XFAB.PAXFAB.PAPAR
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Operator: Welcome to the X-FAB Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 Results Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] I will hand the conference over to Rudi De Winter, CEO. The floor is yours. Please go ahead.
Rudi De Winter: Thank you, and welcome, everyone. We have today in the conference call with me Alba Morganti, CFO; and Damien Macq, my successor and CEO. In the fourth quarter in 2025, we recorded revenues of $222 million, up 18% year-on-year and down 3% quarter-on-quarter. The fourth quarter revenue in our core markets was $204 million, up 13% year-on-year and down 5% quarter-on-quarter. The core business represented 94% of our total revenue. Full year revenue amounted to $870 million, up 7% year-on-year. and within the guided range. In the full year of 2025, our core business was $814 million which is 7% growth compared to the previous year, and our core business represented also 94% of the total revenue. Our order intake in the fourth quarter came in at $164 million, and it understates actual underlying demand by approximately $30 million to $40 million as first of all, we have shorter cycle times resulting in customers ordering later. Secondly, we have higher wafer yields resulting in order -- reduced order quantities. And third, because of the absence of new bookings in the 0.6um CMOS technologies that we are terminating in early 2027. Customers already placed these orders following the last time by announcement more than a year ago. The backlog at the end of the quarter was $318 million, down to -- from $347 million and at the end of the quarter. The backlog relative to our revenue is still high compared to history and pre-COVID situation. In the fourth quarter, automotive revenues came in at $133 million, up 3% year-on-year and down 10% quarter-on-quarter. The sequential decline was mainly due to inventory corrections in various channels of the supply chain and also influenced by the end of major LTAs and the underlying end market. This trend is also evident in the full year automotive revenue, which recorded only a slight increase of 1%. Although the shift to full electric mobility in 2025 advanced at a slower pace, it remains an important megatrend, underpinning our automotive business. Key automotive applications driving the growth in 2025 included battery and thermal management systems as well as on-board chargers for electric vehicles. In the industrial end market, we recorded a quarterly revenue of $50 million. This was up 40% year-on-year and 6% quarter-on-quarter. The strong growth was driven by the recovery of the SiC business, the recovery of the fragmented industrial market and the prototyping revenue for Photonics, while an elevated level of production in last-time-buy technologies, also contributed. The fourth quarter medical revenue amounted to $21 million up 28% year-on-year and flat sequentially. The demand for DNA sequencing, ultrasound applications as well as contactless temperature sensors was strong in the past quarter. In the total of 2025, our medical business achieved a record revenue of $71 million marking 26% increase over previous year. For a further update, I would like to pass the word now to Damien.
Damien Macq: Thank you, Rudi. Good morning, good afternoon, everyone. Let's start with CMOS and SOI revenue. In the fourth quarter, this revenue was up 7% year-on-year and down 5% quarter-on-quarter. For the full year, revenue grew 8% compared to the previous year. Quarterly microsystem revenue was up 24% year-on-year and down 9% sequentially. In 2025, X-FAB microsystem business achieved revenue exceeding USD 100 million for the first time, representing an 11% increase compared to 2024. X-FAB silicon carbide business demonstrated a remarkable recovery, achieving robust growth in the fourth quarter, driven by solid demand for data centers, electric vehicles and renewable energy applications. Revenue increased by 77% year-on-year and 6% quarter-on-quarter. Silicon carbide wafer starts raised 60% sequentially. This was the largest ever silicon carbide wafer start in the quarter. The weaker quarter-over-quarter revenue growth reflects the much higher share of customer-supplied silicon carbide wafers, which carried lower billings due to the less pass-through of substrate costs. For the full year, silicon carbide revenue reached USD 33.8 million, which constitute a 34% decrease against 2024 when the first quarter was still exceptionally strong. Quarterly prototyping revenue was USD 20.3 million, down 14% year-on-year and up 3% quarter-on-quarter. Over the past 3 quarters, its fab recorded a notable increase in CMOS and SOI prototyping revenue reflecting renewed customer confidence after capacity constraints were resolved with last year completion of it's fab capacity expansion program, and from significant operational improvement in terms of product yield and cycle times. Let's now zoom in specific products and development highlights achieved in 2025. In Q4, we secured a major design win for 110-nanometer CMOS technology, particularly in sensing application, which should contribute to revenue growth from 2028 onward. For our 110-nanometer SOI platform, we see confirmation of the strong ramp-up for motor control and automotive LED drivers, and we booked an important design win for new ultrasonic applications. In microsystem, interest in our through-silicon via technology continues to grow, especially for photon-counting CT scanners. On top of the technology capability of its fab, another key factor in this engagement is our customers' ability to establish a fully localized supply chain for this next-generation scanner platform. In MEMS, we achieved the first design win for our next-generation inertial sensors. For power application, we launched as well an innovative snubber technology, this device is integrated inside silicon carbide inverters to review the switching losses by up to 70% and therefore, improving the electrical vehicle range. This solution has already been adopted by 1 OEM and is under evaluation by several orders. In the photonic space, we teamed up with LIGENTEC on the lowest lost silicon nitride platform for various applications, main one being quantum computing. This already contributed to 7% of our total NRE in 2025. In GaN, we secured several major NRE. A first one for the development of industrial protection devices. 2 additional protraction inverters for small and medium EVs and a fourth one for 800-volt data center applications. In silicon carbide, we continue to make excellent progress with a major Asian Tier 1 in EV traction inverter, achieving record-setting electrical performance. Our latest XSICM03 platform has also enabled multiple customers to reach leading-edge electrical performances, driving further design wins across renewable energy, automotive, data center and circuit breaker applications. Its fab technology portfolio with the emphasis on power sensing and microsystem technologies is strategically aligned with global mega trends, including the electrification of everything with worldwide decarbonization initiative and advancement in health care for aging populations. This alignment creates substantial opportunities within X-FAB key end markets, automotive, industrial and medical, driving sustainable growth in the long term. The short-term visibility remains limited, primarily due to continued inventory adjustment by automotive customers and persistent geopolitical uncertainties. Let's now go through the short operation update. By mid-2025, X-FAB concluded its major 3 years $1 billion capacity expansion program. In September, we celebrated the grand opening of our new facilities in Malaysia, following the launch of our production in this new cleanroom. All equipment related to this expansion have been installed and qualified. Production in X-FAB popular 180-nanometer technology is being ramped up gradually there. The site's target capacity of 40,000 wafer start per month will be fully operational by the end of 2026. The increased capacity and reduced cycle time enable X-FAB to become much more attractive for new business opportunities and to respond more quickly to market opportunity when they arise. In the fourth quarter, significant progress was made in securing financial support under the EU Chip Act for the growth of X-FAB's microsystem business. The funding will be used to further advance the MEMS and microsystem offering and more specifically to support the ongoing transition of the site in Erfurt Germany, to the microsystem hub of X-FAB Group. Capital expenditure in the fourth quarter reached USD 25.2 million, bringing the total CapEx for the year to USD 204.1 million. This is lower than the initially projected USD 250 million as some expenditures were postponed to the current year. New capital expenditure in 2026 are projected to come in at around USD 100 million. This CapEx will be allocated to enhance our process capabilities, to facilitate the transition of the Erfurt Germany and Lubock Texas sites to microsystem and silicon carbide, respectively, and to support necessary maintenance and further autoimmune activities across all sites. In response to the short-term challenge and limited visibility, we are also introducing further cost efficiency measures. This initiative includes a planned headcount return in the high single-digit percentage range for 2026, as well as a gradual reduction of operational costs. By the fourth quarter of 2026, cost savings are estimated to reach USD 6 million per quarter. Concurrently, we remain well positioned to respond swiftly to increasing customers' requirements and growing demand. I will now pass it over to Alba Morganti, CFO of X-FAB for the financial update.
Alba Morganti: Thank you, Damien. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We will now go to the financial update. I would like to start this financial section by highlighting that in 2025, we totalized $870.3 million sales, meeting the yearly guidance of $840 million to $870 million. This represented an increase of 7% compared to 2024. The sales in the fourth quarter totalized $222.3 million, which is an increase of 18% year-on-year, also in the guided range of $215 million to $225 million. In the fourth quarter, our EBITDA was -- of $42.3 million with an EBITDA margin of 19%. If we exclude the impact from revenues recognized over time, our EBITDA margin would have been of 19.2%, which is still below the guided range of 22.5% to 25.5%. The main reason for that is the miss -- that we missed, our guidance is that the fourth quarter profitability was impacted by a one-off item totalizing $9.3 million, out of which $6 million resulted from the renegotiation of a long-term agreement for the SiC raw wafers while $3 million were due to the reevaluation of our silicon carbide substrates inventory in Lubock and we had renegotiated lower prices. If we exclude these exceptional items, the EBITDA margin would have been of 23.6%. I would like to add that with the productivity improvement plan Damien was referring to, we are in a trajectory to achieve a 30% of EBITDA margin with a quarterly revenue level of $240 million. Since a few years now, our business is naturally hedged and our profitability remains unaffected by exchange rate fluctuations. At a constant USD/Euro exchange rate of USD/EURO 1.07 as experienced in the previous year's quarter the EBITDA margin would have been up 19.3%. Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the fourth quarter amounted to $194.3 million, up $20.1 million compared to the previous quarter, while our net debt decreased by $4.5 million quarter-on-quarter. Our cash position improved despite the fact that in 2025, we repaid several bank loans for more than $75 million as well as leasings for more than $24 million and we also repaid some prepayment that we received from customers, including LTA contracts for about $43 million. And to conclude the financial section, I would like to share our next year's guidance -- next quarter, sorry. Our Q1 '26 revenue is expected to come in within a range of $190 million to $200 million with an EBITDA margin in the range of 18% to 21%. This guidance is based on an average exchange rate of 1.17 USD/Euro and does not take into account the impact of IFRS 15. For the time being, we are not providing a full year 2026 guidance due to the limited visibility and the current macroeconomic environment. And now I would like to give the word back to Rudi.
Rudi De Winter: Thank you, Alba. While we remain cautious about the near term, we are observing encouraging developments across our business. Momentum in our CMOS and SOI prototyping revenues is building as our operational improvements make us again more attractive. We see a high level of interest in our microsystem capabilities that is opening substantial new opportunities. Our silicon carbide business is on track for recovery. And we see strong traction for our photonics on the one hand and the gallium nitride on the other hand, demonstrated by several new contracts. I firmly believe X-FAB is excellently positioned for robust growth. The fundamentals of our business remain strong, and I'm confident of X-FAB's long-term sustainable growth. X-FAB is ready for what's next. With that, I'm very pleased to hand over the leadership of X-FAB to Damien Macq, who will succeed me as CEO of the group. And with that, we close the opening, and we are opening for questions.
Operator: [Operator Instructions] The first question is coming from Robert Sanders from Deutsche Bank.
Robert Sanders: Can I just get a bit of better understanding of the trends by end market? It looks like industrial, medical is performing well, auto clearly soft. Is that what you expect to be the story of the year as it were, even if you can't give specific guidance. Is there any reason to think that that's not the story of the year. And then the second question would just be around your lack of 300-millimeter footprint and your largest customer's business in China, they seem to be under big pressure to use local foundries. What can you do to mitigate the risk that they have to source locally as opposed from you?
Damien Macq: Yes. I think your understanding of the end market -- this is Damien speaking -- is aligned with what we see right now. We see uncertainty on the automotive. So -- but strong industrial. So I think the industrial will stay strong, medical -- was a good year in Medical and likely this will be prolonged as well with important design wins as well in the pipe. Regarding the 300-millimeter footprint. At this point in time, we still see customers coming from China to look for our product. So basically, we being a high voltage, being a automotive qualification. And right now, we do not see the absence of 300-millimeter in our site as a handicap. So we keep seeing strong business coming out of companies that are headquartered in China, and we will need to monitor the evolution over the coming quarters to see where other situation are evolving there. Does that answer your question?
Rudi De Winter: Operator are we still...
Operator: Yes. I think 0- Robert Sanders, I was looking for a feedback, but I guess, this replies to his question. So we have the next question coming now from [ Luke DeSoto ].
Unknown Analyst: First of all, I would like to thank Rudi De Winter for the huge investments which you have done with X-FAB, and this without any dilution for the shareholders. I think this is an incredible good job and how that has been managed financially. I see that there are now a lot of platforms and technologies available at X-FAB. What are the actions? That would be my first question. What are the actions to increase actually the sales because that is still a little bit lagging behind?
Damien Macq: Yes. So that's a very good point. Maybe this was not disclosed in this presentation, but we are reorganizing ourselves also across 3 business units. So we have moved some people closer to end customers, and we want to reinforce our co-design capabilities with customers. So business development is and was along 2025, a critical topic that is going to be prolonged in 2026. And if you see some of the results for 2025, so we observed quarter-over-quarter an improvement of our design win in the CMOS technology. So this is something that we need to [ prolonged ]. You have also to realize that we are coming out of a period of allocation with a lot of stress and a lot of stretch with our customers. This period is now over, and it's really time to go hand and [ try ] to collect additional business. And I think the items that were described also in this call, also in regard with microsystem are a good demonstration of the result that this can provide. So it's a very good point, deploying now the technologies and all the good deals that we have in hands to our customer is essential. Also I want to repeat what I said earlier regarding photonics. So photonics is also a technology where we see a lot of traction from our customers. I want to repeat that 7% of the total NRE of the company was realized on photonic -- with photonic technologies.
Unknown Analyst: Okay. My second question is more towards finance. I see that the current liabilities are very high, $700 million, $702 million, while the current assets are at $648 million. Are we going to have some stress on a financial basis?
Alba Morganti: Look, no, we have credit lines available to support the working capital needs. We have our first revolving credit facility of EUR 200 million, which will expire end of this year, but we are in renegotiation with the banks of the syndication to use the clause of -- which is included in the contract to extend it by 1 year, and we will still have the other one running until -- well, it's of -- we have another 3 years for the other one. And so for the time being, we see rather a decrease of the net debt, thanks to the fact that our major CapEx expansion plan is now over. Therefore, we see a relaxation actually is the other way around of our indebtedness. We have been able to repay several debts which were due, so absolutely in line with expectations in 2025, and we will continue to do so in the future.
Unknown Analyst: Okay. So overall, actually, we just need to focus now on getting more sales and then everything will leverage out, and we will get the benefit of the investments.
Alba Morganti: That's clear...
Unknown Analyst: Yes. It will be marvelous company.
Alba Morganti: Thank you for this lovely compliment. But yes, you're absolutely right. Thank you.
Operator: [Operator Instructions] There are no further questions at this time. So I hand the conference back to the speakers for any closing remarks.
Damien Macq: Thank you. Damien speaking. Before closing the call, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the leadership and instrumental contribution of Rudi, as it was already mentioned in this call. I'm grateful for the strong foundation that we have built under his tenure over the past 15 years and for the support from the Board and from our global team as I step into the CEO role. My focus will be on further specialization through continuous innovation, offering unique capabilities on market and customer diversification and on disciplined execution in our operations to serve our customers with the level of performance and quality required to make them successful. For the past 3 years spent within X-FAB as COO, I had the opportunity to interact with our global teams. I trust we are already and committed to building and delivering our robust growth on the momentum already in place. Uta, Alba and myself remain available for any follow-up, and we look forward to speaking with you for our next quarterly conference call on the results of the first quarter 2026. This call is scheduled on the 30th of April. Thank you very much to everyone. Bye-bye.
Rudi De Winter: Thank you.
Alba Morganti: Thank you.
Operator: Thanks for participating to today's call. You may now disconnect.