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Littelfuse Reports First Quarter Results

Tools

Posted May 6, 2010

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) today reported sales and earnings for the first quarter of 2010.

First Quarter Highlights

  • Sales for the first quarter of 2010 were $144.4 million, a 71% increase compared to the first quarter of 2009 and a 13% increase from the fourth quarter of 2009.
    • Electronics sales increased 73% year over year and 12% sequentially due to increased demand across all geographies and end markets and replenishment of inventories throughout the supply chain.
    • Automotive sales increased 88% year over year and 16% sequentially due to continued strong growth in Asia and ongoing recovery in Europe and the U.S., as well as inventory replenishment in all geographies.
    • Electrical sales increased 42% year over year and 11% sequentially due primarily to strong growth for Startco products. The base electrical business is showing some early signs of improvement and was up 13% year over year.
  • Operating expenses were higher than previously expected due to higher logistics and premium freight costs to accommodate the sharp increase in customer demand and higher incentive plan accruals related to stronger-than-expected financial performance.
  • Diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2010 were $0.69 compared to a loss of $0.36 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2009. The large improvement in earnings compared to the prior year was due to significantly higher sales and a much-improved cost structure.
  • Cash provided by operating activities was $6.9 million for the first quarter of 2010 after making a $6.0 million cash contribution to the company’s U.S. pension plan. Accounts receivable days sales outstanding improved to 59 compared to 61 in the fourth quarter of 2009. Inventory turns increased to 6.4 for the first quarter compared to 6.3 for the fourth quarter of 2009.
  • Capital expenditures were $2.3 million for the first quarter of 2010, which was more than offset by proceeds from asset sales of $4.5 million.
  • The book-to-bill ratio for electronics for the first quarter of 2010 was 1.3. The company believes that this unusually strong book-to-bill ratio was in part caused by distributors placing orders further into the future than normal to ensure adequate product availability in the current high-demand environment.

“Our end markets continue to improve, and we are making good progress climbing back to revenue levels that are approaching those before the downturn,” said Gordon Hunter, Chief Executive Officer. “While we are clearly benefiting from recovery in our end markets, we also believe we have bounced back further than many of our competitors due to important design wins and our ability to maintain acceptable lead times as demand has increased.”

“We achieved a 15% operating margin for the first time since we set this target several years ago,” said Phil Franklin, Chief Financial Officer. “We have demonstrated strong operating leverage as sales have increased, even though operating expenses were higher than normal this quarter. Despite potential headwinds from exchange rates and commodity prices, we expect further margin improvement in the second half of the year as we reap the benefits from the final plant transfers and other cost savings programs.”

Outlook

  • Electronics sales are expected to show continued strong sequential growth, but this is expected to be partially offset by a sequential decline in automotive sales and relatively flat performance in the electrical business. Overall sales for the second quarter of 2010 are expected to be in the range of $148 to $153 million, which would represent 2% to 6% sequential growth and 46% to 51% year over year growth.
  • Higher commodity costs and less favorable exchange rates for the Euro, Mexican peso and Philippine peso are expected to offset the positive effects of operating leverage.
  • Operating expenses for the second quarter are expected to be similar to the first quarter. Premium freight and logistics costs are expected to continue at high levels before trending down late in the second quarter. Incentive plan accruals are expected to continue at high levels reflecting continued strong financial performance.
  • Earnings for the second quarter of 2010 are expected to be in the range of $0.69 to $0.77 per diluted share assuming a 29% tax rate.
  • Capital spending for 2010 is expected to be approximately $20 million. This is slightly higher than previous guidance due to more capacity-related additions necessitated by increased customer demand. Capital spending net of asset disposals is expected to be approximately $16 million.

“Our commitment to investing in growth initiatives and a long-term competitive cost structure even through the downturn is starting to pay off,” said Hunter. “With each quarter that goes by, we are gaining confidence in our ability to deliver superior financial returns throughout the business cycle.”

Conference Call Webcast Information

Littelfuse will host a conference call today, Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern/10:00 a.m. Central time to discuss the first quarter results. The call will be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed through the company’s Web site: www.littelfuse.com. Listeners should go to the Web site at least 15 minutes prior to the call to download and install any necessary audio software. The call will be available for replay through June 30, 2010 and can be accessed through the Web site listed above.

About Littelfuse

As the worldwide leader in circuit protection products and solutions with annual sales of $430.1 million in 2009, the Littelfuse portfolio is backed by industry-leading technical support, design and manufacturing expertise. Littelfuse products are vital components in virtually every product that uses electrical energy, including automobiles, computers, consumer electronics, handheld devices, industrial equipment and telecom/datacom circuits. Littelfuse offers Teccor®, Wickmann® and Pudenz® brand circuit protection products. In addition to its Chicago, Illinois, world headquarters, Littelfuse has sales, distribution, manufacturing and engineering facilities in Brazil, Canada, China, England, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and the U.S.

For more information, please visit Littelfuse’s Web site at www.littelfuse.com.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are intended to constitute “forward-looking statements” entitled to the safe-harbor provisions of the PSLRA. These statements may involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, risks relating to product demand and market acceptance, economic conditions, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product quality problems or product recalls, capacity and supply difficulties or constraints, coal mining exposures reserves, failure of an indemnification for environmental liability, exchange rate fluctuations, commodity price fluctuations, the effect of the company’s accounting policies, labor disputes, restructuring costs in excess of expectations, pension plan asset returns less than assumed, integration of acquisitions and other risks which may be detailed in the company’s other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and outcomes may differ materially from those indicated or implied in the forward-looking statements. This report should be read in conjunction with information provided in the financial statements appearing in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2010. For a further discussion of the risk factors of the company, please see Item 1A. “Risk Factors” to the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2010.

 
 
LITTELFUSE, INC.
Net Sales by Business Unit and Geography
(In millions of USD, unaudited)
                   
 
 
First Quarter
2010 2009 % Change
 

Business Unit

Electronics $ 88.7 $ 51.2 73 %
Automotive 34.8 18.5 88 %
Electrical   20.9   14.7 42 %
 
Total $ 144.4 $ 84.4 71 %
 
 
 
 
First Quarter
2010 2009 % Change
 

Geography

Americas $ 53.3 $ 36.8 45 %
Europe 29.8 17.7 68 %
Asia-Pacific   61.3   29.9 105 %
 
Total $ 144.4 $ 84.4 71 %
 
 
LITTELFUSE, INC.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands of USD, except share amounts)
       
April 3, 2010 January 2, 2010
(Unaudited)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 77,135 $ 70,354
Accounts receivable, less allowances 93,244 79,521
Inventories 57,311 52,567
Deferred income taxes 13,453 13,804
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 19,782 18,196
Assets held for sale   7,290     7,343  
Total current assets 268,215 241,785
Property, plant and equipment:
Land 5,951 7,808
Buildings 51,982 56,916
Equipment   278,813     280,928  
336,746 345,652
Accumulated depreciation   (207,316 )   (207,500 )
Net property, plant and equipment 129,430 138,152
Intangible assets, net of amortization:
Patents, licenses and software 12,261 12,451
Distribution network 10,205 10,837
Customer lists, trademarks and tradenames 13,563 13,363
Goodwill   94,834     94,986  
130,863 131,637
Investments 11,647 11,742
Deferred income taxes 9,171 8,460
Other assets   1,469     1,351  
Total Assets $ 550,795   $ 533,127  
 
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable $ 26,579 $ 23,646
Accrued payroll 12,726 13,291
Accrued expenses 9,503 8,561
Accrued severance 9,776 11,418
Accrued income taxes 10,671 4,525
Current portion of long-term debt   11,967     14,183  
Total current liabilities 81,222 75,624
 
Long-term debt, less current portion 47,000 49,000
Accrued severance 448 421
Accrued post-retirement benefits 11,780 18,271
Other long-term liabilities 11,089 11,212
Total equity   399,256     378,599  
Total liabilities and equity $ 550,795   $ 533,127  
 
Common shares issued and outstanding of
21,918,319 and 21,792,241, at April 3, 2010,
and January 2, 2010, respectively.
 
 
LITTELFUSE, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands of USD, except per share data, unaudited)
       
 
For the Three Months Ended
 
April 3, 2010 March 28, 2009
 
Net sales $ 144,402 $ 84,403
 
Cost of sales   91,122     66,129  
 
Gross profit 53,280 18,274
 
Selling, general and administrative
expenses 26,447 22,342
Research and development expenses 3,950 4,821
Amortization of intangibles   1,240     1,211  
31,637 28,374
 
Operating income (loss) 21,643 (10,100 )
 
Interest expense 427 670
Other expense (income), net   110     (879 )
 
Income (loss) before income taxes 21,106 (9,891 )
Income taxes   5,637     (2,107 )
 
Net income (loss) $ 15,469   $ (7,784 )
 
Income (loss) per share:
Basic $ 0.70   $ (0.36 )
Diluted $ 0.69   $ (0.36 )
 
Weighted average shares and
equivalent shares outstanding:
Basic   21,847     21,721  
Diluted   22,205     21,727  
 
 

Diluted Income (Loss) Per Share

Net income (loss) as reported $ 15,469 $ (7,784 )
Less: income allocated to participating securities   (126 )   11  
Net income (loss) available to common shareholders $ 15,343   $ (7,773 )
 
Weighted average shares adjusted for dilutive securities   22,205     21,727  
Diluted income (loss) per share $ 0.69   $ (0.36 )
 
 
LITTELFUSE, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands of USD, unaudited)
       
For the Three Months Ended
April 3, 2010 March 28, 2009
 
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income (loss) $ 15,469 $ (7,784 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash
provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation 7,534 7,381
Amortization of intangibles 1,240 1,211
Stock-based compensation 1,120 1,306
(Gain) on sale of assets (563 ) -
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable (13,942 ) 9,350
Inventories (4,540 ) 4,716
Accounts payable and accrued expenses (2,043 ) (5,163 )
Accrued payroll and severance (2,083 ) (9,499 )
Accrued taxes 5,940 (5,007 )
Prepaid expenses and other   (1,242 )   1,580  
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 6,890 (1,909 )
 
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchases of property, plant and equipment (2,276 ) (7,205 )
Purchase of business, net of cash acquired - (920 )
Proceeds from sale of assets   4,532     -  
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 2,256 (8,125 )
 
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from debt 4,095 2,380
Payments of debt (8,517 ) (2,000 )
Proceeds from exercise of stock options 3,818 33
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation   217     -  
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (387 ) 413
 
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash
equivalents   (1,978 )   (1,112 )
 
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 6,781 (10,733 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period   70,354     70,937  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 77,135   $ 60,204  



CONTACT:

Littelfuse, Inc.
Phil Franklin,
Vice President, Operations Support, CFO and Treasurer
(773) 628-0810

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Illinois

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Consumer Electronics  Hardware  Telecommunications  Manufacturing  Automotive Manufacturing  Other Manufacturing

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