Johnson Controls Forecasts Sales and Earnings Growth in 2010 with Improvements in All Three Businesses
13 October 2009 - 9:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
MILWAUKEE, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Johnson Controls, Inc.
(NYSE: JCI) announced today that it expects to post solid sales and
earnings improvements in fiscal 2010. The company is presenting its
fiscal 2010 forecast to financial analysts today in New York.
Highlights include: -- Consolidated net sales of approximately $31
billion, up 9% -- Diluted earnings per share of $1.35 - $1.45,
significantly higher than 2009 -- Sales, earnings and margin
improvements in all three of its businesses: Automotive Experience,
Power Solutions and Building Efficiency -- 2009 Q4 EPS of $0.40 -
$0.42 with all automotive geographic regions profitable The company
also said it expects higher global automotive production in 2010
than in 2009 and a resumption of higher growth rates in global
emerging markets. Building Efficiency markets in North America are
expected to begin improving in the second half of the fiscal year,
particularly as government stimulus-funded projects begin to make a
meaningful impact on revenues. The company expects that the
weakness in North America will be offset by the less economically
sensitive institutional markets and several of the emerging
markets. In addition, Johnson Controls said that cost structure
improvements taken in the last year are expected to provide an
increasing benefit to the company's profitability. "We took
decisive actions in 2009 to dramatically improve our cost
structure. At the same time, we did not compromise our investments
in sustainable long-term growth initiatives. Johnson Controls is
positioned to grow faster than our underlying markets with improved
profitability. We expect to deliver profitable growth in 2010, with
accelerating benefits in 2011 and beyond as our markets recover,"
said Stephen A. Roell, chairman and chief executive officer of
Johnson Controls. "Our strong balance sheet and access to capital
will enable us to invest in our businesses to accelerate our
growth." The strategic review and 2010 outlook meeting begins at 8
a.m. Eastern time today. A webcast of the event is available at
http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/. Johnson Controls said it expects
approximately 13% revenue growth by its Automotive Experience
business as it benefits from production increases in North America
and China and a significant number of new seating and interiors
program launches in Europe. The company noted it continues to
improve its global market share, reporting a $2.5 billion backlog.
Johnson Controls forecast a segment margin of 1.3% - 1.6% in 2010,
which is a direct result of the company's cost improvement
initiatives and the higher expected volume. Power Solutions sales
are expected to increase 17% (6% excluding the impact of expected
higher lead prices), due to volume growth across all regions
resulting from market share gains and higher automobile production
levels. The forecast segment margin of approximately 11.0% - 11.2%
reflects manufacturing efficiencies and the benefits of cost
improvement initiatives, partially offset by increased levels of
investment in the company's lithium-ion hybrid vehicle battery
business. Johnson Controls said it expects its Building Efficiency
business revenues to be 3% higher in 2010 due to growth in emerging
markets and the increasing demand for the company's energy
efficiency and sustainability (greenhouse gas) solutions. The
company said it expects a domestic commercial building industry
recovery beginning in the second half of 2010 as government
stimulus-funded projects begin to launch. U.S. residential HVAC
markets also are forecasted to improve in 2010, after more than two
years of significant declines. Building Efficiency segment margins
are expected to increase to 5.6% - 5.8% led by the growth in
emerging markets and a turnaround in its residential HVAC business.
Johnson Controls said it will continue investing in emerging market
growth initiatives and in new technology to enhance the growth and
profitability of its service business. The company today also
provided longer-term profitability forecasts for each of its
businesses. Potential mid-term margins in Automotive Experience
were increased to 6-7%, compared with the previous guidance of 5%.
The higher margin expectation, achievable when automotive
production levels recover, is due to the improvements in its cost
structure and the positive impact of new business quoting
disciplines. The company also increased its underlying Power
Solutions mid-term margin improvement expectations (excluding the
impact of lead) due to the benefits of vertical integration and
manufacturing improvements. Power Solutions mid-term margins are
now expected to increase 200 to 250-basis points over the 2010
level. Building Efficiency mid-term margins are forecast to
increase to 10% (excluding Global Workplace Solutions), consistent
with earlier guidance. Johnson Controls today also said it expects
to earn $0.40 - $0.42 per diluted share in its fiscal fourth
quarter ended September 30, 2009. This amount includes a $0.12
warranty charge in its North America residential HVAC business, but
excludes the costs associated with its recent convertible debt
exchange offer and the impact of non-recurring tax benefits.
Johnson Controls also reported that its Automotive Experience
businesses in North America, Europe and Asia returned to
profitability in the quarter. The company will release its
fourth-quarter earnings on October 27, 2009. Johnson Controls is
the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people
live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and
services, we create smart environments that redefine the
relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of
140,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable
world through our products and services for more than 200 million
vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings.
For additional information, please visit
http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT Johnson
Controls, Inc. ("the Company") has made forward-looking statements
in this presentation pertaining to its financial results for fiscal
2009, fiscal 2010 and beyond that are based on preliminary data and
are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than
statements of historical fact are statements that are or could be
deemed forward-looking statements and include terms such as
"outlook," "expectations," "estimates," or "forecasts." For those
statements, the Company cautions that numerous important factors,
such as automotive vehicle production levels, mix and schedules,
financial distress of key customers, energy prices, the strength of
the U.S. or other economies, currency exchange rates, cancellation
of or changes to commercial contracts, liquidity, changes in the
levels of investments in commercial and residential buildings, the
ability to execute on restructuring actions according to
anticipated timelines and costs as well as other factors discussed
in the Company's Form 8-k (filed March 9, 2009) could affect the
Company's actual results and could cause its actual consolidated
results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-
looking statement made by, or on behalf of, the Company.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081030/AQTH055ALOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Johnson Controls, Inc.
CONTACT: Media, Jacqueline F. Strayer, +1-414-524-3876, or
Investors, Glen L. Ponczak, +1-414-524-2375, both of Johnson
Controls, Inc. Web Site: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/
Copyright