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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 4, 2008
LEAR CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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1-11311
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13-3386776 |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
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(Commission File Number)
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(IRS Employer Identification Number) |
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21557 Telegraph Road, Southfield, MI
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48033 |
(Address of principal executive offices)
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(Zip Code) |
(248) 447-1500
(Registrants telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the
filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Section 7 Regulation FD
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On June 4, 2008, Lear Corporation issued a press release announcing a revision to its financial
outlook for 2008. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated
by reference herein.
The information contained in Exhibit 99.1 shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), or incorporated by reference
in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be
expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Section 9 Financial Statements and Exhibits
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits:
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Exhibit Number |
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Exhibit Description |
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99.1
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Press release dated June 4, 2008 |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
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Lear Corporation
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Date: June 4, 2008 |
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/s/ Matthew J. Simoncini
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Name: |
Matthew J. Simoncini |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer |
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EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit Number |
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Exhibit Description |
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99.1
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Press release dated June 4, 2008 |
exv99w1
Exhibit 99.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Investor Relations:
Mel Stephens
(248) 447-1624
Media:
Andrea Puchalsky
(248) 447-1651
Lear
Updates Full-Year 2008 Financial Outlook
Southfield, Mich., June 4, 2008 - Lear Corporation [NYSE: LEA] today announced revisions to
its 2008 financial outlook based on lower North American vehicle production and increased commodity
costs.
Subsequent
to the 2008 financial outlook the Company provided April 29th, Lears major
customers, industry forecasting services and others have announced downward revisions in their
estimates for 2008 North American vehicle production based on lower sales
rates for full-size pickup
trucks and large sport utility vehicles. In response to these recent announcements, Lear is
revising its 2008 forecast for North American industry production from approximately 14.1 million
vehicles to approximately 13.8 million vehicles. In addition,
raw material costs, particularly
costs related to steel, have continued to increase.
As a result, Lear is revising its sales outlook for 2008 downward to approximately $15.3
billion, from the previous outlook of $15.5 billion, and
lowering income before interest, other expense, income taxes,
restructuring costs and other special items (core operating earnings) to a
range of $600 to $640 million from the previous range of $660 to $700 million. In addition, Lear is
increasing its estimated restructuring investment for 2008 to about $125 million. The revised
outlook for full-year 2008 free cash flow is approximately $200 million. Lear is continuing to
evaluate and aggressively implement cost reductions and restructuring actions to mitigate the impact
of lower production volumes and rising commodity prices. Furthermore, the production realignment
initiatives recently announced by certain North American manufacturers are anticipated to require
further restructuring investments in future years.
Industry
conditions in North America have continued to be challenging, with the
lowest expected production volumes since the early 1990s and
unprecedented increases in raw material and energy costs,
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commented
Bob Rossiter, Lears Chairman, President and CEO. Like our
customers, we are continuing to
aggressively realign our capacity and implement structural cost reductions to improve
our longer-term competitiveness. We are also expanding
our operations outside North America, which represented approximately
55% of our net sales in 2007.
Lear Corporation is one of the worlds largest suppliers of automotive seating systems,
electrical distribution systems and related electronic products. The Companys world-class products
are designed, engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of 91,000 employees at 215 facilities
in 35 countries. Lears headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan, and Lear is traded on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol [LEA]. Further information about Lear is available on the
internet at http://www.lear.com.
Non-GAAP Financial Information
In
addition to the amounts reported in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States (GAAP) included throughout this press release, the Company has
provided information regarding income before interest, other expense, income taxes, restructuring
costs and other special items (core operating earnings) and free cash flow (each a non-GAAP
financial measure). Other expenses include, among other things, non-income related taxes, foreign
exchange gains and losses, discounts and expenses associated with the Companys asset-backed
securitization and factoring facilities, minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries, equity in
net income of affiliates and gains and losses on the sale of assets. Free cash flow represents net
cash provided by operating activities before the net change in sold accounts receivable, less
capital expenditures. The Company believes it is appropriate to exclude the net change in sold
accounts receivable in the calculation of free cash flow since the sale of receivables may be
viewed as a substitute for borrowing activity.
Management believes the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release are useful to
both management and investors in their analysis of the Companys financial position and results of
operations. In particular, management believes that core operating earnings is a useful measure in
assessing the Companys financial performance by excluding
certain items (including those items that are included in other
expense) that are not indicative of
the Companys core operating earnings or that may obscure trends useful in evaluating the Companys
continuing operating activities. Management also believes these measures are useful to both
management and investors in their analysis of the Companys results of operations and provide
improved comparability between fiscal periods. Management believes
that free cash flow is useful to both
management and investors in their analysis of the Companys ability to service and repay its debt.
Further, management uses these non-GAAP financial measures for planning and forecasting in future
periods.
Core operating earnings and free cash flow should not be considered in isolation or as
substitutes for net income, pretax income, cash provided by operating activities or other income
statement or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP or as measures
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of profitability or liquidity. In addition, the calculation of free cash flow does not reflect
cash used to service debt and therefore, does not reflect funds available for investment or other
discretionary uses. Also, these non-GAAP financial measures, as determined and presented by the
Company, may not be comparable to related or similarly titled measures reported by other companies.
Given the inherent uncertainty regarding special items, other expense and the net change in
sold accounts receivable in any future period, a reconciliation of the Companys revised 2008
outlook for core operating earnings and free cash flow to the most directly comparable financial
measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP is not feasible. The magnitude of these
items, however, may be significant.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding anticipated financial
results and liquidity. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results as a result
of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, general economic conditions in
the markets in which the Company operates, including changes in interest rates or currency exchange
rates, the financial condition of the Companys customers or suppliers, changes in the Companys
current vehicle production estimates, fluctuations in the production of vehicles for which the
Company is a supplier, the loss of business with respect to, or the lack of commercial success of,
a vehicle model for which the Company is a significant supplier, disruptions in the relationships
with the Companys suppliers, labor disputes involving the Company or its significant customers or
suppliers or that otherwise affect the Company, the Companys ability to achieve cost reductions
that offset or exceed customer-mandated selling price reductions, the outcome of customer
productivity negotiations, the impact and timing of program launch costs, the costs, timing and
success of restructuring actions, increases in the Companys warranty or product liability costs,
risks associated with conducting business in foreign countries, competitive conditions impacting
the Companys key customers and suppliers, the cost and availability of raw materials and energy,
the Companys ability to mitigate increases in raw material, energy and commodity costs, the
outcome of legal or regulatory proceedings to which the Company is or may become a party,
unanticipated changes in cash flow, including the Companys ability to align its vendor payment
terms with those of its customers, the ability of the Company to access capital markets on
commercially reasonable terms and other risks described from time to time in the Companys
Securities and Exchange Commission filings. In particular, the Companys revised financial outlook
for 2008 is based on several factors, including the Companys current vehicle production and raw
material pricing assumptions. The Companys actual financial results could differ materially as a
result of significant changes in these factors.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the
Company does not assume any obligation to update, amend or clarify them to reflect events, new
information or circumstances occurring after the date hereof.
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