Following an assessment of the market outlook for AIXTRON’s specific industry and the company’s currently limited visibility, Management concluded the likelihood of a continuation of the low level market activity seen towards the end of 2011 into the first half of 2012. In view of this and the consequent likely reduction in inventory turnover, combined with the timing of new product developments in the pipeline, Management decided to make a provision against the potential risk of unsold excess inventories of approximately EUR 40m, resulting in a reduced year end total inventory figure of EUR 184.6m.
However, AIXTRON was able to quickly adapt to the deteriorating business environment during the second half of the year, and consequently still delivered reasonable profit margins for the year, with led linear high bay light a gross margin of 38% (2010: 53%) and an EBIT margin of 18% (2010: 35%). Seven percentage points of the gross margin decline as well as of the EBIT-Margin decline were attributable to the inventory provision mentioned above.
Our 2011 full year result still underlines the benefit of the Company's flexible business model and stable financial position which has enabled us to effectively cope with these severe market fluctuations, whilst maintaining our commitment to strategic investments in research and development. Our substantial multi year investment program is not exclusively limited to the development of next generation LED manufacturing tools. We are also focusing on the development of new technologies for other end markets we believe we can address with the expertise that we have within AIXTRON.”
Paul Hyland summarizes: “In the short term, we believe that the next substantial investment cycle will be triggered by MOCVD demand from the emerging LED lighting market. We continue to see very encouraging signals in the form of increasingly proactive governmental engagement and clear market preparation and positioning activities from significant industry players, specifically targeting the LED lighting opportunity. The mid- to long-term prospects for the led high bay light remain excellent, particularly in view of the increasing worldwide acceptance of the environmental and cost benefits that come with using LED technology for general lighting applications.”
However, AIXTRON was able to quickly adapt to the deteriorating business environment during the second half of the year, and consequently still delivered reasonable profit margins for the year, with led linear high bay light a gross margin of 38% (2010: 53%) and an EBIT margin of 18% (2010: 35%). Seven percentage points of the gross margin decline as well as of the EBIT-Margin decline were attributable to the inventory provision mentioned above.
Our 2011 full year result still underlines the benefit of the Company's flexible business model and stable financial position which has enabled us to effectively cope with these severe market fluctuations, whilst maintaining our commitment to strategic investments in research and development. Our substantial multi year investment program is not exclusively limited to the development of next generation LED manufacturing tools. We are also focusing on the development of new technologies for other end markets we believe we can address with the expertise that we have within AIXTRON.”
Paul Hyland summarizes: “In the short term, we believe that the next substantial investment cycle will be triggered by MOCVD demand from the emerging LED lighting market. We continue to see very encouraging signals in the form of increasingly proactive governmental engagement and clear market preparation and positioning activities from significant industry players, specifically targeting the LED lighting opportunity. The mid- to long-term prospects for the led high bay light remain excellent, particularly in view of the increasing worldwide acceptance of the environmental and cost benefits that come with using LED technology for general lighting applications.”
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