Ericsson reports fourth quarter and full year results 2016
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
* Reported sales decreased by -11% YoY, with SEK -5.5 b. lower IPR licensing
revenues.
* Despite strong sequential sales growth in Networks, the underlying market
remained weak in the fourth quarter.
* Gross margin was 26.1% (36.3%). Gross margin, excluding restructuring
charges, was stable QoQ, but declined to 29.4% (36.6%) YoY, following lower
IPR licensing revenues and a higher share of Global Services sales with
reduced margin in the quarter.
* Operating income was SEK -0.3 (11.0) b. Operating income, excluding
restructuring charges, decreased to SEK 4.4 (11.7) b., mainly due to lower
IPR licensing revenues.
* The cost and efficiency program is tracking towards target. The execution
pace was faster than predicted in the quarter, resulting in full-year
restructuring charges of SEK 7.6 b. compared with estimated SEK 5.5-6.5 b.
* The baseline for current IPR licensing contract portfolio is approximately
SEK 7 b. on an annual basis. Smartphone volumes, new agreements and IoT
licensing will determine growth opportunities going forward.
* Cash flow from operating activities was SEK 19.4 (21.9) b. supported by
reduced operating assets.
* Effective January 16, 2017, Börje Ekholm assumed the position of President
and CEO.
FULL YEAR HIGHLIGHTS
* Reported sales decreased by -10% mainly due to weaker demand for mobile
broadband, especially in markets with a weak macroeconomic environment. IPR
licensing revenues declined to SEK 10.0 (14.4) b.
* Operating income declined to SEK 6.3 (21.8) b. due to lower sales and a
changed business mix in mobile broadband, with a lower proportion of
capacity business. This was partly offset by lower operating expenses.
* Cash flow from operating activities was SEK 14.0 (20.6) b. Net cash at year-
end was SEK 31.2 b.
* The Board of Directors will propose a dividend for 2016 of SEK 1.00 (3.70)
per share to the AGM.
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
| | Q4| Q4| YoY| Q3| QoQ|Full year|Full year|
|SEK b. | 2016| 2015|change| 2016| change| 2016| 2015|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Net sales | 65.2| 73.6| -11%| 51.1| 28%| 222.6| 246.9|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
| Sales growth adj.| | | | | | | |
|for comparable units| | | | | | | |
|and currency | -| -| -15%| -| 23%| -10%| -5%|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Gross margin |26.1%|36.3%| -|28.3%| -| 29.8%| 34.8%|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
| Gross margin | | | | | | | |
|excluding | | | | | | | |
|restructuring | | | | | | | |
|charges |29.4%|36.6%| -|29.4%| -| 31.4%| 35.7%|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Operating income | -0.3| 11.0| -103%| 0.3| -182%| 6.3| 21.8|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
| Operating income | | | | | | | |
|excluding | | | | | | | |
|restructuring | | | | | | | |
|charges | 4.4| 11.7| -63%| 1.6| 172%| 13.9| 26.8|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Operating margin |-0.4%|15.0%| -| 0.7%| -| 2.8%| 8.8%|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
| Operating margin | | | | | | | |
|excluding | | | | | | | |
|restructuring | | | | | | | |
|charges | 6.7%|16.0%| -| 3.1%| -| 6.2%| 10.9%|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Net income | -1.6| 7.0| -123%| -0.2| -| 1.9| 13.7|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|EPS diluted, SEK |-0.48| 2.15| -122%|-0.07| -| 0.52| 4.13|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|EPS (Non-IFRS), | | | | | | | |
|SEK(1)) | 0.62| 2.50| -75%| 0.34| 82%| 2.66| 6.06|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Cash flow from | | | | | | | |
|operating activities| 19.4| 21.9| -11%| -2.3| -| 14.0| 20.6|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
|Net cash, end of | | | | | | | |
|period (2)) | 31.2| 41.2| -24%| 16.3| 91%| 31.2| 41.2|
+--------------------+-----+-----+------+-----+------------+---------+---------+
1) EPS, diluted, excl. amortizations and write-downs of
acquired intangible assets, and excluding restructuring
charges.
2) The definition of Net cash was changed in Q1 2016 and
now excludes post-employment benefits, see accounting
policies.
Non-IFRS financial measures are reconciled to the most directly reconcilable
line items in the financial statements at the end of this report.
Comments from Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC)
The negative industry trends remained in the fourth quarter. However, sales were
positively impacted by favorable currency exchange rates combined with hardware
deliveries, previously planned for Q1 2017. Profitability declined YoY following
lower IPR licensing revenues mainly due to last year's agreement with Apple as
well as increased restructuring charges. Operating cash flow in the fourth
quarter was SEK 19.4 b., supported by reduced operating assets.
Business
Group sales declined by -11% YoY, primarily due to the decrease of SEK -5.5. b
in IPR licensing revenues. Full-year IPR licensing revenues were SEK 10.0 (14.4)
b.
In 2016, a number of markets, in regions such as Latin America, the Middle East
and Africa, were impacted by a weak macroeconomic environment with a negative
effect on mobile broadband investments. The underlying market remained weak in
the fourth quarter with further weakness in Latin America. However, hardware
deliveries previously planned for Q1 2017 were made on customer requests, and
had a positive impact on sales in the fourth quarter. In combination with a
weakened SEK versus USD, this resulted in a stronger than expected sequential
sales growth in mobile broadband. Segment Networks sales increased by 39% QoQ.
The new radio platform, Ericsson Radio System (ERS), represented almost 15% of
total deliveries of radio units for 2016 and the roll-out of the new platform is
gradually ramping up.
Global Services sales declined by -4% YoY mainly due to the reduced scope of a
managed services contract in North America. Support Solutions sales declined by
-39% YoY, mainly due to lower IPR licensing revenues. In addition, TV & Media
sales were lower than expected due to a rapid decline in legacy products.
Sales in the targeted areas declined by -7% YoY, mainly impacted by lower sales
in OSS and BSS following the transition from legacy to new products. We are
allocating resources into our digital transformation projects to secure
important deliveries in 2017. Full-year sales for targeted areas were flat and
accounted for 20% of group sales in 2016.
The current industry trends and business mix of coverage and capacity sales in
mobile broadband are expected to prevail in 2017. At the Investor Update in
November we presented our estimate of the Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment
market in USD; a decline by -10% to -15% in 2016 and further decline by -2% to
-6% in 2017.
The baseline for current IPR licensing contract portfolio is approximately SEK
7 b. on an annual basis. Smartphone volume growth, agreements with currently
unlicensed handset manufacturers and IoT licensing will determine growth
opportunities going forward.
Profitability
Operating income decreased to SEK -0.3 (11.0) b. in the quarter, mainly due to
lower IPR licensing revenues, higher restructuring charges and lower gross
margin.
The cost and efficiency program, first initiated in November 2014, is tracking
to target of an annual run rate of operating expenses, excluding restructuring
charges, of SEK 53 b. by second half of 2017. Full-year operating expenses,
excluding restructuring charges, amounted to SEK 56.4 b., corresponding to a
full-year reduction of SEK 5 b. The execution pace was faster than predicted in
the quarter resulting in front-loaded restructuring charges. With current plans,
we expect restructuring charges of approximately SEK 3 b. for 2017.
Cash flow
Operating cash flow in Q4 was SEK 19.4 b. Operating cash flow was mainly driven
by reduced operating assets. Full-year operating cash flow amounted to SEK 14.0
b. Net cash at the end of quarter was SEK 31.2 b.
The Board will propose a dividend of SEK 1.00 (3.70) per share to the AGM. The
Board believes that it is prudent to align the dividend level with 2016 earnings
adjusted for restructuring charges and the current market outlook. However, the
Board expresses confidence in the ongoing actions to improve Ericsson's
financial performance, and has the ambition to increase the dividend over time
as our performance improves.
Focus going forward
We as well as our customers are going through a period of rapid change. As a
consequence, we are reviewing our priorities in order to set the future
direction of the company. This work has been initiated involving key teams in
the company, to secure quality of decisions and speed in implementation once
decisions are made. Emphasis will be on refining the strategy to focus
investments into areas where we both can and must win. Building on the
suggestion from the famous ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky; We will focus on
skating where the puck will be, not where it has been.
In the near term, stability will be key to establishing a strong base for future
growth. This means prioritizing profitability over growth, but also to
diligently continue to work on efficiency and effectiveness across all
operations. This can and will ensure that we remain at the forefront of
technological development - building on the combined strength across products,
services and solutions.
NOTES TO EDITORS
You find the complete report with tables in the attached PDF or by following
this link https://www.ericsson.com/res/investors/docs/q-reports/2016/12month16-
en.pdf or on www.ericsson.com/investors
Ericsson invites media, investors and analysts to a briefing at the Ericsson
Studio, Grönlandsgatan 8, Stockholm, at 09.00 (CET), January 26, 2017.
A conference call for analysts, investors and media will begin at 15.00 (CET).
Live webcast of the briefing and conference call details, as well as supporting
slides, will be available at www.ericsson.com/press and
www.ericsson.com/investors
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Contact person
Peter Nyquist, Head of Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 714 64 49
E-mail: peter.nyquist(at)ericsson.com
Additional contacts
Helena Norrman, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 34 72
E-mail: media.relations(at)ericsson.com
Investors
Åsa Konnbjer, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 713 39 28
E-mail: asa.konnbjer(at)ericsson.com
Stefan Jelvin, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 714 20 39
E-mail: stefan.jelvin(at)ericsson.com
Rikard Tunedal, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 714 54 00
E-mail: rikard.tunedal(at)ericsson.com
Media
Ola Rembe, Vice President, Head of External Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 97 27
E-mail: media.relations(at)ericsson.com
Corporate Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail: media.relations(at)ericsson.com
This information is information that Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson is obliged
to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was
submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out
above, at 07:30 CET on January 26, 2017.
Ericsson fourth quarter and full year report 2016:
https://hugin.info/1061/R/2073557/779460.pdf
This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Ericsson via GlobeNewswire
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 26.01.2017 - 07:29 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 520022
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