PHINIA (US:PHIN)2025-04-25 13:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Net sales for Q1 2025 were $796 million, a decrease of 7.8% year-over-year, with a 4.1% decline when excluding foreign exchange impacts and contract manufacturing agreements from the previous year [7][19] - Adjusted EBITDA was $103 million, representing a margin of 12.9%, which is a decline of 260 basis points year-over-year [7][24] - Adjusted earnings per diluted share were $0.94, excluding non-operating items [8][20] - The net leverage ratio was 1.4 times, approaching the target of 1.5 times, with total liquidity around $900 million [8] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Aftermarket segment sales decreased by 3.9% year-over-year, primarily due to lower OEM sales [19] - Fuel Systems segment sales were down 10.2%, or 7.3% when excluding prior year contract manufacturing sales, attributed to lower OE sales across all regions [20] - Total segment adjusted operating margins were 12.2%, a decrease of 140 basis points year-over-year [8][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The macroeconomic environment in the automotive industry showed signs of slowing, similar to the second half of 2024 [6] - The company noted that over 60% of sales are generated outside of North America, which may mitigate some impacts from U.S. tariffs [27] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on long-term profitable growth through capital investments, share repurchases, and dividends [12] - There is a commitment to expanding product offerings and deepening customer relationships, with a focus on new product development [9][12] - The company aims to navigate the current macroeconomic challenges while maintaining a strong balance sheet and pursuing accretive M&A opportunities [17][53] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's resilience and ability to manage near-term uncertainties while continuing to invest in the business [16][30] - The company anticipates that the commercial vehicle market will remain soft, with no significant pre-buy expected in the second half of the year [36][94] - Management reaffirmed the 2025 guidance despite headwinds from tariffs and market uncertainties, expecting to pass through tariff costs to customers [27][73] Other Important Information - The company returned $111 million to shareholders through share buybacks and dividends in Q1 2025 [8] - The company has $264 million remaining under its current share repurchase authorization [13] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the exposure to tariffs on USMCA compliant and non-USMCA compliant products? - Management indicated that over half of the North American business is USMCA compliant, positioning the company well to manage tariff impacts [33] Question: How has the commercial vehicle OE market changed recently? - Management acknowledged a softening in the commercial vehicle market and noted that they do not expect a pre-buy effect in the second half of the year [36] Question: How is the company addressing foreign exchange impacts? - Management noted that the FX headwind has decreased from an estimated $80 million to around $20 million, with expectations of stability for the rest of the year [42] Question: What is the outlook for share buybacks given the uncertainty? - Management stated that they will assess share buybacks each quarter based on cash flow forecasts and market conditions, with a current limitation due to a tax matters agreement [97] Question: What is the sentiment among customers regarding tariffs and trade policies? - Management reported that customer sentiment remains stable, with ongoing discussions to mitigate tariff impacts [81]