Holley Inc. (HLLY)

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “Holley,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “the Company” in this section are to the business and operations of Holley Inc. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with Holley’s consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause Holley’s actual results to differ materially from management’s expectations. Factors that could cause such differences are discussed herein and under the caption, “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Overview

We are a designer, marketer, and manufacturer of high-performance automotive aftermarket products serving car and truck enthusiasts, with sales, processing, and distribution facilities reaching most major markets in the United States, Canada, Europe and China. Holley designs, markets, manufactures and distributes a diversified line of performance automotive products including fuel injection systems, tuners, exhaust products, carburetors, safety equipment and various other performance automotive products. Our products are designed to enhance street, off-road, recreational and competitive vehicle performance and safety.

Central to our business and growth strategy is a commitment to innovation. We have a history of developing innovative products, including new additions to existing product families, expansions of product lines, accessory offerings, and ventures into entirely new categories. We believe this strategic approach allows us to continually adapt to evolving consumer needs. Furthermore, strategic acquisitions have played a significant role in our evolution. These acquisitions have enabled us to expand our brand portfolio, enter new product categories and consumer segments, enhance DTC scale and connection, increase market share in existing product categories, and realize valuable revenue and cost synergies. While we anticipate continued organic growth, we intend to continue evaluating opportunities for strategic acquisitions that align with our current business, expanding our reach within the target market.

Factors Affecting our Performance

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a number of factors that present significant opportunities for us but also pose risks and challenges, including those discussed below and in the section of this Form 10-K titled “Risk Factors.”

Business Combination

On July 16, 2021, we consummated the Business Combination pursuant to the Merger Agreement, by and among Empower, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, and Holley Intermediate. The Merger Agreement provided for, among other things, the following transactions: (i) Merger Sub I merged with and into Holley Intermediate, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub I ceased and Holley Intermediate became the surviving corporation, and (ii) Holley Intermediate merged with and into Merger Sub II, the separate corporate existence of Holley Intermediate, and Merger Sub II became the surviving limited liability company. Upon closing of the Business Combination, Empower changed its name to Holley Inc. and its trading symbol on the NYSE from “EMPW” to “HLLY.”

The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization in accordance with GAAP. Holley Intermediate was deemed the accounting acquirer with Holley Inc. as the successor registrant. As such, Empower was treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes, and financial statements for periods prior to the Business Combination are those of Holley Intermediate.

As a result of the Business Combination, Holley Inc. listed on the NYSE, which required us to hire additional personnel and implement procedures and processes to address public company regulatory requirements and customary practices. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional annual expenses as a public company for, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees, and additional internal and external accounting, legal, and administrative resources, including increased personnel costs, audit and other professional service fees.

36

Table of Contents

Acquisitions

We have historically pursued a growth strategy through both organic growth and acquisitions. We have pursued acquisitions that we believe will help drive profitability, cash flow and stockholder value. We target companies that we believe are market leaders, expand our geographic presence, provide a highly synergistic opportunity and/or enhance our ability to provide a wide array of our products to our customers through our distribution network.

The acquisitions have all been accounted for in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 805, Business Combinations, and the operations of the acquired entities are included in our historical results for the periods following the closing of the applicable acquisition. See Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our acquisitions and investments.

Business Environment

Our business and results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity are impacted by broad economic conditions including inflation, labor shortages, disruption of the supply chain, and potential tariffs, as well as by geopolitical events, including military conflicts (including the conflict in Ukraine, the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, and the possible expansion of such conflicts). Our operations have been adversely impacted, and may continue to be adversely impacted, by inflationary pressures primarily related to transportation, labor and component costs. In response to the global supply chain volatility and inflationary impacts, we have attempted to minimize potential adverse impacts on our business with cost savings initiatives, price increases to customers, and by increasing inventory levels of certain products and working closely with our suppliers and customers to minimize disruptions in delivering products to customers. Our profitability has been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by constrained consumer demand, a shift in sales mix to lower-margin products, which is offset by our cost cutting and operating efficiency gains. Should the ongoing macroeconomic conditions not improve, or worsen, or if our attempts to mitigate the impact on our supply chain, operations and costs is not successful, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

37

Table of Contents

Key Components of Results of Operations

Net Sales

The principal activity from which we generate our sales is the designing, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of performance aftermarket automotive parts for our end consumers. Sales are displayed net of rebates and sales returns allowances. Sales returns are recorded as a charge against gross sales in the period in which the related sales are recognized.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold consists primarily of the cost of purchased parts and manufactured products, including materials and direct labor costs. In addition, warranty, incoming shipping and handling and inspection and repair costs are also included within costs of goods sold. Reductions in the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are also a component of cost of goods sold.

Selling, General, and Administrative

Selling, general, and administrative consist of payroll and related personnel expenses, IT and office services, office rent expense and professional services. In addition, self-insurance, advertising, research and development, outgoing shipping costs, pre-production and start-up costs are also included within selling, general, and administrative. We have incurred additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including expenses necessary to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange and related to compliance and reporting obligations pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, as well as higher expenses for general and director and officer insurance, investor relations and other professional services.

Restructuring Costs

Restructuring costs consist of professional fees for legal, accounting, consulting, administrative, and other professional services directly attributable to restructuring.

Impairment of Indefinite-lived Assets

Impairment of indefinite-lived assets relates to indefinite-live trade name impairment charges.

Impairment of Goodwill

Impairment of goodwill relates to goodwill impairment charges.

Loss on Sale of Assets

Loss on sale of assets relates to the loss incurred related to the sale of Detroit Speed Engineering.

Interest Expense

Interest expense consists of interest due on the indebtedness under our credit facilities. On December 31, 2024, $560.9 million was outstanding under the Credit Agreement. Interest is based on the SOFR or prime rate, plus the applicable margin rate.

38

Table of Contents

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2024 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2023

The table below presents our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 (dollars in thousands):

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $57.5 million, or 8.7%, to $602.2 million as compared to $659.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Lower sales volume resulted in a decrease of approximately$67.7 million offset partially by improved price realization of approximately $10.2 million compared to the prior year period. Major categories driving the comparable year-over-year results include a decrease in electronic systems sales of $33.4 million (11.6% category decline), a decrease in mechanical systems sales of $11.5 million (7.3% category decline), a decrease in accessories sales of $10.6 million (10.7% category decline) and a decrease in exhaust system sales of $6.3 million (10.5% category decline.) This was partially offset by an increase in safety products sales of $4.2 million (7.5% category incline).

The table below presents our net sales for the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, as well as sales related to divestitures and sales part of our strategic product rationalization project. The divestitures sales relate to divested businesses prior to the divestiture date. The divestitures include Detroit Speed Engineering, Gear FX and Proforged. The strategic product rationalization sales relate to discontinued SKUs.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $39.9 million, or 9.9%, to $363.7 million as compared to $403.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2024, resulted from a 8.7% decrease in product sales and lower freight costs, partially offset by $8.2 million of strategic product rationalization charge that is part of a portfolio transformation aimed at eliminating unprofitable or slow-moving stock keeping units ("SKUs"), which was completed in the first quarter of 2024.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $17.5 million, or 6.9%, to $238.5 million as compared to $256.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2024, was 39.6% as compared to a gross margin of 38.8% for the year ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in gross profit was primarily due to lower sales volume and a $8.2 million related to the strategic product rationalization charge. The improvement in gross margin was largely driven by cost to serve efforts related to lower freight costs and improved warranty performance, as well as reduced write-downs for excess and obsolete inventory, partially offset by the million related to the strategic product rationalization charge.

39

Table of Contents

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2024, increased $11.9 million, or 9.9%, to $132.2 million as compared to $120.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs increased to 21.9% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to 18.2% of sales in 2023. The net increase in selling, general and administrative costs was predominately driven by a $2.0 million reserve related to litigation settlements, an increase in marketing and advertising to support growth, and incremental spend related to advisory services supporting transformation initiatives.  These increases were partially offset by furloughs and temporary headcount reductions from earlier in the year, reflecting resource allocation efforts for portfolio development optimization

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $5.1 million, or 21.5%, to $18.7 million as compared to $23.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to headcount reductions, reflecting the implementation of resource allocation efforts in support of portfolio development optimization.

Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $0.7 million, or 4.6%, to $13.9 million as compared to $14.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Impairment of Indefinite-lived Assets

Impairment of indefinite-lived assets for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $7.7 million, which related to our tradenames. Refer to Note 5, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our recognition of impairment charges.

Impairment of Goodwill

Impairment of goodwill for the year ended
December 31, 2024
was $40.9 million.  Refer Note 5, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our recognition of impairment charges.

Loss on Sale of Assets

Loss on sale of assets for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $9.2 million, which relates to the sale of Detroit Speed Engineering.

Restructuring Costs

Restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $1.1 million to $1.6 million, as compared to $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting a reduction in restructuring and integration activities associated with acquisitions.

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $79.3 million, or 84.4%, to $14.7 million as compared to $94.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is primarily attributable to the $48.6 million impairment charges.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a gain of $7.6 million due to the change in fair value of the warrant liability. This compares to a loss of $4.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, a period during which Holley's stock price increased. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the Warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a gain of $2.3 million due to the change in fair value of the earn-out liability, which reflects a decrease in Holley's stock price during 2024. This compares to a loss of $2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, a period during which Holley's stock price increased. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the unvested Earn-Out Shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Loss (Gain) on Early Extinguishment of Debt

For the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a loss of $0.1 million on the early extinguishment of debt as compared to a gain of $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The loss in the year ended December 31, 2024 was recognized on the repurchase of $25.0 million of our first lien term loan at a discount to par, net of the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs. The gain in the year ended December 31, 2023 was recognized on the repurchase of $38.8 million of our first lien term loan at a discount to par, net of the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs (refer to Note 7, “Debt” for further discussion).

Interest Expense (Benefit)

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2024, decreased $10.1 million, or 16.6%, to $50.7 million as compared to $60.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, reflecting a lower outstanding debt balances, offset in part by a higher effective interest rate on outstanding debt. The Company recognized $1.1 million of interest income and $1.2 million of interest expense related to the interest rate collar for the year ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

40

Table of Contents

Income (Loss) before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized $26.3 million of loss before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to net income before income taxes of $27.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

We recognized income tax benefit of $3.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to income tax expense of $8.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The effective tax rate was 11.5% and 30.5% for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2024 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from state income taxes, foreign rate differentials, compensation limits with respect to covered employees, goodwill asset impairment, valuation allowance and the change in fair value of warrant and earn-out liabilities. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2023 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from state income taxes, foreign rate differentials, compensation limits with respect to covered employees, and the change in fair value of warrant and earn-out liabilities

Net Income (Loss) and Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net loss of $23.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to net income of $19.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive loss of $23.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, as compared to total comprehensive income of $19.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Comprehensive income includes the effect of foreign currency translation.

Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2022

The table below presents our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollars in thousands):

41

Table of Contents

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $28.7 million, or 4.2%, to $659.7 million as compared to $688.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decline in sales was driven by supply chain constraints in electronic components and a return to the sales trends experienced prior to the increased demand experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, lower unit volume drove a decrease of approximately $42.3 million that was partially offset by improved price realization of approximately $13.6 million compared to the prior year period. Comparable year-over-year results by category include a decrease in safety products sales of $9.4 million (14.3% category decline), a decrease in accessories sales of $9.3 million (8.6% category decline), a decrease in mechanical systems sales of $7.6 million (4.6% category decline), a decrease in exhaust system sales of $6.8 million (10.2% category decline), and electronic systems sales growth of $4.4 million (1.5% category growth).

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $31.1 million, or 7.2%, to $403.6 million as compared to $434.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2023, reflects the decrease in product sales during such period combined with lower freight costs.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased $2.4 million, or 1.0%, to $256.1 million as compared to $253.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2023, was 38.8% as compared to a gross margin of 36.8% for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in gross profit and gross profit margin, during a period in which sales volume was down, was driven primarily by meaningful improvements in freight, lower warranty costs, and product mix.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $30.5 million, or 20.2%, to $120.2 million as compared to $150.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs decreased to 18.2% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to 21.9% of sales in 2022. The decrease selling, general and administrative costs was driven by a lower equity compensation cost and the implementation of cost-saving initiatives, which resulted in decreases in outbound shipping and handling, professional fees, personnel and marketing costs.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $5.2 million, or 18.0%, to $23.8 million as compared to $29.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in research and development costs was primarily due to headcount reductions, reflecting the implementation of cost-saving initiatives.

Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $0.1 million, or 0.9%, to $14.6 million as compared to $14.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Additionally, an impairment charge of $2.4 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames during 2022 (see Note 5, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our recognition of impairment charges).

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $1.9 million to $2.6 million, as compared to $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, reflecting a reduction in restructuring activities associated with acquisitions.

42

Table of Contents

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased $43.3 million, or 85.3%, to $94.0 million as compared to $50.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a loss of $4.1 million due to the change in fair value of the warrant liability, which reflects an increase in Holley's stock price during 2023. This compares to a gain of $57.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a period during which Holley's stock price declined. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the Warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a loss of $2.3 million due to the change in fair value of the earn-out liability, which reflects an increase in Holley's stock price during 2023. This compares to a gain of $10.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a period during which Holley's stock price declined. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the unvested Earn-Out Shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Gain on Early Extinguishment of Debt

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a gain of $0.7 million on the early extinguishment of debt. The gain was recognized on the repurchase of $38.8 million of our first lien term loan at a discount to par, net of the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs (refer to Note 7, “Debt” for further discussion).

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased $20.5 million, or 51.0%, to $60.8 million as compared to $40.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, reflecting a higher effective interest rate on outstanding debt. Interest expense for 2023 is net of a $1.2 million fair value adjustment on the interest rate collar and $0.6 million in cash payments received on the interest rate collar.

Income before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized $27.6 million of income before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to net income before income taxes of $78.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Income Tax Expense

We recognized income tax expense of $8.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The effective tax rate was 30.5% and 5.7% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2023 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from state income taxes, foreign rate differentials, compensation limits with respect to covered employees, and the change in fair value of warrant and earn-out liabilities. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2022 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from the change in fair value of warrant and earn-out liabilities.

Net Income and Total Comprehensive Income

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net income of $19.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to net income of $73.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive income of $19.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to total comprehensive income of $73.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Comprehensive income (loss) includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

43

Table of Contents

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We present EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as supplemental measures of our operating performance and believe that such non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors, because they exclude the impact of certain items that we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance and we believe are useful in comparing our results of operations between periods. We believe that the presentation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA enhances the usefulness of our financial information by presenting measures that management uses internally to establish forecasts, budgets and operational goals to manage and monitor our business. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures help to depict a more realistic representation of the performance of our underlying business, enabling us to evaluate and plan more effectively for the future.

EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted EPS, and Free Cash Flow are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. These measures should not be considered as measures of financial performance under GAAP, and the items excluded from or included in these metrics are significant components in understanding and assessing our financial performance. These metrics should not be considered as alternatives to net income, gross profit, net cash provided by operating activities, or any other performance measures, as applicable, derived in accordance with GAAP.

Adjusted EBITDA

We define EBITDA as earnings before depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, interest expense, and income tax expense. We define Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted to exclude, to the extent applicable, restructuring costs, which includes transaction fees and expenses, termination related benefits, facilities relocation, and executive transition costs; changes in the fair value of the warrant liability; changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability; equity-based compensation expense; impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets; loss on assets sold; loss or (gain) on the early extinguishment of debt; related party acquisition and management fee costs; notable items that we do not believe are reflective of operating performance, which for the year ended December 31, 2024, includes; $2.0 million legal settlement accrual, costs incurred for advisory services related to identifying performance initiatives, for the year ended December 31, 2023, includes certain costs incurred for advisory services related to identifying performance initiatives, and for the year ended December 31, 2022, included a non-cash adjustment related to the adoption of ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” and legal fees and costs related to a settlement; and other expenses or gains, which for the year ended December 31, 2022, includes a $1.0 million loss on the sale of a business and for all periods includes net gains or losses from disposal of fixed assets, franchise taxes, and gains or losses from foreign currency transactions.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. These measures should not be considered as measures of financial performance under GAAP, and the items excluded from or included in these metrics are significant components in understanding and assessing Holley’s financial performance. These metrics should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP.

The following unaudited table presents the reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA,  Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 (dollars in thousands):

Adjusted EBITDA for 2024 and 2023 includes the impact of an $8.2 million and $(0.8) million, respectively, non-cash charge related to a previously announced strategic product rationalization. For 2024, Adjusted EBITDA includes $1.7 million benefit also related to the strategic product rationalization, netting to $6.5 million non-cash charge.

44

Table of Contents

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

We define Adjusted Net Income as earnings excluding the after-tax effect of changes in the fair value of the warrant liability, changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability, impairment of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, loss on sale of assets, and gain or loss on the early extinguishment of debt. We define Adjusted Diluted EPS as Adjusted Net Income on a per share basis. Management uses these measures to focus on on-going operations and believes that it is useful to investors because it enables them to perform meaningful comparisons of past and present consolidated operating results. We believe that using this information, along with net income and net income per diluted share, provides for a more complete analysis of the results of operations.

The following unaudited tables present the reconciliation of net income and net income per diluted share, the most directly comparable GAAP measures, to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 (dollars in thousands):

We define Free Cash Flow as net cash provided by operating activities minus cash payments for capital expenditures, net of dispositions. Management believes providing Free Cash Flow is useful for investors to understand our performance and results of cash generation after making capital investments required to support ongoing business operations.

The following unaudited table presents the reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 (dollars in thousands):

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our primary cash needs are to support working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and debt repayments. We have generally financed our historical needs with operating cash flows, capital contributions and borrowings under our credit facilities. These sources of liquidity may be impacted by various factors, including demand for our products, investments made in acquired businesses, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures, and expenditures on general infrastructure and information technology.

On December 31, 2024, we had cash of $56.1 million and availability of $97.8 million under our revolving credit facility. We have a senior secured revolving credit facility with $100 million in borrowing capacity. On December 31, 2024, we had $2.2 million in letters of credit outstanding under the revolving credit facility. In March 2023, the Company entered into an amendment to its Credit Agreement which, among other things, contains a minimum liquidity financial covenant of $45 million, which includes unrestricted cash and any available borrowing capacity under the revolving credit facility. The amendment also increased the Total Leverage Ratio applicable under the Credit Agreement as of the fiscal quarter ending April 2, 2023, to initially 7.25:1.00, and provides for modified step-down levels for such covenant thereafter through the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company successfully exited the Covenant Relief Period.

We are obligated under various operating leases for facilities, equipment, and automobiles with estimated lease payments of approximately $6.4 million, including short-term leases, due in fiscal year 2025. See Note 15, "Lease Commitments" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our lease obligations.

Our capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2024 of $6.8 million are primarily related to ongoing maintenance and improvements, including investments related to upgrading and maintaining our information technology systems, tooling for new products, vehicles for product development, and machinery and equipment for operations. We expect capital expenditures of up to $16 million in fiscal year 2025.

See Note 7, "Debt" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail of our credit facility and the timing of principal maturities. On December 31, 2024, based on the then current weighted average interest rate of 8.4%, expected interest payments associated with outstanding debt totaled approximately $47.3 million for fiscal year 2025.

As discussed under “Business Environment” above, although the future impact of supply chain disruptions, potential tariffs and inflationary pressures are highly uncertain, we believe that our current operating performance, operating plan, cash position, and borrowings available under our revolving credit facility will be sufficient to satisfy our liquidity needs and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next twelve months and thereafter for the foreseeable future.

Cash Flows

The following table provides a summary of cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):

45

Table of Contents

Operating Activities. Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $46.9 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $88.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Cash provided by inventory of $38.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 decreased to cash used by inventory of $16.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, resulting in a decrease of operating cash flows due to inventory of $54.8 million. Offsetting this decrease were increases in cash provided by accrued interest, accounts receivable, and accounts payable of $5.1 million, $13.0 million, and $2.9 million, respectively. The changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory are impacted by fluctuations in sales and accrued interest, accounts receivable and accounts payable are impacted by the timing of receipts and payments.

Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $88.1 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $12.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Cash provided by inventory and prepaids and other current assets increased by $96.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Offsetting these increases were decreases in cash used by accrued interest, accounts receivable, and accounts payable of $8.2 million, $6.1 million, and $0.9 million, respectively. The changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory are impacted by fluctuations in sales and accrued interest, accounts receivable and accounts payable are impacted by the timing of receipts and payments.

Investing Activities. Cash provided by investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $2.0 million, primarily relating to the sales of Detroit Speed Engineering, which was partially offset by capital expenditures of $6.8 million. Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $4.5 million, primarily relating to capital expenditures of $5.9 million. For the year ended December 31, 2022, cash used in investing activities was $25.0 million, primarily relating to acquisitions of $14.3 million and capital expenditures of $13.6 million.

Financing Activities. Cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024, was $34.6 million, which primarily reflected principal payments on long-term debt. Cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $69.0 million, which primarily reflected principal payments on long-term debt. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $2.9 million, which primarily reflected net borrowings on long-term debt.

Working Capital. On December 31, 2024, working capital was $202.2 million compared to $203.6 million on December 31, 2023. For the year ended December 31, 2024, prepaids and other current assets decreased by $3.1 million and accrued liabilities decreased by $1.1 million. Offsetting this decrease in working capital was an increase in cash of $15.0 million.

Holley’s working capital on December 31, 2023, decreased $20.1 million from $223.7 million on December 31, 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2023, inventories decreased by $41.3 million. Offsetting this decrease in working capital was an increase in cash of $14.9 million.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The discussion and analysis of Holley's financial condition and results of operations are based upon its consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. See Note 1, "Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies", in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete summary of the significant accounting policies used in the presentation of our financial statements. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts and related disclosures of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. The estimates and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors, which are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, impacting our reported results of operations and financial condition.

Critical accounting policies and estimates are those that management considers the most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations because they require the most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. We believe that our most critical accounting estimates are related to accounting for inventory reserves, the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired in the Business Combination and acquisitions, and accounting for goodwill and intangible assets. These critical accounting policies are addressed below.

46

Table of Contents

Inventory Reserve

Our inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Adjustments to reduce the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are made, if required, for estimated excess, obsolescence or impaired balances. See Part IV, Item 15 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our inventory valuation reserve.

We regularly monitor inventory quantities on hand and on order and record write-downs for excess and obsolete inventories based on our estimate of the demand for our products, potential obsolescence of technology, product life cycles, and when pricing trends or forecast indicate that the carrying value of inventory exceeds our estimated selling price. These factors are affected by market and economic conditions, technology changes, and new product introductions and require estimates that may include elements that are uncertain. Actual demand may differ from forecasted demand and may have a material effect on our gross margin. If inventory is written down, a new cost basis will be established that cannot be increased in future periods.

Fair Value of Acquired Assets and Liabilities

Assigning fair market values to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of an acquisition requires knowledge of current market values and the values of assets in use, and often requires the application of significant judgment regarding estimates and assumptions. The same applies to assigning fair market values to the liabilities assumed in the Business Combination at the date of the transaction and at each reporting date thereafter. While the ultimate responsibility resides with management, for certain acquisitions we retain the services of certified valuation specialists to assist with assigning estimated values to certain acquired assets and assumed liabilities, including intangible assets, tangible long- lived assets, and liabilities assumed in the Business Combination. Acquired intangible assets, excluding goodwill, are valued using various methodologies including discounted cash flows, relief from royalty, and multiperiod excess earnings depending on the type of intangible asset purchased. These methodologies incorporate various estimates and assumptions, such as projected revenue growth rates, profit margins and forecasted cash flows based on discount rates and terminal growth rates. We use a Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the fair value of our Private Warrants and earn-out liability assumed in the Business Combination, which requires certain subjective inputs and assumptions, including expected common stock price volatility, expected term, and risk-free interest rates. These estimates and assumptions could vary significantly, which could result in material differences in the fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities. See Note 10, "Fair Value Measurements" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our assets and liabilities measured at fair value.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized but rather are tested at least annually for impairment, or more often if events or changes in circumstances indicate that more likely than not the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable.

Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit represents an operating segment or a component of an operating segment. Goodwill is tested for impairment by either performing a qualitative evaluation or a quantitative test. The qualitative evaluation is an assessment of factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. We may elect not to perform the qualitative assessment and perform a quantitative impairment test. The estimate of the fair value of our reporting unit is based on the best information available as of the date of the assessment. We base our fair value estimate on assumptions we believe to be reasonable, but which are unpredictable and inherently uncertain. We generally use a blended analysis of the present value of discounted cash flows and the market valuation approach. The discounted cash flow model uses the present values of estimated future cash flows. Considerable management judgment is necessary to evaluate the impact of operating and external economic factors in estimating our future cash flows. The assumptions we use in our evaluations include projections of growth rates and profitability, our estimated working capital needs, as well as our weighted average cost of capital. The market valuation approach indicates the fair value of a reporting unit based on a comparison to comparable publicly traded firms in similar businesses. Estimates used in the market value approach include the identification of similar companies with comparable business factors. These key assumptions are inherently uncertain and require a high degree of estimation and are subject to change based on, among others, industry and geopolitical conditions, our ability to navigate changing macroeconomic conditions and trends and the timing and success of strategic initiatives. Changes in economic and operating conditions impacting the assumptions we made could result in additional goodwill impairment in future periods. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds fair value, goodwill is considered impaired. A goodwill impairment loss is recognized for the amount that the carrying amount of a reporting unit, including goodwill, exceeds its fair value, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

The Company completed its annual goodwill impairment analysis in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, in conjunction with its budgeting and forecasting process for fiscal year 2024 and concluded that impairment existed for its reporting unit.  Immediately prior to the goodwill impairment analysis in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, the carrying value of goodwill was $413.2 million, which was ascribed to one reporting unit. For the fiscal 2024 impairment analysis, the Company performed a quantitative assessment for its reporting unit. The estimated fair value of the reporting unit was below its carrying value based on the analysis performed by 4%. As a result of this evaluation, a pre-tax impairment of $40.9 million was recognized on goodwill. As of December 31, 2024, the carrying value of goodwill was reduced to $372.3  million.

During our annual impairment assessment and in subsequent interim quarters, we review events that occur or circumstances that change, including the macroeconomic environment, our business performance and our market capitalization, to determine if a quantitative impairment assessment is necessary. If assumptions are not achieved or market conditions decline, potential impairment charges could result. Impairments to goodwill and other intangible assets may be caused by factors outside our control, such as increasing competitive pricing pressures, changes in discount rates based on changes in cost of capital (i.e., as a result of changes in interest rates or other conditions), lower than expected sales and profit growth rates, changes in industry EBITDA multiples, the inability to quickly replace lost co-manufacturing business, or the bankruptcy of a significant customer.

Intangible assets include trade names, customer relationships and developed technology obtained through business acquisitions. Acquired finite-lived tangible assets are initially recorded at fair value and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Indefinite life intangible assets are not amortized but are tested for impairment at least annually or more often if circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. During the fourth quarter of 2024, a quantitative assessment of indefinite life intangible assets identified certain tradenames for which the carrying amounts might not be recoverable. As a result of this evaluation, a pre-tax impairment of $7.7 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames.

47

Table of Contents

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For a discussion of Holley’s new or recently adopted accounting pronouncements, see Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

48

Table of Contents

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “Holley,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “the Company” in this section are to the business and operations of Holley Inc. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with Holley’s consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause Holley’s actual results to differ materially from management’s expectations. Factors that could cause such differences are discussed herein and under the caption, “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Overview

We are a designer, marketer, and manufacturer of high-performance automotive aftermarket products serving car and truck enthusiasts, with sales, processing, and distribution facilities reaching most major markets in the United States, Canada, Europe and China. Holley designs, markets, manufactures and distributes a diversified line of performance automotive products including fuel injection systems, tuners, exhaust products, carburetors, safety equipment and various other performance automotive products. Our products are designed to enhance street, off-road, recreational and competitive vehicle performance and safety.

Central to our business and growth strategy is a commitment to innovation. We have a history of developing innovative products, including new additions to existing product families, expansions of product lines, accessory offerings, and ventures into entirely new categories. We believe this strategic approach allows us to continually adapt to evolving consumer needs. Furthermore, strategic acquisitions have played a significant role in our evolution. These acquisitions have enabled us to expand our brand portfolio, enter new product categories and consumer segments, enhance DTC scale and connection, increase market share in existing product categories, and realize valuable revenue and cost synergies. While we anticipate continued organic growth, we intend to continue evaluating opportunities for strategic acquisitions that align with our current business, expanding our reach within the target market.

Factors Affecting our Performance

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a number of factors that present significant opportunities for us but also pose risks and challenges, including those discussed below and in the section of this Form 10-K titled “Risk Factors.”

Business Combination

On July 16, 2021, we consummated the Business Combination pursuant to the Merger Agreement, by and among Empower, Merger Sub I, Merger Sub II, and Holley Intermediate. The Merger Agreement provided for, among other things, the following transactions: (i) Merger Sub I merged with and into Holley Intermediate, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub I ceased and Holley Intermediate became the surviving corporation, and (ii) Holley Intermediate merged with and into Merger Sub II, the separate corporate existence of Holley Intermediate, and Merger Sub II became the surviving limited liability company. Upon closing of the Business Combination, Empower changed its name to Holley Inc. and its trading symbol on the NYSE from “EMPW” to “HLLY.”

The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization in accordance with GAAP. Holley Intermediate was deemed the accounting acquirer with Holley Inc. as the successor registrant. As such, Empower was treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes, and financial statements for periods prior to the Business Combination are those of Holley Intermediate.

As a result of the Business Combination, Holley Inc. listed on the NYSE, which required us to hire additional personnel and implement procedures and processes to address public company regulatory requirements and customary practices. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional annual expenses as a public company for, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees, and additional internal and external accounting, legal, and administrative resources, including increased personnel costs, audit and other professional service fees.

35

Table of Contents

Acquisitions

We have historically pursued a growth strategy through both organic growth and acquisitions. We have pursued acquisitions that we believe will help drive profitability, cash flow and stockholder value. We target companies that we believe are market leaders, expand our geographic presence, provide a highly synergistic opportunity and/or enhance our ability to provide a wide array of our products to our customers through our distribution network.

In 2022 and 2021, Holley completed 11 acquisitions. The most significant of these acquisitions impacting the comparability of our operating results were:

The acquisitions have all been accounted for in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 805, Business Combinations, and the operations of the acquired entities are included in our historical results for the periods following the closing of the applicable acquisition. See Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” and Note 2, “Business Combination and Acquisitions,” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our acquisitions and investments.

Business Environment

Our business and results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity are impacted by broad economic conditions including inflation, labor shortages, and disruption of the supply chain, as well as by geopolitical events, including military conflicts (including the conflict in Ukraine, the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, and the possible expansion of such conflicts). Our operations have been adversely impacted, and may continue to be adversely impacted, by inflationary pressures primarily related to transportation, labor and component costs. Sales growth in certain products has been constrained by continuing supply chain challenges and automotive electronic component shortages. In response to the global supply chain volatility and inflationary impacts, we have attempted to minimize potential adverse impacts on our business with cost savings initiatives, price increases to customers, and by increasing inventory levels of certain products and working closely with our suppliers and customers to minimize disruptions in delivering products to customers. Our profitability has been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by constrained consumer demand, a shift in sales mix to lower-margin products, and demands on our performance that increased our costs. Should the ongoing macroeconomic conditions not improve, or worsen, or if our attempts to mitigate the impact on our supply chain, operations and costs is not successful, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

36

Table of Contents

Key Components of Results of Operations

Net Sales

The principal activity from which we generate our sales is the designing, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of performance aftermarket automotive parts for our end consumers. Sales are displayed net of rebates and sales returns allowances. Sales returns are recorded as a charge against gross sales in the period in which the related sales are recognized.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold consists primarily of the cost of purchased parts and manufactured products, including materials and direct labor costs. In addition, warranty, incoming shipping and handling and inspection and repair costs are also included within costs of goods sold. Reductions in the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are also a component of cost of goods sold.

Selling, General, and Administrative

Selling, general, and administrative consist of payroll and related personnel expenses, IT and office services, office rent expense and professional services. In addition, self-insurance, advertising, research and development, outgoing shipping costs, pre-production and start-up costs are also included within selling, general, and administrative. We have incurred additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including expenses necessary to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange and related to compliance and reporting obligations pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, as well as higher expenses for general and director and officer insurance, investor relations and other professional services.

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs consist of professional fees for legal, accounting, consulting, administrative, and other professional services directly attributable to potential acquisitions. In addition, operational restructuring costs are included within this classification.

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fee Costs

Related party acquisition and management fee costs consist of fees paid to our historical private equity sponsor pursuant to a management services agreement for management services and consulting services directly attributable to potential acquisitions. Upon the Closing of the Business Combination, the management services agreement with our private equity sponsor was terminated.

Interest Expense

Interest expense consists of interest due on the indebtedness under our credit facilities. On December 31, 2023, $592.5 million was outstanding under the Credit Agreement. Interest is based on the SOFR or prime rate, plus the applicable margin rate.

37

Table of Contents

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2023 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2022

The table below presents our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 (dollars in thousands):

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $28.7 million, or 4.2%, to $659.7 million as compared to $688.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decline in sales was driven by supply chain constraints in electronic components and a return to the sales trends experienced prior to the increased demand experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, lower unit volume drove a decrease of approximately $42.3 million that was partially offset by improved price realization of approximately $13.6 million compared to the prior year period. Comparable year-over-year results by category include a decrease in safety products sales of $9.4 million (14.3% category decline), a decrease in accessories sales of $9.3 million (8.6% category decline), a decrease in mechanical systems sales of $7.6 million (4.6% category decline), a decrease in exhaust system sales of $6.8 million (10.2% category decline), and electronic systems sales growth of $4.4 million (1.5% category growth)

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $31.1 million, or 7.2%, to $403.6 million as compared to $434.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2023, reflects the decrease in product sales during such period combined with lower freight costs.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased $2.4 million, or 1.0%, to $256.1 million as compared to $253.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2023, was 38.8% as compared to a gross margin of 36.8% for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in gross profit and gross profit margin, during a period in which sales volume was down, was driven primarily by meaningful improvements in freight, lower warranty costs, and product mix.

38

Table of Contents

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $30.5 million, or 20.2%, to $120.2 million as compared to $150.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs decreased to 18.2% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to 21.9% of sales in 2022. The decrease selling, general and administrative costs was driven by a lower equity compensation cost and the implementation of cost-saving initiatives, which resulted in decreases in outbound shipping and handling, professional fees, personnel and marketing costs.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $5.2 million, or 18.0%, to $23.8 million as compared to $29.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The decrease in research and development costs was primarily due to headcount reductions, reflecting the implementation of cost-saving initiatives.

Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $0.1 million, or 0.9%, to $14.6 million as compared to $14.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Additionally, an impairment charge of $2.4 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames during 2022 (see Note 5, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our recognition of impairment charges).

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased $1.9 million to $2.6 million, as compared to $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, reflecting a reduction in restructuring activities associated with acquisitions.

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased $43.3 million, or 85.3%, to $94.0 million as compared to $50.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a loss of $4.1 million due to the change in fair value of the warrant liability, which reflects an increase in Holley's stock price during 2023. This compares to a gain of $57.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a period during which Holley's stock price declined. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the Warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a loss of $2.3 million due to the change in fair value of the earn-out liability, which reflects an increase in Holley's stock price during 2023. This compares to a gain of $10.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, a period during which Holley's stock price declined. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the unvested Earn-Out Shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Gain on Early Extinguishment of Debt

For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a gain of $0.7 million on the early extinguishment of debt. The gain was recognized on the repurchase of $38.8 million of our first lien term loan at a discount to par, net of the write-off of unamortized debt issuance costs (refer to Note 7, “Debt” for further discussion).

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased $20.5 million, or 51.0%, to $60.8 million as compared to $40.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, reflecting a higher effective interest rate on outstanding debt. Interest expense for 2023 is net of a $1.2 million fair value adjustment on the interest rate collar and $0.6 million in cash payments received on the interest rate collar.

39

Table of Contents

Income before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized $27.6 million of income before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to net income before income taxes of $78.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Income Tax Expense

We recognized income tax expense of $8.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The effective tax rate was 30.5% and 5.7% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2023 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from state income taxes, foreign rate differentials, compensation limits with respect to covered employees, and the change in fair value of warrant and earn-out liabilities. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2022 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from the change in fair value of warrant and earn-out liabilities.

Net Income and Total Comprehensive Income

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net income of $19.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to net income of $73.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive income of $19.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to total comprehensive income of $73.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Comprehensive income (loss) includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2021

The table below presents our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 (dollars in thousands):

40

Table of Contents

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $4.4 million, or 0.6%, to $688.4 million as compared to $692.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Non-comparable sales associated with acquisitions contributed $31.3 million to net sales in 2022, or year-over-year growth of 4.5%. The remaining comparable sales decreased by $35.7 million, or 5.2%. The decline in comparable sales was primarily driven by supply chain constraints that prevented us from building and shipping to orders received from customers and stabilizing demand due to a reduction in disposable income of our consumers. As a result, lower unit volume drove a decrease of approximately $88.5 million that was partially offset by improved price realization of approximately $52.8 million compared to 2021. Comparable year-over-year results by category include a decrease in electronic system sales of $28.1 million (9.1% category decline), a decrease in exhaust system sales of $11.4 million (14.6% category decline), a decrease in mechanical system sales of $4.6 million (3.0% category decline), a decrease in safety product sales of $3.2 million (4.9% category decline), and accessories sales growth of $11.6 million (13.6% category growth).

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2022, increased $28.7 million, or 7.1%, to $434.8 million as compared to $406.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2022, in which sales declined reflects compression in gross profit margin due to manufacturing inefficiencies driven by supply chain constraints, higher product rationalization charges, higher warranty costs, and inflationary pressures on certain other costs.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $33.2 million, or 11.6%, to $253.7 million as compared to $286.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2022, of 36.8% decreased from gross margin of 41.4% for the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease in gross profit and gross profit margin was driven primarily by inflationary factors, higher expenses associated with product rationalization and warranty costs, and a shift in the mix of products sold towards products with lower margins due in part to limitations caused by supply chain challenges. In general, gross margin and margins on individual products will remain under pressure due to various factors, including potential increases in manufacturing costs and the shift of our sales mix towards products with lower gross margins. Future gross margins could also be affected by our ability to manage product quality and warranty costs effectively and to stimulate demand for certain of our products.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $33.9 million, or 29.1%, to $150.7 million as compared to $116.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs increased to 21.9% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to 16.9% of sales in 2021. The increase in costs was driven by a $19.4 million increase in compensation expense related to equity awards, which included an $11.4 million cumulative adjustment related to the early vesting of profit interest units granted by the Holley Stockholder prior to the Business Combination. Outbound shipping and handling costs increased $7.6 million, reflecting inflationary pressures on domestic shipping companies, and recent acquisitions contributed $3.7 million to the increase in selling, general and administrative costs.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $0.8 million, or 2.8%, to $29.1 million as compared to $28.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in research and development costs reflects our pursuit of product innovation and new products.

Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $0.7 million, or 4.9%, to $14.7 million as compared to $14.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to recent acquisitions. Additionally, an impairment charge of $2.4 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames during 2022 (see Note 5, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our recognition of impairment charges).

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $19.2 million to $4.5 million, as compared to $23.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The year ended December 31, 2021, included an adjustment of $17.2 million for contingent consideration payable for the acquisition of Simpson Performance Products (“Simpson”).

41

Table of Contents

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fees

Upon the Closing of the Business Combination, the management services agreement with our private equity sponsor was terminated. Related party acquisition and management fee costs for the year ended December 31, 2021, were $25.8 million, of which $23.3 million represents a fee paid upon the Closing of the Business Combination.

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $26.8 million, or 34.5%, to $50.7 million as compared to $77.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized a gain of $57.0 million from the change in fair value of the warrant liability as compared to a loss of $32.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the Warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized a gain of $10.7 million from the change in fair value of the earn-out liability as compared to a loss of $8.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the unvested Earn-Out Shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt

For the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized a $13.6 million loss on the early extinguishment of debt. The extinguishment loss includes a write off of $12.2 million in unamortized debt issuance costs associated with our previous first lien and second lien notes due to the refinancing of our previous credit facility (refer to Note 7, “Debt” for further discussion). Additionally, we wrote off $1.4 million of unamortized debt issuance costs when $100 million of the net proceeds from the Business Combination were used to reduce the outstanding principal balance of our second lien note.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $1.1 million, or 2.8%, to $40.2 million as compared to $39.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to a higher effective interest rate.

Income (Loss) before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net income of $78.3 million before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to a net loss before income taxes of $(16.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Income Tax Expense

We recognized income tax expense of $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022, was 5.7%. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2022 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from the change in fair value of the warrant and earn-out liabilities. We recognized income tax expense on a net loss for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to permanent differences resulting from the Business Combination, the adjustment to the Simpson earn-out liability during the period, and the change in fair value of the warrant and earn-out liabilities.

Net Income (Loss) and Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net income of $73.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to a net loss of $(27.1) million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive income of $73.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, as compared to total comprehensive loss of $(26.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Comprehensive income (loss) includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

42

Table of Contents

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We present EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as supplemental measures of our operating performance and believe that such non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors, because they exclude the impact of certain items that we do not consider indicative of our ongoing operating performance and we believe are useful in comparing our results of operations between periods. We believe that the presentation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA enhances the usefulness of our financial information by presenting measures that management uses internally to establish forecasts, budgets and operational goals to manage and monitor our business. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures help to depict a more realistic representation of the performance of our underlying business, enabling us to evaluate and plan more effectively for the future.

We define EBITDA as earnings before depreciation, amortization of intangible assets, interest expense, and income tax expense. We define Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted to exclude, to the extent applicable, acquisition and restructuring costs, which includes transaction fees and expenses, termination related benefits, facilities relocation, and executive transition costs; changes in the fair value of the warrant liability; changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability; equity-based compensation expense; non-cash charges due to our product rationalization initiative aimed at eliminating unprofitable or slow-moving stock keeping units; impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets; loss or (gain) on the early extinguishment of debt; related party acquisition and management fee costs; notable items that we do not believe are reflective of operating performance, which for the year ended December 31, 2023, includes certain costs incurred for advisory services related to identifying performance initiatives, and for the year ended December 31, 2022, includes a non-cash adjustment related to the adoption of ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” and legal fees and costs related to a settlement, and for the year ended December 31, 2021 includes amortization of the fair market value increase in inventory due to acquisitions; and other expenses or gains, which for the year ended December 31, 2022, includes a $1.0 million loss on the sale of a business (see Note 2, "Business Combination, Acquisitions, and Divestiture," in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the divestiture) and for all periods includes net gains or losses from disposal of fixed assets, franchise taxes, and gains or losses from foreign currency transactions.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. These measures should not be considered as measures of financial performance under GAAP, and the items excluded from or included in these metrics are significant components in understanding and assessing Holley’s financial performance. These metrics should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP.

The following unaudited table presents the reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 (dollars in thousands):

43

Table of Contents

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our primary cash needs are to support working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and debt repayments. We have generally financed our historical needs with operating cash flows, capital contributions and borrowings under our credit facilities. These sources of liquidity may be impacted by various factors, including demand for our products, investments made in acquired businesses, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures, and expenditures on general infrastructure and information technology.

On December 31, 2023, we had cash of $41.1 million and availability of $123.3 million under our revolving credit facility. We have a senior secured revolving credit facility with $125 million in borrowing capacity. On December 31, 2023, we had $1.7 million in letters of credit outstanding under the revolving credit facility. In February 2023, we entered into an amendment to our Credit Agreement which, among other things, contains a minimum liquidity financial covenant of $45 million, which includes unrestricted cash and any available borrowing capacity under the revolving credit facility. The amendment also increases the consolidated net leverage ratio financial covenant level applicable under the Credit Agreement as of the fiscal quarter ending April 2, 2023 to initially 7.25:1.00 and provides for modified step-down levels for such covenant thereafter through the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2024 (the “Covenant Relief Period”). Commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2024 (or such earlier date as the Company may choose to end the Covenant Relief Period in its sole discretion), the consolidated net leverage financial covenant reverts back to 5.00:1.00.

We are obligated under various operating leases for facilities, equipment, and automobiles with estimated lease payments of approximately $7.2 million, including short-term leases, due in fiscal year 2024. See Note 16, "Lease Commitments" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our lease obligations.

Our capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2023 of $5.9 million are primarily related to ongoing maintenance and improvements, including investments related to upgrading and maintaining our information technology systems, tooling for new products, vehicles for product development, and machinery and equipment for operations. We expect capital expenditures in the range of $8 million to $12 million in fiscal year 2024.

See Note 7, "Debt" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail of our credit facility and the timing of principal maturities. On December 31, 2023, based on the then current weighted average interest rate of 9.2%, expected interest payments associated with outstanding debt totaled approximately $54.6 million for fiscal year 2024.

As discussed under “Business Environment” above, although the future impact of supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures are highly uncertain, we believe that our current operating performance, operating plan, cash position, and borrowings available under our revolving credit facility will be sufficient to satisfy our liquidity needs and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next twelve months and thereafter for the foreseeable future.

Cash Flows

The following table provides a summary of cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):

44

Table of Contents

Operating Activities. Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $88.1 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $12.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Cash provided by inventory and prepaids and other current assets increased by $96.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Offsetting these increases were decreases in cash provided by accrued interest, accounts receivable, and accounts payable of $8.2 million, $6.1 million, and $0.9 million, respectively. The changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory are impacted by fluctuations in sales and accrued interest, accounts receivable and accounts payable are impacted by the timing of receipts and payments.

Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $12.3 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $21.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Cash provided by prepaids and other current assets, accrued interest and accounts receivable increased by $14.6 million, $5.9 million, and $3.3 million, respectively. Offsetting these increases were decreases in cash provided by inventory, accrued liabilities and accounts payable of $13.3 million, $13.0 million, and $9.5 million, respectively. The changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory are impacted by fluctuations in sales and accrued interest, accounts receivable and accounts payable are impacted by the timing of receipts and payments.

Investing Activities. Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $4.5 million, primarily relating to capital expenditures of $5.9 million. For the year ended December 31, 2022, cash used in investing activities was $25.0 million, primarily relating to acquisitions of $14.3 million and capital expenditures of $13.6 million. For the year ended December 31, 2021, cash used in investing activities was $134.1 million, primarily relating to acquisitions of $119.2 million and capital expenditures of $15.2 million.

Financing Activities. Cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, was $69.0 million, which primarily reflected principal payments on long-term debt. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $2.9 million, which primarily reflected net borrowings on long-term debt. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $77.2 million, which included $630.0 million in proceeds from long-term debt, $132.3 million in cash received due to the recapitalization, and $25.0 million in net borrowings under the revolving credit agreement, largely offset by $687.5 million in principal payments on long-term debt, $13.4 million in deferred financing fees, and $9.2 million in payment of contingent consideration on acquisitions.

Working Capital. On December 31, 2023, working capital was $203.6 million compared to $223.7 million on December 31, 2022. For the year ended December 31, 2023, inventories decreased by $41.3 million. Offsetting this decrease in working capital was an increase in cash of $14.9 million.

Holley’s working capital on December 31, 2022, increased $23.8 million from $199.9 million on December 31, 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2022, inventories increased by $48.5 million. Offsetting this increase in working capital were a decrease in cash of $10.2 million, an increase in accrued liabilities of $8.5 million, and a decrease in accounts receivable of $4.3 million.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The discussion and analysis of Holley's financial condition and results of operations are based upon its consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. See Note 1, "Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies", in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete summary of the significant accounting policies used in the presentation of our financial statements. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts and related disclosures of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses. We evaluate our estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. The estimates and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors, which are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, impacting our reported results of operations and financial condition.

Critical accounting policies and estimates are those that management considers the most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations because they require the most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. We believe that our most critical accounting estimates are related to accounting for inventory reserves, the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired in the Business Combination and acquisitions, and accounting for goodwill and intangible assets. These critical accounting policies are addressed below.

45

Table of Contents

Inventory Reserve

Our inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Adjustments to reduce the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are made, if required, for estimated excess, obsolescence or impaired balances. See Part IV, Item 15 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our inventory valuation reserve.

We regularly monitor inventory quantities on hand and on order and record write-downs for excess and obsolete inventories based on our estimate of the demand for our products, potential obsolescence of technology, product life cycles, and when pricing trends or forecast indicate that the carrying value of inventory exceeds our estimated selling price. These factors are affected by market and economic conditions, technology changes, and new product introductions and require estimates that may include elements that are uncertain. Actual demand may differ from forecasted demand and may have a material effect on our gross margin. If inventory is written down, a new cost basis will be established that cannot be increased in future periods.

Fair Value of Acquired Assets and Liabilities

Assigning fair market values to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of an acquisition requires knowledge of current market values and the values of assets in use, and often requires the application of significant judgment regarding estimates and assumptions. The same applies to assigning fair market values to the liabilities assumed in the Business Combination at the date of the transaction and at each reporting date thereafter. While the ultimate responsibility resides with management, for certain acquisitions we retain the services of certified valuation specialists to assist with assigning estimated values to certain acquired assets and assumed liabilities, including intangible assets, tangible long- lived assets, and liabilities assumed in the Business Combination. Acquired intangible assets, excluding goodwill, are valued using various methodologies including discounted cash flows, relief from royalty, and multiperiod excess earnings depending on the type of intangible asset purchased. These methodologies incorporate various estimates and assumptions, such as projected revenue growth rates, profit margins and forecasted cash flows based on discount rates and terminal growth rates. We use a Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the fair value of our Private Warrants and earn-out liability assumed in the Business Combination, which requires certain subjective inputs and assumptions, including expected common stock price volatility, expected term, and risk-free interest rates. These estimates and assumptions could vary significantly, which could result in material differences in the fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities. See Note 2, "Business Combination, Acquisitions, and Divestiture" and Note 10, "Fair Value Measurements" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to our assets and liabilities measured at fair value.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill amounts are not amortized, but rather tested for impairment at least annually or more often if circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. During the third quarter of 2022, we concluded it was necessary to reevaluate goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment after supply chain challenges led to a downward revision of earnings estimates for 2022, which resulted in a decline in our market capitalization. Based on a quantitative assessment in the third quarter of 2022, we did not identify any indicators of goodwill impairment. During the fourth quarter of 2022, we performed our annual impairment test for goodwill, and a quantitative analysis did not identify any indicators of impairment. Based on the annual impairment assessment, the estimated fair value exceeded the carrying value of the reporting unit by 15%. On December 31, 2022, we concluded it was necessary to reevaluate goodwill for impairment due to a further downward revision of earnings estimates for 2022 and a continued decline in our market capitalization. Accordingly, we performed a qualitative assessment and did not identify any indicators of impairment. During the fourth quarter of 2023, we performed our annual impairment test for goodwill, and a qualitative assessment did not identify any indicators of impairment. Goodwill was $419.1 million on December 31, 2023, and is considered at higher risk of failing future quantitative impairment tests due to the narrow difference between fair value and carrying value. No goodwill impairment charges were incurred during 2023 and 2022.

Intangible assets include trade names, customer relationships and developed technology obtained through business acquisitions. Acquired finite-lived intangible assets are initially recorded at fair value and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Indefinite life intangible assets are not amortized but are tested for impairment at least annually or more often if circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. During the third quarter of 2022, a quantitative assessment of indefinite life intangible assets identified certain tradenames for which the carrying amounts might not be recoverable. As a result of this evaluation, a pre-tax impairment of $2.4 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames. During the fourth quarter of 2023, we performed our annual impairment test of indefinite-lived intangible assets, and a qualitative assessment did not identify any indicators of impairment. No impairment was recognized on intangible assets in 2023.

46

Table of Contents

The fair value of the indefinite-lived tradenames was estimated using the relief from royalty method, a form of the income approach. Significant judgement is required in estimating the fair value of a reporting unit and in performing impairment tests. The most significant assumptions utilized in the determination of the estimated fair values of the indefinite-lived tradenames were the sales projections and long-term earnings growth rates, the royalty rate and the discount rate. The long-term earnings growth rate represents the expected rate at which the brands are expected to grow beyond the shorter-term business planning period. The royalty rate is based on observed market royalty rates for various industrial, consumer and commercial trademarks. The discount rate is based on our weighted average cost of capital adjusted for risk.

Determining the fair value of the reporting unit requires significant judgment, including judgements about the appropriate terminal growth rates, weighted average costs of capital and the amounts and timing of projected future cash flows. Fair value determinations are sensitive to changes in underlying assumptions, estimates, and market factors. Projected future cash flows are based on our most recent forecasts and strategic plans as well as certain growth rate assumptions. Potential changes in our costs and operating structure, the implementation of synergies, and overall performance in the automotive aftermarket industry, could negatively impact our near-term cash-flow projections and could trigger a potential impairment of our goodwill. In addition, failure to execute our strategic plans as well as increases in weighted average costs of capital could negatively impact the fair value of the reporting unit and increase the risk of future impairment charges.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For a discussion of Holley’s new or recently adopted accounting pronouncements, see Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

47

Table of Contents

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “Holley,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “the Company” in this section are to the business and operations of Holley Inc. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with Holley’s consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause Holley’s actual results to differ materially from management’s expectations. Factors that could cause such differences are discussed herein and under the caption, “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Overview

We are a designer, marketer, and manufacturer of high-performance automotive aftermarket products serving car and truck enthusiasts, with sales, processing, and distribution facilities reaching most major markets in the United States, Canada, Europe and China. Holley designs, markets, manufactures and distributes a diversified line of performance automotive products including fuel injection systems, tuners, exhaust products, carburetors, safety equipment and various other performance automotive products. Our products are designed to enhance street, off-road, recreational and competitive vehicle performance and safety.

Innovation is at the core of our business and growth strategy with approximately 34% of our 2022 sales coming from products introduced by us into the market since 2017. We have a history of developing innovative products, including new products in existing product families, product line expansions, and accessories, as well as products that bring us into new categories. We have thoughtfully expanded our product portfolio over time to adapt to consumer needs.

In addition, we have historically used strategic acquisitions to (i) expand our brand portfolio, (ii) enter new product categories and consumer segments, (iii) increase DTC scale and connection, (iv) expand share in current product categories and (v) realize value-enhancing revenue and cost synergies. While we believe our business is positioned for continued organic growth, we intend to continue evaluating opportunities for strategic acquisitions that would complement our current business and expand our addressable target market.

Factors Affecting our Performance

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a number of factors that present significant opportunities for us but also pose risks and challenges, including those discussed below and in the section of this Form 10-K titled “Risk Factors.”

Business Combination

On July 16, 2021, we consummated a business combination (“Business Combination”) pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated March 11, 2021, (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Empower Ltd., (“Empower”), Empower Merger Sub I Inc., a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Empower (“Merger Sub I”), Empower Merger Sub II LLC, a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Empower (“Merger Sub II”), and Holley Intermediate Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings").

The Merger Agreement provided for, among other things, the following transactions: (i) Merger Sub I merged with and into Holdings, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub I ceased and Holdings became the surviving corporation, and (ii) Holdings merged with and into Merger Sub II, the separate corporate existence of Holdings ceased, and Merger Sub II became the surviving limited liability company. Upon closing, Empower changed its name to Holley Inc. and its trading symbol on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) from “EMPW” to “HLLY.”

The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization. Holdings was deemed the accounting acquirer with Holley Inc. as the successor registrant. As such, Empower was treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes, and financial statements for periods prior to the Business Combination are those of Holdings.

As a result of the Business Combination, Holley Inc. listed on the NYSE, which required us to hire additional personnel and implement procedures and processes to address public company regulatory requirements and customary practices. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional annual expenses as a public company for, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees, and additional internal and external accounting, legal, and administrative resources, including increased personnel costs, audit and other professional service fees.

32

Table of Contents

Acquisitions

Holley has historically pursued a growth strategy through both organic growth and acquisitions. The Company has pursued acquisitions that it believes will help drive profitability, cash flow and stockholder value. Holley targets companies that are market leaders, expand the Company’s geographic presence, provide a highly synergistic opportunity and/or enhance Holley’s ability to provide a wide array of its products to its customers through its distribution network.

From 2020 through 2022, Holley completed 15 acquisitions. The most significant of these acquisitions impacting the comparability of our operating results were:

The acquisitions have all been accounted for in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 805, Business Combinations, and the operations of the acquired entities are included in our historical results for the periods following the closing of the acquisition. See Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” and Note 2, “Business Combination and Acquisitions,” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the Company’s acquisitions and investments.

Business Environment

COVID-19 has adversely impacted global supply chain and general economic conditions. The Company has continued to experience disruptions and higher costs in manufacturing, supply chain, logistical operations, and shortages of certain Company products in distribution channels. The full extent of COVID-19's effect on the Company's operational and financial performance in the future will depend on future developments, including but not limited to the duration, spread, intensity and phase of the pandemic in various countries; the emergence of COVID-19 variants and the utilization and effectiveness of treatments and vaccines against these variants; the further impact of COVID-19 on the global economy; and demand for the Company's products and services. Should the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic not improve, or worsen, or if the Company's attempt to mitigate its impact on its supply chain, operations and costs is not successful, the Company's business, results of operations, and financial condition may be adversely affected. See Part I: Item 1A. Risk Factors for additional discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on our business.

The Company's business and results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity are impacted by broad economic conditions including inflation, labor shortages, and disruption of the supply chain, as well as by geopolitical events, specifically the conflict in Ukraine. The Company's operations have been adversely impacted by inflationary pressures primarily related to transportation, labor and component costs. Sales growth in certain products has been constrained by continuing supply chain challenges and automotive electronic component shortages. In response to the global supply chain volatility and inflationary impacts, the Company has attempted to minimize potential adverse impacts on its business with cost savings initiatives, price increases to customers, and by increasing inventory levels of certain products and working closely with its suppliers and customers to minimize disruptions in delivering products to customers. The Company's profitability has been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by constrained consumer demand, a shift in sales to lower-margin products, and demands on our performance that increased our costs. Should the ongoing macroeconomic conditions not improve, or worsen, or if the Company's attempt to mitigate the impact on its supply chain, operations and costs is not successful, the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected.

33

Table of Contents

Key Components of Results of Operations

Net Sales

The principal activity from which the Company generates its sales is the designing, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of performance aftermarket automotive parts for its end consumers. Sales are displayed net of rebates and sales returns allowances. Sales returns are recorded as a charge against gross sales in the period in which the related sales are recognized.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold consists primarily of the cost of purchased parts and manufactured products, including materials and direct labor costs. In addition, warranty, incoming shipping and handling and inspection and repair costs are also included within costs of goods sold. Reductions in the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are also a component of cost of goods sold.

Selling, General, and Administrative

Selling, general, and administrative consist of payroll and related personnel expenses, IT and office services, office rent expense and professional services. In addition, self-insurance, advertising, research and development, outgoing shipping costs, pre-production and start-up costs are also included within selling, general, and administrative. The Company has incurred additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including expenses necessary to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange and related to compliance and reporting obligations pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, as well as higher expenses for general and director and officer insurance, investor relations and other professional services.

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs consist of professional fees for legal, accounting, consulting, administrative, and other professional services directly attributable to potential acquisitions. In addition, operational restructuring costs are included within this classification.

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fee Costs

Related party acquisition and management fee costs consist of fees paid to the Company’s historical private equity sponsor pursuant to a management services agreement for management services and consulting services directly attributable to potential acquisitions. Upon the Closing of the Business Combination, the management services agreement with our private equity sponsor was terminated.

Interest Expense

Interest expense consists of interest due on the indebtedness under our credit facilities. On December 31, 2022, $659.4 million was outstanding under the Credit Agreement. Interest is based on LIBOR or the prime rate, plus the applicable margin rate.

34

Table of Contents

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2021

The table below presents Holley’s results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 (dollars in thousands):

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $4.4 million, or 0.6%, to $688.4 million compared to $692.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Non-comparable sales associated with acquisitions contributed $31.3 million to net sales in 2022, or year-over-year growth of 4.5%. The remaining comparable sales decreased by $35.7 million, or 5.2%. The decline in comparable sales was primarily driven by supply chain constraints that prevented the Company from building and shipping to orders received from customers and stabilizing demand due to a reduction in disposable income of our consumers. As a result, lower unit volume drove a decrease of approximately $88.5 million that was partially offset by improved price realization of approximately $52.8 million compared to 2021. Comparable year-over-year results by category include a decrease in electronic system sales of $28.1 million (9.1% category decline), a decrease in exhaust system sales of $11.4 million (14.6% category decline), a decrease in mechanical system sales of $4.6 million (3.0% category decline), a decrease in safety product sales of $3.2 million (4.9% category decline), and accessories sales growth of $11.6 million (13.6% category growth).

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2022, increased $28.7 million, or 7.1%, to $434.8 million compared to $406.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2022, in which sales declined reflects compression in gross profit margin due to manufacturing inefficiencies driven by supply chain constraints, higher product rationalization charges, higher warranty costs, and inflationary pressures on certain other costs.

35

Table of Contents

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $33.2 million, or 11.6%, to $253.7 million compared to $286.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2022, of 36.8% decreased from gross margin of 41.4% for the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease in gross profit and gross profit margin was driven primarily by inflationary factors, higher expenses associated with product rationalization and warranty costs, and a shift in the mix of products sold towards products with lower margins due in part to limitations caused by supply chain challenges. In general, gross margin and margins on individual products will remain under pressure due to various factors, including potential increases in manufacturing costs and the shift of the Company's sales mix towards products with lower gross margins. Future gross margins could also be affected by the Company's ability to manage product quality and warranty costs effectively and to stimulate demand for certain of its products.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $33.9 million, or 29.1%, to $150.7 million compared to $116.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs increased to 21.9% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to 16.9% of sales in 2021. The increase in costs was driven by a $19.4 million increase in compensation expense related to equity awards, which included an $11.4 million cumulative adjustment related to the early vesting of profit interest units granted by the Holley Stockholder prior to the Business Combination. Outbound shipping and handling costs increased $7.6 million, reflecting inflationary pressures on domestic shipping companies, and recent acquisitions contributed $3.7 million to the increase in selling, general and administrative costs.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $0.8 million, or 2.8%, to $29.1 million compared to $28.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in research and development costs reflects our pursuit of product innovation and new products.

Amortization and Impairment of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $0.7 million, or 4.9%, to $14.7 million compared to $14.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to recent acquisitions. Additionally, an impairment charge of $2.4 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames during 2022 (see Note 5, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the Company’s recognition of impairment charges).

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $19.2 million to $4.5 million, as compared to $23.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The year ended December 31, 2021, included an adjustment of $17.2 million for contingent consideration payable for the acquisition of Simpson Performance Products (“Simpson”).

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fee Costs

Upon the Closing of the Business Combination, the management services agreement with our private equity sponsor was terminated. Related party acquisition and management fee costs for the year ended December 31, 2021, were $25.8 million, of which $23.3 million represents a fee paid upon the Closing of the Business Combination.

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased $26.8 million, or 34.5%, to $50.7 million compared to $77.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized a gain of $57.0 million from the change in fair value of the warrant liability as compared to a loss of $32.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

36

Table of Contents

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized a gain of $10.7 million from the change in fair value of the earn-out liability as compared to a loss of $8.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the earn-out shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased $1.1 million, or 2.8%, to $40.2 million compared to $39.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to a higher effective interest rate.

Income (Loss) before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net income of $78.3 million before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to a net loss before income taxes of $(16.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Income Tax Expense

We recognized income tax expense of $4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022, was 5.7%. The difference between the effective tax rate and the federal statutory rate in 2022 was primarily due to permanent differences resulting from the change in fair value of the warrant and earn-out liabilities. The difference between the effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2021, and the federal statutory rate in 2021 was due to the permanent difference resulting from the adjustment to the Simpson earn-out liability during the period and the change in fair value of the warrant and earn-out liabilities.

Net Income (Loss) and Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)

As a result of factors described above, we recognized net income of $73.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to a net loss of $(27.1) million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive income of $73.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, compared to total comprehensive loss of $(26.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Comprehensive income (loss) includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2020

The table below presents Holley’s results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (dollars in thousands):

37

Table of Contents

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $188.6 million, or 37.4%, to $692.8 million compared to $504.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Non-comparable sales associated with acquisitions contributed $116.4 million or 23.1% of year-over-year growth. The remainder of the increase was driven by a $37.3 million, or 25.1%, increase in electronic systems products sold and an $18.4 million, or 18.1%, increase in mechanical systems products sold.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2021, increased $110.1 million, or 37.2%, to $406.0 million compared to $295.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2021, was in line with a corresponding increase in product sales during such period.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $78.5 million, or 37.7%, to $286.8 million compared to $208.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in gross profit was driven by the increase in sales. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2021, was 41.4% compared to a gross margin of 41.3% for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $45.9 million, or 64.8%, to $116.8 million compared to $70.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs increased to 16.9% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to 14.1% of sales in 2020. Recent acquisitions accounted for $18.5 million of the increase in selling, general and administrative costs. The increase in costs was also driven by a $4.5 million increase in compensation expense related to equity awards, a $5.4 million increase in outbound shipping costs related to higher sales and domestic supply chain pressure, and a $5.9 million increase in professional fees, primarily due to the Business Combination and as a result of becoming a public company.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $4.8 million, or 20.4%, to $28.3 million compared to $23.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in research and development costs was primarily due to headcount investments as we continue to pursue product innovation and new products.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $2.9 million, or 26.3%, to $14.0 million compared to $11.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, due to recent acquisitions.

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2021, increased $14.0 million to $23.7 million, which includes $17.2 million in contingent consideration related to the Simpson acquisition, $4.8 million in professional fees associated with the eight acquisitions completed in 2021, and $1.4 million of restructuring costs related to recent acquisitions. Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2020, were $9.7 million, which includes $2.3 million in professional fees associated with the Simpson, Drake and Detroit Speed acquisitions completed in 2020 and $3.2 million in restructuring costs incurred with the move of the West Sacramento, CA operations to our Bowling Green, KY facilities.

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fees

Related party acquisition and management fees for the year ended December 31, 2021, were $25.8 million, of which $23.3 million represents a fee paid upon the Closing of the Business Combination. Related party acquisition and management fees for the year ended December 31, 2020, were $6.1 million, which includes $4.2 million in management fees paid to the Company’s former private equity sponsor and $1.9 million that was attributable to the Drake and Simpson acquisitions,

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2021, decreased $8.0 million, or 9.3%, to $77.5 million compared to $85.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

38

Table of Contents

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized a loss of $32.6 million from the change in fair value of the warrant liability. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized a loss of $8.9 million from the change in fair value of the earn-out liability. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the earn-out shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt

For the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized a $13.6 million loss on the early extinguishment of debt. The extinguishment loss includes a write off of $12.2 million in unamortized debt issuance costs associated with our previous first lien and second lien notes due to the refinancing of our previous credit facility (refer to Note 6, “Debt” for further discussion). Additionally, we wrote off $1.4 million of unamortized debt issuance costs when $100 million of the net proceeds from the Business Combination were used to reduce the outstanding principal balance of our second lien note.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021, decreased $4.7 million, or 10.6%, to $39.1 million compared to $43.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, due to a lower effective interest rate combine with the favorable impact of the $100 million paydown on our second lien note in July 2021.

Income (Loss) before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized a loss of $(16.7) million before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to income before income taxes of $41.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Income Tax Expense

We recognized income tax expense of $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $8.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. We recognized tax expense on a net loss for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to permanent differences resulting from the Business Combination, change in fair value of the warrant and earn-out liabilities, and the adjustment to the Simpson earnout during the period.

Net Income (Loss) and Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)

As a result of factors described above, we recognized a net loss of $(27.1) million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to net income of $32.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive loss of $(26.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to total comprehensive income of $32.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Comprehensive income (loss) includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

39

Table of Contents

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Holley believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful to investors in evaluating the Company’s financial performance. In addition, Holley uses these measures internally to establish forecasts, budgets and operational goals to manage and monitor its business. Holley believes that these non-GAAP financial measures help to depict a more realistic representation of the performance of the underlying business, enabling the Company to evaluate and plan more effectively for the future. Holley believes that investors should have access to the same set of tools that its management uses in analyzing operating results.

Holley defines EBITDA as earnings before (a) depreciation, (b) amortization of intangible assets, (c) interest expense, and (d) income tax expense. Holley defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA plus (i) acquisition and restructuring costs, which for 2021 includes a $17.2 million adjustment due to a change in the fair value of the Simpson acquisition contingent consideration payable, (ii) impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets, (iii) changes in the fair value of the warrant liability, (iv) changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability, (v) compensation expense related to equity awards, (vi) product rationalization initiatives aimed at eliminating unprofitable or slow-moving stock keeping units, (vii) loss on the early extinguishment of debt (viii) related party acquisition and management fee costs, (ix) notable items that consist primarily of non-cash adjustments related to the adoption of ASC Topic 842, "Leases," in 2022, amortization of the fair market value increase in inventory due to acquisitions in 2021, and the amortization of the fair market value increase in inventory due to acquisitions and a legal settlement in 2020, and (x) other expenses, which for 2022 includes a $1.0 million loss on the sale of a business (see Note 2, "Business Combination, Acquisitions, and Divestiture," in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the divestiture) and for all periods includes net losses from disposal of fixed assets and foreign currency transactions. We have included within the definition of Adjusted EBITDA impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets, changes in the fair value of warrant liabilities, changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability, and losses from the early extinguishment of debt, as management believes such matters, when they occur, do not directly reflect the performance of the underlying business.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. These measures should not be considered as measures of financial performance under GAAP, and the items excluded from or included in these metrics are significant components in understanding and assessing Holley’s financial performance. These metrics should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP.

The following unaudited table presents the reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 (dollars in thousands):

40

Table of Contents

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Holley’s primary cash needs are to support working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, and debt repayments. The Company has generally financed its historical needs with operating cash flows, capital contributions and borrowings under its credit facilities. These sources of liquidity may be impacted by various factors, including demand for Holley’s products, investments made in acquired businesses, plant and equipment and other capital expenditures, and expenditures on general infrastructure and information technology.

On December 31, 2022, the Company had cash of $26.2 million and availability of $113.8 million under its revolving credit facility. The Company has a senior secured revolving credit facility with $125 million in borrowing capacity. On December 31, 2022, the Company had $10.0 million in borrowings and $1.2 million of letters of credit outstanding under the revolving credit facility. In February 2023, the Company entered into an amendment to its Credit Agreement which, among other things, contains a minimum liquidity financial covenant of $45 million, which includes unrestricted cash and any available borrowing capacity under the revolving credit facility. The amendment also increases the consolidated net leverage ratio financial covenant level applicable under the Credit Agreement as of the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2023 through the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2024 (the “Covenant Relief Period”), to initially 7.25:1.00, and provides for modified step-down levels for such covenant thereafter.

The Company is obligated under various operating leases for facilities, equipment, and automobiles with estimated lease payments of approximately $7.2 million, including short-term leases, due in fiscal year 2023. See Note 14, "Lease Commitments" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the Company’s lease obligations.

Holley's capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2022 of $13.6 million are primarily related to ongoing maintenance and improvements, including investments related to upgrading and maintaining our information technology systems, tooling for new products, vehicles for product development, and machinery and equipment for operations. We expect capital expenditures in the range of $10 million to $15 million in fiscal year 2023.

See Note 6, "Debt" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further detail of our credit facility and the timing of principal maturities. On December 31, 2022, based on the then current weighted average interest rate of 8.4%, expected interest payments associated with outstanding debt totaled approximately $55.7 million for fiscal year 2023.

As discussed under “Business Environment” above, although the future impact of supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures are highly uncertain, the Company believes that its current operating performance, operating plan, cash position, and borrowings available under its revolving credit facility will be sufficient to satisfy its liquidity needs and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next twelve months and thereafter for the foreseeable future.

Cash Flows

The following table provides a summary of cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities for the periods presented (dollars in thousands):

41

Table of Contents

Operating Activities. Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $12.3 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $21.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Cash provided by prepaids and other current assets, accrued interest and accounts receivable increased by $14.6 million, $5.9 million, and $3.3 million, respectively. Offsetting these increases were decreases in cash provided by inventory, accrued liabilities and accounts payable of $13.3 million, $13.0 million, and $9.5 million, respectively. The changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and inventory are impacted by fluctuations in sales and accrued interest, accounts receivable and accounts payable are impacted by the timing of receipts and payments.

Cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $21.6 million compared to cash provided by operating activities of $88.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Cash provided by accounts receivable, accrued liabilities and accounts payable increased by $11.8 million, $9.2 million, and $0.3 million, respectively. Offsetting these increases were decreases in cash provided by inventory and prepaids and other current assets of $67.1 million and $15.3 million, respectively. The changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable and inventory reflect the growth in the business in 2021.

Investing Activities. Cash used in investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $25.0 million, primarily relating to acquisitions of $14.3 million and capital expenditures of $13.6 million. For the year ended December 31, 2021, cash used in investing activities was $134.1 million, primarily relating to acquisitions of $119.2 million and capital expenditures of $15.2 million. For the year ended December 31, 2020, cash used in investing activities was $165.6 million, primarily relating to acquisitions of $156.8 million and capital expenditures of $9.4 million.

Financing Activities. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $2.9 million, which primarily reflected net borrowings on long-term debt. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $77.2 million, which included $630.0 million in proceeds from long-term debt, $132.3 million in cash received due to the recapitalization, and $25.0 million in net borrowings under the revolving credit agreement, largely offset by $687.5 million in principal payments on long-term debt, $13.4 million in deferred financing fees, and $9.2 million in payment of contingent consideration on acquisitions. Cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020, was $140.5 million, which included $170.0 million of proceeds from long-term debt, net of $24.6 million in debt payments and $4.7 million in deferred financing fees.

Working Capital. On December 31, 2022, working capital was $223.7 million compared to $199.9 million on December 31, 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2022, inventories increased by $48.5 million. Offsetting this increase in working capital were a decrease in cash of $10.2 million, an increase in accrued liabilities of $8.5 million, and a decrease in accounts receivable of $4.3 million,

Holley’s working capital on December 31, 2021, increased $23.9 million from $176.0 million at December 31, 2020. For the year ended December 31, 2021, inventories increased by $51.1 million, prepaid and other current assets increased by $13.9 million, while acquisition contingent consideration payable decreased by $9.2 million. Offsetting these items were a decrease in Holley's cash balance of $35.3 million and an increase in accounts payable of $11.1 million.

Critical Accounting Estimates

The discussion and analysis of Holley's financial condition and results of operations are based upon its consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. See Note 1, "Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies", in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a complete summary of the significant accounting policies used in the presentation of Holley's financial statements. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts and related disclosures of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses. Holley evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis. The estimates and assumptions used by management are based on historical experience and other factors, which are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions, impacting Holley's reported results of operations and financial condition.

Critical accounting policies and estimates are those that management considers the most important to the portrayal of Holley's financial condition and results of operations because they require the most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Holley believes that its most critical accounting estimates are related to accounting for inventory reserves, the fair value of assets and liabilities acquired in the Business Combination and acquisitions, and accounting for goodwill and intangible assets. These critical accounting policies are addressed below.

42

Table of Contents

Inventory Reserve

The Company’s inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Adjustments to reduce the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are made, if required, for estimated excess, obsolescence or impaired balances. See Part IV, Item 15 in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the Company's inventory valuation reserve.

We regularly monitor inventory quantities on hand and on order and record write-downs for excess and obsolete inventories based on our estimate of the demand for our products, potential obsolescence of technology, product life cycles, and when pricing trends or forecast indicate that the carrying value of inventory exceeds our estimated selling price. These factors are affected by market and economic conditions, technology changes, and new product introductions and require estimates that may include elements that are uncertain. Actual demand may differ from forecasted demand and may have a material effect on our gross margin. If inventory is written down, a new cost basis will be established that cannot be increased in future periods.

Fair Value of Acquired Assets and Liabilities

Assigning fair market values to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of an acquisition requires knowledge of current market values and the values of assets in use, and often requires the application of significant judgment regarding estimates and assumptions. The same applies to assigning fair market values to the liabilities assumed in the Business Combination at the date of the transaction and at each reporting date thereafter. While the ultimate responsibility resides with management, for certain acquisitions the Company retains the services of certified valuation specialists to assist with assigning estimated values to certain acquired assets and assumed liabilities, including intangible assets, tangible long- lived assets, and liabilities assumed in the Business Combination. Acquired intangible assets, excluding goodwill, are valued using various methodologies including discounted cash flows, relief from royalty, and multiperiod excess earnings depending on the type of intangible asset purchased. These methodologies incorporate various estimates and assumptions, such as projected revenue growth rates, profit margins and forecasted cash flows based on discount rates and terminal growth rates. The Company uses a Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the fair value of its private warrants and earn-out liability assumed in the Business Combination, which requires certain subjective inputs and assumptions, including expected common stock price volatility, expected term, and risk-free interest rates. These estimates and assumptions could vary significantly, which could result in material differences in the fair values assigned to the assets and liabilities. See Note 2, "Business Combination, Acquisitions, and Divestiture" and Note 8, "Fair Value Measurements" in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill amounts are not amortized, but rather tested for impairment at least annually or more often if circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. During the third quarter of 2022, management concluded it was necessary to reevaluate goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment after supply chain challenges led to management revising its earnings estimate for 2022, which resulted in a decline in the Company's market capitalization. Based on a quantitative assessment in the third quarter of 2022, we did not identify any indicators of goodwill impairment. During the fourth quarter of 2022, management performed the annual impairment test for goodwill, and a quantitative analysis did not identify any indicators of impairment. Based on the annual impairment assessment, the estimated fair value exceeded the carrying value of the reporting unit by 15%. As of December 31, 2022, management concluded it was necessary to reevaluate goodwill for impairment due to a further downward revision of its earnings estimate for 2022 and a continued decline in the Company's market capitalization. Accordingly, management performed a qualitative assessment and did not identify any indicators of impairment. Goodwill was $418.1 million as of December 31, 2022, and is considered at higher risk of failing future quantitative impairment tests due to the narrow difference between fair value and carrying value. No goodwill impairment changes were incurred during 2022 and 2021.

Intangible assets include trade names, customer relationships and developed technology obtained through business acquisitions. Acquired finite-lived intangible assets are initially recorded at fair value and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Indefinite life intangible assets are not amortized but are tested for impairment at least annually or more often if circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. During the third quarter of 2022, a quantitative assessment of indefinite life intangible assets identified certain tradenames for which the carrying amounts might not be recoverable. As a result of this evaluation, a pre-tax impairment of $2.4 million was recognized on certain indefinite-lived tradenames. Management did not identify any circumstances to indicate that it was necessary to reevaluate indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment in the fourth quarter of 2022. No impairment was recognized on intangible assets in 2021.

43

Table of Contents

The fair value of the indefinite-lived tradenames was estimated using the relief from royalty method, a form of the income approach. Significant judgement is required in estimating the fair value of a reporting unit and in performing impairment tests. The most significant assumptions utilized in the determination of the estimated fair values of the indefinite-lived tradenames were the sales projections and long-term earnings growth rates, the royalty rate and the discount rate. The long-term earnings growth rate represents the expected rate at which the brands are expected to grow beyond the shorter-term business planning period. The royalty rate is based on observed market royalty rates for various industrial, consumer and commercial trademarks. The discount rate is based on our weighted average cost of capital adjusted for risk.

Determining the fair value of the reporting unit requires significant judgment, including judgements about the appropriate terminal growth rates, weighted average costs of capital and the amounts and timing of projected future cash flows. Fair value determinations are sensitive to changes in underlying assumptions, estimates, and market factors. Projected future cash flows are based on our most recent forecasts and strategic plans as well as certain growth rate assumptions. Potential changes in our costs and operating structure, the implementation of synergies, and overall performance in the automotive aftermarket industry, could negatively impact our near-term cash-flow projections and could trigger a potential impairment of our goodwill. In addition, failure to execute our strategic plans as well as increases in weighted average costs of capital could negatively impact the fair value of the reporting unit and increase the risk of future impairment charges.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

For a discussion of Holley’s new or recently adopted accounting pronouncements, see Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

44

Table of Contents

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “Holley,” “we,” “us,” “our” and “the Company” in this section are to the business and operations of Holley Inc. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with Holley’s consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included in this annual report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause Holley’s actual results to differ materially from management’s expectations. Factors that could cause such differences are discussed herein and under the caption, “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Overview

We are a designer, marketer, and manufacturer of high performance automotive aftermarket products serving car and truck enthusiasts, with sales, processing, and distribution facilities reaching most major markets in the United States, Canada, Europe and China. Holley designs, markets, manufactures and distributes a diversified line of performance automotive products including fuel injection systems, tuners, exhaust products, carburetors, safety equipment and various other performance automotive products. The Company’s products are designed to enhance street, off-road, recreational and competitive vehicle performance and safety.

Innovation is at the core of our business and growth strategy with approximately 35% of our 2021 sales coming from products introduced by us into the market since 2016. We have a history of developing innovative products, including new products in existing product families, product line expansions, and accessories, as well as products that bring us into new categories. We have thoughtfully expanded our product portfolio over time to adapt to consumer needs.

In addition, we have historically used strategic acquisitions to (i) expand our brand portfolio, (ii) enter new product categories and consumer segments, (iii) increase direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) scale and connection, (iv) expand share in current product categories and (v) realize value-enhancing revenue and cost synergies. While we believe our business is positioned for continued organic growth, we intend to continue evaluating opportunities for strategic acquisitions that would complement our current business and expand our addressable target market.

Factors Affecting our Performance

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a number of factors that present significant opportunities for us but also pose risks and challenges, including those discussed below and in the section of this Form 10-K titled “Risk Factors.”

Business Combination

On July 16, 2021 we consummated a business combination (“Business Combination”) pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated March 11, 2021 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Empower Ltd., (“Empower”), Empower Merger Sub I Inc., a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Empower (“Merger Sub I”), Empower Merger Sub II LLC, a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Empower (“Merger Sub II”), and Holley Intermediate Holdings, Inc. ("Holdings").

The Merger Agreement provided for, among other things, the following transactions: (i) Merger Sub I merged with and into Holdings, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub I ceased and Holdings became the surviving corporation, and (ii) Holdings merged with and into Merger Sub II, the separate corporate existence of Holdings ceased and Merger Sub II became the surviving limited liability company. Upon closing, Empower changed its name to Holley Inc. and its trading symbol on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) from “EMPW” to “HLLY.”

The Business Combination was accounted for as a reverse recapitalization. Holdings was deemed the accounting acquirer with Holley Inc. as the successor registrant. As such, Empower was treated as the acquired company for financial reporting purposes, and financial statements for periods prior to the Business Combination are those of Holdings.

As a result of the Business Combination, Holley Inc. listed on the NYSE, which required us to hire additional personnel and implement procedures and processes to address public company regulatory requirements and customary practices. We have incurred and expect to continue to incur additional annual expenses as a public company for, among other things, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, director fees, and additional internal and external accounting, legal, and administrative resources, including increased personnel costs, audit and other professional service fees.

34

Acquisitions

Holley has historically pursued a growth strategy through both organic growth and acquisitions. The Company has pursued acquisitions that it believes will help drive profitability, cash flow and stockholder value. Holley targets companies that are market leaders, expand the Company’s geographic presence, provide a highly synergistic opportunity and/or enhance Holley’s ability to provide a wide array of its products to its customers through its distribution network.

From 2019 through 2021, we completed 12 acquisitions. The most significant of these acquisitions impacting the comparability of our operating results were:

•
AEM Performance Electronics: On April 14, 2021 Holley acquired AEM Performance Electronics (“AEM”), a developer and supplier of electronic control and monitoring systems for performance automotive applications. This acquisition increases Holley’s penetration into the import and other sport compact cars submarket.

•
Drake Automotive Group: On November 11, 2020 Holley acquired Drake Automotive Group LLC (“Drake”), a designer and seller of automotive aftermarket appearance parts, wheels, chassis & suspension products and accessories. This acquisition increases Holley’s penetration within the Ford/Mustang platform where it has historically been under indexed relative to the market.

•
Simpson Performance Products: On November 16, 2020 Holley acquired Simpson Performance Products, Inc. (“Simpson”), a designer and seller of motorsport safety products including helmets head & neck restraints, seat belts, firesuits and more. This acquisition extended Holley’s footprint into the safety and racing segment.

The acquisitions have all been accounted for in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations, and the operations of the acquired entities are included in our historical results for the periods following the closing of the acquisition. See Note 1, “Description of the Business, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” and Note 2, “Business Combination and Acquisitions,” in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K for additional information related to the Company’s acquisitions and investments.

COVID-19 Outbreak

COVID-19 has adversely impacted global supply chain and general economic conditions. The Company has experienced, and expects to continue to experience, disruptions and higher costs in manufacturing, supply chain, logistical operations, and shortages of certain Company products in distribution channels. In 2021 we continued to generate strong demand for our products; however, we have experienced and may continue to experience global supply constraints which affected our ability to deliver products to our customers in a timely manner and incremental costs from labor and material inflation, and expediting costs resulting from current-period supply chain shortages. The full extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business and operational and financial performance and condition is currently uncertain and will depend on many factors outside the Company's control, including but not limited to the timing, extent, duration and effects of the virus and any of its mutations, the utilization and effectiveness of treatments and vaccines, the imposition of effective public safety and other protective measures, the further impact of COVID-19 on the global economy and demand for the Company's products and services. Should the COVID-19 pandemic, including variants such as Delta and Omicron, not improve or worsen, or if the Company's attempt to mitigate its impact on its supply chain, operations and costs is not successful, the Company's business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects may be adversely affected. See Part I: Item 1A. Risk Factors for additional discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on our business.

Key Components of Results of Operations

Net Sales

The principal activity from which the Company generates its sales is the designing, marketing, manufacturing and distribution of performance aftermarket automotive parts for its end consumers. Sales are displayed net of rebates and sales returns allowances. Sales returns are recorded as a charge against gross sales in the period in which the related sales are recognized.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold consists primarily of the cost of purchased parts and manufactured products, including materials and direct labor costs. In addition, warranty, incoming shipping and handling and inspection and repair costs are also included within costs of goods sold. Reductions in the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are also a component of cost of goods sold.

35

Selling, General, and Administrative

Selling, general, and administrative consist of payroll and related personnel expenses, IT and office services, office rent expense and professional services. In addition, self-insurance, advertising, research and development, outgoing shipping costs, pre-production and start-up costs are also included within selling, general, and administrative. The Company expects to incur additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including expenses necessary to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange and related to compliance and reporting obligations pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC, as well as higher expenses for general and director and officer insurance, investor relations and other professional services.

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs consist of professional fees for legal, accounting, consulting, administrative, and other professional services directly attributable to potential acquisitions. In addition, operational restructuring costs are included within this classification.

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fee Costs

Related party acquisition and management fee costs consist of fees paid to the Company’s historical private equity sponsor pursuant to a management services agreement for management services and consulting services directly attributable to potential acquisitions. Upon the Closing of the Business Combination, the management services agreement with our private equity sponsor was terminated.

Interest Expense

Interest expense consists of interest due on the indebtedness under our credit facilities. On November 18, 2021, the Company entered into a new credit facility with a syndicate of lenders and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the lenders, letter of credit issuer and swing line lender (the "Credit Agreement"). The financing consists of a seven-year $600 million first-lien term loan, a five-year $125 million revolving credit facility, and a $100 million delayed draw term loan. As of December 31, 2021, $655.0 million was outstanding under the Credit Agreement. Interest is based on LIBOR or the prime rate, plus the applicable margin rate.

36

Results of Operations

Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2020

The table below presents Holley’s results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased $188.6 million, or 37.4%, to $692.8 million compared to $504.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Non-comparable sales associated with acquisitions contributed $116.4 million or 23.1% of year-over-year growth. The remainder of the increase was driven by a $37.3 million, or 25.1%, increase in electronic systems products sold and a $18.4 million, or 18.1%, increase in mechanical systems products sold.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for year ended December 31, 2021 increased $110.1 million, or 37.2%, to $406.0 million compared to $295.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2021 was in line with a corresponding increase in product sales during such period.

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased $78.5 million, or 37.7%, to $286.8 million compared to $208.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in gross profit was driven by the increase in sales. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2021 was 41.4% compared to a gross margin of 41.3% for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased $45.9 million, or 64.8%, to $116.8 million compared to $70.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs increased to 16.9% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to 14.1% of sales in 2020. Recent acquisitions accounted for $18.5 million of the increase in selling, general and administrative costs. The increase in costs was also driven by a $4.5 million increase in compensation expense related to equity awards, a $5.4 million increase in outbound shipping costs related to higher sales and domestic supply chain pressure, and a $5.9 million increase in professional fees, primarily due to the Business Combination and as a result of becoming a public company.

37

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased $4.8 million, or 20.4%, to $28.3 million compared to $23.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in research and development costs was primarily due to headcount investments as we continue to pursue product innovation and new products.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased $2.9 million, or 26.3%, to $14.0 million compared to $11.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 due to recent acquisitions.

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased $14.0 million to $23.7 million, which includes $17.2 million in contingent consideration related to the Simpson acquisition, $4.8 million in professional fees associated with the eight acquisitions completed in 2021, and $1.4 million of restructuring costs related to recent acquisitions. Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2020 were $9.7 million, which includes $2.3 million in professional fees associated with the Simpson, Drake and Detroit Speed acquisitions completed in 2020 and $3.2 million in restructuring costs incurred with the move of the West Sacramento, CA operations to our Bowling Green, KY facilities.

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fees

Related party acquisition and management fees for the year ended December 31, 2021 were $25.8 million, of which $23.3 million represents a fee paid upon the Closing of the Business Combination. Related party acquisition and management fees for the year ended December 31, 2020 were $6.1 million, which includes $4.2 million in management fees paid to the Company’s former private equity sponsor and $1.9 million that was attributable to the Drake and Simpson acquisitions,

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, operating income for the year ended December 31, 2021 decreased $8.0 million, or 9.3%, to $77.5 million compared to $85.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Change in Fair Value of Warrant Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2021 we recognized a loss of $32.6 million from the change in fair value of the warrant liability. The warrant liability reflects the fair value of the warrants issued in connection with the Business Combination.

Change in Fair Value of Earn-Out Liability

For the year ended December 31, 2021 we recognized a loss of $8.9 million from the change in fair value of the earn-out liability. The earn-out liability reflects the fair value of the earn-out shares resulting from the Business Combination.

Loss on Early Extinguishment of Debt

For the year ended December 31, 2021 we recognized a $13.6 million loss on the early extinguishment of debt. The extinguishment loss includes a write off of $12.2 million in unamortized debt issuance costs associated with our previous first lien and second lien notes due to the refinancing of our previous credit facility (refer to Note 6 - Debt for further discussion). Additionally, we wrote off $1.4 million of unamortized debt issuance costs when $100 million of the net proceeds from the Business Combination were used to reduce the outstanding principal balance of our second lien note.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 decreased 4.7 million, or 10.6%, to $39.1 million compared to $43.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, due to a lower effective interest rate combine with the favorable impact of the $100 million paydown on our second lien note in July 2021.

Income (Loss) before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized a loss of $(16.7) million before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to income before income taxes of $41.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

38

Income Tax Expense

We recognized income tax expense of $10.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $8.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. We recognized tax expense on a net loss for the year ended December 31, 2021 due to permanent differences resulting from the Business Combination, change in fair value of the warrant and earn-out liabilities, and the adjustment to the Simpson earnout during the period.

Net Income (Loss) and Total Comprehensive Income (Loss)

As a result of factors described above, we recognized a net loss of $(27.1) million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to net income of $32.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Additionally, we recognized total comprehensive loss of $(26.7) million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to total comprehensive income of $32.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Comprehensive income (loss) includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

Year Ended December 31, 2020 Compared With Year Ended December 31, 2019

The table below presents Holley’s results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

Net Sales

Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $135.5 million, or 36.8%, to $504.2 million compared to $368.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in net sales during 2020 was primarily due to a $33.5 million, or 64.3%, increase in EFI products sold, a $20.1 million, or 38.8%, increase in exhaust products sold and a $16.3 million, or 31.4%, increase in ignition products sold. These product lines increased as we continued to see growth in new product introductions.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $76.0 million, or 34.6%, to $295.9 million compared to $219.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in cost of goods sold during the year ended December 31, 2020 was in line with a corresponding increase in product sales during such period.

39

Gross Profit and Gross Margin

Gross profit for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $59.5 million, or 40.0%, to $208.3 million compared to $148.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in gross profit was driven by the increase in sales. Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2020 was 41.3% compared to a gross margin of 40.4% for the year ended December 31, 2019. The higher gross margin was primarily due to increased fixed cost leverage from increased sales and integration activities.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $8.5 million, or 13.6%, to $70.9 million compared to $62.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. When expressed as a percentage of sales, selling, general and administrative costs decreased to 14.1% of sales for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to 16.9% of sales in 2019. The increase in costs was driven by a $3.6 million increase in shipping and handling costs related to higher sales and a $2.4 million increase in costs associated with the significant growth in our DTC business as we focused our efforts in growing this business.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $2.9 million, or 13.8%, to $23.5 million compared to $20.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in research and development costs were primarily due to headcount investments of $2.3 million as we continue to pursue product innovation and new products.

Amortization of Intangible Assets

Amortization of intangible assets for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $0.6 million, or 6.0%, to $11.1 million compared to $10.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019 due to the full-year amortization of the Range Technologies Inc. acquisition intangible assets.

Acquisition and Restructuring Costs

Acquisition and restructuring costs for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $4.8 million, or 97.1%, to $9.7 million compared to $4.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase was primarily due to $2.3 million in professional fees associated with the Simpson, Drake and Detroit Speed acquisitions completed in 2020 and $3.2 million in restructuring costs incurred with the move of the West Sacramento, CA operations to Bowling Green, KY facilities.

Related Party Acquisition and Management Fees

Related party acquisition and management fees for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $2.4 million, or 66.3%, to $6.1 million compared to $3.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in costs was due to one-time costs associated with acquisition, integration and restructuring activities. The acquisition costs were primarily attributable to the Drake and Simpson acquisitions.

Operating Income

As a result of factors described above, our operating income increased $39.4 million, or 85.5%, to $85.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $46.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Interest Expense

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2020 decreased $(6.6) million, or (13.1%), to $43.8 million compared to $50.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The decrease was due to lower outstanding debt for much of 2020 and lower interest rates.

Income (Loss) before Income Taxes

As a result of factors described above, we recognized income before income taxes of $41.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to a loss before income taxes of $(4.3) million for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

Income tax expense was $8.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to an income tax benefit of $(4.8) million for the year ended December 31, 2019. The increase in tax expense was due to an increase in income from the growth in sales. The effective tax rates were 21.2% and 113.0% for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

40

Net Income and Total Comprehensive Income

As a result of factors described above, net income increased $32.4 million to $32.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 compared to $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Additionally, total comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2020 increased $32.2 million to $32.6 million compared to $0.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Comprehensive income includes the effect of foreign currency translation and pension liability adjustments.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Holley believes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are useful to investors in evaluating the Company’s financial performance. In addition, Holley uses these measures internally to establish forecasts, budgets and operational goals to manage and monitor its business. Holley believes that these non-GAAP financial measures help to depict a more realistic representation of the performance of the underlying business, enabling the Company to evaluate and plan more effectively for the future. Holley believes that investors should have access to the same set of tools that its management uses in analyzing operating results.

Holley defines EBITDA as earnings before (a) interest expense, (b) income taxes and (c) depreciation and amortization. Holley defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA plus (i) notable items that in 2021 consist primarily of the amortization of the fair market value increase in inventory and in 2020 consist primarily of the amortization of the fair market value increase in inventory and a legal settlement, (ii) compensation expense related to equity awards (iii) acquisition and restructuring costs, which for 2021 includes a $17.2 million adjustment due to a change in the fair value of the Simpson acquisition contingent consideration payable, (iv) changes in the fair value of the warrant liability, (v) changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability, (vi) losses from the early extinguishment of debt, (vii) related party acquisition and management fee costs, and (viii) other expenses, which includes losses from disposal of fixed assets and foreign currency transactions. We have included within the definition of Adjusted EBITDA the changes in the fair value of the warrant liability, changes in the fair value of the earn-out liability and losses from the early extinguishment of debt, as management believes such matters, when they occur, do not directly reflect the performance of the underlying business.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and may be different from non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. These measures should not be considered as measures of financial performance under GAAP, and the items excluded from or included in these metrics are significant components in understanding and assessing Holley’s financial performance. These metrics should not be considered as alternatives to net income (loss) or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP. The following unaudited table presents the reconciliation of net income (loss), the most directly comparable GAAP measure, to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019: