OREANDA-NEWS. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today its consolidated and non-consolidated financial results for fiscal 2016 (April 1, 2015- March 31, 2016).

Consolidated Financial Results

Net sales: 4,394.3 billion yen (2% increase from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 301.1 billion yen (5% decrease from the previous fiscal year)
Income before income taxes: 318.4 billion yen (1% decrease from the previous fiscal year)
Net income attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corp.: 228.4 billion yen (3% decrease from the previous fiscal year)

Non-consolidated Financial Results

Net sales: 2,675.7 billion yen (Unchanged from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 112.0 billion yen (26% decrease from the previous fiscal year)
Ordinary profit: 185.7 billion yen (8% increase from the previous fiscal year)
Net income: 163.8 billion yen (21% increase from the previous fiscal year)

During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the business environment experienced buoyancy in the U.S. economy, which showed expansion, and a gradual trend of economic recovery continuing in Europe, despite a gradual slowdown continuing in China and other east Asian markets, weakness in personal consumption in Japan and stagnation in certain emerging markets. In addition, the yen weakened against the U.S. dollar compared to the previous year, while becoming stronger in the fourth quarter.

Under these circumstances, the Mitsubishi Electric Group has been working even harder than before to promote growth strategies rooted in its advantages, while continuously implementing initiatives to strengthen its competitiveness and business structure.

As a result, Mitsubishi Electric has recorded a consolidated net sales of 4,394.3 billion yen for fiscal 2016, an increase of 2% compared to the previous fiscal year, with increased sales in the Energy and Electric Systems, Industrial Automation Systems, Information and Communication Systems, and Home Appliances segments.

Consolidated operating income decreased by 5% compared to the previous fiscal year to 301.1 billion yen, due to decreased profits in the Energy and Electric Systems, Information and Communication Systems, and Electronic Devices segments.

Consolidated Financial Results by Business Segment

Energy and Electric Systems

Total sales: 1,264.6 billion yen (3% increase from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 50.3 billion yen (22.1 billion yen decrease from the previous fiscal year)

The social infrastructure systems business saw increases in both orders and sales compared to the previous fiscal year due to increases in the power systems business and the transportation systems business in Japan, despite decreases in the public utility systems business in Japan and the transportation systems business outside Japan.

The building systems business experienced an increase in orders, while sales remained unchanged compared to the previous fiscal year, owing to growth in the new installation of elevators and escalators outside Japan.

As a result, total sales for this segment increased by 3% from the previous fiscal year. Operating income decreased by 22.1 billion yen from the previous fiscal year due primarily to a shift in project portfolios and lower profit in the social infrastructure systems business.

Industrial Automation Systems

Total sales: 1,321.9 billion yen (3% increase from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 159.1 billion yen (13.1 billion yen increase from the previous fiscal year)

The factory automation systems business saw a decrease in orders from the previous fiscal year mainly due to stagnant capital expenditures in China and other emerging markets, while sales remained unchanged from the previous fiscal year due to growth in capital expenditures relating to the automotive industry and facility replacements by manufacturers in Japan, and due additionally to the weaker yen.

The automotive equipment business saw increases in both orders and sales from the previous fiscal year due primarily to growth in the car sales market in North America and Europe, as well as the positive influence of the weaker yen.

As a result, total sales for this segment increased by 3% from the previous fiscal year. Operating income increased by 13.1 billion yen from the previous fiscal year due primarily to an increase in sales.

Information and Communication Systems

Total sales: 561.1 billion yen (Unchanged from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 14.9 billion yen (3.9 billion yen decrease from the previous fiscal year)

The telecommunications equipment business remained unchanged in both orders and sales compared to the previous fiscal year.

The information systems and service business saw an increase in sales compared to the previous fiscal year, mainly owing to an increase in the system integrations business.

The electronic systems business saw an increase in orders compared to the previous fiscal year, due to an increase in orders for large-scale projects in the space business, while sales remained unchanged compared to the previous fiscal year due to a shift in the portfolios of large-scale projects in the defense systems business.

As a result, total sales for this segment remained unchanged compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating income decreased by 3.9 billion yen from the previous fiscal year due primarily to a shift in project portfolios.

Electronic Devices

Total sales: 211.5 billion yen (11% decrease from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 16.8 billion yen (13.2 billion yen decrease from the previous fiscal year)

The electronic devices business saw decreases in both orders and sales from the previous fiscal year due to a decrease in demand mainly for power modules used in automotive, railcar, consumer and industrial applications, despite an increase in optical communication devices.

As a result, total sales for this segment decreased by 11% compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating income decreased by 13.2 billion yen compared to the previous fiscal year due primarily to a decrease in sales.

Home Appliances

Total sales: 982.0 billion yen (4% increase from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 63.8 billion yen (9.5 billion yen increase from the previous fiscal year)

The home appliances business saw an increase in sales of 4% compared to the previous fiscal year due to an increase in sales of residential and industrial air conditioners in Japan, as well as air conditioners for Europe, Asia and North America. The weaker yen also brought about a positive influence.

Operating income increased by 9.5 billion yen compared to the previous fiscal year largely due to an increase in sales.

Others

Total sales: 707.7 billion yen (4% decrease from the previous fiscal year)
Operating income: 23.6 billion yen (0.1 billion yen decrease from the previous fiscal year)

Sales decreased by 4% compared to the previous fiscal year due to decreases mainly at affiliated companies involved in materials procurement.

Operating income decreased by 0.1 billion yen from the previous fiscal year due primarily to a decrease in sales.

Fundamental Dividend Distribution Policy and FY2016 and FY2017 Dividend

Fundamental dividend distribution policy

Mitsubishi Electric’s fundamental policy is to comprehensively promote improvement in shareholder profit from the viewpoints of appropriate profit distribution commensurate with earnings performance of the respective fiscal year, as well as strengthening our financial standing through the company’s internal reserves, with the ultimate goal of enhancing corporate value.

FY 2016 and FY 2017 dividend

Considering the Company’s business performance and financial conditions in fiscal 2016, the Company has decided to pay a year-end retained earnings dividend of 18 yen per share for fiscal 2016. Adding the interim dividend of 9 yen per share, the total annual dividend will be 27 yen per share. Payment is planned to begin on June 2, 2016.

The retained earnings dividend for fiscal 2017 is still undecided. cf. In fiscal 2015, interim dividend was 9 yen and year-end dividend was 18 yen per share. (Annual dividend of 27 yen per share)

Financial Standing

An analysis on the status of assets, liabilities, equity and cash flow on a consolidated basis The Company’s total assets as of the end of this fiscal year increased from the end of the previous fiscal year by 0.4 billion yen to 4,059.9 billion yen.

Total liabilities decreased from the end of the previous fiscal year by 6.8 billion yen to 2,122.4 billion yen. The outstanding balances of debts and corporate bonds increased by 22.0 billion yen from the end of the previous fiscal year to 404.0 billion yen, resulting in a rise in the ratio of interest bearing debt to total assets to 10.0%, representing a 0.6 point increase compared to the end of the previous fiscal year. Retirement and severance benefits increased by 47.4 billion yen, mainly resulting from a decrease in pension assets following a fall in stock prices, while the outstanding balance of trade payables decreased by 33.5 billion yen and other current liabilities decreased by 23.1 billion yen.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation shareholders’ equity decreased by 3.4 billion yen compared to the end of the previous fiscal year to 1,838.7 billion yen. Shareholders’ equity ratio was recorded at 45.3%, representing a 0.1 point decrease compared to the end of the previous fiscal year. The changes referred to above primarily resulted from dividend payment of 57.9 billion yen along with a decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income by 174.7 billion yen caused by such factors as falling stock prices and the stronger yen, despite an increase from recording a net income attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation of 228.4 billion yen.

Cash flows from operating activities for this fiscal year decreased by 11.6 billion yen compared to the previous fiscal year to 366.6 billion yen (cash in). Cash flows from investing activities increased by 57.2 billion yen compared to the previous fiscal year to 255.4 billion yen (cash out) due to increases in purchases of short-term investments and investment securities and other factors. As a result, free cash flow was 111.2 billion yen (cash in). Cash flows from financing activities were 82.1 billion yen (cash out) mainly due to dividend payment.

Current Forecast for Fiscal 2017

Despite global business conditions facing concerns of a gradual economic slowdown in China, continued economic stagnation in some emerging markets as well as stagnation in consumption in the Japanese market, a continued gradual trend of economic expansion is expected mainly in the U.S. and Europe. However, it will not necessarily be possible to adopt an optimistic outlook regarding business performance due to concerns primarily of the yen continuing to strengthen. Under these circumstances, the Mitsubishi Electric Group aims to achieve its management targets by uplifting its business performance and financial standings through initiatives such as promoting more strongly its global operations in its environment and energy related business and its social infrastructure systems related business, continuously increasing and strengthening profitability in each business and continuously implementing various Group-wide business improvement measures. The current financial performance forecast for fiscal 2017 follows below. The impact of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes on the Mitsubishi Electric Group and its financial performance is reflected in this statement based upon certain assumption at the time of publication.

Current forecast for fiscal 2017: consolidated

Net sales 4,280.0 billion yen (3% decrease from fiscal 2016)
Operating income 260.0 billion yen (14% decrease from fiscal 2016)
Income before income taxes 280.0 billion yen (12% decrease from fiscal 2016)
Net income attributable to Mitsubishi Electric Corp.  200.0 billion yen (12% decrease from fiscal 2016) 

Management Policy

Fundamental Management Policy

Based on its corporate statement “Changes for the Better,” the Mitsubishi Electric Group will continue its challenge toward innovation to build a better tomorrow and pursue sustainable growth through a threefold balanced management policy of “Growth,” “Profitability & Efficiency” and “Soundness.” The Group will also continue to work to earn the trust of and ensure the satisfaction of all stakeholders including society, customers, shareholders and employees.

Management Targets

The Mitsubishi Electric Group has established management targets that it continuously aims to achieve: an ROE of 10% or more and a ratio of interest-bearing debt to total assets of 15% or less. Aiming to achieve a higher level of growth, the Group has also set growth targets to reach consolidated net sales of 5 trillion yen or more and an operating income ratio of 8% or more by fiscal 2021 at the latest. For business performance in fiscal 2016, the Group recorded a consolidated net sales of 4,394.3 billion yen, an operating income ratio of 6.9%, an ROE of 12.4% and a ratio of interest-bearing debt to total assets of 10.0%.