DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Power management company Eaton Corporation plc (ETN) today announced that net income and operating earnings per share were $0.96 for the first quarter of 2017. Net income per share in the first quarter of 2017 was up 9 percent over the first quarter of 2016. Operating earnings per share, which exclude $1 million of acquisition integration charges in the first quarter of 2017 and $1 million in the first quarter of 2016, were also up 9 percent over the first quarter of 2016.
Sales in the first quarter of 2017 were $4.8 billion, up 1 percent over the same period in 2016. The sales increase consisted of 2 percent from growth in organic sales partially offset by a 1 percent decline from negative currency translation.
Craig Arnold, Eaton chairman and chief executive officer, said, “Our first quarter net income and operating earnings per share were above the high end of our guidance range. Coming into the quarter, we had expected sales would be down 3 percent, split evenly between a decline in organic sales and negative currency translation. Our organic sales instead grew 2 percent and currency translation was slightly less negative than we had forecast, resulting in 1 percent revenue growth. This is the first quarter of revenue growth since the fourth quarter of 2014, evidence that a number of our markets are starting to turn up.
“Segment margins in the first quarter were 14.4 percent,” said Arnold. “Excluding restructuring costs of $17 million incurred in the segments in the quarter, segment margins were 14.8 percent.
“Operating cash flow in the first quarter was $463 million, a new first quarter record,” said Arnold. “The cash flow was inclusive of $100 million we put into our U.S. qualified pension plan in the quarter. We continued to return substantial cash to our shareholders, raising our quarterly dividend by 5 percent in February and repurchasing $255 million of our shares in the quarter.
“Order growth showed an improvement in most segments compared to the fourth quarter of 2016,” said Arnold. “Most notably, Hydraulics orders grew 22 percent versus growth of 8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, and Electrical Systems and Services orders were flat compared to a decline of 7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016.
“In light of our strong first quarter, we are raising our earnings guidance for the year by $0.15 per share, an increase of 3 percent to the prior midpoint of our guidance,” said Arnold. “For the whole of 2017, we now expect net income and operating earnings per share to be between $4.45 and $4.75, representing a 9 percent increase at the midpoint of our guidance over 2016. We anticipate net income and operating earnings per share for the second quarter of 2017 to be between $1.05 and $1.15.”
Business Segment Results
Sales for the Electrical Products segment were $1.7 billion, up 2 percent over the first quarter of 2016. Organic sales were up 3 percent partially offset by negative currency translation of 1 percent. Operating profits, excluding acquisition integration charges of $1 million during the quarter, were $298 million, up 10 percent over the first quarter of 2016.
“Operating margins in the first quarter were 17.4 percent, and excluding restructuring costs of $3 million, 17.6 percent,” said Arnold. “Orders in the first quarter were up 3 percent over the first quarter of 2016, driven by growth in the Americas and EMEA, while APAC was flat. We saw particular strength in the Americas in residential products and lighting, and in EMEA in industrial controls.”
Sales for the Electrical Systems and Services segment were $1.3 billion, down 1 percent from the first quarter of 2016. Organic sales were flat and currency translation was negative 1 percent. Segment operating profits were $155 million, down 3 percent from the first quarter of 2016.
“Operating margins were 11.6 percent, and excluding restructuring costs of $2 million, 11.8 percent,” said Arnold. “Margins continue to be negatively impacted by weakness in large industrial projects and oil and gas markets.
“Orders in the first quarter were flat with the first quarter of 2016, as declines in the Americas and EMEA were offset by strength in APAC. The declines in the Americas and EMEA were largely due to lower power quality orders, reflecting a slowdown after a year of strong orders in 2016. Orders in APAC showed double-digit growth during the quarter as a result of strong project orders.”