© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Investor Presentation
May 2017
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Lawson Products, Inc.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
This presentation contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. The terms “may,” “should,” “could,”
“anticipate,” “believe,” “continues,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “objective,” “plan,” “potential,” “project”
and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not
guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.
These statements are based on management’s current expectations, intentions or beliefs and are subject to a
number of factors, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those described in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences
or that might otherwise impact the business include: failure to retain a talented workforce including productive
sales representatives; the inability of management to successfully implement strategic initiatives; failure to
manage change; the ability to adequately fund our operating and working capital needs through cash
generated from operations; the ability to meet the covenant requirements of our line of credit; disruptions of
the Company’s information and communication systems; the effect of general economic and market
conditions; inventory obsolescence; work stoppages and other disruptions at transportation centers or
shipping ports; changing customer demand and product mixes; increases in commodity prices; violations of
environmental protection regulations; a negative outcome related to tax matters; and, all other factors
discussed in the Company’s “Risk Factors” set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2016.
The Company undertakes no obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any
revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise.
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Lawson Products: At a Glance
Fasteners Cutting Tools Chemicals Hydraulics Other
• Leading service based provider of consumables in MRO market
• Serves industrial, commercial, institutional and government markets in
all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
• Headquartered in Chicago, IL
– Strategically located distribution centers
– Workforce ~1,500 (nearly 1,000 sales reps)
• Supplies a comprehensive line of products to the MRO marketplace
• VMI and private label drives high gross margins
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Competitive Advantages and Differentiators
What differentiates Lawson:
• Service intensive ―high touch‖
value proposition
• Vendor managed inventory or
―keep fill‖
• Deep product knowledge
• Broad geographic sales and
service coverage throughout
the US and Canada
• Leverage investments in sales
team, facilities and technology
to enable outstanding
customer service
• Lowest total cost
―Not the Typical MRO Distributor‖
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Our Commitment to our 70,000 Customers
High touch service and technical expertise drives customer relationships
One Company, Zero Headaches Inventory Management Options Access to Industry Knowledge &
Expertise
• Comprehensive line of products • Lawson Managed Inventory • Product recommendations from your
Lawson Representative
• Hundreds of pre-built assortments • Industrial vending • Application advice from our test and
application engineers
• Unlimited sourcing of hard-to-find
items
• Self-service inventory
management
• Complimentary on-site safety &
product usage training
Before After
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Customer and Product Profile
(1) Other consists primarily of freight revenue offset by rebates
Fastening
Systems
21% Fluid Power
15%
Specialty
Chemicals
14%
Cutting Tools and
Abrasives
14%
Electrical
12%
Aftermarket
Automotive
Supplies
10%
Safety
4%
Welding and
Metal Repair
2% Other
8%
Product Mix
Regional Accounts
56%
Kent Automotive
19%
Strategic
12%
Government
10%
Other (1)
3%
Customer Mix
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Lawson Growth Strategy
Sales Growth Driven By
Foundational Support
ERP
Network
Optimization
Sales
Transformation
Lean Six
Sigma
Website
Add New
Sales
Reps
Drive Sales
Rep
Productivity
Acquisitions
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
2017 Focus: Actions Across the Value Chain Driving Growth
Information Technology – Integration of Web and SAP
Lean Six Sigma
Add New Sales Reps and Drive Rep Productivity
Sales Process /
Sales Reps
Customer Service /
Order Entry
Product
Management /
Pricing
DC Operations
Sourcing /
Purchasing
• Increase sales rep
count
• Onboarding
process/training
• Sales Management
dashboard
• EDI with customers
• Reduction of cycle
times
• Order pad
• Consolidation of
shipments
• Sales service reps
• Leverage vendor
drop-ship programs
• Fleet maintenance
focus
• Pricing
enhancements
• Website
• Reduce cycle time
• Refine “Pull” strategy
• Freight enhancements
• Minimize backorders
• Improve service levels
• Forecasting tool
• Supplier
negotiation
process
• Vendor metrics
• Electronic
communication
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Longer Sales Rep Tenure Drives Rep Productivity
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$300,000
$350,000
$400,000
$450,000
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
< 12 Mos. 1 - 2 Yrs. 3 - 5 Yrs. 5 - 10 Yrs. > 10 Yrs.
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N
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m
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o
f
Sales
R
ep
s
Tenure with Lawson (as of 3/31/17)
Number of Reps Average Annual Sales
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Financial Highlights for First Quarter 2017
• Sales increased 7.0% YOY
• Strong gross margins – Consistently over 60%
• Adjusted EBITDA margin improving
3.8% in Q1 2017 v. 3.4% in Q1 2016 and 3.1% in Q4 2016
Continued investment in new sales reps
Cost control measures in place
• Continued expansion through acquisitions
Three acquisitions completed in 2016
Contributed 2.0% of the increase in Q1 2017 sales YOY
• Strong balance sheet
Available cash of $8 million at the end of Q1
Significant capital investments completed to support growth
$40 million credit facility in place
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Lawson Products: Poised for Growth
• Foundational Investments Completed
• Operational Excellence
• Leverage Current Infrastructure
• Continued Sales Force Expansion
• Large Fragmented Market
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
For More Information
Contact:
Ronald J. Knutson
EVP, CFO
Investor Relations
(773) 304-5665
ron.knutson@lawsonproducts.com
And see our Website at
http://www.lawsonproducts.com/company-info/investor-relations.jsp
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Appendices
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Significant Activities
Appendix P-1
August 2011 Implemented SAP
October 2011 Commenced construction of new McCook, Ill distribution center
May 2012 Relocated corporate headquarters
June 2012 Restructured senior team. Announced $20M cost savings plan
Transitioned packaging facility to McCook, Ill distribution center
Entered into new five-year $40M credit facility
Announced new CEO and President, Michael G. DeCata
Consolidated Vernon Hills distribution center into McCook, Ill
November 2012 Rolled out new website to existing web customers
December 2012 Completed transition of U.S. independent agents to employees
April 2013 Roll-out of new website to new web customers
April/May 2013 McCook DC begins to ship customer orders
November 2013 Entered into sub-lease of headquarters space to generate $2.9M of future cash savings
December 2013 Ended year with over 800 sales reps – First increase in 8 years
February 2014 Closed on Automatic Screw Machine Products sale for net proceeds of $12.1M
June 2014 Entered into sale-leaseback of Reno distribution facility for net proceeds of $8.3M
December 2014 Ended year with over 900 sales reps
February 2015 Held North American sales meeting
September 2015 Completed West Coast Fasteners acquisition
March 2016 Completed Perfect Products of Michigan acquisition
May 2016 Completed F. B. Feeney acquisition
June 2016 Expanded sales team to over 1,000 sales reps
September 2016 Extended credit facitlity to August, 2020
November 2016 Completed Mattic Industries acquisition
March 2017 Consolidated Fairfield, NJ distribution operations into McCook, Ill and Suwanee, GA
August 2012
October 2012
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Regulation G – GAAP Reconciliation
Appendix P-2
Non GAAP Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Sales Percentage
The Company reports its financial results in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). However, the Company's management believes
that certain non-GAAP financial measures may provide users of this financial information additional meaningful comparisons between current results and results in
prior operating periods. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures can provide additional meaningful reflection of underlying trends of the
business because they provide a comparison of historical information that excludes certain non-operational, non-recurring or intermittently recurring items that
impact the overall comparability. See the table below for supplemental financial data and corresponding reconciliations to GAAP financial measures for quarterly
adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net sales. Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as an alternative for, the Company's reported
results prepared in accordance with GAAP.
($ in thousands) Q1 2015 Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 Q3 2016 Q4 2016 Q1 2017
Net Sales $69,904 $ 70,726 $ 70,243 $ 64,961 $ 69,711 $ 69,348 $ 70,199 $ 67,315 $ 74,617
Operating Income (Loss) (947) 3,243 2,810 (2,985) 1,169 29 2,389 (5,044) 712
Depreciation & Amortization 2,096 2,126 2,119 2,202 2,187 2,226 1,973 1,680 1,705
EBITDA 1,149 5,369 4,929 (783) 3,356 2,255 4,362 (3,364) 2,417
Excluded Costs
Severance 571 50 372 280 204 143 367 1,662 465
Stock Based Compensation (Benefit) (541) 971 (30) 1,693 (1,217) 515 (630) 3,801 (30)
Loss/(Gain) on Disposal of Property - - (2) 9 - - - -
Remediation expense - - - 931 - - - - -
North American sales meeting 1,889 - - - - - - - -
Adjusted EBITDA $ 3,068 $ 6,390 $ 5,269 $ 2,130 $ 2,343 $ 2,913 $ 4,099 $ 2,099 $ 2,852
Adjusted EBITDA % of Sales 4.4% 9.0% 7.5% 3.3% 3.4% 4.2% 5.8% 3.1% 3.8%
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Quarterly Results Appendix P-3
(Dollars in thousands)
Three Months Ended
Mar. 31,
2017
Dec. 31,
2016
Sep. 30,
2016
Jun. 30,
2016
Mar. 31,
2016
Number of business days 64 60 64 64 64
Average daily net sales $ 1,166 $ 1,122 $ 1,097 $ 1,084 $ 1,089
Sequential quarter increase (decrease) 3.9 % 2.3 % 1.2 % (0.5 )% 2.3 %
Average active sales rep. count) 990 1,007 1,007 981 949
Period-end active sales rep. count 979 1,009 1,006 1,020 960
Sales per rep. per day $ 1.178 $ 1.114 $ 1.089 $ 1.105 $ 1.148
Sequential quarter increase (decrease) 5.7 % 2.3 % (1.4 )% (3.7 )% 0.3 %
Net sales $ 74,617 $ 67,315 $ 70,199 $ 69,348 $ 69,711
Gross profit 44,879 40,504 42,573 42,526 42,459
Gross profit percentage 60.1 % 60.2 % 60.6 % 61.3 % 60.9 %
Selling, general & administrative expenses $ 44,167
$ 45,548
$ 40,184
$ 42,497
$ 41,290
Operating income (loss) $ 712 $ (5,044 ) $ 2,389 $ 29 $ 1,169
© 2015 Lawson Products, Inc. • Confidential Material, Reproduction, In Whole or in Part, Prohibited.
Appendix P-4
Consolidated Balance Sheet
March 31, December 31,
2017 2016
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 7,973 $ 10,421
Restricted cash 800 800
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts 34,016 30,200
Inventories, net 43,231 42,561
Property held for sale 707 —
Miscellaneous receivables and prepaid expenses 3,854 3,788
Total current assets 90,581 87,770
Property, plant and equipment, net 28,784 30,907
Cash value of life insurance 10,277 10,051
Goodwill 5,560 5,520
Deferred income taxes 20 20
Other assets 996 1,039
Total assets $ 136,218 $ 135,307
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Revolving line of credit $ 1,798 $ 841
Accounts payable 13,452 11,307
Accrued expenses and other liabilities 24,754 27,289
Total current liabilities 40,004 39,437
Security bonus plan 13,790 14,216
Financing lease obligation 7,271 7,543
Deferred compensation 4,937 4,830
Deferred rent liability 3,689 3,676
Other liabilities 4,214 4,472
Total liabilities 73,905 74,174
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $1 par value:
Authorized - 500,000 shares, issued and outstanding — None — —
Common stock, $1 par value:
Authorized - 35,000,000 shares
Issued - 8,868,116 and 8,864,929 shares, respectively
Outstanding - 8,835,810 and 8,832,623 shares, respectively
8,868
8,865
Capital in excess of par value 11,480 11,055
Retained earnings 42,622 41,943
Treasury stock – 32,306 shares (691 ) (691 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 34 (39 )
Total stockholders’ equity 62,313 61,133
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 136,218 $ 135,307