John A. Hayes
Analyst · Citibank
Thanks, Scott. Our aerospace business continued to perform well, with solid execution on existing programs and contracted backlog still above $1 billion. Being cost competitive has allowed Ball to win our fair share of government, aerospace and defense projects. Despite the ongoing lingering ambiguity about the U.S. government's finances and the threat of defense cuts, we remain bullish on this segment. As we transition to 2013 and looking out across the operations today, keeping in mind it is only January, a few observations to share. First, we expect the Americas, Asia segment earnings to be relatively flat in 2013. Due to the overcapacity situation that exists in China, we face pricing pressures there. And as you know, the loss of 12-ounce business in North America creates a trough from which to build. However, current specialty can demand trends in Brazil and North America have warranted additional capital investments and provide good growth opportunities in 2013 and beyond. In Europe, given lackluster economic conditions, we do not anticipate any near-term capital investments for beverage can's expansion. Instead, we have a strong focus on cost optimization initiatives across the region. Our global food and household product segment is busy integrating our new plant in Mexico, investing capital to meet the increased demand for aluminum aerosol containers. And we anticipate a more normal seasonal vegetable harvest here in the United States. In our aerospace business, while uncertainty still remains around the U.S. government plans on sequestration, Ball's strong track record should keep us well positioned for the long term, although depending on the outcome of sequestration, it could be a bit more lumpy than usual. All across Ball, we have a management team that understands how to generate incremental EVA dollars. Our company's cash flow is strong, and we are actively managing our businesses to align assets and cost structures to respond to dynamic market -- global markets. All in all, 2013 will be a year where we have many levers to improve our financial results, and more importantly, sets us up even better for 2014 and beyond. We have our hands on what we need to do to execute upon, and barring further deterioration in global markets or economic conditions, we continue to strive to reach our long-term 10% to 15% diluted earnings per share growth goal. And with that, France, we're ready for questions.