Paul Vasington
Analyst · Bank of America. Please go ahead
Thank you, Jeff. Key highlights for the first quarter as shown on Slide 10 include record revenue of 942.5 million, an increase of 21.7% from the first quarter of 2020. Organic revenue increased 18.8% and changes in foreign currency increased revenue by 2.9%. Adjusted operating income was 198.1 million, an increase of 44.9% compared to the first quarter of 2020 primarily due to higher revenues, savings from cost reduction programs and favorable foreign currency, partially offset by elevated costs related to the industry wide semiconductor chip shortage, higher spend to support Megatrend growth initiatives and higher incentive compensation aligned to improve financial performance. Adjusted net income was 137.6 million. An increase of 65.4% compared to the first quarter of 2020, largely due to higher revenues and improved operating performance in the quarter. Adjusted EPS was $0.86 in the first quarter, an increase of 62.3% compared to the prior quarter. Now we discuss our performance by end markets in the first quarter of 2021 as outlined on Slide 11. As I mentioned a moment ago, we reported organic revenue increase of 18.8% year-on-year. This compares with overall end market growth of approximately 10.9% representing market outgrowth of 790 basis points for Sensata. Our heavy vehicle off road business posted on organic revenue increase of 32.8% representing end market growth of 22.1% and 1070 basis points of market outgrowth. Our China on road truck business continued to post better than expected growth on the adoption of NS VI emission regulations and we are also benefiting from a wave of electromechanical operator controls being installed in new offered equipment. For the past three years HVOR has delivered an average 780 basis points of market outgrowth. Our automotive business posted organic revenue increase of 19.3%. Automotive production rebounded from the year ago period, growing 10.2%, our automotive business product market outgrowth of 910 basis points in the first quarter, led by continued new product launches in powertrain emissions, safety and electrification related applications and systems. For the past three years, automotive has delivered an average 560 basis points of market outgrowth. Our industrial business increased 16.8% organically as global industrial end markets continued to recover in the quarter. Strong growth in heating, ventilation, air conditioning, new electrification launches and supply chain restocking benefitted our industrial business. Our aerospace business decreased 22.4% organically, reflecting reduced OEM production and much lower air traffic, which continues to negatively impact our aerospace aftermarket business. New product launches primarily in defense partially offset the significant aerospace market decline this quarter. Now I'd like to comment on the performance of our two business segments in the first quarter of 2021, starting with Performance Sensing on Slide 12. Our Performance Sensing business reported record revenues of 714.5 million, an increase of 25.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Excluding the positive impact from foreign currency of 3.2%, Performance Sensing organic revenue increased 22.4%. Performance Sensing operating income was 195.8 million, an increase of 45% compared to the same quarter last year with operating margin of 27.4%. The increase in segment operating income was primarily due to higher revenues, savings from cost reduction actions and favorable foreign currency somewhat offset by elevated costs related to the industry wide semiconductor chip shortage. Performance Sensing generated incremental margin of 42% in the first quarter on higher revenue as compared to the prior period. As shown on Slide 13 Sensing Solutions reported revenues of 228 million in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 10.9% as compared to the same quarter last year. Excluding the positive impact from foreign currency of 2.1%, Sensing Solutions' organic revenue increased 8.8%. Sensing Solutions' operating income was 66.9 million, an increase of 18.4% for the same quarter last year, with operating margin of 29.3%. Like Performance Sensing the increase in segment operating income was primarily due to higher revenues and saving from cost reduction actions somewhat offset by elevated costs from the industry wide semiconductor chip shortage. Sensing solutions generated incremental margin of 46% in the first quarter and higher revenue as compared to the prior period. On Slide 14, corporate and other costs, not including segment operating income were 68.6 million in the first quarter of 2021. Excluding charges added back to our non-GAAP results corporate and other costs were 61.8 million, an increase of 8.6 million from the prior year quarter primarily due to higher research and development and business development spend to support our Megatrend growth initiatives and higher global incentive compensation costs aligned to our improving financial performance. We probably expect approximately 50 million to 55 million in Megatrend related spend in 2021 to design and develop differentiated sensor rich and data insights solutions for the fast growing and transformational Megatrend vectors of electrification and smart connected. Slide 15 shows Sensata's first quarter 2021 non-GAAP results. Adjusted operating income was up 44.9% compared to the same quarter last year and adjusted operating margin increased 330 basis points to 21%. The increase in both adjusted gross margin and adjusted operating margin largely reflects a rapid increase in revenue from depressed levels experienced last year due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. We acted early during the pandemic to reduce our cost structure while continuing to invest in Megatrends that are shaping our end market that we believe will enable us to deliver long-term sustainable growth. We've included an operating income margin walk from the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021 showing the margin benefits from increased volume and productivity as well as the impact of certain cost increases, including costs associated with the global shortage of semiconductors, COVID related costs, higher incentive compensation costs and increased investments in our Megatrend initiatives. As shown on Slide 16, we generated 77 million of free cash flow during the first quarter representing a 56% conversion rate of adjusted net income, which was tempered by rising accounts receivable from higher revenues and the timing of 2020 cash balances paid to employees during the first quarter of this year. For the full year, we expect free cash flow conversion to be approximately 85% of adjusted net income. For the full year 2021, we expect capital expenditures to be in the range of 160 million to 170 million. Sensata's net debt to EBITDA ratio was 2.9 times at the end of March. Through increasing earnings and free cash flow generation, we expect our net leverage ratio to be near the bottom of our target offering range of 2.5 to 3.5 times by the end of the year absent further acquisitions. We're providing financial guidance for the second quarter of 2021 as shown on Slide 17. As a result of improving economic conditions, shorter outgrowth and the acquisition of Xirgo, we expect to generate revenues between 960 million and 990 million in the second quarter of 2021 representing of reported revenue increase between 67% the 72% compared to the second quarter of 2020. At the midpoint of guidance, we expect that foreign currency will increase revenues year-over-year by approximately 23 million. Excluding the impact of foreign currency, we expect an organic revenue increase of 58% to 63% in the second quarter. Our current fill rate is approximately 96% revenue guidance at midpoint for the second quarter. Our fill rate appears stronger as compared to previous quarters, as some customers have extended their order lead time in order to better ensure supply. We expect to report adjusted operating income between 195 million and 205 million. At the midpoint operating income margin is expected to be 20.5% which includes a 150 basis point increase in our operating costs from the global semiconductor chips shortage facing the entire auto supply chain as well as other sectors. On the bottom line, we expect to report adjusted net income between 134 million and 144 million and adjusted EPS between $0.84 and $0.90, which includes a $0.01 increase from foreign currency at the guidance midpoint. At the bottom of the slide, we have provided an operating income margin walk from the second quarter of 2020 to the second quarter of 2021. This includes expected benefits from volume and productivity, as well as higher costs associated with the semiconductor shortage, increase incentive compensation for our employees, increased Megatrend investments and unfavorable foreign exchange. As a reminder, the second quarter of 2020 included one time savings of approximately 22 million from furloughs and temporary salary pay cuts. We are increasing financial guidance for the full year 2021 as shown on Slide 18. For the full year 2021, while a degree of market uncertainty remains, and in particular, the impact of the industry wide semiconductor shortage, we are anticipating a continuation of improved and stable economic and business conditions. We are also anticipating return to normal seasonality, which includes sequentially lower revenue in the third quarter as compared to the second quarter and slightly higher fourth quarter revenue as compared to the third quarter. In addition, our financial guide now includes the financial contribution of Xirgo. Accordingly, we now expect to generate revenues between 3.675 million and 3.825 million for the full year 2021 represent a reported revenue increase between 21% and 20.6% year-on-year. At the midpoint of guidance, we expect that foreign currency will increase revenues year-over-year by approximately 58 million. Excluding the impact of foreign currency, we expect an organic revenue increase of 16% to 21% in 2021. We expect to report adjusted operating income between 755 million and 805 million, which includes the expected impact of a global semiconductor chips shortage now anticipated to continue throughout the year. At the midpoint operating income margin is expected to be 20.8%. On the bottom line, we expect to report adjusted net income between 509 million and 557 million. We expect to report adjusted EPS between $3.20 to $3.50, which includes a $0.03 increase from foreign currency at the midpoint guidance. At the bottom of the slide we provide an operating income margin walk from 2020 to 2021 to show the moving pieces, impacting margins. While improving revenue and associated productivity have the greatest impact on our operating income margin, costs related to the semiconductor shortage, COVID related costs, incentive compensation for our employees and Megatrend investments also have a meaningful impact on our operating income margin. On Slide 19, we provide our revised estimates for OEM production growth for 2021 as compared to our initial guide in early February. Automotive production is expected to rebound sharply this year from last year, but at a pace slightly lower than expected in February, given further production slowdowns caused by the global semiconductor shortage. Global automotive production is now expected to grow 12%. However, our heavy vehicle off road and industrial end markets are now expected to grow faster in 2021 that we had communicated in February. These market assumptions underpin our current outlook for higher revenue and earnings this year. In summary, Sensata delivered an excellent first quarter despite broad supply chain disruptions. We expect the strong performance to continue through 2021 as demonstrated by the financial guidance we're providing today. Driving this performance is our continued ability to achieve our growth targets, including the secular long-term market outgrowth targets of 400 to 600 basis points for our automotive business and 600 to 800 basis points for heavy vehicle off-road business. Now let me turn the call back to Jeff for closing comments.