30th
July 2008 - WABCO Reports Q2 2008 Results; Sets Another Quarterly Sales and Net
Income Record; Raises Full-Year Earnings Projections
- Record quarterly sales of $773 million, up 33 percent over prior year;
up 16 percent in local currencies; all organic growth
- U.S. GAAP operating margin of 10.9 percent, an expansion of 242
basis points over prior year; performance operating margin of 12.1
percent, an expansion of 70 basis points over prior year in local
currencies
-
Quarterly diluted EPS of $1.00 on U.S. GAAP basis; diluted EPS of $1.13
on performance basis, up 66 percent over prior year
-
Raising full-year 2008 earnings projections; U.S. GAAP diluted EPS range
raised to $3.71 - $3.85; performance diluted EPS range raised to $4.12 -
$4.26, an increase of $0.21
WABCO Holdings Inc. today reported record Q2 2008 sales of $773 million,
up 33 percent over prior year and up 16 percent in local currencies,
continuing the Company's long track record of quarterly growth.
"Marking yet another quarterly record for sales and income, these
results show our continued ability to outperform the global commercial
vehicle industry and generate productivity," said Jacques Esculier,
WABCO Chief Executive Officer. "We outpaced truck and bus growth in
every region of the world, led by our 42 percent growth in Asia. Our
aftermarket sales rose by 12 percent, as customer demand rebounded from
slower growth in the previous quarter. In North America, where the
industry expanded by 3 percent, our continuously improving market
position resulted in sales growth of 11 percent. In Europe, we grew by
22 percent, outperforming a very strong market."
WABCO reported Q2 2008 operating income of $84.4 million, up 71 percent
over prior year on a U.S. GAAP basis. Performance operating income,
which excludes separation and streamlining costs, rose to $93.2 million,
up 43 percent over prior year and up 24 percent over prior year in local
currencies.
WABCO's U.S. GAAP operating margin in Q2 2008 increased to 10.9 percent,
expanding 242 basis points over prior year. Performance operating margin
increased to 12.1 percent, expanding 70 basis points over prior year in
local currencies.
“Our WABCO Operating System continues to improve our income performance
through operational gains in efficiency and quality across our value
chain.
This quarter alone we not only achieved $28 million in further
productivity but also three globally operating customers publicly
presented us with their top awards for quality and commercial
excellence," said Esculier.
On a U.S. GAAP basis, Q2 2008 net income increased by 115 percent to
$67.0 million or $1.00 per diluted share from $31.1 million or $0.45
cents per diluted share a year ago. Excluding separation costs,
operational streamlining expenses, and one-time and discrete tax items,
Q2 2008 performance net income increased by 60 percent to $75.5 million
or $1.13 per diluted share versus $47.2 million or $0.68 per diluted
share a year ago.
WABCO generated $90.8 million in net cash from operating activities
in Q2 2008 and $72.0 million of free cash flow. Continuing its share
buy-back program announced on August 1, 2007, the Company repurchased
approximately 1.4 million shares for $65.8 million in open market
transactions in Q2 2008, bringing the total number of repurchased shares
to 4.7 million or 6.7 percent of diluted shares outstanding at the time
of spin-off. WABCO also paid $4.6 million in dividends in Q2 2008.
Q2 2008 Highlights
As stated during Q2 2008, WABCO won the top supplier award for
commercial excellence from Volkswagen (VW) Commercial Vehicles in Brazil
where VW's global headquarters for its truck and bus division is
located.
In addition, WABCO earned a top quality award from KAMAZ, Russia's
largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Also, Tata Motors, India's
largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, presented their best
quality award to the joint venture WABCO-TVS (India) Ltd. (WABCO-TVS),
in recognition of its zero-defects-per- million-parts performance over
the past three years.
In Q2 2008, WABCO reported a new contract to provide braking
products and aftermarket services for the Beijing Public Transport
Corporation, the world's largest municipal bus service, before and
during the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympics Games. WABCO also
disclosed that Maverick USA, one of North America's largest motor
carriers, completed its first year of truck and trailer fleet operations
equipped with nearly 1,000 WABCO IVTM systems, marking North America's
first fleet fully integrated with vehicle tire pressure monitoring and
resulting in significantly improved fuel efficiency.
WABCO also reported in Q2 2008 the inauguration of two manufacturing
facilities located in India and the extension of an existing software
design center that are owned by WABCO-TVS, further expanding WABCO's
global capabilities in India. Another WABCO-TVS-owned manufacturing
facility located in Ambattur, Chennai, received the prestigious Total
Productive Maintenance Excellence Award from the Japan Institute of
Plant Maintenance, in recognition of production performance at
world-beating levels of efficiency and quality.
Updated Full-Year 2008 Projections
WABCO confirmed its expectation for sales growth in 2008 between 9
and 12 percent in local currencies. Additionally, WABCO has raised its
full-year U.S. GAAP and performance diluted EPS projections. The revised
range for U.S. GAAP diluted EPS is $3.71 to $3.85; the revised range for
performance diluted EPS is $4.12 to $4.26, up $0.21 from the Company's
prior guidance. EPS on a performance basis excludes separation costs,
operational streamlining expenses, and one-time and discrete tax items.
"With outstanding progress in the first half and our continuing
capability to realize operational improvements resulting from the WABCO
Operating System, we are confident in our ability to deliver the raised
EPS projections for 2008," said Esculier.
About WABCO
WABCO Vehicle Control Systems is one of the world's leading
providers of electronic braking, stability, suspension and transmission
automation systems for heavy duty commercial vehicles. Customers include
the world's leading commercial truck, trailer, and bus manufacturers.
Founded in the U.S. in 1869 as Westinghouse Air Brake Company, WABCO was
acquired by American Standard in 1968 and spun off in 2007.
Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, WABCO employs more than 7,700 people
in 31 countries worldwide. In 2007, WABCO's total sales were $2.4
billion. WABCO is a publicly traded company and is listed on the New
York Stock Exchange with the stock symbol WBC.
Source: WABCO Press Release