Q2 2022 Gentex Corp Earnings Call
Good day and welcome to the Gentex reports second quarter 2022 financial results call. At this time all participants are in a listen only mode. After.
After the Speakers' presentation, there'll be a question and answer session.
As a reminder, this call is being recorded I would like to turn the call over to Joshua Bursty director of Investor Relations you may begin.
Thank you.
Good morning, and welcome to the Gentex Corporation's second quarter 2022 earnings release Conference call I'm, Joshua Bursty, Gentex director of Investor Relations and I'm joined by Steve Downing.
And CEO , Neil Boehm, Vice President of Engineering, and CTO, and Kevin Nash, Vice President of Finance and CFO .
This call is live on the Internet and can be reached by going through the Gentex website in the IR Gentex Dot com all contents of this conference call are the property of Gentex Corporation and May not be copied published reproduced rebroadcast retransmitted transcribed or otherwise redistributed.
Gentex Corporation will hold responsible and liable any party for any damages incurred by Gentex Corporation.
With respect to any unauthorized use of the contents of this conference call. This conference call contains forward looking information within the meaning of the Gentex Safe Harbor statement included in the Gentex reports second quarter 2022 financial results press release from earlier this morning, and as always shown on the Gentex website. Your participation in this conference call implies consent to these terms.
Now I will turn the call over to Steve Downing, who will get US started today. Thank you Josh.
For the second quarter of 2022, the company reported net sales of $463 $4 million compared to net sales of $428 million in the second quarter of 2021, which was an 8% increase quarter over quarter.
For the second quarter of 2022 Global light vehicle production in North America, Europe , Japan, Korea, and China decreased approximately 3% when compared to the second quarter of 2021.
Light vehicle production in the company's primary markets of North America, Europe , and Japan Korea was down 1% on a quarter over quarter basis, primarily driven by vehicle production increases in North America that were more than offset by reductions in Europe , Japan and Korea.
While we are pleased with our sales performance compared to the light vehicle production, which represents a 9% outperformance to our primary markets and.
An 11% outperformance to the global market. It is important to note that sales for the quarter fell short of our beginning of quarter forecast by approximately $70 million to $80 million.
Sure.
The sales shortfall was primarily driven by the fact that the light vehicle production in our primary markets was 4% lower than forecasted at the beginning of the quarter and then was further compounded by component issues that negatively impacted mix on some of our advanced feature products.
While there appears to be some improved stability in light vehicle production environment as compared to a year ago. The company is still experiencing significant customer order fluctuations on a week to week basis.
The industry dynamics continued to create a difficult forecasting environment. However, we still believe that the continuing strong demand for light vehicles combined with the historically low level of light vehicle inventories should create a better sales environment as we move throughout the rest of this year and into 2023.
For the second quarter of 2022, the gross margin was 32% compared to a gross margin of 35, 4% for the second quarter of 2021.
Gross margin was impacted on a quarter over quarter basis by raw material cost increases labor cost increases.
Sure than expected sales levels and customer order volatility logistics cost increases and products product mix shifts inflate.
Inflationary pressures on our raw materials resulted in a margin impact of approximately 150 basis points higher labor costs impacted margins by approximately 60 basis points.
The lower than forecasted sales levels and customer order volatility resulted in approximately 150 basis points of margin headwind.
Logistics costs impacted margins by approximately 50 basis points and product mix shifts resulted in approximately 60 basis points of headwind.
The total of these issues mentioned created approximately 470 basis points of margin headwind, but we were able to offset some of these issues, they're lower than forecasted price downs to our customers and fixed and variable overhead efficiencies.
While we currently expect that many of these challenges will continue throughout 2022 and enter 2023, we are optimistic about our ability to stabilize and offset many of these headwinds due to the progress we are making with our customers regarding the inflationary aspects of our business by building collaborative relationships that provide opportunities to minimize the impact.
Of these inflationary pressures on our respective business models.
Operating expenses during the second quarter of 2022 increased by 21% to $62 6 million compared to operating expenses of $51 $7 million in the second quarter of 2021.
Operating expenses increased during the second quarter of 2022, due to staffing and professional fees outbound freight expenses and travel related expenses, our operating expense growth rate for the second quarter of 2022 was significantly higher than our sales growth rate for the same quarter, but was necessary to support previously source new program.
<unk> product redesigns in support of component issues, and our ongoing commitment to new technology areas.
Additionally, the higher levels of operating expenses are more than justified based on our current forecasted growth rate throughout 2022 and into 2023.
Income from operations for the second quarter of 2022 was $85 8 million compared to income from operations of $99 9 million for the second quarter of 2021.
During the second quarter of 2022, the company had an effective tax rate of 14, 6%, which was primarily driven by the benefit of the foreign derived intangible income deduction and discrete benefits from stock based compensation.
Net income was $72 4 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared to net income of $86 $5 million for the second quarter of 2021.
The change in net income was primarily the result of the quarter over quarter changes in sales gross margins and operating profits.
Earnings per diluted share for the second quarter of 2022 were <unk> 31.
Compared to earnings per diluted share of <unk> 36 for the second quarter of 2021.
I will now hand, the call over to Kevin for a second quarter financial details. Thanks, Steve.
Automotive net sales in the second quarter of 'twenty, two where $452 9 million compared with $420 6 million and.
An 8% increase over the second quarter of 2021, and auto Dimming Mirror unit shipments increased 3% during the quarter compared to the second quarter of 'twenty one.
Other net sales in the second quarter of 2002, which includes Dimmable aircraft Windows and fire protection products was $10 5 million compared to other net sales of $7 4 million in the second quarter of 2009.
Fire protection sales increased by 53% for the second quarter of 'twenty, two compared to the second quarter of 'twenty one.
<unk> aircraft Windows sales decreased by 22% for the second quarter compared to the second quarter of last year. The company continues to expect that Dimmable aircraft window sales will be negatively impacted until there is a more meaningful recovery of the aerospace industry and the Boeing 787 aircraft production levels improve.
During the second quarter 'twenty two the company did not repurchase any shares of its common stock.
Account macroeconomic issues, including the impact of the COVID-19, pandemic and supply constraints market trends and other factors the company deems appropriate.
Let's look at a few key balance sheet items.
The balance sheet items mentioned today, our values as of June 30, 'twenty, two and are compared to December 31 of 21, unless otherwise noted.
Cash and cash equivalents were $269 4 million up from $262 3 million, primarily due to cash flow from operations and investment sales, which were partially offset by share repurchases dividend payments and capital expenditures short term and long term investments combined were $209 6 million down from $213 1 million.
Accounts receivable was $274 4 million up from $249 8 million due to the timing of sales within the quarter.
Inventories were $392 6 million, which increased from $316 $3 million, primarily in raw materials.
The company continues to take a proactive position related to raw materials inventory with ongoing supply chain issues component shortage issues. In addition to customer order volatility. The company has taken on additional components of certain medium and long lead time items to help manage risks and meet customer demand, which has been changing quickly and constantly.
As previously mentioned on the supply chain constraints start to alleviate and the component shortage.
Shortages begin to decline the company will evaluate the proper levels of inventory at each commodity level.
Accounts payable increased to $186 6 million up from $98 3 million, primarily due to increased inventory purchases and capital expenditures.
Quickly looking at the cash flow statement, the second quarter of 2022 cash flow from operations was $110 9 million compared with $62 4 million in the second quarter of 'twenty, one operating cash flow was impacted by the lower net income quarter over quarter, but was more than offset by fluctuations in working capital and year to date cash flow from operations was 226.
$9 million compared to $252 2 million in operating cash flow for year to date 21.
Capex for the second quarter was $34 1 million compared with $18 8 million for the second quarter of last year.
And year to date, Capex was $58 million compared to $31 3 million for year to date 2021 Capex.
And depreciation and amortization for the second quarter was $25 3 million compared with $25 9 million for the second quarter of 'twenty, one and lastly year to date depreciation was $50 million compared with $51 5 million for calendar year 'twenty one.
Now I'll hand, the call over to Neil for a product update.
Thank you Kevin the Gentex team was extremely busy during this last quarter as we experienced our highest Q2 launch rate for inside and outside auto dimming mirrors and electronic features since 2016 for.
For the second quarter of 2022, we had 44 total new launches of our interior and exterior auto dimming mirrors and electronic features with our base interior auto dimming mirror Homelink and full display mirror, leading the way.
Over 40% of our net base interior auto dimming mirror launches were for Chinese Oems for the China domestic market.
As I mentioned last quarter continue to expand the penetration of our base interior auto dimming mirror is a critical part for us to continue to add and grow new feature content for future projects.
Now for a quick full display mirror update we're happy to announce that during the second quarter of 'twenty. Two we began shipping full display mirrors for the Mercedes AMG, one and the range Rover sport that.
It's exciting to add these incredible vehicles to a long list of full display mirror launches and they bring a total of full display mirror nameplates shipping up to 72.
Over the second half of 'twenty, two we're expecting to see an additional eight nameplates launch and we're anticipating the ability to announce our 14th OEM.
The interest in full display mirror continues to grow and we're excited to see the expansion of this product over the coming years.
The gentex the team at Gentex has done a phenomenal job in handling the high level of launches as well as the increased workload due to product redesigns caused by the current supply constraints of certain components in.
In fact over the last year, we've had as much as 30% of our development team focused on product redesigns to avoid constrained components for our customer.
As we look forward, we continue to see strong launch rates and product Rollouts, which we believe will continue to position the company.
With the technology and product portfolio that will drive growth into the future.
I'll now hand, the call back over to Steve for guidance and closing remarks. Thanks Neal.
The company's current forecast for light vehicle production for the third quarter of 2022 and full year 2022, and 2023 are based on the mid July 2022, IHS market forecast for light vehicle production in North America, Europe , Japan, Korea, and China light vehicle.
Production in these markets is expected to increase 21% for the third quarter of 2022 as compared to light vehicle production for the third quarter of 2021.
For calendar year 2022 light vehicle production in these markets is forecasted to increase 4% when compared to calendar year 2021.
The company continues to expect that revenue will remain difficult to forecast for the remainder of the year as a result of high levels of volatility in customer orders and vehicle production volumes electronics supply chain constraints labor shortages and overall economic uncertainty.
Based on the updated light vehicle production forecast as well as the year to date financials. The company is updating certain guidance estimates for calendar year 2022 to the following.
Revenue for 2022 is expected to be between $1 87, and $1 $97 billion gross margins for the year are expected to be between 33 and 34%.
For operating expenses, we are maintaining our initial guidance of $230 million to $240 million or.
Our estimated annual tax rate, which assumes no change to the statutory rate is forecasted to be between 15 and 16%.
Capital expenditures for 2022 are expected to be between 125, and $150 million and depreciation and amortization is forecasted to be between 101 hundred $5 million.
Additionally, based on the company's forecast for light vehicle production for calendar year 2023, the company still expects to calendar year 2023 revenue growth of approximately 15% to 20% above the 2022 revenue guidance.
As we look back at the quarter, we did see some stabilization in our sales levels due to the significant amount of redesign work that we have completed over the last several quarters and we have observed some modest improvements in the overall supply base.
Unfortunately, many of these improvements were offset by new component shortages and customer order changes and volatility that we expect to continue throughout the rest of 2022 and into 2023.
Despite these challenges we still believe that the overall backdrop in the industry should lead to a demand increase in the automotive market over the next 12 to 18 months and will be supported by growth in full display mirrors exterior auto dimming mirrors and other new technologies that we have been investing in over the last few years.
So while we acknowledge that the inflationary aspects of our business will remain a challenge that needs to be addressed we are optimistic about our growth opportunity is driven by our commitment to new technology and our team's ability to handle the cost challenges that are inundating our industry.
That completes our prepared comments for today. Thank you for your time and we can now proceed to questions.
Ask a question. Please press Star then one.
Our first question comes from Luke junk with Baird. Your line is open.
Good morning, Thanks for taking my questions.
Hoping to start with cost recoveries from here and really a qualitative question. So having had another quarter to continue engaging with customers on managing inflation jointly just wondering whether you would say youre feeling same or better versus 90 days ago, and specifically what does that mean.
For gross margin as we look at the glide path looking out to 2023 and beyond in addition to what you've indicated for the second half of this year. Thank you.
Yes, so I would tell you, we actually feel a little better than we did even last quarter.
The reason for that is we've had more substantive conversations with our customers about the details.
What's happening on the materials side.
And on the labor side and costs in general and we're starting to make some progress we've actually been able to already lower some of our existing APR commitments and those havent necessarily resulted in price increases yet at those Oems, but we have been able to lower what we had previously committed to on <unk> and so those are some of the improvements that we're starting.
To see and we're having pretty good conversations about the cost escalation that's happening in the industry.
As it relates to the 2023 and beyond forecast.
We know we're not going to get 100% recovery from the cost increases because there are a lot of those are internal not just develop materials, but we still believe that given a fair amount of time in six months, maybe not enough to get the full offsets in place, but we do believe.
By mid 2023, we should be back hopefully to that $35, 36% range.
Okay. Thank you for that and then follow up question would be on FTM shipments and I'm, just wondering if youre able to give any sort of midyear indication of where we stand here in July either in absolute terms or just relative to what your expectations were coming into the year.
Knowing that the main issue here is just.
What level of components you can sir thank you.
Yes for the year.
And actually we've had a lot of challenges as we've talked about in the past about components, especially with our higher end content parts. The team has done a phenomenal job and a lot of the redesigns are around full display mirror and being able to get alternate solutions to the market.
So we're still feeling pretty good about our our like we discussed last quarter, our current trajectory for units for this year.
We were able to achieve and meet shipments.
Obviously, we hope to component part gets better so we can stop doing redesigns, but we feel like we're still on target for what we talked about last time.
Okay. Thank you for that I'll leave it there this morning.
Thanks Luke.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Our next question comes from David Kelley with Jefferies. Your line is open.
Hey, good morning, guys, maybe starting with a quick clarification on the gross margin guidance.
Does that assume any kind of incremental traction in pricing pass throughs in the back half of the year.
No.
Yeah.
Okay got it. Thank you appreciate that yes.
No right now right now, we're not modeling or trying to predict what what the net effect of price increases could look like if we're able to get those to our customers.
Sure.
Okay perfect. Thank you and then maybe a high level question on the supply chain.
Like you were starting to see some improvements there, but at the same time, new shortages seem to be emerging so can you walk us through.
Maybe where things are getting better where things are getting incrementally worse is it specific component areas is it regional just looking for kind of some color on the moving parts there.
Yes, if you look back over the last year there were various times when we would have 50 to 100 components individual discrete components that were of concern some of those very very concerning others. Just just concerning in that we didn't have line of sight of how we can get enough volume to support customer volumes.
If you look at this past quarter I would say, we're probably down to about five or 10 components at a time that are in the heartless that are really hot and yes. So I mean, the total number of components, you're dealing with now the severity of each one of those when they do happen.
That's the part that Hasnt improved like when a component goes down.
Immediate net severe and theres, usually not a whole lot of.
A lot of lead time or a lot of heads up given by the supply base in terms of what they're going to be able to support so.
The total number of problems. We're handling is dropping unfortunately, we just haven't gotten to that point, where the severity has gotten better yet.
Yeah.
Okay got it. Thank you and then maybe one last one on the customer order changes are you seeing any outright cancellations or are the changes still more a function of ongoing volatility and just on predictability in the supply chain.
Yes, correct no no full cancellations, it's more you'll get you'll get released data that says hey in the next couple of weeks you got to have a 100000 parts of this part number ready and then when it comes time for delivery, they will take 10% less than that and so they'll shove those orders into the following weeks and so it just kind of keeps cascading and move.
Al but we've not had a single instance of a.
Cancellation of a program or a project.
Okay perfect. Thanks, guys I will pass it along.
Thank you.
Okay.
Our next question comes from Josh Nichols with B Riley Your line is open.
Yeah. Thanks for taking my question I guess.
Looking at a little bit further out it sounds like the gross margins are probably trough this quarter.
On track over the next 12 months or so the return to historic levels, but I'm kind of curious.
How are you kind of feel internally about the 8% light vehicle production growth for next year that Hs.
As project is projected in kind of the assumptions that are around that and also any commentary on how these kind of low inventory levels that we have to help potentially buffer or any kind of slowdown that we see.
Economically.
Yes, so the first part of it.
We have been really over the last 18 months, a little bit more pessimistic than IHS IHS has been on overall vehicle production volumes. So our guidance both through the second half of this year end and through all of next year is assuming a slightly lower LBP than what IHS is showing currently.
We still even with that slightly lower LBP in 2023, we still think we can get that 15% to 20% growth range and so it's a little more conservative than what the industry itself is showing for next year, but our outperformance should be right in line if not slightly.
Even better than what it has been so far this year.
In terms of the macroeconomics is probably one of my favorite conversations there is a ton of variables obviously playing.
Like I mentioned on the in the prepared comments. The backdrop is actually really really good. If you look at there seems to be plenty of demand for vehicles inventories are incredibly low still all of these things should favor an environment that would be good for us in terms of ability to have stable demand over the next 12 months to 18 months the single biggest risk fac.
Right now as affordability in the federal funds rate and what's going on with.
With the consumer and what is going to become affordable obviously as a content provider one of the things that we look at is what is the average sale price of a vehicle and typically it is not that cars won't small cell.
What is the average value of our average transaction price and Thats, one that we watch very closely so far we haven't seen any changes to that but a lot of that's been driven by Oems and the fact that inventories are so low. So we're hopeful that things will continue but I'd say those are kind of the competing forces right now in this space.
Thanks again.
The company has been pretty consistent for its outperformance relative to the light vehicle production in your markets I guess could you elaborate a little bit on some of the forces that are driving that because I know historically or at least recently FTM shipments have been a little bit more limited are those coming back stronger or is it other areas that you see.
Like China that you mentioned that are help driving that up.
Performance.
Really it's been across the board I mean penetration rates of our core auto dimming products with interior and exterior have been doing well, obviously, obviously <unk> has been doing really well the biggest challenge we have on FTM is not demand from our customers is our ability to get components. So.
Literally when Neil mentioned up to 30% of his engineering's team's time has been on redesigns. Its in support of that and there's literally been instances in the last two quarters, where we've had to tell Oems, we can't increase volumes to what they would like and like them to be because theres, just not availability of components and so it's been very chaotic tremendous.
Amount of work from the team just to get to this level. There is definitely more demand on the OEM side for <unk> right now than what we could then what we can produce.
Are you able to quantify that I mean are you able to get back to like the more typical cadence we are adding 200 or 300000 additional STM should mean units this year or is it going to be a little bit more constrained, but better than last year.
No I think it'll be I think it will be just like several hundred thousand unit growth rate on a year over year basis by the time, we get to the end of this year I think we'll be right in line with that again.
Perfect. Thanks, I'll hop back in the queue.
I appreciate it thanks, Jeff.
Yes.
Right.
Hi.
Our next question comes from Mark Delaney with Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.
Yes, good morning, and thank you very much for taking the questions. The Brooklyn is on gross margins for me as well if I heard correctly youre talking about gross margins getting into the 35% to 36% range net all the second half of 2023, maybe you can talk about what things may still be constraining growth.
And in that timeframe relative to the upper 30% range that the company had been doing.
The recent quarters, where headwinds the remanded to chad's point great. Thanks.
Yes, I think the primary focus there is that we know there'll be some material cost increases that we won't be able to fully get.
Re re numerator for from our customers. If you look at what we're working on with them is kind of taken a long approach in terms of cost increases and what's happening on the material release side. So we believe that will create some headwinds obviously, a normal kind of pricing models and then the other one is mix Neil talked about some of the strong growth we're seeing in base auto dimming.
And the China market those products do tend to be slightly below corporate average and so as we're growing to help us offer up more higher end technology in the future and also our outside auto dimming and it all starts with an inside auto dimming mirror. Unfortunately, they are below corporate average margin profile. So as we deliberately try to grow that business. It does have it does have a headwind.
The effect in terms of overall corporate profitability.
But strategically it's something that we believe will help us grow and produce the type of content that we think we can get in the China market longer term.
Beyond that some of the things that we talked about in terms of headwinds this quarter, we will lap. So some of the labor cost increases we're hopeful that some of the logistics costs start to go away finally, but it's been 18 months of logistics challenges. So we're still we're still anticipating that come even next year they'll still continue to be some higher costs.
With freight globally.
Okay.
That's very helpful.
My second question is just trying to better understand how you guys are thinking about the macroeconomic environment. It sounds like you guys are putting a lot of thought into it and we're all seeing some of these headlines around pressure on.
Jim or spending with inflation in.
Yes.
Yes.
They also various companies.
They have kept the topline outlook that you add for next year. Despite some of these.
We can in economic data points. So I'm just curious if you can talk a little bit more are you trying to factor in some some weakening in the economic environment with that top three.
Where is that.
If the economy does slow is that perhaps some downside risk to that.
The number you are articulating.
<unk>.
Then what is really going to come in at and Thats and Thats kind of our first take at what is the overall economic impact of these factors and what kind of a moderating influence will have in the industry now and so we do that manually we actually do a full bottoms up forecast, which is part number by vehicle take rate based on what our customers are telling.
And then we and then we true that up based off of our belief system around what's happening in the overall market conditions.
All of those things being said and I think our conservative approach has fared fairly well over the last 18 months I think we are probably one of the few suppliers that talked about the component issue a long time ago before it became quite as catastrophic as it has been in the last 12 to 18 months.
But if you look if you look overall, what we're focused on as a company. We still believe that our product portfolio is what's going to drive that growth and we still we still believe that the customers will resonate towards the higher end electronic features there are some other features that potentially will become more troubled over time, not just ours, but in the industry as a whole.
And we really truly believe that we have a winning product portfolio right now.
That's really helpful. Thank you.
Thank you.
As a reminder to ask a question. Please press Star then one.
Our next question comes from David Whiston with Morningstar. Your line is open.
Thanks, Good morning.
We are of course can you just talked about how much need you have relative to a year ago six months ago to add.
People on the line.
Yes, there is still there is still some labor shortages that we're dealing with we have made some progress from the beginning of the year.
But when we look at these growth rates that we're talking about we're going to need even more than that so we're still running some over time currently we do have a little bit of capacity in place.
But for the growth rates that we're seeing over the next 18 months people will definitely be one of the challenges we'll face.
And I know you've had some success with that Spanish only speaking production line hiring program is there enough.
Additional Spanish speaking labor in the area to expand that or do you already Max that out.
No we havent maxed it out yet and I think we're up to a little over 130 people currently.
And that program and we're actually actively recruiting and trying to expand that and know where it's at.
Kind of a.
A nice story and that what we're really looking for now is helping people to become leaders and supervisors and inside of that facility to.
To make sure that they are have a career path and then can help us grow that program. Even further so it's one thing to have the employees. It's a lot of work then goes into making sure that we're developing people. So that we have supervisors in what we call group leaders.
To be able to manage those lines.
And then moving on to capital allocation I guess, a two part question there no buybacks this quarter or so.
One are you.
Does that perhaps suggest you were a bit more worried about the future given there is a lot more concerned about inflation in a recession in the past few months.
But then also on the dividend that's been essentially flat for.
Nearly three years.
Where do you see that.
Remaining do you want more certainty before increasing the dividend.
Our dividend alright, thanks for the cap I mean, the capital allocation conversation because it is an important part of what we look at every day the dividend. Our philosophy. There is basically the dividend will move roughly in line with net income growth and obviously over the last three years with the with the challenges that's happened in the industry in Covid, we took a careful approach.
The dividend and obviously in this last couple of quarters. What we've seen is underperformance in net income. So we're just holding that dividend stable until we get back to the place where we're seeing net income growth on a on a true basis.
As it relates to share repurchases, it's not that we're worried about overall long term health of the company or anything else as it relates to why we didn't make purchases at was all focused on inventory. Our goal is to take the money that we had historically been spending on share repurchases and make a deliberate attempt to raise the overall inventory levels of the business to try to help.
Protect our customers and ourselves from component shortages and so what we wanted to do is just say hey, listen, let's make sure we have as much capital available to make those guarantees to the supply base to try to get our hands on as many parts as humanly possible.
So basically you wanted to increase raw material inventory is that fair.
Correct.
Okay. Thanks, guys.
Thanks, David Thanks, David.
Our next question comes from James Picariello with BNP Paribas. Your line is open.
Hey, guys.
Jamie Jamie just.
You just.
Thinking about the guidance here in last quarter, the communication of that.
<unk> was set up to be kind of the low mark from both a revenue and margin standpoint.
I understand second quarter, maybe came in relative to April may.
Maybe a little bit lighter, but it just seems as though.
There is a lot more now involved from your specific supply chain sources in the redesign efforts I mean, how much of this is attributable to.
One or two.
Very important customers for you what really has surprised you because now it seems as though the <unk>.
Might be.
Certainly not the low mark it might be actually the high Mark for the year, we will see how the rest of the year trends.
What really has surprised you guys and is it attributable to one or two.
Key customers.
Yes, I think there was too.
I would say there were two things that actually surprised me in and the two things were that given how low.
How easy the year over year light vehicle production comps should have been for Q2. The fact that from the beginning of quarter to the end of the quarter that vehicle production dropped 4%.
From what was estimated to what actually happened and if you take that 4% that would have that would have parlayed pretty linearly for us into direct revenue and so that was that one was surprising because these are not super high levels of production.
And really what comes with that as the Oems.
Struggle to be able to get the resources they need to produce cars faster, whether thats materials from the supply base or even labor to build at rates higher than what they are currently and so that was pretty shocking because it should.
<unk> theory, it should have been fairly easy to get a.
The increases in LBP in Q2 that they were forecasting that wasn't a really high hurdle rate by any stretch of imagination. So that one was surprising and then and then the second one I would say what's surprising is the continuing we felt like at the end of Q1, we had knocked down most of the component issues, we are feeling pretty good about that.
In the quarter or a couple more came up that were quite honestly pretty surprising. So those are the two surprises for me for the quarter.
And are these primarily chip chip related alright.
We're involved in it.
No, it's primarily all of that.
<unk>.
Okay.
And then.
Yes.
The back half.
<unk>.
Most indications for from others will be obviously, we're in front of the earnings.
But that the second half semi supply will.
We will continue to improve but it does sound as though the redesign element to your customer relationships is playing a more significant factor and thats showing up.
Maybe slightly lower outperformance baked in for the second half and then also.
Large ends.
Facing a little added pressure. So can you maybe just unpack the idea.
Your need to redesign and why the second half.
Margins would be affected.
Chip improvement as it is going to play out.
Yes, I think I think on the redesign side and component availability. We are in a unique situation. There. If you look at if you look at a lot of what we design, we try to stick with a lot of kind of common designs whenever possible, meaning you have some exposures to obviously some unique electronic components as well and so.
Because of the the <unk>.
Product portfolio that we have these are very unique products. So a lot of times, we have some unique components that go into them as well, meaning you could be a little more susceptible to to variation in production than say, a very high volume component. That's used by 20 different tier ones across the globe. So thats one factor if you look at if you look at the other some.
<unk> of the component issue I wouldn't say that we're more impacted what I would say from our standpoint is that we're probably more proactive than a lot of suppliers in terms of the fact that we will redesign this and begin that process before we even have an OEM approval or even a buy in to handle it we believe that in our position that it's our obligation.
And to make sure that we're taking care of our customers as quickly as possible and so we tend to be very proactive about that.
Some of the some of the redesign work that's been going on from the team is less focused on it's going to happen or what's happening right now to this as a risk factor how do we get us how do we get a new component in place a new circuit design in place to be able to protect in case. The worst case scenario plays out and so we've been we've been very proactive in that in that space and we believe that.
Going to help us as we move through the next three to five years in terms of confidence from Oems ability to get source, new projects and not pull on not pulling punches are waiting for Oems to guarantee support before we start moving on those redesigns and and so historically our reputation in the industry has always been one of a very proactive supplier, who will always take that take.
Leap of faith and start those redesigns, even before the guarantees are in place and so we've been living up to that reputation.
Okay.
Thanks James.
There are no further questions I'd like to turn the call back over to Josh <unk> for any closing remarks.
Thank you everyone for your time and questions. Today. This concludes our conference call.
This does conclude the call you may now disconnect everyone have a great day.
The conference will begin shortly to raise your hand during Q&A you can dial stolen.
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