Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. (SUI.SG) Earnings Call Transcript

This is Nishida. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us today. Before I begin the presentation, I would like to first provide an update on the impact of the earthquake that hit Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28. No injuries or casualties have been reported within our group and damage to our facilities for production and sales has been minor. So at present, no material impact on our business activities or financial performance has been identified. I will now present our results for the first quarter of FY '26 and our outlook for the first half. Page 1 shows our FX assumptions and the actual results. The yen is currently trading at a weaker level than assumed at the outset of the fiscal year. The OP sensitivity to FX is also indicated here and JPY 1 depreciation against the U.S. dollar was uplift the OP by approximately JPY 500 million. Page 2 provides an overview of our Q1 results. In the first quarter, net sales increased by JPY 27.8 billion year-on-year to JPY 333 billion, and operating profit grew by JPY 4.3 billion year-on-year to JPY 25.5 billion. As indicated by the blue asterisks, net sales, OP and ordinary profit all reached record highs. Profit attributable to owners of the parent decreased slightly due to the recognition of extraordinary losses. Page 3 shows first quarter net sales and OP by segment. In the first quarter, 3 segments recorded increases in both net sales and operating profit with HPP and UIEP reaching record highs. For housing, net sales and OP were down in Q1, which was broadly in line with our plan. We began the fiscal year with a policy of, in principle, passing through the higher raw material costs stemming from the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. The effort is making good progress. We also believe that customers and distributors try to secure inventory, resulting in some sales being brought forward from Q2 and beyond. Although we do not disclose quarterly profit plans, group-wide net sales and OP both exceeded our business plan for the first quarter. The perovskite solar cell product shipments commenced as planned. The 2 projects indicated represents our track record to date. The breakdown of the other segment is as shown. I will explain the performance of each segment in more details later. Page 4 illustrates market trends and our second quarter outlook. Global auto production was down year-on-year as we had expected in Q1. In the second quarter, it is expected to fall below both our assumption and the prior year level. Smartphone shipments fell below our assumption in Q1. They are expected to decline further in Q2 and to be significantly below both our assumption and the prior year level. The upper right chart shows customer traffic in the housing business. Although inquiries increased, overall customer traffic has remained below the prior year level, and we expect this trend to continue in the second quarter and beyond. Despite some signs of recovery in new housing starts from the dip in FY '25, we expect the gradual downward trend to continue. Domestic naphtha prices rose sharply in Q1, but are expected to moderate somewhat in the second quarter. Page 5 presents our outlook for the first half. Group-wide net sales are projected to reach a record high of JPY 690.5 billion, up by JPY 60.7 billion year-on-year. OP is projected to grow by JPY 2.6 billion year-on-year to JPY 48 billion. Reflecting the Q1 results, we are revising our initial forecast for net sales and OP in UIEP and for the whole group. Regarding constraints on the procurement of raw materials and components resulting from the Middle East conflict, we do not anticipate any material issue during the first half. Page 6 shows our first half outlook by quarter and segment. In Q1, we observed efforts to secure inventory by the customers and distributors, bringing forward some future sales, particularly in HPP and UIEP. We were able to meet this demand despite constraints on the procurement of raw materials and components. In Q2, we expect a certain degree of demand adjustment and a pullback following the first quarter increase. Accordingly, group-wide OP was up by JPY 4.3 billion year-on-year in Q1, while it is projected to decrease by JPY 1.7 billion year-on-year in Q2. Page 7 provides an analysis of the factors underlying our first half outlook. As shown on the left, we project net sales to grow by JPY 60.7 billion year-on-year. On the right is a waterfall chart for OP. In April, we estimated that the surge in raw material prices resulting from the Middle East conflict would have an impact of roughly JPY 14 billion. The actual impact was broadly in line with our estimate that we were able to maintain the spread by properly passing on the cost increases through higher prices. The volume and product mix is expected to have a positive impact of JPY 7.2 billion year-on-year. Despite some adjustments expected in Q2, the first half assumption -- the first half performance will be broadly in line with our plan. Overall, reflecting the FX impact in fixed costs being kept below plan, OP is projected to go up by JPY 2.6 billion year-on-year to JPY 48 billion, an upward revision of JPY 1.6 billion from our initial plan. Page 8 illustrates the first half forecast and shareholder returns. As explained, we project net sales of JPY 690.5 billion and operating profit of JPY 48 billion. Ordinary profit is projected to increase by JPY 0.3 billion year-on-year to JPY 49.3 billion, and we are revising up our guidance accordingly. The net profit guidance remains unchanged from the plan announced in April. As planned, we will pay an interim dividend of JPY 40 per share. Now Page 9. From here onward, I will explain the results by segment. First, the first half forecast and analysis for the HPP company. On the left bar graph, net sales are projected at JPY 255.2 billion, up JPY 31.7 billion year-on-year. On the right is the analysis of year-on-year change for OP. Covering greater-than-anticipated raw material price changes with improved selling prices and cost reductions, we project OP of JPY 30.2 billion, up JPY 1.8 billion, in line with plans. Moving to Page 10, overview of the 3 strategic fields. First, Electronics. In the LCD field, smartphone demand fell below expectations, but large display demand remained firm. In the non-LCD field, driven by robust demand centered on semiconductors, binder resins for MLCCs and sulfur process materials grew steadily. In the middle, the mobility field, impacted by the automotive market stagnation, N-HPP, including design interlayer films, was slightly sluggish. Interlayer films for head-up displays remained firm, projected to exceed 100% year-on-year in first half on a sales volume basis. Meanwhile, for aeronautical components, aircraft demand is recovering and growth in new fields like drones and air mobility remained steady. On the right, in Industrial, we continue focusing on acquiring new orders like sensors and care materials and expanding sales of labor-saving and environmentally-friendly products. Note that we believe a certain portion of demand in this field was brought forward. Page 11. First half forecast and analysis for the Housing Company. On the left, net sales are forecast at JPY 276.7 billion, up JPY 18.1 billion Y-o-Y. On the right is OP. Although OP drops in the Housing, mainly due to fewer houses sold, growth in renovation and residential will drive overall first half sales and profit increases to JPY 16.5 billion, in line with plans. Moving on to Page 12. Top left shows new housing orders. In the first quarter, both the number and value of orders progressed largely in line with plans. We'll work to increase housing units through expanding sales of new products, expecting to achieve first half plans. For orders by construction type, as shown in the middle, we expect increases in both order value and units for both detached housing and apartment buildings. Top right details the consolidation of construction management functions of 3 group companies in Hokkaido into a new company released early this month. This aims to label construction workload fluctuations, share know-how and train technicians. Bottom left, renovation orders grew steadily, mainly on the back of periodic diagnosis. In the middle for the real estate, Benhouse, which has been consolidated from FY '25 fourth quarter, contributed to sales and profit. Bottom right, Town and Community Development sales progressed steadily, mainly in the Tokyo area. Page 13, first half forecast and analysis for the UIEP Company. On the left, net sales are forecast at JPY 121.5 billion, up JPY 9.4 billion year-on-year. On the right is OP analysis. In the first quarter, sales were brought forward mainly for piping materials, significantly boosting sales volumes and mix. We've firmly secured margins against the raw material price surges. We revised the forecast upward, projecting first half OP of JPY 10 billion, up JPY 1.9 billion. Moving to Page 14, the 3 strategic fields. Top left in the Pipe Systems, as mentioned, we brought forward first quarter sales and anticipate demand adjustment from second quarter. Plant piping demand remains strong in South Korea and China. Top right, in Building and Infrastructure Composite Materials, FFU railroad sleepers are progressing smoothly, expanding adoption in Europe. Bottom left, in Infrastructure Renovation, domestic pipeline renewal steadily captured renewal demand from nationwide surveys. Bottom right shows KPIs for priority measures. Prioritized Products grew steadily. Overseas sales also expanded. Growth of Growth Driving business is as shown. Page 15. Finally, the Medical business. Net sales are forecast at JPY 45.7 billion, up JPY 1.4 billion year-on-year. On the right is OP. Thanks to ongoing profitability improvement measures since last year, fixed cost control is progressing. Despite sluggishness in some markets supported by ForEx gains, we expect OP of JPY 4.8 billion, up JPY 300 million, in line with plans. Page 16, overview by business. Top left in the Diagnostics Japan, despite weak market conditions overall, we focus on expanding market share by promoting sales. Top right, Diagnostics overseas expects sales growth through expanding sales via stronger alliances in Europe and the U.S. and launching new products. In China, the Diabetes segment grew contributing to sales expansion. Bottom left, despite timing differences in order received for Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals and Drug Development Solutions, sales are expected to stay on par with last year. Bottom right shows net sales of infectious disease testing kits. Trends in both first quarter and the first half are largely in line with expectations. This concludes my explanation. Thank you very much. [Statements in English on this transcript were spoken by an interpreter present on the live call.]