INSTEEL INDUSTRIES INC (IIIN) Business

Item 1. Business

General

Insteel Industries Inc. (“we,” “us,” “our,” “the Company” or “Insteel”) is the nation’s largest manufacturer of steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. We manufacture and market prestressed concrete strand (“PC strand”) and welded wire reinforcement (“WWR”), including ESM, concrete pipe reinforcement (“CPR”) and standard welded wire reinforcement (“SWWR”). Our products are sold mainly to manufacturers of concrete products that are used primarily in nonresidential construction. For fiscal 2025, we estimate that approximately 85% of our sales were related to nonresidential construction and 15% were related to residential construction.

Insteel is the parent holding company for two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Insteel Wire Products Company (“IWP”), an operating subsidiary, and Intercontinental Metals Corporation, an inactive subsidiary. We were incorporated in 1958 in the State of North Carolina.

Our business strategy is focused on: (1) achieving leadership positions in our markets; (2) operating as the lowest cost producer in our industry; and (3) pursuing growth opportunities within our core businesses that further our penetration of the markets we currently serve or expand our footprint. Headquartered in Mount Airy, North Carolina, we operate eleven manufacturing facilities that are all located in the U.S. in close proximity to our customers and raw material suppliers. Our growth strategy is focused on organic opportunities as well as strategic acquisitions in existing or related markets that leverage our infrastructure and core competencies in the manufacture and marketing of concrete reinforcing products.

On October 21, 2024, we, through our wholly-owned subsidiary, IWP, purchased substantially all of the assets, other than cash and accounts receivable, of Engineered Wire Products, Inc. (“EWP”) and certain related assets of Liberty Steel Georgetown, Inc. (“LSG”) for an adjusted purchase price of $67.0 million (the “EWP Acquisition”). EWP was a leading manufacturer of WWR products for use in nonresidential and residential construction. We acquired EWP’s inventories, production equipment, production facilities located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio and Warren, Ohio and certain equipment from LSG. Subsequent to the acquisition, we elected to consolidate our WWR operations with the closure of the Warren facility and relocation of certain equipment to our existing WWR facilities.

On November 26, 2024, we, through our wholly-owned subsidiary, IWP, purchased certain assets of O’Brien Wire Products of Texas, Inc. (“OWP”) for a purchase price of $5.1 million (the “OWP Acquisition”). OWP was a manufacturer of WWR products for use in nonresidential and residential construction. We acquired certain of OWP’s inventories and all of OWP’s production equipment. Subsequent to the acquisition, we elected to consolidate our WWR operations with the relocation of certain acquired equipment from OWP to our existing WWR facilities.

Products

Our operations are entirely focused on the manufacture and marketing of steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. Our concrete reinforcing products consist of two product lines: PC strand and WWR. Based on the criteria specified in Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 280, Segment Reporting, we have one reportable segment.

PC strand is a high strength, seven-wire strand that is used to impart compression forces into precast concrete elements and structures, which may be either pretensioned or posttensioned, providing reinforcement for bridges, parking decks, buildings and other concrete structures. Its high tensile strength allows for the casting of longer spans and thinner sections. Pretensioned or “prestressed” concrete elements or structures are primarily used in nonresidential construction while posttensioned concrete elements or structures are used in both nonresidential and residential construction.

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WWR is produced as either a standard or a specially engineered reinforcing product for use in nonresidential and residential construction. We produce a full range of WWR products, including ESM, CPR and SWWR. ESM is an engineered made-to-order product that is used as the primary reinforcement for concrete elements or structures, frequently serving as a lower cost reinforcing solution than hot-rolled rebar. CPR is an engineered made-to-order product that is used as the primary reinforcement in concrete pipe, box culverts and precast manholes for drainage and sewage systems, water treatment facilities and other related applications. SWWR is a secondary reinforcing product that is produced in standard styles for crack control applications in residential and light nonresidential construction, including driveways, sidewalks and various slab-on-grade applications.

See Note 15 for the disaggregation of our net sales by product line and geography.

Marketing and Distribution

We market our products through sales representatives who are our employees. Our outside sales representatives are trained on the technical applications for our products and sell multiple product lines in their respective territories. We sell our products nationwide across the U.S. and, to a much lesser extent, into Canada, Mexico and Central and South America. Our products are shipped primarily by truck, using common or contract carriers. The delivery method selected is determined based on backhaul opportunities, comparative costs and customer service requirements.

Customers

We sell our products to a broad range of customers that includes manufacturers of concrete products, and to a lesser extent, distributors, rebar fabricators and contractors. In fiscal 2025, we estimate that approximately 70% of our net sales were to manufacturers of concrete products and 30% were to distributors, rebar fabricators and contractors. In many cases, we are unable to identify the specific end use for our products as most of our customers sell products that are used for both nonresidential and residential construction, and the same products can be used for different end uses. We did not have any single customers that represented 10% or more of our net sales in fiscal years 2025, 2024 or 2023. The loss of a single customer or a few customers would not have a material adverse impact on our business.

Backlog

Backlog for our business is minimal due to the relatively short lead times that are required by our customers. We believe that the majority of our firm orders as of the end of fiscal 2025 will be shipped during the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

Seasonality and Cyclicality

Demand in our markets is both seasonal and cyclical, driven by the level of construction activity, but can also be impacted by fluctuations in the inventory positions of our customers. Shipments are seasonal, typically reaching their highest level when weather conditions are the most conducive to construction activity. As a result, assuming normal seasonal weather patterns, shipments and profitability are usually higher in the third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year and lower in the first and second quarters. Construction activity and demand for our products are cyclical based on overall economic conditions, although there can be significant differences between the relative strength of nonresidential and residential construction for extended periods.

Raw Materials

The primary raw material used to manufacture our products is hot-rolled carbon steel wire rod, which we purchase from both domestic and foreign suppliers and can generally be characterized as a commodity product. We purchase several different grades and sizes of wire rod with varying specifications based on the diameter, chemistry, mechanical properties and metallurgical characteristics that are required for our products. High-carbon grades of wire rod are required for the production of PC strand while low-carbon grades are used to manufacture WWR.

Wire rod prices tend to fluctuate based on changes in scrap and other metallic prices for steel producers together with domestic and global market conditions. In most economic environments, domestic demand for wire rod exceeds domestic production capacity, and imports of wire rod are necessary to satisfy the supply requirements of the U.S. market. U.S. government trade policies and trade actions by domestic wire rod producers can significantly impact the pricing and availability of imported wire rod, which during fiscal years 2025 and 2024 represented approximately 27% and 15%, respectively, of our total wire rod purchases. We believe that our substantial wire rod requirements, desirable mix of sizes and grades and strong financial condition represent a competitive advantage by making us a relatively more attractive customer to our suppliers.

Our ability to source wire rod from overseas suppliers is limited by domestic content requirements, generally referred to as “Buy America” or “Buy American” laws, that exist at both the federal and state levels. These laws generally prescribe a domestic “melt and cast” standard for purposes of compliance. Customers purchasing PC strand and WWR for certain applications require the Company to certify compliance with such laws.

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Selling prices for our products tend to be correlated with changes in wire rod prices. However, the timing and magnitude of the relative price changes vary depending upon market conditions and competitive factors. Ultimately, the relative supply - demand balance in our markets and competitive dynamics determine whether our margins expand or contract during periods of rising or falling wire rod prices.

Competition

We are the nation’s largest manufacturer of steel wire reinforcing products for concrete construction applications. Our markets are highly competitive based on price, quality and service. Some of our competitors, such as Wire Mesh Corporation, Nucor Corporation and Oklahoma Steel and Wire, are vertically integrated companies that produce both wire rod and concrete reinforcing products and offer multiple product lines over broad geographic areas. Other competitors are smaller independent companies that offer limited competition in certain markets. Our primary competitors for WWR products are Wire Mesh Corporation, Concrete Reinforcements, Inc., National Wire Products, Davis Wire Corporation and Oklahoma Steel & Wire Co., Inc. Our primary competitors for PC strand are Sumiden Wire Products Corporation and Wire Mesh Corporation. Import competition is also a significant factor in certain segments of the PC strand and SWWR markets that are not subject to “Buy America” requirements.

In response to illegally traded import competition from offshore PC strand suppliers, we have pursued antidumping and countervailing duty trade cases. In 2003, we joined together with a coalition of domestic PC strand producers and filed petitions with the U.S. Department of Commerce (the “DOC”) alleging that imports of PC strand from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico and Thailand were being “dumped” or sold in the U.S. at a price that was lower than fair value and had injured the domestic PC strand industry. The DOC ruled in our favor and imposed anti-dumping duties ranging from 12% up to 119%, which had the effect of limiting the participation of these countries in the domestic market. In 2010, we joined together with a coalition of domestic PC strand producers and filed petitions with the DOC alleging that imports of PC strand from China were being “dumped” or sold in the U.S. at a price that was lower than fair value and that subsidies were being provided to Chinese PC strand producers by the Chinese government, both of which had injured the domestic PC strand industry. The DOC ruled in our favor and imposed final countervailing duty margins ranging from 9% to 46% and anti-dumping margins ranging from 43% to 194%, which had the effect of limiting the continued participation of Chinese producers in the domestic market. In 2020, we joined two other domestic PC strand producers and filed anti-dumping petitions against Argentina, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates. In January 2021, with respect to eight countries, and in April 2021, with respect to seven countries, the DOC ruled in our favor and imposed anti-dumping duties ranging from 4% to 194%, which had the effect of limiting the participation of these countries in the domestic market. Additionally, in 2020, we and four other domestic producers of SWWR filed anti-dumping petitions against Mexico following its violation of U.S. trade laws. In July 2021, the DOC ruled in our favor and imposed final countervailing duty margins ranging from 23% to 110%, which had the effect of limiting the continued participation of Mexican producers in the domestic market.

Quality and service expectations of customers have risen substantially over the years and are key factors that impact their selection of suppliers. Technology has become a critical competitive factor from the standpoint of manufacturing costs, quality and customer service capabilities. In view of our strong market positions, broad product offering and national footprint, technologically advanced manufacturing facilities, low-cost production capabilities, sophisticated information systems and financial strength and flexibility, we believe that we are well-positioned to compete favorably with other producers of our concrete reinforcing products.

Human Capital

We believe our employees are a key factor in the long-term success of the company. We seek to maintain a trusting and participative work environment throughout the organization, adhering to the highest standards of ethics, professionalism and excellence. Our human capital strategy is centered around four key pillars: Safe Operations, Performance-Based Compensation, Equal Opportunity and Hiring and Retention.

As of September 27, 2025, we had 1,007 employees, all of whom are located in the United States and approximately 60 of whom are represented by a labor union. We have a collective bargaining agreement in place with the union that expires on February 28, 2027. In the event of production disruptions, we believe that our contingency plans would enable us to continue serving our customers, although there can be no assurances that a work slowdown or stoppage would not adversely impact our operating costs and financial results.

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Safe Operations

The safety of our people is of paramount importance. Our employees are extensively trained in a formal process of risk assessment, risk reduction and hazard elimination and empowered with the authority to stop equipment or tasks until work can be safely accomplished. “Safe Operations with Zero Harm,” our internal safety philosophy, is a key part of our ongoing employee training and operations. Zero Harm is identifying and managing risk to avoid injuries, illness or other negative impacts experienced by employees, the community, customers, property, the environment and shareholders. We monitor our safety performance through a key range of leading and lagging measures of safety.

Performance-Based Compensation

Our performance-based compensation system incentivizes our workforce and reinforces our culture. Insteel employees typically earn a significant part of their compensation based on productivity. Our production and skilled trades team members have the opportunity to earn pay increases through our “Pay for Skills” program and share in productivity pay through our “Team Share” incentive program. Our salaried team members also have a compensation structure that rewards individual performance in addition to company performance. The Team Share incentive program is driven by variables that are controllable at the plant level.

Equal Opportunity

Our business depends on talented individuals who bring diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds. We believe in a collaborative workplace that is based on the fundamentals of dignity, respect, equality and opportunity for all. At Insteel, we believe demonstrating respect for our people and valuing their perspectives and contributions is critical to cultivating our best and most productive working environment.

Hiring and Retention

Our performance relies on people who are developed and empowered to achieve results. We are improving the future of our company by identifying, developing and retaining talent that reflects our corporate philosophy. Our performance and succession development process includes all employees. We have many team members in key leadership roles who started in entry-level roles and have grown in their careers by partnering with us in their development plans.

We aim to foster a positive and engaging work environment that adapts to changing employee expectations, including offering flexible work arrangements beyond the traditional full-time schedule. These efforts help us attract a wider range of qualified candidates. Additionally, we participate in community outreach initiatives designed to expand access to employment opportunities and strengthen our talent pipeline.

Product Warranties

Our products are used in applications that are subject to inherent risks, including performance deficiencies, personal injury, property damage, environmental contamination or loss of production. We warrant our products to meet certain specifications. Although actual or claimed deficiencies from these specifications may give rise to claims, we do not maintain a reserve for warranties as the historical claims have been immaterial. We maintain product liability insurance coverage to minimize our exposure to such risks.

Governmental Regulation and Environmental Matters

We are subject to federal, state and local laws and regulations in the United States that could affect our business, including regulations relating to generating emissions, water discharges, waste and workplace safety. We believe that we are in compliance in all material respects with applicable environmental laws and regulations. We have experienced no material difficulties in complying with legislative or regulatory standards and believe that these standards have not materially impacted our financial position or results of operations. However, laws and regulations may be changed, accelerated or adopted that impose significant operational restrictions and compliance requirements on us and which could negatively impact our operating results. See “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” We do not expect to incur material capital expenditures for environmental control facilities during fiscal 2026.

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Available Information

Our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports are available at no cost on our website at https://investor.insteel.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov as soon as reasonably practicable after we file these reports with the SEC. The information available on our website and the SEC’s website is not incorporated into this report or any of our filings with the SEC.