices of the raw materials used in the 
manufacture  of  its  products.    These  prices  may  fluctuate  based  on  a  number  of  factors,  including  changes  in  supply  and 
demand,  domestic  and  global  economic  conditions,  volatility  in  commodity  markets,  currency  exchange  rates,  labor  costs, 
tariffs and fuel-related costs.  If suppliers increase the price of critical raw materials, alternative sources of supply, or alternative 
materials, may not exist or be readily available. In addition, disruptions in the global supply chain may cause prices for raw 
materials to increase.  See "Disruptions to the global supply chain."

10

ITEM 1A.

RISK FACTORS, (continued)

The Company has standard selling price structures (i.e., list prices) in certain of its segments, which are reviewed for adjustment 
generally  on  an  annual  basis.    In  addition,  the  Company  has  established  pricing  terms  with  several  of  its  customers  through 
contracts or similar arrangements.  Based on competitive market conditions and to the extent that the Company has established 
pricing  terms  with  customers,  the  Company's  ability  to  immediately  increase  the  price  of  its  products  to  offset  the  increased 
costs may be limited.  Significant raw material price increases that cannot be mitigated by selling price increases or productivity 
improvements will negatively affect the Company's results of operations.

Changes in Mortality and Cremation Rates.  Generally, life expectancy in the United States and other countries in which the 
Company's Memorialization segment operates has increased steadily for several decades and is expected to continue to do so in 
the  future.    The  increase  in  life  expectancy  is  also  expected  to  impact  the  number  of  deaths  in  the  future.    Additionally, 
cremations  have  steadily  grown  as  a  percentage  of  total  deaths  in  the  United  States  since  the  1960's,  and  are  expected  to 
continue  to  increase  in  the  future.    The  Company  expects  that  these  trends  will  continue  in  the  future  and  sales  of  the 
Company's  Memorialization  segment  may  benefit  from  the  continued  growth  in  the  number  of  cremations;  however,  such 
trends may adversely affect the volume of bronze and granite memorialization products and burial caskets sold in the United 
States.

Changes in Product Demand or Pricing. The Company's businesses have and will continue to operate in competitive markets. 
Changes  in  product  demand  or  pricing  are  affected  by  domestic  and  foreign  competition  and  an  increase  in  consolidated 
purchasing  by  large  customers  operating  in  both  domestic  and  global  markets.  The  Memorialization  businesses  generally 
operate  in  markets  with  ample  supply  capacity  and  demand  which  is  correlated  to  death  rates.    The  SGK  Brand  Solutions 
businesses serve global customers that are requiring their suppliers to be global in scope and price-competitive.  Additionally, in 
recent years the Company has witnessed an increase in products manufactured offshore, primarily in China, and imported into 
the  Company's  U.S.  markets.    It  is  expected  that  these  trends  will  continue  and  may  affect  the  Company's  future  results  of 
operations.

Changes in the Distribution of the Company's Products or the Loss of a Large Customer.  Although the Company does 
not have any customer that is individually significant to consolidated sales, it does have contracts with several large customers 
in  both  the  Memorialization  and  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segments.    While  these  contracts  provide  important  access  to  large 
purchasers of the Company's products, they can obligate the Company to sell products at contracted prices for extended periods 
of time.  Additionally, any significant divestiture of business properties or operations by current customers could result in a loss 
of business if the Company is not able to maintain the business with the subsequent owners of the businesses.

Disruptions to the global supply chain. The Company purchases components and materials to manufacture its products from a 
large number of suppliers, some of which may be critical to operations. The Company’s product offerings are impacted by such 
suppliers' lead times, volume constraints and increasing costs. The Company has experienced and may continue to experience 
extended lead times and product unavailability due to manufacturing disruptions or closures as well as delays and unanticipated 
costs associated with the sourcing of materials. Matthews’ supply chain operations span several geographies globally and are 
heavily  dependent  upon  third  party  logistics  and  transportation  services  to  deliver  the  Company’s  products  to  customers. 
Extended lead times and shortages could impair the Company’s ability to meet its customer requirements, require the Company 
to  pay  higher  prices  or  incur  expedite  fees  or  cause  its  customers  to  delay  or  forgo  projects,  which  would  harm  Matthews’ 
business and negatively impact the Company’s gross margin and results of operations.

Pandemics or similar outbreaks.  Pandemics or similar outbreaks, such as COVID-19, could adversely affect the economies 
of developed and emerging markets, potentially resulting in an economic downturn that could affect customers’ demand for the 
Company’s products and services, as well as the Company's ability to access capital at acceptable interest rates. The spread of 
pandemics  or  similar  outbreaks  may  also  disrupt  the  Company’s  manufacturing  and  production  operations,  as  well  as  its 
distribution systems, which include import and export for delivery of the Company’s products to its customers. These factors 
could  materially  and  adversely  affect  the  Company’s  business,  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations.  See  also 
"Disruptions to the global supply chain."

Due to the uncertainty relating to a pandemic or similar outbreak, the Company, its customers or its suppliers may be required, 
or believe that it is advantageous, to take precautionary measures intended to minimize the risk of a virus or disease spreading 
to  employees,  customers,  and  the  communities  in  which  they  operate,  and  these  measures  could  negatively  impact  the 
Company’s  business.  Further,  if  the  scope  and  severity  of  an  outbreak,  such  as  COVID-19,  worsens  and  the  Company’s 
contingency plans prove ineffective, its global operations could potentially experience disruptions, such as temporary closure of 
facilities or delays or suspensions in product offerings and services, which may materially and adversely affect the Company’s 
business, financial condition and results of operations. 

11

ITEM 1A.

RISK FACTORS, (continued)

Risks  in  Connection  with  Acquisitions.    The  Company  has  grown,  in  part,  through  acquisitions,  and  continues  to  evaluate 
acquisition opportunities that have the potential to support and strengthen its businesses.  There is no assurance however that 
future acquisition opportunities will arise, or that if they do, that they will be consummated.  In addition, acquisitions involve 
inherent risks that the businesses acquired will not perform in accordance with expectations, or that synergies expected from the 
integration of the acquisitions will not be achieved as rapidly as expected, if at all. The Company's pre-acquisition diligence 
review  may  not  discover  or  accurately  quantify  certain  undisclosed  liabilities,  and  the  Company  may  not  be  indemnified  for 
such liabilities which could have an adverse effect on the acquired business. Failure to effectively integrate acquired businesses 
could  prevent  the  realization  of  expected  rates  of  return  on  the  acquisition  investment,  including  the  achievement  of  cost-
reduction objectives, and could have a negative effect on the Company's results of operations and financial condition.

Protection  of  Intellectual  Property.    Certain  of  the  Company's  businesses  rely  on  various  intellectual  property  rights, 
including patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, as well as confidentiality provisions and licensing arrangements, to 
establish    proprietary  rights.    If  the  Company  does  not  enforce  its  intellectual  property  rights  successfully,  its  competitive 
position  may  suffer  which  could  harm  the  Company's  operating  results.  In  addition,  the  Company's  patents,  copyrights, 
trademarks and other intellectual property rights may not provide a significant competitive advantage. The Company may need 
to spend significant resources monitoring its intellectual property rights and may or may not be able to detect infringement by 
third parties. The Company's competitive position may be harmed if it cannot detect infringement and enforce its intellectual 
property  rights  quickly  or  at  all.  In  some  circumstances,  the  Company  may  choose  to  not  pursue  enforcement  because  an 
infringer  has  a  dominant  intellectual  property  position  or  for  other  business  reasons.  In  addition,  competitors  might  avoid 
infringement  by  designing  around  the  Company's  intellectual  property  rights  or  by  developing  non-infringing  competing 
technologies.  Intellectual  property  rights  and  the  Company's  ability  to  enforce  them  may  be  unavailable  or  limited  in  some 
countries which could make it easier for competitors to capture market share and could result in lost revenues.

Intellectual  property  infringement  assertions  by  third  parties  could  result  in  significant  costs  and  adversely  affect  the 
Company's  business,  financial  condition,  operating  results  and  reputation.    The  Company  cannot  guarantee  that  the 
operation of its business does not infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of third parties. 
The  Company  cannot  predict  whether  other  assertions  of  third-party  intellectual  property  rights  or  claims  arising  from  such 
assertions would substantially adversely affect the Company's business, financial condition and operating results. The defense 
of these claims and any future infringement claims, whether they are with or without merit or are determined in the Company's 
favor, may result in costly litigation and diversion of technical and management personnel. Further, an adverse outcome of a 
dispute  may  require  the  Company  to  pay  damages,  cease  making,  licensing,  or  using  products  or  offering  services  that  are 
alleged to incorporate the intellectual property of others, expend additional development resources to redesign the Company's 
offerings,  or  enter  into  potentially  unfavorable  royalty  or  license  agreements  in  order  to  obtain  the  right  to  use  necessary 
intellectual  property,  which  may  be  unavailable  on  terms  acceptable  to  the  Company,  or  at  all.  Even  if  these  matters  do  not 
result  in  litigation  or  are  resolved  in  the  Company's  favor  or  without  significant  cash  settlements,  the  time  and  resources 
necessary to resolve them could adversely affect the Company's business, reputation, financial condition and operating results. 

Environmental Remediation and Compliance.  The Company is subject to the risk of environmental liability and limitations 
on  its  operations  due  to  environmental  laws  and  regulations.  The  Company  is  subject  to  extensive  federal,  state,  local  and 
foreign environmental, health and safety laws and regulations concerning matters such as air emissions, wastewater discharges, 
solid  and  hazardous  waste  handling  and  disposal  and  the  investigation  and  remediation  of  contamination.  The  risks  of 
potentially  substantial  costs  and  liabilities  related  to  compliance  with  these  laws  and  regulations  are  an  inherent  part  of  the 
Company's  business,  and  future  conditions  may  develop,  arise  or  be  discovered  that  create  substantial  environmental 
compliance  or  remediation  liabilities  and  costs.  Compliance  with  environmental,  health  and  safety  legislation  and  regulatory 
requirements may prove to be more limiting and costly than the Company anticipates, and there is no assurance that significant 
expenditures related to such compliance may not be required in the future.

From  time  to  time,  the  Company  may  be  subject  to  legal  proceedings  brought  by  private  parties  or  governmental  authorities 
with  respect  to  environmental  matters,  including  matters  involving  alleged  noncompliance  with  or  liability  under 
environmental, health and safety laws, property damage or personal injury. New laws and regulations, including those which 
may relate to emissions of greenhouse gases, stricter enforcement of existing laws and regulations, the discovery of previously 
unknown contamination or the imposition of new clean-up requirements could require the Company to incur costs or become 
the  basis  for  new  or  increased  liabilities  that  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  the  Company's  business,  financial 
condition or results of operations.

12

ITEM 1A.

RISK FACTORS, (continued)

Technological Factors Beyond the Company's Control.  The Company operates in certain markets in which technological 
product development contributes to its ability to compete effectively.  There can be no assurance that the Company will be able 
to  develop  new  products,  that  new  products  can  be  manufactured  and  marketed  profitably,  or  that  new  products  will 
successfully meet the expectations of customers.

Changes in Laws and Regulations Governing Data Privacy and Data Protection.  The Company is subject to many data 
privacy, data protection, and data breach notification laws, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation 
(the “GDPR”), which became effective in May of 2018, and the California Consumer Privacy Act (the "CCPA"), which became 
effective  in  January  2020.    The  GDPR  and  the  CCPA  contain  comprehensive  data  protection  compliance  requirements. 
Complying with the GDPR and the CCPA may continue to cause the Company to incur substantial operational costs or require 
the  Company  to  change  certain  of  its  business  practices  in  certain  jurisdictions.      The  Company’s  measures  to  assess  the 
requirements of, and to comply with, the GDPR and the CCPA, as well as new and existing data-related laws and regulations of 
other  jurisdictions,  could  be  challenged,  including  by  authorities  that  regulate  data-related  compliance.    The  Company’s 
ongoing compliance measures could result in the incurrence of significant expense in facilitating and responding to regulatory 
investigations, and if the measures initiated by the Company are deemed to be inadequate, the Company could be subject to 
litigation  or  enforcement  actions  that  may  require  operational  changes,  fines,  penalties  or  damages,  which  could  have  an 
adverse impact on the Company’s business or results of operations.

Changes in Tax Rules.  Matthews is subject to domestic and international tax laws and cannot predict the scope or effect of 
future tax law changes. Domestically, the U.S. Department of Treasury has broad authority to issue regulations and interpretive 
guidance.  The  Company  has  applied  available  guidance  to  estimate  its  tax  obligations,  but  new  guidance  may  cause  the 
Company to make adjustments to its tax estimates in future periods. 

Compliance with Foreign Laws and Regulations.  Due to the international scope of the Company's operations, Matthews is 
subject to a complex system of commercial and trade regulations around the world, and the Company's foreign operations are 
governed by laws, rules and business practices that often differ from those of the United States. The Company cannot predict 
the nature, scope or effect of future regulatory requirements to which the Company's operations might be subject or the manner 
in which existing laws might be administered or interpreted, which could have a material and negative impact on the Company's 
business and results of operation.  For example, recent years have seen an increase in the development and enforcement of laws 
and regulations regarding trade compliance, economic sanctions, anti-money laundering, and anti-corruption, such as the U.S. 
Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar laws in other countries. While Matthews maintains a variety of internal policies and 
controls and takes steps, including periodic training and internal audits, that the Company believes are reasonably calculated to 
discourage, prevent and detect violations of such laws, the Company cannot guarantee that such actions will be effective or that 
individual  employees  will  not  engage  in  inappropriate  behavior  in  contravention  of  the  Company's  policies  and  instructions. 
Such conduct, or even the allegation thereof, could result in costly investigations and the imposition of severe criminal or civil 
sanctions, could disrupt the Company's business, and could materially and adversely affect the Company's reputation, business 
and results of operations or financial condition.

Further, the Company is subject to laws and regulations worldwide affecting its operations outside the United States in areas 
including, but not limited to, intellectual property ownership and infringement, tax, customs, import and export requirements, 
economic  sanctions,  anti-money  laundering,  anti-corruption  and  anti-bribery,  foreign  exchange  controls  and  cash  repatriation 
restrictions, foreign investment, data privacy requirements, anti-competition, pensions and social insurance, employment, and 
environment, health, and safety. Compliance with these laws and regulations may be onerous and expensive and requirements 
may  differ  among  jurisdictions.    Further,  the  promulgation  of  new  laws,  changes  in  existing  laws  and  abrogation  of  local 
regulations by national laws may have a negative impact on the Company's business and prospects.  In addition, certain laws 
and regulations are relatively new and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainties. There can be no 
assurance that any of these factors will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, results of operations or 
financial condition.

General Risk Factors:

Changes in Economic Conditions.  Generally, changes in domestic and international economic conditions affect the industries 
in which the Company and its customers and suppliers operate.  These changes include changes in the rate of consumption or 
use of the Company's products due to economic downturns, volatility in currency exchange rates, and changes in raw material 
prices resulting from supply and/or demand conditions.

13

ITEM 1A.

RISK FACTORS, (continued)

Uncertainty about current global economic conditions poses a risk, as consumers and businesses may continue to postpone or 
cancel spending.  Other factors that could influence customer spending include energy costs, conditions in the credit markets, 
consumer confidence, global pandemics, and other factors affecting consumer spending behavior.  These and other economic 
factors could have an effect on demand for the Company's products and services and negatively impact the Company's financial 
condition and results of operations.

Labor shortages, turnover and labor cost increases.  Labor is a significant component of the Company's operations. Several 
factors may adversely affect the labor force available to Matthews or increase labor costs (i.e., labor rates and overtime levels), 
including  high  employment  levels,  unemployment  subsidies,  increased  wages  offered  by  other  employers,  vaccine  mandates 
and  other  government  regulations  and  the  Company’s  responses  thereto.  An  overall  labor  shortage,  lack  of  skilled  labor, 
increased  turnover,  or  labor  inflation,  caused  by  pandemics  or  as  a  result  of  general  macroeconomic  factors,  could  have  a 
material adverse impact on the Company’s business and operating results.

Cybersecurity and Data Breaches.  In the course of business, the Company collects and stores sensitive data and proprietary 
business information. The Company could be subject to service outages or breaches of security systems which may result in 
disruption,  unauthorized  access,  misappropriation,  or  corruption  of  this  information.  Security  breaches  of  the  Company's 
network  or  data  including  physical  or  electronic  break-ins,  vendor  service  outages,  computer  viruses,  attacks  by  hackers  or 
similar breaches can create system disruptions, shutdowns, or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information. Although the 
Company is not aware of any significant incidents to date, if it is unable to prevent, detect and timely remediate such security or 
privacy breaches, its operations could be disrupted or the Company may suffer legal claims, loss of reputation, financial loss, 
property damage, or regulatory penalties because of lost or misappropriated information.

Effectiveness of Internal Controls.  Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires a comprehensive evaluation of 
the Company's internal control over financial reporting. To comply with this statute, the Company is required to document and 
test its internal control over financial reporting, management is required to assess and issue a report concerning internal control 
over financial reporting, and the Company's independent registered public accounting firm is required to attest to and report on 
the Company's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Any failure to maintain or implement 
required  new  or  improved  controls  could  cause  the  Company  to  fail  to  meet  its  periodic  reporting  obligations  or  result  in 
material misstatements in the consolidated financial statements, and substantial costs and resources may be required to rectify 
these  or  other  internal  control  deficiencies.  If  the  Company  cannot  produce  reliable  financial  reports,  investors  could  lose 
confidence in the Company's reported financial information, the market price of the Company's common stock could decline 
significantly, and its business, financial condition, and reputation could be harmed.

Compliance with Securities Laws and Regulations; Conflict Minerals Reporting.  The Company is required to comply with 
various securities laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd-Frank Wall 
Street  Reform  and  Consumer  Protection  Act  ("Dodd-Frank").  Dodd-Frank  contains  provisions,  among  others,  designed  to 
improve  transparency  and  accountability  concerning  the  supply  chains  of  certain  minerals  originating  from  the  Democratic 
Republic of Congo and adjoining countries that are believed to be benefiting armed groups ("Conflict Minerals"). While Dodd-
Frank  does  not  prohibit  companies  from  using  Conflict  Minerals,  the  SEC  mandates  due  diligence,  disclosure  and  reporting 
requirements  for  companies  for  which  Conflict  Minerals  are  necessary  to  the  functionality  or  production  of  a  product.  The 
Company's  efforts  to  comply  with  Dodd-Frank  and  other  evolving  laws,  regulations  and  standards  could  result  in  increased 
costs and expenses related to compliance and potential violations.

ITEM 1B.  UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.

Not applicable.

14

ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES.

The  Company's  facilities  provide  adequate  space  for  meeting  its  near-term  production  requirements.  Significant  principal 
properties of the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries as of October 31, 2021 were as follows (properties, which are 
unencumbered, are owned by the Company except as noted): 

Location

SGK Brand Solutions:

Chennai, India
Cleckheaton, England
Dachnow, Poland
East Butler, PA
Goslar, Germany
Grenzach-Wyhlen, Germany
Izmir, Turkey
Manchester, England
Minneapolis, MN
Mississauga, Canada
Mönchengladbach, Germany
Novgorod, Russia
Penang, Malaysia
Vreden, Germany
Memorialization:

Pittsburgh, PA
Apopka, FL
Aurora, IN
Colorno, Italy
Dallas, TX
Dandenong, Australia
Elberton, GA
Fontana, CA
Harrisburg, PA
Hyde, England
Indianapolis, IN
Monterrey, Mexico
Richmond, IN
Searcy, AR
Stone Mountain, GA
Whittier, CA
York, PA
Industrial Technologies:

Pittsburgh, PA
Cincinnati, OH
Gothenburg, Sweden
Lima, Costa Rica
Pewaukee, WI
Wilsonville, OR
Corporate and Administrative Offices:

Pittsburgh, PA
Des Plaines, IL

Description of Property

Operating facility
Operating facility
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Operating facility
Operating facility
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Operating facility
Manufacturing and Operating facilities

Manufacturing / Division Offices
Manufacturing / Division Offices
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Distribution Hub
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Distribution Hub
Distribution Hub
Manufacturing
Distribution Hub
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Distribution Hub
Manufacturing
Manufacturing

Manufacturing / Division Offices
Manufacturing / Distribution 
Manufacturing / Distribution
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing

General Offices
General Offices

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(2)

(1)

(1)

(1)  (2)

(2)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(2)

These properties are leased by the Company under operating lease arrangements. 
In the first quarter of fiscal 2022, the Company transferred its surfaces and engineered products businesses from the SGK Brand Solutions segment to 
the Industrial Technologies segment. Following such change, these properties were transferred to the Industrial Technologies segment.  The Vreden, 
Germany location represents a shared facility for both business segments.

15

 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

Matthews is subject to various legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business.  Management does not 
expect that the results of any of these legal proceedings will have a material adverse effect on Matthews' financial condition, 
results of operations or cash flows.

ITEM 4.  MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.

Not applicable.

16

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE REGISTRANT

The following information is furnished with respect to officers and executive management as of October 31, 2021:

Name

Age

Positions with Registrant

Joseph C. Bartolacci

Ronald C. Awenowicz

Gregory S. Babe

Davor Brkovich

Brian J. Dunn

Steven D. Gackenbach

Reena Gurtner

Gary R. Kohl

Steven F. Nicola

Brian D. Walters

61

52

64

53

64

58

47

58

61

52

President and Chief Executive Officer

Senior Vice President, Global Compliance, Operations and N.A. Human Resources

Chief Technology Officer

Head of IT and Chief Information Officer

Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development

Group President, Memorialization

Senior Vice President, Global Talent and EMEA/APAC Human Resources

President, SGK Brand Solutions

Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Joseph C. Bartolacci was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer effective October 2006.

Ronald  C.  Awenowicz  was  appointed  Senior  Vice  President,  Global  Compliance,  Operations  and  North  America  Human 
Resources effective July 2021.  Prior thereto, he served as Vice President of Americas Human Resources since May 2020 and 
prior thereto he served as Global Head of Human Resources Operations since February 2015, when he joined the Company.

Gregory S. Babe was appointed Chief Technology Officer effective November 2015.  

Davor  Brkovich  was  appointed  Head  of  IT  and  Chief  Information  Officer  effective  November  2019.    Prior  thereto,  he  had 
been interim Head of IT and Chief Information Officer since February 2019 and prior thereto he served as Director, Global IT 
Infrastructure  since  January  2017,  when  he  joined  the  Company.  Prior  to  joining  the  Company,  he  served  as  the  Head  of  IT 
Operations at the Kraft Heinz Company since August 2015.

Brian J. Dunn was appointed Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development effective July 2014.  

Steven D. Gackenbach was appointed Group President, Memorialization effective October 31, 2011.  

Reena Gurtner was appointed Senior Vice President, Global Talent and EMEA/APAC Human Resources effective July 2021. 
Prior thereto, she served as Vice President, Human Resources APAC, Middle East and Africa since May 2020 and prior thereto 
she served as Regional Director of Human Resources APAC since January 2013.

Gary R. Kohl was appointed President, SGK Brand Solutions effective May 2017. Prior thereto, he served as Executive Vice 
President, SGK Global Business Development since December 2015 when he joined the Company. 

Steven F. Nicola was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Secretary effective December 2003.

Brian  D.  Walters  was  appointed  Senior  Vice  President  and  General  Counsel  effective  February  2018.  Prior  thereto,  Mr. 
Walters served as Vice President and General Counsel since February 2009.

17

 
PART II

ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.

Market Information:

The authorized common stock of the Company consists of 70,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, $1.00 par value.  At 
September  30,  2021,  31,482,575  shares  were  outstanding.    The  Company's  Class  A  Common  Stock  is  traded  on  the  Nasdaq 
Global Select Market under the symbol "MATW".  

The Company has a stock repurchase program. The buy-back program is designed to increase shareholder value, enlarge the 
Company's  holdings  of  its  common  stock,  and  add  to  earnings  per  share.    Repurchased  shares  may  be  retained  in  treasury, 
utilized  for  acquisitions,  or  reissued  to  employees  or  other  purchasers,  subject  to  the  restrictions  set  forth  in  the  Company's 
Restated Articles of Incorporation. On July 28, 2021, the Company's Board of Directors approved the continuation of the stock 
repurchase program and increased the authorization for stock repurchases by an additional 2,500,000 shares.  Under the current 
authorization,  2,658,627  shares  remain  available  for  repurchase  as  of  September  30,  2021.    All  purchases  of  the  Company's 
common stock during fiscal 2021 were part of this repurchase program. 

The following table shows the monthly fiscal 2021 stock repurchase activity:

Period

Total number 
of shares 
purchased

Weighted-
average price 
paid per share
22.25 
25.82 
27.99 
— 
— 
41.36 
— 
— 
36.53 
35.19 
33.82 
36.81 
31.21 

40,000  $ 
34,789 
87,502 
— 
— 
6,000 
— 
— 
45,584 
50,842 
109,248 
6,144 
380,109  $ 

Total number 
of shares 
purchased as 
part of a 
publicly 
announced 
plan

40,000 
34,789 
87,502 
— 
— 
6,000 
— 
— 
45,584 
50,842 
109,248 
6,144 
380,109 

Maximum 
number of 
shares that 
may yet be 
purchased 
under the plan
498,736 
463,947 
376,445 
376,445 
376,445 
370,445 
370,445 
370,445 
324,861 
2,774,019 
2,664,771 
2,658,627 

October 2020
November 2020
December 2020
January 2021
February 2021
March 2021
April 2021
May 2021
June 2021
July 2021
August 2021
September 2021

Total

Holders:

Based on records available to the Company, the number of record holders of the Company's common stock was 544 at October 
31, 2021.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans:

See Equity Compensation Plans in Item 12 "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management." 

18

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS, (continued)

PERFORMANCE GRAPH

COMPARISON OF FIVE-YEAR CUMULATIVE RETURN *
AMONG MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION,
S&P 500 INDEX AND RUSSELL 2000 VALUE INDEX

This graph compares the return on Matthews’ Common Stock with that of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Russell 2000 
Value  Index  for  the  period  from  October  1,  2016  through  September  30,  2021.  The  graph  assumes  that  on  October  1,  2016, 
$100 was invested in each of the Company’s Common Stock, Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Russell 2000 Value Index. The 
graph measures total stockholder return, which takes into account both changes in stock price and dividends. It assumes that 
dividends paid are invested in like securities.

The following graph compares the total return on the Company’s Common Stock with that of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index 
and the Russell 2000 Value Index.  The results are not necessarily indicative of future performance.

*  Total return assumes dividend reinvestment

ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA.

Not applicable.

19

Fiscal Year Ended September 30Index ValueMatthewsS&P 500Russell 2000 Value201620172018201920202021$50$100$150$200$250$300$350ITEM  7.    MANAGEMENT'S  DISCUSSION  AND  ANALYSIS  OF  FINANCIAL  CONDITION  AND  RESULTS  OF 
OPERATIONS.

The  following  discussion  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of  Matthews  and  related 
notes  thereto.    In  addition,  see  "Cautionary  Statement  Regarding  Forward-Looking  Information"  included  in  Part  I  of  this 
Annual Report on Form 10-K.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS:

The  Company  manages  its  businesses  under  three  segments:  SGK  Brand  Solutions,  Memorialization  and  Industrial 
Technologies.  The  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  consists  of  brand  management,  pre-media  services,  printing  plates  and 
cylinders, engineered products (including energy solutions), imaging services, digital asset management, merchandising display 
systems,  and  marketing  and  design  services  primarily  for  the  consumer  goods  and  retail  industries.    The  Memorialization 
segment  consists  primarily  of  bronze  and  granite  memorials  and  other  memorialization  products,  caskets  and  cremation  and 
incineration equipment primarily for the cemetery and funeral home industries. The Industrial Technologies segment includes 
marking and coding equipment and consumables, industrial automation products and order fulfillment systems for identifying, 
tracking, picking and conveying consumer and industrial products.  Effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, the Company 
transferred  its  surfaces  and  engineered  products  businesses  from  the  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  to  the  Industrial 
Technologies segment.  This business segment change is consistent with internal management structure and reporting changes 
effective for fiscal 2022.

The Company's primary measure of segment profitability is adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and 
amortization ("adjusted EBITDA").  Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as earnings before interest, income taxes, 
depreciation,  amortization  and  certain  non-cash  and/or  non-recurring  items  that  do  not  contribute  directly  to  management’s 
evaluation  of  its  operating  results.    These  items  include  stock-based  compensation,  the  non-service  portion  of  pension  and 
postretirement expense, acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges.  This presentation is 
consistent  with  how  the  Company's  chief  operating  decision  maker  (the  “CODM”)  evaluates  the  results  of  operations  and 
makes  strategic  decisions  about  the  business.  For  these  reasons,  the  Company  believes  that  adjusted  EBITDA  represents  the 
most relevant measure of segment profit and loss. 

In  addition,  the  CODM  manages  and  evaluates  the  operating  performance  of  the  segments,  as  described  above,  on  a  pre-
corporate cost allocation basis.  Accordingly, for segment reporting purposes, the Company does not allocate corporate costs to 
its reportable segments.  Corporate costs include management and administrative support to the Company, which consists of 
certain  aspects  of  the  Company’s  executive  management,  legal,  compliance,  human  resources,  information  technology 
(including operational support) and finance departments.  These costs are included within "Corporate and Non-Operating" in 
the  following  table  to  reconcile  to  consolidated  adjusted  EBITDA  and  are  not  considered  a  separate  reportable  segment.  
Management  does  not  allocate  non-operating  items  such  as  investment  income,  other  income  (deductions),  net  and 
noncontrolling interest to the segments.

20

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

The  following  table  sets  forth  sales  and  adjusted  EBITDA  for  the  Company's  SGK  Brand  Solutions,  Memorialization  and 
Industrial Technologies segments for each of the last three fiscal years.  Refer to Note 19, "Segment Information" in Item 8 - 
"Financial Statements and Supplemental Data" for the Company's financial information by segment.

Sales to external customers:
SGK Brand Solutions
Memorialization
Industrial Technologies
Consolidated Sales

Adjusted EBITDA:

SGK Brand Solutions
Memorialization
Industrial Technologies
Corporate and Non-Operating
Total Adjusted EBITDA(1)

2021

Years Ended September 30,
2020
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

2019

726,895  $ 
769,016 
175,119 
1,671,030  $ 

693,093  $ 
656,035 
149,178 
1,498,306  $ 

743,869 
636,892 
156,515 
1,537,276 

99,665  $ 
165,653 
26,659 
(64,227)   
227,750  $ 

90,644  $ 
146,285 
22,753 
(56,602)   
203,080  $ 

119,493 
134,286 
24,082 
(56,989) 
220,872 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(1) Total Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" section below.

Comparison of Fiscal 2021 and Fiscal 2020:

Sales for the year ended September 30, 2021 were $1.67 billion, compared to $1.50 billion for the year ended September 30, 
2020,  representing  an  increase  of  $172.7  million.    The  increase  in  fiscal  2021  sales  reflected  higher  sales  in  all  of  the 
Company's segments.  Changes in foreign currency exchange rates were estimated to have a favorable impact of $30.2 million 
on fiscal 2021 consolidated sales compared to a year ago.  Fiscal 2021 sales continued to be impacted by the global outbreak of 
COVID-19, which has caused some commercial impacts in certain of the Company's segments and geographic locations.  These 
impacts  have  included  higher  sales  volumes  for  memorialization  products  and  services,  but  have  also  included  temporary 
business disruptions and customer project delays for certain of the Company's businesses.  Additionally, recent increases in the 
cost  of  certain  raw  materials  and  other  inflationary  pressures  have  had  an  unfavorable  impact  on  the  Company's  results  of 
operations.  While  substantially  all  of  the  Company's  operations  have  remained  open  during  the  COVID-19  pandemic, 
management  expects  COVID-19  to  continue  to  impact  its  sales  and  results  of  operations  in  the  short-term  as  the  pandemic 
subsides (see "Forward Looking Information" below).

In the SGK Brand Solutions segment, sales for fiscal 2021 were $726.9 million, compared to $693.1 million in fiscal 2020.  The 
increase primarily resulted from higher sales of purpose-built engineered products (primarily energy storage solutions for the 
electric vehicle market), increased cylinder (packaging) sales, and higher brand sales in the Europe and Asia-Pacific markets.  
These increases were partially offset by lower retail-based sales (principally merchandising solutions and private label brand 
market  sales),  decreased  brand  sales  in  the  U.S.,  and  reduced  sales  of  surfaces  products  in  Europe,  all  of  which  were 
unfavorably impacted by COVID-19.  Changes in foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact of $23.3 million on 
the segment's sales compared to the prior year.  Memorialization segment sales for fiscal 2021 were $769.0 million, compared 
to  $656.0  million  for  fiscal  2020.    The  increase  in  sales  resulted  from  a  significant  increase  in  unit  sales  of  caskets  due  to 
COVID-19.    The  segment  also  reported  higher  sales  of  bronze  and  granite  memorial  products,  mausoleums,  and  cremation 
equipment.  The increase in sales also reflected improved price realization and benefits from a recently completed acquisition of 
a small cemetery products business.  Changes in foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact of $4.4 million on the 
segment's  sales  compared  to  the  prior  year.    Industrial  Technologies  segment  sales  for  fiscal  2021  were  $175.1  million, 
compared  to  $149.2  million  for  fiscal  2020.    The  sales  increase  primarily  reflected  higher  sales  of  warehouse  automation 
systems and increased product identification sales.  Changes in foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact of $2.6 
million on the segment's sales compared to the prior year.

21

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

Gross  profit  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  2021  was  $541.8  million,  compared  to  $497.8  million  for  fiscal  2020.  
Consolidated gross profit as a percent of sales was 32.4% and 33.2% in fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2020, respectively.  The increase 
in  gross  profit  primarily  reflected  higher  sales,  benefits  from  the  realization  of  productivity  improvements  and  other  cost-
reduction initiatives, and improved margins for cylinder (packaging) products within the SGK Brand Solutions segment.  These 
improvements  were  partially  offset  by  the  impact  of  higher  material  and  transportation  costs,  particularly  in  the 
Memorialization  segment,  ongoing  price  competition  in  the  brand  market,  and  lower  margins  on  certain  cremation  and 
incineration projects.  Higher material costs in the Memorialization segment reflected a significant increase in commodity costs, 
particularly steel, lumber and bronze ingot.  Gross profit also included acquisition integration costs and other charges primarily 
in connection with cost-reduction initiatives totaling $17.3 million and $12.4 million in fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Selling and administrative expenses for the year ended September 30, 2021 were $415.6 million, compared to $400.0 million 
for fiscal 2020.  Consolidated selling and administrative expenses, as a percent of sales, were 24.9% for fiscal 2021, compared 
to 26.7% in fiscal 2020.  The increase in selling and administrative expenses reflected higher performance-based compensation 
compared  to  fiscal  2020,  partially  offset  by  benefits  from  ongoing  cost-reduction  initiatives,  and  reduced  travel  and 
entertainment ("T&E") costs reflecting travel limitations resulting from the pandemic.  Selling and administrative expenses also 
included  acquisition  integration  and  related  systems-integration  costs,  and  other  charges  primarily  in  connection  with  cost-
reduction  initiatives  totaling  $17.5  million  in  fiscal  2021,  compared  to  $31.5  million  in  fiscal  2020.    Fiscal  2020  selling  and 
administrative expenses also included an $11.2 million gain on the sale of an ownership interest in a Memorialization business 
and a $10.6 million charge for a legal matter involving a letter of credit for a customer in Saudi Arabia.  Intangible amortization 
for the year ended September 30, 2021 was $84.2 million, compared to $71.5 million for fiscal 2020.  The increase in intangible 
amortization reflected $15.2 million of incremental amortization resulting from a reduction in useful lives for certain customer 
relationships.  Intangible amortization also included accelerated amortization resulting from the fiscal 2019 reduction in useful 
lives for certain trade names that are being discontinued.  Amortization for these trade names totaled $35.5 million and $37.5 
million in fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2020, respectively.  During the second quarter of fiscal 2020, the Company recorded a goodwill 
write-down totaling $90.4 million related to its two reporting units within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (Graphics Imaging 
and  Cylinders,  Surfaces  and  Engineered  Products).    Refer  to  Note  21,  "Goodwill  and  Other  Intangible  Assets"  in  Item  8  - 
"Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" for further details.

Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2021 was $227.8 million, compared to $203.1 million for fiscal 2020.  Adjusted EBITDA for the 
SGK Brand Solutions segment for fiscal 2021 was $99.7 million, compared to $90.6 million for fiscal 2020.  The increase in 
segment adjusted EBITDA primarily reflected the impact of higher sales, benefits from cost-reduction initiatives, reduced T&E 
costs,  and  improved  margins  for  cylinders  and  engineered  products.    Changes  in  foreign  currency  exchange  rates  had  a 
favorable impact of $2.0 million on the segment's adjusted EBITDA compared to the prior year.  These increases were partially 
offset by increased performance-based compensation compared to fiscal 2020, and the impact of ongoing price competition in 
the brand market.  Memorialization segment adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2021 was $165.7 million, compared to $146.3 million 
for  fiscal  2020.    The  increase  in  segment  adjusted  EBITDA  primarily  reflected  the  impact  of  higher  sales,  benefits  from 
productivity  initiatives,  lower  T&E  costs,  and  benefits  from  a  recently  completed  acquisition  of  a  small  cemetery  products 
business.    These  increases  were  partially  offset  by  the  impact  of  higher  material  and  transportation  costs,  increased 
performance-based compensation compared to fiscal 2020, and lower margins on certain cremation and incineration projects.  
Adjusted  EBITDA  for  the  Industrial  Technologies  segment  for  fiscal  2021  was  $26.7  million,  compared  to  $22.8  million  in 
fiscal 2020.  Industrial Technologies segment adjusted EBITDA primarily reflected the impact of higher warehouse automation 
and product identification sales, and reduced T&E costs, partially offset by increased performance-based compensation expense 
and higher product development costs.  Changes in foreign currency exchange rates had a favorable impact of $545,000 on the 
segment's adjusted EBITDA compared to the prior year.

Investment income for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 was $2.6 million, compared to $2.0 million for the year ended 
September 30, 2020.  Investment income for both fiscal years primarily reflected changes in the value of investments (primarily 
marketable  securities)  held  in  trust  for  certain  of  the  Company's  benefit  plans.    Interest  expense  for  fiscal  2021  was  $28.7 
million, compared to $34.9 million in fiscal 2020.  The decrease in interest expense reflected a decrease in average borrowing 
levels and lower average interest rates in the current fiscal year.  Other income (deductions), net for the year ended September 
30, 2021 represented a decrease in pre-tax income of $6.8 million, compared to a decrease in pre-tax income of $9.2 million in 
fiscal 2020. Other income (deductions), net includes the non-service components of pension and postretirement expense, which 
totaled $5.8 million and $7.8 million in fiscal years 2021 and 2020, respectively.  Other income (deductions), net also includes 
banking-related fees and the impact of currency gains and losses on certain intercompany debt and foreign denominated cash 
balances.  

22

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

The Company's consolidated income taxes for the year ended September 30, 2021 were an expense of $6.4 million, compared 
to a benefit of $18.7 million for fiscal 2020. The difference between the Company's consolidated income taxes for fiscal 2021 
compared  to  fiscal  2020  primarily  resulted  from  fiscal  2021  having  consolidated  income  before  income  taxes,  compared  to 
fiscal 2020 having a consolidated loss, which reflected the goodwill write-down recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2020, 
that  was  partially  non-deductible.    Additionally,  the  fiscal  2021  tax  rate  was  negatively  impacted  by  the  termination  of  the 
Company's  Supplemental  Retirement  Plan  ("SERP"),  which  resulted  in  certain  expenses  that  are  nondeductible  for  tax 
purposes.  The fiscal 2021 effective tax rate benefited from research and development and foreign tax credits, the reduction of 
uncertain tax positions due to the expiration of the statute of limitations in certain jurisdictions, and the completion of a state tax 
audit, and the tax benefit of the NOL carryback. The Company’s fiscal 2020 effective tax rate was negatively affected by the 
non-deductible portion of the goodwill write-down along with certain other non-deductible expenses.  The fiscal 2020 effective 
tax  rate  benefited  from  research  and  development  and  foreign  tax  credits,  the  reduction  of  uncertain  tax  positions  due  to  the 
completion of a foreign tax audit, and the tax benefit of the NOL carryback.  Refer to Note 16, “Income Taxes” in Item 8 - 
“Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” for further details regarding income taxes.

Net losses attributable to noncontrolling interests were $52,000 in fiscal 2021, compared to $497,000 in fiscal 2020.  The net 
losses attributable to noncontrolling interests primarily reflected losses in less than wholly-owned businesses.

Comparison of Fiscal 2020 and Fiscal 2019:

For  a  comparison  of  the  Company's  results  of  operations  for  the  fiscal  years  ended  September  30,  2020  and  September  30, 
2019,  see  "Part  II,  Item  7.  Management's  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial  Condition  and  Results  of  Operation"  of  the 
Company's  annual  report  on  Form  10-K  for  the  fiscal  year  ended  September  30,  2020  filed  with  the  SEC  on  November  20, 
2020.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES: 

Included in this report are measures of financial performance that are not defined by GAAP. The Company uses non-GAAP 
financial  measures  to  assist  in  comparing  its  performance  on  a  consistent  basis  for  purposes  of  business  decision-making  by 
removing the impact of certain items that management believes do not directly reflect the Company’s core operations including 
acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, strategic initiative and other charges (which includes non-recurring charges related to 
operational initiatives and exit activities), stock-based compensation and the non-service portion of pension and postretirement 
expense.  Management  believes  that  presenting  non-GAAP  financial  measures  is  useful  to  investors  because  it  (i)  provides 
investors  with  meaningful  supplemental  information  regarding  financial  performance  by  excluding  certain  items  that 
management believes do not directly reflect the Company's core operations, (ii) permits investors to view performance using the 
same  tools  that  management  uses  to  budget,  forecast,  make  operating  and  strategic  decisions,  and  evaluate  historical 
performance,  and  (iii)  otherwise  provides  supplemental  information  that  may  be  useful  to  investors  in  evaluating  the 
Company’s  results.  The  Company  believes  that  the  presentation  of  these  non-GAAP  financial  measures,  when  considered 
together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures and the reconciliations to those measures, provided herein, provides 
investors with an additional understanding of the factors and trends affecting the Company’s business that could not be obtained 
absent these disclosures. 

The  Company  believes  that  adjusted  EBITDA  provides  relevant  and  useful  information,  which  is  used  by  the  Company’s 
management  in  assessing  the  performance  of  its  business.  Adjusted  EBITDA  is  defined  by  the  Company  as  earnings  before 
interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization and certain non-cash and/or non-recurring items that do not contribute directly 
to management’s evaluation of its operating results. These items include stock-based compensation, the non-service portion of 
pension  and  postretirement  expense,  acquisition  costs,  ERP  integration  costs,  and  strategic  initiatives  and  other  charges. 
Adjusted  EBITDA  provides  the  Company  with  an  understanding  of  earnings  before  the  impact  of  investing  and  financing 
charges  and  income  taxes,  and  the  effects  of  certain  acquisition  and  ERP  integration  costs,  and  items  that  do  not  reflect  the 
ordinary earnings of the Company’s operations. This measure may be useful to an investor in evaluating operating performance. 
It is also useful as a financial measure for lenders and is used by the Company’s management to measure business performance. 
Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of the Company's financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an 
alternative to net income or other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flow 
from operating activities as a measure of the Company's liquidity. The Company's definition of adjusted EBITDA may not be 
comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

23

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

The reconciliation of net income to adjusted EBITDA is as follows: 

2021

Years Ended September 30,
2020
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

2019

Net income (loss)
Income tax provision (benefit)
Income (loss) before income taxes
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
Interest expense
Depreciation and amortization *
Acquisition related items (1)**
ERP integration costs (2)**
Strategic initiatives and other charges: (3)**
Workforce reductions and related costs
Other cost-reduction initiatives

Legal matter reserve (4)
Non-recurring / incremental COVID-19 costs (5)***
Goodwill write-downs (6)
Net realized (gains) losses on divestitures and asset dispositions:
(Gain) loss on sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries (7)
Realized loss on cost-method investments (8)
Net gains from the sale of buildings and vacant properties (9)

$ 

2,858  $ 
6,375 
9,233 
52 
28,684 
133,512 
541 
1,037 

10,644 
17,317 
— 
5,312 
— 

(87,652)  $ 
(18,685)   
(106,337)   

497 
34,885 
119,058 
3,440 
2,296 

9,232 
25,718 
10,566 
3,908 
90,408 

— 
— 
— 
— 
15,581 
5,837 
227,750  $ 

(11,208)   

— 
— 
4,732 
8,096 
7,789 
203,080  $ 

(38,889) 
806 
(38,083) 
901 
40,962 
90,793 
10,084 
7,508 

5,061 
9,176 
— 
— 
77,572 

6,469 
4,731 
(7,347) 
1,514 
7,729 
3,802 
220,872 

Joint Venture depreciation, amortization, interest expense and other charges (10)
Stock-based compensation 
Non-service pension and postretirement expense (11)
Total Adjusted EBITDA

$ 

(1) Includes certain non-recurring items associated with recent acquisition activities.
(2) Represents costs associated with global ERP system integration efforts. 
(3)  Includes  certain  non-recurring  costs  primarily  associated  with  productivity  and  cost-reduction  initiatives  intended  to  result  in  improved  operating 
performance, profitability and working capital levels.
(4) Represents a reserve established for a legal matter involving a letter of credit for a customer in Saudi Arabia within the Memorialization segment (see Note 
9, "Long Term Debt" in Item 8 - “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data”).
(5) Includes certain non-recurring direct incremental costs (such as costs for purchases of computer peripherals and devices to facilitate working-from-home, 
additional  personal  protective  equipment  and  cleaning  supplies  and  services,  etc.)  incurred  in  response  to  COVID-19.  This  amount  does  not  include  the 
impact of any lost sales or underutilization due to COVID-19.
(6) Represents goodwill write-downs within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (see Note 21, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets" in Item 8 - “Financial 
Statements and Supplementary Data”).
(7) Represents the (gain) loss on the sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries within the Memorialization segment.
(8) Includes gains/losses related to cost-method investments, and related assets, within the SGK Brand Solutions and Memorialization segments. 
(9) Includes significant building and vacant property transactions resulting in a gain of $8.7 million within the Industrial Technologies segment and losses of 
$915,000 and $401,000 within the SGK Brand Solutions and Memorialization segments, respectively.
(10) Represents the Company's portion of depreciation, intangible amortization, interest expense, and other non-recurring charges incurred by non-consolidated 
subsidiaries accounted for as equity-method investments within the Memorialization segment.
(11)  Non-service  pension  and  postretirement  expense  includes  interest  cost,  expected  return  on  plan  assets,  amortization  of  actuarial  gains  and  losses,  and 
curtailment  gains  and  losses.  These  benefit  cost  components  are  excluded  from  adjusted  EBITDA  since  they  are  primarily  influenced  by  external  market 
conditions that impact investment returns and interest (discount) rates. Curtailment gains and losses are excluded from Adjusted EBITDA since they generally 
result from certain non-recurring events, such as plan amendments to modify future benefits. The service cost and prior service cost components of pension 
and postretirement expense are included in the calculation of adjusted EBITDA, since they are considered to be a better reflection of the ongoing service-
related costs of providing these benefits. Please note that GAAP pension and postretirement expense or the adjustment above are not necessarily indicative of 
the current or future cash flow requirements related to these employee benefit plans.

* Depreciation and amortization was $99.5 million, $87.6 million, and $59.7 million for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, $23.0 million, $20.5 million, and 
$19.7 million for the Memorialization segment, $5.6 million, $5.8 million, and $6.2 million for the Industrial Technologies segment, and $5.4 million, $5.2 
million, and $5.2 million for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. 

24

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

** Acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges were $16.3 million, $14.7 million, and $8.9 million for the SGK Brand 
Solutions segment and $11.3 million, $23.0 million, and $19.9 million for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021, 2020, 
and  2019,  respectively.  Acquisition  costs,  ERP  integration  costs,  and  strategic  initiatives  and  other  charges  were  $1.9  million  and  $2.7  million  for  the 
Memorialization  segment  for  the  fiscal  years  ended  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  respectively.  Acquisition  costs,  ERP  integration  costs,  and  strategic 
initiatives and other charges were $268,000 and $3.1 million for the Industrial Technologies segment for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, 
respectively.
*** Non-recurring/incremental COVID-19 costs were $1.6 million and $1.5 million for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, $3.6 million and $1.8 million for 
the Memorialization segment, $14,000 and $21,000 for the Industrial Technologies segment, and $89,000 and $615,000 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for 
the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES:

Net  cash  provided  by  operating  activities  was  $162.8  million  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  2021,  compared  to  $180.4 
million  and  $131.1  million  for  fiscal  years  2020  and  2019,  respectively.    Fiscal  2021  operating  cash  flow  reflected  a  $15.0 
million discretionary contribution to fund the Company's principal defined benefit retirement plan ("DB Plan").  Operating cash 
flow  for  fiscal  2021  principally  included  net  income  adjusted  for  deferred  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization,  stock-based 
compensation expense, net gains related to investments, and non-cash pension expense, and changes in working capital items.  
The favorable movements in working capital in fiscal 2021 primarily reflected the Company's continued emphasis on working 
capital  management,  particularly  trade  accounts  payable.    Operating  cash  flow  for  fiscal  2020  principally  included  net  (loss) 
income  adjusted  for  deferred  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization,  stock-based  compensation  expense,  net  losses  related  to 
goodwill and investments, and non-cash pension expense, and changes in working capital items.  The favorable movements in 
working capital in fiscal 2020 primarily reflected enhanced accounts receivable collection efforts and effective management of 
trade accounts payable.  Operating cash flow for fiscal 2019 principally included net (loss) income adjusted for deferred taxes, 
depreciation  and  amortization,  stock-based  compensation  expense,  net  losses  related  to  goodwill  and  investments,  net  gains 
from sale of buildings and other property, and non-cash pension expense, and changes in working capital items.

Cash used in investing activities was $13.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2021, compared to $2.7 million and $60.8 
million for fiscal years 2020 and 2019, respectively.  Investing activities for fiscal 2021 primarily reflected capital expenditures 
of $34.3 million, acquisition payments (net of cash acquired or received from sellers) of $15.6 million, proceeds from the sale 
of investments of $34.2 million, and proceeds from sale of assets of $2.8 million.  Investing activities for fiscal 2020 primarily 
reflected  capital  expenditures  of  $34.8  million,  acquisition  payments  (net  of  cash  acquired  or  received  from  sellers)  of  $1.0 
million,  proceeds  of  $42.2  million  from  the  sale  of  an  ownership  interest  in  a  pet  cremation  business,  and  investments  and 
advances  of  $9.7  million.    Investing  activities  for  fiscal  2019  primarily  reflected  capital  expenditures  of  $37.7  million, 
acquisition payments (net of cash acquired or received from sellers) of $11.5 million, proceeds of $13.3 million from the sale of 
assets, proceeds of $8.3 million from the sale of a controlling interest in a Memorialization business, and additional investments 
made in non-consolidated subsidiaries of $33.1 million.

Capital expenditures were $34.3 million for the year ended September 30, 2021, compared to $34.8 million and $37.7 million 
for fiscal years 2020 and 2019, respectively.  Capital expenditures in each of the last three fiscal years reflected reinvestments 
in  the  Company's  business  segments  and  were  made  primarily  for  the  purchase  of  new  production  machinery,  equipment, 
software and systems, and facilities designed to improve product quality, increase manufacturing efficiency, lower production 
costs and meet regulatory requirements.  Capital spending for property, plant and equipment has averaged $35.6 million for the 
last  three  fiscal  years.  Capital  expenditures  for  the  last  three  fiscal  years  were  primarily  financed  through  operating  cash. 
Capital spending for fiscal 2022 is currently estimated to be approximately $60 million, reflecting additional capital projects to 
support new production capabilities and increased efficiencies within the SGK Brand Solutions and Memorialization segments.  
The Company expects to generate sufficient cash from operations to fund all anticipated capital spending projects.

25

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

Cash  used  in  financing  activities  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  2021  was  $122.9  million,  and  principally  reflected 
repayments,  net  of  proceeds,  on  long-term  debt  of  $76.8  million,  purchases  of  treasury  stock  of  $11.9  million,  payment  of 
dividends  to  the  Company's  shareholders  of  $27.7  million  ($0.86  per  share),  $1.8  million  of  holdback  and  contingent 
consideration  payments  related  to  acquisitions  from  prior  years,  and  $1.8  million  of  payments  for  the  acquisition  of 
noncontrolling  interests.    Cash  used  in  financing  activities  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  2020  was  $172.3  million,  and 
principally  reflected  repayments,  net  of  proceeds,  on  long-term  debt  of  $126.3  million,  purchases  of  treasury  stock  of  $4.4 
million, payment of dividends to the Company's shareholders of $26.4 million ($0.84 per share), $10.2 million of holdback and 
contingent  consideration  payments  related  to  acquisitions  from  prior  years,  and  payment  of  deferred  financing  fees  of  $2.0 
million.  Cash used in financing activities for the year ended September 30, 2019 was $75.0 million, and principally reflected 
repayments,  net  of  proceeds,  on  long-term  debt  of  $16.0  million,  purchases  of  treasury  stock  of  $26.1  million,  payment  of 
dividends  to  the  Company's  shareholders  of  $25.6  million  ($0.80  per  share),  and  $4.4  million  of  holdback  and  contingent 
consideration payments related to a fiscal 2018 acquisition.

The  Company  has  a  domestic  credit  facility  with  a  syndicate  of  financial  institutions  that  includes  a  $750.0  million  senior 
secured revolving credit facility, which matures in March 2025, and a $35.0 million senior secured amortizing term loan.  The 
senior secured amortizing term loan was paid in full in March 2021.  A portion of the revolving credit facility (not to exceed 
$350.0 million ) can be drawn  in foreign currencies.  Borrowings under the revolving credit facility bear interest at LIBOR 
(Euro LIBOR for balances drawn in Euros) plus a factor ranging from 0.75% to 2.00% (1.00% at September 30, 2021) based on 
the Company's secured leverage ratio.  The secured leverage ratio is defined as net secured indebtedness divided by EBITDA 
(earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization) as defined within the domestic credit facility agreement.  
The Company is required to pay an annual commitment fee ranging from 0.15% to 0.30% (based on the Company's leverage 
ratio) of the unused portion of the revolving credit facility. The Company incurred debt issuance costs in connection with the 
domestic credit facility.  Unamortized costs were $2.2 million and $2.7 million at September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, 
respectively.

The domestic credit facility requires the Company to maintain certain leverage and interest coverage ratios.  A portion of the 
facility (not to exceed $35.0 million) is available for the issuance of trade and standby letters of credit.  Outstanding U.S. dollar 
denominated  borrowings  on  the  revolving  credit  facility  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020  were  $349.8  million  and  $257.4 
million, respectively.  There were no outstanding Euro denominated borrowings on the revolving credit facility at September 
30,  2021.    Outstanding  Euro  denominated  borrowings  on  the  revolving  credit  facility  at  September  30,  2020  were  €117.0 
million  ($137.2  million).    There  were  no  outstanding  borrowings  on  the  term  loan  as  of  September  30,  2021.    Outstanding 
borrowings  on  the  term  loan  at  September  30,  2020  were  $22.4  million.    The  weighted-average  interest  rate  on  outstanding 
borrowings for the domestic credit facility (including the effects of interest rate swaps and Euro denominated borrowings) at 
September 30, 2021 and 2020 was 2.03% and 2.41%, respectively.

The Company has $300.0 million of 5.25% senior unsecured notes due December 1, 2025 (the "2025 Senior Notes").  The 2025 
Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of  5.25%  per annum with interest payable semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 
1 of each year.  The Company's obligations under the 2025 Senior Notes are guaranteed by certain of the Company's direct and 
indirect wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries. The Company is subject to certain covenants and other restrictions in connection 
with  the  2025  Senior  Notes.  The  Company  incurred  direct  financing  fees  and  costs  in  connection  with  2025  Senior  Notes.  
Unamortized costs were $2.2 million and $2.7 million at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

The  Company  has  a  $115.0  million  accounts  receivable  securitization  facility  (the  "Securitization  Facility")  with  certain 
financial institutions which matures in March 2022 and the Company intends to extend this facility.  Under the Securitization 
Facility,  the  Company  and  certain  of  its  domestic  subsidiaries  sell,  on  a  continuous  basis  without  recourse,  their  trade 
receivables  to  Matthews  Receivables  Funding  Corporation,  LLC  (“Matthews  RFC”),  a  wholly-owned  bankruptcy-remote 
subsidiary  of  the  Company.    Matthews  RFC  in  turn  assigns  a  collateral  interest  in  these  receivables  to  certain  financial 
institutions, and then may borrow funds under the Securitization Facility.  The Securitization Facility does not qualify for sale 
treatment.    Accordingly,  the  trade  receivables  and  related  debt  obligations  remain  on  the  Company's  Consolidated  Balance 
Sheet.  Borrowings under the Securitization Facility bear interest at LIBOR plus 0.75%.  The Company is required to pay an 
annual  commitment  fee  ranging  from  0.25%  to  0.35%  of  the  unused  portion  of  the  Securitization  Facility.    Outstanding 
borrowings  under  the  Securitization  Facility  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020  were  $96.0  million  and  $67.7  million, 
respectively.    The  interest  rate  on  borrowings  under  this  facility  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020  was  0.83%  and  0.90%, 
respectively.

26

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

The following table presents information related to interest rate contracts entered into by the Company and designated as cash 
flow hedges: 

Pay fixed swaps - notional amount
Net unrealized loss
Weighted-average maturity period (years)
Weighted-average received rate
Weighted-average pay rate

September 30, 2021

September 30, 2020

$ 
$ 

$ 
$ 

(Dollar amounts in thousands)
250,000 
(2,062) 
2.2
 0.08 %
 1.34 %

312,500 
(7,792) 
2.6
 0.15 %
 1.34 %

The Company enters into interest rate swaps in order to achieve a mix of fixed and variable rate debt that it deems appropriate. 
The  interest  rate  swaps  have  been  designated  as  cash  flow  hedges  of  future  variable  interest  payments  which  are  considered 
probable  of  occurring.    Based  on  the  Company's  assessment,  all  of  the  critical  terms  of  each  of  the  hedges  matched  the 
underlying terms of the hedged debt and related forecasted interest payments, and as such, these hedges were considered highly 
effective.

The fair value of the interest rate swaps reflected an unrealized loss net of unrealized gains of $2.1 million ($1.6 million after 
tax)  and  an  unrealized  loss  of  $7.8  million  ($5.9  million  after  tax)  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  respectively,  that  is 
included in shareholders' equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) ("AOCI").  Assuming market rates 
remain constant with the rates at September 30, 2021, a loss (net of tax) of approximately $1.4 million included in AOCI is 
expected to be recognized in earnings over the next twelve months.

The Company, through certain of its European subsidiaries, has a credit facility with a European bank, which is guaranteed by 
Matthews.  The maximum amount of borrowings available under this facility is €25.0 million ($29.0 million), which includes 
€8.0  million  ($9.3  million)  for  bank  guarantees.    The  credit  facility  matures  in  December  2021  and  the  Company  intends  to 
extend  this  facility.  Outstanding  borrowings  under  the  credit  facility  totaled  €704,000  ($817,000)  and  €18.9  million  ($22.2 
million) at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings under this 
facility was 2.25%  and 1.25% at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Other borrowings totaled $10.2 million and $20.7 million at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  The weighted-average 
interest rate on these borrowings was 2.19% and 2.10% at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

During fiscal 2021, the Company entered into a U.S. Dollar/Euro cross currency swap with a notional amount of $94.5 million 
as of September 30, 2021, which was designated as a net investment hedge of foreign operations. The swap contract matures in 
seven years. The Company assesses hedge effectiveness for this contract based on changes in fair value attributable to changes 
in spot prices.  A gain of $22,000 (net of income taxes of $7,000) which represented an effective hedge of net investments, was 
reported as a component of AOCI within currency translation adjustment for fiscal 2021. Income of $63,000, which represented 
the recognized portion of the fair value excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness, was included in current period 
earnings as a component of interest expense for fiscal 2021.

The  Company  previously  used  certain  foreign  currency  debt  instruments  as  net  investment  hedges  of  foreign  operations. 
Currency losses of  $5.4 million (net of income taxes of $1.7 million) and currency losses of $4.4 million (net of income taxes 
of $1.4 million), which represent effective hedges of net investments, were reported as a component of AOCI within currency 
translation adjustment at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

The Company has a stock repurchase program. The buy-back program is designed to increase shareholder value, enlarge the 
Company's  holdings  of  its  common  stock,  and  add  to  earnings  per  share.  Repurchased  shares  may  be  retained  in  treasury, 
utilized  for  acquisitions,  or  reissued  to  employees  or  other  purchasers,  subject  to  the  restrictions  set  forth  in  the  Company's 
Restated Articles of Incorporation. On July 28, 2021, the Company's Board of Directors approved the continuation of the stock 
repurchase program and increased the authorization for stock repurchases by an additional 2,500,000 shares.  Under the current 
authorization, 2,658,627 shares remain available for repurchase as of September 30, 2021.

Consolidated working capital was $269.9 million at September 30, 2021, compared to $258.7 million at September 30, 2020.  
Cash and cash equivalents were $49.2 million at September 30, 2021, compared to $41.3 million at September 30, 2020.  The 
Company's current ratio was 1.8 at September 30, 2021 and 2020.

27

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

Long-Term Contractual Obligations:

The following table summarizes the Company's contractual obligations at September 30, 2021, and the effect such obligations 
are expected to have on its liquidity and cash flows in future periods.

Payments due in fiscal year:

Contractual Cash Obligations:
Revolving credit facilities
Securitization facility
2025 Senior Notes
Finance lease obligations (2)
Non-cancelable operating leases (2)
Other
Total contractual cash obligations

Total

2022(1)

2023 to 
2024
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

2025 to 
2026

After
2026

$  350,597  $ 
95,990 
368,671 
9,887 
86,165 
43,316 

817  $ 

95,990 
15,750 
3,927 
26,643 
4,609 

—  $  349,780  $ 
— 
31,500 
3,347 
36,541 
31,620 

— 
321,421 
1,021 
18,640 
2,171 

$  954,626  $  147,736  $  103,008  $  693,033  $ 

— 
— 
— 
1,592 
4,341 
4,916 
10,849 

(1)The  Company  maintains  certain  debt  facilities  with  current  maturity  dates  in  fiscal  2022  that  it  intends  and  has  the  ability  to  extend  beyond  fiscal  2022 
totaling $96.8 million. These balances have been classified as non-current on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(2)Lease obligations have not been discounted to their present value. 

Benefit  payments  under  the  Company's  DB  Plan  are  made  from  plan  assets,  while  benefit  payments  under  the  SERP  and 
postretirement benefit plan are funded from the Company's operating cash.  During fiscal 2021 contributions of $15.0 million, 
$806,000 and $507,000 were made under the DB Plan, SERP and postretirement plan, respectively.

In April 2021, the Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors (the “Committee”) approved resolutions to 
freeze  all  future  benefit  accruals  for  all  participants  in  the  Company's  SERP  and  the  defined  benefit  portion  of  the  Officers 
Retirement Restoration Plan (“ORRP”), effective April 30, 2021.  In August 2021, the Committee approved the termination of 
the  SERP  and  the  defined  benefit  portion  of  the  ORRP.    In  September  2021,  the  Company  notified  SERP  and  ORRP 
participants of its intention to fully settle the obligations of the SERP and ORRP in early fiscal 2023.

In  August  2021,  the  Company's  Board  of  Directors  approved  the  freeze  of  all  future  benefit  accruals  for  the  Company's  DB 
Plan,  effective  September  30,  2021,  and  the  planned  termination  of  the  DB  Plan  in  early  fiscal  2022.    At  such  time,  the 
Company notified all plan participants of the Company's intentions to terminate and fully settle the obligations of the DB Plan 
early in fiscal 2022.

In November 2021, subsequent to the date of the balance sheet, the Company contributed $20.0 million to the DB Plan.  Also in 
November 2021, lump sum distributions of $178.2 million from the DB Plan were made to plan participants, resulting in the 
settlement of a substantial portion of the DB Plan obligations.  This settlement of the DB Plan obligations is expected to result 
in the recognition of a non-cash charge in excess of $30.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2022.  This amount represents the 
immediate recognition of a portion of the deferred AOCI balances related to the DB Plan, and is based on current estimates as 
of September 30, 2021.  The Company currently anticipates additional contributions of approximately $15.0 million to its DB 
Plan  during  fiscal  2022  to  fully  fund  the  anticipated  settlement  of  the  remaining  DB  Plan  obligations.    The  Company  also 
expects to make payments totaling approximately $24.2 million in fiscal 2023 to fully settle the SERP and ORRP obligations.  
The  obligations  of  the  SERP  are  expected  to  be  funded  from  an  existing  rabbi  trust.    The  Company  believes  that  its  current 
liquidity sources, combined with its operating cash flow and borrowing capacity, will be sufficient to meet its capital needs for 
the foreseeable future.

Unrecognized tax benefits are positions taken, or expected to be taken, on an income tax return that may result in additional 
payments  to  tax  authorities.    If  a  tax  authority  agrees  with  the  tax  position  taken,  or  expected  to  be  taken,  or  the  applicable 
statute  of  limitations  expires,  then  additional  payments  will  not  be  necessary.    As  of  September  30,  2021,  the  Company  had 
unrecognized  tax  benefits,  excluding  penalties  and  interest,  of  approximately  $2.8  million.    The  timing  of  potential  future 
payments related to the unrecognized tax benefits is not presently determinable.  The Company believes that its current liquidity 
sources,  combined  with  its  operating  cash  flow  and  borrowing  capacity,  will  be  sufficient  to  meet  its  capital  needs  for  the 
foreseeable future.

28

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES:

Refer to Note 20, "Acquisitions and Divestitures" in Item 8 - "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," for further details 
on the Company's acquisitions and divestitures.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

The Company's current strategy to attain annual operating growth primarily consists of the following:  internal growth - which 
includes organic growth, cost structure and productivity improvements, new product development and the expansion into new 
markets with existing products - and acquisitions and related integration activities to achieve synergy benefits.

The  significant  factors  (excluding  acquisitions)  influencing  sales  growth  in  the  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  are  global 
economic conditions, brand innovation, the level of marketing spending by the Company's clients, and government regulation. 
Due  to  the  global  footprint  of  this  segment,  currency  fluctuations  can  also  be  a  significant  factor.  For  the  Memorialization 
segment, sales growth will be influenced by North America death rates, and the impact of the increasing trend toward cremation 
on  the  segment's  product  offerings,  including  caskets,  cemetery  memorial  products  and  cremation-related  products.  For  the 
Industrial  Technologies  segment,  sales  growth  drivers  include  economic/industrial  market  conditions,  new  product 
development, and the e-commerce trend.  

During  fiscal  2019,  the  Company  initiated  a  strategic  evaluation  to  improve  profitability  and  reduce  the  Company's  cost 
structure. These actions leveraged the benefit of the Company's new global ERP platform, primarily targeted at the SGK Brand 
Solutions  segment,  both  operational  and  commercial  structure,  and  the  Company's  shared  financial  services  and  other 
administrative  functions.  This  evaluation  identified  opportunities  for  significant  cost  structure  improvements,  which  the 
Company  expects  to  achieve  through  at  least  fiscal  2022.    The  Company's  recent  strategic  review  has  also  resulted  in 
improvements to the commercial structure within the SGK Brand Solutions segment.

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared an outbreak of COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of 
International Concern, and subsequently recognized COVID-19 as a global pandemic in March 2020. Widespread efforts have 
been deployed by multiple countries around the world to prevent the virus from spreading, including temporary closures of non-
essential  businesses,  event  cancellations,  travel  restrictions,  quarantines,  and  other  disruptive  actions.  Substantially  all  of  the 
Company’s  operations  have  remained  open  during  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  as  they  have  been  considered  “essential” 
businesses  during  this  time.  However,  the  Company  has  experienced  some  commercial  impact  and  business  disruptions  in 
certain segments and geographic locations as a result of COVID-19.

Considerable judgment is necessary to assess and predict the potential financial impacts of COVID-19 on the Company’s future 
operating results. Management expects that each of its business segments will experience some level of impacts in the short-
term,  potentially  due  to  customer  business  disruptions,  supply  chain  disruptions,  facilities  shut-downs,  changing  global 
economic conditions, and customer project delays. Additionally, recent increases in the cost of certain raw materials, labor, and 
other inflationary impacts are expected to impact the Company's results for the near future. The Company expects to partially 
mitigate these cost increases through price realization and the cost-reduction initiatives discussed above. Longer-term financial 
impacts will depend on global economic conditions resulting from COVID-19.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to 
make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and 
liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  
Therefore, the determination of estimates requires the exercise of judgment based on various assumptions and other factors such 
as  historical  experience,  economic  conditions,  and  in  some  cases,  actuarial  techniques.    Actual  results  may  differ  from  those 
estimates.    A  discussion  of  market  risks  affecting  the  Company  can  be  found  in  Item  7A,  "Quantitative  and  Qualitative 
Disclosures about Market Risk," of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Company's significant accounting policies are included in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in this 
Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K.    Management  believes  that  the  application  of  these  policies  on  a  consistent  basis  enables  the 
Company to provide useful and reliable financial information about the Company's operating results and financial condition.  

29

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

The  following  accounting  policies  involve  significant  estimates,  which  were  considered  critical  to  the  preparation  of  the 
Company's consolidated financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2021.

Long-Lived Assets, including Property, Plant and Equipment:

Long-lived  assets  are  recorded  at  their  respective  cost  basis  on  the  date  of  acquisition.    Depreciation  on  property,  plant  and 
equipment is computed primarily on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets.  Intangible assets with 
finite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives.  The Company reviews long-lived assets, including property, 
plant  and  equipment,  and  intangibles  with  finite  useful  lives,  whenever  events  or  changes  in  circumstances  indicate  that  the 
carrying  amount  of  such  assets  may  not  be  recoverable.    Recoverability  of  assets  is  determined  by  evaluating  the  estimated 
undiscounted net cash flows of the operations to which the assets relate.  An impairment loss would be recognized when the 
carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value, which is based on a discounted cash flow analysis.  No such charges were 
recognized during the years presented.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangibles:

Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortized, but are tested annually for impairment, or when 
circumstances indicate that a possible impairment may exist.  In general, when the carrying value of these assets exceeds the 
implied fair value, an impairment loss must be recognized.  A significant decline in cash flows generated from these assets may 
result  in  a  write-down  of  the  carrying  values  of  the  related  assets.    For  purposes  of  testing  goodwill  for  impairment,  the 
Company uses a combination of valuation techniques, including discounted cash flows and other market indicators.  A number 
of assumptions and estimates are involved in the application of the discounted cash flow model to forecast operating cash flows, 
including sales volumes and pricing, costs to produce, tax rates, capital spending, working capital changes, and discount rates.  
The  Company  estimates  future  cash  flows  using  volume  and  pricing  assumptions  based  largely  on  existing  customer 
relationships  and  contracts,  and  operating  cost  assumptions  management  believes  are  reasonable  based  on  historical 
performance and projected future performance as reflected in its most recent operating plans and projections. The discount rates 
used in the discounted cash flow analyses are developed with the assistance of valuation experts and management believes the 
discount rates appropriately reflect the risks associated with the Company's operating cash flows.  In order to further validate 
the reasonableness of the estimated fair values of the reporting units as of the valuation date, a reconciliation of the aggregate 
fair values of all reporting units to market capitalization is performed using a reasonable control premium.

The Company performed its annual impairment review of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in the second quarter 
of fiscal 2021 (January 1, 2021) and determined that the estimated fair values for all goodwill reporting units exceeded their 
carrying values, therefore no impairment charges were necessary. The estimated fair value of the Company's Graphics Imaging 
reporting unit, within the SGK Brand Solutions segment, exceeded the carrying value (expressed as a percentage of carrying 
value) by approximately 5%. If current projections are not achieved or specific valuation factors outside the Company’s control 
(such  as  discount  rates  and  continued  economic  and  industry  impacts  of  COVID-19)  significantly  change,  goodwill  write-
downs may be necessary in future periods.

In fiscal 2020, in its assessment of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the estimated future earnings and cash flows for the 
SGK Brand Solutions segment, and in light of the limited excess fair values over carrying values for its two reporting units, 
management  determined  that  COVID-19  represented  a  triggering  event,  resulting  in  a  re-evaluation  of  the  goodwill  for  its 
reporting units within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (Graphics Imaging and Cylinders, Surfaces and Engineered Products), 
as  of  March  31,  2020.    As  a  result  of  this  interim  assessment,  the  Company  recorded  a  goodwill  write-down  totaling  $90.4 
million during the fiscal 2020 second quarter. Subsequent to this write-down, the fair values of the two reporting units within 
the  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  (Graphics  Imaging  and  Cylinders,  Surfaces  and  Engineered  Products)  approximated  their 
carrying values at March 31, 2020.  The fair values for these reporting units were determined using level 3 inputs (including 
estimates of revenue growth, EBITDA contribution and the discount rates) and a combination of the income approach using the 
estimated discounted cash flows and a market-based valuation methodology.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company initiated an in-depth review of the commercial and cost structure of the 
SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  as  a  result  of  continued  challenging  market  conditions  affecting  the  segment.  This  review 
identified certain opportunities to improve the segment’s profitability and reduce its operating cost structure and, as a result, the 
Company revised its estimates of future earnings and cash flows for the Graphics Imaging reporting unit. In response to these 
revised projections, the Company re-evaluated the goodwill for the Graphics Imaging reporting unit, as of September 1, 2019. 
As a result of this interim assessment, the Company recorded a goodwill write-down of $77.6 million during the fiscal 2019 
fourth quarter.

30

ITEM 7.  

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, (continued)

Pension and Postretirement Benefits:

Pension assets and liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis and are affected by the market value of plan assets, estimates 
of the expected return on plan assets and the discount rate used to determine the present value of benefit obligations.  Actual 
changes in the fair market value of plan assets and differences between the actual return on plan assets, the expected return on 
plan assets and changes in the selected discount rate will affect the amount of pension cost.

The Company's DB Plan has historically maintained a substantial portion of its assets in equity securities in accordance with the 
investment policy established by the Company's pension board.  Based on an analysis of the historical performance of the plan's 
assets  and  information  provided  by  its  independent  investment  advisor,  the  Company  set  the  long-term  rate  of  return 
assumption  for  these  assets  at  6.75%  at  September  30,  2020  for  purposes  of  determining  fiscal  2021  pension  cost.    The 
Company's  discount  rate  assumption  used  in  determining  the  present  value  of  the  projected  benefit  obligation  is  based  upon 
published  indices  as  of  September  30,  2021  and  September  30,  2020  for  the  fiscal  year  end  valuation.  The  discount  rate 
was  2.79%,  2.62%  and  3.13%  in  fiscal  2021,  2020  and  2019,  respectively.    Refer  to  Item  7A,  "Quantitative  and  Qualitative 
Disclosures about Market Risk," of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for disclosure about the hypothetical impact of changes 
in actuarial assumptions.

Income Taxes:

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are provided for the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and 
liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse.  Valuation allowances 
are  recorded  to  reduce  deferred  tax  assets  when  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  a  tax  benefit  will  not  be  realized.    Deferred 
income taxes have not been provided on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries since they have either been previously 
taxed, or are exempt from tax, and such earnings are considered to be reinvested indefinitely in foreign operations.  

INFLATION:

Except for the volatility in the cost of bronze ingot, steel, wood, granite and fuel (see "Results of Operations"), inflation has not 
had a material impact on the Company over the past three years.  Although recent economic conditions increase the level of 
uncertainty in the Company's near-term outlook, inflation is not currently anticipated to have a material impact on a long-term 
basis.

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS:

Refer to Note 3, "Accounting Pronouncements" in Item 8 - "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data," for further details 
on recently issued accounting pronouncements.

ITEM 7A.  QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK:

The  following  discussion  about  the  Company's  market  risk  involves  forward-looking  statements.    Actual  results  could  differ 
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.  The Company has market risk related to changes in interest 
rates,  commodity  prices  and  foreign  currency  exchange  rates.    The  Company  does  not  generally  use  derivative  financial 
instruments in connection with these market risks, except as noted below.

Interest Rates - The Company's most significant long-term instrument is the domestic credit facility, which bears interest at 
variable rates based on LIBOR (Euro-LIBOR for balances drawn in Euros).

31

ITEM 7A.                          QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK, (continued)

The following table presents information related to interest rate contracts entered into by the Company and designated as cash 
flow hedges:

Pay fixed swaps - notional amount
Net unrealized loss
Weighted-average maturity period (years)
Weighted-average received rate
Weighted-average pay rate

September 30, 2021

September 30, 2020

$ 
$ 

$ 
$ 

(Dollar amounts in thousands)
250,000 
(2,062) 
2.2
 0.08 %
 1.34 %

312,500 
(7,792) 
2.6
 0.15 %
 1.34 %

The interest rate swaps have been designated as cash flow hedges of the future variable interest payments which are considered 
probable of occurring.  Based on the Company's assessment, all the critical terms of each of the hedges matched the underlying 
terms of the hedged debt and related forecasted interest payments, and as such, these hedges were considered highly effective.

The fair value of the interest rate swaps reflected an unrealized loss, net of unrealized gains, of $2.1 million ($1.6 million after-
tax)  at  September  30,  2021  that  is  included  in  equity  as  part  of  AOCI.    A  decrease  of  10%  in  market  interest  rates  (e.g.,  a 
decrease from 5.0% to 4.5%) would result in a decrease of approximately $217,000 in the fair value of the interest rate swaps.

Commodity Price Risks - In the normal course of business, the Company is exposed to commodity price fluctuations related to 
the purchases of certain materials and supplies (such as bronze ingot, steel, granite, fuel and wood) used in its manufacturing 
operations.  The  Company  obtains  competitive  prices  for  materials  and  supplies  when  available.    In  addition,  based  on 
competitive  market  conditions  and  to  the  extent  that  the  Company  has  established  pricing  terms  with  customers  through 
contracts or similar arrangements, the Company's ability to immediately increase the price of its products to offset the increased 
costs may be limited.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rates - The Company is subject to changes in various foreign currency exchange rates, primarily 
including the Euro, British Pound, Canadian Dollar, and Australian Dollar in the conversion from local currencies to the U.S. 
dollar  of  the  reported  financial  position  and  operating  results  of  its  non-U.S.  based  subsidiaries.  An  adverse  change 
(strengthening U.S. dollar) of 10% in exchange rates would have resulted in a decrease in reported sales of $56.2 million and a 
decrease in reported operating income of $1.8 million for the year ended September 30, 2021. 

As  of  September  30,  2021,  the  Company  had  a  foreign  currency  derivative  contract  (U.S.  Dollar/Euro  cross  currency  swap) 
with a notional amount of  $94.5 million designated as a net investment hedge of foreign operations.  The net unrealized gain 
for this swap contract at September 30, 2021 was of $22,000 (net of income taxes of $7,000).  As of September 30, 2021, the 
potential gain or loss in the fair value of the swap contract assuming a hypothetical 10% fluctuation in market rates would be 
approximately $10.3 million.

Actuarial Assumptions - The most significant actuarial assumptions affecting pension expense and pension obligations include 
the valuation of retirement plan assets, the discount rates and the estimated return on plan assets.  The estimated return on plan 
assets  is  currently  based  upon  projections  provided  by  the  Company's  independent  investment  advisor,  considering  the 
investment policy of the plan and the plan's asset allocation.  The fair value of plan assets and discount rates are "point-in-time" 
measures, and volatility of the debt and equity markets makes estimating future changes in fair value of plan assets and discount 
rates challenging.  The Company elected to value its DB Plan and other postretirement benefit plan liabilities using a modified 
assumption  of  future  mortality  that  reflects  a  significant  improvement  in  life  expectancy  over  the  previous  mortality 
assumptions.  Refer to Note 14, "Pension and Other Postretirement Plans" in Item 8 – "Financial Statements and Supplementary 
Data" for additional information.

32

ITEM 7A.                          QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK, (continued)

The  following  table  summarizes  the  impact  on  the  September  30,  2021  actuarial  valuations  of  changes  in  the  primary 
assumptions affecting the Company's retirement plans and SERP.

Change in Discount Rates

Impact of Changes in Actuarial Assumptions
Change in Expected 
Return

Change in Market Value 
of Assets

Increase (decrease) in net benefit cost $ 

2,354  $ 

(2,322)  $ 

(2,013)  $ 

2,013  $ 

(762)  $ 

762 

+1%

-1%

+1%

-1%

+5%

-5%

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

(Decrease) increase in projected 
benefit obligation

(32,595)   

40,513 

Increase (decrease) in funded status

32,595 

(40,513)   

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

10,417 

(10,417) 

33

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.

Description

Management's Report to Shareholders

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Financial Statements:

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021 and 2020

Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 
and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

Financial Statement Schedule – Schedule II-Valuation and Qualifying
Accounts for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Pages

35

36

37

39

41

42

43

44

45

78

34

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MANAGEMENT'S REPORT TO SHAREHOLDERS

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of  

Matthews International Corporation and Subsidiaries

Management's Report on Financial Statements

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of Matthews International Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, 
the "Company") were prepared by management, which is responsible for their integrity and objectivity. The statements were 
prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and include amounts that are based on management's best 
judgments and estimates. The other financial information included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K is consistent with that 
in the financial statements.

Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company, 
as such term is defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15f. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of internal control over financial 
reporting  management  has  conducted  an  assessment  using  the  criteria  in  Internal  Control  –  Integrated  Framework  (2013), 
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission ("COSO"). Internal controls over financial 
reporting is a process under the supervision of, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, and effected by the 
Company's  board  of  directors,  management  and  other  personnel  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the  reliability  of 
financial  reporting  and  the  preparation  of  financial  statements  for  external  purposes  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted 
accounting  principles  and  includes  those  policies  and  procedures  that  (i)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in 
reasonable  detail,  accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the  transactions  and  dispositions  of  the  assets  of  the  Company;  (ii)  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  of  the  Company  are  being  made  only  in 
accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding 
prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use,  or  disposition  of  the  Company's  assets  that  could  have  a 
material effect on the financial statements.  Because of its 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,  under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer, 
evaluated  the  effectiveness  of  the  Company's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  based  on  criteria  in  Internal  Control  – 
Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO, and has concluded that the Company maintained effective internal control 
over financial reporting as of September 30, 2021.  The effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting 
as of September 30, 2021 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated 
in their report which is included herein.

Management's Certifications

The certifications of the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 
have been included as Exhibits 31 and 32 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

35

 
 
 REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of  

Matthews International Corporation and Subsidiaries

Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

We have audited Matthews International Corporation and Subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of September 
30,  2021,  based  on  criteria  established  in  Internal  Control—Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring 
Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  (2013  framework)  (the  COSO  criteria).  In  our  opinion,  Matthews  International 
Corporation  and  Subsidiaries  (the  Company)  maintained,  in  all  material  respects,  effective  internal  control  over  financial 
reporting as of September 30, 2021, based on the COSO criteria.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB),  the  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  the  Company  as  of  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  the  related  consolidated 
statements of income (loss), comprehensive income (loss), shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the 
period ended September 30, 2021, and the related notes and the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 15(a)2 
and our report dated November 19, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.  

Basis for Opinion 

The  Company’s  management  is  responsible  for  maintaining  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and  for  its 
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report 
on  Internal  Control  over  Financial  Reporting.  Our  responsibility  is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  Company’s  internal  control 
over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the 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 audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the 
audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about  whether  effective  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  was  maintained  in  all 
material respects.

Our  audit  included  obtaining  an  understanding  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting,  assessing  the  risk  that  a  material 
weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and 
performing  such  other  procedures  as  we  considered  necessary  in  the  circumstances.  We  believe  that  our  audit  provides  a 
reasonable basis for our opinion. 

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting 

A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  is  a  process  designed  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  the 
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally 
accepted  accounting  principles.  A  company’s  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  includes  those  policies  and  procedures 
that  (1)  pertain  to  the  maintenance  of  records  that,  in  reasonable  detail,  accurately  and  fairly  reflect  the  transactions  and 
dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) 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  of  the  company  are  being  made  only  in  accordance  with  authorizations  of  management  and  directors  of  the 
company;  and  (3)  provide  reasonable  assurance  regarding  prevention  or  timely  detection  of  unauthorized  acquisition,  use,  or 
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because  of  its  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. 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
November 19, 2021

36

 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of  

Matthews International Corporation and Subsidiaries

Opinion on the Financial Statements 

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets  of  Matthews  International  Corporation  and  Subsidiaries  (the 
Company)  as  of  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  income  (loss),  comprehensive  income 
(loss), shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2021, and the related 
notes  and  the  financial  statement  schedule  listed  in  the  Index  at  Item  15(a)2  (collectively  referred  to  as  the  “consolidated 
financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial 
position of the Company at September 30, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the 
three years in the period ended September 30, 2021, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) 
(PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2021, based on criteria established in 
Internal  Control-Integrated  Framework  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission 
(2013 framework) and our report dated November 19, 2021 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.               

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 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 
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to 
error  or  fraud.  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

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that 
was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that 
are  material  to  the  financial  statements  and  (2)  involved  our  especially  challenging,  subjective  or  complex  judgments.  The 
communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken 
as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit 
matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

37

 
 
Description of 
the Matter

Valuation of Graphics Imaging Reporting Unit Goodwill
As  more  fully  described  in  Note  21  to  the  consolidated  financial  statements,  during  2021,  the 
Company performed its annual goodwill impairment test as of January 1, 2021 and determined that the 
estimated  fair  value  of  the  Graphics  Imaging  (Graphics)  reporting  unit,  within  the  SGK  Brand 
Solutions  segment,  exceeded  the  carrying  value  (expressed  as  a  percentage  of  carrying  value)  by 
approximately  5%.  Significant  assumptions  used  in  the  Company’s  fair  value  estimate  included 
revenue growth, operating profit margin, market participant assumptions, and the discount rate.

Auditing  the  annual  goodwill  impairment  analysis  was  complex,  as  it  included  estimating  the  fair 
value  of  the  reporting  unit.  In  particular,  the  fair  value  estimates  are  sensitive  to  the  significant 
assumptions named above, which are affected by expected future market or economic conditions.

How We 
Addressed the 
Matter in Our 
Audit

We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design, and tested the operating effectiveness of internal 
controls  over  the  Company’s  goodwill  impairment  review  process.  These  controls  include 
management’s  assessment  of  indicators  of  impairment,  management's  review  of  the  assumptions 
utilized to develop the estimate, and management’s verification of the completeness and accuracy of 
the underlying data utilized to project future operating results for the reporting unit.

To test the fair value of the reporting unit, our audit procedures included, among others, involving our 
valuation specialists to assist in assessing the valuation methodologies utilized by the Company and its 
valuation expert and testing the significant assumptions and underlying data used by the Company. We 
compared the significant assumptions used by management to current industry and economic trends, 
changes in the Company’s business model, and other relevant factors. We also assessed the historical 
accuracy of management’s estimates. We performed sensitivity analyses of significant assumptions to 
evaluate  the  sensitivity  of  the  fair  value  of  the  reporting  unit  resulting  from  changes  in  key 
assumptions.  We  reviewed  the  reconciliation  of  the  fair  value  of  the  reporting  units  to  the  market 
capitalization of the Company and assessed the resulting control premium. 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP  

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2016.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
November 19, 2021

38

 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
September 30, 2021 and 2020 
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

ASSETS
Current assets:

Cash and cash equivalents
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful
   accounts of $10,654 and $9,618, respectively
Inventories
Other current assets

Total current assets

Restricted cash

Investments

Property, plant and equipment, net

Operating lease right-of-use-assets

Deferred income taxes

Goodwill

Other intangible assets, net

Other assets

Total assets

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

2021

2020

$ 

49,176  $ 

41,334 

309,818 
189,088 
76,083 

295,185 
175,100 
63,954 

624,165 

575,573 

19,167 

— 

30,438 

63,250 

223,707 

236,788 

80,262 

72,011 

3,489 

3,757 

773,787 

765,388 

261,542 

333,498 

15,521 

22,368 

$ 2,032,078  $ 2,072,633 

39

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, continued
September 30, 2021 and 2020 
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:

Long-term debt, current maturities
Current portion of operating lease liabilities
Trade accounts payable
Accrued compensation
Accrued income taxes
Other current liabilities

Total current liabilities

Long-term debt

Operating lease liabilities

Accrued pension

Postretirement benefits

Deferred income taxes

Other liabilities

Total liabilities

Shareholders' equity-Matthews:
Class A common stock, $1.00 par value; authorized
70,000,000 shares; 36,333,992 shares issued

Preferred stock, $100 par value, authorized 10,000 shares, none issued
Additional paid-in capital
Retained earnings
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Treasury stock, 4,863,879 and 4,502,420 shares, respectively, at cost
Total shareholders' equity-Matthews
Noncontrolling interests
Total shareholders' equity

2021

2020

$ 

4,624  $ 
25,151 
112,722 
68,938 
4,235 
138,555 
354,225 

26,824 
23,942 
82,921 
58,058 
3,612 
121,511 
316,868 

759,086 

807,710 

57,272 

49,297 

84,803 

149,848 

17,958 

18,600 

97,416 

78,911 

24,915 
  1,395,675 

39,966 
  1,461,200 

36,334 
— 
149,484 
834,208 
(192,739)   
(190,739)   
636,548 

(145)   

636,403 

36,334 
— 
135,187 
859,002 
(240,719) 
(178,997) 
610,807 
626 
611,433 

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

$ 2,032,078  $ 2,072,633 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

40

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS)
for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019 
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Sales
Cost of sales

Gross profit

Selling expense
Administrative expense
Intangible amortization
Goodwill write-downs

Operating profit (loss)

Investment income
Interest expense
Other income (deductions), net

2021

2020
$ 1,671,030  $ 1,498,306  $ 1,537,276 
(994,810) 
  (1,129,198)    (1,000,537)   

2019

541,832 

497,769 

542,466 

(130,199)   
(285,366)   
(84,233)   

— 

(125,117)   
(274,923)   
(71,514)   
(90,408)   

(133,368) 
(275,467) 
(45,756) 
(77,572) 

42,034 

(64,193)   

10,303 

2,645 
(28,684)   
(6,762)   

1,962 
(34,885)   
(9,221)   

1,494 
(40,962) 
(8,918) 

Income (loss) before income taxes

9,233 

(106,337)   

(38,083) 

Income tax (provision) benefit

(6,375)   

18,685 

(806) 

Net income (loss)

2,858 

(87,652)   

(38,889) 

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

52 

497 

901 

Net income (loss) attributable to Matthews shareholders

$ 

2,910  $ 

(87,155)  $ 

(37,988) 

Earnings (loss) per share attributable to Matthews shareholders:

Basic

Diluted

$ 

$ 

0.09  $ 

(2.79)  $ 

(1.21) 

0.09  $ 

(2.79)  $ 

(1.21) 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

41

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Net income (loss)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

Foreign currency translation adjustment
Pension plans and other postretirement benefits

Unrecognized gain on derivatives:

Net change from periodic revaluation
Net amount reclassified to earnings

      Net change in unrecognized gain on derivatives
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Comprehensive income (loss)

Net loss
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

Foreign currency translation adjustment
Pension plans and other postretirement benefits

Unrecognized (loss) gain on derivatives:
Net change from periodic revaluation
Net amount reclassified to earnings

Net change in unrecognized loss on derivatives
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax
Comprehensive loss

Net loss
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:

Foreign currency translation adjustment
Pension plans and other postretirement benefits

Unrecognized loss on derivatives:

Net change from periodic revaluation
Net amount reclassified to earnings

      Net change in unrecognized loss on derivatives
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax
Comprehensive loss

Year Ended September 30, 2021
Noncontrolling 
Interest

Matthews

Total

$ 

2,910  $ 

(52)  $ 

2,858 

(3,370)   
47,024 

1,873 
2,453 

4,326 
47,980 
50,890  $ 

$ 

(127)   
— 

— 
— 

— 
(127)   
(179)  $ 

(3,497) 
47,024 

1,873 
2,453 

4,326 
47,853 
50,711 

Year Ended September 30, 2020
Noncontrolling 
Interest

Matthews

Total

$ 

(87,155)  $ 

(497)  $ 

(87,652) 

4,333 
(11,211)   

(6,130)   
650 

(5,480)   
(12,358)   
(99,513)  $ 

$ 

(7)   
— 

— 
— 

— 
(7)   
(504)  $ 

4,326 
(11,211) 

(6,130) 
650 

(5,480) 
(12,365) 
(100,017) 

Year Ended September 30, 2019
Noncontrolling 
Interest

Matthews

Total

$ 

(37,988)  $ 

(901)  $ 

(38,889) 

(21,254)   
(33,867)   

(6,540)   
(2,402)   

(8,942)   
(64,063)   
(102,051)  $ 

$ 

(92)   
— 

(21,346) 
(33,867) 

— 
— 

— 
(92)   
(993)  $ 

(6,540) 
(2,402) 

(8,942) 
(64,155) 
(103,044) 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

42

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

Common
Stock

Additional
Paid-in
Capital

Retained
Earnings

Accumulated Other
Comprehensive
(Loss) Income
(net of tax)

Treasury
Stock

Non-
controlling
Interests

Total

Balance, September 30, 2018

$ 

36,334  $ 

129,252  $  1,040,378  $ 

(164,298)  $  (173,315)  $ 

363  $  868,714 

Net loss

Pension plans and other
   postretirement benefits

Translation adjustment

Fair value of derivatives

Total comprehensive loss

Stock-based compensation

Purchase of 709,970 shares
  of treasury stock

Issuance of 3,782 shares
  of treasury stock

Cancellation of 20,114 shares of 
  treasury stock

Dividends

Acquisitions

Cumulative tax adjustment for  
   intra-entity transfers

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

7,729 

— 

(154) 

947 

— 

— 

— 

(37,988) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(25,620) 

— 

(4,176) 

(33,867) 

(21,254) 

(8,942) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(26,127) 

154 

(947) 

— 

— 

— 

(901) 

(38,889) 

— 

(92) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

1,760 

(33,867) 

(21,346) 

(8,942) 

(103,044) 

7,729 

(26,127) 

— 

— 

(25,620) 

1,760 

— 

(4,176) 

Balance, September 30, 2019

$ 

36,334  $ 

137,774  $ 

972,594  $ 

(228,361)  $  (200,235)  $ 

1,130  $  719,236 

(87,155) 

— 

Net loss

Pension plans and other
   postretirement benefits

Translation adjustment

Fair value of derivatives

Total comprehensive loss

Stock-based compensation

Purchase of 173,576 shares
  of treasury stock

Issuance of 12,125 shares
  of treasury stock

Cancellation of 23,461 shares of 
  treasury stock

Dividends

Pension contribution of 668,000 
  shares of treasury stock

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

8,096 

— 

(486) 

1,527 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(26,437) 

(11,724) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(4,428) 

486 

(1,527) 

— 

26,707 

(497) 

(87,652) 

— 

(7) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(11,211) 

4,326 

(5,480) 

(100,017) 

8,096 

(4,428) 

— 

— 

(26,437) 

14,983 

(11,211) 

4,333 

(5,480) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Balance, September 30, 2020

$ 

36,334  $ 

135,187  $ 

859,002  $ 

(240,719)  $  (178,997)  $ 

626  $  611,433 

Net income (loss)

Pension plans and other
   postretirement benefits

Translation adjustment

Fair value of derivatives

Total comprehensive income

Stock-based compensation

Purchase of 380,109 shares
  of treasury stock

Issuance of 53,377 shares
  of treasury stock

Cancellation of 34,727 shares of 
  treasury stock

Dividends

Transactions with noncontrolling  
  interests

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

15,581 

— 

(2,097) 

1,981 

— 

2,910 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(27,704) 

(1,168) 

— 

— 

47,024 

(3,370) 

4,326 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(11,858) 

2,097 

(1,981) 

— 

— 

(52) 

2,858 

— 

(127) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

— 

47,024 

(3,497) 

4,326 

50,711 

15,581 

(11,858) 

— 

— 

(27,704) 

(592) 

(1,760) 

Balance, September 30, 2021

$ 

36,334  $ 

149,484  $ 

834,208  $ 

(192,739)  $  (190,739)  $ 

(145)  $  636,403 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

43

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Cash flows from operating activities:

Net income (loss) 
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
  provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
Stock-based compensation expense
Deferred tax provision (benefit)
Gain on sale of assets, net
(Gain) loss on sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries
Losses from equity-method investments
Realized loss on cost-method investments
Other investment gains
Goodwill write-downs
Changes in working capital items
Decrease in other assets
(Decrease) increase in other liabilities
Other operating activities, net

Net cash provided by operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities:

Capital expenditures
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from sale of assets
Proceeds from sale of investments
Proceeds from sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries
Investments and advances

Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt
Payments on long-term debt
Purchases of treasury stock
Dividends
Acquisition holdback and contingent consideration payments
Transactions with noncontrolling interests
Other financing activities

Net cash used in financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash
Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year
Cash paid during the year for:

Interest
Income taxes

Non-cash investing and financing activities:

2021

2020

2019

$ 

2,858  $ 

(87,652)  $ 

(38,889) 

133,512 
15,581 
4,158 
(412)   
— 
— 
— 
(1,364)   
— 
12,982 
15,115 
(16,346)   
(3,273)   

162,811 

(34,313)   
(15,623)   
2,776 
34,167 
— 
— 

(12,993)   

119,058 
8,096 
(16,607)   
(348)   
(11,208)   
3,498 
— 
(2,066)   
90,408 
46,367 
16,392 
4,886 
9,623 
180,447 

(34,849)   
(1,000)   
624 
— 
42,210 
(9,703)   
(2,718)   

  1,154,809 

625,628 
(702,395)    (1,281,092)   
(4,428)   
(11,858)   
(26,437)   
(27,704)   
(10,215)   
(1,781)   
(1,760)   
(2,982)   
(122,852)   

— 
(4,889)   
(172,252)   

43 
27,009 
41,334 
68,343  $ 

555 
6,032 
35,302 
41,334  $ 

90,793 
7,729 
(6,783) 
(8,567) 
6,469 
2,050 
4,731 
(305) 
77,572 
(12,482) 
4,677 
7,540 
(3,452) 
131,083 

(37,688) 
(11,504) 
13,253 
— 
8,254 
(33,074) 
(60,759) 

503,693 
(519,731) 
(26,127) 
(25,620) 
(4,421) 
— 
(2,836) 
(75,042) 
(1,552) 
(6,270) 
41,572 
35,302 

28,824  $ 
9,166 

35,269  $ 
20,734 

41,453 
15,467 

$ 

$ 

Contribution of treasury stock to the Company's principal defined benefit 
retirement plan ("DB Plan")

— 

14,983 

— 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

44

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

1.  

NATURE OF OPERATIONS:

Matthews  International  Corporation  ("Matthews"  or  the  "Company"),  founded  in  1850  and  incorporated  in  Pennsylvania  in 
1902, is a global provider of brand solutions, memorialization products and industrial technologies. Brand solutions consists of 
brand  management,  pre-media  services,  printing  plates  and  cylinders,  engineered  products  (including  energy  solutions), 
imaging services, digital asset management, merchandising display systems, and marketing and design services primarily for 
the  consumer  goods  and  retail  industries.    Memorialization  products  consist  primarily  of  bronze  and  granite  memorials  and 
other memorialization products, caskets, and cremation and incineration equipment primarily for the cemetery and funeral home 
industries. Industrial technologies include marking and coding equipment and consumables, industrial automation products and 
order fulfillment systems for identifying, tracking, picking and conveying consumer and industrial products.

The Company has facilities in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America.

2. 

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

Principles of Consolidation:

The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  all  domestic  and  foreign  subsidiaries  in  which  the  Company  maintains  an 
ownership  interest  and  has  operating  control.  Investments  in  certain  companies  over  which  the  Company  exerts  significant 
influence,  but  does  not  control  the  financial  and  operating  decisions,  are  accounted  for  as  equity  method  investments.  
Investments  in  certain  companies  over  which  the  Company  does  not  exert  significant  influence  are  accounted  for  as  cost-
method investments.  All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates:

The  preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to 
make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets 
and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting 
period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications:

Certain  reclassifications  have  been  made  to  the  prior  year  financial  statements  to  conform  to  the  current  year  presentation. 
These reclassifications are not material to the prior year presentation.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash:

The Company considers all investments purchased with a remaining maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.  
Restricted cash represents amounts held for specific purposes, which are not available for general business use.  The carrying 
amount  of  cash,  cash  equivalents  and  restricted  cash  approximates  fair  value  due  to  the  short-term  maturities  of  these 
instruments.

Trade Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts:

Trade receivables are carried at their estimated collectible amounts. Trade credit is generally extended on a short-term basis; 
thus trade receivables do not bear interest, although a finance charge may be applied to such receivables that are more than 30 
days past due. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on an evaluation of historical collection experience, the aging of 
accounts receivable, and economic trends and forecasts, and also reflects adjustments for specific customer accounts for which 
available facts and circumstances indicate collectability may be uncertain.

45

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

2. 

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, (continued)

Inventories:

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value with cost generally determined under the average cost method.  
Inventory costs include material, labor, and applicable manufacturing overhead (including depreciation) and other direct costs.  
Net  realizable  value  is  the  estimated  selling  price  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business,  less  reasonably  predictable  costs  of 
completion, disposal, and transportation.

Property, Plant and Equipment:

Property,  plant  and  equipment  are  carried  at  cost.    Depreciation  is  computed  primarily  on  the  straight-line  method  over  the 
estimated useful lives of the assets, which generally range from 10 to 45 years for buildings and 3 to 12 years for machinery and 
equipment.  Gains or losses from the disposition of assets are reflected in operating profit.  The cost of maintenance and repairs 
is charged to expense as incurred.  Renewals and betterments of a nature considered to extend the useful lives of the assets are 
capitalized.  Property, plant and equipment are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate 
that  the  carrying  amount  of  such  assets  may  not  be  recoverable.    Recoverability  of  assets  is  determined  by  evaluating  the 
estimated undiscounted net cash flows of the operations to which the assets relate.  An impairment loss would be recognized 
when  the  carrying  amount  of  the  assets  exceeds  the  fair  value,  which  is  based  on  a  discounted  cash  flow  analysis.  No  such 
charges were recognized during the years presented.

Leases:

A  lease  exists  at  contract  inception  if  the  contract  conveys  the  right  to  control  an  identified  asset  for  a  period  of  time  in 
exchange  for  consideration.  Control  is  considered  to  exist  when  the  lessee  has  the  right  to  obtain  substantially  all  of  the 
economic  benefits  from  the  use  of  an  identified  asset,  as  well  as  the  right  to  direct  the  use  of  that  asset.  If  a  contract  is 
considered to be a lease, the Company recognizes a lease liability based on the present value of the future lease payments, and a 
corresponding  right-of-use  ("ROU")  asset.    As  a  majority  of  the  Company’s  leases  do  not  provide  an  implicit  interest  rate 
within  the  lease,  an  incremental  borrowing  rate  is  used  to  determine  the  ROU  asset  and  lease  liability  which  is  based  on 
information available at the commencement date.  Options to purchase, extend or terminate a lease are included in the ROU 
asset  and  lease  liability  when  it  is  reasonably  certain  an  option  will  be  exercised.  Renewal  options  are  most  prevalent  in  the 
Company’s real estate leases.  In general, the Company has not included renewal options for leases in the ROU asset and lease 
liability because the likelihood of renewal is not considered to be reasonably certain. In addition, leases may include variable 
lease payments, for items such as maintenance and utilities, which are expensed as incurred as variable lease expense.  

The Company applies the practical expedient to not separate lease components from non-lease components for all asset classes. 
In  addition,  the  Company  applies  the  practical  expedient  to  utilize  a  portfolio  approach  for  certain  equipment  asset  classes, 
primarily  information  technology,  as  the  application  of  the  lease  model  to  the  portfolio  would  not  differ  materially  from  the 
application of the lease model to the individual leases within the portfolio.

There are two types of leases, operating leases and finance leases. Lease classification is determined at lease commencement. 
Leases not meeting the finance lease criteria are classified as operating leases. ROU assets and corresponding lease liabilities 
are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.  ROU assets for operating leases are classified in other assets, and ROU assets 
for finance leases are classified in property, plant and equipment, net on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. For operating leases, 
short-term  lease  liabilities  are  classified  in  other  current  liabilities,  and  long-term  lease  liabilities  are  classified  in  other 
liabilities  on  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet.  For  finance  leases,  short-term  lease  liabilities  are  classified  in  long-term  debt, 
current  maturities,  and  long-term  lease  liabilities  are  classified  in  long-term  debt  on  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet.  Leases 
with an initial lease term of twelve months or less have not been recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. 

Lease expense for operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term as an operating expense, while the 
expense for finance leases is recognized as depreciation expense and interest expense using the interest method of recognition. 
On the cash flow statement, payments for operating leases are classified as operating activities. Payments for finance leases are 
classified as a financing activity, with the exception of the interest component of the payment which is classified as an operating 
activity.

46

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

2. 

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, (continued)

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets:

Intangible  assets  with  finite  useful  lives  are  amortized  over  their  estimated  useful  lives,  ranging  from  2  to  15  years,  and  are 
reviewed when appropriate for possible impairment, similar to property, plant and equipment.  Goodwill and intangible assets 
with indefinite lives are not amortized, but are tested annually for impairment, or when circumstances indicate that a possible 
impairment may exist.  In general, when the carrying value of these assets exceeds the implied fair value, an impairment loss 
must be recognized.  A significant decline in cash flows generated from these assets may result in a write-down of the carrying 
values  of  the  related  assets.  For  purposes  of  testing  goodwill  for  impairment,  the  Company  uses  a  combination  of  valuation 
techniques,  including  discounted  cash  flows  and  other  market  indicators.  For  purposes  of  testing  indefinite-lived  intangible 
assets, the Company generally uses a relief from royalty method.

Pension and Other Postretirement Plans:

Pension assets and liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis and are affected by the market value of plan assets, estimates 
of the expected return on plan assets and the discount rate used to determine the present value of benefit obligations.  Actual 
changes in the fair market value of plan assets and differences between the actual return on plan assets, the expected return on 
plan  assets  and  changes  in  the  selected  discount  rate  will  affect  the  amount  of  pension  cost.  Differences  between  actual  and 
expected results or changes in the value of the obligations and plan assets are initially recognized through other comprehensive 
income and subsequently amortized to the Consolidated Statement of Income. 

Environmental:

Costs that mitigate or prevent future environmental issues or extend the life or improve equipment utilized in current operations 
are capitalized and depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets.  Costs that relate to 
current operations or an existing condition caused by past operations are expensed.  Environmental liabilities are recorded when 
the  Company's  obligation  is  probable  and  reasonably  estimable.    Accruals  for  losses  from  environmental  remediation 
obligations do not consider the effects of inflation, and anticipated expenditures are not discounted to their present value.

Derivatives and Hedging:

Derivatives are held as part of a formal documented hedging program.  All derivatives are held for purposes other than trading.  
Matthews measures effectiveness by formally assessing, at least quarterly, the historical and probable future high correlation of 
changes in the fair value or future cash flows of the hedged item.  If the hedging relationship ceases to be highly effective or it 
becomes probable that an expected transaction will no longer occur, gains and losses on the derivative will be recorded in other 
income (deductions) at that time.

Changes  in  the  fair  value  of  derivatives  designated  as  cash  flow  hedges  are  recorded  in  other  comprehensive  income  (loss) 
("OCI"), net of tax, and are reclassified to earnings in a manner consistent with the underlying hedged item.  The cash flows 
from derivative activities are recognized in the statement of cash flows in a manner consistent with the underlying hedged item.

Foreign Currency:

The  functional  currency  of  the  Company's  foreign  subsidiaries  is  generally  the  local  currency.    Balance  sheet  accounts  for 
foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect at the consolidated balance sheet date.  Gains or 
losses that result from this process are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).  The revenue and expense 
accounts of foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at the average exchange rates that prevailed during the period. 
Realized gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are presented in the Statement of Income in a consistent manner 
with  the  underlying  transaction  based  upon  the  provisions  of  Accounting  Standards  Codification  ("ASC")  830  "Foreign 
Currency Matters."

Comprehensive Income (Loss):

Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net income adjusted for changes, net of any related income tax effect, in cumulative 
foreign currency translation, the fair value of derivatives, unrealized investment gains and losses and remeasurement of pension 
and other postretirement liabilities.

47

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

2. 

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, (continued)

Treasury Stock:

Treasury stock is carried at cost.  The cost of treasury shares sold is determined under the average cost method.

Revenue Recognition:

Revenue is recognized when control of a good or service promised in a contract (i.e., performance obligation) is transferred to a 
customer. Control is obtained when a customer has the ability to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the remaining 
benefits  from  that  good  or  service.  For  substantially  all  transactions,  control  passes  in  accordance  with  agreed  upon  delivery 
terms,  including  in  certain  circumstances,  customer  acceptance.  This  approach  is  consistent  with  the  Company’s  historical 
revenue recognition methodology.  In limited instances revenue is recognized over time as critical milestones are met and as 
services are provided.  Transaction price, for revenue recognition, is allocated to each performance obligation consisting of the 
stand alone selling price for goods and services, as well as warranties.  Transaction price also reflects estimates of rebates, other 
sales  or  contract  renewal  incentives,  cash  discounts  and  sales  returns  ("Variable  Consideration").  Estimates  are  made  for 
Variable Consideration based on contract terms and historical experience of actual results and are applied to the performance 
obligations  as  they  are  satisfied.    Each  product  or  service  delivered  to  a  third-party  customer  is  considered  to  satisfy  a 
performance obligation.  Performance obligations generally occur at a point in time and are satisfied when control of the goods 
passes  to  the  customer.    Certain  revenue  related  to  mausoleum  construction  and  significant  engineering  projects,  including 
purpose-built  engineered  products  (primarily  in  support  of  the  electric  vehicle  and  energy  storage  industries),  cremation  and 
incineration  projects,  and  marking  and  industrial  automation  projects,  are  recognized  over  time  using  the  input  method 
measuring progress toward completion of such projects.  Amounts recognized using the over time method were approximately 
10%  of  the  Company's  consolidated  revenue  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  2021,  and  less  than  5%  of  the  Company's 
consolidated  revenue  for  the  years  ended  September  30,  2020  and  2019.    The  Company  is  entitled  to  collection  of  the  sales 
price  under  normal  credit  terms  in  the  regions  in  which  it  operates.    Refer  to  Note  4,  “Revenue  Recognition,”  for  a  further 
discussion.

Shipping and Handling Fees and Costs:

All fees billed to the customer for shipping and handling are classified as a component of net revenues. All costs associated 
with shipping and handling are classified as a component of cost of sales or selling expense.

Research and Development Expenses:

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and were approximately $13,206, $13,363 and $15,043 for the years 
ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation:

Stock-based compensation cost is measured at grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense 
over the employee requisite service period.  

Income Taxes:

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are provided for the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and 
liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse.  Valuation allowances 
are  recorded  to  reduce  deferred  tax  assets  when  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  a  tax  benefit  will  not  be  realized.    Deferred 
income taxes have not been provided on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries since they have either been previously 
taxed, or are exempt from tax, and such earnings are considered to be reinvested indefinitely in foreign operations.  

Earnings Per Share:

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted 
earnings per share is computed using the treasury stock method, which assumes the issuance of common stock for all dilutive 
securities.

48

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

3.  

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS:

Adopted

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 
2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) which simplifies the accounting for income taxes. The amendments in this update remove 
certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and also simplify GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and 
amending existing guidance. The amendments in this ASU will be applied using different approaches depending on what the 
specific amendment relates to and, for public entities, are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, 
beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company early adopted this ASU in the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The adoption 
of this ASU had no significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements, but modifies the methodology to 
assess certain tax principles in Topic 740 prospectively.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General 
(Subtopic  715-20),  which  modifies  the  disclosure  requirements  for  employers  that  sponsor  defined  benefit  pension  or  other 
postretirement plans.  The adoption of this ASU in the first quarter ended December 31, 2020 had no material impact on the 
Company's consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Disclosure Framework - Changes 
to  the  Disclosure  Requirements  for  Fair  Value  Measurement,  which  modifies  the  disclosure  requirements  on  fair  value 
measurements including the consideration of costs and benefits.  The adoption of this ASU in the first quarter ended December 
31, 2019 had no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In  August  2017,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  No.  2017-12,  Derivatives  and  Hedging  (Topic  815),  which  provides  new  guidance 
intended to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk 
management activities in its financial statements.  The adoption of this ASU in the first quarter ended December 31, 2019 had 
no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326), which provides financial 
statement  users  with  more  decision-useful  information  about  the  expected  credit  losses  on  financial  instruments  and  other 
commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each report date. Subsequently, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-11, 
Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses and ASU No. 2020-02, Financial Instruments
—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842), that provide certain amendments to the new guidance. The adoption of 
these  ASUs  in  the  first  quarter  ended  December  31,  2020  had  no  material  impact  on  the  Company's  consolidated  financial 
statements.

The  following  table  summarizes  the  activity  for  the  accounts  receivable  allowance  for  doubtful  accounts  for  the  year  ended 
September 30, 2021:

Balance at October 1, 2020
Current period expense
Deductions (1)
Balance at September 30, 2021
(1) Amounts determined not to be collectible (including direct write-offs), net of recoveries.

Accounts Receivable Allowance 
for Doubtful Accounts

$ 

$ 

9,618 
2,182 
(1,146) 
10,654 

In  February  2016,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  No.  2016-02,  Leases  (Topic  842),  which  provides  new  guidance  on  how  an  entity 
should account for leases and recognize associated lease assets and liabilities. This ASU requires lessees to recognize assets and 
liabilities  that  arise  from  financing  and  operating  leases  on  the  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet.  Subsequently,  the  FASB  issued 
several ASUs that address implementation issues and correct or improve certain aspects of the new lease guidance, including 
ASU 2017-13, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), Leases (Topic 840), and 
Leases (Topic 842), ASU 2018-01, Leases (Topic 842) Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842, ASU 
2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases, ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, ASU 
2018-20, Leases (Topic 842): Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors, and ASU 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842): Codification 
Improvements. These ASUs do not change the core principles in the lease guidance outlined above. 

49

 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)  

3.  

ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS, (continued)

ASU No. 2018-11 provides an additional transition method to adopt ASU No. 2016-02. Under the transition method, an entity 
initially  applies  the  new  leases  standard  at  the  adoption  date  versus  at  the  beginning  of  the  earliest  period  presented  and 
recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company 
adopted  the  standard  using  the  transition  method  as  of  October  1,  2019.  Under  this  approach,  the  Company  recognized  and 
recorded ROU assets and related lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet of approximately $80,000 with no impact 
to  retained  earnings.    As  part  of  the  adoption,  the  Company  elected  the  package  of  practical  expedients  permitted  under  the 
transition guidance which includes the ability to carry forward historical lease classification. 

4. 

REVENUE RECOGNITION:

The Company delivers a variety of products and services through its business segments.  The SGK Brand Solutions segment 
delivers brand management, pre-media services, printing plates and cylinders, engineered products (including energy solutions), 
imaging services, digital asset management, merchandising display systems, and marketing and design services primarily for 
the consumer goods and retail industries.  The Memorialization segment produces and delivers bronze and granite memorials 
and other memorialization products, caskets, and cremation and incineration equipment primarily for the cemetery and funeral 
home  industries.    The  Industrial  Technologies  segment  delivers  marking  and  coding  equipment  and  consumables,  industrial 
automation  products  and  order  fulfillment  systems  for  identifying,  tracking,  picking  and  conveying  consumer  and  industrial 
products for the warehousing and industrial industries. 

The Company disaggregates revenue from contracts with customers by geography, as it believes geographic regions best depict 
how  the  nature,  amount,  timing  and  uncertainty  of  revenue  and  cash  flows  are  affected  by  economic  factors.    Disaggregated 
sales by segment and region for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows: 

North 
America

Central and 
South 
America

Europe

Australia

Asia

Consolidated

SGK Brand Solutions:
2021
2020
2019

$ 

288,054  $ 
305,527 
320,553 

5,036  $ 
6,304 
5,853 

372,080  $ 
326,776 
362,088 

13,336  $ 
12,097 
11,767 

48,389  $ 
42,389 
43,608 

726,895 
693,093 
743,869 

Memorialization:
2021
2020
2019

$ 

710,926  $ 
611,496 
590,575 

Industrial Technologies:
2021
2020
2019

$ 

142,416  $ 
120,682 
127,140 

—  $ 
— 
— 

—  $ 
— 
— 

47,858  $ 
35,557 
37,199 

10,232  $ 
8,982 
9,118 

—  $ 
— 
— 

769,016 
656,035 
636,892 

26,336  $ 
25,498 
26,966 

—  $ 
— 
— 

6,367  $ 
2,998 
2,409 

175,119 
149,178 
156,515 

Consolidated:
2021
2020
2019

$ 

1,141,396  $ 
1,037,705 
1,038,268 

5,036  $ 
6,304 
5,853 

446,274  $ 
387,831 
426,253 

23,568  $ 
21,079 
20,885 

54,756  $ 
45,387 
46,017 

1,671,030 
1,498,306 
1,537,276 

50

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data)

5. 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS:

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction 
between market participants at the measurement date. A three level fair value hierarchy is used to prioritize the inputs used in 
valuations, as defined below:

Level 1: 

Level 2:

Level 3:

Observable inputs that reflect unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either 
directly or indirectly.
 Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

As of September 30, 2021 and 2020, the fair values of the Company's assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis were 
categorized as follows:

Assets:

Derivatives (1)
Equity and fixed income mutual funds
Life insurance policies

Total assets at fair value

Level 1

September 30, 2021
Level 3
Level 2

Total

$ 

$ 

—  $ 
— 

— 
—  $ 

209  $ 

6,936 

4,626 
11,771  $ 

—  $ 
— 

— 
—  $ 

209 
6,936 

4,626 
11,771 

Liabilities:
   Derivatives (1)
2,232 
2,232 
Total liabilities at fair value
(1) Interest rate swaps and cross currency swaps are valued based on observable market swap rates and are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

2,232  $ 
2,232  $ 

—  $ 
—  $ 

—  $ 
—  $ 

$ 
$ 

Assets:

Equity and fixed income mutual funds
Life insurance policies

Total assets at fair value

Level 1

September 30, 2020
Level 3
Level 2

Total

$ 

$ 

—  $ 

24,610  $ 

—  $ 

24,610 

— 
—  $ 

4,621 
29,231  $ 

— 
—  $ 

4,621 
29,231 

Liabilities:
   Derivatives (1)
Total liabilities at fair value
(1) Interest rate swaps are valued based on observable market swap rates and are classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

7,792  $ 
7,792  $ 

—  $ 
—  $ 

$ 
$ 

—  $ 
—  $ 

7,792 
7,792 

The carrying values for other financial assets and liabilities approximated fair value for the years ended September 30, 2021 and 
2020.

6. 

INVENTORIES:

Inventories at September 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of the following:

2021

2020

Raw materials
Work in process
Finished goods

51

$ 

37,673  $ 
75,997 
75,418 

36,157 
70,128 
68,815 
$  189,088  $  175,100 

       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

7.  

INVESTMENTS:

At September 30, 2021 and 2020, non-current investments were as follows:

Equity and fixed income mutual funds
Life insurance policies
Equity-method investments
Other (primarily cost-method)  investments

2021

2020

$ 

$ 

6,936  $ 
4,626 
458 
18,418 
30,438  $ 

24,610 
4,621 
446 
33,573 
63,250 

Equity  and  fixed  income  mutual  funds  primarily  represent  investments  held  in  trust  for  the  Company's  non-qualified 
Supplemental Retirement Plan ("SERP") and are classified as trading securities and recorded at fair value.  The market value of 
these investments exceeded cost by $138 at September 30, 2020.  During fiscal 2021, the Company sold certain investments 
held  in  trust  for  its  SERP.    Such  amounts  totaled  $19,167  and  were  reported  as  restricted  cash  as  of  September  30,  2021. 
Realized and unrealized gains and losses are recorded in investment income. 

During  fiscal  2020,  the  Company  made  investments  of  $9,482  in  a  non-consolidated  Memorialization  subsidiary.    The 
Company subsequently sold its ownership interest in this subsidiary in fiscal 2020 for $42,210 of cash and $15,000 of senior 
preferred  shares.    In  connection  with  this  sale  transaction,  the  Company  recognized  a  pre-tax  gain  of  $11,208  which  was 
recorded as a component of administrative expenses for the year ended September 30, 2020.  During fiscal 2021, the Company 
received $15,000 for the full redemption of the senior preferred shares.  The senior preferred shares were included within other 
investments in the table above for the year ended September 30, 2020.

8. 

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:

Property, plant and equipment and the related accumulated depreciation at September 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:

Buildings
Machinery, equipment and other

Less accumulated depreciation

Land
Construction in progress

2021

2020

$  109,912  $  113,231 
486,282 
599,513 
(391,436) 
208,077 
16,660 
12,051 
$  223,707  $  236,788 

485,691 
595,603 
(400,281)   
195,322 
16,619 
11,766 

Depreciation expense, including amortization of assets under finance lease, was $49,279, $47,544 and $45,037 for each of the 
three years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

52

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

9. 

LONG-TERM DEBT:

Long-term debt at September 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of the following:

2021

2020

Revolving credit facilities
Securitization facility
Senior secured term loan
2025 Senior Notes
Other borrowings
Finance lease obligations

Total debt

Less current maturities

Long-term debt

95,990 
— 
297,796 
10,150 
9,177 
763,710 

$  350,597  $  416,793 
67,700 
22,359 
297,256 
20,742 
9,684 
834,534 
(26,824) 
$  759,086  $  807,710 

(4,624)   

The Company has a domestic credit facility with a syndicate of financial institutions that includes a $750,000 senior secured 
revolving credit facility, which matures in March 2025, and a $35,000 senior secured amortizing term loan. The senior  secured 
amortizing term loan was paid in full in March 2021.  A portion of the revolving credit facility (not to exceed $350,000) can be 
drawn in foreign currencies.  Borrowings under the revolving credit facility bear interest at LIBOR (Euro LIBOR for balances 
drawn in Euros) plus a factor ranging from 0.75% to 2.00% (1.00% at September 30, 2021) based on the Company's secured 
leverage ratio.  The secured leverage ratio is defined as net secured indebtedness divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, 
income  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization)  as  defined  within  the  domestic  credit  facility  agreement.    The  Company  is 
required to pay an annual commitment fee ranging from 0.15% to 0.30% (based on the Company's leverage ratio) of the unused 
portion  of  the  revolving  credit  facility.  The  Company  incurred  debt  issuance  costs  in  connection  with  the  domestic  credit 
facility.  Unamortized costs were $2,182 and $2,734 at September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, respectively.

The domestic credit facility requires the Company to maintain certain leverage and interest coverage ratios.  A portion of the 
facility  (not  to  exceed  $35,000)  is  available  for  the  issuance  of  trade  and  standby  letters  of  credit.  Outstanding  U.S.  dollar 
denominated  borrowings  on  the  revolving  credit  facility  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020  were  $349,780  and  $257,439, 
respectively.  There were no outstanding Euro denominated borrowings on the revolving credit facility at September 30, 2021.  
Outstanding  Euro  denominated  borrowings  on  the  revolving  credit  facility  at  September  30,  2020  were  €117.0  million 
($137,188). There were no outstanding borrowings on the term loan as of September 30, 2021.  Outstanding borrowings on the 
term loan at September 30, 2020 were $22,359. The weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings for the domestic 
credit facility (including the effects of interest rate swaps and Euro denominated borrowings) at September 30, 2021 and 2020 
was 2.03% and 2.41%, respectively.

The  Company  has  $300,000  of  5.25%  senior  unsecured  notes  due  December  1,  2025  (the  "2025  Senior  Notes").  The  2025 
Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 5.25% per annum with interest payable semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 
1 of each year.  The Company's obligations under the 2025 Senior Notes are guaranteed by certain of the Company's direct and 
indirect wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries. The Company is subject to certain covenants and other restrictions in connection 
with  the  2025  Senior  Notes.    The  Company  incurred  direct  financing  fees  and  costs  in  connection  with  2025  Senior  Notes. 
Unamortized costs were $2,204 and $2,744 at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

The  Company  has  a  $115,000  accounts  receivable  securitization  facility  (the  "Securitization  Facility")  with  certain  financial 
institutions, which matures in March 2022 and the Company intends to extend this facility.  Under the Securitization Facility, 
the  Company  and  certain  of  its  domestic  subsidiaries  sell,  on  a  continuous  basis  without  recourse,  their  trade  receivables  to 
Matthews  Receivables  Funding  Corporation,  LLC  (“Matthews  RFC”),  a  wholly-owned  bankruptcy-remote  subsidiary  of  the 
Company.  Matthews RFC in turn assigns a collateral interest in these receivables to certain financial institutions, and then may 
borrow funds under the Securitization Facility.  The Securitization Facility does not qualify for sale treatment.  Accordingly, the 
trade  receivables  and  related  debt  obligations  remain  on  the  Company's  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet.    Borrowings  under  the 
Securitization Facility bear interest at LIBOR plus 0.75%.  The Company is required to pay an annual commitment fee ranging 
from  0.25%  to  0.35%  of  the  unused  portion  of  the  Securitization  Facility.    Outstanding  borrowings  under  the  Securitization 
Facility at September 30, 2021 and 2020 were $95,990 and $67,700, respectively.  The interest rate on borrowings under this 
facility at September 30, 2021 and 2020 was 0.83% and 0.90%, respectively.

53

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

9. 

LONG-TERM DEBT, (continued)

The following table presents information related to interest rate contracts entered into by the Company and designated as cash 
flow hedges:

Pay fixed swaps - notional amount
Net unrealized loss
Weighted-average maturity period (years)
Weighted-average received rate
Weighted-average pay rate

September 30, 2021
250,000 
$ 
(2,062) 
$ 
2.2
 0.08 %
 1.34 %

September 30, 2020
312,500 
$ 
(7,792) 
$ 
2.6
 0.15 %
 1.34 %

The Company enters into interest rate swaps in order to achieve a mix of fixed and variable rate debt that it deems appropriate. 
The  interest  rate  swaps  have  been  designated  as  cash  flow  hedges  of  future  variable  interest  payments  which  are  considered 
probable  of  occurring.    Based  on  the  Company's  assessment,  all  of  the  critical  terms  of  each  of  the  hedges  matched  the 
underlying terms of the hedged debt and related forecasted interest payments, and as such, these hedges were considered highly 
effective.

The fair value of the interest rate swaps reflected an unrealized loss net of unrealized gains of $2,062 ($1,558 after tax) and an 
unrealized  loss  of  $7,792  ($5,884  after  tax)  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  respectively,  that  is  included  in  shareholders' 
equity as part of accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI").  Assuming market rates remain constant with the rates at 
September 30, 2021, a loss (net of tax) of approximately $1,428 included in AOCI is expected to be recognized in earnings over 
the next twelve months.

At September 30, 2021 and 2020, the interest rate swap contracts were reflected on a gross-basis in the consolidated balance 
sheets as follows:

Derivatives:
Current assets:

Other current assets

Long-term assets:
Other assets
Current liabilities:

Other current liabilities

Long-term liabilities:
Other liabilities

Total derivatives

The (losses) gains recognized on derivatives was as follows:

Derivatives in Cash Flow 
Hedging Relationships

Location of (Loss) Gain 
Recognized in Income on 
Derivatives

2021

2020

$ 

31  $ 

139 

— 

— 

(1,922)   

(3,164) 

(310)   
(2,062)  $ 

(4,628) 
(7,792) 

$ 

Amount of (Loss) Gain Recognized in Income on 
Derivatives
2020

2021

2019

Interest rate swaps

Interest expense

$(3,249)

$(861)

$3,181

The Company recognized the following (losses) gains in AOCI:

Derivatives in Cash Flow 
Hedging Relationships

 Amount of Gain (Loss) 
Recognized in AOCI on 
Derivatives
2020

2019

2021

Location of (Loss) Gain 
Reclassified from AOCI 
into Income
(Effective Portion*)

Amount of (Loss) Gain 
Reclassified from AOCI into 
Income (Effective Portion*)
2019
2020
2021

Interest rate swaps

$1,873

$(6,130)

$(6,540)

Interest expense

$(2,453)

$(650)

$2,402

* There is no ineffective portion or amount excluded from effectiveness testing.

54

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

9. 

LONG-TERM DEBT, (continued)

The Company, through certain of its European subsidiaries, has a credit facility with a European bank, which is guaranteed by 
Matthews.  The maximum amount of borrowings available under this facility is €25.0 million ($28,976), which includes €8.0 
million ($9,272) for bank guarantees.  The credit facility matures in December 2021 and the Company intends to continue to 
extend this facility.  Outstanding borrowings under the credit facility totaled  €704,000 ($817) and €18.9 million ($22,166) at 
September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  The weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings under this facility 
was 2.25% and 1.25% at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Other borrowings totaled $10,150 and $20,742 at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  The weighted-average interest 
rate on these borrowings was 2.19% and 2.10% at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

During fiscal 2021, the Company entered into a U.S. Dollar/Euro cross currency swap with a notional amount of $94,464 as of 
September 30, 2021, which was designated as a net investment hedge of foreign operations. The swap contract matures in seven 
years. The Company assesses hedge effectiveness for this contract based on changes in fair value attributable to changes in spot 
prices.  A gain of $22 (net of income taxes of $7) which represented an effective hedge of net investments, was reported as a 
component of AOCI within currency translation adjustment for fiscal 2021. Income of $63, which represented the recognized 
portion  of  the  fair  value  excluded  from  the  assessment  of  hedge  effectiveness,  was  included  in  current  period  earnings  as  a 
component of interest expense for fiscal 2021.

The  Company  previously  used  certain  foreign  currency  debt  instruments  as  net  investment  hedges  of  foreign  operations. 
Currency  losses  of    $5,370  (net  of  income  taxes  of  $1,743)  and  currency  losses  of  $4,377  (net  of  income  taxes  of  $1,420), 
which  represent  effective  hedges  of  net  investments,  were  reported  as  a  component  of  AOCI  within  currency  translation 
adjustment for fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively. 

In  September  2014,  a  claim  was  filed  by  a  customer  seeking  to  draw  upon  a  letter  of  credit  issued  by  the  Company  of 
£8,570,000 ($11,535 at September 30, 2021) with respect to a performance guarantee on an incineration equipment project in 
Saudi Arabia.  Management assessed the customer's demand to be without merit and initiated an action with the court in the 
United Kingdom (the "U.K. Court"). Pursuant to this action, an order was issued by the U.K. Court in January 2015 requiring 
that, upon receipt by the customer, the funds were to be remitted by the customer to the U.K. Court pending resolution of the 
dispute between the parties. As a result, the Company made payment on the draw to the financial institution for the letter of 
credit  and  the  funds  were  ultimately  received  by  the  customer.  The  customer  did  not  remit  the  funds  to  the  U.K.  Court  as 
ordered. On June 14, 2016, the U.K. Court ruled completely in favor of Matthews following a trial on the merits. However, the 
dispute  involved  litigation  in  multiple  foreign  jurisdictions  because  the  contract  between  the  parties  included  a  venue  clause 
requiring the venue for any litigation to be in the United Kingdom, while the enforcement of any final judgment was required to 
be executed in Saudi Arabia.  Thus, the Company pursued a trial on the merits in Saudi Arabia.  On November 9, 2020, the 
judge  in  the  Commercial  Court  of  Saudi  Arabia  issued  a  final  judgment  against  the  customer  in  the  amount  of  £10,450,000 
(representing  the  full  claim  amount  plus  interest)  in  favor  of  Matthews  and  the  customer  did  not  appeal  the  ruling  by  the 
Commercial Court.  As result, the judgment is now final and enforceable in Saudi Arabia.  The Company is assessing options to 
enforce and collect upon the judgment and its level of success in recovering funds from the customer will depend upon several 
factors, including the availability of recoverable funds, and the level of support of the Saudi Arabian government to enforce the 
judgment against the customer.  

During  fiscal  2020  and  fiscal  2021,  the  Saudi  Arabian  government  enforced  restrictions  on  travel  to  Mecca  due  to  the 
COVID-19 pandemic.  As a result, the Company was not able to support the operation of the incineration equipment for the 
local agency responsible for its operation during the prior two (2) Hajj Pilgrimages.  Consequently, the Company continues to 
have  concerns  regarding  the  level  of  anticipated  support  from  the  government  in  its  collection  efforts.    As  a  result  of  these 
concerns and other collectability risks, the Company established a reserve for the full value of the funded letter of credit as of 
June 30, 2020, and has made no adjustments to the reserve since that time.  The Company will continue to assess the accounting 
and collectability related to this matter as facts and circumstances evolve.

As  of  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  the  fair  value  of  the  Company's  long-term  debt,  including  current  maturities,  which  is 
classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy, approximated the carrying value included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  
The Company was in compliance with all of its debt covenants as of September 30, 2021

55

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

9. 

LONG-TERM DEBT, (continued)

Aggregate maturities by fiscal year of long-term debt, including other borrowings, is as follows:

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
Thereafter

Finance lease obligations

$ 

97,757  (a)
1,058 
1,055 
350,854 
298,892 
4,917 
754,533 

9,177  (b)

$ 

763,710 

(a)  The  Company  maintains  certain  debt  facilities  with  current  maturity  dates  in  fiscal  2022  that  it  intends  and  has  the  ability  to  extend  beyond  fiscal 2022 
totaling $96,807. These balances have been classified as non-current on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet.
(b) Aggregate maturities of finance lease obligations can be found in Note 10, "Leases."

10. 

LEASES:

The Company’s lease portfolio includes various contracts for real estate, vehicles, information technology and other equipment.  
The following table presents the balance sheet and lease classification for the Company's lease portfolio as of September 30, 
2021 and 2020, respectively:

Balance Sheet Classification

Lease Classification

2021

2020

Non-current assets:

Property, plant and equipment, net

Other assets

Total lease assets

Current liabilities:

Long-term debt, current maturities

Other current liabilities

Non-current liabilities:

Long-term debt
Other liabilities

Total lease liabilities

Finance

Operating

Finance

Operating

Finance
Operating

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

12,337  $ 

80,262 

92,599  $ 

3,674  $ 

25,151 

5,503 
57,272 

91,600  $ 

9,185 

72,011 

81,196 

3,515 

23,942 

6,169 
49,297 

82,923 

The following table presents the components of lease cost for the years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively:

Finance lease cost:

Amortization of ROU assets

Interest on lease liabilities

Operating lease cost (a)
Variable lease cost (a)
Sublease income

Total lease cost

2021

2020

$ 

$ 

4,016  $ 

248 

21,716 

6,752 

(83) 

32,649  $ 

2,112 

206 

23,735 

5,298 

(732) 

30,619 

(a) Annual lease cost under operating leases were $28,468, $29,033 and $38,015 in fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 

56

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

10. 

LEASES, (continued)

Supplemental information regarding the Company's leases follows:

Cash paid for finance and operating lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from finance leases

Operating cash flows from operating leases

Financing cash flows from finance leases

ROU assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities

ROU assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities

Weighted-average remaining lease term - finance leases (years)

Weighted-average remaining lease term - operating leases (years)

Weighted-discount rate - finance leases

Weighted-discount rate - operating leases

For the Year Ended September 30,

2021

2020

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

255 

28,246 

4,134 

3,687 

16,341 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

207 

29,309 

2,064 

2,613 

12,442 

September 30, 2021
3.85

September 30, 2020
4.39

3.82

 2.70 %

 2.28 %

3.52

 2.89 %

 2.82 %

Maturities of lease obligations by fiscal year were as follows as of September 30, 2021:

Operating Leases

Finance Leases

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

Thereafter

Total future minimum lease payments

Less: Interest

Present value of lease liabilities:

$ 

26,643  $ 

20,953 

15,588 

10,777 

7,863 

4,341 

86,165 

3,742 

$ 

82,423  $ 

3,927 

2,125 

1,222 

565 

456 

1,592 

9,887 

710 

9,177 

57

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

11.  

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY:

The authorized common stock of the Company consists of 70,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, $1.00 par value.

The Company has a stock repurchase program.  The buy-back program is designed to increase shareholder value, enlarge the 
Company's  holdings  of  its  common  stock,  and  add  to  earnings  per  share.    Repurchased  shares  may  be  retained  in  treasury, 
utilized  for  acquisitions,  or  reissued  to  employees  or  other  purchasers,  subject  to  the  restrictions  set  forth  in  the  Company's 
Restated Articles of Incorporation.  On July 28, 2021, the Company's Board of Directors approved the continuation of the stock 
repurchase program and increased the authorization for stock repurchases by an additional 2,500,000 shares. Under the current 
authorization, 2,658,627 shares remain available for repurchase as of September 30, 2021. 

12.  

SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS:

The Company maintains an equity incentive plan (the "2017 Equity Incentive Plan") that provides for grants of stock options, 
restricted shares, restricted share units, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock-based awards. Under the 
2017  Equity  Incentive  Plan,  which  has  a  ten-year  term,  the  maximum  number  of  shares  available  for  grants  or  awards  is  an 
aggregate of 1,700,000.  In November 2021, the Board of Directors approved the Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive 
Plan  (the  "Amended  2017  Plan"),  which  increases  the  maximum  number  of  shares  available  for  grants  or  awards  to  an 
aggregate of 3,450,000. The Amended 2017 Plan is subject to shareholder approval at the February 2022 Annual Shareholder 
Meeting. At September 30, 2021, 37,640 shares have been issued under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. 478,963 time-based 
restricted share units, 585,947 performance-based restricted share units, and 75,000 stock options have been granted under the 
2017 Equity Incentive Plan. 1,087,445 of these share-based awards are outstanding as of September 30, 2021. The 2017 Equity 
Incentive Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee").

For the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, stock-based compensation cost totaled $15,581, $8,096 and $7,729, 
respectively.  The  associated  future  income  tax  benefit  recognized  was  $3,247,  $1,665  and  $1,535  for  the  years  ended 
September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

With respect to the restricted share grants, generally one-half of the shares vest on the third anniversary of the grant, one-quarter 
of  the  shares  vest  in  one-third  increments  upon  the  attainment  of  pre-defined  levels  of  adjusted  earnings  per  share,  and  the 
remaining one-quarter of the shares vest in one-third increments upon attainment of pre-defined levels of appreciation in the 
market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock.  Additionally, restricted shares cannot vest until the first anniversary of 
the  grant  date.    Unvested  restricted  shares  generally  expire  on  the  earlier  of  three  or  five  years  from  the  date  of  grant,  upon 
employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with the consent of the 
Company), retirement or death.  The Company issues restricted shares from treasury shares.

With respect to the restricted share unit grants, units generally vest on the third anniversary of the grant date. The number of 
units that vest depend on certain time and performance thresholds. Such performance thresholds include adjusted earnings per 
share, return on invested capital, appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock, or other targets 
established by the Committee. Approximately 42% of the outstanding share units vest based on time, while the remaining vest 
based on pre-defined performance thresholds. The Company issues common stock from treasury shares once vested.

The transactions for restricted shares and restricted share units for the year ended September 30, 2021 were as follows:

Non-vested at September 30, 2020
Granted
Vested
Expired or forfeited
Non-vested at September 30, 2021

58

Weighted-
average
Grant-date
Fair Value
40.88 
30.06 
51.90 
55.79 
34.07 

Shares

750,322  $ 
499,050 
(127,540)   
(38,467)   
  1,083,365  $ 

 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

12.  

SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS, (continued)

During the third quarter of fiscal 2021, 75,000 stock options were granted under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. The option 
price for each stock option granted was $41.70, which was equal to the fair market value of the Company's Class A Common 
Stock on the date of grant. These options vest in one-third increments annually over three years from the grant date. Unvested 
stock options expire on the earlier of five years from the date of grant, or upon employment termination, retirement or death. 
The Company generally settles employee stock option exercises with treasury shares.

As of September 30, 2021, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to all unvested stock-based awards was $10,858 
which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.8 years.

The fair value of certain restricted share units that are subject to performance conditions and the fair value of stock options are 
estimated on the date of grant using a binomial lattice valuation model.  The following table indicates the assumptions used in 
estimating the fair value of certain stock-based awards granted during the year ended September 30, 2021.

Expected volatility

Dividend yield

Average risk-free interest rate

Average expected term (years)

Restricted
Share Units

Stock 
Options

 42.9 %

 3.2 %

 0.2 %

3.0

 41.9 %

 3.1 %

 0.5 %

5.0

The risk-free interest rate is based on United States Treasury yields at the date of grant. The dividend yield is based on the most 
recent dividend payment and average stock price over the 12 months prior to the grant date. Expected volatilities are based on 
the  historical  volatility  of  the  Company's  stock  price.  The  expected  term  for  grants  in  the  year  ended  September  30,  2021 
represents an estimate of the average period of time for restricted share units and stock options to vest.

The Company maintains the 2019 Director Fee Plan, the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan and the 1994 Director 
Fee  Plan  (collectively,  the  "Director  Fee  Plans").  There  will  be  no  further  fees  or  share-based  awards  granted  under  the 
Amended  and  Restated  2014  Director  Fee  Plan  and  the  1994  Director  Fee  Plan.    Under  the  2019  Director  Fee  Plan,  non-
employee directors (except for the Chairman of the Board) each receive, as an annual retainer fee for fiscal 2021, either cash or 
shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock with a value equal to $85.  The annual retainer fee for fiscal 2021 paid to a 
non-employee Chairman of the Board is $185.  Where the annual retainer fee is provided in shares, each director may elect to 
be paid these shares on a current basis or have such shares credited to a deferred stock account as phantom stock, with such 
shares to be paid to the director subsequent to leaving the Board.  The total number of shares of stock that have been authorized 
to be issued under the 2019 Director Fee Plan or credited to a deferred stock compensation account for subsequent issuance is 
150,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment upon certain events such as stock dividends or stock splits).  The value 
of  deferred  shares  is  recorded  in  other  liabilities.    A  total  of  38,657  shares  and  share  units  had  been  deferred  under  the 
Director  Fee  Plans  at  September  30,  2021.    Additionally,  non-employee  directors  each  receive  an  annual  stock-based  grant 
(non-statutory  stock  options,  stock  appreciation  rights  and/or  restricted  shares  or  units)  with  a  value  of  $125  for  fiscal  year 
2021.  As of September 30, 2021, 271,807 restricted shares and restricted share units have been granted under the Director Fee 
Plans,  98,578  of  which  were  issued  under  the  2019  Director  Fee  Plan.  74,639  restricted  shares  and  restricted  share  units  are 
unvested at September 30, 2021. 

59

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

13.  

EARNINGS PER SHARE:

The information used to compute earnings (loss) per share attributable to Matthews' common shareholders was as follows:

Net income (loss) attributable to Matthews shareholders

Weighted-average shares outstanding (in thousands):

Basic shares
Effect of dilutive securities
Diluted shares

2021

$ 

2,910  $ 

2020
(87,155)  $ 

2019
(37,988) 

31,696 
291 
31,987 

31,190 
— 
31,190 

31,416 
— 
31,416 

Anti-dilutive securities excluded from the dilutive calculation were insignificant for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021.  
During  periods  in  which  the  Company  incurs  a  net  loss,  diluted  weighted-average  shares  outstanding  are  equal  to  basic 
weighted-average shares outstanding because the effect of all equity awards is anti-dilutive.

14. 

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS:

The Company provides defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans to certain employees. Effective January 1, 2014, 
the Company's DB Plan was closed to new participants.  

In  April  2021,  the  Committee  approved  resolutions  to  freeze  all  future  benefit  accruals  for  all  participants  in  the  Company's 
SERP  and  the  defined  benefit  portion  of  the  Officers  Retirement  Restoration  Plan  (“ORRP”),  effective  April  30,  2021.    In 
August 2021, the Committee approved the termination of the SERP and the defined benefit portion of the ORRP.  In September 
2021, the Company notified SERP and ORRP participants of its intention to fully settle the obligations of the SERP and ORRP 
in early fiscal 2023.

In  August  2021,  the  Company's  Board  of  Directors  approved  the  freeze  of  all  future  benefit  accruals  for  the  Company's  DB 
Plan,  effective  September  30,  2021,  and  the  planned  termination  of  the  DB  Plan  in  early  fiscal  2022.    At  such  time,  the 
Company notified all plan participants of the Company's intentions to terminate and fully settle the obligations of the DB Plan 
early in fiscal 2022.

The freezing of the DB Plan, SERP, and ORRP triggered curtailments, which resulted in the remeasurement of the projected 
benefit  obligations  and  the  immediate  recognition  of  prior  service  costs  in  earnings,  which  were  previously  included  within 
AOCI.

60

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

14. 

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS, (continued)

The following provides a reconciliation of benefit obligations, plan assets and funded status of the plans as of the Company's 
actuarial valuation as of September 30, 2021 and 2020:

Change in benefit obligation:

Benefit obligation, beginning of year
Service cost
Interest cost
Actuarial (gain) loss
Curtailment gain
Special termination benefits
Exchange (gain) loss
Benefit payments
Benefit obligation, end of year (1)

Change in plan assets:

Fair value, beginning of year (2)
Actual return
Benefit payments
Employer contributions
Fair value, end of year (2)

Funded status (2)
Unrecognized actuarial loss
Unrecognized prior service (credit) cost
Net amount recognized

Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet:

Current liability
Noncurrent benefit liability
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (income)
Net amount recognized

Amounts recognized in accumulated
       other comprehensive loss (income):

Net actuarial loss
Prior service (credit) cost
Net amount recognized

Pension

Other Postretirement

2021

2020

2021

2020

$  318,887  $  289,957  $ 

7,919 
6,145 
(8,045)   
(17,324)   
315 
(133)   
(13,838)   
293,926 

8,679 
7,735 
23,827 
— 
— 
799 
(12,110)   
318,887 

19,431  $ 
201 
376 
(660)   
— 
— 
— 
(507)   

18,841 

168,134 
37,789 
(13,838)   
16,259 
208,344 

155,313 
8,705 
(12,110)   
16,226 
168,134 

— 
— 
(507)   
507 
— 

20,952 
227 
501 
(1,402) 
— 
— 
— 
(847) 
19,431 

— 
— 
(847) 
847 
— 

(85,582)   
49,545 

(309)   
(36,346)  $ 

(150,753)   
110,971 
343 
(39,439)  $ 

(18,841)   

16 
(1,684)   
(20,509)  $ 

(19,431) 
676 
(2,048) 
(20,803) 

(779)  $ 
(84,803)   
49,236 
(36,346)  $ 

(905)  $ 
(149,848)   
111,314 
(39,439)  $ 

(883)  $ 
(17,958)   
(1,668)   
(20,509)  $ 

(831) 
(18,600) 
(1,372) 
(20,803) 

49,545  $  110,971  $ 

(309)   

343 

49,236  $  111,314  $ 

16  $ 
(1,684)   
(1,668)  $ 

676 
(2,048) 
(1,372) 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(1) Gains and losses related to changes in assumptions (e.g., discount rate, mortality, etc.), asset, salary and other experience, and curtailments impacted benefit 
obligations.

(2)  The  fair  value  of  plan  assets  and  funded  status  do  not  include  the  value  of  investments  and  restricted  cash  held  in  trust  for  the  Company's  non-qualified 
SERP.  The combined value of these investments and restricted cash totaled $26,103 and $24,610 as of September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.  Refer to 
Note 7, "Investments" for further details.

61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

14. 

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS, (continued)

Based  upon  actuarial  valuations  performed  as  of  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  the  accumulated  benefit  obligation  for  the 
Company's defined benefit pension plans was $293,926 and $295,674 at September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and the 
projected  benefit  obligation  for  the  Company's  defined  benefit  pension  plans  was  $293,926  and  $318,887  at  September  30, 
2021 and 2020, respectively. 

Net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit cost for the plans included the following:

2021

Pension
2020

2019

Other Postretirement
2020

2019

2021

Service cost
Interest cost *
Expected return on plan assets *
Amortization:

Prior service cost
Net actuarial loss *

Curtailment gain *
Special termination benefits *
Prior-service cost write-offs *
Net benefit cost

$ 

7,919  $ 
6,145 
(10,809)   

8,679  $ 
7,735 
(10,214)   

7,998  $ 
9,202 
(10,304)   

(127)   
9,769 
(220)   
315 
261 
13,253  $ 

(186)   
9,767 
— 
— 
— 
15,781  $ 

(186)   
4,245 
— 
— 
— 
10,955  $ 

$ 

201  $ 
376 
— 

(364)   
— 
— 
— 
— 
213  $ 

227  $ 
501 
— 

(464)   
— 
— 
— 
— 
264  $ 

244 
718 
— 

(195) 
(59) 
— 
— 
— 
708 

* Non-service components of pension and postretirement expense are included in other income (deductions), net.

Matthews has elected to utilize a full yield curve approach in the estimation of the service and interest cost components of net 
periodic benefit cost by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used in the determination of the benefit obligation 
to the relevant projected cash flows. 

Benefit  payments  under  the  Company's  DB  Plan  are  made  from  plan  assets,  while  benefit  payments  under  the  SERP  and 
postretirement benefit plan are funded from the Company's operating cash.  

Contributions made in fiscal 2021 are as follows:

Contributions
Principal defined benefit retirement plan 
Supplemental retirement plan
Other retirement plans
Other postretirement plan

Pension

Other 
Postretirement

$ 

15,000  $ 
806 
453 
— 

— 
— 
— 
507 

In  November  2021,  subsequent  to  the  date  of  the  balance  sheet,  the  Company  contributed  $20,000  to  the  DB  Plan.    Also  in 
November  2021,  lump  sum  distributions  of  $178,230  from  the  DB  Plan  were  made  to  plan  participants,  resulting  in  the 
settlement of a substantial portion of the DB Plan obligations.  This settlement of the DB Plan obligations is expected to result 
in  the  recognition  of  a  non-cash  charge  in  excess  of  $30,000  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  2022.    This  amount  represents  the 
immediate recognition of a portion of the deferred AOCI balances related to the DB Plan, and is based on current estimates as 
of September 30, 2021.

62

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

14. 

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS, (continued)

The weighted-average assumptions in the following table represent the rates used to develop the actuarial present value of the 
projected benefit obligation for the year listed and also the net periodic benefit cost for the following year.  The measurement 
date of annual actuarial valuations for the Company's DB Plan and other postretirement benefit plans was September 30, for 
fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019.  The weighted-average assumptions for those plans were:

Discount rate
Return on plan assets
Compensation increase

2021

 2.79 %
 3.10 %
 3.50 %

Pension
2020

 2.62 %
 6.75 %
 3.50 %

2019

 3.13 %
 6.75 %
 3.50 %

Other Postretirement   
2020

2019

2021

 2.83 %
 — 
 — 

 2.63 %
 — 
 — 

 3.10 %
 — 
 — 

In  October  2014,  the  Society  of  Actuaries'  Retirement  Plans  Experience  Committee  ("RPEC")  released  new  mortality  tables 
known as RP 2014. Each year, RPEC releases an update to the mortality improvement assumption that was released with the 
RP 2014 tables. The Company considered the RPEC mortality and mortality improvement tables and performed a review of its 
own mortality history to assess the appropriateness of the RPEC tables for use in generating financial results.  In fiscal years 
2021, 2020 and 2019, the Company elected to value its DB Plan and other postretirement benefit plan liabilities using the base 
RP 2014 mortality table and a slightly modified fully generational mortality improvement assumption. The revised assumption 
uses the most recent RPEC mortality improvement table for all years where the RPEC tables are based on finalized data, and 
the most recently published Social Security Administration Intermediate mortality improvement for subsequent years.

The  Company's  investment  policy,  as  established  by  the  Company's  pension  board,  specifies  the  types  of  investments 
appropriate for the plans, asset allocation guidelines, criteria for the selection of investment managers, procedures to monitor 
overall  investment  performance  as  well  as  investment  manager  performance.    It  also  provides  guidelines  enabling  plan 
fiduciaries to fulfill their responsibilities.

The Company's defined benefit pension plans' weighted-average asset allocation at September 30, 2021 and 2020 and weighted-
average target allocation were as follows:

Asset Category
Equity securities
Fixed income, cash and cash equivalents
Other investments

Target
Allocation*
 — %
 100 %
 — %
 100 %
* Target allocation relates to the Company's DB Plan as of September 30, 2021. During fiscal 2021, the investment policy for the Company's DB Plan was 
updated  to  establish  modified  asset  allocation  targets.  The  updated  investment  objective  is  intended  to  reduce  risk  assets  in  favor  of  fixed  income 
investments as a result of the planned termination and expected settlement of the DB Plan in fiscal 2022.

4,075  $  118,677 
34,184 
15,273 
$  208,344  $  168,134 

189,958 
14,311 

Plan Assets at

2020

2021

$ 

Based  on  an  analysis  of  the  historical  and  expected  future  performance  of  the  plan's  assets  and  information  provided  by  its 
independent investment advisor, the Company set the long-term rate of return assumption for its DB Plan's assets at 3.10% in 
2021  for  purposes  of  determining  pension  cost  and  funded  status  under  current  guidance.    The  Company's  discount  rate 
assumption used in determining the present value of the projected benefit obligation is based upon published indices.

The Company categorizes plan assets within a three level fair value hierarchy (see Note 5, "Fair Value Measurements" for a 
further discussion of the fair value hierarchy). The valuation methodologies used to measure the fair value of pension assets, 
including the level in the fair value hierarchy in which each type of pension plan asset is classified as follows.

Equity securities consist of direct investments in the stocks of publicly traded companies.  Such investments are valued based 
on the closing price reported in an active market on which the individual securities are traded.  As such, the direct investments 
are classified as Level 1.

Mutual funds are valued at the closing price of shares held by the Plan at year end.  As such, these mutual fund investments are 
classified as Level 1.

63

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

14. 

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS, (continued)

Fixed income securities consist of publicly traded fixed interest obligations (primarily U.S. government notes and corporate and 
agency bonds).  Such investments are valued through consultation and evaluation with brokers in the institutional market using 
quoted prices and other observable market data.  As such, U.S. government notes are included in Level 1, and the remainder of 
the fixed income securities are included in Level 2.

Cash and cash equivalents consist of direct cash holdings and short-term money market mutual funds.  These values are valued 
based on cost, which approximates fair value, and as such, are classified as Level 1.

Other  investments  consist  primarily  of  real  estate,  commodities,  private  equity  holdings  and  hedge  fund  investments.    These 
holdings are valued by investment managers based on the most recent information available.  The valuation information used 
by investment managers may not be readily observable.  As such, these investments are classified as Level 3.

The Company's defined benefit pension plans' asset categories at September 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:

Asset Category
Equity securities - stocks (1)
Fixed income securities
Cash and cash equivalents
Other investments
Total
(1) Includes $4,075 of of Matthews Class A Common Stock in Level 1.

Asset Category
Equity securities - stocks (1)
Equity securities - mutual funds
Fixed income securities
Cash and cash equivalents
Other investments
Total
(1) Includes $14,936 of of Matthews Class A Common Stock in Level 1.

Level 1

September 30, 2021
Level 3
Level 2

Total

$ 

4,075  $ 
10,403 
78,422 
— 

—  $ 

101,133 
— 
— 

$ 

92,900  $  101,133  $ 

4,075 
—  $ 
111,536 
— 
78,422 
— 
14,311 
14,311 
14,311  $  208,344 

Level 1

September 30, 2020
Level 3
Level 2

Total

$ 

37,089  $ 
81,588 
11,738 
2,360 
— 

$  132,775  $ 

—  $ 
— 
20,086 
— 
— 
20,086  $ 

37,089 
—  $ 
81,588 
— 
31,824 
— 
2,360 
— 
15,273 
15,273 
15,273  $  168,134 

Changes in the fair value of Level 3 assets at September 30, 2021 and 2020 are summarized as follows:

Asset Category

Other investments:
Fiscal Year Ended:
September 30, 2021
September 30, 2020

Fair Value, 
Beginning of 
Period

Acquisitions Dispositions

Realized 
Gains

Unrealized 
Gains 
(Losses)

Fair Value, 
End of 
Period

$ 

15,273  $ 
10,860 

236  $ 

10,835 

(2,144)  $ 
(6,326)   

272  $ 
220 

674  $ 
(316)   

14,311 
15,273 

64

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

14. 

PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT PLANS, (continued)

Benefit payments expected to be paid are as follows:

Years ending September 30:

2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027-2031

Pension 
Benefits *

Other 
Postretirement 
Benefits

$ 

$ 

12,152  $ 
35,644 
12,609 
12,673 
13,057 
67,218 
153,353  $ 

884 
906 
924 
937 
940 
4,546 
9,137 

* Pension benefit amounts do not reflect the planned termination and expected settlement of the DB Plan in fiscal 2022 (see above for further details).

For  measurement  purposes,  a  rate  of  increase  of  6.5%  in  the  per  capita  cost  of  health  care  benefits  was  assumed  for  2022;                                     
the  rate  was  assumed  to  decrease  gradually  to  4.0%  for  2070  and  remain  at  that  level  thereafter.    Assumed  health  care  cost                          
trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported.

The  Company  sponsors  defined  contribution  plans  for  hourly  and  salary  employees.    The  expense  associated  with  the 
contributions  made  to  these  plans  was  $9,186,  $8,692,  and  $8,176  for  the  fiscal  years  ended  September  30,  2021,  2020  and 
2019, respectively.

65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

15.  

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME:

The changes in AOCI by component, net of tax, for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020, and 2019 were as follows:

Postretirement 
Benefit Plans

Currency 
Translation 
Adjustment

Derivatives

Total

Attributable to Matthews:

Balance, September 30, 2018
OCI before reclassification
Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Net current-period OCI
Balance, September 30, 2019
OCI before reclassification
Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Net current-period OCI
Balance, September 30, 2020
OCI before reclassification
Amounts reclassified from AOCI
Net current-period OCI
Balance, September 30, 2021

Attributable to noncontrolling interest:

Balance, September 30, 2018
OCI before reclassification
Net current-period OCI
Balance, September 30, 2019
OCI before reclassification
Net current-period OCI
Balance, September 30, 2020
OCI before reclassification
Net current-period OCI
Balance, September 30, 2021

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

  $ 

(37,876) 
(36,784) 

2,917  (a)

(33,867) 
(71,743) 
(18,094) 

6,883  (a)

(11,211) 
(82,954)   
39,822   
7,202  (a)
47,024   
(35,930) 

— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(134,960)  
(21,254)  

— 
(21,254) 
(156,214) 
4,333 
— 
4,333 
(151,881) 
(3,370) 
— 
(3,370)   
(155,251)   

467   
(92)  
(92)  
375   
(7)  
(7)  
368   
(127)  
(127)  
241   

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(a)

(b)

Amounts were included in net periodic benefit cost for pension and other postretirement benefit plans (see Note 14).
Amounts were included in interest expense in the periods the hedged item affected earnings (see Note 9).

Accumulated other comprehensive loss at September 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of the following:

Cumulative foreign currency translation
Fair value of derivatives, net of tax of $504 and $1,908, respectively
Minimum pension liabilities, net of tax of $11,638 and $26,988, respectively

8,538 
(6,540) 
(2,402)  (b)
(8,942)   
(404)   
(6,130)   

650  (b)

(5,480)   
(5,884)   
1,873   
2,453  (b)
4,326 
(1,558) 

— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 
— 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

(164,298) 
(64,578) 
515 
(64,063) 
(228,361) 
(19,891) 
7,533 
(12,358) 
(240,719) 
38,325 
9,655 
47,980 
(192,739) 

467 
(92) 
(92) 
375 
(7) 
(7) 
368 
(127) 
(127) 
241 

2021

2020

$  (155,251)  $  (151,881) 
(5,884) 
(82,954) 
$  (192,739)  $  (240,719) 

(1,558)   
(35,930)   

66

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

15.  

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME, (continued)

Reclassifications out of AOCI for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

 Details about AOCI 
Components

September 30, 
2021

September 30, 
2020

September 30, 
2019

Affected line item in the 
Statement of Income

Postretirement benefit plans

Prior service (cost) credit (a)
Actuarial losses

Prior service cost write-off

Derivatives

Interest rate swap contracts

$ 

$ 

$ 

  $ 

491  $ 

(9,769)   

(261)   

(9,539)   
2,337 
(7,202)  $ 

(3,249)  $ 

(3,249)   
796 
(2,453)  $ 

650  $ 

(9,767)   

— 

(9,117)   
2,234 
(6,883)  $ 

(861)  $ 

(861)   
211 
(650)  $ 

381 

(4,245)  Other income (deductions), net
—  Other income (deductions), net

(3,864)  Income before income tax (b)

947 

Income taxes

(2,917)  Net income

3,181 

Interest expense
Income before income tax (b)

3,181 
(779)  Income taxes
2,402  Net income

(a)

(b)

Prior service cost amounts are included in the computation of pension and other postretirement benefit expense, which is reported in both cost of goods 
sold and selling and administrative expenses.  For additional information, see Note 14.
For pre-tax items, positive amounts represent income and negative amounts represent expense.

16.  

INCOME TAXES:

The income tax provision (benefit) consisted of the following:

Current:
Federal
State
Foreign

Deferred:
Federal
State
Foreign

Total

2021

2020

2019

$ 

$ 

(3,741)  $ 
3,579 
2,379 
2,217 

(12,354)  $ 
(1,030)   
11,306 
(2,078)   

5,829 
169 
(1,840)   
4,158 
6,375  $ 

4,710 
2,880 
(24,197)   
(16,607)   
(18,685)  $ 

3,308 
2,232 
2,049 
7,589 

(5,472) 
(2,782) 
1,471 
(6,783) 
806 

67

 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

16.  

INCOME TAXES, (continued)

The reconciliation of the federal statutory tax rate to the consolidated effective tax rate was as follows:

Federal statutory tax rate
Effect of state income taxes, net of federal deduction
Foreign statutory taxes compared to federal statutory rate
Share-based compensation
Termination of SERP
Tax credits
Tax basis difference
Sale of SERP-related investments
Goodwill write-down
Tax rate differential on net operating loss carryback
Other
Effective tax rate

2021

2020

2019

 21.0 %
 37.5 %
 (18.6) %
 24.5 %
 28.6 %
 (26.6) %
 — %
 23.8 %
 — %
 (21.4) %
 0.2 %
 69.0 %

 21.0 %
 (1.9) %
 3.4 %
 (1.4) %
 — %
 1.8 %
 — %
 — %
 (9.4) %
 4.2 %
 (0.1) %
 17.6 %

 21.0 %
 2.7 %
 (0.8) %
 (3.1) %
 — %
 4.9 %
 9.8 %
 — %
 (40.2) %
 — %
 3.6 %
 (2.1) %

The Company's consolidated income taxes for the year ended September 30, 2021 were an expense of $6,375, compared to a 
benefit of $18,685 for fiscal 2020, and an expense of $806 for fiscal 2019.  The difference between the Company's consolidated 
income taxes for fiscal 2021 compared to fiscal 2020 primarily resulted from fiscal 2021 having consolidated income before 
income  taxes,  compared  to  fiscal  2020  having  a  consolidated  loss,  which  reflected  the  goodwill  write-down  recorded  in  the 
second quarter of fiscal 2020, that was partially non-deductible.  Additionally, the fiscal 2021 tax rate was negatively impacted 
by the termination of the Company's SERP, which resulted in certain expenses that are nondeductible for tax purposes.  The 
fiscal 2021 effective tax rate benefited from research and development and foreign tax credits, the reduction of uncertain tax 
positions due to the expiration of the statute of limitations in certain jurisdictions, and the completion of a state tax audit, and 
the  tax  benefit  of  the  NOL  carryback.  The  Company’s  fiscal  2020  effective  tax  rate  was  negatively  affected  by  the  non-
deductible portion of the goodwill write-down along with certain other non-deductible expenses.  The fiscal 2020 effective tax 
rate  benefited  from  research  and  development  and  foreign  tax  credits,  the  reduction  of  uncertain  tax  positions  due  to  the 
completion of a foreign tax audit, and the tax benefit of the NOL carryback.  The difference between the Company's effective 
tax rate for fiscal 2020 versus fiscal 2019 primarily resulted from partially non-deductible goodwill write downs of differing 
amounts in both periods, as well as a benefit for an expected net operating loss (“NOL”) carryback in fiscal 2020. The fiscal 
2019 effective tax rate benefited from research and development and foreign tax credits and the elimination, achieved through 
tax planning, of a taxable basis difference.

The Company's foreign subsidiaries had income before income taxes for the year ended September 30, 2021 of approximately 
$6,685, loss before income taxes for the year ended September 30, 2020 of approximately $68,343 and income before income 
taxes  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  2019  of  approximately  $11,042.  Deferred  income  taxes  have  not  been  provided  on 
undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries since they have either been previously taxed, or are now exempt from tax, under 
the  U.S.  Tax  Cuts  and  Jobs  Act,  and  such  earnings  are  considered  to  be  reinvested  indefinitely  in  foreign  operations.  At 
September  30,  2021,  undistributed  earnings  of  foreign  subsidiaries  for  which  deferred  income  taxes  have  not  been  provided 
approximated $358,342.  

68

 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

16.  

INCOME TAXES, (continued)

The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities at September 30, 2021 and 2020 are as follows:

Deferred tax assets:

Pension and postretirement benefits
Accruals and reserves not currently deductible
Income tax credit carryforward
Operating and capital loss carryforwards
Stock options
Other

Total deferred tax assets
Valuation allowances

Net deferred tax assets

Deferred tax liabilities:

Depreciation
Unrealized gains and losses
Goodwill and intangible assets
Other

Total deferred tax liabilities

Net deferred tax liability

2021

2020

$ 

11,832  $ 
8,753 
5,206 
51,438 
4,944 
1,320 
83,493 
(28,619)   
54,874 

39,705 
12,258 
5,308 
34,146 
4,062 
8,376 
103,855 
(22,527) 
81,328 

(23,224)   
(886)   
(113,476)   
(11,215)   
(148,801)   

(27,671) 
389 
(123,259) 
(5,941) 
(156,482) 

$ 

(93,927)  $ 

(75,154) 

At  September  30,  2021,  the  Company  had  foreign  net  operating  loss  carryforwards  of  $218,691  and  foreign  capital  loss 
carryforwards of $21,037.  The Company has recorded deferred tax assets of $3,045 for state net operating loss carryforwards, 
which will be available to offset future income tax liabilities.  If not used, state net operating losses will begin to expire in 2022.  
Certain of the foreign net operating losses begin to expire in 2022 while the majority of the Company's foreign net operating 
losses  have  no  expiration  period.  Certain  of  these  carryforwards  are  subject  to  limitations  on  use  due  to  tax  rules  affecting 
acquired  tax  attributes,  loss  sharing  between  group  members,  and  business  continuation.  Therefore,  the  Company  has 
established tax-effected valuation allowances against these tax benefits in the amount of $28,619 at September 30, 2021.  

Changes in the total amount of gross unrecognized tax benefits (excluding penalties and interest) are as follows:

Balance, beginning of year
Increases for tax positions of prior years
Decreases for tax positions of prior years
Increases based on tax positions related to the current year
Decreases due to lapse of statute of limitation
Balance, end of year

2021

2020

2019

$ 

$ 

10,483  $ 
— 
(288)   
628 
(8,016)   
2,807  $ 

15,526  $ 
500 
(2,727)   
939 
(3,755)   
10,483  $ 

14,827 
— 
— 
1,420 
(721) 
15,526 

The  Company  had  unrecognized  tax  benefits  of  $2,807  at  September  30,  2021,  which  would  impact  the  annual  effective  tax 
rate.  It is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $414 in the next 
12  months  primarily  due  to  the  completion  of  audits  and  the  expiration  of  the  statute  of  limitation  related  to  specific  tax 
positions.

The  Company  classifies  interest  and  penalties  on  tax  uncertainties  as  a  component  of  the  provision  for  income  taxes.    Total 
penalties  and  interest  accrued  were  $691  and  $2,172  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020,  respectively.    These  accruals  may 
potentially be applicable in the event of an unfavorable outcome of uncertain tax positions.

69

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

16.  

INCOME TAXES, (continued)

The Company is currently under examination in several tax jurisdictions and remains subject to examination until the statute of 
limitation expires for those tax jurisdictions. 

As of September 30, 2021, the tax years that remain subject to examination by major jurisdiction generally are:

United States - Federal
United States - State
Canada
Germany
United Kingdom
Australia
Singapore

2018 and forward
2017 and forward
2017 and forward
2019 and forward
2020 and forward
2017 and forward
2017 and forward

17. 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES:

The Company is party to various legal proceedings, the eventual outcome of which are not predictable.  Although the ultimate 
disposition  of  these  proceedings  is  not  presently  determinable,  management  is  of  the  opinion  that  they  should  not  result  in 
liabilities in an amount which would materially affect the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or 
cash flows.

The Company has employment agreements with certain employees, the terms of which expire at various dates between fiscal 
2022 and 2025.  The agreements generally provide for base salary and bonus levels and include non-compete provisions.  The 
aggregate commitment for salaries under these agreements at September 30, 2021 was $7,168.

18. 

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

Changes in working capital items as presented in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows consisted of the following:

Current assets:

Accounts receivable
Inventories
Other current assets

Current liabilities:

Trade accounts payable
Accrued compensation
Accrued income taxes
Other current liabilities

Net change

2021

2020

2019

$ 

(13,423)  $ 
(12,839)   
(15,618)   
(41,880)   

24,055  $ 
5,976 
(14,803)   
15,228 

8,779 
830 
10,317 
19,926 

29,621 
10,791 
601 
13,849 
54,862 
12,982  $ 

8,363 
15,512 
(2,384)   
9,648 
31,139 
46,367  $ 

3,715 
(8,832) 
(5,416) 
(21,875) 
(32,408) 
(12,482) 

$ 

70

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

19. 

SEGMENT INFORMATION:

The  Company  manages  its  businesses  under  three  segments:  SGK  Brand  Solutions,  Memorialization  and  Industrial 
Technologies.  The  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  consists  of  brand  management,  pre-media  services,  printing  plates  and 
cylinders, engineered products (including energy solutions), imaging services, digital asset management, merchandising display 
systems,  and  marketing  and  design  services  primarily  for  the  consumer  goods  and  retail  industries.  The  Memorialization 
segment  consists  primarily  of  bronze  and  granite  memorials  and  other  memorialization  products,  caskets,  and  cremation  and 
incineration equipment primarily for the cemetery and funeral home industries.  The Industrial Technologies segment includes 
marking and coding equipment and consumables, industrial automation products and order fulfillment systems for identifying, 
tracking, picking and conveying consumer and industrial products.  Effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, the Company 
transferred  its  surfaces  and  engineered  products  businesses  from  the  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  to  the  Industrial 
Technologies segment.  This business segment change is consistent with internal management structure and reporting changes 
effective for fiscal 2022.

The Company's primary measure of segment profitability is adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and 
amortization  ("adjusted  EBITDA").  Adjusted  EBITDA  is  defined  by  the  Company  as  earnings  before  interest,  income  taxes, 
depreciation,  amortization  and  certain  non-cash  and/or  non-recurring  items  that  do  not  contribute  directly  to  management’s 
evaluation  of  its  operating  results.  These  items  include  stock-based  compensation,  the  non-service  portion  of  pension  and 
postretirement expense, acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges. This presentation is 
consistent  with  how  the  Company's  chief  operating  decision  maker  (the  “CODM”)  evaluates  the  results  of  operations  and 
makes  strategic  decisions  about  the  business.  For  these  reasons,  the  Company  believes  that  adjusted  EBITDA  represents  the 
most relevant measure of segment profit and loss.

In  addition,  the  CODM  manages  and  evaluates  the  operating  performance  of  the  segments,  as  described  above,  on  a  pre-
corporate cost allocation basis. Accordingly, for segment reporting purposes, the Company does not allocate corporate costs to 
its  reportable  segments.  Corporate  costs  include  management  and  administrative  support  to  the  Company,  which  consists  of 
certain  aspects  of  the  Company’s  executive  management,  legal,  compliance,  human  resources,  information  technology 
(including operational support) and finance departments. These costs are included within "Corporate and Non-Operating" in the 
following  table  to  reconcile  to  consolidated  adjusted  EBITDA  and  are  not  considered  a  separate  reportable  segment. 
Management  does  not  allocate  non-operating  items  such  as  investment  income,  other  income  (deductions),  net  and 
noncontrolling  interest  to  the  segments.  The  accounting  policies  of  the  segments  are  the  same  as  those  described  in  Note  2 
"Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies".    Intersegment  sales  are  accounted  for  at  negotiated  prices.    Segment  assets 
include those assets that are used in the Company's operations within each segment.  Assets classified under "Corporate and 
Non-Operating"  principally  consist  of  cash  and  cash  equivalents,  investments,  deferred  income  taxes  and  corporate 
headquarters' assets.  Long-lived assets include property, plant and equipment (net of accumulated depreciation), goodwill, and 
other intangible assets (net of accumulated amortization).

71

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

19. 

SEGMENT INFORMATION, (continued)

Information about the Company's segments follows:

Sales to external customers:
2021
2020
2019
Intersegment sales:
2021
2020
2019
Depreciation and amortization:
2021
2020
2019
Adjusted EBITDA:
2021
2020
2019
Total assets:
2021
2020
2019
Capital expenditures:
2021
2020
2019

SGK Brand 

Solutions Memorialization

Industrial 
Technologies

Corporate and 
Non-Operating

Consolidated

$ 

726,895  $ 
693,093 
743,869 

769,016  $ 
656,035 
636,892 

175,119  $ 
149,178 
156,515 

—  $ 
— 
— 

1,671,030 
1,498,306 
1,537,276 

— 
281 
48 

5,602 
5,771 
6,195 

26,659 
22,753 
24,082 

197,715 
192,948 
191,533 

1,278 
1,598 
2,382 

— 
— 
— 

5,377 
5,163 
5,183 

(64,227)   
(56,602)   
(56,989)   

65,152 
85,702 
62,417 

1,949 
1,719 
3,644 

55 
314 
776 

133,512 
119,058 
90,793 

227,750 
203,080 
220,872 

2,032,078 
2,072,633 
2,190,603 

34,313 
34,849 
37,688 

55 
29 
703 

99,490 
87,597 
59,684 

99,665 
90,644 
119,493 

961,996 
1,014,097 
1,106,276 

19,117 
20,250 
22,310 

— 
4 
25 

23,043 
20,527 
19,731 

165,653 
146,285 
134,286 

807,215 
779,886 
830,377 

11,969 
11,282 
9,352 

72

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

19. 

SEGMENT INFORMATION, (continued)

A reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income follows:

Total Adjusted EBITDA
Acquisition related items (1)**
ERP integration costs (2)**
Strategic initiatives and other charges: (3)**
Workforce reductions and related costs
Other cost-reduction initiatives

Legal matter reserve (4)
Non-recurring / incremental COVID-19 costs (5)***
Goodwill write-downs (6)
Net realized gains (losses) on divestitures and asset dispositions:
Gain (loss) on sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries (7)
Realized loss on cost-method investments (8)
Net gains from the sale of buildings and vacant properties (9)

Joint Venture depreciation, amortization, interest expense and other charges (10)
Stock-based compensation 
Non-service pension and postretirement expense (11)
Depreciation and amortization *
Interest expense
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
Income (loss) before income taxes
Income tax (provision) benefit
Net income (loss)

$ 

2021
227,750  $ 
(541)   
(1,037)   

2020
203,080  $ 
(3,440)   
(2,296)   

2019
220,872 
(10,084) 
(7,508) 

(10,644)   
(17,317)   

— 
(5,312)   
— 

(9,232)   
(25,718)   
(10,566)   
(3,908)   
(90,408)   

— 
— 
— 
— 

(15,581)   
(5,837)   
(133,512)   
(28,684)   
(52)   

9,233 
(6,375)   
2,858  $ 

$ 

11,208 
— 
— 
(4,732)   
(8,096)   
(7,789)   
(119,058)   
(34,885)   
(497)   
(106,337)   
18,685 
(87,652)  $ 

(5,061) 
(9,176) 
— 
— 
(77,572) 

(6,469) 
(4,731) 
7,347 
(1,514) 
(7,729) 
(3,802) 
(90,793) 
(40,962) 
(901) 
(38,083) 
(806) 
(38,889) 

(1) Includes certain non-recurring items associated with recent acquisition activities.
(2) Represents costs associated with global ERP system integration efforts. 
(3)  Includes  certain  non-recurring  costs  primarily  associated  with  productivity  and  cost-reduction  initiatives  intended  to  result  in  improved  operating 
performance, profitability and working capital levels.
(4) Represents a reserve established for a legal matter involving a letter of credit for a customer in Saudi Arabia within the Memorialization segment (see Note 
9, "Long Term Debt").
(5) Includes certain non-recurring direct incremental costs (such as costs for purchases of computer peripherals and devices to facilitate working-from-home, 
additional  personal  protective  equipment  and  cleaning  supplies  and  services,  etc.)  incurred  in  response  to  COVID-19.  This  amount  does  not  include  the 
impact of any lost sales or underutilization due to COVID-19.
(6) Represents goodwill write-downs within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (see Note 21, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets").
(7) Represents the gain (loss) on the sale of ownership interests in subsidiaries within the Memorialization segment.
(8) Includes gains/losses related to cost-method investments, and related assets, within the SGK Brand Solutions and Memorialization segments. 
(9) Includes significant building and vacant property transactions resulting in a gain of $8,663 within the Industrial Technologies segment and losses of $915 
and $401 within the SGK Brand Solutions and Memorialization segments, respectively.
(10)  Represents  the  Company's  portion  of  depreciation,  intangible  amortization,  interest  expense,  and  other  non-recurring  charges  incurred  by  non-
consolidated subsidiaries accounted for as equity-method investments within the Memorialization segment.
(11)  Non-service  pension  and  postretirement  expense  includes  interest  cost,  expected  return  on  plan  assets,  amortization  of  actuarial  gains  and  losses,  and 
curtailment  gains  and  losses.  These  benefit  cost  components  are  excluded  from  adjusted  EBITDA  since  they  are  primarily  influenced  by  external  market 
conditions  that  impact  investment  returns  and  interest  (discount)  rates.  Curtailment  gains  and  losses  are  excluded  from  Adjusted  EBITDA  since  they 
generally result from certain non-recurring events, such as plan amendments to modify future benefits. The service cost and prior service cost components of 
pension and postretirement expense are included in the calculation of adjusted EBITDA, since they are considered to be a better reflection of the ongoing 
service-related  costs  of  providing  these  benefits.  Please  note  that  GAAP  pension  and  postretirement  expense  or  the  adjustment  above  are  not  necessarily 
indicative of the current or future cash flow requirements related to these employee benefit plans.

*  Depreciation  and  amortization  was  $99,490,  $87,597,  and  $59,684  for  the  SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment,  $23,043,  $20,527,  and  $19,731  for  the 
Memorialization  segment,  $5,602,  $5,771,  and  $6,195  for  the  Industrial  Technologies  segment,  and  $5,377,  $5,163,  and  $5,183  for  Corporate  and  Non-
Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively.
**  Acquisition  costs,  ERP  integration  costs,  and  strategic  initiatives  and  other  charges  were  $16,349,  $14,737,  and  $8,903  for  the  SGK  Brand  Solutions 
segment and $11,267, $22,985, and $19,853 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively. 
Acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges were $1,923 and $2,696 for the Memorialization segment for the fiscal years 
ended September 30, 2021, and 2020, respectively. Acquisition costs, ERP integration costs, and strategic initiatives and other charges were $268 and $3,073 
for the Industrial Technologies segment for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

73

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

19. 

SEGMENT INFORMATION, (continued)

*** Non-recurring/incremental COVID-19 costs were $1,563 and $1,453 for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, $3,646 and $1,819 for the Memorialization 
segment, $14 and $21 for the Industrial Technologies segment, and $89 and $615 for Corporate and Non-Operating, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 
2021 and 2020, respectively.

Information about the Company's operations by geographic area follows:

North 
America

Central and 
South 
America

Europe

Australia

Asia

Consolidated

Sales to external customers:
2021
2020
2019

$ 

1,141,396  $ 
1,037,705 
1,038,268 

5,036  $ 
6,304 
5,853 

446,274  $ 
387,831 
426,253 

23,568  $ 
21,079 
20,885 

54,756  $ 
45,387 
46,017 

1,671,030 
1,498,306 
1,537,276 

Long-lived assets:
2021
2020
2019

890,545 
957,393 
1,047,505 

14,226 
14,063 
15,585 

277,655 
286,990 
342,802 

21,012 
21,746 
21,278 

55,598 
55,482 
57,729 

1,259,036 
1,335,674 
1,484,899 

20. 

ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES:

Fiscal 2021:

In April 2021, the Company completed a small acquisition in the hydrogen fuel cell industry within the SGK Brand Solutions 
segment for a purchase price of $2,523  (net of cash acquired and holdback amounts). The preliminary purchase price allocation 
is  not  finalized  as  of  September  30,  2021  and  is  subject  to  changes  as  the  Company  finalizes  the  valuation  of  acquired 
intangible assets, and obtains additional information related to other assets and liabilities.  

In  January  2021,  the  Company  acquired  a  memorialization  business  that  produces  and  distributes  cemetery  products  for  a 
purchase  price  of  $13,100.    The  Company  finalized  the  allocation  of  the  purchase  price  in  the  fourth  quarter  of  fiscal  2021, 
resulting in an immaterial adjustment to certain working capital accounts.

Fiscal 2020:

During fiscal 2020, the Company completed a small acquisition in the Memorialization segment for a purchase price of $1,000 
(net of cash acquired and holdback amounts). The Company finalized the allocation of the purchase price in the fourth quarter 
of fiscal 2021, resulting in an immaterial adjustment to certain working capital accounts.

Fiscal 2019:

On November 1, 2018 the Company acquired 80% ownership of Frost Converting Systems, Inc. (“Frost”) for a purchase price 
of approximately $7,162 (net of cash acquired and holdback amounts). Frost is a leading global supplier of high-performance 
rotary  dies  for  embossing,  creasing  and  cutting  of  paperboard  packaging  and  is  included  in  the  Company's  SGK  Brand 
Solutions  segment.  The  Company  finalized  the  allocation  of  the  purchase  price  related  to  the  Frost  acquisition  in  the  fourth 
quarter of fiscal 2019, resulting in an immaterial adjustment to certain working capital accounts. 

During fiscal 2019, the Company completed small acquisitions in the Memorialization segment for a combined purchase price 
of $3,094 (net of cash acquired and holdback amounts). The Company finalized the purchase price allocations related to these 
acquisitions in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, resulting in an immaterial adjustment to certain working capital accounts.

74

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

20. 

ACQUISITIONS AND DIVESTITURES, (continued)

During fiscal 2019, the Company completed the sale of a 51% ownership interest in a Memorialization business. Net proceeds 
from this sale totaled approximately $8,254, and the transaction resulted in the recognition of a $5,587 loss, which is included 
as a component of administrative expenses for the year ended September 30, 2019. Immediately following the transaction, the 
Company  retained  a  non-controlling  interest  in  this  business.    The  Company  also  divested  of  a  small,  fully  owned 
Memorialization  business,  resulting  in  the  recognition  of  a  $882  loss,  which  is  included  as  a  component  of  administrative 
expenses for the year ended September 30, 2019. 

21.  

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS:

Changes to goodwill during the years ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, follow.

Net goodwill at September 30, 2019
Translation and other adjustments
Goodwill write-down
Net goodwill at September 30, 2020
Additions during period
Translation and other adjustments
Net goodwill at September 30, 2021

SGK Brand Solutions Memorialization
395,704  $ 
$ 
6,441 
(90,408)   
311,737 
— 
3,113 
314,850  $ 

359,737  $ 
1,945 
— 
361,682 
4,775 

(97)   
366,360  $ 

$ 

Industrial 
Technologies

Consolidated

91,366  $ 
603 
— 
91,969 
— 
608 
92,577  $ 

846,807 
8,989 
(90,408) 
765,388 
4,775 
3,624 
773,787 

The  net  goodwill  balances  at  September  30,  2021  and  2020  included  $178,732  of  accumulated  impairment  losses.  
Accumulated impairment losses at September 30, 2021 and 2020 were $173,732 and $5,000 for the SGK Brand Solutions and 
Memorialization segments, respectively.  

Fiscal 2021:

In  fiscal  2021,  the  additions  to  SGK  Brand  Solutions  goodwill  and  Memorialization  goodwill  reflect  acquisitions  of  small 
businesses within each segment.

The Company performed its annual impairment review of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets in the second quarter 
of fiscal 2021 (January 1, 2021) and determined that the estimated fair values for all goodwill reporting units exceeded their 
carrying values, therefore no impairment charges were necessary. The estimated fair value of the Company's Graphics Imaging 
reporting unit, within the SGK Brand Solutions segment, exceeded the carrying value (expressed as a percentage of carrying 
value) by approximately 5%. If current projections are not achieved or specific valuation factors outside the Company’s control 
(such  as  discount  rates  and  continued  economic  and  industry  impacts  of  COVID-19)  significantly  change,  goodwill  write-
downs may be necessary in future periods.

Fiscal 2020: 

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared an outbreak of COVID-19 to be a Public Health Emergency of 
International Concern, and subsequently recognized COVID-19 as a global pandemic in March 2020.  Widespread efforts have 
been deployed by multiple countries around the world to prevent the virus from spreading, including temporary closures of non-
essential  businesses,  event  cancellations,  travel  restrictions,  quarantines,  and  other  disruptive  actions.  Substantially  all  of  the 
Company’s  operations  have  remained  open  during  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  as  they  have  been  considered  “essential” 
businesses  during  this  time.    However,  the  Company  has  experienced  some  commercial  impact  and  business  disruptions  in 
certain segments and geographic locations as a result of COVID-19.  

75

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

21.  

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, (continued)

In its assessment of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the estimated future earnings and cash flows for the SGK Brand 
Solutions segment, and in light of the limited excess fair values over carrying values for its two reporting units, management 
determined  that  COVID-19  represented  a  triggering  event,  resulting  in  a  re-evaluation  of  the  goodwill  for  its  reporting  units 
within the SGK Brand Solutions segment (Graphics Imaging and Cylinders, Surfaces and Engineered Products), as of March 
31,  2020.    As  a  result  of  this  interim  assessment,  the  Company  recorded  a  goodwill  write-down  totaling  $90,408  during  the 
fiscal  2020  second  quarter.  Subsequent  to  this  write-down,  the  fair  values  of  the  two  reporting  units  within  the  SGK  Brand 
Solutions segment (Graphics Imaging and Cylinders, Surfaces and Engineered Products) approximated their carrying values at 
March 31, 2020.  The fair values for these reporting units were determined using level 3 inputs (including estimates of revenue 
growth, EBITDA contribution and the discount rates) and a combination of the income approach using the estimated discounted 
cash flows and a market-based valuation methodology.  

Fiscal 2019: 

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company initiated an in-depth review of the commercial and cost structure of the 
SGK  Brand  Solutions  segment  as  a  result  of  continued  challenging  market  conditions  affecting  the  segment.  This  review 
identified certain opportunities to improve the segment’s profitability and reduce its operating cost structure and, as a result, the 
Company revised its estimates of future earnings and cash flows for the Graphics Imaging reporting unit. In response to these 
revised projections, the Company re-evaluated the goodwill for the Graphics Imaging reporting unit, as of September 1, 2019. 
As a result of this interim assessment, the Company recorded a goodwill write-down of $77,600 during the fiscal 2019 fourth 
quarter.

The  following  tables  summarize  the  carrying  amounts  and  related  accumulated  amortization  for  intangible  assets  as  of 
September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

September 30, 2021
Indefinite-lived trade names
Definite-lived trade names
Customer relationships
Copyrights/patents/other

September 30, 2020
Indefinite-lived trade names
Definite-lived trade names
Customer relationships
Copyrights/patents/other

Carrying
Amount

Accumulated
Amortization

Net

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

30,540 
148,867 
388,699 
23,584 
591,690 

30,540 
148,867 
379,246 
20,704 
579,357 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

— 
(104,211) 
(210,361) 
(15,576) 
(330,148)  $ 

$ 

— 
(64,462) 
(166,892) 
(14,505) 
(245,859)  $ 

30,540 
44,656 
178,338 
8,008 
261,542 

30,540 
84,405 
212,354 
6,199 
333,498 

The net change in intangible assets during fiscal 2021 included the impact of foreign currency fluctuations during the period, 
additional amortization and additions related to current year acquisitions. 

During the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the Company reassessed the useful lives for certain of its customer relationships. As a 
result  of  this  reassessment,  the  Company  reduced  the  remaining  useful  lives  for  these  customer  relationships  to  reflect  their 
estimated remaining duration, utilizing actual historical customer attrition rates.  

During fiscal 2019, the Company reassessed its trade name strategy for the SGK Brand Solutions segment, in conjunction with 
an overall assessment and shift of its commercial structure and strategy for this segment, and initiated a plan to reduce its global 
trade names for its core brand solutions businesses. As a result of this change, the Company began to discontinue the use of 
certain trade names within the SGK Brand Solutions segment. Accordingly, the remaining useful lives of the impacted trade 
names were reduced to reflect the Company’s brand migration plans and an estimated time period for the discontinued trade 
names to be classified as defensive assets.

76

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
(Dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data) 

21.  

GOODWILL AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS, (continued)

Amortization  expense  on  intangible  assets  was  $84,233,  $71,514,  and  $45,756  in  fiscal  2021,  2020  and  2019,  respectively. 
Fiscal year amortization expense is estimated to be approximately $57,569 in 2022, $41,064 in 2023, $35,505 in 2024, $19,711 
in  2025  and  $14,686  in  2026.    The  accelerated  amortization  related  to  the  fiscal  2019  reduction  in  useful  lives  for  certain 
discontinued trade names is scheduled to continue through the first quarter of fiscal 2022.

22.  

SUBSEQUENT EVENT:

In  November  2021,  subsequent  to  the  date  of  the  balance  sheet,  the  Company  contributed  $20,000  to  the  DB  Plan.  Also  in 
November  2021,  lump  sum  distributions  of  $178,230  from  the  DB  Plan  were  made  to  plan  participants,  resulting  in  the 
settlement of a substantial portion of the DB Plan obligations.  This settlement of the DB Plan obligations is expected to result 
in  the  recognition  of  a  non-cash  charge  in  excess  of  $30,000  in  the  first  quarter  of  fiscal  2022.    This  amount  represents  the 
immediate recognition of a portion of the deferred AOCI balances related to the DB Plan, and is based on current estimates as 
of September 30, 2021.  See Note 14, "Pension and Other Postretirement Plans" for further discussion.

77

FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE II - VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS

Additions

Description

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts:
Fiscal Year Ended:
September 30, 2021
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2019

Balance at 
Beginning of 
Period

Charged to 
Expense

Charged to 
other 
Accounts (1)
(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Deductions (2)

Balance at 
End of Period

$ 

9,618  $ 
10,846 
11,158 

2,182  $ 
1,736 
2,787 

—  $ 
15 
20 

(1,146)  $ 
(2,979)   
(3,119)   

10,654 
9,618 
10,846 

(1)

(2)

Amount  comprised  principally  of  acquisitions  and  purchase  accounting  adjustments  in  connection  with  acquisitions,  and  amounts  reclassified  to  other 
accounts.
Amounts determined not to be collectible (including direct write-offs), net of recoveries.

Description

Balance at 
Beginning 
of Period

Provision 
Charged To 
Expense (1)

Allowance 
Changes 

Other 
Additions 
(Deductions) (2)

Balance at 
End of Period

(Dollar amounts in thousands)

Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance:
Fiscal Year Ended:
September 30, 2021
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2019

$ 

22,527  $ 
15,352 
15,188 

5,709  $ 
6,982 
821 

—  $ 
— 
— 

383  $ 
193 
(657)   

28,619 
22,527 
15,352 

(1)

(2)

Amounts relate primarily to adjustments in net operating loss carryforwards which are precluded from use.
Consists principally of adjustments related to foreign exchange.

78

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

None.

ITEM 9A.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.

The Company's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be 
disclosed  in  the  Company's  reports  filed  under  the  Exchange  Act,  such  as  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K,  are  recorded, 
processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission 
("SEC"). These disclosure controls and procedures also are designed to provide reasonable assurance that such information is 
accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, to allow 
timely decisions regarding required disclosures.

Management,  under  the  supervision  and  with  the  participation  of  our  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer, 
evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures in effect as of September 30, 2021. Based on 
that  evaluation,  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  concluded  that,  as  of  September  30,  2021,  the 
Company's  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  were  effective  to  provide  reasonable  assurance  that  material  information  is 
accumulated and communicated to management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, and that 
such information is recorded, processed, summarized and properly reported within the appropriate time period, relating to the 
Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, required to be included in the Exchange Act reports, including this Annual Report 
on Form 10-K.

(b) Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.

Management's Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting is included in Management's Report to Shareholders in Item 
8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(c) Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

The Company's internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2021 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an 
independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report which is included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on 
Form 10-K.

(d) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting.

There have been no changes in the Company's internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the fourth fiscal 
quarter  ended  September  30,  2021  that  have  materially  affected,  or  are  reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  the  Company's 
internal controls over financial reporting.

ITEM 9B.  OTHER INFORMATION.

None.

79

 
 
 
PART III

ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.

In addition to the information reported in Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, under the caption "Officers and Executive 
Management of the Registrant," the information required by this item as to the directors of the Company is hereby incorporated 
by reference from the information appearing under the captions "General Information Regarding Corporate Governance – Audit 
Committee," "Proposal No. 1 – Elections of Directors" and "Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports" (if applicable) in the Company's 
definitive  proxy  statement,  which  involves  the  election  of  the  directors  and  is  to  be  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange 
Commission  (the  "SEC")  pursuant  to  the  Exchange  Act,  within  120  days  of  the  end  of  the  Company's  fiscal  year  ended 
September 30, 2021.

The Company's Code of Ethics Applicable to Executive Management is set forth in Exhibit 14.1 hereto.  Any amendment to the 
Company's  Code  of  Ethics  or  waiver  of  the  Company's  Code  of  Ethics  for  senior  financial  officers,  executive  officers  or 
directors will be posted on the Company's website within four business days following the date of the amendment or waiver, 
and such information will remain available on the website for at least a twelve-month period.

ITEM 11.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.

The information required by this item as to the compensation of directors and executive management of the Company is hereby 
incorporated  by  reference  from  the  information  appearing  under  the  captions  "Compensation  of  Directors"  and  "Executive 
Compensation and Retirement Benefits" in the Company's definitive proxy statement which involves the election of directors 
and is to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, within 120 days of the end of the Company's fiscal year ended 
September  30,  2021.    The  information  contained  in  the  "Compensation  Committee  Report"  is  specifically  not  incorporated 
herein by reference.

ITEM 12.  SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT.

The information required by this item as to the ownership by management and others of securities of the Company is hereby 
incorporated  by  reference  from  the  information  appearing  under  the  caption  "Stock  Ownership"  in  the  Company's  definitive 
proxy statement, which involves the election of directors and is to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, within 
120 days of the end of the Company's fiscal year ended September 30, 2021.

Equity Compensation Plans:

The Company maintains an equity incentive plan (the "2017 Equity Incentive Plan") that provides for grants of stock options, 
restricted  shares,  restricted  share  units,  stock-based  performance  units  and  certain  other  types  of  stock-based  awards.  The 
Company  also  maintains  equity  incentive  plans  (the  "2012  Equity  Incentive  Plan"  and  "2007  Equity  Incentive  Plan")  and  a 
stock incentive plan (the "1992 Incentive Stock Plan") that previously provided for grants of stock options, restricted shares, 
stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock-based awards.  Under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, which has 
a ten-year term, the maximum number of shares available for grants or awards is an aggregate of 1,700,000.  There will be no 
further  grants  under  the  2012  Equity  Incentive  Plan,  the  2007  Equity  Incentive  Plan,  or  the  1992  Incentive  Stock  Plan.    In 
November 2021, the Board of Directors approved the Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Amended 2017 
Plan"),  which  increases  the  maximum  number  of  shares  available  for  grants  or  awards  to  an  aggregate  of  3,450,000.  The 
Amended 2017 Plan is subject to shareholder approval at the February 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting. At September 30, 
2021, 37,640 shares have been issued under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. 478,963 time-based restricted share units, 585,947 
performance-based  restricted  share  units,  and  75,000  stock  options  have  been  granted  under  the  2017  Equity  Incentive  Plan. 
1,087,445  of  these  share-based  awards  are  outstanding  as  of  September  30,  2021.  All  plans  are  administered  by  the 
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

With respect to the restricted share grants, generally one-half of the shares vest on the third anniversary of the grant, one-quarter 
of  the  shares  vest  in  one-third  increments  upon  the  attainment  of  pre-defined  levels  of  adjusted  earnings  per  share,  and  the 
remaining one-quarter of the shares vest in one-third increments upon attainment of pre-defined levels of appreciation in the 
market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock.  Additionally, restricted shares cannot vest until the first anniversary of 
the  grant  date.    Unvested  restricted  shares  generally  expire  on  the  earlier  of  three  or  five  years  from  the  date  of  grant,  upon 
employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with the consent of the 
Company), retirement or death.  The Company issues restricted shares from treasury shares.

80

ITEM 12. 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT, continued

With respect to the restricted share unit grants, units generally vest on the third anniversary of the grant date. The number of 
units that vest depend on certain time and performance thresholds. Such performance thresholds include adjusted earnings per 
share, return on invested capital, appreciation in the market value of the Company's Class A Common Stock, or other targets 
established by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. Approximately 42% of the outstanding share units vest 
based  on  time,  while  the  remaining  vest  based  on  pre-defined  performance  thresholds.  The  Company  issues  common  stock 
from treasury shares once vested.

With respect to outstanding stock option grants, options vest in one-third increments annually over three years from the grant 
date.  Unvested  stock  options  expire  on  the  earlier  of  five  years  from  the  date  of  grant,  or  upon  employment  termination, 
retirement or death. The Company generally settles employee stock option exercises with treasury shares.

The Company maintains the 2019 Director Fee Plan, the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan and the 1994 Director 
Fee  Plan  (collectively,  the  "Director  Fee  Plans").    There  will  be  no  further  fees  or  share-based  awards  granted  under  the 
Amended  and  Restated  2014  Director  Fee  Plan  and  the  1994  Director  Fee  Plan.    Under  the  2019  Director  Fee  Plan,  non-
employee directors (except for the Chairman of the Board) each receive, as an annual retainer fee for fiscal 2021, either cash or 
shares of the Company's Class A Common Stock with a value equal to $85,000.  The annual retainer fee for fiscal 2021 paid to 
a non-employee Chairman of the Board is $185,000.  Where the annual retainer fee is provided in shares, each director may 
elect to be paid these shares on a current basis or have such shares credited to a deferred stock account as phantom stock, with 
such  shares  to  be  paid  to  the  director  subsequent  to  leaving  the  Board.    The  total  number  of  shares  of  stock  that  have  been 
authorized to be issued under the 2019 Director Fee Plan or credited to a deferred stock compensation account for subsequent 
issuance  is  150,000  shares  of  Common  Stock  (subject  to  adjustment  upon  certain  events  such  as  stock  dividends  or  stock 
splits).  The value of deferred shares is recorded in other liabilities.  A total of 38,657 shares and share units had been deferred 
under the Director Fee Plans at September 30, 2021.  Additionally, non-employee directors each receive an annual stock-based 
grant (non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights and/or restricted shares or units) with a value of $125,000 for fiscal 
year 2021.  As of September 30, 2021, 271,807 restricted shares and restricted share units have been granted under the Director 
Fee Plans, 98,578 of which were issued under the 2019 Director Fee Plan. 74,639 restricted shares and restricted share units are 
unvested at September 30, 2021. 

The  following  table  provides  information  about  grants  under  the  Company's  equity  compensation  plans  as  of  September  30, 
2021:

Equity Compensation Plan 
Information

Plan category

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

Total

Weighted-
average
exercise price
of 
outstanding
options, 
warrants
and rights
(b)

Number of 
securities
to be issued 
upon
exercise of
outstanding 
options,
warrants and 
rights
(a)
113,657  (1) $ 
None
113,657 

$ 

Number of 
securities
remaining available
for future issuance
under equity
compensation plans
(excluding
securities reflected
in column (a))
(c)

41.70  (2)
None
41.70 

3,185,283  (3)
None
3,185,283 

(1) Includes (1) deferred awards under Director Fee Plans; and (2) outstanding stock options.
(2) Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding stock options included in column (a).
(3)  Includes  (1)  shares  reserved  under  the  2017  Equity  Incentive  Plan,  which  provides  for  the  grant  or  award  of  stock  options,  restricted  shares,  stock-based 
performance units and certain other types of stock based awards; (2) shares reserved under the 2019 Director Fee Plan, which provides for the grant, award or 
deferral of stock options, restricted shares, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock based awards and compensation; and (3) the shares 
purchased under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan which are purchased in the open market by employees at the fair market value of the Company's stock.  
The  Company  provides  a  matching  contribution  of  10%  of  such  purchases  subject  to  certain  limitations  under  the  Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan.    As  the 
Employee Stock Purchase Plan is an open market purchase plan, it does not have a dilutive effect. 

81

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ITEM 13.  CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS, RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.

The information required by this item as to certain relationships and transactions with management and other related parties of 
the Company is hereby incorporated by reference from the information appearing under the captions "Proposal No. 1 – Election 
of Directors" and "Certain Transactions" in the Company's definitive proxy statement, which involves the election of directors 
and is to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, within 120 days of the end of the Company's fiscal year ended 
September 30, 2021.

ITEM 14.  PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES.

The  information  required  by  this  item  as  to  the  fees  billed  and  the  services  provided  by  the  principal  accounting  firm  of  the 
Company is hereby incorporated by reference from the information appearing under the caption "Relationship with Independent 
Registered Public Accounting Firm" in the Company's definitive proxy statement, which involves the election of directors and 
is  to  be  filed  with  the  SEC  pursuant  to  the  Exchange  Act  within  120  days  of  the  end  of  the  Company's  fiscal  year  ended 
September 30, 2021.

82

PART IV

ITEM 15.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.

(a) 1.  Financial Statements:

The following items are included in Part II, Item 8:

Management's Report to Shareholders

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2021 and 2020

Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 
and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

2. 

Financial Statement Schedules:

The following item is included in Part II, Item 8:

Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts

3. 

Exhibits Filed:

Exhibits Index

Pages
35

36

37

39

41

42

43

44

45

78

84

83

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
EXHIBITS INDEX

The  following  Exhibits  to  this  report  are  filed  herewith  or,  if  marked  with  an  asterisk  (*),  are  incorporated  by  reference.  
Exhibits  marked  with  an  "a"  represent  a  management  contract  or  compensatory  plan,  contract  or  arrangement  required  to  be 
filed by Item 601(b)(10)(iii) of Regulation S-K.

Exhibit No.

Description

Prior Filing or Sequential Page Numbers Herein

3.1

3.2

4.1 a

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.6

10.1

Restated Articles of Incorporation*

Exhibit Number 3.1 to the Annual Report on Form 10-
K for the year ended September 30, 1994

Restated By-laws, as amended January 8, 2021*

Exhibit Number 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-
K filed on January 14, 2021

Form of Revised Option Agreement of 
Repurchase (effective October 1, 1993)*

Exhibit Number 4.5 to the Annual Report on Form 10-
K for the year ended September 30, 1993

Form of Share Certificate for Class A Common 
Stock*

Exhibit Number 4.9 to the Annual Report on Form 10-
K for the year ended September 30, 1994

Indenture, dated as of December 6, 2017, by and 
among Matthews, the Guarantors, and the Bank 
of New York Mellon Trust Company, as trustee*

Exhibit Number 4.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-
K filed on December 7, 2017

5.25% Senior Notes due December 1, 2025*

Exhibit Number 4.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-
K filed on December 7, 2017

Registration Rights Agreement*

Exhibit Number 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-
K filed on September 25, 2020

Description of Securities*

Exhibit 4.6 to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the 
year ended September 30, 2020

  Shareholder's Agreement, dated as of March 16, 
2014, by and among Matthews International 
Corporation, the Shareholders named therein and 
David A. Schawk, in his capacity as the Family 
Representative*

  Exhibit Number 10.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-

K filed on March 19, 2014

10.2 a

  Form of Schawk Family Share Purchase 

Agreement*

Exhibit Number 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-
K filed on May 16, 2016

10.3 a

  Supplemental Retirement Plan (as amended 

  Exhibit Number 10.5 to the Annual Report on Form 

through April 23, 2009)*

10-K for the year ended September 30, 2010

10.4 a

Amendment to the Supplemental Retirement Plan

Filed herewith

10.5 a

  Officers Retirement Restoration Plan (effective

  Exhibit Number 10.6 to the Annual Report on Form 

April 23, 2009)*

10-K for the year ended September 30, 2009

10.6 a

10.7 a

Amendment to the Officers Retirement 
Restoration Plan

Filed herewith

  1994 Director Fee Plan (as amended through

April 22, 2010)*

  Exhibit Number 10.7 to the Annual Report on Form 

10-K for the year ended September 30, 2013

84

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
EXHIBITS INDEX, Continued

Exhibit No.

Description

Prior Filing or Sequential Page Numbers Herein

10.8 a

  Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan*

  Exhibit Number 10.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 

10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017

10.9 a

  1994 Employee Stock Purchase Plan*

  Exhibit Number 10.2 to the Quarterly Report on Form 

10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1995

10.10 a

  2012 Equity Incentive Plan*

  Exhibit A to the Definitive Proxy Statement on 

Schedule 14A filed on January 22, 2013

10.11 a

  2015 Incentive Compensation Plan*

  Exhibit A to the Definitive Proxy Statement on 

Schedule 14A filed on January 19, 2016

10.12 a

2017 Equity Incentive Plan*

Exhibit Number 99.1 to the Registration Statement on 
Form S-8 filed on May 3, 2019

10.13 a

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under 
the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan*

Exhibit Number 99.2 to the Registration Statement on 
Form S-8 filed on May 3, 2019

10.14 a

2019 Director Fee Plan*

Exhibit Number 99.3 to the Registration Statement on 
Form S-8 filed on May 3, 2019

10.15 a

Form of Restricted Stock Unit Agreement under 
the 2019 Director Fee Plan*

Exhibit Number 99.4 to the Registration Statement on 
Form S-8 filed on May 3, 2019

10.16 a

Form of Change in Control Agreement*

Exhibit Number 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K 
filed on October 3, 2019

10.17

Third Amended and Restated Loan Agreement*

Exhibit Number 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-
K filed on March 30, 2020

10.18

First Amendment to Third Amended and Restated 
Loan Agreement*

Exhibit Number 10.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 
10-Q filed on April 30, 2021

14.1

  Form of Code of Ethics Applicable to Executive 

  Exhibit Number 14.1 to the Annual Report on Form 

Management*

10-K for the year ended September 30, 2004

21

  Subsidiaries of the Registrant

  Filed Herewith

23.1

  Consent of Independent Registered Public 

  Filed Herewith

Accounting Firm

31.1

  Certification of Principal Executive Officer for 

  Filed Herewith

Joseph C. Bartolacci

31.2

32.1

  Certification of Principal Financial Officer for 

Steven F. Nicola

  Filed Herewith

  Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, 

as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, of Joseph C. 
Bartolacci

  Furnished Herewith

85

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
EXHIBITS INDEX, Continued

Exhibit No.

Description

Prior Filing or Sequential Page Numbers Herein

32.2

  Certification Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, 

  Furnished Herewith

as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the 
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, of Steven F. Nicola

101.INS

XBRL Instance Document- the instance 
document does not appear in the Interactive Data 
File because its XBRL tags are embedded within 
the Inline XBRL document

Filed Herewith

101.SCH

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema

Filed Herewith

101.CAL

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation 
Linkbase

Filed Herewith

101.DEF

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase

Filed Herewith

101.LAB

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase

Filed Herewith

101.PRE

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation 
Linkbase

Filed Herewith

104.

Cover Page Interactive Data File (Embedded 
within the Inline XBRL document and included 
in Exhibit 101)

Filed Herewith

Copies of any Exhibits will be furnished to shareholders upon written request.  Requests should be directed to Mr. Steven F. 
Nicola, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of the Registrant.

86

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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, on November 19, 2021.

SIGNATURES

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Registrant)

By

/s/ Joseph C. Bartolacci
Joseph C. Bartolacci
President and Chief Executive Officer

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 and in the capacities indicated on November 19, 2021:

/s/ Joseph C. Bartolacci
Joseph C. Bartolacci
President and Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Steven F. Nicola
Steven F. Nicola
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

/s/ John D. Turner
John D. Turner, Chairman of the Board

/s/ Alvaro Garcia-Tunon
Alvaro Garcia-Tunon, Director

/s/ Gregory S. Babe
Gregory S. Babe, Director

/s/ Morgan K. O'Brien
Morgan K. O'Brien, Director

/s/ Katherine E. Dietze
Katherine E. Dietze, Director

/s/ Don W. Quigley, Jr.
Don W. Quigley, Jr., Director

/s/ Terry L. Dunlap
Terry L. Dunlap, Director

/s/ David A. Schawk
David A. Schawk, Director

/s/ Lillian D. Etzkorn
Lillian D. Etzkorn, Director

/s/ Jerry R. Whitaker
Jerry R. Whitaker, Director

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