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Basis of Presentation (Notes)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Business Description and Basis of Presentation
1. Basis of Presentation

Background - Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN) is a leading manufacturer of specialty electronic components. The Company designs parts that perform unique and critical functions for innovative technologies. Through extreme reliability, custom engineering, and scalable manufacturing, the Company enables businesses to succeed in the most demanding applications across medtech, defense, and industrial markets. Knowles high performance capacitors, radio frequency ("RF") and microwave filters, advanced medtech microphones, and balanced armature speakers enhance the performance of customer products. The Company's focus on the customer, combined with unique technology, proprietary manufacturing techniques, and global operational expertise enable it to deliver innovative solutions across multiple applications. References to "Knowles," "the Company," "we," "our," and "us" refer to Knowles Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Financial Statement Presentation - The accompanying unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") for quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and note disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP” or “U.S. GAAP”) for complete financial statements. These unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements should therefore be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2024 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The accompanying unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying disclosures. Although these estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions that the Company may undertake in the future, actual results may differ from those estimates. Management uses historical experience and all available information to make these estimates. The unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all adjustments of a normal, recurring nature that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of results for these interim periods.

On December 27, 2024, the Company completed the sale of the Consumer MEMS Microphones ("CMM") segment to Syntiant Corp. ("Syntiant"). See Note 3. Discontinued Operations for additional information related to this transaction. The results of operations and the related assets and liabilities for CMM have been classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Corrections of Errors - During the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company identified an error in its historical financial results related to stock-based compensation expense for those individuals that are nearing or have reached retirement eligibility as defined by the equity compensation plan. This error resulted in the understatement of stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022. During the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company corrected its stock-based compensation expense, which resulted in increases to Selling and administrative expenses of $0.9 million, Research and development expenses of $0.1 million, and Cost of goods sold of $0.1 million. This correction decreased Earnings before income taxes and discontinued operations and Earnings from continuing operations by $1.1 million and $1.0 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2025.

In addition, during the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company identified an error in its historical financial results related to working capital adjustments and costs associated with the disposal of the CMM business in the fourth quarter of 2024. This error resulted in the overstatement of the gain on disposal of business reflected in Loss from discontinued operations, net during the year ended December 31, 2024. During the six months ended June 30, 2025, the Company corrected this error, resulting in an increase to Loss from discontinued operations, net of $1.3 million.

The Company evaluated the impact of these errors in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 250, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, and determined that they were not material to the consolidated financial statements for the current interim period or to any previously reported annual or interim periods.

Transactions with Syntiant - As partial consideration for the sale of CMM on December 27, 2024, the Company received Series D-2 preferred stock of Syntiant. See Note 3. Discontinued Operations for additional information related to this transaction. The Company accounts for this investment using the cost method, measured at its historical cost of $77.2 million, which was the fair value of the consideration received from Syntiant. This amount is reflected as “Investment in affiliate” on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
In connection with the sale of CMM, the Company provided financing of $6.4 million to Syntiant, which was utilized to fund Syntiant's requirement to have $40.0 million of cash on its balance sheet at closing. This note is junior to Syntiant's debt financing and matures on March 28, 2029 and bears interest at the prime rate until six months after the closing date of the sale, at which time the interest rate increased to 13.0%. The balance of this note was $5.9 million and $6.4 million as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, and is classified within "Other assets and deferred charges" on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The Company shares in certain separation costs with Syntiant related to the sale of CMM pursuant to a credit for up to $13.5 million, which it may apply to specified separation costs post-closing. The balance of the separation credit was $8.7 million and $13.5 million at June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively and is classified within "Other accrued expenses" on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Once the separation credit is reduced to $6.5 million, costs will be shared equally by the Company and Syntiant.

The Company leases portions of its facilities to Syntiant, for which lease payments to date of $1.2 million have been applied to the separation credit. The Company also subleases portions of its manufacturing facilities to Syntiant at cost. The portion of operating lease right-of-use assets subleased by Syntiant totaled $5.3 million and $0.3 million at June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively.

The Company recognized revenue totaling $4.0 million and $8.3 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, related to transactions with Syntiant. These revenues are reflected in the results of the MedTech & Specialty Audio segment. Receivables, net include $3.2 million and $1.8 million due from Syntiant at June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, related to these sales transactions and amounts related to the sale of CMM.

During the second quarter of 2025, the Company engaged with Syntiant to sell certain machinery and equipment associated with the MedTech & Specialty Audio segment for a nominal expected selling price. The Company recorded an impairment charge of $3.6 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 to write down the carrying value of these assets to fair value based on the expected selling price. This transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.

Share Repurchase Program - On February 24, 2020, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had authorized a share repurchase program of up to $100.0 million of the Company's common stock. On April 28, 2022, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had increased the authorization by up to $150.0 million in additional aggregate value. On February 13, 2025, the Company announced another authorization increase of up to $150.0 million in additional aggregate value. The timing and amount of any shares repurchased will be determined by the Company based on its evaluation of market conditions and other factors, and will be made in accordance with applicable securities laws in either the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. The Company is not obligated to purchase any shares under the program, and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Any shares repurchased will be held as treasury stock.

During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, the Company repurchased 2,182,462 and 1,432,989 shares of common stock for a total of $35.0 million and $25.0 million, respectively. At June 30, 2025, the Company had $159.0 million remaining that may yet be repurchased under the share repurchase program.

Non-cash Operating Activities - Operating lease liabilities arising from obtaining right-of-use assets for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 were $14.6 million and $0.6 million, respectively. The 2024 amounts reflect both continuing and discontinued operations.

Non-cash Investing Activities - Purchases of property, plant, and equipment included in accounts payable at June 30, 2025 and 2024 were $1.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively. The 2024 amounts reflect both continuing and discontinued operations. These non-cash amounts are not reflected as "Capital expenditures" within Investing Activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the respective periods.