Genuine Parts (GPC) Q1 Earnings & Revenues Miss Estimates

GPC MOD

Genuine Parts Company (GPC - Free Report) reported adjusted earnings of 92 cents per share in first-quarter 2020, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.12. The bottom line also declined from the year-ago profit of $1.28 a share. Weak contribution across all segments resulted in this underperformance.

Genuine Parts reported net sales of $4.56 billion, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.61 billion. The top line also decreased 3.8% year over year. Net sales included contribution of 5.3% from prior-year acquisitions, offset by a 3.5% comparable sales decrease, a 0.9% negative impact from foreign-currency translation and a 4.8% impact due to the divestiture of certain businesses.

Genuine Parts Company Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Segmental Results

The Automotive segment’s net sales came in at $2.58 billion, down 1.6% year over year. The segment’s comparable sales declined 5% during the first quarter. The segment’s operating profit decreased to $142.3 million in the reported quarter from the prior year’s $179.2 million.

The Industrial Parts segment’s net sales slid 7.7% from the year-ago quarter to $1.51 billion. The segment’s comparable sales declined 3.1%. Resultantly, operating profit decreased to $113.9 million from the year-earlier quarter’s $121 million.

The Business Products segment’s net sales fell to $468 million from the prior-year quarter’s $479.1 million recorded. The segment’s comparable sales inched up 1.5%. Operating profit of the segment fell to $20.2 million from the $21.2 million recorded in the prior-year period.

Financial Position

Genuine Parts had cash and cash equivalents of $354.5 million as of Mar 31, 2020, down from $356.9 million in the corresponding period of 2019. As of Mar 31, 2020, its long-term debt increased to $2.73 billion from the $2.39 billion witnessed in the year-ago period. The company’s long-term debt-to-capital ratio was 44.3% as of Mar 31, 2020.

Genuine Parts returned $207 million to shareholders during the March-end quarter, including $111 million in the form of quarterly dividends and $96 million in share repurchases. However, the company suspended its existing share-repurchase program until further notice amid the coronavirus crisis.

2020 Outlook

Genuine Parts scrapped the full-year 2020 guidance as it expects that the pandemic’s impact will strain the company’s operations in the days to come.

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Genuine Parts currently carries a Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks in the same sector are Veoneer, Inc. , Unique Fabricating, Inc. and Modine Manufacturing Company (MOD - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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