Mark C. Pigott
Analyst · Wells Fargo Securities
Good morning. PACCAR reported good revenues and net income for the fourth quarter. PACCAR's fourth quarter sales and financial services revenues were $4 billion and quarterly net income was $253 million, an after-tax return on revenues of 6.3%. For the full year of 2012, PACCAR reported record revenues of a little over $17 billion. Net annual income was $1.1 billion, an increase of 6% versus 2011. This was the fourth best net income year in our history and PACCAR's 74th consecutive year of earning a net profit. Earnings per share were $3.12, an increase of 9% versus a year ago. More good news. PACCAR's dividends increased by 22% during the year. I'm very proud of our 21,800 employees who have delivered industry-leading products and services worldwide. Our dealers and customers in North America and Europe are benefiting from good freight demand, as evidenced by strong aftermarket parts and service business and excellent PACCAR Financial performance. Customer truck purchases are focused primarily on replacement as they continue to navigate the uncertain global economy. PACCAR delivered 31,700 trucks during the fourth quarter, an increase of 2% compared to the third quarter of 2012. I'm pleased to report that Peterbilt, Kenworth and DAF grew their market share to record levels last year as customers recognized the benefits of our high-quality and efficient trucks. PACCAR's retail share of the U.S. and Canadian Class 8 truck market was 28.9% and DAF's share of the European above 16-tonne market was 16%. During the year, Kenworth and DAF delivered 6,300 trucks in the Andean region of South America, that's the region outside of Mercosur, and a record 2,700 units in Russia, an increase of 80% compared to 2011. Looking forward, PACCAR truck deliveries in the first quarter of 2013 are expected to be comparable to the fourth quarter of 2012, although they could be lower by 1% to 2%. The fourth quarter North American industry truck orders were encouraging, but there continues to be pressure on truck margins in North America and Europe and we expect first quarter gross margins to be slightly lower compared to fourth quarter. Other good news, though, there is some improvement on vocational truck sales as housing starts are increasing, primarily in the United States. Looking at the truck market overall in 2013. The U.S. and Canadian Class 8 industry retail sales are estimated to be in the range of 210,000 to 240,000 units. In Europe, the greater-than-16-tonne truck market is anticipated to be in the range of 210,000 to 250,000 units. There may be some customers in Europe who will accelerate purchases of the Euro 5 vehicles ahead of the introduction of the Euro 6 emission requirements in 2014. Reviewing 2012, I'm pleased to say it was a milestone year for PACCAR as we launched more new trucks than at any time in our history, and that's a lot of trucks. Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF have updated over 60% of their product range with new fuel-efficient, ergonomic and, I like to say, stylish vehicles. We're very pleased with the excellent response from dealers and customers to the new Kenworth T680 and the Peterbilt Model 579. The new DAF XF Euro 6, powered by the PACCAR MX-13 engine, will begin production this spring. PACCAR's global business initiatives are making excellent progress. New product investments continue in 2013, with many exciting launches planned during the year. Capital spending in 2013 is estimated to be $400 million to $500 million and research and development expenses are estimated to be $225 million to $275 million. Construction of our new DAF assembly factory in Ponta Grossa, Brazil, is on schedule and is expected to begin production in late 2013. PACCAR, as you may know, has approximately 5% share of the total South American truck market, and our medium-term goal is 20%. PACCAR is investing in its network of 15 parts distribution centers to meet the demands of our customers and dealers. We're constructing a new 280,000-square-foot distribution center in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, which will be opened in April of this year. We're also doubling the capacity of our distribution center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Turning to PACCAR Financial. PACCAR Financial Services revenues were $298 million in the fourth quarter compared to $266 million in the prior year. PACCAR Financial's fourth quarter pretax income was $79 million compared to $67 million earned in the fourth quarter of 2011. The excellent results benefited from growth in portfolio balances. For the full year, PACCAR Financial revenues were $1.1 billion compared to $1 billion a year ago and pretax income was a record $308 million compared to $236 million in the prior year. PACCAR Financial, with its strong A+ credit rating, has excellent access to the commercial paper and medium-term note markets. Last year, PACCAR Financial issued $2.2 billion in medium-term notes, all at competitive rates. So in summary, PACCAR continues to enhance its leadership position in the global truck market by investing in new geographic regions and the highest-quality products in the industry. Thank you, and I'd be pleased to answer any of your questions.