Cover and table of contents

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Cover and table of contents

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

☒ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020

☐TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number 001-32833

TransDigm Group Incorporated

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

41-2101738

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1301 East 9th Street,Suite 3000,Cleveland,Ohio44114
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)

(216) 706-2960

(Registrants’ telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading symbolName of exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.01 par valueTDGNew York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes x No ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large Accelerated Filer☒Accelerated Filer☐
Non-Accelerated Filer☐Smaller Reporting Company☐
Emerging Growth Company☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No x

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of March 31, 2020, based upon the last sale price of such voting and non-voting common stock on that date, was $17,842,940,279.

The number of shares outstanding of TransDigm Group Incorporated’s common stock, par value $.01 per share, was 54,435,882 as of October 28, 2020.

Documents incorporated by reference: Certain sections of the registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement to be filed in connection with its 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
PART I
ITEM 1BUSINESS1
ITEM 1ARISK FACTORS9
ITEM 1BUNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS17
ITEM 2PROPERTIES18
ITEM 3LEGAL PROCEEDINGS20
PART II
ITEM 5MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES20
ITEM 6SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA22
ITEM 7MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS28
ITEM 7AQUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK44
ITEM 8FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA44
ITEM 9CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE44
ITEM 9ACONTROLS AND PROCEDURES45
ITEM 9BOTHER INFORMATION47
PART III
ITEM 10DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE47
ITEM 11EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION48
ITEM 12SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS48
ITEM 13CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE49
ITEM 14PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES49
PART IV
ITEM 15EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES50
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA72

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact included that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements, including, in particular, the statements about our plans, objectives, strategies and prospects regarding, among other things, our financial condition, results of operations and business. We have identified some of these forward-looking statements with words like “believe,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “anticipate,” “estimate” or “continue” and other words and terms of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements may be contained throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations about future events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to, among other things, our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Many factors mentioned in our discussion in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks outlined under “Risk Factors,” will be important in determining future results. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we do not know whether our expectations will prove correct. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions we might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including those described under “Risk Factors” in the Annual Report on Form 10-K. Since our actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements, we cannot give any assurance that any of the events anticipated by these forward-looking statements will occur or, if any of them does occur, what impact they will have on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. We do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements or the risk factors contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to reflect new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under federal securities laws.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made in this Annual Report on Form 10-K include but are not limited to: the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has on the TransDigm Group Incorporated's business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity; the sensitivity of TransDigm Group Incorporated's business to the number of flight hours that its customers’ planes spend aloft and its customers’ profitability, both of which are affected by general economic conditions; future geopolitical or other worldwide events; cyber-security threats and natural disasters; TransDigm Group Incorporated's reliance on certain customers; the United States (“U.S.”) defense budget and risks associated with being a government supplier including government audits and investigations; failure to maintain government or industry approvals; failure to complete or successfully integrate acquisitions, including TransDigm Group Incorporated's acquisition of Esterline Technologies Corporation (“Esterline”); TransDigm Group Incorporated's indebtedness; potential environmental liabilities; liabilities arising in connection with litigation; increases in raw material costs, taxes and labor costs that cannot be recovered in product pricing; risks and costs associated with TransDigm Group Incorporated's international sales and operations; and other risk factors.

In this report, the term “TD Group” refers to TransDigm Group Incorporated, which holds all of the outstanding capital stock of TransDigm Inc. The terms “Company,” “TransDigm,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms, unless the context otherwise requires, refer to TD Group, together with TransDigm Inc. and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries for which it has a controlling interest. References to “fiscal year” mean the year ending or ended September 30. For example, “fiscal year 2020” or “fiscal 2020” means the period from October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020.

PART I

Next: Item 1. BUSINESS