• Revenue: Decreased by 5% to TRY241 billion.
• Total Volume: Decreased by 1%.
• EBITDA: Decreased from TRY32.8 billion to TRY19.2 billion.
• EBITDA per Vehicle: EUR1,805.
• Operating Profit: Decreased by 51% to TRY13.7 billion.
• Net Financial Debt: Increased to TRY95.7 billion from TRY75.5 billion at 2023 year-end.
• Domestic Market Share: 8.2% in total market, 25.6% in commercial vehicle segment.
• Export Volume: Increased by 3%.
• Capacity Utilization: 81% in Turkiye, 90% in Romania.
• Cash and Cash Equivalents: TRY18 billion.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with IST:FROTO.

Release Date: August 06, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

• Ford Otomotiv Sanayi AS (IST:FROTO) maintained its leadership in the total commercial vehicle market with a 25.6% market share.
• The company achieved a 3% growth in export volumes, despite challenges in vehicle launches.
• Ford Otomotiv Sanayi AS (IST:FROTO) successfully launched plug-in hybrid and all-electric versions of its new custom model, enhancing its electric vehicle offerings.
• The company has a strong presence in the European market, with Ford maintaining its number one position with a growing market share of 14.6%.
• Ford Otomotiv Sanayi AS (IST:FROTO) is actively managing its financials, with a diversified borrowing portfolio and successful euro bond issuance to support capital investments.

Negative Points

• The company's first half 2024 financial results were slightly below expectations, with a 5% decrease in total revenues.
• Domestic sales declined, with a 19% drop in revenues due to lower tractor mixes and reduced government sales.
• EBITDA decreased significantly from TRY32.8 billion to TRY19.2 billion, impacted by lower domestic sales and increased competition.
• The company faced challenges with inventory build-up due to deferrals in vehicle launches, affecting cash flow generation.
• Inflation accounting and exchange rate impacts negatively affected profitability, with EBITDA margins deteriorating to 8%.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Can you clarify the ambitious export guidance for the rest of the year and the expected market conditions in Europe? A: Gul Ertug, CFO, explained that the export volume guidance is realistic due to recovering production and delivery issues. The demand in Europe remains strong, and the company is focused on resolving launch issues to meet this demand. The guidance remains unchanged as they expect to catch up with the pace lost in the first half.

Q: What is the impact of inventory build-up on margins, and how will it affect profitability for the rest of the year? A: Unal Arslan, Corporate Finance Leader, noted that the inventory build-up due to launch issues impacted margins by approximately 2% to 2.5% in the first half. They expect inventory turnover to normalize, reducing this impact in the future.

Q: Can you provide guidance on the domestic vehicle market and export expectations for 2025? A: Gul Ertug, CFO, stated that specific guidance for 2025 cannot be provided at this time as they are in the process of business planning. However, they anticipate a normalization period in the Turkish economy, which may affect market dynamics.

Q: How do you plan to fund your CapEx for the remainder of the year, and what is the outlook for total debt? A: Gul Ertug, CFO, mentioned that they will use a mix of internal sources and external funding, including Euro bonds and Eximbank credits, to finance capital investments. They aim to maintain a healthy debt profile.

Q: What is the expected ratio of EV sales in total sales for 2024 and 2025? A: Bahar Agar, Investor Relations Manager, indicated that EV sales are currently at a low single-digit level but are expected to increase with the introduction of new electric models in the coming years.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.