ON Semiconductor (NasdaqGS:ON) Q3 2025 Earnings Call November 03, 2025 09:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsHassane El-Khoury - President, CEO, and DirectorParag Agarwal - Head of Investor Relations and Corporate DevelopmentThad Trent - CFOConference Call ParticipantsChris Danely - Managing Director and Senior Semiconductor Equity Research AnalystJim Schneider - Senior Equity AnalystBlayne Curtis - Managing Director and Equity Research AnalystHarsh Kumar - Managing Director and Senior Research AnalystHarlan Sur ...

ON Semiconductor (NasdaqGS:ON) Q3 2025 Earnings Call November 03, 2025 09:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsThad Trent - CFOParag Agarwal - VP of Investor Relations and Corporate DevelopmentHassane El-Khoury - President, CEO, and DirectorConference Call ParticipantsChris Danely - Managing Director and Senior Semiconductor Equity Research AnalystJim Schneider - Senior Equity AnalystBlayne Curtis - Managing Director and Equity Research AnalystHarsh Kumar - Managing Director and Senior Research AnalystHarlan Sur - ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported Q3 2025 revenue of $1.55 billion, a 6% increase from Q2 2025 [14] - Non-GAAP gross margin was 38%, exceeding guidance, while GAAP gross margin was 37.9% [15] - Diluted GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per share were both $0.63 [16] - Year-to-date free cash flow was 21% of revenue, with $372 million in free cash flow for Q3 [16] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Automotive revenue reached $787 million, up 7% sequentially, driven by growth in the Americas, China, and Japan [14] - Industrial revenue was $426 million, a 5% sequential increase, primarily from aerospace, defense, and security [14] - Revenue for the Power Solutions Group (PSG) was $738 million, up 6% quarter over quarter [14] - The Intelligent Sensing Group (ISG) reported $230 million in revenue, a 7% increase quarter over quarter but an 18% decline year over year [15] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue in the Americas grew 22% sequentially, while Japan increased by 38% quarter over quarter [9] - Europe saw a 4% decline, and China experienced a 7% sequential decrease [9] - The industrial image sensor funnel increased by 55% year over year, indicating strong demand in factory automation and inspection [9] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on gross margin expansion through innovation and strategic acquisitions, including the VCORE acquisition to enhance its analog and mixed-signal portfolio [8][14] - The Trail platform is scaling across core markets, with a design funnel exceeding $1 billion [6] - The company aims to double the number of products sampling this year, indicating a strong commitment to product development and market responsiveness [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted stabilization in automotive and industrial markets, with a positive outlook as demand normalizes [5] - The company expects Q4 revenue to be in the range of $1.48 billion to $1.58 billion, reflecting typical seasonal patterns [18] - Management highlighted the importance of geopolitical stability and consumer confidence for OEMs to restock inventory [56] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $325 million of shares in Q3, totaling $2.1 billion year-to-date [16] - Cash and short-term investments were approximately $2.9 billion, with total liquidity of $4 billion [16] - The company is building die bank inventory to support mass market demand, indicating a proactive approach to inventory management [42] Q&A Session Summary Question: Update on automotive market performance - Management indicated that automotive demand is stabilizing, with no significant restocking cycle observed yet [20] Question: Differentiation in AI business - The company sees itself as a share gainer in the AI market, with a strong product portfolio that supports power delivery from high voltage to core applications [22][23] Question: Expectations for Q1 seasonality and growth in 2026 - Management maintained that there are no changes in expectations for Q1 seasonality, which typically sees a decline of 2-3% [24][26] Question: Impact of Nexperia on business - Management stated that it is too early to assess any impact from Nexperia, focusing instead on supporting existing customers [27] Question: Revenue headwind from exiting core businesses - The company confirmed that the expected revenue headwind remains unchanged, with $200 million for this fiscal year and $300 million for next year [32] Question: Silicon carbide revenue growth expectations - Management noted that silicon carbide revenue is performing as expected, with ongoing share gains in the market [37] Question: Geographic revenue volatility - The company explained that revenue fluctuations are normal, with a large customer shifting orders between regions [39][40] Question: Building die bank inventory - Management emphasized the disciplined approach to inventory management, ensuring readiness for mass market demand while maintaining healthy base inventory levels [42]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported Q1 revenue of $1,450 million and non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.55, both exceeding the midpoint of guidance, with a non-GAAP gross margin of 40% [5][16] - Free cash flow increased by 72% year over year to $455 million, representing 31% of revenue [24][16] - GAAP gross margin was 20.3%, while non-GAAP gross margin was down 530 basis points sequentially and 590 basis points year over year [21][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Automotive revenue was $762 million, a sequential decline of 26%, while industrial revenue was $400 million, down only 4% sequentially [19][20] - Revenue for the Power Solutions Group (PSG) was $645 million, a decrease of 20% quarter over quarter, and for the Analog and Mixed Signal Group (AMG) it was $566 million, down 7% quarter over quarter [20] - The Intelligent Sensing Group (ISG) revenue was $234 million, a 23% decrease quarter over quarter [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company noted early signs of stabilization in certain parts of the industrial market, with traditional industrial segments starting to recover [6][60] - Medical and Aerospace and Defense revenues increased sequentially, while AI data center revenue more than doubled year over year [8][19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on streamlining operations through a "fab right" approach and investing in R&D to deliver differentiated products [5][6] - The company aims to increase share repurchase to 100% of free cash flow for 2025, with approximately $1.5 billion remaining on the repurchase authorization [17][16] - The company is committed to building a solid foundation for future growth, particularly in the silicon carbide market, which is expected to ramp significantly in the coming years [9][91] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism about the recovery in the semiconductor market, particularly in automotive and industrial sectors [6][60] - The geopolitical environment remains uncertain, but the company expects minimal direct impact from current tariff policies [6][100] - Management anticipates Q2 revenue in the range of $1,400 million to $1,500 million, with non-GAAP gross margin expected between 36.5% and 38.5% [27][28] Other Important Information - The company reduced internal fab capacity by 12% as part of its manufacturing realignment program, which is expected to lower ongoing depreciation costs by approximately $22 million annually [18][19] - A company-wide restructuring initiative led to a 9% reduction in the global workforce, expected to generate approximately $25 million in savings in Q2 [18][19] Q&A Session Summary Question: Why is ON Semiconductor's revenue guidance flat compared to peers? - Management indicated that the difference is due to the specific end markets ON is exposed to, particularly in automotive EVs, which have not yet seen recovery outside of China [30][31] Question: What metrics should be used to think about gross margin moving forward? - Management stated that for every point of utilization increase, gross margin improves by 25 to 30 basis points, with expectations for improvement as the market recovers [32][34] Question: What has changed regarding pricing? - Management noted that the extended downturn has necessitated a more opportunistic pricing approach to defend and increase market share, rather than a return to previous pricing strategies [39][40] Question: Update on the non-core business exit plan? - Management confirmed the plan to exit the non-core business remains, with approximately $300 million expected to be exited this year, depending on market conditions [47][50] Question: Expectations for demand within the automotive segment by geography? - Management highlighted strength in the Chinese automotive market, particularly driven by EVs, with expectations for new models ramping in the second half of 2025 [76][78] Question: What is the outlook for silicon carbide growth? - Management remains bullish on silicon carbide, expecting to maintain and increase market share, particularly in the growing EV market in China [52][91]