The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying Notes thereto included elsewhere herein and with our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2006. Unless otherwise noted, all dollar amounts are in millions.
Autoliv is one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive occupant safety restraint systems with a broad range of product offerings including modules and components for passenger and driver-side airbags, side-impact airbag protection systems, seatbelts, steering wheels, safety electronics, safety seats and other safety systems and products. Autoliv has production facilities in 29 countries and has as customers almost all of the world's largest car manufacturers.
Autoliv is a Delaware holding corporation with principal executive offices in Stockholm, Sweden, which owns two principal subsidiaries, Autoliv AB ("AAB") and Autoliv ASP, Inc.("ASP"). AAB, a Swedish corporation, is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier to the automotive industry of car occupant restraint systems. Starting with seatbelts in 1956, AAB expanded its product lines to include seatbelt pretensioners (1989), frontal airbags (1991), side-impact airbags (1994), steering wheels (1995) and seat sub-systems (1996). ASP, an Indiana Corporation, pioneered airbag technology in 1968 and has since grown into one of the world's leading producers of airbag modules and inflators. ASP designs, develops and manufactures airbag inflators, modules and airbag cushions, seatbelts and steering wheels. It sells inflators and modules for use in driver, passenger, side-impact and knee bolster airbag systems for worldwide automotive markets.
Shares of Autoliv common stock are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ALV" and Swedish Depositary Receipts representing shares of Autoliv common stock trade on the Stockholm Stock Exchange under the symbol "ALIV". Options in Autoliv shares are traded in Philadelphia and AMSE under the symbol "ALV".
Non-GAAP financial measures
Some of the following discussions refer to non-GAAP financial measures: see "Organic sales", "Operating working capital", "Net debt", "Leverage ratio" and "Interest coverage ratio". Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures assist investors in analyzing trends in the Company's business. Investors should consider these non-GAAP financial measures in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, financial reporting measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures have been identified as applicable in each section of this report with a tabular presentation reconciling them to GAAP. It should be noted that these measures, as defined, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2006 COMPARED WITH THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2005
Market Overview
During the quarter, light vehicle production in the Triad (i.e. Europe, North America and Japan) is estimated to have stood almost unchanged compared to the second quarter 2005. At the beginning of the quarter, light vehicle production was expected to decline by 2%.
InEurope, (including Eastern Europe), where Autoliv generates more than half of its revenues, light vehicle production decreased by 3% due to an overall 7% drop in Western Europe. Both declines were somewhat less than expected which helped Autoliv exceed its sales forecast. In Eastern Europe, light vehicle production is reported to have risen by 13%.
InNorth America, which accounts for a quarter of Autoliv's consolidated revenues, light vehicle production was flat and 1% better than expected. "The Big 3" (i.e. GM, Ford and Chrysler) reduced their production by 1%, while the Asian and European vehicle manufacturers increased their production in North America by 1%. Since Autoliv has a higher sales value per vehicle with the Asian and European manufacturers than with an average Big-3 vehicle, the North American vehicle build mix was advantageous for Autoliv.
InJapan, which accounts for nearly one tenth of Autoliv's consolidated sales, light vehicle production increased by 6%, almost twice as much as expected.
Autoliv's market is driven not only by vehicle production but also by the fact that new vehicle models are being equipped with an increasing amount of airbags and other safety systems. For instance, Ford recently announced that it is "moving aggressively to make side airbags and air curtains ... standard equipment".
Consolidated Sales
The Company has substantial operations outside the United States and currently, approximately 75% of the sales are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. This makes the Company and its performance in regions outside the U.S. sensitive to changes in the U.S dollar exchange rates. The measure "Organic sales" presents the increase or decrease in our overall U.S. dollar net sales on a comparative basis, allowing separate discussion of the impacts of acquisitions/divestments and exchange rate fluctuations. The tabular reconciliation below presents the change in "Organic sales" reconciled to the change in the total net sales as can be derived from our audited financial statements.
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