Fuji Electric Co Ltd

TSE:6504

Earnings Call Transcript 2023-Q1

[Junichi Arai, executive]

Good afternoon, everyone. I am Junichi Arai, Corporate General Manager, Corporate Management Planning Headquarters. I will explain consolidated financial results for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2022.

Fortunately, we achieved record-high income in the fiscal year 2021 and later start in this fiscal year with a plan to achieve significant year-on-year growth. Both sales and income increased year-on-year in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2022. We achieved the first quarter record-high orders, net sales, operating income and ordinary income. Net income attributable to owners of parent was JPY 10 billion in fiscal year 2010 due to gain on sales of investment securities. And net income attributable to owners of parent in the first quarter of this fiscal year was JPY 9.9 billion, JPY 100 million below that.

Page 4 shows year-on-year comparison. Net sales were JPY 203.9 billion, up JPY 14 billion. Excluding JPY 7.1 billion gain on translation of earnings of overseas subsidiaries, net sales increased JPY 6.9 billion in real terms. JPY 5 billion of sales of magnetic disks was included in the last fiscal year. Excluding sales of magnetic disks, net sales increased JPY 11.9 billion.

Operating income was JPY 9.9 billion, up JPY 4.6 billion. Operating margin was 4.8%. Nonoperating income net of nonoperating expenses was up JPY 1.8 billion year-on-year. As for the breakdown, foreign exchange gain increased JPY 1.5 billion. JPY 400 million was from an increase in dividends received from nonconsolidated companies.

Ordinary income was JPY 12.3 billion, up JPY 6.4 billion. Extraordinary income net of extraordinary loss was JPY 4.2 billion, up JPY 2 billion. The main item was gain on sale of investment securities. We've been selling gross shareholdings in a planned manner. We booked JPY 4.6 billion of gain on sales of investment securities in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2022. Year-on-year increase was JPY 2.3 billion. In total, the increase was JPY 2 billion. Net income attributable to owners of parent was up JPY 5 billion, almost doubled to JPY 9.9 billion.

Page 5 shows breakdown of JPY 4.6 billion increase of operating income. Increase in sales and production volumes pushed up operating income by JPY 5 billion. Sales and income of automotive semiconductor, power supply and facility systems and ED&C components mainly increased. Increase in fixed cost pushed down operating income by JPY 2.3 billion. Labor costs and depreciation and leases paid increased. As we actively made investments and expanded production capacity in power semiconductor, depreciation and leases paid increased. JPY 1.3 billion was from other expenses. Controllable expenses, outsourcing expenses and IT expenses increased. In total, increase in fixed cost pushed down operating income by JPY 2.3 billion.

The yen depreciated, and exchange rate effect was JPY 1.4 billion. JPY 400 million was from Others. Year-on-year impacts of rising raw material prices were negative JPY 2.1 billion. Effects of higher product selling prices were positive JPY 1.7 billion. In total, the negative impacts of rising raw material prices were bigger than the positive effects of higher product selling prices.

Cost reduction in Others offset JPY 800 million. And as a result, Others boosted operating income by JPY 400 million. In total, operating income was up JPY 4.6 billion to JPY 9.9 billion.

Page 6 shows net sales and operating income by segment. Net sales in Power Electronics Industry and Food and Beverage Distribution decreased slightly. However, net sales increased in all other segments. Except Power Electronics Industry, operating income increased in all segments, mainly Power Electronics Energy and Semiconductor. In total, operating income was up JPY 4.6 billion.

From Page 7, I will explain business results by segment. In Power Electronics Energy, net sales were up JPY 6.5 billion, and operating income was up JPY 2.9 billion year-on-year. There are 3 businesses in this segment. The key point is power supply and facility systems. Both net sales and operating results increased as a result of substantially higher demand for projects from data centers and semiconductor manufacturers. In ED&C components, net sales and operating results increased due to higher demand mainly from domestic manufacturers of finished equipment. Significant increase was achieved in Japan and increase in Asia and the U.S. However, results of China were down due to the impacts of lockdowns.

In Power Electronics Industry, the key point is automation systems including low-voltage inverters. This business was hardest hit by the lockdowns in China. Net sales were down. Besides, high prices for materials and difficulties in procuring parts in China also impacted material procurement in Japan. As a result, net sales and operating results decreased in automation systems. In social solutions, net sales and operating results decreased year-on-year due to a decrease in SOx scrubbers. In IT Solutions, net sales increased due to large-scale private sector projects, but operating results were almost in line with budget because of differences in profitability between projects.

Page 8, please. In Semiconductor, net sales were up JPY 1.7 billion, and operating income was up JPY 1.5 billion. Industrial applications were down year-on-year. Excluding JPY 5 billion sales of magnetic disks included in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2021, net sales and operating results increased. Net sales and operating results for automotive applications also increased due to booming demand for electrified vehicles. Expenses such as depreciation and leases paid increased for bolstering production capacity. However, by maintaining high operating ratio, production and sales volumes increased. As a result, net sales and operating results increased year-on-year.

In Power Generation, net sales were up JPY 4.9 billion, and operating income was up JPY 800 million. Sales and income increased year-on-year due to the benefits of overseas large-scale renewable energy projects.

As for Food and Beverage Distribution, in vending machines, net sales and operating results increased because of growth in demand in Japan. We raised selling prices slightly, which also contributed to the increase. Results in China decreased year-on-year due to the impacts of the lockdowns. In store distribution, net sales and operating results decreased due to the absence of large-scale orders for automatic change dispensers recorded in the previous equivalent period.

Page 9 shows year-on-year comparison of net sales by Japan and overseas area. Net sales were JPY 203.9 billion, up JPY 14 billion year-on-year. Net sales in Japan were up JPY 10.4 billion, and overseas sales were up JPY 3.6 billion. As for the breakdown of JPY 3.6 billion increase in overseas sales, sales in Asia and others were up JPY 2.4 billion. As exchange rate effect was JPY 2.4 billion, sales were almost flat year-on-year in real terms. If we take magnetic disks into account, sales in Asia increased JPY 5 billion. Sales in China were down JPY 2.5 billion. Excluding exchange rate effect, sales were down JPY 5.9 billion in real terms. ED&C components and automation systems were significantly impacted by the lockdowns. Sales in Europe and Americas were up JPY 2 billion and JPY 1.7 billion, respectively.

Page 10 indicates year-on-year comparison of amount of orders received by product for the first quarter. Amount of orders was JPY 283.7 billion, up JPY 45.3 billion year-on-year. This was record-high first quarter orders. Up until last year, I explained orders mainly for components increased. Orders for components were JPY 111.9 billion, up JPY 11.8 billion year-on-year in the first quarter. Orders for plant and system projects also increased significantly by JPY 33.5 billion. Orders for power supply and facility systems increased significantly. Orders also for energy management, equipment construction and IT solutions increased year-on-year. We started to show quarterly trend of major components orders received in the last fiscal year. Orders for semiconductor increased 11% year-on-year in the first quarter. Orders for ED&C components increased 25%. Orders for components increased approximately JPY 12 billion year-on-year in the first quarter.

Page 11 shows the amount of sales by product. Sales were up JPY 14 billion. Sales of plant projects increased JPY 6.3 billion. Component sales increased JPY 7.7 billion to JPY 93.3 billion.

As for forecast for the first half and full year, we decided to keep unchanged forecast announced on April 27 forecast for the first half of JPY 424 billion in net sales, JPY 22 billion in operating income and JPY 15.5 billion in net income attributable to owners of parent. Forecast for full year are JPY 960 billion in net sales, JPY 82 billion in operating income and JPY 59 billion in net income attributable to owners of parent. There is no change to the forecast. For the full year, sales and income are forecasted to increase in all the segments.

On Page 15 is the consolidated balance sheet. Comparison is made between the end of March and the end of June. Collection progressed significantly for notes and account receivables, trade receivables mainly of plant-related sales accumulated up to the end of March. As a result, notes and account receivables, trade receivables decreased JPY 52.2 billion. Inventories increased JPY 22.6 billion mainly due to accumulated plant-related inventories.

In total, long-term assets, investments and other assets decreased JPY 12.2 billion. Out of that, JPY 4 billion was due to sale of gross shareholdings. Slightly more than JPY 10 billion was due to a loss on valuation of investment securities compared to the end of March. Consequently, total assets stood at JPY 1,100.2 billion, down JPY 16.9 billion. Interest-bearing debt decreased JPY 8.8 billion. Cash and time deposit increased JPY 11.4 billion. As a result, net interest-bearing debt was JPY 96.9 billion, down JPY 20.1 billion. Net D/E ratio was 0.2x. Equity ratio was 43.5%.

Page 17 shows quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year comparison of amount of orders received for ED&C components, low-voltage inverters, semiconductor and vending machines for the first quarter for reference. This time, we kept unchanged forecast for the first half and full year as the market conditions, the Ukraine crisis, slowdown of the economy in China, monetary tightening in Europe and the U.S. are leading to inflationary trend and possibility of recession.

IMF announced economic outlook yesterday. IMF revised the global economic growth by 0.4 percentage points to 3.2%. Economic growth rate of Japan was revised down by 1.2 percentage points to 2% from January outlook of 3.2%.

As for exchange rates, the yen depreciated due to difference in interest rates between Japan and the U.S. However, as markets became cautious of peaking interest rates, the yen recovered slightly. We recognize uncertainties over the future. When we announced results for the first half, we want to revise full year forecast including exchange rate in light of market conditions, customer trends, procurement of parts, rising prices and other risks. We haven't changed disclosed forecast since April. Every time, we explain upside factors based on certain conditions. If exchange rates remain at the same level, net sales will be slightly more than JPY 20 billion higher and operating income will be slightly more than JPY 3 billion higher than full year forecast. I currently suppose expenses will be down billions of yen, although it depends on the COVID situation.

By business, ED&C components will continue to be strong in the first and the second half. I think we can expect upside mainly in Power Electronics Energy and Semiconductor, mainly in industrial applications. Personally, I strongly feel we will be able to revise upward the disclosed forecast not only for the first half but also for full year.

That concludes my presentation.