Gestamp Automocion S A

Well, good evening and thank you for joining HESAM first half 2026 results presentation. Thank you for joining, especially in this very busy evening for you. This call will be led by our executive chairman, Mr. Francisco Riberas. I'm delighted to join him today and honored to participate in my first earnings call as CFO of the company. As usual, let me refer you to the disclaimer on the slide number two of this presentation and also as usual at the end of the call, We will open the floor for our Q&A session. Now let me hand over the call to our executive chairman.

Okay, good afternoon and thanks for attending our call in which we will be presenting our first half results. First of all, again, in a very challenging scenario, Gestam has been able to deliver a very solid result in the first half of 2026. With auto manufacturing decreasing from H1 2025, especially in China, Our revenues at FX Customs have increased by 2.9% in Q2 versus Q2 2025 and by 1.3% in H1 versus H1 2025. During the first half of the year, our EBITDA has reached 651 million euros, improving our EBITDA margin and reaching Exclusion Phoenix Plan cost at an 11.6% margin in Q2 and an 11.2% in H1 better than in H1 2025. and our free cash flow generation in the period has reached, excluding Fenix, 86 million euros with a very solid cash flow conversion. So, a strength result which is supporting our full year 26 visibility. If we go to the market, and as already stated, the light vehicle production has suffered during this first half of the year. In fact, in H1 2026, in the stand footprint, the light vehicle manufacturing has reached and many more. Thank you. Thank you very much. by increasing exports. So moving to slide six, in a market declining by 0.9%, Hestan revenues at FX Costan have been able to improve by 1.3%, which means an outperformance of 2.1 percentage points versus the market. In Western Europe and North America, we have registered a moderate outperformance. In Eastern Europe in line with previous year we have a relevant outperformance of 9.3 percentage points while some underperformance in Mercosur due to some specific programs and also a limited underperformance in Asia driven by China but with a very solid performance in other Asian countries such as India. So very solid revenues in H1 of close to 5.8 billion euros which have been supported by a healthy organic growth in our auto sales outperforming the market and also a good recovery of sales in HESCRA. But they're still impacted by FX. In this sense, in H1 2026 our revenues have been impacted negatively by 157 million and in the second half we expect that impact to be lower. SESAMP is very focused in enhancing our profitability in a market with low volumes. In H1 2026, our EBITDA margin in the auto business has reached 11.4%, with lower sales than in H1 2025. Also, a relevant margin increase from H1 2024, EBITDA margin of 10.8%, and the same EBITDA margin as our record H1 in 2023 with 445 million euros logo sales. And we have been able to deliver those good results due to all efforts that we are deploying in different kinds of cost reduction initiatives, implementing flexibility and restructuring measures with all kinds of constructive customer negotiations and with a very good execution on our Phoenix plan in North America. So H1 results, which is showing that Gestam is on track to reach at our full year 26 guidance of more than 11.9% EBITDA margin. In terms of Phoenix, we are already in the third and last year of our plan. Even if the market environment in terms of volumes is worse than the one considered when we elaborate the plan, We are clearly on track to achieve the target of more than 10% EBITDA margin in full year 2026. In fact, in H1 2026, light vehicle production volumes in North America have been flat compared with previous year with a negative performance in domestic and market. In H1 2026, we have incurred in around 50% of the total extraordinary impact forecasted for the year. and in Q2, we have been able to improve our EBITDA margin from Q1 and already reaching 8.8%. In scrap, following a difficult second half of 2025, during H1, scrap performance has improved substantially. Part of this improvement comes from scrap prices recovery in 2026 in the different global markets, but also thanks to an increase of the amount of tons processed. Scrap revenues in Q2 have reached 161 million euros, 2.4 increased from Q1 revenues, and in terms of profitability, EBIT in Q2 reaching already 12.2 million euros, a 7.6% EBIT margin, improving the 6.4 margin in Q1. So very solid figures in H1, which provides also a very good visibility to being able to achieve full year targets. And now with this, now I hand it over to Ana.

Thank you, Paco. Well, as we have previously explained, this first half has been affected by a negative forex evolution, particularly during Q1, and also a tough comparison base coming from the second Q2025, which was particularly struck. We have achieved revenues of €5,794,000,000 and EBITDA of €640,000,000, leading to a margin of 11.1%. This is a 10 BIPs improvement on a reported basis, excluding the 11 million of Phoenix costs, EBITDA will be standing at 651 million euros, which is pretty much flat to last year, and we have profitability of 11.2%, already improving 10 BIPs again, and providing good visibility to achieve the guidance provided for full year. EBIT has reached €265 million, showing some margin deterioration year-on-year, explained by the Forex impact and the write-downs booked in Q1, as we will recall later. Net profit for the first half is back to €100 million, reaching €110 million, and free cash flow generation has reached €65 million, or €86 million, if excluding extraordinary first costs. As a result, net debt is falling below $2 billion, standing at $1,771,000,000. As I said, and turning into slide number 13, this one has been affected by two extraordinary impacts at net profit level. The $15 million assets write-down related to the EV realignment strategy that the group started in fourth quarter last year. and 23 million positive impact coming from IFRS 9 accounting on our financial expenses related to the extension of the 1.7 billion syndicated loan facility agreed in January this year. This has a net six million impact at net profit and will let, but excluding these extraordinary costs, will have a net profit of around 104 million euros, which is more in line with the net profit levels Achieve in previous years and representing a 40% increase on a year-on-year basis. Looking at the different regions on slide 14, the key contributors to revenue performance this first half has been Eastern Europe, Mercosur, and Headstrap, with EBITDA also supported by our North America performance. In Western Europe, revenue excluding a negative forex evolution from UK would have broke by less than the 1.3% we are reporting. Performance in the region is pretty much affected by a weak market momentum in key countries such as Germany or France and within this context the stamp continues to be focused on cost control and improving efficiency to offset the limited revenue growth while preserving margins and as a result we are reaching a profitability which is standing in those letters of 10 percent which is only 30 bits below last year and which is a good proof of the success of our strategy. Eastern Europe Revenues remains a solid region for GESTAM with flat organic growth but preserving best-in-class profitability with an EBITDA margin above 15%. Not much to add in North America as Paco has already given you the details on Phoenix and you should be already aware improvement in this region is one of our key levers to deliver on our guidance for the year. As for Mercosur, revenues have grown 2%, with Brazil growing above, but Argentina a bit weaker. Thanks to the restructuring done last year, as we said, and the improvement of rating leverage in Brazil, and thanks also to an easier comparison facing in Brazil, profitability is back to more normalized levels in the region of 13%. Lastly, in the auto business in Asia, revenue performance has been affected by a weak China market and forex, essentially. Markets like India are conversely growing above pretty much a double digit. Despite a lack of revenue growth and similar to what we are doing in other regions, we continue to be focused on cost competitiveness and to this end we have implemented different measures in this region to remain with a profitability above 14%, which is the second best in class for the group despite the top market momentum. And lastly, on GESCRAP, as we have previously seen, this first half has been affected by the integration of Industria Lopez-Foreano, capital with sustained price increases, as well as some volume growth, as our chairman has previously explained. And all this has led to double-digit revenue and EBITDA growth, which shows good visibility to achieve the target we have given for a full year. So overall, Hav1 delivered very solid results demonstrating the company's ability to remain cost-competitive and preserve a strong financial position despite a challenging market environment. Moving to our precast flow generation on slide 15, NETEF has dropped by almost 50 million thanks to a 65 million of precast flow generation in the quarter, sorry, in the period. Despite limited EBITDA growth, lower CAPEX and a positive working capital evolution after some extraordinary negative impact that we have during Q1, all this has allowed Gestamp to deliver a very solid pre-cash flow regeneration in the period, excluding the 20 million of FenixCos invested in the period, which more or less are 50% of its 50% CAPEX. Free cash flow would have amount to 86 million euros. It is important to say that group operating cash flow conversion has a 36% in first half, which as I say is the result of also a lower capex invested on absolute terms, which is providing good visibility to achieve the target and our market commitments of being less capital intensive going forward. And lastly, NETDEV has stood at 1,771,000,000 euros, the lowest NETDEV figure for our first half and below full year 2025 as we have previously seen. This reduction in terms of NETDEV despite the limited EBITDA growth has driven us to report a leverage of 1.4, a healthy balance sheet which gives us flexibility and optionality within a market with a market of limited visibility as of today. This is all on my side and I will hand over the call to our channel.

Thank you, Anna. So assuming the latest S&P forecast for full year 2026, this is now showing a manufacturing of 91.1 million light vehicles, which is representing a decrease of 2.1% compared with full year 2025. In fact, since February, the market contest has been continuously worsening, impacted In terms of geographies, the main impact is coming from China, where now we are assuming 31.3 million vehicles manufactured this year, which is 1.1 million less than the volumes that we were expecting some months ago. So moving to slide number 19, in a market which is not growing globally, STEM is clearly adapting a differentiated geographical strategy for the future. So that means that in the low-growth markets, we are very much focused in improving profitability and wide-sizing and pushing for reducing fixed expenses and also increasing flexibility. But in the case of high-growing regions, We are still adding capacity to capture growth and leveraging our technology advantages, increasing customer diversification and also building strong local teams. Good examples are Brazil, where light vehicle manufacturing is expected to grow from 2.5 million units in 2025 to 3.1 in 2029, and in Brazil we have just opened a new plant in Piracicaba, or in India where Well, Light Bacon Manufacturing is expected to grow from 6.1 million units in 2025 to 7.4 in 2029. And in September, we will be opening our fifth plant. So moving to slide 20, and following H1 solid results and the expected positive dynamics of our operations for the rest of the year, we are reiterating our guidance for full year 2026, which means that we are expecting that our group EBITDA margin will be more than 11.7% in full year 2026 and also and it will be more in terms of our auto business of more margin of more than 11.9% and in the case of a scrap an EBITDA margin of more than 7.4%. and also that we are going to be able to have a group operating cash flow conversion in the range of 35% at the end of 2026. So with this, just to conclude, basically very solid set of results in H1, which is giving us a very good visibility to achieve the target for the full year 2026 guidance. Phoenix Plan is still a very important priority for us, and we are in the last year of the plan, and we have a very good visibility to achieve the target of more than 10% EBITDA margin. And of course, due to our profitability and the effort in looking for our financial, we have a very solid financial position, which is giving us an optionality to capture future opportunities. And now with this, we are open to your questions. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin the Q&A session. If you'd like to ask a question, please press star five on your telephone keypad. If you change your mind, please press star five again. Please ensure that your device is unmuted locally before proceeding with your question. Our first question comes from Mira Vietkratz from Deutsche Bank. Your line is now open, please go ahead.

Hi, this is Mira Wigratz from Deutsche Bank. Thanks for taking my questions. So I have two if I may. The first one would be as North American EBITDA margin excluding Phoenix improved sequentially from 7.1% in Q1 to 8.8% in Q2. Could you bridge that 170 basis points improvement and indicate how much came from structural cost savings, customer negotiation, mix and normal seasonality. And then also regarding North America, the Q2 margin at 8.8, what needs to improve in H2 to deliver the above 10% full year target and how much of that step up is already secured through completed Phoenix actions? Thank you.

Okay, thank you for your questions. And then if I understood well, it's true that we have improved our EBITDA margin in North American operations from 7.1% in the first quarter to 8.8% in the second one. Of course, it's very difficult now to provide you with a clear bridge. But what is true is that most of this improvement is coming from Thank you very much. Thank you very much. In some plants which are performing well and some of the plants that still have lower margins are already moving to a better margin. So this is basically what is happening, something which is sustainable and it's not any kind of one-off. So that's why we feel very comfortable in order to be able to reach this 10% because basically all the volumes, all the orders that we have are already booked. We know that we are in control of all the different expenses, and of course, always anything can happen, but we are quite convinced that we are going to be able to reach this more than 10% EBITDA margin by the end of the year.

Our next question comes from Robert Jackson from Santander. Your line is now open. Please go ahead.

Good evening. I've got a few questions, so I'll ask them one by one. So, starting off with Brazil, or Mercosur, Brazil has done very well, or Mercosur has done very well, but what about the persistent risks or weakness in Argentina? Can that have an effect in the coming quarters or semesters? That would be my first question.

Okay, so if we focus in Mercosur, it's true that when we refer to the figures of Mercosur, we are including Brazil, which is our main area, a main focus in the area, but also we have some operations in Argentina. In Argentina, during the first half of the year, our volumes have been lower than the ones expected because we had a large program in Argentina, which is now is facing out, and we are already launching the new successor vehicles. So everything is more or less under control, but it's true that volumes in Argentina during the first half of the year have been lower than expected. To be honest, after the following difficult years, we now have a little bit better expectations for Argentina, not only for this new program, but for other programs of some of our customers.

Okay, the second question is related to India. You mentioned that you're going to ramp up your fifth plant in India. Can you give us more details in terms of the timing, how long it will take, and how relevant it is in terms of your setup in India?

Well, it is true that we are going to do the opening of this plant, which is a plant that is already starting and doing a ramp up. So we will do that in September. And this plant is a further step in our strategy to grow in India. We have already done a very important increase of our footprint in India in the last years, especially in some specific technologies like in hot stamping that we are the absolute leaders in that market. A market that some years ago were not using this kind of, let's say, more expensive technologies. and now as far as they are looking for more requirements in terms of safety and lightweight, now it's more and more used. So we have a good opportunity to grow in this kind of technology. So this fifth plant is already doing a ramp up. We are expecting the full ramp up to happen in the beginning of 2027. And again, it's a step towards our strategy in India, which is still aggressive and we are expecting to do more in the future.

But India is still not that relevant to compensate any weakness that we've seen in Asia yet.

Sorry, Robert, we did not catch up that question. Can you repeat it?

Yeah, so India's growing, but we see that Asia's sales and revenues and EBITDA fell. So India's still not relevant enough to compensate weakness in China. Yes.

Still not. Even though the Indian market is growing, and now it's already the third largest market in the world, still our volumes in India, even if they are growing in percentage terms a lot, I think we are still not able to compensate what we are doing in China. Even if this is the case, we are still doing not so bad in China, even though the market, as mentioned, is very much impacted by a low Domestic demand, but still our sales in India are lower than the ones we have in China, so it's not so easy to compensate that impact.

Final question. I just wanted your thoughts on the agreement between Geely and Ford to join forces to build vehicles in Spain. What sort of impact, or in looking mid to longer term, how do you see that panning out for Gestamp, those type of agreements?

Well I think theoretically we are talking about good news because we are talking about the increasing capacity utilization in a market like the Spanish one which is relevant for us. So far we are starting already to receive a request for quotation for programs of Gili and the additional vehicle from Ford. So that is going to be good news but still we need to understand a little bit more details And as you know, when it refers to any kind of new vehicles to be produced in Europe, what we are all aiming that the rate of localization of these new vehicles to be manufactured in Spain should be high. And we still need to understand a little bit more whether it's going to be the case or not. But in any case, good news for us because there is a potential opportunity to load a plant like a Musafes one in Valencia, which is a very, very good plant.

Okay, thank you very much.

Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, please be reminded that if you'd like to ask a question, you should press star five on your telephone keypad. There are no further questions at this time. I will now hand the line back to the Gestam team. Please go ahead.

Well, thank you very much for having joined us today. As usual, if there is any pending questions, the IR team remains at your disposal. And we wish you a very good summer for those of you who are going to enjoy it, OK? Thank you.

Thank you very much. Bye bye.