Corporate news

First Sensor operations on target after first half of 2019

- Revenue rises 9.3% to EUR 81.3 million after six months

- Operating EBIT margin 8.3% for first half-year

- Earnings reduced by special effects of TE acquisition

First Sensor AG, a developer and manufacturer of standard products and customer-specific sensor solutions, generated revenue of EUR39.9 million in the second quarter of 2019, drawing level with the same quarter of the previous year. Revenue for the first half of the year thus rose by 9.3% to EUR81.3 million (previous year: EUR74.4 million), which is largely in line with planning for the business performance. "Our growth has slowed slightly compared to the first quarter on account of full inventories and project postponements by customers," said Dr. Dirk Rothweiler, CEO of First Sensor AG. "It remains to be seen whether these are merely intra-year fluctuations and the associated call-offs and orders will go ahead in the second half of the year, or if this change in ordering patterns is due to the more dampened economic situation."

EBIT was down on the previous year and fell short of projections for 2019 at EUR2.3 million (previous year: EUR4.1 million) and with an EBIT margin of 2.9% (previous year: 5.5%). This is due to transaction costs and accruals in connection with the planned combination with TE Connectivity Sensors Germany Holding AG. Adjusted for these special effects, EBIT amounted to EUR6.8 million (previous year: EUR4.1 million), which corresponds to an EBIT margin of 8.3% (previous year: 5.5%).

Target markets
There was strong growth in the Industrial target market, where revenue rose by 16.6% to EUR43.6 million (previous year: EUR37.3 million), with the second quarter accounting for EUR21.4 million (previous year: EUR20.7 million). Demand among Asian customers for pressure sensors and photodiodes contributed to this in particular. In the Medical target market, especially the product group photonics generated growth compared to the previous year. After six months, due to a rise in demand for imaging solutions, there was an increase of EUR2.3 million or 13.8% to EUR18.6 million (previous year: EUR16.3 million), EUR8.8 million of which was contributed in the second quarter (previous year: EUR9.0 million). At EUR9.7 million (previous year: EUR10.2 million), revenue in the Mobility target market was slightly higher in the second quarter than in the first. However, at EUR19.2 million after the first six months, the figure was down by 7.5% year-on-year (EUR20.7 million). In view of the geopolitical environment and structural challenges, automotive industry customers have been more cautious in calling off deliveries under the framework agreements of the advanced electronics sector.

Incoming orders and orders on hand
Incoming orders amounted to EUR35.6 million in the second quarter of 2019 (previous year: EUR44.3 million). The figure for the first half of the year is therefore EUR77.9 million after EUR83.7 million in the previous year. Accordingly, the book-to-bill ratio is at a slightly lower level than usual at 0.96. Orders on hand amounted to EUR94.2 million after the first six months (previous year: EUR102.1 million). These declines are attributable to orders that have been postponed or, at least for now, put on hold by customers. However, significantly more than half of the order backlog will still contribute to revenue in the current fiscal year.

Balance sheet and cash flow
Total assets increased by EUR5.4 million or 3.1% to EUR173.8 million in the first half of 2019 (December 31, 2018: EUR168.4 million), primarily as a result of the adoption of IFRS 16. The equity of the First Sensor Group was virtually unchanged at EUR88.8 million as of June 30, 2019 (December 31, 2018: EUR88.8 million). In this period, the equity ratio declined slightly from 52.8% to 50.5% as a result of the adoption of IFRS 16 and the associated increase in financial liabilities. Non-current assets amounted to EUR95.5 million at the end of the first half of 2019 (December 31, 2018: EUR85.9 million). Working capital amounted to EUR38.4 million after the first half of 2019 (December 31, 2018: EUR37.3 million).

After a negative operating cash flow of EUR-1.9 million in the first half of 2018 on account of special effects, it reached EUR6.8 million as of the end of the first half of 2019. The cash flow from investing activities increased by EUR1.4 million to EUR-5.3 million for the first six months of 2019 (previous year: EUR-3.9 million). Free cash flow was positive in the reporting period at EUR1.5 million (previous year: EUR-5.8 million). Cash funds were EUR3.0 million lower at EUR25.5 million (December 31, 2018: EUR28.5 million), on account of, among other things, the payment of the dividend of EUR2.0 million.

Outlook
Revenue development in the first half of 2019 was in line with expectations for the business performance. However, the economic environment has become more downbeat recently and First Sensor cannot disassociate itself from this entirely. The Executive Board therefore currently expects that revenue for 2019 as a whole will be at the lower end of the projected range of EUR160 to EUR170 million. Operating profitability largely developed in line with planning. However, in conjunction with the revenue forecast, the operating EBIT margin for the year as a whole will also be at the lower end of the projected range of 8.5% to 9.5%. The special effects in connection with the planned combination with TE Connectivity Sensors Germany Holding AG will reduce profitability in the second half of 2019, though the impact of this cannot be quantified at this time.

"The prospects for the company's development are still positive in the medium to long term, as we will continue to benefit from the megatrends on our sales markets, a well-filled product pipeline, and the systematic implementation of our profitable growth strategy," says CEO Dr. Dirk Rothweiler. "Sensor technology is and will remain a future technology whose potential we are actively leveraging. The planned combination with TE Connectivity Sensors Germany Holding AG will give us an additional boost on this journey. With its size and expertise, TE offers First Sensor the opportunity to apply our own know-how in the fields of pressure and photonics to an extensive product portfolio. At the same time, TE's global presence will allow us to advance the internationalization of First Sensor's solutions and standard business in Asia and North America, and to gain new key customers even more quickly."

Key Figures for the First Half of 2019 at a Glance (rounding differences may arise)

*In addition to the IFRS key figures, adjusted key figures are also reported to present the results due to transaction costs and accruals in connection with the planned combination with TE Connectivity Sensors Germany Holding AG.

Disclaimer
Statements in this report relating to future developments are based on a prudent estimate of future events. Actual events of the company may deviate significantly from planned events, as they depend on a large number of market and economic factors, some of which are outside of the company's control.

Download
The complete Interim Report 2019 is available online for download under https://www.first-sensor.com/en/investor-relations/results-center/index.html.

Dates
The Q3 Interim Report 2019 is expected to be published on November 14, 2019.

Image material for printing
https://www.first-sensor.com/en/company/press/picture-archive/index.html
First Sensor AG owns the rights to the images. Please make reference to this when using the material. If you require more material, you are welcome to contact us.

About First Sensor AG
Founded as a technology start-up in the early 1990s, today, First Sensor is a global player in sensor technology. Based on our know-how in chip design and production as well as microelectronic packaging, standard sensors and customer-specific sensor solutions are developed in the fields of photonics, pressure and advanced electronics for the ever-growing demand in key applications for the target markets of Industrial, Medical and Mobility. The strategy is aimed at profitable growth and focuses on key customers and products, forward integration and strengthening our international presence. First Sensor has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 1999 [Prime Standard Ι WKN: 720190 Ι ISIN DE0007201907 Ι SIS]. Further information: www.first-sensor.com.