Vishay Precision Group Reports First Quarter 2012 Results

May 8, 2012
Company Release - 5/8/2012 8:00 AM ET
  • Book to Bill was 1.01 for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012
  • Net earnings for the first quarter of 2012 were $1.6 million, or $0.12 per diluted share
  • Cash generated from operations was $4.1 million for the first quarter of 2012

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vishay Precision Group, Inc. (NYSE: VPG) ("VPG" or the “Company”), a leading producer of precision components, sensors, and systems based on its resistive foil technology, today announced results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012.

Net revenues for the first quarter of 2012 were $55.8 million, a decrease of 6.2% versus $59.5 million for the comparable prior year period. Net earnings for the first quarter of 2012 were $1.6 million or $0.12 per diluted share, versus net earnings of $3.3 million, or $0.24 per diluted share for the comparable prior year period.

Comparing the results of the first quarter of 2012 to the fourth quarter of 2011, net revenues decreased by 1.0% from $56.4 million. The lower revenues were a direct result of changes in exchange rates, mainly between the Euro and the US Dollar. Net earnings increased by $0.4 million, from $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

The Company previously disclosed in its annual report on Form 10-K filed March 12, 2012 a change in its segment presentation. As of December 31, 2011 the Company has divided the former Weighing Modules and Control Systems segment into two reporting segments in order to provide greater clarity to investors regarding its financial results and related business and market trends. The two new reporting segments are the Force Sensors segment and the Weighing and Control Systems segment while the Foil Technology Products (FTP) segment remains unchanged.

Commenting on the results, Ziv Shoshani, Chief Executive Officer of VPG, said, "Orders in Europe and the Americas improved in the first quarter of 2012 compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, mainly in the FTP segment and the Force Sensors segment. We experienced a decrease in orders for the Asian markets in the FTP segment.

Our FTP segment revenues increased from $26.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2011 to $27.8 million in the first quarter of 2012. The FTP gross margin was 40.7% for the first quarter of 2012, which reflects continued manufacturing capacity issues. At this revenue level and product mix, we expect gross margin improvements in the second quarter resulting from higher manufacturing efficiencies.

The Force Sensors segment revenues decreased from $17.2 million in the fourth quarter to $16.6 million in the first quarter of 2012. The decrease in revenues is the result of lower manufacturing capacity due to the transition to our new India facility. We expect to see higher revenues in the second quarter. The gross margin for the Force Sensors segment was 18.1% in the fourth quarter versus 17.9% in the first quarter of 2012. The gross margin was fairly stable with lower revenues, due to the initial realization of expected savings related to the India facility.

The Weighing and Control Systems segment revenues decreased from $12.6 million in the fourth quarter to $11.4 million for the first quarter of 2012, due to lower on-board weighing revenues in Europe. The gross margin for the Weighing and Control Systems improved from 39.2% in the fourth quarter to 40.0% for the first quarter of 2012 due to favorable product mix.”

Outlook

Mr. Shoshani concluded, “We are seeing some stability in our end markets for the first quarter of 2012. We believe the anticipated business for the second quarter will result in overall revenues in the range of $54 million to $59 million.”

Conference Call and Webcast

A conference call and simultaneous audio webcast will take place at 10:00 a.m. (ET) on May 8, 2012. To access the conference call, interested parties may call 877-317-6789 or +1-412-317-6789 and enter conference number: 1001-2592, or log on to the IR page of the VPG website at http://ir.vishaypg.com for listen-only mode.

A replay will be available approximately one hour after the completion of the call by calling toll-free 877-344-7529 or internationally +1-412-317-0088 and using the conference number: 1001-2592. The replay will also be available on the IR page of the VPG website at http://ir.vishaypg.com. It will be available via phone and website for a limited time.

About Vishay Precision Group

Vishay Precision Group (VPG) is an internationally recognized designer, manufacturer and marketer of: components based on its resistive foil technology; sensors; and sensor-based systems specializing in the growing markets of stress, force, weight, pressure, and current measurements. VPG is a market leader of Foil Technology Products, providing ongoing technology innovations in precision foil resistors and foil strain gages, which are the foundation of the Company’s Force Sensors Products and its Weighing and Control Systems. The product portfolio consists of a variety of well-established brand names recognized for precision and quality in the marketplace. To learn more, visit VPG at www.vishaypg.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

From time to time, information provided by us, including but not limited to statements in this report, or other statements made by or on our behalf, may contain "forward-looking" information within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those anticipated.

Such statements are based on current expectations only, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, expected, estimated, or projected. Among the factors that could cause actual results to materially differ include: general business and economic conditions, changes in the current pace of economic recovery, including if such recovery stalls or does not continue as expected; difficulties in integrating acquired companies, the inability to realize anticipated synergies and expansion possibilities, unexpected costs or difficulties related to our spinoff and other unanticipated conditions adversely affecting the operation of these companies; difficulties in new product development; changes in competition and technology in the markets that we serve and the mix of our products required to address these changes; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; difficulties in implementing our cost reduction strategies such as underutilization of production facilities, labor unrest or legal challenges to our lay-off or termination plans, operation of redundant facilities due to difficulties in transferring production to lower-labor-cost countries; and other factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services, and prices that are set forth in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

   
VISHAY PRECISION GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Condensed Summary of Operations
(Unaudited - In thousands, except per share data)
 
Fiscal quarter ended
March 31, April 2,
2012 2011
 
 
Net revenues $ 55,844 $ 59,525
Costs of products sold   36,964     38,515  
Gross profit 18,880 21,010
Gross margin 33.8 % 35.3 %
 
Selling, general, and administrative expenses   16,516     16,333  
Operating income 2,364 4,677
Operating margin 4.2 % 7.9 %
 
Other income (expense):
Interest expense (72 ) (80 )
Other   202     280  
Total other income (expense) - net   130     200  
 
Income before taxes 2,494 4,877
 
Income tax expense   860     1,513  
 
Net earnings 1,634 3,364
 
Less: net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests 11 71
   
Net earnings attributable to VPG stockholders $ 1,623   $ 3,293  
 
 
Basic earnings per share attributable to VPG stockholders $ 0.12 $ 0.25
 
Diluted earnings per share attributable to VPG stockholders $ 0.12 $ 0.24
 
 
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic 13,362 13,340
 
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted 13,868 13,809
 
   
VISHAY PRECISION GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
(Unaudited - In thousands)
 
March 31, December 31,
2012 2011
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents $ 83,042 $ 80,828
Accounts receivable, net 34,066 34,214
Net inventories 49,742 49,098
Deferred income taxes 4,596 4,638
Prepaid expenses and other current assets   9,307     8,964  
Total current assets 180,753 177,742
 
Property and equipment, net 53,933 53,738
Intangible assets, net 10,288 11,102
Other assets   13,923     14,023  
Total assets $ 258,897   $ 256,605  
 
Liabilities and equity
Current liabilities:
Trade accounts payable $ 12,164 $ 11,458
Payroll and related expenses 12,604 12,741
Other accrued expenses 8,919 9,538
Income taxes 2,142 2,842
Current portion of long-term debt   174     185  
Total current liabilities 36,003 36,764
 
Long-term debt less current portion 11,326 11,463
Deferred income taxes 2,814 2,873
Other liabilities 8,083 7,769
Accrued pension and other postretirement costs   12,662     12,798  
Total liabilities   70,888     71,667  
 
Commitments and contingencies
 
Equity:
Common stock 1,234 1,232
Class B common stock 103 103
Capital in excess of par value 181,177 180,758
Retained earnings 18,288 16,665
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   (12,957 )   (13,973 )

Total Vishay Precision Group, Inc. stockholders' equity

187,845 184,785
Noncontrolling interests   164     153  
Total equity   188,009     184,938  
Total liabilities and equity $ 258,897   $ 256,605  
 
   
VISHAY PRECISION GROUP, INC.
Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited - In thousands)
Fiscal Quarter Ended
March 31, April 2,
2012 2011
 
Operating activities
Net earnings $ 1,634 $ 3,364

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization 2,975 2,806
Loss on disposal of property and equipment 177 24
Inventory write-offs for obsolescence 224 345
Share based compensation expense 239 226
Other (208 ) (3,591 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities   (930 )   (5,533 )
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 4,111 (2,359 )
 
Investing activities
Purchase of property and equipment (2,588 ) (2,923 )
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment   150     54  
Net cash used in investing activities (2,438 ) (2,869 )
 
Financing activities
Principal payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations (46 ) -
Net changes in short-term borrowings - 560
Distributions to noncontrolling interests   -     (15 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (46 ) 545
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents   587     1,573  
 
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents   2,214     (3,110 )
 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year   80,828     82,245  
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year $ 83,042   $ 79,135  
 

 

Vishay Precision Group, Inc.
Joe Desimone, 484-321-5327
Mgr. Investor Relations
[email protected]

Source: Vishay Precision Group, Inc.