Gentex Q4 net income plunges 41%

Automotive mirror supplier Gentex Corp. mentioned shortages in digital elements set a significant drag on its fourth-quarter economic general performance in contrast with a year earlier.

The producer of dimming rearview mirrors and digicam-based driver-support programs claimed Friday that fourth-quarter net cash flow plunged 41 % to $84.2 million. Income fell 21 p.c to $419.8 million.

Gentex prevented major source shortage challenges just before the most up-to-date quarter because of its “conservative stock,” but the lack ultimately induced the business to tumble short of customers’ demands, CEO Steve Downing claimed in a statement.

Gentex shares slipped 5.3 p.c to $29.61 in late morning buying and selling.

Gentex is commonly a single of the first key car suppliers to report its quarterly outcomes, and its overall performance is usually seen as a bellwether for the relaxation of the industry’s provide chain.

Whilst Gentex’s benefits endured for the duration of the quarter, the total field carries on to face supply challenges, and Gentex could have been hit a great deal worse, Morningstar analyst David Whiston said.

“Gentex’s Q4 was weak by their requirements, but they are this kind of a leading supplier by a mile that the numbers are not that bad fairly talking,” he said in a created assertion to Automotive News.
The provider explained raises in raw products expenditures, freight-linked rates and wage inflation all led to increased costs.

IHS Markit predicts 76.6 million full gentle vehicles will be made in Gentex’s markets in 2022, but the provider is wary of that estimate.

“We occur into 2022 anticipating that at least the initially 50 percent of the calendar year will continue to see headwinds from provide and labor shortages that we consider will avert light-weight car production from achieving the IHS estimates,” Downing claimed in the assertion.

Gentex, based around Grand Rapids, Mich., ranks No. 86 on the Automotive Information record of the major 100 global suppliers, with around the world pieces sales to automakers of $1.65 billion in 2020.