Stockholm, Sweden, January 26, 2024(NYSE: ALV and SSE: ALIV.sdb)
Q4 2023: Record sales and strong profitability
Financial highlights Q4 2023
$2,751 million net sales18% net sales increase16% organic sales growth*8.6% operating margin12.1% adjusted operating margin*$2.71 EPS, 51% increase$3.74 adjusted EPS*, 105% increase
Full year 2024 guidance
Around 5% organic sales growthAround 0% FX effect on net salesAround 10.5% adjusted operating marginAround $1.2 billion operating cash flow
All change figures in this release compare to the same period of the previous year except when stated otherwise.
Key business developments in the fourth quarter of 2023
Record sales, increased organically* by 16%, which was 7pp better than global LVP growth of 9% (S&P Global January 2024). We outperformed in all regions, except China, mainly due to new product launches and higher prices. LVP in China grew by 31% for domestic OEMs with typically lower safety content but only by 7% for global OEMs with typically higher safety content.
Profitability improved substantially, positively impacted by price increases, organic growth, and our cost reduction activities. Operating income was $237 million and operating margin was 8.6%. Adjusted operating income* improved from $233 million to $334 million and adjusted operating margin* increased from 10.0% to 12.1%. Return on capital employed was 24% and adjusted return on capital employed* was 33%.
Operating cash flow remained strong, at $447 million. Free cash flow* was unchanged at $297 million. The leverage ratio* improved to 1.2X compared to 1.3X in the third quarter of 2023, despite returning $207 million to shareholders as dividends and share repurchases. A dividend of $0.68 per share was paid (a 3% increase), and 1.51 million shares were repurchased and retired in the quarter
*For non-U.S. GAAP measures see enclosed reconciliation tables.
Key Figures
| (Dollars in millions, except per share data) | Q4 2023 | Q4 2022 | Change | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | Change |
| Net sales | $2,751 | $2,335 | 18% | $10,475 | $8,842 | 18% |
| Operating income | 237 | 230 | 3.1% | 690 | 659 | 4.7% |
| Adjusted operating income1) | 334 | 233 | 43% | 920 | 598 | 54% |
| Operating margin | 8.6% | 9.8% | (1.2)pp | 6.6% | 7.5% | (0.9)pp |
| Adjusted operating margin1) | 12.1% | 10.0% | 2.2pp | 8.8% | 6.8% | 2.0pp |
| Earnings per share2) | 2.71 | 1.80 | 51% | 5.72 | 4.85 | 18% |
| Adjusted earnings per share1,2) | 3.74 | 1.83 | 105% | 8.19 | 4.40 | 86% |
| Operating cash flow | $447 | $462 | (3.4)% | $982 | $713 | 38% |
| Return on capital employed) | 24.4% | 24.3% | 0.1pp | 17.7% | 17.5% | 0.2pp |
| Adjusted return on capital employed1,3) | 32.9% | 24.9% | 8.1pp | 23.1% | 16.0% | 7.1pp |
| 1) Excluding effects from capacity alignments, antitrust related matters and for FY 2023 the Andrews litigation settlement. Non-U.S. GAAP measure, see reconciliation table. 2) Assuming dilution when applicable and net of treasury shares. 3) Annualized operating income and income from equity method investments, relative to average capital employed. | ||||||
Comments from Mikael Bratt, President & CEO
As we indicated throughout the year, we finished 2023 strong. We achieved or exceeded all of our 2023 indications. Sales and adjusted operating income hit new records while operating cash flow remained strong. I am pleased that gross margin improved substantially. 2023 order intake was the highest in the past five years, supporting our around 45% market share position, with a good mix of new and traditional OEMs as well as EV and ICE platforms.
We increased shareholder returns to more than $200 million in the quarter while continuing to improve our leverage ratio. As of the end of 2023, we have repurchased shares close to $0.5 billion under our existing $1.5 billion repurchase program.
We outperformed LVP in all regions except China, which had a very strong LVP growth for domestic OEMs with typically lower safety content. We strengthened our market position in China and our order intake was strong in the rapidly changing market, where domestic OEMs are now the drivers behind LVP development.We continue to deliver on our structural cost reductions, with around 75% of the planned indirect workforce reductions detailed and announced. We also see positive effects on direct labor productivity.
Our 2023 performance developed very much as we indicated with heavy cost headwinds early in the year, which led to a weak Q1 2023. However, quarter-by-quarter, our performance improved, driven by customer recoveries, efficiencies, and organic growth leading to a substantial full year profitability improvement. Our sustainability agenda is yielding results with good progress in GHG emissions, renewable electricity use and incident rate.
The seasonality of past years is likely to be repeated in 2024, with an expected Q1 adjusted operating margin of around 7%, followed by gradual quarterly improvements, leading to a full year 2024 adjusted operating margin of around 10.5%. Key drivers for the full year margin progression are continued improvement in call-off stability, outgrowing LVP and benefits from strategic and structural initiatives. The improving results we expect in 2024 should take us one important step closer to our target of around 12% adjusted operating margin.
Inquiries: Investors and Analysts
Anders TrappVice President Investor RelationsTel +46 (0)8 5872 0671
Henrik KaarDirector Investor RelationsTel +46 (0)8 5872 0614
Inquiries: Media
Gabriella EtemadSenior Vice President CommunicationsTel +46 (0)70 612 6424
Autoliv, Inc. is obliged to make this information public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the VP of Investor Relations set out above, at 12.00 CET on January 26, 2024.
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