ATA ATS Automation Tooling Systems

CAMBRIDGE, ON, May 19, 2022 /CNW/ - ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. (TSX: ATA) ("ATS" or the "Company") today reported its financial results for the three and twelve months ended March 31, 2022.

Fourth quarter highlights:

• Revenues increased 50.8% year over year to $603.2 million.
• Net income increased 67.6% year over year to $39.9 million.
• Earnings per share were 43 cents basic and diluted compared to 26 cents a year ago.
• Adjusted basic earnings per share¹ were 64 cents compared to 34 cents a year ago.
• Order Bookings¹ were $638 million, 37.8% higher compared to $463 million a year ago.
• Order Backlog¹ increased 24.0% to $1,438 million at March 31, 2022 compared to $1,160 million a year ago.

"Fourth quarter performance featured record revenues, strong Order Bookings and continued adjusted EBIT margin expansion as core operations and new acquisitions combined to deliver value in a complex and volatile global environment," said Andrew Hider, Chief Executive Officer. "Our emphasis on serving regulated industries, the size and diversification of our Order Backlog, and the rigorous application of the ATS Business Model by our dedicated teams position us well for the start of our new fiscal year."

Year-to-date highlights:

• Revenues increased 52.6% year over year to $2,182.7 million.
• Net income increased 89.4% year over year to $121.4 million.
• Earnings per share was $1.32 basic and $1.31 diluted compared to 70 cents and 69 cents respectively in the prior year.
• Adjusted basic earnings per share¹ were $2.17 compared to $1.07 a year ago.
• Order Bookings¹ were $2,456 million, compared to $1,626 million a year ago.

Mr. Hider added "The integration of our recent acquisitions is progressing to plan as we work to achieve cost synergies and establish the foundation for additional organic growth through cross selling, capability expansion and innovation. Our ability to serve customers as a global supplier of automation, advanced products and lifecycle support services has never been greater and the relevance of our differentiated solutions is clear in today's marketplace."

Financial highlights
(In millions of dollars, except per share and margin data)

Fourth quarter summary
Fiscal 2022 fourth quarter revenues were 50.8%, or $203.3 million higher than in the corresponding period a year ago and included $172.1 million of revenues earned by acquired companies, most notably $80.2 million from CFT and $59.4 million from SP. Organic revenue growth, excluding contributions from acquired companies and the impact of foreign exchange rate changes, was $41.8 million, or 10.5% higher than the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021. Foreign exchange translation negatively impacted revenues by $10.6 million or 2.7%, primarily reflecting the strengthening of the Canadian dollar relative to the Euro. Life sciences was the primary source of organic revenue growth and reflected increased activity on medical device and pharmaceutical projects. Revenues generated from construction contracts increased 37.8% or $97.5 million due to a combination of revenues earned by acquired companies of $72.0 million (primarily $53.0 million from CFT), and organic revenue growth. Revenues from services increased 24.2% or $26.6 million primarily due to revenues earned by acquired companies of $20.7 million. Organic growth in services accounted for $11.1 million of the year-over-year increase and reflected the Company's after-sales service initiatives. Foreign exchange translation negatively impacted service revenues by $5.2 million. Revenues from the sale of goods increased 246.7% or $79.2 million due to revenues earned by acquired companies, primarily CFT and SP, which generate a higher percentage of their revenues from product sales. Organic revenue and organic revenue growth are Non-IFRS measures. Please see "Non-IFRS and Other Financial Measures."

By market, fourth quarter revenues generated in life sciences increased $91.6 million or 40.1% year over year. This growth reflected higher Order Backlog entering the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to the corresponding period in the prior year, and included $62.1 million of revenues earned by newly acquired companies, primarily SP, with a $40.7 million revenue contribution. Revenues generated in food & beverage increased $85.4 million or 871.4%, primarily due to the acquisition of CFT, which generated $79.9 million of revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022. Revenues in transportation increased $11.3 million or 16.8% on higher Order Backlog entering the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022. Revenues generated in consumer products increased $22.8 million or 37.9% on higher Order Backlog entering the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022. Revenues in energy decreased $7.8 million or 22.9% due to project timing.

Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 was $39.9 million (43 cents per share basic and diluted), a $16.1 million (or 67.6%) increase compared to $23.8 million (26 cents per share basic and diluted) for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021. This primarily reflected an increase in earnings from operations combined with a decrease in net finance costs. Adjusted basic earnings per share were 64 cents compared to 34 cents in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 (see "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures to IFRS Measures").

Fiscal 2022 fourth quarter earnings from operations were $59.8 million (9.9% operating margin) compared to $42.8 million (10.7% operating margin) in the fourth quarter a year ago. Fiscal 2022 earnings from operations included $19.2 million related to amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, $1.4 million of incremental costs related to the Company's acquisition activity, and $1.7 million in adjustments to contingent consideration related to the acquisition of MARCO recorded to SG&A expenses, $5.2 million of acquisition-related inventory fair value charges recorded to cost of revenues and $1.9 million of restructuring costs. Fiscal 2021 fourth quarter earnings from operations included $8.1 million of amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, $4.2 million of incremental costs related to the Company's acquisition activity, and $5.6 million in adjustments to contingent consideration related to the acquisition of MARCO.

Excluding these items in both quarters, adjusted earnings from operations were $85.8 million (14.2% margin), compared to $49.5 million (12.4% margin) a year ago. Contributions from acquired companies were $13.3 million, with SP contributing $8.5 million and BioDot contributing $4.3 million. Fourth quarter fiscal 2022 adjusted earnings from operations reflected higher gross margin due to efficiency gains made in the Company's cost structure resulting from previously implemented reorganizations, improved program execution, increased revenues from after-sales services, as well as a reduction in COVID-19 travel, entry restrictions and temporary closures at customer sites compared to a year ago.

Depreciation and amortization expense was $32.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022, compared to $17.4 million a year ago. The increase was primarily due to the addition of identifiable intangible assets recorded on the acquisitions of CFT, BioDot and SP.

EBITDA was $92.3 million (15.3% EBITDA margin) in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 compared to $60.2 million (15.1% EBITDA margin) in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021. EBITDA for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2022 included $1.9 million of restructuring charges, $1.4 million of incremental costs related to the Company's acquisition activity, $5.2 million of acquisition-related inventory fair value charges and $1.7 million in adjustments to contingent consideration on the acquisition of MARCO. EBITDA for the corresponding period in the prior year included $4.2 million of incremental costs related to the Company's acquisition activity and $5.6 million in adjustments to contingent consideration on the acquisition of MARCO. Excluding these costs, adjusted EBITDA was $99.1 million (16.4% adjusted EBITDA margin), compared to $58.8 million (14.7% adjusted EBITDA margin) a year ago. Higher adjusted EBITDA margin reflected operating improvements including to the Company's cost structure and less pronounced pandemic inefficiencies than in the same period a year ago. EBITDA margin is a Non-IFRS ratio; see "Non-IFRS and Other Financial Measures."

Order Backlog Continuity
(In millions of dollars)

Order Bookings
Fourth quarter fiscal 2022 Order Bookings were $638 million, a 37.8% year-over-year increase. This reflected organic growth of 1.0% and 39.5% growth from acquired companies, partially offset by a 2.7% decrease due to foreign exchange rate translation of Order Bookings by ATS' global subsidiaries, primarily reflecting the strengthening of the Canadian dollar relative to the Euro. Growth in Order Bookings from acquired companies totalled $182 million, of which CFT contributed $81 million and SP contributed $66 million. By market, Order Bookings in life sciences increased due to the addition of SP. Order Bookings in food & beverage increased due to the addition of CFT. Order Bookings in consumer products increased due to the combination of acquired companies and the timing of customer projects. Organic growth was offset by lower Order Bookings in transportation compared to a year ago, when the Company secured a large EV program, and lower Order Bookings in energy due to timing of customer projects.

Backlog
At March 31, 2022, Order Backlog was $1,438 million, 24.0% higher than at March 31, 2021. Order Backlog growth was primarily driven by higher Order Bookings in fiscal 2022 in all end markets, and Order Backlog from acquired businesses.

Outlook
The Company's funnel (which includes customer requests for proposal and ATS-identified customer opportunities) remains significant; however, as pandemic restrictions have eased in some geographies, persistent supply constraint pressures and inflation contribute to a fluid and uncertain operating environment. These factors may impact the timing to convert opportunities into Order Bookings and may present increased pressure on future results.

By market, the life sciences funnel remains robust as a result of strong activity in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and radiopharmaceuticals. Funnel activity in food & beverage is robust and with the addition of CFT, the Company has enhanced its exposure to opportunities in this market. In transportation, the funnel largely includes strategic opportunities related to electric vehicles, a growing market. Funnel activity in energy is stable and comprised of some opportunities being developed over the longer term. Funnel activity in consumer products has improved; however, management expects some customers to remain cautious in deploying capital in the current economic environment. Funnel growth in markets where environmental, social and governance ("ESG") requirements are an increasing focus for customers, including grid battery storage, electric vehicle ("EV") and nuclear, as well as consumer goods packaging, provide ATS with opportunities to use its capabilities to respond to customer sustainability standards and goals. Customers seeking to de-risk or enhance the resiliency of their supply chains also provide future opportunities for ATS to pursue.

Order Backlog of $1,438 million is expected to mitigate some of the impact of quarterly variability in Order Bookings on revenues in the short term. The Company's Order Backlog includes several large enterprise programs that have longer periods of performance and therefore longer revenue recognition cycles. In the first quarter of fiscal 2023, management expects the conversion of Order Backlog to revenues to be in the lower end of the 40% to 45% range. This estimate was calculated based on the combination of management's estimate of current projects in Order Backlog and expectations for revenues that will be booked and recognized within the period.

The timing of customer decisions on larger opportunities is expected to cause variability in Order Bookings from quarter to quarter and lengthen the performance period and revenue recognition for certain customer programs. Revenue in a given period is dependent on a combination of the volume of outstanding projects the Company is contracted to, the size and duration of those projects, and the timing of project activities including design, assembly, testing, and installation. Given the specialized nature of the Company's offerings, the size and scope of projects vary based on customer needs. The Company seeks to achieve revenue growth organically and by identifying strategic acquisition opportunities that can provide access to attractive end markets and new products and technologies. The Company is working to grow its product portfolio and after-sales service revenues as a percentage of overall revenues over time, which is expected to provide some balance to the capital expenditure cycles of the Company's customers.

Management is pursuing several initiatives to grow its revenues and improve its profitability with the goal of expanding its adjusted earnings from operations margin to 15% over the long term from 13.5% in fiscal 2022 (2021 – 11.4%). These initiatives include growing the Company's after-sales service business, improving global supply chain management, increasing the use of standardized platforms and technologies, growing revenues while leveraging the Company's cost structure, and pursuing continuous improvement in all business activities through the ABM. The Company continues to make progress in line with its plans to integrate businesses acquired over the last year and expects to realize cost and revenue synergies consistent with announced integration plans.

In the short term, the global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global supply chains, leading to longer lead times and cost increases on certain raw materials and components used by the Company. To date the Company has largely mitigated these supply chain disruptions through the use of alternative supply sources and savings on materials not affected by cost increases. However, further cost increases or prolonged disruptions could impact the timing and progress of the Company's margin expansion efforts and the timing of revenue recognition. Achieving management's margin target assumes that the Company will successfully implement the initiatives noted above, and that such initiatives will result in improvements to its adjusted earnings from operations margin (see "Note to Readers: Forward-Looking Statements" for a description of the risks underlying the achievement of the margin target in future periods).

COVID-19 resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus beginning in March 2020 (just prior to the Company's fiscal 2021 year). These measures, which included the implementation of travel restrictions, quarantine periods and physical distancing requirements affected economies and disrupted business operations for ATS and its customers. While vaccination programs are underway and generally restrictions are easing across most countries, there is ongoing concern and uncertainty regarding potential new variants. As a result, it remains difficult to predict the duration or severity of the pandemic or its affect on the business, financial results and conditions of the Company. Furthermore, depending on the duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other business risks such as risks relating to the Company's supply chain (availability and cost of raw materials and components) and the successful on-time completion of customer contracts.

Over the long term, the Company generally expects to continue investing in non-cash working capital to support the growth of its business, with fluctuations expected on a quarter-over-quarter basis. The Company's goal is to maintain its investment in non-cash working capital as a percentage of annualized revenues below 15%. The Company expects that continued cash flows from operations, together with cash and cash equivalents on hand and credit available under operating and long-term credit facilities will be sufficient to fund its requirements for investments in non-cash working capital and capital assets, and fund strategic investment plans including some potential acquisitions. Acquisitions could result in additional debt or equity financing requirements for the Company. Non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues is a Non-IFRS ratio; see "Non-IFRS and Other Financial Measures."

Quarterly Conference Call
ATS will host a conference call and webcast at 8:30 a.m. eastern on Thursday, May 19, 2022 to discuss its quarterly results. The listen-only webcast can be accessed live at www.atsautomation.com. The conference call can be accessed live by dialing (416) 764-8659 five minutes prior. A replay of the conference will be available on the ATS website following the call. Alternatively, a telephone recording of the call will be available for one week (until midnight May 26, 2022) by dialing (416) 764-8677 and entering passcode 552564 followed by the number sign.

About ATS
ATS is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. ATS uses its extensive knowledge base and global capabilities in custom automation, repeat automation, automation products and value-added services including pre-automation and after-sales services, to address the sophisticated manufacturing automation systems and service needs of multinational customers in markets such as life sciences, food & beverage, transportation, consumer products, and energy. Founded in 1978, ATS employs over 6,000 people at more than 50 manufacturing facilities and over 75 offices in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and China.

Consolidated Revenues
(In millions of dollars)

Consolidated Operating Results
(In millions of dollars)

Order Backlog by Market
(In millions of dollars)

Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures to IFRS Measures
(In millions of dollars, except per share data)

The following tables reconciles adjusted EBITDA and EBITDA to the most directly comparable IFRS measure (net income):

The following table reconciles adjusted earnings from operations and adjusted basic earnings per share to the most directly comparable IFRS measure (net income and basic earnings per share):

The following table reconciles organic revenue to the most directly comparable IFRS measure (revenue):

The following table reconciles non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues to the most directly comparable IFRS measures:

The following table reconciles net debt to adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable IFRS measures: 

The following table reconciles free cash flow to the most directly comparable IFRS measures:

INVESTMENTS, LIQUIDITY, CASH FLOW AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES
(In millions of dollars, except ratios)

ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
(in thousands of Canadian dollars)

ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)

ATS AUTOMATION TOOLING SYSTEMS INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(in thousands of Canadian dollars)     

Non-IFRS measures and additional IFRS measures
Throughout this document, management uses certain non-IFRS financial measures, non-IFRS ratios and supplementary financial measures to evaluate the performance of the Company.

The terms "EBITDA", "organic revenue", "adjusted net income", "adjusted earnings from operations", "adjusted EBITDA", "adjusted basic earnings per share", and "free cash flow", are Non-IFRS financial measures, "EBITDA margin", "adjusted operating margin", "adjusted EBITDA margin", "organic revenue growth", "non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues", and "net debt to adjusted EBITDA" are Non-IFRS ratios, and "operating margin", "Order Bookings", "Order Backlog", and "book-to-bill ratio" are supplementary financial measures, which do not have any standardized meaning prescribed within IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Such measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, management uses "earnings from operations", which is an additional IFRS measure, to evaluate the performance of the Company. Earnings from operations is presented on the Company's consolidated statements of income as net income excluding income tax expense and net finance costs. Operating margin is an expression of the Company's earnings from operations as a percentage of revenues. EBITDA is defined as earnings from operations excluding depreciation and amortization. EBITDA margin is an expression of the Company's EBITDA as a percentage of revenues. Organic revenue is defined as revenues in the stated period excluding revenues from acquired companies for which the acquired company was not a part of the consolidated group in the comparable prior period.  Organic revenue growth compares the stated period organic revenue with the reported revenue of the comparable period. Adjusted earnings from operations is defined as earnings from operations before items excluded from management's internal analysis of operating results, such as amortization expense of acquisition-related intangible assets, acquisition-related transaction and integration costs, restructuring charges, and certain other adjustments which would be non-recurring in nature ("adjustment items"). Adjusted operating margin is an expression of the Company's adjusted earnings from operations as a percentage of revenues. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as adjusted earnings from operations excluding depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA margin is an expression of the entity's adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues. Adjusted basic earnings per share is defined as adjusted net income on a basic per share basis, where adjusted net income is defined as adjusted earnings from operations less net finance costs and income tax expense, plus tax effects of adjustment items and adjusted for other significant items of a non-recurring nature. Non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues is defined as the sum of accounts receivable, contract assets, inventories, deposits, prepaids and other assets, less accounts payable, accrued liabilities, provisions and contract liabilities divided by the trailing two fiscal quarter revenues annualized. Free cash flow is defined as cash provided by operating activities less property, plant and equipment and intangible asset expenditures. Net debt to adjusted EBITDA is the ratio of the net debt of the Company (cash and cash equivalents less bank indebtedness, long-term debt, and lease liabilities) to adjusted EBITDA. Order Bookings represent new orders for the supply of automation systems, services and products that management believes are firm. Order Backlog is the estimated unearned portion of revenues on customer contracts that are in process and have not been completed at the specified date. Book-to-bill ratio is a measure of Order Bookings compared to revenue.

Operating margin, adjusted earnings from operations, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA margin are used by the Company to evaluate the performance of its operations. Management believes that earnings from operations is an important indicator in measuring the performance of the Company's operations on a pre-tax basis and without consideration as to how the Company finances its operations. Management believes that organic revenue and organic revenue growth, when considered with IFRS measures, allow the Company to better measure the Corporation's performance and evaluate long-term performance trends. Organic revenue growth also facilitates easier comparisons of the Corporation's performance with prior and future periods and relative comparisons to its peers. Management believes that EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are important indicators of the Company's ability to generate operating cash flows to fund continued investment in its operations. Management believes that adjusted earnings from operations, adjusted operating margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted basic earnings per share are important measures to increase comparability of performance between periods. The adjustment items used by management to arrive at these metrics are not considered to be indicative of the business' ongoing operating performance. Management uses the measure "non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues" to assess overall liquidity. Free cash flow is used by the Company to measure cash flow from operations after investment in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets. Management uses net debt to adjusted EBITDA as a measurement of leverage of the Company. Order Bookings provide an indication of the Company's ability to secure new orders for work during a specified period, while Order Backlog provides a measure of the value of Order Bookings that have not been completed at a specified point in time. Both Order Bookings and Order Backlog are indicators of future revenues that the Company expects to generate based on contracts that management believes to be firm. Book to bill ratio is used to measure the Company's ability and timeliness to convert Order Bookings into revenues. Management believes that ATS shareholders and potential investors in ATS use these additional IFRS measures and non-IFRS financial measures in making investment decisions and measuring operational results. 

A reconciliation of (i) adjusted EBITDA and EBITDA to net income, (ii) adjusted earnings from operations to earnings from operations, (iii) adjusted net income to net income, (iv) adjusted basic earnings per share to basic earnings per share (v) free cash flow to its IFRS measure components and (vi) organic revenue to revenue in each case for the three- and twelve-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021 is contained in this MD&A (see "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures to IFRS Measures"). This MD&A also contains a reconciliation of (i) non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues and (ii) net debt to their IFRS measure components, in each case at both March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021 (see "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures to IFRS Measures"). A reconciliation of Order Bookings and Order Backlog to total Company revenues for the three- and twelve-month periods ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021 is also contained in this MD&A (see "Order Backlog Continuity").

Note to Readers: Forward-Looking Statements
This news release and results of operations of ATS contains certain statements that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that ATS believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, but not limited to: the value creation strategy; the Company's strategy to expand organically and through acquisition; the ATS Business Model ("ABM"); potential impacts on the time to covert opportunities into Order Bookings; various market opportunities for ATS; the Company's Order Backlog partially mitigating the impact of variable Order Bookings; rate of Order Backlog conversion to revenue; the potential impact of timing of customer decisions on Order Bookings, performance period, and timing of revenue recognition; expected benefits with respect to the Company's efforts to expand its services revenues; Company's goal of expanding its adjusted earnings from operations margin over the long term and potential impact of supply chain disruptions and longer lead times; expectation of synergies from integration of acquired businesses; the uncertainty and potential impact of COVID-19 and government emergency measures; non-cash working capital levels as a percentage of revenues; expectation in relation to meeting liquidity and funding requirements for investments; potential to use debt or equity financing to support growth strategy; expected capital expenditures for fiscal 2023; and the Company's belief with respect to the outcome of certain lawsuits, claims and contingencies. 

Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ATS, or developments in ATS' business or in its industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the  duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the Company, its  employees, customers, suppliers and the global economy; impact of regional or global conflicts; general market performance including capital market conditions and availability and cost of credit; performance of the markets that ATS serves; impact of inflation; foreign currency and exchange risk; the relative strength of the Canadian dollar; impact of factors such as increased pricing pressure, increased cost of supplies and delays in relation thereto, and possible margin compression; the regulatory and tax environment; inability to successfully expand organically or through acquisition, due to an inability to grow expertise, personnel, and/or facilities at required rates or to identify, negotiate and conclude one or more acquisitions, or to raise, through debt or equity, or otherwise have available, required capital; that the ABM is not effective in accomplishing its goals; that some or all of the sales funnel is not converted to Order Bookings due to competitive factors or failure to meet customer needs; that the market opportunities ATS anticipates do not materialize or that ATS is unable to exploit such opportunities; variations in the amount of Order Backlog completed in any given quarter; timing of customer decisions related to large enterprise programs and potential for negative impact associated with any cancellations or non-performance in relation thereto; that the Company is not successful in growing its service offering or that expected benefits are not realized; that efforts to expand adjusted earnings from operations margin over long-term are unsuccessful, due to any number of reasons, including less than anticipated increase in after-sales service revenues or reduced margins attached to those revenues, inability to achieve lower costs through supply chain management, failure to develop, adopt internally, or have customers adopt, standardized platforms and technologies, inability to maintain current cost structure if revenues were to grow, and failure of ABM to impact margins; that acquisitions made are not integrated as quickly or effectively as planned or expected and, as a result, anticipated benefits and synergies are not realized; non-cash working capital as a percentage of revenues operating at a level other than as expected due to reasons, including, the timing and nature of Order Bookings, the timing of payment milestones and payment terms in customer contracts, and delays in customer programs; that capital expenditure targets are increased in the future or the Company experiences cost increases in relation thereto; risk that the ultimate outcome of lawsuits, claims, and contingencies give rise to material liabilities for which no provisions have been recorded; , and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in ATS' filings with securities regulators, including, without limitation, the risk factors described in ATS' annual information form for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022, which are available on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR") and can be accessed at www.sedar.com. ATS has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from current expectations, however, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from such expectations.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates, factors and assumptions regarding, among others, management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions, the future performance and results of the Company's business and operations; assumption of successful implementation of margin improvement initiative; and general economic conditions and global events, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Forward-looking statements included herein are only provided to understand management's current expectations relating to future periods and, as such, are not appropriate for any other purpose. Although ATS believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and ATS cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. ATS does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained herein other than as required by law.

SOURCE ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc.