Nikon Corp

TSE:7731

Earnings Call Transcript 2022-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. Financial numbers, including the upward revision we announced last week, will be explained in detail by our CFO, Tokunari. So allow me to explain our management policy for the current fiscal year.

Please refer to Page 3. First, external environment. The demand in the last fiscal year was dampened greatly due to COVID-19, but the recovery trend is continuing. There is a strong demand for mid-end and high-end cameras. With the digitalization going on in the society, there is a strong CapEx demand for semiconductor and others. But at the same time, we are observing some risk factors in terms of business management. Of particular concern is parts procurement issue. Starting from the semiconductor part, it is now spreading into a wide variety of materials, and this has become an issue in almost all the business segments of Nikon.

When we solve one specific parts problem one day, we bumped into another part issue next day. Unfortunately, this kind of situation is here to stay, and we have to live with this for some time to come. We are now sharing information about the part shortage as well as the suppliers in concern. The top management, including me, is making our best effort by talking to those suppliers so that we can maintain our stable production level to the extent possible. Of course, we need to continuously pay attention to COVID-19 pandemic. Now it has come back to the normal production level. But in July, our entire plant was forced to stop its production due to the spread of the virus.

As for China, where we are installing our products, our people had to travel to China for the installations, but they were forced to be separated for a long period of time with the Beijing Winter Olympic Games coming up, and we are now moving into the winter season. We definitely need to keep tightening our belt going forward. Though we are faced with these situations, Nikon's business performance is showing a recovery mode. Revenue is recovering for sure. And with our structural reform efforts and the lower breakeven point, thanks to the leaner balance sheet we created, we were able to generate a solid profit for the first half.

With the growth factors we had in the first half, full year profit level is expected to go up about 30% compared with the August forecast even when we take into account further risk of parts procurement. With these performance improvements, in order for Nikon to further reward our shareholders, we decided to increase the annual dividend to JPY 40 from JPY 30 per share.

In the current fiscal year, we had some business advancements. Imaging Products Business. Our new product, Z fc that we launched in the first half turned out be quite popular, backed up particularly by young people and female customers. And last week, we announced our new flagship camera, Z 9, to be launched.

Talking about Z 9, it can detect the world's the largest range of 9 different subject types besides people, including birds and vehicles. It features the world's the furthest frame rate of 120 fps. This is truly our flagship camera, meeting with diversified news coming from professionals. The online event we had for Z 9 announcement turned out be quite popular and so sensational and it has become a trending topic on SNS. We are so happy about this. With this new body launched, Nikon expanded its highly appreciated Z series lenses up to almost 30. As you see, our Imaging Products Business and has a firm focus on pro/hobbyists, and it is going to contribute to profit quite firmly.

It gives me a great pleasure to inform you that our most advanced semiconductor lithography EUV-related component business, which we started several years ago, finally taken off, and we do expect it will support our future revenue. For our growth strategy, we continue to focus on the 3 domains, including digital manufacturing. Nikon is now making its next medium-term management plan. We are starting from our "to be" 10 years from now and going back to the current time. Here, we plan to advance our sustainability management where Nikon will make its contributions to the sustainable society by offering Nikon unique values. And at the same time, we will realize Nikon's own sustainable growth.

Please go to Page 4. To be specific here, as shown on Page 4, we have identified a total of 12 materialities or critical issues for us to address the issues of sustainability. Point one, contributing to realize sustainable society by creating social values through our core technologies. Point three, Nikon will go for manufacturing which has less burden on the environment, such as promoting decarbonization.

My last slide, Slide 5. We have a vacant land near the Nishi-Oi station. We used to have our OE plant here and now we have a plan to construct our new head office building there to be completed in 2024. Here, we are paying more attention to its neighborhood and the global environment. This Oi plant had a history of more than 100 years and produced our diversified products and services. This place certainly signifies Nikon itself. We plan to centralize our most advanced R&D functions in this new head office building. We would like to have a collection of smart and capable engineers so that we can truly strengthen our development capability.

This new headquarters will also become the best possible workplace with flexible work style, which is best fit for the new digital age. We intend to further improve our corporate values and better utilize our human resources. As you see here, Nikon will make further advancement for our further growth. Hope you continue to support us in this regard.

Now it's time for me to introduce Mr. Tokunari, our CFO. He will explain our first half financial results and full year outlook and details. Thank you indeed for your kind attention.

[Muneaki Tokunari, executive]

Hello, everybody. This is Tokunari, CFO. I would like to thank you for your precious time despite your busy schedule to attend Nikon Corporation's financial briefing. I am pleased to explain the financial results for the first half as well as our outlook for the full year.

First, as for the first results. We had a timely disclosure on October 29, and the first half results turn out to be in line with the disclosed numbers. Revenue was JPY 273 billion, operating profit was JPY 32.1 billion. Profit attributable to owners of the parent was JPY 26.4 billion. We had a big jump in revenue and profit from the first half previous year. Revenue became JPY 97.4 billion, up 55% from the first half previous year when we were affected greatly by COVID-19. Despite the past procurement impact, revenue increased substantially in all segments, mainly driven by ASP improvement in Imaging Products Business and increased sales volumes of FPD lithography systems in Precision Equipment Business.

Operating profit was JPY 32.1 billion. It improved significantly by the increased sales. And this time, we did not have the onetime costs such as impairment losses and disposal and write-downs of inventory, which were booked in the previous year. Compared to the previous forecast in August, revenue shows a slight decrease of JPY 2 billion. The major reason for this is sales of some semiconductor lithography and equipments was postponed, resulting in a decline in the Precision Equipment Business. Operating profit was up JPY 7.1 billion over the previous forecast in August. We were able to go above the numbers we had in August in all the business segments, except for Industrial Metrology and Others. This was driven mainly by the improved gross profit in Imaging Products Business, as well as the advanced sales of some FPD lithography systems and expanded service business.

Slide 8 shows a table of the major consolidated numbers for the first half. Revenue, operating profit, profit before income taxes, and profit attributable to owners of the parent, all of them show great improvement from the first half previous year. Free cash flow also grew dramatically. This was contributed by the sales of the alliance stocks of JEOL Limited. The far right-hand column shows the numbers 2 years ago, pre-COVID-19. Revenue in 1H this year has not recovered yet to the level of the pre-COVID-19, but operating profit and profit attributable to owners of the parent surpassed numbers greatly over the pre-COVID-19 numbers. Thanks to the efforts for the structural reform and slimmer the balance sheet, our breakeven point came down. We believe Nikon has now become much leaner. Our revenue is still on its way to recovery, but we are able to show that Nikon has its resilience.

Slide 9 shows the first half actual numbers by segment. Please look at the middle column from top to down. Imaging Products Business was JPY 12.5 billion, Precision Equipment Business was JPY 21.7 billion in profit, respectively. We began profitable in all the segments, except for Industrial Metrology and Others. The loss in Industrial Metrology and Others was caused by the onetime factor coming from the subsidiaries included in Others. As shown in the right hand, both revenue and operating profit surpassed the previous year in almost all the segments.

Slide 10 shows the consolidated revenue and profit and loss for the 3 months from July to September. Just looking at this 3-month period, compared with the previous year and 2 years ago, pre-pandemic year, the number shows a dramatic increase in profit.

Slide 11 and onwards. Here, I will explain the performance in the first half by segment. The first segment is Imaging Products Business. In the first half, revenue was dramatically up to JPY 89.2 billion. Operating profit became positive JPY 12.5 billion. New mirrorless camera of Z fc and Z 6II and Z 7II which we launched last year, turnout have been quite popular. Our focus on pro/hobbyist models pushed up ASP, including interchangeable lenses, resulting in the growth in profit. Operating profit grew dramatically. Behind it was an increased profit as well as the no onetime effect of impairment and efforts to reduce business operating costs.

Slide 12 shows Precision Equipment Business. Revenue was JPY 119.2 billion, operating profit was JPY 21.7 billion, showing a big increase both in revenue and profit. After the lithography systems, we sold only 5 units in the first half previous year due to the COVID-19. But this year, first half, we completed the installation of 30 units semiconductor lithography systems. Though we had a drop in the sales of the new systems with the normal onetime effect of the cost we had in the previous year as well as the strong performance of the sales of refurbished systems and service business, all in all, they contributed to the growth in profit.

Slide 13. This is Healthcare business. Revenue was JPY 33 billion, operating profit was JPY 900 million, both revenue and profit grew year-on-year. Revenue and operating profit increased on the strength in sales in biological microscopes and retinal diagnostics imaging systems as we were recovering from COVID-19. Operating profit in 1H surpassed in August outlook of being breakeven and we're able to generate a profit in 1H for the first time in the Healthcare Business.

Slide 14 shows Components Business. We started disclosing its numbers starting from the current fiscal year. Revenue was JPY 16.7 million, operating profit was JPY 3.4 billion. Expansion in the EUV-related component business this year contributed to growth in revenue and profit and non-EUV sales was strong in optical parts for semiconductor-related products and encoders for industrial equipment. Both revenue and operating profit surpassed the numbers we forecasted back in August.

The last segment is Industrial Metrology and Others. Others include our production subsidiaries. Revenue in this segment was JPY 14.6 billion, up year-on-year. This was driven mainly by the increased demand for the measuring machines and microscopes centering around the new products. In contrast, operating profit became negative JPY 1.6 billion. The major reason for this is having to do with the write-downs of inventory posted by domestic production subsidiaries.

Next, I will explain our forecast for the full year ending March 31, 2022. Slide 17 shows highlights. For the full year, consolidated revenue forecast is now revised upward to JPY 35 billion, further up JPY 15 billion from the August number, which we had revised up. Imaging Products Business is revised up to JPY 5 billion. Precision Equipment Business is revised up to JPY 7 billion. Components Business is revised up to JPY 3 billion. As for the full year operating profit, back in August, we revised up to JPY 7 billion, and now we further revised up to JPY 34 billion, up another JPY 7 billion. As for the breakdown, Imaging Products Business accounts for JPY 3 billion. Precision Equipment Business accounts for JPY 4 billion and Healthcare Business accounts for JPY 1 billion.

Profit attributable to owners of the parent. Our May forecast was JPY 16 billion, and August forecast was JPY 22 billion. But this time, we revised up to JPY 29 billion. For the full year, up JPY 7 billion. As for shareholder returns, it is now revised up, annual dividend being JPY 40 and interim dividend being JPY 20.

Please refer to Slide 18. This shows a table consisting of our full year forecast of the major numbers. It shows a comparison, vis-a-vis last year and the August forecast. I have already explained the highlights.

Slide 19. This table consists of our full year forecast for the major numbers, including in comparison to the last year as well as the previous forecast we made in August. I will cover the details by segment later.

Slide 20. This is a new slide we made this time. This year is unique because operating profit has a tendency to be concentrated in the first half. I will explain at this point here on this slide. Please first look at the bottom left of the table. On the consolidated basis, second half revenue is expected to be JPY 262 billion, down JPY 11 billion compared to the first half to the left, down JPY 11 billion for the second half compared to the first half. As described in the top right in those sentences, the major factor is coming from the decrease of JPY 21.4 billion in Precision Equipment Business. And the background is the fact that installations of FPD lithography system for large panel size were concentrated in the first half.

Now coming back to the table. The bottom shows our forecast for the consolidated operating profit for second half being JPY 1.9 billion. This is a big decline in the profit compared to 1H as much as JPY 30.2 billion. Again, this clearly indicates we are having an imbalance between 1H and 2H. As described in the right in those notes, the major reason for this big decline in profit come from the declines of JPY 10 billion in Imaging Products Business, JPY 20.4 billion in Precision Equipment Business compared to the numbers in 1H. These 2 business segments are the major cause. Imaging Products business, we will have a high concentration of initial and promotion costs in the second half for the launch of new products such as Z9 and the mirrorless lens Z-series. We also have a concentration of R&D expense in the second half. So we have such a concentration in the second half.

Precision Equipment Business, due to the product mix situation, had a concentration of its profit in the first half. And the R&D expenditure carried over into the second half from the first half. So operating profit in the second half is now expected to be somewhat limited.

Next, I will go through the forecast for each business segment. Slide 21. This is looking at the Imaging Products Business. Revenue here is now modified to JPY 175 billion, up JPY 5 billion from the previous forecast as shown in the orange bar going up. As shown in the bottom left, digital camera, interchangeable lens type, is now revised down to 5.4 million units from 5.8 million. Interchangeable lenses are now revised down to 9.2 million units from 9.7 million units. There is a strong demand for digital cameras and lenses coming from our customers. It is not just us, but other companies are severely restricted in procuring parts, and we are having tough time in supplying our products meeting with the actual demand.

That said, we -- Nikon has its strategy to focus on mid, high-end camera and lens, which has a rather firm demand and we have not changed our plan to sell 750,000 bodies and 1.3 million lenses. Besides Z fc, which is quite popular among the youth and the female customers, we launched the mirrorless flagship Z9. The Z9 has the world's best auto focus feature as a still picture camera, but it can function also as a long-hour operating 8K-movie device to record video. It is already receiving a strong interest even coming from competitive products users. We have Z fc and Z9 displayed next to our present, so please take a look at them later.

With a very strong request coming from our customers, we are planning to expand Z-mount lens, including a super-telephoto prime loans up to 30. So we'd like to firmly respond to the pro/hobbyist customers' demand. By doing so, we are hoping to achieve our sales target. Though we are still restricted in terms of parts procurement, Nikon is now revising up full year revenue by JPY 5 billion and revising up operating profit by JPY 3 billion. Yes, and as the president already explained this, we are still challenged by procurement of varieties of parts, but we are making the best and consolidated effort within entire Nikon so that we can produce as many cameras and lenses even by 1 more unit.

Slide 22 shows Precision Equipment Business. Revenue is JPY 217 billion, revised up by JPY 7 billion from the August forecast. FPD CapEx in both large and mid-small sized panels remains strong. Revenue is expected to increase from the previous forecast due to an increase of 1 system for large panels. As for semiconductor, 12 new systems will be planned. Instead of 13, 1 unit is now postponed until the next fiscal year, as shown in the bottom left. On the other hand, revenue is expected to increase from the previous forecast. Thanks to the revitalized semiconductor market, sales of refurbished systems is expected to grow. Service business such as maintenance remains strong.

All in all, Semiconductor Business is expected to grow more from the previous forecast. Operating profit, reflecting the expected sales increase, is now revised up to JPY 23 billion, up JPY 4 billion from the previous forecast. Even for Precision Equipment Business, parts procurement remains a risk factor. The confused distribution in the airports and the seaports is having impact on delivery of equipments. And China is now restricting entering into the country because of COVID-19. So we'd like to keep an eye on all these factors, and we want to become more agile in order to minimize those risk factors.

Slide 23 shows the Healthcare Business. Healthcare Business is unchanged from the previous forecast to be JPY 70 billion for the full year. Optos and [ CDRN ] has its retinal diagnostic imaging systems and it is driving sales. Pipelines of the contract to sell production and the so-called CDMO developing new drugs for the regenerative treatment are progressing rather smoothly. With these factors in place, we do expect Healthcare Business will make a record high revenue. And as for operating revenue, we are now forecasting it to be JPY 2 billion, the first year profit to be generated on the full year basis.

This shows our Components Business. Here, revenue is revised up by JPY 3 billion to become JPY 38 billion for the full year. EUV and its related component business is growing itself as planned and non-EUV in the semiconductor optical parts are stronger than we had expected. So we are expecting further revenue growth here. As for operating profit reflecting the increased revenue, we are now revising up to JPY 8.5 billion for the full year.

Last, Slide 25 on Industrial Metrology and Others. Full year revenue has not changed from the previous forecast to be JPY 35 billion. Industrial Metrology Business is progressing in line with the plan, thanks to the strong sales of measuring machines and microscopes. For the entire segment, full year operating profit is now revised down due to the 1H losses at the production subsidiaries included in Others.

That's all for my explanation. Here, I would like to summarize the first half. Business performance has not only improved dramatically and recovered the profit. We're unable to surpass the August forecast by 30% or around. This is a big change since we are faced with COVID-19. Looking at the segments, thanks to our structural reform efforts we had in the last fiscal year as well as our strategic focus we placed on pro/hobbyist, Imaging Products Business advanced its revenue steadily. And our core business, Precision Equipment Business and the newly established Components Business, are progressing firmly. We are making rather smooth progress to go for the profits for all the segments.

For the second half, the biggest issue is parts procurement. Nikon has received a very strong demand, particularly for Imaging Products Business. But not being able to respond to such a demand fully, we feel quite frustrated, and we do feel sorry for our customers. By addressing this issue of parts procurement by the entire company, we would like to go for JPY 34 billion in operating profit and JPY 29 billion in profit attributable to owners of the parent, our latest revised up numbers.

It has been 1.5 years since I became CFO of Nikon Corporation. Since then, many reforms are advancing, and I believe that we are able to show our resilience clearly. That said though, looking at the external environment, we are faced with the biggest challenge of parts procurement as well as price increase of crude oil and other raw materials, as well as [ tampering ] in the U.S., which was announced today or the global environmental issues and our response to the pandemic. The world is still quite fluid. As CFO, I need to further tighten my belt in managing financial operations, and I will make agile response to changes going forward.

If I may say, dear shareholders and investors, I do hope you can be with us and help us going forward. Thank you indeed for your kind attention.