Aptiv PLC, a global technology company focused on making mobility safer, greener and more connected, has reported first quarter 2021 U.S. GAAP earnings of $1.03 per diluted share. 

Excluding special items, first quarter earnings totaled $1.06 per diluted share.

First Quarter Financial Highlights Include:

• U.S. GAAP revenue of $4.0 billion, an increase of 25%
• Revenue increased 20% adjusted for currency exchange, commodity movements and divestitures
• U.S. GAAP net income of $279 million, diluted earnings per share of $1.03
• Excluding special items, diluted earnings per share of $1.06
• U.S. GAAP operating income margin of 10.7%
• Adjusted Operating Income margin of 10.9%, Adjusted Operating Income of $437 million; Adjusted EBITDA of $630 million
• Generated $252 million of cash from operations

“We had a strong start to the year, delivering better than expected revenues, earnings and cash flow, underscoring our ability to outperform despite tightening supply chains globally,” said Kevin Clark, president and CEO. “Our relentless focus on execution is helping to support ramping customer schedules as the post-pandemic recovery takes hold. As a result, we continue to be our customers’ partner of choice, as evidenced by our robust new business awards in the first quarter as customers leverage our unique portfolio of advanced technologies and global capabilities to accelerate their transition to the electrified, software-defined vehicles of the future.”

First Quarter 2021 Results

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the company reported U.S. GAAP revenue of $4 billion, an increase of 25% from the prior year period. Adjusted for currency exchange, commodity movements and divestitures, revenue increased by 20% in the first quarter. This reflects growth of 64% in Asia, which includes growth of 94% in China, 11% in Europe, 5% in North America and 28% in South America, our smallest region.

The company reported first quarter 2021 U.S. GAAP net income of $279 million and earnings of $1.03 per diluted share, compared to $1,572 million and $6.14 per diluted share in the prior year period, which includes a non-cash gain of $5.63per diluted share resulting from the completion of the Motional autonomous driving joint venture with Hyundai. First quarter Adjusted Net Income, a non-GAAP financial measure defined below, totaled $301 million, or earnings of $1.06per diluted share, compared to $173 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, in the prior year period.

First quarter Adjusted Operating Income, a non-GAAP financial measure defined below, was $437 million, compared to $231 million in the prior year period. Adjusted Operating Income margin was 10.9%, compared to 7.2% in the prior year period, reflecting higher global vehicle production levels in the quarter, lapping the impacts of the pandemic-related shutdowns in the prior year period, partially offset by costs incurred in connection with the global supply chain disruptions currently impacting the industry. Depreciation and amortization expense totaled $193 million, an increase from $180 million in the prior year period.

Interest expense for the first quarter totaled $40 million, as compared to $43 million in the prior year period.

Tax expense in the first quarter of 2021 was $48 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of approximately 12%. Tax expense in the first quarter of 2020 was $10 million, resulting in an effective tax rate of approximately 1%, which includes favorable rate impacts of approximately 11 points resulting from the gain on the Motional autonomous driving joint venture, which was taxed using the appropriate tax rate for the jurisdiction where the benefit was incurred.

The Company generated net cash flow from operating activities of $252 million in the first quarter, compared to $161 million in the prior year period. As of March 31, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $2.8 billion and total available liquidity of $5.4 billion.

Reconciliations of Adjusted Revenue Growth, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Net Income Per Share, Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Flow Before Financing, which are non-GAAP measures, to the most directly comparable financial measures, respectively, calculated and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).

Accelerating An Electric, Zero-Emissions Future

As a purpose-led company with a strong sustainability track record, Aptiv announced today it has committed to becoming carbon neutral in its global operations by 2030. This represents a continuation of the Company’s carbon-reduction initiatives since 2004, which have already driven a more than 40% reduction in the greenhouse gas intensity of its operations. Further, the Company expects to provide carbon neutral products and achieve net neutrality by 2040. 

To achieve these commitments, Aptiv is targeting to:

• Reduce CO2e emissions by an additional 25% by 2025 
• Maintain annual certification of 124 manufacturing sites to the ISO14001 standard 
• Certify 10 of the most energy-intensive sites to the ISO50001 certification by 2025 
• Source 100% of electricity for operations from renewable sources by 2030 
• Deliver only carbon-neutral products by 2039, from sourcing to disposal

Clark added, “Sustainability at Aptiv starts with our product portfolio and extends to how we operate. Over the past decade, Aptiv has taken bold moves to realize our mission of enabling a safer, greener and more connected future. Our long-term success as a business and ability to create value for stakeholders is strongly linked to the positive impact our products have on people and the planet.”

Aptiv has committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (“SBTi”) to help prevent the effects of climate change and create a zero-carbon economy. Since 2011, Aptiv has also reduced water consumption by 38% and waste disposal by 32%, exceeding prior environmental targets. 

Full Year 2021 Outlook

The Company’s full year 2021 financial guidance is as follows:

(in millions, except per share amounts)	Full Year 2021
Net sales	$15,125 – $15,725
Adjusted EBITDA	$2,325 – $2,475
Adjusted EBITDA margin	15.4% – 15.7%
Adjusted operating income	$1,540 – $1,690
Adjusted operating income margin	10.2% – 10.7%
Adjusted net income per share (1)	$3.35 – $3.85
Cash flow from operations	$1,850
Capital expenditures	$750
Adjusted effective tax rate	12%
(1) The Company’s full year 2021 financial guidance includes $0.85 per diluted share for the anticipated equity losses to be recognized by Aptiv from the performance of the Motional autonomous driving joint venture.