STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE:STM) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE:STM) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript January 25, 2024

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Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the STMicroelectronics Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Earnings Conference Call and Live Webcast. I am Moira, the Chorus Call operator. I would like to remind that, all participants will be in a listen-only and the conference has been recorded. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. [Operator Instructions] The conference must not be recorded for publication or broadcast. At this time, it’s my pleasure to hand over to Celine Berthier, Group Vice President Investor Relations. Please go ahead, madam.

Celine Berthier: Thank you, Moira, and good morning. Thank you, everyone, for joining our fourth quarter and full year 2023 financial results conference call. Hosting the call today is Jean-Marc Chery, ST’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Joining Jean-Marc on the call today are Lorenzo Grandi, Chief Financial Officer; President of Finance, Purchasing, ERM and Resilience; and Marco Cassis, President of Analog, MEMS and Sensor Group and Head of STMicroelectronics Strategy, System Research and Applications and Innovation Office. This live webcast and presentation materials can be accessed on ST’s Investor Relations website. A replay will be available shortly after the conclusion of this call. This call will include forward-looking statements that involve risk factors that could cause the results to differ materially from management expectations and plans.

We encourage you to review the safe harbor statement contained in the press release that was issued with the results this morning and also in ST’s most recent regulatory filings for a full description of these risk factors. Also, to ensure all participants have an opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A session, please limit yourself to one question and a brief follow-up. I’d now like to turn the call over to Jean-Marc, ST’s President and CEO.

Jean-Marc Chery: Thank you, Celine. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining ST for our Q4 and full year 2023 earnings conference call. Let me begin with some opening comments. Starting with Q4. Our net revenues of $4.28 billion decreased 3.2% year-over-year and 3.4% sequentially. Gross margin was 45.5%. Revenues and gross margin were slightly below the midpoint of the guidance with higher revenues in personal electronics, offset by a softer growth rate in automotive. Operating margin was 23.9% and net income was $1.08 billion. Looking at full year 2023. Net revenues increased 7.2% to $17.29 billion, driven by a strong demand in automotive and to a lesser extent, industrial partially offset by lower revenues in Personal Electronics.

Gross margin was 47.9%, up from 47.3% in full year 2022. Operating margin was 26.7%, compared to 27.5% in full year 2022. And net income increased 6.3% to 4.21% — sorry, to $4.21 billion. We invested $4.11 billion in net CapEx, while delivering free cash flow of $1.77 billion. During Q4, our customer order bookings decreased, compared to Q3. We continue to see stable strong demand in Automotive. No significant increase in Personal Electronics and further deterioration in industrial, compared to Q3. We have a solid backlog for the year both in Automotive and in whole our engaged customer programs. In Industrial, where we are seeing a strong inventory correction, we have a much lower backlog than when we entered in 2023. On Q1 2024, at the mid-point, our first quarter business outlook is for net revenues of $3.6 billion, decreasing by 15.2% year-over-year and 15.9% sequentially.

Gross margin is expected to be about 42.3%. For the full year 2024, it will be impacted in the first half, by this significant inventory correction in Industrial, with an expected significant sequential revenue growth in the second half. We expect this will be driven by a strong rebound in Industrial and in Computer Peripherals; continued growth in Automotive and in Communication Equipment and the usual seasonality in Personal Electronics. In 2024, we plan to invest about $2.5 billion in net CapEx. And we will drive the company based on a plan for full year 2024 revenues in the range of $15.9 billion to $16.9 billion. Within this plan we expect a gross margin in the, low to mid-40’s. Now let’s move to a detailed review of the first quarter.

Both revenue and gross margin came slightly below the midpoint of our guidance by 40 and 50 basis points, respectively. This was mainly due to higher revenues in Personal Electronics, offset by a softer growth rate in Automotive, compared to expectation. On a sequential basis, Q4 revenues decreased 3.4% with ADG increasing 1.7%, AMS stable and MDG decreasing by 13.3%. On a year-over-year basis, net revenues decreased 3.2%. ADG revenues increased 21.5%. IMS revenue decreased 25.8%, mainly reflecting lower revenues in Personal Electronics. Well, this includes the impact of the change in product mix in an engaged customer program in Personal Electronics that I first mentioned last January. MDG decreased 11.5% on accelerated demand deterioration in Industrial, mainly impacting our general purpose MCU business.

Year-over-year, sales decreased 0.4% to OEMs and 9.2% to distribution. Gross profit was $1.95 billion, decreasing 7.3% on a year-over-year basis. Gross margin was 45.5% decreasing 200 basis points year-over-year due to higher input manufacturing costs, unused capacity charges and negative currency effect net of hedging. Partially offset by the combination of sales price and product mix. Fourth quarter operating income decreased 20.5% to $1.02 billion. Q4 operating margin was 23.9%, down from 29.1% in the year-ago period. With ADG at 31.9%, IMS at 14.8% and MDG at 28%. Q4 2023 net income was $1.08 billion compared to $1.25 billion in the year ago quarter. Both Q4 2023 and Q4 2022 included one-time non-cash income tax benefits of $191 million and $141 million, respectively.

Earnings per diluted share were $1.14 compared to $1.32. Let’s now discuss our full year results, starting with the business dynamics. In Automotive, we again saw strong demand across all geographies, driven by increasing semiconductor pervasion and structural transformation. The year was also positively impacted by inventory replenishment and a high level of capacity reservation fees. In 2023, we continued to execute our strategy supporting car electrification. With silicon carbide products, our revenue for the year was $1.14 billion, a growth of more than 60% versus 2022. We finished the year with around 160 awarded projects spread over about 100 customers. This continues to give us confidence in our silicon carbide growth ambitions towards $2 billion in revenue in 2025.

Wins included important supply agreement for Automotive as well as a collaboration with Airbus for aircraft electrification. We progressed as planned on our technology road map. In car digitalization, we saw continued design win momentum with our latest generation of automotive microcontrollers across applications such as software-defined vehicle architectures and car electrification systems. In ADAS, we continued working closely with our long-time customer and partner, Mobileye. In industrial, during 2023, demand was still strong, especially in Power and Energy, factory automation and robotics and industrial infrastructure. Towards the end of Q3, we saw a progressive weakening of demand accelerating during Q4. In power and energy management applications such as electrical vehicle charging stations, renewable energy systems and factory automation we had a broad range of design wins.

We further strengthened our embedded processing solution leadership with our STM32 microcode and microprocessor families and related ecosystem introducing many new products and tools. We were again round at the number one choice in the AspenCore survey of embedded processing solution developers. During the year, we had a strong focus on Edge-AI. We announced and provide habits on multiple hardware products, including microcontrollers, microprocessors and smart sensors, we announced the world’s first microcontroller Edge-AI Developer Cloud and held our first ST Edge-AI submit online with over 2,000 attendees and participation from many customers and partners. They will announce the ST Edge-AI suite, a comprehensive ecosystem for Edge-AI using ST hardware, including our Nano Edge-AI studio.

We progressed with sensors for industrial applications, introduce seeing new MEMS and optical sensor suitable for industrial robotics and embedded vision applications. In Personal Electronics and computer peripherals, market demand remained weak in 2023, while communication equipment demand remains solid in our focus areas. In Personal Electronics, we continue to be successful with our focused approach, winning sockets in flagship disease with sensors, wireless charging, Dutch display controllers and secure solutions. In communication equipment, our radiofrequency communication business delivered strong results. We continue to progress well with engaged customer programs in satellite and cellular communication infrastructure, including with the next generation of products for SpaceX Stalink.

Let me now share a summary of our main 2023 manufacturing initiatives. We continue to transform our manufacturing base to enable our future growth and drive once profitability with the expansion of our 300-millimeter capacity and a strong focus on wide bandgap semiconductors. In silicon carbide, we continue to ramp our front-end device production in our Catania and Singapore facilities, and we increased back-end manufacturing capacity in our sites in Morocco and China. We also started production in our new integrated silicon carbide substrate manufacturing facility in Catania as a significant step in our silicon carbide vertical integration strategy. We also announced a joint venture with Sanan Optoelectronics for high-volume 200-millimeter silicon carbide device manufacturing in China.

Production is expected to start in Q4 2025. These are important moves to further scale our global silicon carbide manufacturing operation and there will be key enablers of the opportunity we see to reach above $5 billion silicon carbide yearly revenues by 2030. We advanced also with our 300-millimeter capacity expansion plans. In Agrate, Italy, our new 300-millimeter wafer fab was qualified for production and capacity of slightly more than 1,000 wafer per week was installed as planned. In June, we announced the conclusion of the three-party agreement for a new 300-millimeter semiconductor manufacturing facility in Crolles among the state of France, Global Foundries, and our companies as approved by the European Commission. These initiatives are aligned with our sustainability strategy and our sustainable manufacturing commitment in terms of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, air and water quality.

We are on track to achieve our carbon neutrality goal on Scope 1, 2 and partially Scope 3 and our 100% renewable energy goal by 2027. To further this goal was announced in November, the signature of a 15-year power purchase agreement for renewable energy for our operation in Italy with ERG, a leading European independent energy producer. We also continue to work closely with external bodies and to maintain our strong presence in the major sustainability indices. Looking now at our full year 2023 financial performance in greater detail. Net revenues increased 7.2% to $17.29 billion. On a year-over-year basis, automotive revenues grew 33.5%, industrial was up 11.4%, communication equipment and computer peripheral decreased 4.2%, and personal electronics was down 25.1%.

By end market, automotive represents about 41% of our total 2023 revenues, industrial about 30%, Personal Electronics about 90% and Communication Equipment and Computer Peripherals, about 10%. By customer channel, sales to OEMs and distribution represented 66% and 34%, respectively, of total revenues in 2023, similar to the split in 2022. By region of customer region, 37% of our 2023 revenues were from the Americas, 30% from Asia Pacific and 33% from EMEA. Looking at the sales performance by product group. ADG grew 31.5% on growth both in Automotive and in Power & Discrete. AMS revenues decreased by 18.7%, with lower revenues in the three subgroups. MDG revenues increased 3.9%, revenue growth in radio frequency communications and were substantially flat in the microcontroller subgroups.

Gross margin increased to 47.9% for 2023 compared to 47.3% for 2022, possibly driven by the positive impact of the concern of product mix and pricing, partially offset by higher input manufacturing costs and unused capacity charges. In 2023, operating margin decreased to 26.7% compared to 27.5% in 2022. By product group, ADG operating margin increased to 31.8% from 24.6%. IMS operating margin decreased to 17.3% from 25.2%. And MDG operating margin decreased to 33.8% from 35%. Net cash from operating activities increased 15.2% in 2023, totaling $5.99 billion, after investing $4.11 billion in net CapEx in 2023 compared to $3.52 billion in 2022. Our free cash flow increased 11.3% to $1.77 billion. Inventory at the end of the year was $2.7 billion, compared to $2.58 billion in 2022.

Days sales of inventory at third hand was 104 days, compared to 114 days at the end of Q3 2023 and 101 days at the end of the previous year. Cash dividends paid to stockholders in 2023 totaled $223 million. In addition, during 2023, ST executed share buybacks totaling $346 million under our current share repurchase program. ST net financial position of $3.16 billion at December 31, 2023, reflected total liquidity of $6.08 billion and total financial debt of $2.93 billion. Now let’s move to our plan for the full year 2024. On Q1, 2024, at the midpoint, our first quarter business outlook is for net revenues of $3.6 billion, decreasing by 50.2% year-over-year and decreasing 15.9% sequentially. Gross margin is expected to be about 42.3%. For the full year 2024, we plan to invest about $2.5 billion in net CapEx and we will drive the company based on the plan for full year 2024 revenues in the range of $15.9 billion to $16.9 billion.

Within this plan, we expect a gross margin in the low to mid-40s. As mentioned earlier, the first half of 2024, will be impacted by a significant inventory correction in Industrial. In the second half of the year, we expect significant sequential revenue growth, driven by a strong rebound in industrial and computer peripherals, continued growth in automotive and communication equipment and the usual seasonality in personal electronics. At the midpoint of our full year 2024 revenue indications, we expect mid-single-digit year-over-year growth in automotive. Excluding the impact of capacity reservation fees and a specific customer 2023 inventory replenishment effect, this will correspond to low double-digit year growth. We expect Industrial to return to high single-digit year-over-year growth in the second half of 2024 after a significant decline in the first half.

In personal electronics, we expect to grow revenues sequentially in the second half, in line with the usual seasonality. In communication equipment and computer peripheral, we expect to grow revenues both sequentially and year-over-year in the second half, driven by our engaged customer programs in both the communication and computer markets. To conclude, following several years of revenue growth and increased profitability, we see 2024 as a transition year. We are adapting our plans according to market dynamics, while continuing to execute on our established strategy and operating model, continuing to strongly focus on automotive and industrial as a broad range supplier and being selective in our approach in personal electronics and communication equipment and computer peripheral.

Well, finally, before answering your questions, I would like also to mention that on January 10, 2024, we announced that we are reorganizing our product groups. ST will be organized in two product groups split in four reportable segments and the existing sales and marketing organization will be complemented by a new application marketing organization by end market implemented across all regions. This new organization implies a change in reporting, which will apply from January 1, 2024. We will now report revenues and operating income for the four new reportable segments. Thank you and we are now ready to answer your questions.

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Q&A Session

Operator: We will begin the question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] First question is from Francois Bouvignies from UBS. Please go ahead.

Francois Bouvignies: Hi. Thank you very much. I have two quick questions, if I may. The first one is on Automotive. You mentioned that you expect mid-single-digit growth for the full year versus production flattish and versus three months ago, Jean-Marc, I think you were forecasting high-single-digit or significant growth for Automotive. So, it seems that you see some sort of deterioration on the Automotive side. My question is, what kind of inventory correction do you assume in this plus 5% number — plus 5% or mid-single-digit, because when we look at TI two days ago or yesterday, they were talking about correction in Automotive with no growth basically in — or even negative in 2024. We had Tesla last night not giving guidance for 2024.

And we had Mobileye, obviously, with a significant inventory correction. So in other words, is it conservative this plus 5% or the inventory correction could be more as we look into 2024? And the second question is on the silicon carbide. Could you provide some guidance for 2024 by any chance in terms of revenues, what you ended up in 2023 and what you expect for 2024 would be very helpful.

Jean-Marc Chery: Change, okay, between October and January for automotive is about one important customer communicating about inventory in ADAS. So this is a change. That’s the reason why, okay, to give color on Automotive. I really would like to confirm that we have to the 2024 year, let’s say, cleaning from this effect of, let’s say, inventory replenishment we had in 2023 in ADAS and the capacity fee reservation because on automotive, yes, I confirm to you that year 2024, year 2023 as reported, we will grow mid-single-digit, but clean from this effect of strong inventory replenishment for ADAS in 2023. And the capacity reservation fee that are decreasing in 2024 because, okay, we are exiting capacity overloading, the growth on Automotive will be low-double-digit, which is basically consistent with the indication we have about production of light vehicle, which are slightly above 90 million vehicles in 2024, which is consistent with the number of electrical vehicle worldwide that will be produced in the range of 14 million to 15 million vehicles.

And of course, okay, the continuous permission of, let’s say, semiconductor electronics. But this in a year where, clearly, we have no more booster linked to inventory replenishment or capacity fee reservation. Again, I would like to repeat that for ST, the only difference we see October, January is related to ADAS. For then about silicon carbide, about silicon carbide okay, our plan will drive ourselves in 2024 is between $1.5 billion to $1.6 billion revenues

Francois Bouvignies: That’s great, Jean-Marc. Just a quick follow-up, if I may, on the — when you laid out the underlying growth of the automotive, which is really well understood. But isn’t it like — don’t you think to have an inventory correction buffer would make sense at this point of time. I’m talking about inventory correction at the semiconductor level, for example, because obviously, last year, they all wanted to increase inventory significantly from a low base. So obviously, it makes the base effect technically negative from semiconductor inventory point of view. Do you see what I mean?

Jean-Marc: Yes, yes, exactly now. We absolutely don’t see an automotive what we are seeing on industry only because on Industrial, this is what is happening. Again, on Automotive, where we see a pocket of inventory corrected is on ADAS. That has been pretty well communicated.

Francois Bouvignies: Great. Thank you so much.

Jean-Marc: And I have to confirm to you that we have a very solid backlog covering the plan I mentioned to you in Automotive

Francois Bouvignies: Very helpful. Thank you.

Celine Berthier: Thank you very much, Francois. Next question please, Moira.

Operator: The next question is from Jerome Ramel from BNP Paribas Exane. Please go ahead.

Jerome Ramel: Yes. Good morning. Thanks for taking my question. A quick question, Jean-Marc. On the guidance you gave for the full year and with the guidance for Q1, it kind of suggests that second half of this year could be maybe 20% above the first half. So I’m just wondering why the gross margin should be at 42.3% in Q1 and not significantly improve or the average of the full year because you said, I mean, mid-range would be 42.5%. So despite the strong revenue expectation of growth in the second half of this year — so if you see what I mean, what I don’t try to reconcile why is such a low review in Q1, you’re at 42.3% gross margin. And despite a very strong recovery — revenue recovery in the second half of this year, the average for the full year gross margin is only 42 points of mid-40s or between low 40s and mid-40.

Jean-Marc: Thank you, Jerome. So I pass the question okay, to Lorenzo.

Lorenzo Grandi: Good morning, everybody. About the gross margin, but for sure, the first half of the year will be impacted in our gross margin by a material negative impact for the unloading charges. So this is clear. Already this quarter, the impact will be in the range above 200 basis points in our gross margin. You have also to consider that we have in — during 2024, the impact of our ramp-up in 300-millimeter in Italy in a grant that is impacting, especially, the first half. On the second part of the year, definitely, let’s say, when we look at the midpoint, our indication of the revenue there will be a material increase in our gross margin. Anyway, we think that we will not be still at the optimal level in terms of manufacturing efficiency.