AB SKF (publ) (SKFRY) Q1 2024 Earnings Name Transcript

AB SKF (publ) (OTCPK:SKFRY) Q1 2024 Earnings Convention Name April 26, 2024 2:00 AM ET

Firm Contributors

Sophie Arnius – Head of Investor Relations
Rickard Gustafson – President & CEO
Niclas Rosenlew – CFO

Convention Name Contributors

Andrew Wilson – JPMorgan
Daniela Costa – Goldman Sachs
Max Yates – Morgan Stanley
Mattias Holmberg – DNB Markets
Rory Smith – UBS
Anders Roslund – Pareto Securities
Klas Bergelind – Citi
Andreas Koski – Exane BNP Paribas

Sophie Arnius

A heat welcome to SKF Q1 2024 Earnings Name. For these of you who I haven’t had the chance to fulfill with but, my identify is Sophie Arnius and I joined SKF finish of February as Head of Investor Relations.

For right this moment’s occasion, our CEO, Rickard Gustafson and CFO, Niclas Rosenlew will take us by means of the highlights of the quarter, the place the continued transformation of SKF is exhibiting in a extra resilient and aggressive firm and naturally, there might be alternatives to ask questions after their shows and there are two methods to do this. [Operator instructions]

So with out additional ado, it is our nice pleasure handy over to you, Rickard.

Rickard Gustafson

Nicely, thanks very a lot, Sophie and heat welcome to the group and good morning, everybody and thanks for becoming a member of us for this report out. This quarter marked one other step in direction of a extra resilient and aggressive SKF. Key to our competitiveness and long-term success are our innovation spirit and software engineering capabilities. That is one thing that can come again to later on this presentation.

However first, let’s concentrate on our first quarter numbers and I’m very happy to report yet one more resilient efficiency. Internet gross sales got here in at SEK25 billion and we delivered a powerful adjusted working margin of 13.4%, which was considerably forward of Q1 final 12 months. The margin enchancment, clearly demonstrates our improved resilience provided that natural progress shifted from plus 10% in Q1 final 12 months to detrimental 7% this 12 months.

It is a results of each our ongoing strategic transformation initiatives in addition to from extra tax collectivises to handle the enterprise cycle. Key tax actions consists of decentralized accountability for pricing, portfolio pruning and value administration. In parallel, we proceed to execute in our technique, together with investments in regionalization and in constructing aggressive worth chains, this to make sure that we’re able to rapidly ramp up manufacturing as soon as demand bounces again. And when that occurs, we’re effectively positioned to seize worthwhile progress alternatives. All in all, I’m happy with our robust quarter efficiency in a more difficult financial setting.

On the subject of our geographical areas, natural progress in India and Southeast Asia was barely constructive, pushed by robust efficiency in heavy industries and light-weight automobiles. In Europe, Center East and Africa, most industries noticed detrimental progress, whereas two key segments, aerospace and railway, contributed positively. Americas was impacted by a mixture of OEM destocking and us actively exiting low-performing companies.

Right here we see a possible to broaden our buyer base and trade publicity and it is a prime precedence for our new management within the area and it is truly nice to now have Manish Bhatnagar in place to develop our American enterprise additional.

China and Northeast Asia had a combined growth, with wind sharply down, a continuation of what now we have seen in prior quarters, whereas different industries developed extra favourably, truly being ultimately 12 months’s degree and even above. So let’s take a deeper look into China, which is an efficient instance of our potential to create aggressive and clever worth chains.

As you’ll be able to see on this slide, our localization fee in China has elevated by 10 share factors since 2021 and this has allowed us to swiftly alter the quantity outputs and enhance our flexibility to raised reply to modifications in buyer demand. Our native worth chain additionally permits swifter assortment optimization. For instance, we are actually refocusing on heavy industries to offset the weaker wind gross sales growth in China. We’re additionally focusing on progress alternatives supporting inexperienced industries, equivalent to battery tools producers and vacuum pumps for semiconductor industries.

Transferring on to our industrial automotive enterprise segments; once more, I’m completely satisfied to report that our sturdy industrial enterprise, representing greater than 70% of web gross sales, continued to carry out effectively within the quarter. As you’ll be able to see, we managed to take care of a powerful adjusted working margin above 16% regardless of the protected decline of some 7%. Once more, that is defined by our energetic and ongoing concentrate on enterprise cycle administration, together with robust value combine growth. The adjusted working margin for automotive enterprise improved 6% and this demonstrates our progress in direction of 8% annual goal in 2025 from the continued portfolio repositioning.

Now, turning to our strategic execution; we proceed to diligently work on implementing and execute on our technique, growing our effectivity and decreasing fastened prices. Key focus areas in 2024 are firstly, additional optimization of our provide chain and footprint, driving regionalization, manufacturing excellence and footprint consolidation.

Secondly, managing and restructuring our portfolio, energetic pruning and pricing, assortment simplification and new product introduction for worthwhile progress and thirdly, gearing up for clever and clear progress, driving decarbonization and circularity.

A standard theme throughout these priorities is innovation and let me share a few thrilling examples on this. We’re a world chief inside railway. That is an trade that represents 5% of our gross sales and now we have been outgrowing the market lately. Right here we always drive innovation in shut cooperation with our clients for enhanced fleet effectivity and reliability.

Excessive pace is a vital and demanding phase inside railway, the place we stated bearings are crucial. For instance, for this phase, we just lately developed new ceramic bearings for railway drives, delivering elevated reliability and decrease upkeep prices. Prospects additionally worth our situation monitoring presents as they permit extra effectivity and reliability. Right here, we just lately launched new monitoring capabilities for gearboxes.

Turning to a different instance, capitalizing on the rising demand for sustainable options; to gear up for clever and clear progress, investments in decarbonization, excessive pace rotation and low friction services and products are key. We now have developed a bearing tailor-made for the robotics trade with decreased CO2 manufacturing footprint of 70%. That is equal to 130 tons of emission financial savings per 12 months.

Trying on the finish buyer software, this bearing additionally enabled an extra CO2 discount of some 20%. So sustainability is a extremely core factor of our technique. Subsequently, I’m very completely satisfied that I acquired prime sustainability rankings, each from EcoVadis and from CDP. This demonstrates that we’re making progress in our sustainability efforts and that we’re strengthening our place as a sustainability chief.

However earlier than I hand over to Niclas, let me put our journey in a broader perspective. We’re remodeling SKF right into a extra resilient and aggressive firm and as you’ll be able to see, we are actually delivering a constant margin efficiency, no matter demand fluctuations. Our decentralized accountability has been key to extend agility and to speed up execution of our technique. Primarily based on this, I’m satisfied that we’re effectively positioned to seize worthwhile progress when market situations enhance.

So on this constructive be aware, I’ll now hand over to Niclas to elucidate our Q1 efficiency in additional element. So Niclas, over to you.

Niclas Rosenlew

Thanks, Rickard and good morning, everybody. As Rickard talked about, we’re happy with the progress we’re making and the monetary efficiency in Q1, the place we improved margins regardless of declining gross sales. On the be aware of gross sales, the mushy market situations that we skilled within the second half of 2023 continued, as you’ll be able to see, additionally in Q1. Gross sales amounted to SEK24.7 billion, and that is down from SEK26.5 billion a 12 months in the past. 12 months-on-year volumes continued to say no, and this was partially offset by continued good value combine execution.

In comparison with final 12 months, very a lot as Rickard talked about, gross sales declined organically by 7%, and we had nearly no influence on gross sales from FX or from M&A. Whereas after all 7% is a big decline, it is price noting that we had a big variation in gross sales efficiency between totally different industries. So for example, wind declining sharply, whereas alternatively, aerospace and rail rising.

Transferring on to profitability, we delivered an adjusted working revenue of SEK3.3 billion within the first quarter. The adjusted working margin was 13.4% in comparison with 13.1% final 12 months, and it is a robust efficiency, not least contemplating the gross sales decline, should say that the groups have performed an incredible job managing the enterprise on this softer demand setting.

The advance, very a lot as Rickard commented on, is defined by our efforts to regulate our price base to decrease volumes, a continued constructive impact from value combine, after which our work to enhance or exit low margin companies. If we check out the bridge step-by-step, we will see that the web impact from forex was a detrimental SEK300 million, and that is primarily associated to our comparatively excessive price base in Euro nations.

The gross sales decline had a detrimental influence of SEK430 million and this was pushed by decrease gross sales and manufacturing volumes, partly offset by continued strong value combine. Whole prices declined by SEK550 million, the place supplies and power contributed positively, logistics was barely constructive, whereas then personnel prices impacted barely negatively. On the be aware of personnel prices, we had a wage inflation, which continued at a comparatively excessive degree. Then again, we had a constructive influence from the effectivity program that was concluded in final 12 months. So all in all, the groups did a great job managing the profitability by taking down prices, proceed to work with pricing, and handle the portfolio.

Transferring on to money circulate, money circulate from operations got here in at SEK1.8 billion, which we see as a fairly regular degree for a primary quarter. As you’ll be able to see on the graph to the left, money circulate was down versus Q1 final 12 months, however we have to needless to say final 12 months we had a unusually excessive or robust money circulate for the primary quarter. This 12 months, we noticed a typical seasonal sample as receivables and stock typically improve within the first half of the 12 months, whereas it is then the alternative within the second half. So I’m very happy that now we have made good progress during the last 12 months, taking down inventories, even when inventories are nonetheless too excessive and the work continues to take them down.

Taking a look at total networking capital as a share of gross sales, it went down from 32% to really over 32% final 12 months to only under 31% this 12 months and 30% to 31% is a fairly regular degree trying again in time, however we do see potential to scale back it even additional. And on that be aware, our long term networking capital to gross sales goal is 25% and to have the ability to attain this degree, we have to proceed with our regionalization efforts and likewise extra working capital actions. So all in all, it was a strong money circulate within the quarter, and we are going to proceed to work throughout all companies to additional enhance it or enhance the networking capital with a particular concentrate on inventories.

Transferring on to our stability sheet, continues to be robust and our liquidity to be strong. Internet monetary debt amounted to SEK7.8 billion and that is, as you’ll be able to see, a big discount in comparison with final 12 months and roughly on par with This fall final 12 months. Nonetheless, be aware that final 12 months we paid a dividend of some SEK3 billion or so in Q1, whereas this 12 months we paid the dividend in early April, so in Q2.

On the subject of return on capital employed, now we have seen a constructive development with an improved return on capital during the last 12 months. The 12-months rolling return on capital employed was 15.1%, pushed by strong earnings in comparison with 13% final 12 months.

Lastly, earlier than handing again to Rickard, turning to our outlook; outlook within the second quarter of 2024, we anticipate a mid-single-digit natural gross sales decline year-over-year and for the total 12 months 2024, we preserve a low single-digit natural gross sales decline outlook and this once more in comparison with 2023.

And with that, I hand again to you, Rickard.

Rickard Gustafson

Nice, thanks, Niclas. I’m happy to conclude that our first quarter efficiency marked one other step in direction of a extra resilient and aggressive SKF. All in all, we delivered a powerful efficiency with an improved adjusted working margin year-over-year. We proceed to execute on our ongoing strategic initiatives with a concentrate on optimizing our provide chain, together with regionalization of our manufacturing footprint, managing and restructuring our portfolio, for instance, product growth to seize progress in focused industries, and gearing up for clever and clear management, capitalizing on the continued sustainability transformation.

So with this, I thanks sincerely to your consideration and I now will hand you again to the protected fingers of Sophie.

Query-and-Reply Session

A – Sophie Arnius

Thanks, Rickard. We are going to now open up for questions and let me remind you on the way to ask a query. [Operator instructions] So let’s begin with the primary query and it is from the phone line and it’s from Andy Wilson at JPMorgan. Andy, please go forward.

Andrew Wilson

Hello, good morning, everybody. Thanks for taking my query. I’ve bought two, if that is okay, one quick time period, one long term. I am going to begin with the quick time period one. I simply wished to try to perceive or higher perceive the influence that you just’re seeing by way of the China wind enterprise as a result of I believe we have seen this for a lot of quarters and apologies if I ought to know this, however when will that kind of fairly brutal by the appears of it, year-on-year headwind type of drop out of the bottom i.e., when does that China comp begin to be slightly bit extra comparable, since you clearly level to a number of the China companies truly rising year-on-year. So simply to try to perceive that, please.

Sophie Arnius

Rickard, do you need to take this one?

Rickard Gustafson

Be completely satisfied to. You are proper. We now have for now a lot of quarters in a row skilled a reasonably detrimental gross sales growth in wind in China. We’re speaking important numbers. We’re speaking detrimental 50% or there or thereabout and we do not actually see when that is going to vary and when this can finish, however now into the third quarter with this growth, but when we enable ourselves to exclude wind for some time, the opposite industries in China have a extra — a really totally different growth the place we principally would have a small constructive natural progress if we exclude wind from our numbers in China.

Clearly, as I’ve tried to say within the convention name, we’re taking actions and we’re redirecting our efforts to different progress alternatives and heavy industries to compensate for this after which after all we’re persevering with to work inside wind. We nonetheless have a wind enterprise and we’re able to ramp it up as soon as demand comes again, however proper now, quick time period, we do not see any change to this.

Sophie Arnius

And Niklas, sure.

Niclas Rosenlew

Simply so as to add to your query, the technical a part of it, the sharp drop began in Q3. So from Q3 onwards, assuming every thing else equal, we’re out of this year-on-year impact.

Sophie Arnius

And also you had one other query additionally for us.

Andrew Wilson

Sure, please. Yeah, I wished to ask on the strategic aims, I believe it was the priorities for 2024. However on the second, the handle and restructure our portfolio, I used to be simply hoping you would type of give us, I suppose slightly bit extra colour by way of how large ranging that’s, type of what’s on the agenda there. Is it one thing just like what we noticed with the aerospace companies by way of strategic evaluation? I admire it is likely to be troublesome to offer specifics, however just a bit bit extra colour round type of the scope and the considering round that may be attention-grabbing as a result of I believe that is a extremely attention-grabbing growth.

Sophie Arnius

Niclas, do you need to begin with this one?

Niclas Rosenlew

Certain, certain. No, you are proper. And we’re trying into this relating to portfolio, each from a strategic and a tactical viewpoint. What we did inside aerospace was extra within the bucket of strategic actions and the reply is sure, we’re additionally trying into different alternatives and perhaps reshaping the stability of our portfolio transferring ahead.

I’ve nothing to report right this moment, however you’ll be able to relaxation guarantee that that’s work that’s ongoing and I hope that in not too distant future, we will share some particulars on what considering and the way we see how we’ll evolve our portfolio in sure segments.

On the tactical aspect, there’s extra an ongoing energetic exercise and this is without doubt one of the key the reason why now we have been ready additionally to uphold our margins in low quantity setting. The groups are literally engaged on pricing and pruning, as we have mentioned in a lot of occasions, but additionally driving business excellence, extra pricing rigor. We’re trying into assortment simplification, which is reasonably huge in our portfolio. That additionally holds loads of simplification alternatives in that regard. Nevertheless it’s additionally ahead leaning and ahead trying the place we tie our innovation into new progressive merchandise and options that may allow us to develop in our focused segments. So now we have a broad type of view on the portfolio administration, each strategic and tactical.

Andrew Wilson

Thanks very a lot, that was actually useful.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks, Andy and we are going to proceed with a query from the webcast right here and it is from Daniela Costa at Goldman Sachs.

Daniela Costa

And it is about India right here. Why is India not rising a lot for SKF, given the local weather right here in our industrials domestically for many industrial firms? And Rickard, do you need to take this one?

Rickard Gustafson

Yeah, we’re rising, hello Daniela, by the way in which. Sure, we’re rising, as you noticed, despite the fact that reasonably modest as for the India and Southeast Asia area. We do not get away the nations in isolation, however we do see a maintained robust demand. We now have huge expectations and hope for India long term, given that there’s a robust financial growth in that area, but additionally our portfolio in India right this moment is considerably extra tilted in direction of automotive than industrial. In order that’s perhaps why, they actually does not join together with your numbers that you just sit with. However clearly one agenda of the group and likewise that is with the brand new chief Mukund [ph] can be to broaden our publicity to industrial verticals in India and we see important alternatives there for worthwhile progress.

Daniela Costa

Thanks, Rickard. Let’s transfer on to our phone line right here and Max Yates at Morgan Stanley. Please go forward.

Max Yates

Thanks very a lot. Might I simply begin on the selectivity that you’ve got talked about and notably within the Americas? Truly, are you aware what, I might change that. I’ll ask one thing else. Might I simply ask in regards to the natural progress type of cadence within the years? So you have clearly talked about minus seven, type of we have simply performed minus 5 in down mid-single digit.

What’s it that you just take a look at that offers you the arrogance that to get to that type of low single digit, we will be type of flat and even barely constructive by the top 12 months? Is it kind of conversations together with your clients? Is it China wind dropping out? Simply should you might give some framing, as a result of clearly that is going to be fairly a big enchancment within the second half and greater than what we’re seeing type of quarter-on-quarter in Q2.

Rickard Gustafson

Proper, I believe there are two issues. Firstly, if we glance into the intelligence that we collect and likewise despite the fact that we do not information in our order e-book, however I am unable to say that issues have modified or the tide has turned, however we do see indicators of that issues are flattening out. In order that’s type of one reply to it, why we consider that the second half might be higher from a requirement viewpoint than the primary half.

However then it is also arithmetic. We’re reaching the tail as we go into Q3 and This fall when final 12 months once we begin to see the detrimental quantity drops or the softer demand and naturally, the comparability might be considerably simpler as we come into Q2, sorry, Q3 and This fall this 12 months. So I type of some indicators of flattening it out. I do not dare to foretell when it’s going to flip, however clearly some indicators that it is encouraging after which arithmetic, I suppose, is the reply to your query.

Max Yates

Okay, after which perhaps only a kind of long term observe up. If we take a look at your kind of gross sales, they’re round type of perhaps SEK100 billion this 12 months, you have bought a 14% margin goal. So type of SEK14 billion of EBIT. I suppose what I am curious is, we have had loads of transferring components round type of money circulate within the final couple of years, type of provide chains now transferring type of down inventories. Do you bear in mind a type of sustainable free money circulate quantity type of on these SEK100 billion sec of gross sales that you just suppose is achievable for the enterprise in a extra normalized setting once we’re doing 14% margins? Thanks.

Sophie Arnius

Niclas, it is a query for you.

Niclas Rosenlew

Thanks. Nicely, will not provide you with a precise quantity. After all, that is one thing the place now we have a transparent view on the place we wish it to be and should be and once more, it’s kind of again to what we have stated earlier than, 14% margin, that is a tough coded goal and there now we have line of sight, the way to get there in not too distant of a future with out saying a precise date or 12 months. It is a long run goal.

After which on the networking capital aspect, we do have a long run goal of this 25% of gross sales and now being at this 30%, 31%, there’s fairly a solution to go nonetheless to 25%, however it’s going to take time, that is fairly clear, however hopefully that offers you an concept of what the money circulate potential could possibly be of the corporate long run.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks. We are going to proceed with a query right here from the webcast and it’s from Mattias Holmberg, DNB Markets. And in addition a monetary contact to this one.

Mattias Holmberg

What drove the stock improve quarter-on-quarter and have you ever had a set price over absorption impact boosting the margin within the quarter? Niclas.

Niclas Rosenlew

So stock, as you noticed within the massive, greater scale of issues, stock was fairly flat within the quarter, barely up, that is appropriate, Mattias and this was primarily a valuation subject. So what drove that small uptick was valuation pushed whereas the true type of quantity of stuff was just about flat. After which on this underneath over-absorption, we had a detrimental impact from absorption, roughly SEK400 [ph].

Sophie Arnius

And persevering with on that theme relating to inventories, however extra throughout the worth chain, and it is a query from Daniela Costa at Goldman Sachs. So Niclas, inventories throughout the worth chain, any feedback to that?

Niclas Rosenlew

No, I believe just about the identical as we have seen earlier than and mentioned earlier than. So if we take into consideration our buyer go-to-market, we do not see — we see distribution stock ranges being fairly regular after which on the OEM aspect, there are pockets of destocking. As we talked about, within the US it continues and most definitely elsewhere as effectively. And, we see it on ourselves in addition to we stated, we nonetheless suppose now we have to considerably too excessive stock ranges, even when we have taken down inventories so much within the final 12 months, we nonetheless have some solution to go throughout this 12 months and it is for certain related for a few of our clients as effectively.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks, thanks Niclas and let’s transfer on to the phone line right here and now we have a query from Rory Smith at UBS. Rory, please go forward.

Rory Smith

Good morning, it is Rory at UBS. Thanks for taking my questions. I’ve bought two if I could. Simply on the close to time period value combine, clearly within the quarter, you have referred to as out excessive pace rail, aerospace, very robust wind, very weak. Is that the primary — is that blend the primary driver? Or clearly that’s the most important driver of value combine within the quarter, however how would you anticipate value combine to develop by means of the 12 months? Simply fascinated by comps for wind in China coming again in within the second half, ought to we anticipate a kind of moderately regular enchancment? Or do you suppose there are some transferring items to consider? I suppose it is extra of a qualitative query than a quantitative one, however simply fascinated by value combine by means of the stability of the 12 months, that is the primary query, thanks.

Sophie Arnius

Niclas, you need to help Rory right here.

Niclas Rosenlew

Certain, Rory. So yeah, we have had a great run with value combine over the previous few quarters and so it was in Q1. On the pricing aspect, which I suppose is not precisely your query, however anyway, on the pricing aspect of value combine, we proceed — primarily proceed selectively to extend costs, proceed to work with value-based pricing and as Rickard simply talked about, it is a — it is a huge theme of the advance work as effectively to do higher pricing, extra value-based pricing, seize the worth now we have or present to our clients and that work will proceed.

Then relating to combine, it is extra, if value is a bit simpler to foretell what we’re going to do, combine is after all a bit more durable to foretell precisely as you stated. So which trade strikes up, which strikes down over the subsequent 12 months or so, however one other theme that we proceed to work on as a part of portfolio administration.

Rory Smith

That is very useful. Thanks and apologies for the badly worded query. That was precisely what I used to be in search of there and second query from me, please. Second query from me, only a kind of a long term or a much bigger image query on China; you drew out the localization fee growing over the previous few years. Is there an higher sure to that quantity? Let’s not assume a 100%, however can it go a lot larger and if it may well’t go very a lot larger, what are the kind of imported gross sales in China that you just’d should maintain doing there? Is {that a} market or a product that may drive that? Thanks.

Sophie Arnius

Rickard, please.

Rickard Gustafson

Yeah, let me first attempt to put this in a broader perspective. Sure, we’re on a journey attempting to drive regionalization to the extent potential with a purpose to create extra resilience and really safeguard our enterprise for disturbances in international provide chains and China right here, as we talked about, now we have come a reasonably great distance. I believe there’s nonetheless a bit extra to do. We are going to by no means get to your level. You are completely proper. It is going to by no means be a 100%, however perhaps creep up slightly bit additional, type of a 75-ish, 80-ish share, one thing like that. It isn’t a set quantity as such, however perhaps one thing at the very least offers you a reference level.

And by way of the way to get there, I believe that over the previous few years, now we have performed some reasonably important investments in China. I believe now we have the capability now in place to begin to ramp that up in section with how demand develops to get to such a degree. So I do not see that we want proceed huge investments to get to the place we need to be in China. I believe the inspiration is in place. It is all about how rapidly we are going to then ramp it up and to help the market demand because it evolves.

By way of product assortment, I will not go into these particulars, however clearly, there are some type of — some a part of our assortment the place you’ve gotten reasonably low volumes on an annual foundation and it makes no economical sense to unfold that internationally. You in all probability must have a centralized operations for economies and scapes and so forth. However for almost all of our assortment and the excessive quantity merchandise, our purpose is to regionalize them to the extent potential.

Sophie Arnius

And the subsequent query, thanks, Rory. We now have the subsequent query right here from Anders Roslund at Pareto, Anders, please go forward.

Anders Roslund

Yeah, very quick one. What did you say in regards to the combine, the detrimental impact of under-absorption? I did not actually perceive. Did you say that it was minus SEK400 million or did I misunderstood it?

Sophie Arnius

So Niclas, do you need to make clear right here?

Niclas Rosenlew

Yeah. So on the EBIT, the impact of decrease volumes by way of under-absorption, SEK400 detrimental.

Anders Roslund

Yeah, that is far greater degree than beforehand. So yeah, okay.

Niclas Rosenlew

Yeah, however as you understand, 7% gross sales down and glued prices and we’ve not had detrimental 7% within the prior quarters.

Anders Roslund

Yeah, however meaning that you’ve got taken down manufacturing. The under-absorption ought to come from that you’ve got decrease manufacturing than gross sales.

Niclas Rosenlew

We will perhaps higher to take that offline as it is a comparatively technical dialogue.

Anders Roslund

Okay, thanks. That is all for me.

Sophie Arnius

And it is kind of say not the impact of stock change is extra in regards to the decrease manufacturing ranges right here. However Anders, if in case you have additional questions, please give us a name right here. We are going to proceed with questions right here from the cellphone line. And it is Max Yates at Morgan Stanley that’s subsequent up right here. So Max, please go forward.

Max Yates

Thanks. Might you simply give us the year-over-year value influence within the quarter? So you probably did minus seven natural. What was the contribution of value within the quarter?

Niclas Rosenlew

The value combine in complete was constructive. As I stated, we can’t give a precise quantity. We’re effectively conscious we gave it beforehand, but it surely was a distinct setting. So now we stick to cost combine being constructive and value inside that value combine, as I discussed, additionally being constructive.

Max Yates

Okay, perhaps simply kind of qualitatively, did you continue to put up costs in Q1 versus kind of This fall? Are you continue to placing by means of value rises?

Niclas Rosenlew

Sure, sure. So very a lot as mentioned earlier than, we proceed to work with pricing, that means we proceed to extend costs. After all, there is likely to be an exception someplace, however the normal route is growing costs and as I discussed earlier right here, it is a key theme additionally going ahead to work with pricing and likewise improve costs.

Max Yates

Okay, and perhaps simply kind of one other fast observe up. Simply once we take into consideration, I’ve seen in different firms that we take a look at, there was clearly fairly a considerable type of working day influence this quarter, notably in March. Might you perhaps simply speak by means of simply by way of kind of sequential growth when you consider type of Europe and the Americas? Did you actually see type of if you look within the enterprise, speak to your individuals, any actual basic change sequentially, as a result of clearly once we take a look at these year-over-year progress charges, I do know it may be skewed by working days and issues like that. How would you kind of characterize a sequential growth in Europe and the Americas?

Sophie Arnius

Yeah, do you need to take this?

Rickard Gustafson

Nicely, on very excessive degree, after all, precisely as you stated, there was some influence of Easter within the quarter. 12 months-over-year, the variety of days wasn’t that totally different. You would see it clearly within the March efficiency, however we do not publish the March in itself. So some influence and small a part of the rationale for detrimental seven being defined by this year-over-year, however nothing too huge.

Max Yates

Okay, might I simply squeeze in yet one more, Rickard, sorry, in your portfolio feedback. Once you talked about kind of nothing to report, I simply need to actually perceive sort of what’s within the scope of your consideration and I suppose type of very bluntly, what I might wish to ask is the automotive division as an entirety, you talked about getting this to kind of 8% margins, you have performed a really wholesome type of 6% margin. Would you say that inside the scope of your type of considering, your evaluation, you are taking a look at not simply pruning, but additionally the type of wider, I suppose, sense of getting these two divisions collectively?

Rickard Gustafson

Proper, I could disappoint you on my reply and the extent of depth in my reply, but when I am going again to automotive, however typically, as I stated, I am not going to pinpoint any explicit space and my message was that, sure, we’re trying into totally different components of our portfolio to see are there potential strategic strikes that we must always do to perhaps shift one thing out and exchange that with one thing else. So that’s the work that’s always ongoing. And as soon as now we have one thing thrilling to report, you may be the primary to know, or the market would be the first to know, after all.

Relating to on automotive, as I stated earlier than, we’re working laborious to create an autonomous automotive enterprise inside SKF. Automotive could be very entangled and built-in in the way in which we function. We share factories, we share R&D, we share AIP, we share to some extent, business sources. In order that work is ongoing.

We now have no resolution to separate these entities. So automotive is an built-in and important a part of our enterprise, however we’re engaged on how can we create a extra autonomous automotive division to create what I stated a number of years in the past, what I name strategic flexibility. You by no means know what the long run will entail and it is at all times good to have choices to maneuver and perhaps we’ll have a distinct reply tomorrow, however right this moment that is the reply you are going to get.

Max Yates

Okay, that is very useful. Thanks, Rickard.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks, Max. And we transfer on to the subsequent query and it comes from the road of Klas Bergelind at Citi. Please go forward.

Klas Bergelind

Thanks, Sophie. Klas at Citi. So I used to be late on the decision, an excessive amount of happening. You might need answered a few of this, however I simply need to come again to the manufacturing influence and sorry to label the purpose, Niclas. I checked in with IR this morning in regards to the pure influence from manufacturing stock in regards to the detrimental SEK400 million. That nonetheless, appears to be linked to the decrease utilization, the quantity impact, not the absorption from manufacturing, the fee absorption accounting.

So take a look at the stock. It appears such as you had been constructing stock and greater than final 12 months. That in itself ought to increase EBIT. Did the stock increase EBIT? That was my query, actually. I am sorry if I wasn’t clear earlier than with IR. Apologies. Thanks.

Niclas Rosenlew

No, no. Sorry, I in all probability…

Sophie Arnius

Please make clear now.

Niclas Rosenlew

Sure, thanks. Sorry, I in all probability have not been clear sufficient. And if there are additional discussions on this subject, please let’s take it offline, however I am going to make an try. So we had much less gross sales. We had decrease volumes year-over-year in Q1. And naturally that led to an underneath absorption as we had fastened prices and fewer exercise and that is the SEK400 million I referred to in EBIT influence.

Then relating to inventories, this 12 months on Q1, we truly, as you’ll be able to see in our accounts, it elevated barely, however once more, very barely contemplating the bottom quantity and that slight improve was largely associated to valuation of stock reasonably than, growing the type of laborious stuff on the cabinets. So with out that valuation influence, just about the identical degree.

Klas Bergelind

Thanks. No, that is a lot clearer. Thanks for that. So I’ve yet one more. My second one is on the fee factor of the SEK550 billion within the bridge. Niclas, are you able to please verify that this was largely the elements power enhancing reasonably that you’re forward on world-class manufacturing or that, we all know that OpEx is already run ranking SEK2 billion, proper? In order that should not are available in larger, however on the world-class manufacturing, was that better than you thought, or is it monitoring broadly in line? Thanks.

Niclas Rosenlew

No, I might say — precisely as you say, monitoring — world-class manufacturing, monitoring broadly according to plans and precisely as you stated, we had a tailwind from element supplies. In order that was on a decrease degree than final 12 months, the fee. Similar goes for power, though it is a a lot smaller class. So it does not matter that a lot after which additionally on logistics, barely constructive excessive, low price in comparison with final 12 months.

Then alternatively, personnel prices, which is the second largest type of price bucket. We had a slight detrimental, so barely larger price than final 12 months and inside that personnel prices, we had wage inflation pushing prices up, however then the effectivity program that we concluded in December final 12 months, serving to issues. So taking prices down relating to personnel prices.

Klas Bergelind

Thanks. My third and really fast closing one is round value combine and I completely get it. You are not going to offer the precise quantity now. I admire that. I am simply going to ask about from a seasonality viewpoint, once we take a look at USPPI, bearing state, etcetera, it appears to be enhancing originally of the 12 months. Sure, principally very excessive degree. Do now we have some kind of seasonality influence or that you just sometimes get slightly bit higher pricing begin of the 12 months than finish of the 12 months? That is my solely query on that. And apologies, yeah, that is annoying.

Sophie Arnius

Do you need to proceed right here?

Niclas Rosenlew

And the quick reply class is not any. So no explicit seasonality in pricing. That is extra of a relentless job we do over the 12 months and over years.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks. And if, let me simply remind you on the way to ask a query. [Operator instructions] We are going to proceed with a query right here from the cellphone line and it comes from Andreas Koski at BNP Paribas. Andreas, please go forward.

Andreas Koski

Thanks and good morning. I hope you’ll be able to hear me. I need to ask in regards to the natural progress within the quarter. It was minus 7%, fairly important step down from the minus 2% within the fourth quarter. And I additionally perceive that you just will not give us a precise value combine element, however would you say that the delta from the minus 2% to the minus 7% is especially defined by a lower cost combine element and that the volumes within the quarter was nonetheless down solely single digit numbers? Thanks.

Sophie Arnius

Let’s, Niclas, do you need to attempt to kind this out?

Niclas Rosenlew

Yeah. There’s alternative ways to attempt to get to cost combine, however no, we had, and once more, now I confer with year-over-year. So minus 7%, now in Q1, as you stated, a smaller minus quantity in This fall and we had from a quantity perspective, extra detrimental influence in Q1. So that means that it wasn’t solely value combine that skewed the numbers in itself.

Andreas Koski

Okay. So volumes had been down, say round 5 single digit and even low groups within the quarter, it seems like.

Rickard Gustafson

We can’t, no, we can’t give the precise quantity, however you get the tough concept. So constructive value combine, minus 7% in natural.

Andreas Koski

Understood. After which the second query is in your — that very same manufacturing footprint applications, all of the restructuring you’re doing. We had one other restructuring price of round SEK200 million second this quarter. I believe over the previous 4 years, restructuring prices have averaged round or greater than SEK200 million 1 / 4, akin to round 10% of your adjusted EBIT. Possibly should you can simply — what are you spending all these cash on? Is that shedding individuals or closing down factories or what are all these restructuring prices going to and the way lengthy will these restructuring prices proceed? Thanks.

Rickard Gustafson

Proper. I’ll give it a strive. If we begin by trying into this quarter, it is primarily associated to the continued transformation that now we have embarked upon. Please recall that now we have introduced that we’re about to shut down our factories in Luton within the UK. We now have introduced that we’re closing down a manufacturing facility in South Korea. We now have introduced that we’re restructuring a few of our actions in Germany, in Schweinfurt. Clearly that is nearly all of the one offs that you just see on this quarter and that pertains to prices for, sadly decreased headcount and different prices by way of remodeling, transferring tools and so forth.

In order that’s the bulk. And that has been the case additionally in the previous few years and now we have set that we’re on a journey for the type of world-class manufacturing program that was referred to earlier than that we are saying, consider it is pretty on observe and that is because of be accomplished someday throughout 2025. So by means of that interval, I believe it is best to anticipate us to proceed at this degree.

Andreas Koski

Understood. After which lastly, perhaps on the America’s natural decline of round 10%, do you see that distributors are nonetheless doing loads of destocking or is that coming to an finish, you suppose? Thanks.

Rickard Gustafson

I am truly reasonably happy to report relating to destocking, that has primarily been seen in our OEM a part of the enterprise and never a lot on distribution and that’s additionally the case on this quarter. So, and that is a constructive for us.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks, Andreas. And we proceed with a query from Daniel Kinliff [ph] at Bernstein. Daniel, please go forward.

UnidentifiedAnalyst

Hiya, thanks for the query. Simply actually a observe up on these one-off prices, which we perceive they’re restructuring. Simply need to take a look at the impairment prices. I believe it is slightly below SEK100 million or so. Might you simply give us a color of the place we must always take into consideration that going ahead, as a result of if I take a look at the impairment one-off prices for the final 10 years, I believe these one-off prices common about SEK250 million a 12 months. So clearly SEK100 million for this quarter would appear on the larger finish of that. So simply give us a flavour of these, simply given the one-off prices as the upper finish of the 10-year common, what ought to we take into consideration that? And any color can be actually useful for the rest of the 12 months on the impairment prices.

Sophie Arnius

Niclas, I believe it is a CFO query.

Niclas Rosenlew

Certain about that. However anyway, relating to, if we discuss one-off or IAC in complete, for us, as Ric had talked about, it largely pertains to the manufacturing transformation. And with some exceptions, and for example, final 12 months, as you understand, we had this, name it white-collar discount programme, effectivity programme. So then it was extra broad than simply manufacturing, however trying over time, it is largely associated to manufacturing. And Ric had talked about a few of these initiatives in South Korea, Busan, in Luton, UK, the place we shut down manufacturing after which ramp it up elsewhere. And inside IAC, what you see most frequently, for example, within the quarterly numbers, is headcount associated, so redundancy prices.

UnidentifiedAnalyst

So ought to we assume that the run fee for the remainder of the 12 months might be on the higher finish of the five-year or 10-year common restructuring price?

Rickard Gustafson

Sure. Simply kind of a view on. Yeah, so simply to offer you some sense and an concept, final 12 months we had unusually excessive due to the programme. So this 12 months, most definitely, or will probably be lower than that, however then once more, it very a lot is determined by the timing of, for example, greater restructuring. Does it fall into This fall, Q1? However anyway, simply to offer you an concept, lower than final 12 months.

UnidentifiedAnalyst

Lower than final 12 months. Okay, good. Thanks very a lot.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks, Daniel. And now we have time for one closing query and it’s a follow-up then from Andy Wilson at JPMorgan. Please, Andy.

Andrew Wilson

Hello, thanks a lot for squeezing me in. I’ve bought two, hopefully they’re each very fast. Simply on the fee growth that you just outlined for Q1, would you anticipate an analogous image by way of the Q2? I admire, clearly, that may change, however by way of the visibility you’ve gotten on financial savings coming by means of and I suppose the visibility on the place your price traces are type of operating, ought to we anticipate an analogous image in Q2? And I suppose secondly, and apologies if that is both too technical or I’ve misunderstood, however is there any EBIT influence from the revaluation of the stock within the Q1?

Sophie Arnius

I believe, Niclas, it is your identify on these two questions.

Niclas Rosenlew

Okay, thanks. Thanks, Andy. So on the second, no, and we will look into that offline if wanted. On the primary one, no, we do not give margin steerage on Q2 specifically, however extra broadly talking, once we take into consideration our price classes, price elements, supplies has been step by step coming down. Vitality is a little more uneven after which logistics additionally as a result of every thing occurring on the planet, a bit extra unpredictable, however perhaps directionally every thing else equal, type of see some continuation of the previous patterns.

Then personnel prices is there now we have some seasonality the place 01 of April new salaries kick in in some European nations, for example, the place now we have comparatively massive variety of individuals. So in that sense, there is a step up from an inflation perspective. Then again, then the effectivity program that we referred to ought to after all proceed to indicate impact. So it’s kind of of a combined image.

Andrew Wilson

Thanks, Niclas, very useful as at all times, admire it.

Sophie Arnius

Thanks, Andy. And thanks for all of you which have requested query right here to us right this moment. Let’s wrap up this name. And Rickard, do you need to say some concluding remarks right here?

Rickard Gustafson

Sure, please. And once more, thanks to your consideration and to your insightful questions. I’m happy that we’re constructing a extra aggressive and resilient SKF. And I am inspired about our potential to take care of and really even enhance margins in a reasonably mushy demand setting, however much more importantly, we’re staying agency of our strategic transformation. We’re investing in our future. We’re making a extra innovation spirit within the firm, bringing new thrilling services and products into the market and we’re gearing up for correct progress as soon as demand bounces again once more.

So I actually wish to take this chance additionally to thank all my colleagues throughout our international footprint for all their contributions and laborious work. It is actually appreciated and we are going to proceed on this journey that we embarked upon. So with this, I thanks a lot to your consideration and I want you all an exquisite day and an incredible weekend when you get to it. Thanks.