Nikon Corp

TSE:7731

Earnings Call Transcript 2021-Q2

[Toshikazu Umatate, executive]

This is Umatate, President and CEO. I do appreciate your precious time despite your busy schedule to attend our financial briefing online.

As for the business performance for the year, we made an upward revision of JPY 10 billion in revenue which we disclosed on 30th last week. As for these details, following me, Mr. Muneaki Tokunari, our CFO, will explain them.

So do allow me first to explain the management issues and how we intend to address those issues. Then I will expand on our management policies for our 2 major business areas, namely Imaging Products and Precision Equipment. Then I will report to you our plan to shift and maximize our Human Resources, which are one of the most important management resources, then I will conclude my portion by sharing the highlights of the road map we have for our recovery for our sustainable growth.

Now without further ado, would you please turn to Page 3. External environment, there are still many global risks, including COVID-19, U.S.-China conflicts and others, but the global economy is showing a recovery trend, but its pace is still rather slow. Despite such a harsh environment surrounding us, our performance is showing a recovery trend compared with the outlook we announced in August. We believe COVID-19 impact, definitely one of the major external factors, is here to stay with us. So we are now rebuilding our business operations by assuming that we have to live with coronavirus. Being more specifically, we are now promoting localizations of installations and providing production instructions digitally. With our assumption that revenue is going to recover rather slowly, we believe we need to improve the efficiency of the company as a whole based upon the actual business scale.

In light of this, we are now reducing the cost in business operation and Imaging Equipment business as well as the corporate expense as much as JPY 80 billion. By executing those many reform efforts, we'd like to make sure Nikon can make profit in all the business segments in the next fiscal year. At the same time, we will be engaged in specific studies for strategic investments so that Nikon can establish a new core pillars for profit.

Next, I will cover our core business, namely Imaging Products and Precision Equipment, one by one. First, Imaging Products business. Top left is indicating that we are assuming the market size is going to be halved in the end of the next fiscal year compared with the size 5 years ago. But here, we believe pro and hobbyist continues to be our rock supporter layer even in post COVID-19. We will focus on high-end models such as mirrorless cameras and lenses in our direction for product planning and development.

While we are now assuming for reduced market size, as shown in top left, we intend to reduce the business cost as shown in bottom left. For example, we are now concentrating on camera body production in Thai factories in order to optimize noncurrent asset structure. With these structural reforms, we aim to become leaner so that we can generate operating profit in Imaging Products business, even its revenue is JPY 15 billion or less.

Please turn to Page 5. Here now, I will explain Precision Equipment business centering around FPD Lithography business and Semiconductor Lithography business.

FPD business. We are having a strong demand for large-panel systems through next fiscal year. Our share in small- and mid-sized panels is expanding firmly. As of the end of September, our order backlog was about 70 units. Naturally, we are expecting this will support our profit for some time to come. That said though, Semiconductor Lithography business is still faced with a challenging phase. Depending on our major customers, we may have to reexamine the way we conduct business here more dynamically. We are now fortunate because Precision Equipment business as a whole is now showing growth in profit in Non-Lithography business. To be more specific, maintenance and service business for 4,000-plus units globally has become a good source for profit.

Also on the peripheral business, such as Measurement and inspection systems for EUV and others, including Litho Booster, are now generating new revenue. While we are enjoying a good FPD Lithography business this year and the next year, we would like to diversify our revenue sources further. We will aim at balanced income portfolio for the entire Precision Equipment business.

Please turn to Page 6. Here, I will explain our ideas for optimizing headcount for our future growth. Unfortunately, our forecast for FY 2020 is showing a loss on a full year basis, but it is my mission as President to lead the company to be profitable again and deliver stable net profit generation going forward as well. The left diagram shows Nikon's consolidated numbers, the total number of employees both at home and abroad as well as an operating profit. As you see there, revenue shown in the line is expected to grow starting from next fiscal year and beyond, but its recovering pace is going to be rather slow. So I believe it is critical to transform the company as a whole to be better fit for the revenue size.

With this point in mind, we are already engaged in a series of efforts for headcount optimization as well as balance sheet improvement. As indicated in the left diagram, we intend to optimize the consolidated employees to be better fit with the revenue size. To be specific, the gray color shows our plan to optimize the overseas resources as of the end of the next fiscal year to be 60% or less compared with 5 years ago. Back then, we had about 15,000 employees. That said, the brighter color indicates our plan to maintain the number of employees here in Japan to be the current number of about 9,000, which they concentrated production and pipelines. We will have domestic human resources available, and they will be shifted to digital solutions and other growth areas.

We had an impairment of about JPY 30 billion in Imaging Products business in the first half. And with this, we'll have less depreciation burden going forward. With additional cost reforms, we intend to lower our breakeven point. This will enable us to secure profit based upon improved revenue. We will aim stable profit to be realized for next fiscal year and beyond.

Lastly, please turn to Page 7. What I have explained so far is here reflected in this road map for sustainable growth. On the sound financial and management foundation, we will make further efforts for improved balance sheet by addressing coronavirus challenges and the new norm. Our management business team is how we can make Imaging Products business profitable and how we can stabilize Precision Equipment business. At the same time, we will challenge new areas, so we'll make Nikon returning to sustainable growth traction.

With this, I would now like to end here by asking for your further support. Now I will have our CFO, Mr. Tokunari, to explain specific contents of our interim results for the first half of this year. Thank you indeed for your kind attention.

[Muneaki Tokunari, executive]

This is Tokunari, CFO. I would like to thank our investors, analysts as well as the press and advisers for your time. Now I'm pleased to follow the materials. First, I will explain our actual performance for July through September. Next, I will explain the first half results. Lastly, I will explain our full year forecast.

Slide 9 shows the second quarter only, namely our actual numbers from July to September. Of those numbers, now I will explain its details of the second line number using the next slide, Slide 10. For the second quarter, now we had an assumed for a loss of JPY 19.5 billion as of August this year. But as shown in this graph, excluding onetime cost, we had a positive operating profit in substance. With now COVID-19 impact becoming less, revenue recovered, particularly in Imaging Equipment business, pushing up the revenue as much as JPY 10 billion with a further operating cost reduction in Imaging business generated positive JPY 3 billion. We also had JPY 9.7 billion in Non-Imaging segments as well as the benefit coming from the corporate expense reduction or deferral. All in all, it resulted in a positive number of JPY 9.7 billion.

We had an impairment loss of JPY 18.8 billion for the noncurrent assets in Imaging Equipment business. We also had a loss of JPY 10.7 billion for write-down of Imaging. With these factors, we had operating loss for the second quarter. As for the impairment and write-off, the number was rounded up to JPY 29.6 billion, almost JPY 30 billion. We posted this onetime cost because we are now aiming at stable profit generation from the next fiscal year and beyond. This is the result of a series of efforts to improve balance sheet from the viewpoint of reducing risk factors. With this in mind, we increased the risk buffer to JPY 20 billion, which had been originally planned in the second half and we decided to advance it in the first half.

Now please move on to Page 11. This shows the highlights of the first half of the year, including the numbers for the second quarter. Revenue was JPY 175.6 billion, down 40% year-on-year. Revenue is showing a steady recovery quarter-on-quarter. Revenue drop in the first quarter was 55%, and it became 25% in the second quarter. In other words, revenue is recovering steadily.

Operating profit became minus or a loss of JPY 46.6 billion. This was caused by the impairment of fixed assets as well as the loss caused by write-down. However, as shown in the bottom, if we are to exclude impairment and other onetime cost, we were able to achieve more profit in all the 4 segments, Imaging Products, Precision Equipment, Health Care and Industrial Metrology and Others compared with the previous forecast.

Slide 12 shows the points I have just explained as well as the free cash flow situations and FX impact in a table format.

Slide 13 is the financial highlights by segment. So allow me to skip this page.

Please move on to Slide 14. This is Slide 14. The first segment, explaining the actual for Imaging Products business. The first line, revenue was JPY 64.4 billion, down year-on-year, but up JPY 9.4 billion compared with the August forecast. Operating profit deteriorated JPY 7.4 billion from the last forecast. But if noncurrent assets impairment loss, JPY 15.6 billion, is excluded, it improved by JPY 8.2 billion in substance. The improved profit for Imaging Products can be mainly driven by the better-than-expected market recovery from the impact of COVID-19 as well as an additional cost reduction in business operation.

Slide 15 shows Precision Equipment business. The first line shows revenue being JPY 63.8 billion, down year-on-year. Operating profit deteriorated, partly due to the write-down and the loss of Semiconductor Lithography as much as JPY 9.2 billion. If this is excluded, substance improved by JPY 5.2 billion from the previous forecast. For your information, this equipment whose book value was lowered will be used for development, including miniaturization and for new customers' acquisition. As for revenue trend, as shown in the third line, installations of FPD Lithography systems actually resumed rather smoothly from July, and we have completed the installation of 5 units.

Now the first line, Semiconductor Lithography systems. The number of units sold went down drastically. This was partly caused by the fact that our major customers are in a shifting point of investment.

Please look at Slide 16. Health Care business went down both in revenue and operating profit year-on-year, but it went up compared with the last forecast. Biological microscopes results were almost in line with the plan as Europe made up for the decline in the Americas. Sales of retinal diagnostic imaging systems bid plan, driven by the good sales for the optometrists in the U.S. as well as the good results, thanks to the sales force enhancement in Europe.

Slide 17 shows Industrial Metrology Business and Others. Revenue from Industrial Metrology went down due to the sluggish CapEx at our customers caused by the COVID-19. Operating profit was minus JPY 2.9 billion. This includes the impairment loss of JPY 3.2 billion. And if this is excluded, we actually had a profit in substance in the first half. It is a bit complicated here, but in this Industrial Metrology Business and Others, we have domestic subsidiaries who are making lenses and others for Imaging business. Because of this, besides the impairment of JPY 15.6 billion in Imaging, we also had an impairment of noncurrent assets in light of the revision we made for our future plan for Imaging business. For the entire Industrial Metrology and Others, including non-Imaging results, we posted an impairment of JPY 3.2 billion. With this done, we ended up with a negative operating loss for the first half of the year.

Next, I will explain our forecast for the year ending March 31, 2021. Slide 19 shows the highlights. Revenue is now revised upward JPY 10 billion to JPY 430 billion. These stats reflect an upward revision of JPY 10 billion in the first half, Imaging Products business. Operating profit forecast is minus loss JPY 75 billion, not changed.

Please refer to details for each line of business. Profit attributable to owners of the impairment and has not changed, minus JPY 15 billion. Annual dividend forecast is JPY 20. They are not changed from the previous forecast.

Slide 20 shows the explanation I have just made in the table format comparing the last time versus this time.

Now Slide 21. This lists up our full year forecast in revenue and operating profit, introducing the major changes from the August numbers announced by the business and specific items. In the center, you get to see the impairment losses of noncurrent assets, minus JPY 15.6 billion; for Imaging Products, minus JPY 3.2 billion; in Others, the total is minus JPY 18.8 billion. Below that shows the write-downs and -- of inventory. Its total is minus JPY 10.7 billion, of which you don't get to see the number minus JPY 9.2 billion. This is for Precision Equipment.

Now please look at Slide 22. Here, I would like to look at the entire picture. Far left shows the operating loss of JPY 75 billion announced in August. This did include a buffer to be prepared for risks as much as JPY 20 billion. Excluding this risk buffer of JPY 20 billion, the baseline number here is going to be minus JPY 55 billion. For the full year basis, we have an increase in profit, thanks to the alleviated impact of COVID-19 as much as JPY 10 billion. And also, JPY 5 billion is the additional operating cost in Imaging Products. We had minus JPY 18.8 billion, possibly in the second quarter as the impairment of noncurrent assets, mainly in Imaging Products business. We also had minus JPY 10.7 billion as write-downs of inventory, mainly in the Precision Equipment business. We also have JPY 5 billion in the second half for buffer to be prepared for the second half.

All in all, our -- the latest forecast here for the full year operating loss is going to be JPY 75 billion. This loss forecast of JPY 75 billion has unchanged. But when we exclude the onetime cost of JPY 29.6 billion we posted in the first half as well as risk buffer of JPY 5 billion for the second half, then the real operating loss here will become JPY 40.4 billion. This is going to be a great improvement from the last forecast.

Slide 23 and onwards, I'd like to go through the segmentations, and I'm going to skip this summary page.

And I'd like to move on to Slide 24, the Imaging Products business. Revenue is JPY 140 billion, revised up JPY 10 billion from the previous forecast. This does reflect just the upswing of JPY 10 billion, thanks to the better-than-expected recovery from COVID-19. We have not changed our forecast for the units to be sold in the second half.

This year, we plan to introduce 3 new models in our full-frame mirrorless cameras for pro and hobbyists and 7 lenses for mirrorless cameras, making the total lineups to be 18 lenses. Operating profit is forecasted to be minus JPY 45 billion for the full year, though we have JPY 15.6 billion for impairment of noncurrent assets. But thanks to the increased revenue and the additional business cost reduction, we are enjoying these numbers.

As for the business cost reduction, we added JPY 3 billion on top of JPY 60 billion cost reduction. It will become JPY 63 billion on the cumulative basis for the span of the mid-term management plan. We added JPY 5 billion and planning to advance this cost reduction as much as JPY 20 billion.

Slide 25. Here, I will further explain our mid-term outlook for Imaging Product business, though President Umatate mentioned this briefly in his remarks. Please begin with the summary business chart. The yellow bars show operating profit. The gray bars show special factors such as COVID-19 impact as well as the special factors, including impairments. For example, for the year ending March 31, 2021, for the current fiscal year, the yellow bar goes downward greatly showing an operating loss of JPY 45 billion. To its right, we have the gray bar. As you see here, the majority of this number comes from the specific factor indicated in gray color. The black does indicate the overall market situation in cameras and lenses as a whole. Please be noted that it is shown as an index within March-end 2016 being 100%. The camera market is showing a sharp decline this year due to COVID-19. But taking into account the latest recovery, we can assume for reasonable recovery moving into next year, then we can expect to return to a gradual decline.

The gray solid line shows the changes of business cost in our Imaging Products business. Again, we made March-end 2016 being 100%. As you see here, it is in line with over and going above the market shrinkage trend, the dotted line. We will continue to reduce the cost as much as JPY 63 billion on a cumulative basis for the span of mid-term business plan.

As a part of our efforts to reduce business cost, as explained by our President Umatate in the offset, we will concentrate our camera and body operations into our Thai plants. Furthermore, we are executing our plan steadily to optimize the headcount working at overseas factories and sales affiliates as well as numbers of locations in Europe, the Americas and Asia, respectively. With the impairment of JPY 15.6 billion down in the first half, depreciation costs in the second half and beyond will be reduced. With these efforts and for our structural reform being executed, we do expect to lower the breakeven point drastically.

On the side of Product Planning and Development, we will concentrate in pro and hobbyist and high-end categories and we intend to have further differentiation in large size lenses, which are highly appreciated by our customers.

In regard to our sales strategy, we intend to improve profitability by improving product mix and by reexamining sales policies. The yellow line, its scale is on the right axis, shows sales ratio of pro and hobbyist models in the total sales. As you see here, we plan to increase this ratio up to 80% or 90%. Though the market as a whole is declining in sales, we plan to aim at higher quality of sales. With the high-end shifting and structural reform activities, we intend to change our organization to become profitable, though revenue could be less than JPY 150 billion.

Slide 26 shows Precision Equipment business. Revenue forecast here is JPY 175 billion, down JPY 70 billion year-on-year. FPD Lithographic Systems, installations of which had been stopped since February and resumed as of July one after another. As shown in the bottom left, we had a plan to have installations and sales of 18 units as of August, but now it increased to 22 units, up 4 units. As of now, we have an order backlog of more than 70 units. Installations will be completed next year or year after next, one by one. They will make contributions to revenue opportunities. As for our forecast in the current fiscal year for Semiconductor Lithography Systems, it is now 70 units, down 2 units due to the customer request pushing out to the next year.

In terms of revenue, our sales increased by 4 units, but Semiconductor Lithography Systems sales decreased by 2 units. So offsetting with each other. We have not changed our previous forecast for the entire Precision Equipment business. We kept our previous forecast of JPY 175 billion. Operating profit forecast is JPY 1 billion from the previous forecast of making profit of JPY 10 billion due to the write-off inventory as much as JPY 9.2 billion.

In regard to Precision Equipment business, as President Umatate explained this in the outset, thanks to the strong FPD Lithography Systems as well as our service business, we are enjoying a good revenue base in this area. With this, we intend to further expand our portfolio business, such as measurement and inspection systems for EUV and others, including Litho Booster.

Please look at Slide 27. Healthcare Business, sales is now revised up by JPY 3 billion from the JPY 57 billion forecast we made last time. We are now resuming our sales activities for biological microscopes and retinal diagnostic imaging systems. JPY 3 billion, the upswing in the first half, is now reflected into the full year forecast.

An area of interest goes to the contract cell manufacturing. This is progressing well in multiple projects for pharmaceuticals. Production will scale up in the next year, and it is expected to contribute to our performance going forward.

Operating profit is expected to be about minus JPY 4 billion, JPY 1 billion reduction in loss from the previous forecast, thanks to the expected revenue increase. Healthcare Business is also expected to be profitable on a full year basis next year.

Lastly, on Slide 28, Industrial Metrology Business and Others. Others do include digital solutions as well as glass business. As for the full year revenue, our forecast is now revised down by JPY 3 billion to JPY 55 billion. Major reasons for this are having to do with the sluggish CapEx recovery and expected for electronic components and automotive business in our Industrial Metrology business. So revenue is expected to decline. But when it comes to Others, our alliance with the DMG MORI Co., Ltd. in the area of optical processing machine and our collaboration with Velodyne, a major producer of lidar sensors in the U.S. to be used in autonomous driving. These companies will help us to expand ourselves.

Operating profit is expected to be in red. In the first half, we posted minus JPY 3.2 billion for impairment loss of noncurrent assets, but we will not have such a onetime cost in the next fiscal year.

This concludes my presentation. If I now like to wrap up my presentation. In the core business, Imaging Products, Precision Equipment and all in other areas, we have already observed improving trends vis-à-vis the August forecast. We are utilizing the risk buffer JPY 20 billion in the form of impairments, and we are now engaging reforming, restructuring of fixed costs. We do believe in these 3 months that we were able to make kind of firm progress moving toward our journey to be profitable again. Last but not least, may I remind you that we are truly united into one at Nikon, the management and employees together, to be engaged into a variety of efforts to ride on the track of growth. May I solicit your understanding and support for us. Thank you indeed for your kind attention.

[Statements in English on this transcript were spoken by an interpreter present on the live call.]