Paul Vasington
Analyst · J.P. Morgan. Please go ahead
Thank you, Jeff. Key highlights for the fourth quarter, as shown on Slide 7 include revenue $1,015 million, an increase of 8.6% from the fourth quarter of 2021. Revenue growth reflected strong outgrowth across the company of 1,180 basis points in the quarter, as well as acquisitions, partially offset by foreign currency headwinds and overall market contraction. Adjusted operating income was $204.3 million, an increase of 3.4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. This increase is primarily due to higher volumes, pricing, and productivity improvements somewhat offset by unfavorable movements in foreign currency. In fact, from investments in the growth factors of Electrification and Insights and a divesture of our connect semiconductor test in thermal business last year. Adjusted operating margins improved 70 basis points sequentially to 20.1%. Adjusted earnings per share in the fourth quarter grew 10.3% from the prior year quarter and faster than revenue. We saw approximately the same $5 million decline in channel inventory this quarter as we did a year ago. So channel inventory movements had no impact on our outgrowth in the fourth quarter on a year-over-year basis. Turning to Slide 8. As we entered 2022, inflation significantly impacted our component and logistics costs at a time when we were also increasing investments in our growth vectors. This impacted adjusted operating margins significantly leading down to decrease from the 21% margin level that we delivered during 2021. Substantial improvements in pricing to offset increased costs, better material availability and supply chains slowly improved, productivity improvements and cost control have driven a steady increase in adjusting operating margin through the year. While our financial guidance for the first quarter includes a sequential decline to 19.5% on lower volumes, we intend to continue these efforts in return to our target margin rate of 21% as quickly as possible. Now, I'd like to comment on the performance of our two business segments in the fourth quarter of 2022, starting with Performance Sensing on Slide 9. Our Performance Sensing business reported revenues of $757.7 million, an increase of 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Automotive revenue increased from strong content growth, higher pricing and market growth, partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency. Growth in heavy-vehicle off-road revenue reflects strong outgrowth and the impact of acquisitions in Insights, partially offset by declining markets in unfavorable foreign currency. Performance Sensing operating income was $196.9 million, with operating margins of 26%. Segment operating margins declined year-over-year due to dilutive impact of unfavorable foreign currency, acquisitions and product mix. As shown on Slide 10, Sensing Solutions reported revenues of $257 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 3% as compared to the same quarter last year. Industrial revenue decreased from weaker markets, especially in HVAC and appliance and unfavorable foreign currency. Aerospace revenue increased strongly in the quarter due to strong content growth, market and pricing. Sensing Solutions operating income was $74.4 million with operating margins of 28.9%. The decrease in segment operating margin was primarily due to the impact of acquisitions and clean energy. On Slide 11, corporate and other operating expenses not included in segment operating income were $65.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2022. Adjusted for charges excluded from our non-GAAP results corporate and other costs were $65.5 million, an increase from the prior year quarter primarily reflecting higher research and development and business development spend to support our megatrend growth initiatives, partially offset by lower compensation, incentive compensation and favorable foreign exchange. We invested $70 million in megatrend-related engineering spend in 2022 to design and develop differentiated solutions for the fast growing trends impacting our customers, and we expect to spend about the same level in 2023. The record new business wins of more than $640 million in 2021, and more than $1 billion in 2022, along with our rapid revenue growth in these areas, clearly demonstrates how Sensata's expanding capabilities are appealing to our customers in driving market outgrowth. Moving to Slide 12. We generated $184 million of free cash flow during the fourth quarter and $311 million in free cash flow during the year. Free cash flow this year was negatively impacted by increases in receivables as our business and revenues grew our decision to carry higher inventory levels to ensure continuity of supply in uncertain markets and from acquisition-related compensation payments. For the full-year 2023, we expect free cash flow conversion to be approximately 75% of adjusted net income, reflecting Sensata's long-term average. Capital expenditures are to be in the range of $170 million to $180 million for 2023. As Jeff mentioned previously, acquisitions and organic investments have provided us with the needed assets and capabilities to achieve strong leadership positions and growth in the areas of Electrification and Insights. Consequently, we expect operating margins to improve and free cash flow to grow, which will naturally lead to lower net leverage over time. As a result, we are updating our target net debt-to-EBITDA range to 1.5x to 2.5x, which will likely take two years to three years to attain. Our net leverage ratio was 3.4x at the end of December 2022. We returned capital to shareholders during the fourth quarter, repurchasing $50 million of our shares under our existing stock repurchase authorization, a reduction from the third quarter, and we recently announced a quarterly dividend of $0.11 per share that is expected to be paid on February 22 to shareholders of record on February 8. In addition, we intend to pay down $250 million of our outstanding variable rate term loan during the first quarter, which is currently the most expensive piece of debt in our capital structure. Moreover, we will continue to evaluate the company's liquidity needs and manage the capital structure according to our new net leverage target range. We are providing financial guidance for the first quarter of 2023, as shown on Slide 13. Our expectations are based upon the end market growth outlook shown on the right side of the page. We remain more conservative than IHS on automotive production estimates for the fourth quarter because of broad macroeconomic and China COVID-related risks. Foreign exchange represents an expected $27 million headwind to revenue in the first quarter. Our current fill rate is approximately 92% of the revenue guidance mid-point for the first quarter. At the mid-point, adjusted operating income margin is expected to be 19.5%, a sequential decline from the fourth quarter, largely reflecting lower volumes. This also represents an 80 basis point year-over-year increase from the first quarter of 2021, on flat revenue, primarily due to improved productivity and pricing. Our first quarter guide anticipates that our operating income at the mid-point grows at 4% and earnings per share increases at 10% from the prior year quarter, faster than the rate of anticipated revenue growth. Looking to the balance of 2023, we expect foreign exchange to be a 1.1% headwind to revenue and an $0.08 headwind to earnings per share, given current exchange rates. Given the market and macroeconomic uncertainties facing Sensata and other companies in our sector, we are discontinuing our practice of providing full-year guidance, choosing instead to only guide for the upcoming quarter. We believe data from third-party market forecasters and our customers is reasonably accurate such that we can forecast the next few months, while visibility into future quarters is currently less clear, given the broader economic concerns. Now, let me turn the call back to Jeff for closing comments.