HUSQVARNA GROUP: YEAR-END REPORT JANUARY - DECEMBER 2024

STOCKHOLM, Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Strong cash flow during a challenging year

Fourth quarter 2024

• Net sales decreased by 2% to SEK 8,464m (8,605). Changes in exchange rates contributed with 1%. Sales declined organically by 3%.
• Operating income amounted to SEK -1,285m (-983) and the operating margin was -15.2% (-11.4).
• Excluding items affecting comparability, the operating income amounted to SEK -694m (-168) and the operating margin was -8.2% (-1.9).
• Items affecting comparability amounted to SEK -591m (-815), and was related to the Group's cost savings initiatives, announced in October 2024 and related to costs following the reclassification of the Orangeburg manufacturing facility in North America to assets held for sale.
• Earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK -1.95 (-1.77) and earnings per share excluding items affecting comparability and after dilution amounted to SEK -1.15 (-0.67).
• Cash flow from operations and investments amounted to SEK -925m (-743). Direct operating cash flow increased to SEK 582m (523).

January – December 2024

• Net sales decreased by 9% to SEK 48,352m (53,261). Changes in exchange rates had a neutral effect.
• Planned exits of low-margin petrol-powered business impacted with -2%. Sales declined organically by 7%.
• Operating income was SEK 2,597m (3,880) and the operating margin was 5.4% (7.3).
• Excluding items affecting comparability, the operating income amounted to SEK 3,195m (4,970) and the operating margin was 6.6% (9.3).
• Earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK 2.31 (3.81) and earnings per share excluding items affecting comparability and after dilution amounted to SEK 3.12 (5.28).
• Cash flow from operations and investments was SEK 4,372m (4,414). Direct operating cash flow increased to SEK 6,905m (6,541), driven by reduced inventories.
• The CO₂ emissions across the value chain have been reduced by -56% (-44) compared to the 2015 base line, see page 8.
• The Board of Directors will propose a dividend for 2024 of SEK 1.00 per share (3.00) to the Annual General Meeting.

Strong cash flow during a challenging year

"In 2024, we accelerated our focus on executing the strategy and adapting the organization to drive efficiency and continued transformation. This enabled us to achieve significant cost savings, deliver strong cash flow, and implement a comprehensive product launch program for the 2025 season.

Challenging market conditions in the fourth quarter

The year's challenging market situation continued into the fourth quarter, with subsequently lower consumer demand. The Group's sales declined organically by 3% and the operating income, excluding items affecting comparability, amounted to SEK -694m (-168) for the fourth quarter.

In the Husqvarna Forest & Garden Division, organic growth was unchanged for the quarter, with growth in handheld and wheeled products, as well as in parts and accessories. Sales in the Gardena Division decreased, with growth for hand tools, while sales of watering products declined. In the Husqvarna Construction Division, sales declined in North America due to a continuation of the challenging market situation, however, our sales increased in Europe.

Strong cash flow and reduced net debt

For the full year 2024, operating income, excluding items affecting comparability, amounted to SEK 3.2bn (5.0). The decrease was due to lower sales volumes with higher promotional activities and a negative product mix. This was partly offset by good results from savings programs, which generated SEK 735m. Direct operating cash flow increased to SEK 6.9bn (6.5), driven by substantial inventory reductions. We have reduced net debt by SEK 1.2bn compared to last year. The Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting a dividend of SEK 1.00 (3.00) for the year, in line with our dividend policy, representing 32% of earnings per share excluding items affecting comparability, or 43% of earnings per share.

Improving results in North America

In recent years, the Husqvarna Forest & Garden Division has taken decisive actions to improve results in North America. Low-margin business has been discontinued and the production structure has been consolidated. We are now entering the next step where we divest our manufacturing facility in Orangeburg, SC, to Flex Ltd. In parallel, we have entered a long-term supplier agreement with Flex, to ensure continued production of the division's wheeled products and assembly of handheld products in the US. This is a partnership that will build profitability, improve capital efficiency, enhance production flexibility and strengthen our competitiveness in North America. Related cost savings are expected to amount to SEK 350m by 2030 (see page 9).

Our strategic transformation continues

Our long-term transformation is about delivering value to customers, shareholders and employees through growth in the focus areas; robotic mowers, battery-powered products, watering and solutions for the professional market. Since 2021 we measure our progress through operational ambitions, including share of electrification, number of connected devices, and sales of robotic mowers. During the year, the share of electrified products reached 44% (42) of our sales of motorized products. Connected devices grew to 4.9 million (4.5). For robotic mowers, net sales amounted to SEK 7.2bn (8.1). We strengthened our position and grew in the professional robotics market. However, sales in the residential segment declined due to increased competition in the low-value segments, as well as restrained consumer spending, particularly for the high value segments. For the 2025 season, we have significantly expanded our range with new boundary wire-free robotic mowers.

As the current strategic period for the Group approaches its end, our focus remains firm – we are continuing to prioritize areas with profitable growth potential, and we will present an update of our strategy at a Capital Markets Day in the fourth quarter of 2025.

We deliver on our sustainability targets

Our ambition to electrify the product range is the main enabler to consistently reduce our carbon footprint. To date, we have reduced CO₂ emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by -56% compared with the base year of 2015. With that, we have exceeded our target of a -35% reduction by 2025. Work to reduce CO₂ emissions is continuing and includes exploring alternative fuels for some of our products.

I would like to express my gratitude to all colleagues and business partners for their efforts and support during the year. Together, we will continue to focus on opportunities in the market, strengthen our position and aim to increase our profitability. Our cost-saving efforts are successful, and we are well prepared for the 2025 season, with a strong product range and many exciting launches for our customers."

Pavel Hajman, CEO 

Webcast presentation and telephone conference

A webcast presentation of the Q4 report hosted by Pavel Hajman, CEO and Terry Burke, CFO will be held at 10:00 CET on February 5, 2025.

To view the presentation, please use the link: https://husqvarnagroup.creo.se/4f888317-fb0e-4ca4-9abd-4d677a0dda92

The dial-in to the telephone conference (in order to ask questions): +46 (0) 8 505 100 31 (Sweden) or +44 207 107 06 13 (UK) 

Dates for Financial Reports 2025

April 24           Interim report for January-March 2025
April 29           Annual General Meeting 2025
July 18            Interim report for January-June 2025
October 21      Interim report for January-September 2025

Contacts

Terry Burke, CFO and Executive Vice President, Finance, IR & Communication
+46 8 738 90 00

Johan Andersson, Vice President, Investor Relations
+46 702 100 451

Husqvarna AB (publ), P.O. Box 7454, SE-103 92 Stockholm
Regeringsgatan 28, +46 8 738 90 00, www.husqvarnagroup.com 

Reg. Nr: 556000-5331
NASDAQ OMX Stockholm: HUSQ A, HUSQ B

This report contains insider information that Husqvarna AB is required to disclose under the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the contact person set out above, at 07.00 CET on February 5, 2025 

Factors affecting forward-looking statements
This report contains forward-looking statements in the sense referred to in the American Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements comprise, among other things, financial goals, goals of future business and financial plans. These statements are based on present expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may give rise to major deviations in the result due to several aspects. These aspects include, among other things: consumer demand and market conditions in the geographical areas and lines of business in which Husqvarna operates, the effects of currency fluctuations, downward pressure on prices due to competition, a material reduction in sales by important distributors, success in developing new products and in marketing, outcome of product responsibility litigation, progress in terms of reaching the goals set for productivity and efficient use of capital, successful identification of growth opportunities and acquisition objects, integration of these into the existing business and successful achievement of goals for making the supply chain more efficient.

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SOURCE Husqvarna Group