Revenues: -3.9% at € 263.2 million, -3.1% at constant exchange rates
EBIT: significantly higher at € 14.6 million (€ 6.5 million in first quarter 2023)
Net income: +13.5% at € 15.0 million (€ 13.2 million in first quarter 2023)
Free Cash Flow positive for € 30.7 million (€ 39.6 million in first quarter 2023)
Reduction of debt before IFRS 16 to € 171.4 million (€ 186.9 million at end of March 2023)
Milan, 22 April 2024 – The Board of Directors of Sogefi S.p.A., which met today under the chairmanship of Monica Mondardini, has approved the interim report on operations of the group as of 31 March 2024, as presented by Chief Executive Officer Frédéric Sipahi. Sogefi, a company of the CIR GROUP, is one of the main producers worldwide of automotive components in the Air and Cooling, Filtration and Suspensions sectors.
PERFORMANCE OF THE MARKET
In the first quarter of 2024 world car production declined by 0.8% on the first quarter of 2023. Growth was reported in China (+4.3%) and India (+6.6%), a decline in Mercosur (-5.6%) and in Europe (-5.9%), a geographical area that in 2023 had shown a strong recovery, and substantial stability in NAFTA (+1.4%).
For the year 2024, S&P Global (IHS), a source commonly used in the sector, expects that world production will remain stable compared to 2023, with a positive trend in China and India, substantial stability in NAFTA and Mercosur and a decline of 2.6% in Europe.
SUMMARY OF SOGEFI’S PERFORMANCE IN FIRST QUARTER 2024
Taking into account the agreement signed on 23 February 2024 for the sale of the Filtration Business Unit, the income statement figures for the first quarters of 2023 and 2024 of these businesses are shown in accordance with IFRS 5, i.e. reclassifying the result of the business to the item “income from assets held for sale and discontinued operations”. Therefore, the figures commented on below refer to the consolidation of the continuing businesses and exclude Filtration.
The consolidated revenues of the Group recorded a decline of 3.9% (-3.1% at constant exchange rates) compared to the first quarter of 2023 because of the lower production volumes in Europe due to the performance of the market (-5.9%).
The results showed a significant improvement compared to the first quarter of 2023:
- EBITDA, totalling € 33.7 million, was up by 30.9% compared to the same period of 2023, with an EBITDA margin of 12.8%;
- EBIT, amounting to € 14.6 million, was significantly higher than in first quarter 2023, € 6.5 million, with an EBIT margin of 5.6% of revenues, up from 2.4%;
- Net income from continuing operations was € 5.6 million;
- Total net income, including the net income of the Filtration business, destined for disposal, came in at € 15 million (+13.5% versus € 13.2 million in the first quarter of 2023);
- Free cash flow was a positive € 30.7 million (€ 39.6 million in first quarter 2023);
Net debt (before IFRS 16) declined to € 171.4 million at 31 March 2024, compared to € 200.7 million at 31 December 2023 and € 186.9 million at 31 March 2023.
Commercial activity was positive both in terms of total value of the contracts acquired and in terms of mix, with 48% of the value of the new contracts acquired during the year destined for E-mobility. Significant new contracts were awarded in Europe, China and North America.
Air and Cooling obtained most of its new orders in North America and China for the supply of air manifolds and water pumps. 46% of the value of the new contracts obtained by the Air and Cooling division in first quarter 2024 was for components for E-mobility platforms.
Suspensions obtained new business mainly for the supply of stabilizer bars in China to a totally electric player, and in India to a producer of buses. 57% of the value of the new contracts obtained in first quarter 2024 by the Suspensions divisions were for components for E-mobilityplatforms.
RESULTS FOR FIRST QUARTER 2024
Revenues for the first quarter of 2024 came in at € 263.2 million and were down by 3.9% at current exchange rates and by 3.1% at constant exchange rates on the numbers for first quarter 2023.
The performance of revenues was affected mainly by the evolution recorded in Europe (-8.5%), caused principally by the downturn in the market (-5.9%). In South America and North America revenues were substantially unchanged at +1.5% e +0.3% respectively at constant exchange rates, while in China and India they showed growth of 14.9% and +9.9% respectively at constant exchange rates.
Suspensions reported a decline in revenues of 5.7% (-5.2% at constant exchange rates) affected by the unfavourable trend of the market in Europe; by contrast, significant growth was recorded in China and India which posted +55.7% and +9.9% respectively at constant exchange rates.
Air and Cooling reported revenues that were down by 1.4% (-0.1% at constant exchange rates), outperforming the market in Europe (+0.9%) and holding up well in the North American market.
EBITDA came in at € 33.7 million, posting growth of 30.9% on first quarter 2023 (€ 25.8 million). The EBITDA marginrose from 9.4% in 2023 to 12.8% in the same period of 2024.
The contribution margin rose by 5.7% compared to the first quarter of 2023, with a profit margin (the ratio in % of the contribution margin/revenues) widening from 25.8% in first quarter 2023 to 28.4% in the same period of 2024 thanks partly to lower raw material and energy costs.
The impact of fixed costs on revenues was 15.4%, unchanged from 2023.
Other charges, which in particular include exchange rate differences, made a positive contribution of € 0.1 million to EBITDA versus a negative contribution of € 2.4 million in first quarter 2023.
EBIT totalled € 14.6 million, up from € 6.5 million in the first quarter of 2023, and the ratio to revenues rose from 2.4% in first quarter 2023 to 5.6% in the same period of 2024. The increase mainly reflects the improvement in the results of Suspensions.
Financial expense, equal to € 5.1 million, was higher than that of the same period of 2023 (€ 4.1 million) mainly due to the (no cash) financial charges relating to the application of IAS 29 (Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies) to the Argentinian subsidiary. Tax expense came to € 3.9 million (€ 1.6 million in first quarter 2023).
The net income from operating activity was a positive € 5.6 million versus € 0.8 million in the same period of the previous year.
The net result of “assets held for sale and discontinued operations” (Filtration) came to € 10.4 million in the first quarter of 2024, down from € 13.2 million in first quarter 2023 taking also into account the non-recurring costs relating to the extraordinary transaction in progress.
The Group reported net income of € 15 million, posting a 13.5% increase from € 13.2 million in the previous year thanks to the higher net result of continuing operations (Suspensions and Air and Cooling).
Free Cash Flow was positive for € 30.7 million versus € 39.6 million in first quarter 2023.
At 31 March 2024 shareholders’ equity, excluding minority interests, stood at € 295.5 million, up from € 272.9 million at 31 December 2023. The increase reflects the net result for the period, the positive currency translation differences, the fair value of cash flow hedging instruments and other changes.
The net financial debt before IFRS 16 amounted to € 171.4 million at 31 March 2024, down from € 200.7 million at 31 December 2023 and € 186.9 at 31 March 2023. Including financial payables for rights of use, in compliance with IFRS 16, net debt totalled € 235.7 million at 31 March 2024 compared to € 266.1 million at 31 December 2023 and € 255.9 at 31 March 2023.
At 31 March 2024 the Group had committed credit lines in excess of its requirements for € 258 million.
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE 31 MARCH 2024
Nothing significant has happened since the end of March that could have an impact on the economic, patrimonial and financial information as of 31 March 2024.
OUTLOOK FOR THE YEAR
Visibility as to the trend of the automotive market in 2024 remains limited due to uncertainty linked to the evolution of the macroeconomic and geopolitical scenarios. S&P Global (IHS) expects that after the growth reported in 2023 world car production will remain stable, with Europe declining by 2.6%, marginal growth in China and India and overall stability in the other geographical areas.
As far as commodity and energy prices are concerned, the early months of 2024 have confirmed a certain stability, already seen in the second half of 2023, but prices remain exposed to the risk of higher volatility caused by geopolitical tensions. The pressure of inflation on labour costs also remains a source of tension in certain geographical areas. In this scenario the Group is constantly monitoring performance in the various geographical areas and seeking fair agreements with all of its customers with regard to selling prices.
In the absence of any factors causing the macroeconomic scenario to deteriorate compared to today and assuming that the Filtration division will be deconsolidated in line with what has already been disclosed, for 2024 it is expected that for the divisions that continue to operate (Suspensions and Air and Cooling) there will be low single-digit revenue growth, higher than that forecast for the automotive market, with operating profitability, excluding non-recurring charges, showing an improvement on that reported for the year 2023 and a positive net result.
