The Timken Company (NYSE:TKR) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

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Philip Fracassa: Yes, I mean it’s a great question, Chris. I mean as I think about overall with investing, but I would say year-on-year, there’s probably not a sizable headwind there, but as you think about some of the — put the currency aside because that will be a year-on-year negative. And you will see that on the walks as we move through the year. When we talk about SG&A, we are going to have normal labor increases and spending to support the higher levels. We actually, for example, we are going to have higher pension expense just with the change in the discount rate and the like. So, things like that, talked a little bit about the mix with the OEM versus the distribution. You know, the manufacturing line still seeing some inflation there whether it’s labor.

Should see better operational execution, but the other dynamic that happened there is around — lot of the inflation we got hit within ’22 is working its way through the inventory. I think that will be a cost that’s going to come through in ’23. Frankly earlier in the year, we thought we might see some of the come through in ’22. But we are planning at it now to come through in ’23. So, that will be a not a permanent headwind. But, that’ll certainly be just a temporary headwind while it comes through. So, those are the main drivers kind of offsetting the positive price we expect to get, the material and logistics being down, and other self-help and other initiates in addition to the modest volume kind of propping this up. As I said, organically, we would expect strong incrementals closer to the 30 than 20.

It’s just a combination of the currency and the M&A that are just depressing it a little bit.

Chris Dankert: Got you. That’s super helpful. And then, just kind of moving to process, again, when we think kind of outside of energy flattish, but I guess within that that kind of other bucket, automation has been kind of standout. Do you have any comments on automation? Kind of how that fits into process growth in the New Year?

Philip Fracassa: Yes, automation I mean that’s a market we still see good growth. Rich talked about the Spinea and talked about some of the other initiatives going on there. But, I mean that is a market that we would expect to grow. It’s kind of inside the general industrial category that we have in . There is a lot in general industrial, but the automation piece particularly factory automation, we expect to continue to see strong growth, strong trends. And that will be both organic and inorganic opportunity for us as we move forward.

Chris Dankert: Got you. Well, thanks so much. And best of luck for the year guys.

Richard Kyle: Thanks, Chris.

Operator: Thank you, Chris. There are no remaining questions at this time. So, do you have any final comments or remarks?

Neil Frohnapple: Yes. Thanks, Glen, and thank you everyone for joining us today. If you have any further questions after today’s call, please contact me. Thank you. And this concludes our call.

Operator: Thank you for participating in today’s Timken’s fourth quarter earnings release conference call. You may now disconnect.

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