China Automotive Systems - Earnings Call - Q4 2024

Executive Summary

• Q4 2024 delivered record quarterly revenue with net sales up 18.6% year over year to $188.7M, though margins compressed and EPS declined to $0.30; FY 2024 revenue reached an annual record of $650.9M (+12.9% YoY).
• Mix shift and pricing drove gross margin down to 15.6% in Q4 (vs. 21.8% in Q4 2023), compressing operating income to $8.7M (vs. $13.6M YoY), while FY EPS fell to $0.99 (vs. $1.25 in 2023).
• Management initiated FY 2025 revenue guidance at $700.0M, underpinned by EPS platform growth; Q&A indicated a 30% YoY volume increase and ~400K unit ramp expected from CEPS/TPEPS/REPS in 2025.
• Shareholder returns remained a theme (special dividend $0.80/share paid Aug-2024 and a buyback program up to $5M), with year-end liquidity of $129.4M (cash, pledged cash, short-term investments) supporting growth investments and capital return.

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

• What Went Well

  • Record revenue and robust EPS product penetration: FY net sales rose 12.9% to $650.9M; EPS comprised 38.9% of total FY revenue, up from 33.8% in 2023.
  • Strong Q4 finish and operational momentum: “We ended the 2024 year strongly as our highest quarterly revenues were in the fourth quarter,” with Henglong’s Q4 production/sales +35% YoY and December record >620K units (+46.7% YoY).
  • Healthy balance sheet and capital return: CFO highlighted $129.4M in liquidity (~$4.29/share), a special dividend ($22.4M, $0.80/share) and ongoing buybacks; current ratio 1.3 at year end.

• What Went Wrong

  • Margin compression on mix/pricing: Q4 gross margin fell to 15.6% (21.8% prior year), pressuring operating income to $8.7M (vs. $13.6M YoY) and diluted EPS to $0.30 (vs. $0.36 YoY).
  • North America weakness and FX/tax headwinds: Management cited reduced North American demand (Stellantis) and FY net financial expense vs. prior-year income due to lower FX gains; FY tax expense rose on valuation allowance reversal and settlements.
  • Interest expense drifted higher: Q4 interest expense increased to $1.1M (vs. $0.3M), and FY interest expense to $1.8M (vs. $1.0M) amid higher bank loans.

Transcript

Hanlin Chen (Chairman and Executive Officer)

For $1.25 per share for 2023. Net cash provided by operating activities was $9.8 million for 2024. Cash paid to acquire property, plant, equipment, and land use was $43.7 million, partly offset by $20.5 million cash received from property, plant, and equipment sales. Total cash and equivalents, pledged cash, and short-term investments were $129.4 million, or approximately $4.29 per share at year-end 2024. A special cash dividend of $0.80 per common share, or approximately $22.4 million, was paid in late August 2024 to reward our shareholders. This cash dividend was paid from internal funds and cash flow. This reflects our unwavering confidence in sustainable sales growth and our ability to generate positive cash flow. We have also implemented the share buyback program of up to $5 million of our outstanding common shares in the open market at market prices not to exceed $5.50 per share through November 15, 2025.

We celebrated our 20th anniversary of our NASDAQ listing in 2024. From a small domestic manufacturer, we have established a global presence, especially with tier-one companies in North America, South America, Europe, India, and Asia. Since 2004, net sales have grown from $58.2 million-$650.9 million in 2024. We look forward to the further growth of our company sales and operations as our traditional steering products continue to contribute to our sales and profits even as we further expand our EPS portfolio and rebuild our advanced driver assist systems technologies with our Sentient AB operations. We have positioned our company to benefit from two ongoing technology transitions: from internal combustion engines to electric powertrains and from human driving to autonomous driving. Now, let me review the financial results in the fourth quarter of 2024.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, net sales increased by 18.6% to $188.7 million compared to $159.2 million in the same quarter of 2023. The net sales increase was mainly due to a change in the product mix and a higher demand for passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the fourth quarter of 2023. Gross profit was $29.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $34.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2024 was 15.6% compared to 21.8% in the fourth quarter of 2023, primarily due to a change in product mix. Selling expenses were $4.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with $4.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Selling expenses represented 2.5% of net sales in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 2.9% in the fourth quarter of 2023. General and administrative expenses, G&A, were $9.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $9.4 million in the same period in 2023. The G&A expenses represented 5.1% of net sales in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 5.9% of net sales in the fourth quarter of 2023. Research and development expenses, R&D, were $7.8 million compared with $9.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. R&D expenses represented 4.1% of net sales in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 5.9% in the fourth quarter of 2023, mainly due to a decrease in miscellaneous development expenses. Operating income was $8.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $13.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Lower gross profit in 2024 fourth quarter compared with the same period of last year was the main cause of this decline. Interest expense was $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with $0.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Financial income was $0.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with $1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Income for income tax expenses and equity in earnings of affiliated companies was $8.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $15 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Net income benefit was $2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to income tax expense of $2.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Net income attributable to parent companies' common shareholders was $9.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to net income attributable to parent companies' common shareholders of $10.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. Diluted income per share was $0.30 in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to diluted income per share of $0.36 in the fourth quarter of 2023. The average weighted number of diluted common shares outstanding was 30,180,947 compared to 30,185,702 in the fourth quarter of 2023. Now, we'll review the results for the fiscal year of 2024. Net sales increased by 12.9% to $650.9 million in 2024 compared to $576.4 million in 2023.

This increase was mainly due to higher sales of passenger vehicles in China, as total sales of the company's EPS systems increased by 29.9% year-over-year, and sales of the Henglong subsidiary steering systems to the Chinese passenger vehicle market increased by 20% year-over-year. Brazil Henglong had sales decrease by 5.7% year-over-year to $51 million. This growth partially offset the sales reductions by North American customers in 2024. EPS sales represented 38.9% of total revenue in 2024 compared to 33.8% in 2023. Gross profit in 2024 increased by 5.2% year-over-year to $109.2 million compared to $103.8 million in 2023. The gross margin was 16.8% compared with 18% in 2023, mainly due to a change in our product mix and lower average selling prices for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Net gain on other sales in 2024 was $4.3 million compared to $5.8 million in 2023, mainly due to lower material sales in 2024. Selling expenses rose by 14.4% year-over-year to $17.9 million in 2024 from $15.6 million in 2023, mainly due to an increase in marketing and office expenses. Selling expenses represented 2.7% of net sales in 2024 and 2023. G&A expenses increased by $8.7 million year-over-year to $27.7 million in 2024 compared to $25.5 million in 2023. G&A expenses represented 4.3% of net sales in 2024 compared to 4.4% of net sales in 2023. This expense increase was mainly due to higher office property and other taxes and maintenance and repair expenses. R&D expenses were $27.6 million in 2024 compared to $29.2 million in 2023. Lower R&D expenses reflect less investment in traditional product upgrades and miscellaneous research expenses.

R&D expenses were 4.2% of net sales in 2024 compared to 5.1% of net sales in 2023. Operating income increased by 2.6% to $40.3 million in 2024 compared to $39.2 million in 2023. The increase in operating income was mainly due to a 5.2% increase in gross profit combined with the change in R&D expenses. Interest expense was $1.8 million in 2024 compared to $1 million in 2023, primarily due to an increase in bank loans in 2024 compared with 2023. Net financial expense was $0.09 million in 2024 compared to financial income of $4.7 million for 2023. The decrease in financial income of $4.8 million was primarily due to higher foreign exchange gains in 2023. Income before income tax expenses and equity and earnings of affiliated companies was $44.1 million in 2024 compared with $48.2 million in 2023. The change was primarily due to lower operating income in 2024.

Income tax expense was $5.9 million in 2024 compared to $5.1 million in 2023. This increase was mainly due to a valuation allowance reversal and a one-time income tax expense settlement for subsidiaries in the PRC and the U.S. this year. Net income attributable to parent companies' shareholders was $30 million in 2024 compared to $37.7 million in 2023. Diluted net income per share was $0.99 in 2024 compared to $1.25 in 2023. The weighted average number of diluted common shares outstanding was 30,184,513 in 2024 compared with 30,189,421 in 2023. Now, we'll provide some balance sheet and other financial highlights. As of December 31, 2024, total cash, cash equivalents, pledged cash, and short-term investments were $129.4 million. Total cash receivable, including notes receivable, was $343.5 million. Accounts payable, including notes payable, was $292.8 million, and short-term bank loans were $72.6 million.

Total parent company stockhold's equity was $349.6 million as of December 31, 2024, compared to $344.5 million as of December 31, 2023. Net cash flow from operating activities was $9.8 million in 2024. Cash paid to acquire property, plant, and equipment and land use rights was $43.7 million in 2024, and cash received from the sale of property, plant, and equipment was $20.5 million. The business outlook. Management has provided revenue guidance for the full year of 2025 of $700 million. This target is based on the company's current views on operating market conditions, which are subject to change. With that, operator, we'll be ready to begin the Q&A.

Operator (participant)

Thank you very much. At this time, we'll be opening the floor for questions. If you would like to ask a question, you can do so by pressing Star 1 on your phone keypad now to join the queue. The confirmation tone will indicate that your line is in the queue. You may press Star 2 if you would like to remove your question from the queue. For any participants using speaker equipment, it may be necessary to pick up your handset before you press the keys. Please wait a moment whilst we poll for questions. Thank you. Your first question is coming from Jonathan Nieves, who's a private investor. Jonathan, your line is live. Jonathan, can you hear us?

Jonathan Nieves (Private Investor)

Yes, I can hear you. Sorry, can you guys hear me?

Qizhou Wu (CEO)

Yes, we can hear you.

Jonathan Nieves (Private Investor)

Okay. My question is, for the 2025 year, the projection is for sales to grow by $50 million. What areas will generate this growth?

Qizhou Wu (CEO)

2025, right?

Jonathan Nieves (Private Investor)

Yes.

Qizhou Wu (CEO)

Okay.[Foreign language]

Jonathan Nieves (Private Investor)

[Foreign language]

Qizhou Wu (CEO)

Okay. The majority of our sales increase in our production will be contributed from the EPS sales, our electric power steering products. That breaks down to a number of new products: CEPS, DPEPS, and REPS products. On the volume, we're expecting a 30% year-over-year increase in 2025. In terms of total volume, we're looking at, in terms of unit volume increase, we're looking at another 400,000 units increase in 2025. That we're looking at, that will contribute to significant revenue growth we are reporting right now.

Operator (participant)

Okay. Jonathan, do you have any more questions?

Jonathan Nieves (Private Investor)

No, that was it. Thank you.

Operator (participant)

Nope. Okay. Thank you very much. Just a reminder that if there are any remaining questions, you can jump into the queue by pressing Star 1 on your phone keypad. Just wait a moment to see if anyone jumps into the queue. Okay. I'm not seeing any further questions. Nope. There's nobody come into the queue. Just a reminder to the audience, you can press Star 1 on your phone keypad if you would like to ask a question. Okay. We don't appear to have anyone else in the queue. I can hand back to the management team if they would like any closing comments.

Qizhou Wu (CEO)

Thank you for your participation in today's conference call. Be safe, and we look forward to speaking with you in the future.

Operator (participant)

Thank you very much. This does conclude today's conference call. You can disconnect your phone lines at this time and have a wonderful day. Thank you for your participation.