Thyssenkrupp shares jump on Q4 beat, strong cash flow

Investing.com -- Shares of Thyssenkrupp AG (ETR:TKAG ) jumped on Tuesday after the company reported better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter of FY23/24, boosted by stronger cash flow and a surprise beat in adjusted EBIT. 

At 5:33 am (10:33 GMT), Thyssenkrupp was trading 6% higher at €3.603.

The German industrial conglomerate posted a Q4 adjusted EBIT of €150 million, outpacing consensus estimates.

This 32% beat compared to market expectations was largely driven by solid performances in its Decarbonisation Technologies, Marine Systems, and Material Services divisions, which helped offset the ongoing challenges in its Steel Europe unit.

“Weakness is understandable given the soft steel / automotive market environment, but we expect the market needs to see more evidence of self-help and cost-improvements (i.e., seeing a return on these restructuring costs) before a re-rating,” said analysts at Barclays (LON:BARC ) in a note.

The company’s free cash flow before M&A from continuing operations also came in ahead of expectations at €1.09 billion, well above the consensus of €937 million. 

The strong cash flow performance was supported by stronger earnings and a reversal of €270 million in other provisions, providing a cushion against macroeconomic headwinds. 

As a result, ThyssenKrupp reported a net cash position of €4.4 billion, surpassing both consensus and management's earlier projections. 

This stronger balance sheet appears to have reassured investors, contributing to the stock's upward movement.

The company has issued a wide-ranging adjusted EBIT guidance of €0.6 billion to €1 billion, with the midpoint slightly below consensus expectations. 

“We do not expect material changes to consensus forecasts for FY’25 earnings, although there is downside risks to consensus free cash-flow forecasts,” said analysts from J.P. Morgan in a note. 

Achieving even the midpoint of this range would require a substantial 33% increase in the current run rate of adjusted EBIT. 

On the free cash flow front, ThyssenKrupp is projecting between €-0.4 billion and €-0.2 billion, with the midpoint weaker than consensus estimates, reflecting higher anticipated restructuring costs and increased capital expenditures.

While near-term guidance fell short of some expectations, the company’s mid-term outlook remains intact. 

ThyssenKrupp reiterated its goal of achieving positive free cash flow before M&A and maintaining healthy EBIT margins across its divisions, though it refrained from providing a concrete timeline given the prevailing macro uncertainties.

The 20% stake sale in Steel Europe to Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský has been completed, and ThyssenKrupp continues to target a 50/50 joint venture in the steel business. 

Meanwhile, the search for options for its Marine Systems division remains ongoing, though no new developments were disclosed.

Despite the broader challenges, ThyssenKrupp’s fourth-quarter performance highlighted resilience in key growth areas, providing a glimmer of optimism for shareholders. 

The company also proposed a €0.15 per share dividend for FY23/24, in line with expectations.

Source: Investing.com