Annual Report (ESEF) • Jun 6, 2024
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The consolidated financial statements, the financial statements and the Management Reports of AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft and the Auditor’s Reports have been translated into English. In case of different interpretations the German original is valid
Table of contents
€ in thousands
| Note | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,549,779 | 1,791,344 |
| 2 | (1,366,924) | (1,516,604) |
| 182,855 | 274,740 | |
| 2 | (49,285) | (52,911) |
| 2 | (65,051) | (72,341) |
| 4 | 44,256 | 60,409 |
| 4 | (81,654) | (63,654) |
| (37,398) | (3,245) | |
| 31,121 | 146,243 | |
| 5 | 39,605 | 58,314 |
| 5 | (90,041) | (36,716) |
| (50,436) | 21,598 | |
| (19,315) | 167,841 | |
| 6 | (17,379) | (31,197) |
| (36,694) | 136,644 | |
| 17,500 | 18,782 | |
| (54,194) | 117,862 | |
| 26 | ||
| - basic | (1.39) | |
| - diluted | (1.39) |
1 Prior year adjusted in accordance with section F. of General Information of the Notes
€ in thousands
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| (Loss)/Profit for the year | (36,694) | 136,644 |
| Items to be reclassified: | ||
| Currency translation differences, net of tax | (114,154) | (143,188) |
| Gains/(losses) from the fair value measurement of hedging instruments for cash flow hedges, net of tax | (6,059) | 4,572 |
| Items not to be reclassified: | ||
| Remeasurement of post-employment obligations, net of tax | (999) | 3,028 |
| Other comprehensive (loss) for the year | (121,212) | (135,588) |
| Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year | (157,906) | 1,056 |
| Attributable to owners of hybrid capital | 17,500 | 18,782 |
| Attributable to owners of the parent company | (175,406) | (17,726) |
€ in thousands
| Note | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASSETS | |||
| Property, plant and equipment | 7 | 3,394,921 | 2,679,293 |
| Intangible assets | 8 | 20,095 | 24,794 |
| Financial assets | 12 | 16,799 | 27,694 |
| Deferred tax assets | 6 | 26,349 | 19,911 |
| Other non-current assets | 9 | 18,076 | 48,559 |
| Non-current assets | 3,476,240 | 2,800,251 | |
| Inventories | 10 | 160,774 | 145,383 |
| Trade and other receivables and contract assets | 11 | 328,137 | 394,381 |
| Financial assets | 12 | 26,928 | 25,141 |
| Current income tax receivables | 6 | 6,328 | 4,970 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 13 | 676,490 | 791,738 |
| Current assets | 1,198,657 | 1,361,613 | |
| Total assets | 4,674,897 | 4,161,864 | |
| EQUITY | |||
| Share capital | 22 | 141,846 | 141,846 |
| Other reserves | 23 | (68,891) | 52,321 |
| Hybrid capital | 24 | 347,956 | 347,956 |
| Retained earnings | 545,668 | 615,402 | |
| Equity attributable to owners of the parent company | 966,579 | 1,157,525 | |
| Total equity | 966,579 | 1,157,525 | |
| LIABILITIES | |||
| Financial liabilities | 15 | 1,605,036 | 1,033,346 |
| Contract liabilities | 16 | 896,980 | 607,243 |
| Provisions for employee benefits | 17 | 51,796 | 50,923 |
| Deferred tax liabilities | 6 | 1,685 | 4,763 |
| Other liabilities | 14 | 72,781 | 66,278 |
| Non-current liabilities | 2,628,278 | 1,762,553 | |
| Trade and other payables | 14 | 525,328 | 558,545 |
| Financial liabilities | 15 | 518,189 | 662,433 |
| Contract liabilities | 16 | 14,550 | – |
| Current income tax payables | 6 | 6,013 | 4,315 |
| Other provisions | 18 | 15,960 | 16,493 |
| Current liabilities | 1,080,040 | 1,241,786 | |
| Total liabilities | 3,708,318 | 3,004,339 | |
| Total equity and liabilities | 4,674,897 | 4,161,864 |
€ in thousands
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating result | 31,121 | 146,243 |
| Depreciation, appreciation, amortisation and impairment of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 276,367 | 270,473 |
| Gains/losses from the sale of fixed assets | 97 | 2,542 |
| Changes in non-current provisions | 1,434 | (3,356) |
| Changes in non-current contract liabilities | 273,847 | 136,944 |
| Non-cash expense/(income), net | (28,836) | (34,627) |
| Interest paid | (59,113) | (23,023) |
| Interest received | 25,511 | 12,311 |
| Income taxes paid | (24,233) | (35,498) |
| Cash flow from operating activities before changes in working capital | 496,195 | 472,009 |
| Inventories | (19,958) | 41,076 |
| Trade and other receivables and contract assets | 87,999 | 4,476 |
| Trade and other payables | 89,308 | (51,774) |
| Other provisions | (164) | 10,583 |
| Cash flow from operating activities | 653,380 | 476,370 |
| Capital expenditure for property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | (858,791) | (1,100,973) |
| Proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 3,413 | 104,811 |
| Capital expenditure for financial assets | 17,610 | (61,323) |
| Proceeds from the sale of financial assets | 11,783 | 12,624 |
| Cash flow from investing activities | (825,985) | (1,044,861) |
| Proceeds from borrowings | 507,673 | 340,085 |
| Repayments of borrowings | (445,046) | (54,696) |
| Repayments of hybrid capital | – | (41,393) |
| Proceeds from government grants | 22,167 | 21,404 |
| Dividends paid | (15,540) | (34,965) |
| Hybrid cupon paid | (17,500) | (19,466) |
| Cash flow from financing activities | 51,754 | 210,969 |
| Change in cash and cash equivalents | (120,851) | (357,522) |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the year | 791,738 | 1,119,921 |
| Exchange gains on cash and cash equivalents | 5,603 | 29,339 |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year | 676,490 | 791,738 |
€ in thousands
| Share capital | Other reserves | Hybrid capital | Retained earnings | Equity attributable to owners of the parent company | Non-controlling interests | Total equity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2022 | 141,846 | 187,909 | 388,849 | 533,689 | 1,252,293 | – | 1,252,293 |
| Profit for the year | – | – | – | 136,644 | 136,644 | – | 136,644 |
| Other comprehensive income for the year | – | (135,588) | – | – | (135,588) | – | (135,588) |
| thereof currency translation differences, net of taxes | – | (143,188) | – | – | (143,188) | – | (143,188) |
| thereof remeasurement of post-employment obligations, net of tax | – | 3,028 | – | – | 3,028 | – | 3,028 |
| thereof change in hedging instruments for cash flow hedges, net of tax | – | 4,572 | – | – | 4,572 | – | 4,572 |
| Total comprehensive income for the year 2022/23 | – | (135,588) | – | 136,644 | 1,056 | – | 1,056 |
| Dividends paid relating to 2021/22 | – | – | – | (34,965) | (34,965) | – | (34,965) |
| Repayment hybrid capital | – | – | (40,893) | (500) | (41,393) | – | (41,393) |
| Hybrid cupon paid | – | – | – | (19,466) | (19,466) | – | (19,466) |
| 31 Mar 2023 | 141,846 | 52,321 | 347,956 | 615,402 | 1,157,525 | – | 1,157,525 |
| Loss for the year | – | – | – | (36,694) | (36,694) | – | (36,694) |
| Other comprehensive income for the year | – | (121,212) | – | – | (121,212) | – | (121,212) |
| thereof currency translation differences, net of tax | – | (114,154) | – | – | (114,154) | – | (114,154) |
| thereof remeasurement of post-employment obligations, net of tax | – | (999) | – | – | (999) | – | (999) |
| thereof change in hedging instruments for cash flow hedges, net of tax | – | (6,059) | – | – | (6,059) | – | (6,059) |
| Total comprehensive income for the year 2023/24 | – | (121,212) | – | (36,694) | (157,906) | – | (157,906) |
| Dividends paid relating to 2022/23 | – | – | – | (15,540) | (15,540) | – | (15,540) |
| Hybrid cupon paid | – | – | – | (17,500) | (17,500) | – | (17,500) |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 141,846 | (68,891) | 347,956 | 545,668 | 966,579 | – | 966,579 |
Table of contents
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
I. General Information
A. General
B. Accounting and measurement policies
a. Consolidation principles
b. Segment reporting
c. Foreign currencies
d. Revenue recognition
e. Income taxes
f. Property, plant and equipment
g. Leases
h. Intangible assets
i. Impairment losses and appreciation of property, plant and equipment, and intangible assets
j. Inventories
k. Trade and other receivables and contract assets
l. Financial assets
m. Cash and cash equivalents
n. Non-controlling interests
o. Provisions
p. Provisions for employee benefits
q.# Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft (hereinafter referred to as “the Company”, and with its subsidiaries referred to as “the Group”) was incorporated in Austria. The Company is headquartered in Austria, Fabriksgasse 13, 8700 Leoben-Hinterberg. The Group manufactures and distributes printed circuit boards and provides related services in the segments of Electronics Solutions, Microelectronics and Others. The products are manufactured in the European and Asian markets and are directly distributed to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) as well as to contracted electronic manufacturers (CEM). Since 20 May 2008, the Company has been listed in the Prime Market segment of the Vienna Stock Exchange, Austria, and, after a period of double listing on the previous exchange in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, has been traded exclusively on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 15 September 2008. Prior to changing stock exchange, the Company had been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 16 July 1999. Since 19 March 2018, the Company’s shares have been included in the Austrian ATX index. According to Section 245a of the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB), the consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and interpretations (IFRIC and SIC) of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) as adopted by the European Union (EU).
The consolidated financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, except for securities and derivative financial instruments and the portion of trade receivables that is assigned to banks in the following month as part of factoring agreements, these are measured at their fair values.
The balance sheet date for all consolidated companies is 31 March 2024, with the following exceptions: due to the legal situation in China, the financial year of AT&S (China) Company Limited and AT&S (Chongqing) Company Limited corresponds to the calendar year (balance sheet date: 31 December 2023), meaning that they were consolidated based on the interim financial statements as of 31 March 2024. The consolidated financial statements were approved by the Management Board on 13 May 2024. The separate financial statements of the Company, which are included in the consolidation after reconciliation to the applicable accounting standards, will be presented for approval to the Supervisory Board on 29 May 2024. The separate financial statements of the Company can be modified by the Supervisory Board and, in case of presentation to the Annual General Meeting, by the Company’s shareholders in a way that might also affect the presentation of the consolidated financial statements.
Group of consolidated entities
The Company controls an entity when the Group is exposed to risks or has rights to variable returns from its involvement with the entity and can affect those returns through its power over the entity. In addition to the Company itself, the consolidated financial statements comprise the following fully consolidated subsidiaries:
The Group applies the acquisition method to account for business combinations. The consideration transferred for the acquisition of a subsidiary is the fair value of the assets transferred, the equity interests issued and the liabilities incurred and/or assumed at the acquisition date. The consideration transferred also includes the fair value of any asset or liability resulting from a contingent consideration arrangement. Acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred. Identifiable assets acquired and liabilities and contingent liabilities assumed in a business combination are measured initially at their fair values at the acquisition date. For each business combination, the Group measures any non-controlling interest in the acquiree either at fair value or at the non-controlling interest’s proportionate share of the acquiree’s identifiable net assets and, accordingly, recognises the full or proportional goodwill. If the consideration transferred is less than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary acquired, the difference is recognised directly in profit or loss. When the Group ceases to have control or significant influence over a company, any retained interest in the entity is remeasured to its fair value, with the change in carrying amount recognised in profit or loss. The fair value is the fair value determined at the initial recognition of an associate, joint venture or financial asset. In addition, any amounts recognised in other comprehensive income in respect of that entity are accounted for as if the parent company had directly disposed of the related assets or liabilities.
Methods of consolidation
All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated so that the consolidated financial statements present the accounting information of the Group as if it were one single company. Capital consolidation is made in accordance with IFRS 3 “Business Combinations” and IFRS 10 “Consolidated Financial Statements”. Intercompany accounts receivable and payable as well as expenses and income are eliminated. Unless immaterial, intercompany results in non-current assets and inventories are eliminated. Furthermore, uniform accounting and measurement methods are applied to all consolidated subsidiaries.
The definition of operating segments and the presentation of segment results are based on the management approach and follow internal reports to the Management Board as the chief operating decision-maker, i.e. the body that decides on the allocation of resources to the individual segments. An operating segment is a component of an entity that engages in business activities and whose operating results are reviewed regularly by the entity’s chief operating decision-maker. Business activities involve earning revenues and incurring expenses, and these may also relate to business transactions with other operating segments of the entity. Separate financial information is available for the individual operating segments. The introduction of a new Group-wide organisational structure in the financial year 2023/24 has led to a change in the segment structure. As of 1 April 2023, internal reporting to the Management Board of AT&S as the chief operating decision maker has been adapted accordingly. The corresponding prior-year comparative period was adjusted. The AT&S Group structures its operating activities into the following segments:
The two new segments are now structured based on technology. The Electronics Solutions segment comprises the areas of printed circuit boards and will also increasingly cover the modules and embedding business through the development of high-tech solutions. The Microelectronics segment comprises the production of IC substrates for PCs and servers. Others includes product design services, and corporate and holding activities.
The Group’s presentation currency is the euro (€). The functional currency of the foreign subsidiaries is the respective local currency.
C. Uncertainties in accounting estimates and judgements
D. Effect of geopolitical tensions
E. Effects of the climate crisis
F. Adjustment IAS 8
II. Segment Reporting
III. Notes to the Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss
1. Revenue
2. Types of expenses
3. Research and development costs
4. Other operating result
5. Finance costs – net
6. Income taxes
IV. Notes to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
7. Property, plant and equipment
8. Intangible assets
9. Other non-current assets
10. Inventories
11. Trade and other receivables and contract assets
12. Financial assets
13. Cash and cash equivalents
14. Trade and other payables
15. Financial liabilities
16. Contract liabilities
17. Provisions for employee benefits
18. Other provisions
19. Derivative financial instruments
20. Additional disclosures on financial instruments
21. Contingent liabilities and other financial commitments
22. Share capital
23. Other reserves
24. Hybrid capital
25. Cash flow
V. Other Disclosures
26. Earnings per share
27. Material events after the balance sheet date
28. Related party transactions
29. Expenses for the Group auditor
30. Number of staffForeign subsidiaries With the exception of equity positions (historical exchange rate), the balance sheets of AT&S India, AT&S China, AT&S Asia Pacific, AT&S Japan, AT&S Korea, AT&S Americas, AT&S Chongqing, AT&S Malaysia, AT&S Taiwan, and AT&S Sweden are translated at the exchange rates on the balance sheet date. The profit or loss statements are translated at the average exchange rates of the financial year. The effect of changes in the exchange rate with regard to the foreign subsidiaries’ net assets is recognised directly in equity. Foreign currency transactions In the financial statements of each of the Group’s entities, foreign currency items are translated at the exchange rates prevailing on the day of the transaction. Monetary items are translated at the respective exchange rate ruling at the balance sheet date; non-monetary items which were recognised according to the historical cost principle are carried at the rate of their initial recognition. Translation adjustments from monetary items, with the exception of financial assets classified as “at fair value through other comprehensive income”, are recognised in profit or loss.
| Closing rate | Average rate | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | Change in % | 01 Apr 2023 - 31 Mar 2024 | 01 Apr 2022 - 31 Mar 2023 | Change in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese yuan renminbi | 7.7940 | 7.4738 | 4.3% | 7.7648 | 7.1498 | 8.6% | ||
| Hong Kong dollar | 8.4364 | 8.5378 | (1.2%) | 8.4918 | 8.1995 | 3.6% | ||
| Malaysian ringgit | 5.0928 | 4.7917 | 6.3% | 5.0202 | 4.6329 | 8.4% | ||
| Indian rupee | 89.8800 | 89.2900 | 0.7% | 89.7169 | 83.8214 | 7.0% | ||
| Japanese yen | 163.1400 | 145.0400 | 12.5% | 156.9000 | 140.8161 | 11.4% | ||
| South Korean won | 1,451.3700 | 1,417.9600 | 2.4% | 1,433.9538 | 1,361.4682 | 5.3% | ||
| Swedish Krone | 11.5527 | 11.2582 | 2.6% | 11.4902 | 10.8021 | 6.4% | ||
| Taiwan dollar | 34.5069 | 33.1537 | 4.1% | 34.0232 | 31.6838 | 7.4% | ||
| US dollar | 1.0779 | 1.0875 | (0.9%) | 1.0849 | 1.0465 | 3.7% |
d. Revenue recognition
Revenue comprises the fair value of considerations received in the course of the Group’s ordinary activities. Revenue is recognised net of VAT, discounts and price reductions, and after the elimination of intercompany sales. Revenue is realised as follows:
Revenue from product sales
In accordance with IFRS 15, revenue must be recognised when control over agreed goods and services passes to the customer and the customer obtains a benefit from them. Revenue can be recognised at a point in time or over time. When products are manufactured specifically tailored to the customer’s needs and there is consequently no alternative use for such products and the entity has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date including a margin, control of these products passes to the customer according to IFRS 15.35 c. Some of the AT&S Group’s customers meet these criteria; therefore revenue is recognised over time in such cases. Progress is measured based on the cost incurred to date in relation to total cost. In cases where customers do not meet these criteria, revenue is recognised at a point in time when control over delivery has passed to the buyer (depending on the agreed incoterms).
e. Income taxes
The income tax burden is based on the profit for the year and includes deferred income taxes. The Group provides for deferred income taxes using the balance-sheet-oriented method. Under this method, the expected tax effect of differences arising between the carrying amounts in the consolidated financial statements and the taxable carrying amounts are taken into account by recognising deferred tax assets and tax liabilities. These differences will be reversed in the future. Deferred income tax is determined using tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantively enacted on the balance sheet date and are expected to apply when the related deferred income tax asset is realised or the deferred income tax liability is settled. A future change in tax rates would also have an impact on the deferred tax assets capitalised at the current balance sheet date. Deferred income taxes arise from the measurement of specific assets and liabilities, as well as from tax loss carryforwards. Deferred taxes on not yet realised profits/losses of equity instruments, post-employment obligations and on not yet realised profits/losses from hedging instruments for cash flow hedges that are recognised in equity are also directly recognised in equity. In accordance with IFRS, deferred income tax assets on loss carryforwards have to be recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be utilised against future taxable profits. Deferred taxes are not recognised for temporary differences in connection with holdings in subsidiaries provided that the Group is able to control the timing of the reversal of the temporary differences and it is likely that the temporary differences will not be reversed in the foreseeable future.
f. Property, plant and equipment
Items of property, plant and equipment are measured at cost. Expenditures directly attributable to an acquisition and the subsequent expenditure are capitalised; repairs and maintenance costs, however, are expensed as incurred. Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of a qualifying asset are capitalised as part of the acquisition or production costs of this asset in accordance with IAS 23. From the time of their availability for use, the assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over their expected useful lives. Depreciation is charged on a pro rata temporis basis. Land is not subject to depreciation. Scheduled depreciation is based on the following useful lives applicable throughout the Group:
Depreciation periods and methods are reviewed annually at the end of the financial year. Profits or losses resulting from the closure or retirement of non-current assets, which arise from the difference between the net realisable value and the carrying amounts, are recognised in profit or loss.
g. Leases
A lease is a contract that transfers the right to use an asset (leasing asset) for an agreed period of time against a consideration. Since 1 April 2019, the Group recognises, for all leases, right-of-use assets in the statement of financial position and liabilities for the payment obligations entered into at present value. Lease payments are discounted at the rate implicit in the lease if that can be readily determined. Otherwise, the incremental borrowing rate is used. Lease liabilities include fixed payments, variable index-linked payments, and the exercise price of a purchase option, if the exercise is considered to be sufficiently certain. The subsequent measurement is made at amortised cost. Right-of-use assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the period of the contract. For leases in which the underlying asset is of low value (up to € 5 thousand) and for short-term leases (up to 12 months or less) the practical expedients are used and payments are recognised on a straight-line basis as an expense in the statement of profit or loss. In addition, the provisions are not applied to leases of intangible assets. In particular, leases of real estate include extension and termination options. When determining the term of the contract, all facts and circumstances offering an economic incentive to exercise extension options or not to exercise termination options are taken into account. Changes in the term resulting from the exercise or non-exercise of such options are only considered if they are sufficiently certain. The Group only acts as a lessee. Transactions in which the Group is the lessor do not take place.
h. Intangible assets
Patents, trademarks, and licenses
Expenditure on acquired patents, trademarks, and licenses is capitalised at cost, including incidental acquisition expenses, and amortised on a straight-line basis over the asset’s useful life, generally between two and ten years. Amortisation terms and methods are reviewed annually at the end of the financial year.
Research and development costs
Research costs are expensed as incurred and charged to cost of sales. Development costs are also expensed as incurred. An intangible asset arising from development is recognised if, and only if, an entity can demonstrate all of the following:
Capitalised development projects include all the directly attributable costs incurred as a result of development processes. Borrowing costs are capitalised if the development project is a qualifying asset in accordance with IAS 23. Development costs are amortised on a straight-line basis over a useful life from six to seven years, which is derived from the expected sales periods.
i. Impairment losses and appreciation of property, plant and equipment, and intangible assets
The Group regularly reviews property, plant and equipment and intangible assets for possible impairment. If evidence for impairment exists, an impairment test is carried out without delay. Intangible assets in the development phase are tested annually for impairment. If the recoverable amount of the respective asset is below its carrying amount, an impairment loss amounting to the difference is recognised. The recoverable amount is the higher of an asset’s fair value less costs to sell and its value in use.The value in use corresponds to the estimated future cash flows expected from the continued use of the asset and its disposal at the end of its useful life. The discount rates applied correspond to the weighted cost of capital based on externally available capital market data that are typical in the industry and have been adapted to the specific risks. If the reason for the impairment recognised in the past no longer exists, with the exception of goodwill, an appreciation up to amortised cost is made.
j. Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Net realisable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less variable costs necessary to make the sale. Cost is determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. The cost of finished goods and work in progress comprises raw materials, direct labour, other direct costs, and related production overheads. Interest on borrowed capital is not recognised.
k. Trade and other receivables and contract assets
Receivables not including a material financing component are initially measured at the transaction price in accordance with IFRS 15 and subsequently recognised at amortised cost, if necessary less impairment for expected and actual credit losses. The receivables are measured in accordance with the simplified model (lifetime expected credit losses). For this purpose, the required impairment is determined within the scope of a provision matrix by analysing historical data and estimating future developments. All receivables are due within less than one year and therefore do not include a financing component in the form of interest.
l. Financial assets
Financial assets are recognised and derecognised using settlement date accounting. The fair values recognised in the statement of financial position generally correspond to market prices of financial assets. Except for financial assets at fair value through profit or loss, they are initially recognised including transaction costs. Financial assets are divided into two categories in accordance with IFRS 9, those which are valued at amortised cost and those valued at fair value. When financial assets are valued at fair value, expenses and income are recognised through profit or loss or other comprehensive income.
At amortised cost
This category includes all financial assets held as part of a business model whose objective is the collection of contractual cash flows and the contractual terms of the financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding. At the time of acquisition, the financial asset is measured at fair value in accordance with IFRS 15 (contract assets and trade receivables). The financial asset is subsequently measured at amortised cost less any impairment. Impairments are recognised through profit or loss. AT&S applies the simplified impairment model for trade receivables and contract assets from contracts with customers, which takes into account expected credit losses during the full lifetime. Credit loss is determined based on a provision matrix created based on a rating of the customers and past due receivables.
Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income
This category includes those financial assets held as part of a business model whose objective is the collection of contractual cash flows and the sale of financial assets, and the contractual terms of the financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding. In the AT&S Group, trade receivables are in part sold to banks as part of factoring agreements. The part of receivables as of 31 March which is sold to banks at nominal value after this date is measured at fair value through other comprehensive income. The measurement at fair value has no significant impact on the consolidated financial statements. Therefore it is assumed that the fair value corresponds to the previous measurement standard of amortised cost. All equity instruments for which IFRS 9 has to be applied are recognised at fair value; value changes are recognised through profit or loss. If an equity instrument is not held for trading, an entity can make the irrevocable decision at initial recognition to recognise value changes through OCI. Then, only income from dividends is recognised through profit or loss, insofar as they do not represent a capital repayment. In accordance with IFRS 9, the irrevocable option of measurement through other comprehensive income was used. Value changes will consequently continue to be recognised in other comprehensive income.
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
This category includes financial assets which were classified neither at amortised cost nor at fair value through other comprehensive income. At the time of their acquisition, they are stated at fair value, excluding transaction costs, and, in subsequent periods, at their respective fair values. Realised and unrealised gains and losses are recognised in profit or loss in “Finance costs - net”. This relates primarily to securities held for trading. Derivative financial instruments also fall into this category, unless hedge accounting is applied (refer to “Derivative financial instruments”).
Derivative financial instruments
Where possible, the Group uses derivative financial instruments to hedge against interest fluctuations. These instruments mainly include interest rate swaps. They are entered into in order to protect the Group against interest rate fluctuations. The Group does not hold any financial instruments for speculative purposes. The first-time recognition at the conclusion of the contract and the subsequent measurement of derivative financial instruments are made at their fair value. AT&S continues to apply the provisions of IAS 39 with respect to hedge accounting. “Hedge accounting” in accordance with IAS 39 “Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement”, according to which changes in fair values of hedging instruments are recognised in equity, is applied when there is an effective hedging relationship pursuant to IAS 39 for hedging instruments for cash flow hedges. The assessment of whether the derivative financial instruments used in the hedging relationship are highly effective in offsetting the changes in cash flows of the hedged item is documented at the inception of the hedging relationship and on an ongoing basis. The Group only discontinues recognition as a designated hedging relationship if the hedging relationship (or part of it) no longer meets the qualification criteria (subject to recalibration). In principle, this also includes cases in which the hedging instrument expires, is sold, terminated, or exercised. Termination is carried out prospectively. All gains or losses recognized in other comprehensive income and accumulated in the cash flow hedge reserve at this time remain in equity and are reclassified to the income statement when the expected transaction occurs. If a derivative does not qualify for hedge accounting, unrealized gains and losses from derivative financial instruments are recognized in the income statement in the financial result.
Interest and dividend income
Interest income is recognised on a pro rata temporis basis, taking into account the effective interest rate of the asset. Dividend income from financial assets is recognised in profit or loss when the Group’s right to receive payments is established.
Impairment of financial assets
The new impairment expected credit loss (ECL) model according to IFRS 9 has to be applied for financial assets which are measured at amortised cost, for contract assets and debt instruments measured at fair value through OCI. In accordance with IFRS 9, impairment must be determined using either the twelve-month model, which takes into account expected credit losses within the next twelve months, or the lifetime expected credit loss model which takes into account expected credit losses that result from possible default events within the whole lifetime. AT&S applies the simplified impairment model for trade receivables and contract assets from contracts with customers, which takes into account expected credit losses during the full lifetime of the asset. The credit loss is determined based on a provision matrix created based on a rating of the customers and overdue of the receivables.
m. Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash, time deposits, deposits held at call with banks, and short-term, highly liquid investments with an original maturity of up to three months (commercial papers and money market funds).
n. Non-controlling interests
The Company does not have any non-controlling interests. The profit for the year and other comprehensive income are attributed to the owners of the parent company and the holders of the hybrid capital.
o. Provisions
Provisions are recognised if the Group has a legal or de facto obligation to third parties, which is based on past events, where it is probable that this will result in an outflow of resources and the amount can be estimated reliably. The provisions are remeasured at each balance sheet date and their amounts are adjusted accordingly. Non-current provisions are reported at the discounted amount to be paid at each balance sheet date if the interest effect resulting from the discounting is material.
p. Provisions for employee benefits
Pension obligations
The Group operates various defined contribution and defined benefit pension schemes. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the Group pays fixed contributions into a special purpose entity (fund). These contributions are charged to staff costs. No provision has to be set up, as there are no additional obligations beyond the fixed amounts.### Defined benefit plans
For individual members of the Management Board and certain executive employees, the Group has defined benefit plans that are valued by qualified and independent actuaries at each balance sheet date. The Group’s obligation is to meet the benefits committed to current and former members of the Management Board and executive employees as well as their dependents. The pension obligation calculated according to the projected unit credit method is reduced by the plan assets of the fund in the case of a funded pension scheme. The present value of the future pension benefit is determined based on years of service, expected remuneration, and pension adjustments. To the extent that the plan assets of the fund do not cover the obligation, the net liability is accrued under pension provisions. If the net assets exceed the pension obligation, the exceeding amount is capitalised under “Overfunded pension benefits”. Staff costs recognised in the respective financial year are based on expected values and include the service costs. Net interest on net liabilities is recognised in “Finance costs - net”. Remeasurements of the net liability are recognised in other comprehensive income and comprise gains and losses arising from the remeasurement of post-employment obligations.
Pursuant to Austrian labour regulations, severance payments have to be paid primarily on termination of employment by the employer or on the retirement of an employee. The liabilities are measured by qualified and independent actuaries at each balance sheet date. For employees who joined Austrian companies up to and including 2002, the Company has direct obligations that account for the major part of the Group’s severance payment obligations. In accordance with IAS 19, these liabilities are calculated using the projected unit credit method as described above and represent severance payment obligations not covered by plan assets. For employees who joined the Company as of or after 1 January 2003, the severance payment obligation is met by regular contributions to a staff provision fund (“Mitarbeitervorsorgekasse”). These contributions are included in staff costs. The Company has no further payment obligations once the contributions have been paid. For employees of the Company in India, obligations for severance payments are covered by life insurance policies. Furthermore, severance payment obligations exist for employees in South Korea and China. These obligations are measured in accordance with IAS 19 using the projected unit credit method as described above and represent severance payment obligations not covered by plan assets.
Other employee benefits include provisions for anniversary bonuses and relate to employees in Austria and China. Furthermore, any other employee entitlements are also recognized here, provided they have a long-term nature. Anniversary bonuses are special one-off payments stipulated in the Collective Agreement which are dependent on remuneration and duration of service. Eligibility is determined by a certain minimum length of employment. The respective liability is calculated in accordance with the projected unit credit method based on the same parameters used for severance payments. Staff costs recognised in the respective financial year include entitlements acquired and the actuarial results. The interest component is recognised in “Finance costs - net”. The liabilities are measured by qualified and independent actuaries at each balance sheet date.
The Group introduced a long-term incentive programme based on stock appreciation rights SARs. Stock appreciation rights relate to value increases in share prices based on the performance of the share price and are settled in cash. These rights are accounted for in accordance with IFRS 2 “Share-based Payment”. The fair value of the employee services rendered as consideration for the granting of SARs is recognised as an expense. Upon initial recognition and at every balance sheet date until the liabilities are settled, SAR liabilities are measured at fair value through profit or loss, applying the option price model. Reference is made to Note 14 “Trade and other payables”.
Financial liabilities are initially measured at fair value less transaction cost and, in subsequent periods, at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. Foreign currency liabilities are translated at the average exchange rate prevailing at the balance sheet date.
Contract liabilities are initially recognised at fair value less transaction costs and measured at amortised cost in subsequent periods. Contract liabilities in foreign currencies are measured at the average exchange rate at the time of initial recognition as they are not monetary items. If a significant financing component exists, interest is accrued on the liability.
Government grants are recognised at their fair value where there is a reasonable assurance that the grants will be received and the Group will comply with all attached conditions. Government grants relating to costs are deferred and recognised in profit or loss over the period necessary to match them with the costs that they are intended to compensate. Government grants relating to investments in property, plant and equipment are included in liabilities as deferred government grants; they are recognised in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the expected useful life of the related assets. Government grants relating to costs and property, plant and equipment are recognised in profit or loss under other operating result.
Contingent liabilities are not recognised in the statement of financial position, but are disclosed in Note 21 “Contingent liabilities and other financial commitments”. They are not disclosed if an outflow of resources with economic benefit is unlikely. A contingent asset is not recognised in the consolidated financial statements but disclosed if the inflow of an economic benefit is likely.
The following new and/or amended standards and interpretations were applied for the first time in the financial year 2023/24 and pertain to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the EU.
No material effects resulted from the amended standards.
The IASB and IFRIC issued additional standards and interpretations not yet effective in the financial year 2023/24. These have already been adopted in part by the European Union. The following standards and interpretations had already been published by the time these consolidated financial statements were prepared and are not yet effective; they have not been adopted early in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements:
| Standard/Interpretation (Content of the regulation) | Effective date | EU Adoption Status¹ | Expected impacts on the consolidated financial statements |
|---|---|---|---|
| IFRS 14 Regulatory Deferral Accounts | Waiting for final standard | No major changes are expected | |
| IAS 1 Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current | 01/01/2024 | 2 | No |
| IAS 1 Long term liabilities with constraints | 01/01/2024 | 2 | Yes |
| IAS 21 Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates: Lack of Exchageability | 01/01/2025 | 2 | No |
| IAS 28, IFRS 10 Investments in Associates: Sales or contributions of assets between an investor and its associate/joint venture | Postponed indefinitely | No | |
| IAS 7/ IFRS 7 Supplier Finance Arrangements | 01/01/2024 | 2 | No |
| IFRS 16 Lease liabilities in a sale and lease back transaction | 01/01/2024 | 2 | Yes |
¹ The Group intends to apply the new regulations for the first time in the fiscal year beginning subsequent to the effective date.
² Status of adoption by the EU.
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS requires the management to make accounting judgements and assumptions regarding future developments that may have a significant influence on the recognition and the value of assets and liabilities, the recognition of other obligations as of the balance sheet date and the recognition of income and expenses during the financial year. The following assumptions bear a considerable risk of causing a material adjustment to assets and liabilities in future periods:
The assessment of the recoverability of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment is based on forward-looking assumptions. As part of strategic business planning, the current overall economic conditions, the economic environment and the most recent estimates regarding market developments are considered in planning future cash flows. Actual results may differ from these estimates in the future. Management believes that the estimates are reasonable. Reference is made to Note 7 “Property, plant and equipment” and Note 8 “Intangible assets”.
In Kulim, Malaysia, major investments have been undertaken to expand capacity. At the site in Leoben-Hinterberg, investments have been made in a new research and development centre for substrate and packaging solutions for the global semiconductor industry.Unexpected technological developments, changes in demand, restrictions through third-party patents, shorter technology cycles or problems in technical implementation may have severe adverse effects on the intrinsic value of such investments. These effects can generally impact all current AT&S business activities. If there are any indications of such adverse effects, impairment tests for these investments are performed as required, which may lead to high impairment requirements due to the high investments made.
Calculation of the present values of projected employee benefit obligations
The present value of non-current employee benefit obligations depends on various factors such as interest rate, retirement age, life expectancy, and future increases in remuneration (refer to I.B.o. “Provisions for employee benefits”). These actuarial assumptions used to calculate the pension expenses and the expected defined benefit obligations were subjected to stress tests using the following parameters: an increase in the interest rate, in the expected remuneration and/or in future pensions for the Austrian entities by the percentage points stated in the table below would affect the present values of the projected pension and severance payment obligations as follows as at 31 March 2024:
| Interest rate | Increase in remuneration | Increase in pensions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | +0,50 pp | +0,25 pp | +0,25 pp |
| Pension obligation | (1,149) | 48 | 571 |
| Severance payments | (990) | 496 | – |
A decrease in the same parameters for the Austrian companies would have the following effects on the present value of pension and severance payment obligations as at 31 March 2024:
| Interest rate | Increase in remuneration | Increase in pensions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | -0,50 pp | -0,25 pp | -0,25 pp |
| Pension obligation | 1,273 | (47) | (547) |
| Severance payments | 1,063 | (481) | – |
Reference is made to Note 17 “Provisions for employee benefits”.
Measurement of deferred income tax and current tax liabilities
Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined using the tax rates (and laws) that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date and are expected to apply when the related deferred income tax asset is realized or the deferred income tax liability is settled. A future change in tax rates would also have an impact on the deferred tax capitalized at the balance sheet date. Deferred taxes on temporary differences and tax loss carryforwards are capitalised where it is probable that future taxable profit will be sufficient to realise deferred tax assets. This assessment requires assumptions and is therefore subject to uncertainties. It is carried out on the basis of corporate planning for a period of five years. Changes in future taxable income can lead to a decrease or increase in deferred tax assets. Deferred income tax assets in the amount of € 96,752 thousand were not recognized for income tax loss carryforwards in the Group of € 645,012 thousand. If the tax losses were subsequently expected to be realized, these deferred income tax assets would have to be recognized and related tax income would have to be reported. Reference is made to Note 6 “Income taxes”. Moreover, a different interpretation of tax laws by fiscal authorities could also lead to a change in income tax liabilities.
Minimum Taxation (Pillar 2)
With Pillar 2, global minimum taxation for multinational enterprise groups has been implemented. The objective of the global minimum tax is to ensure that corporate groups generating global revenues of at least € 750 million are subject to an effective minimum tax rate of 15 percent in the countries in which they operate. Since AT&S has to apply the regulations for the financial year starting on 1 April 2024 for the first time, an evaluation of the potential effects of the global minimum tax has been carried out based on the current planning for the next financial year. Reference is made to Note 6 “Income taxes”.
Other provisions
If present obligations resulting from past events exist that lead to an outflow of resources with an economic benefit, these provisions are measured at the amount that is most likely on the basis of reliable estimates. Reference is made to Note 18 “Other provisions”.
Contract liabilities
The repayment of contract liabilities requires certain assumptions, in particular regarding the timing of their recognition. Assumptions must be made for accruing interest (significant financing component) regarding the underlying interest rate. Reference is made to Note 16 “Contract liabilities“.
Other
In addition, assumptions are made, if necessary, relating to the measurement of derivative financial instruments, allowances for doubtful accounts receivable, and measurements of inventories.
D.Effect of geopolitical tensions
The electronics industry is characterized by highly integrated transnational supply chains, which are based on the free trade of goods and services. Potential protectionism or growing political tensions may lead to supply chain disruptions and competitive advantages for competitors in certain countries. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has an impact on the entire global economy. In addition to the resulting humanitarian disaster, the war also affects the availability of raw materials and energy, which is reflected in their price development. Uncertainty regarding energy supply, especially the supply of electricity, can also have a negative effect on AT&S. To mitigate this risk, measures have been taken to enable the Company to respond quickly if required. In addition, AT&S is working on an energy strategy for all production sites, which includes the sustainability aspect as well as security of supply. Nevertheless, large-scale sanctions and other unexpected geopolitical developments can have negative effects on the business operations of AT&S. A potential aggravation of the trade conflict between the USA and China could lead to an increase in punitive tariffs on the import of certain goods in both countries as well as trade restrictions for technology companies. From a current perspective, the trade conflict only has an immaterial influence on AT&S. Nevertheless, ongoing monitoring of new trade restrictions and export controls regarding the technologies, raw materials, and equipment underlying AT&S as well as potentially affected customers is necessary. New escalations in East Asia, in particular between China and Taiwan, but also in Korea, as well as the renewed conflict in the Middle East, can have general impacts on the global supply chain interdependencies. Therefore, it is important to monitor any aggravation of these conflicts which may possibly have a negative impact on operations. The resulting macroeconomic developments may also negatively impact the business of AT&S. The escalated war between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East is leading to additional uncertainty in the global economy. Israel’s weight in the global semiconductor market is limited with respect to production. Moreover, AT&S does not work with production companies in Israel and is not dependent on the Israeli market. Nonetheless, the crisis in the Red Sea caused by the Middle East conflict has negative effects on the transportation of goods and materials. At present, there are no major impacts on the business of AT&S; however, the situation is being monitored closely.
E.Effects of the climate crisis
Climate-related risks are also identified as part of ESG risk management. Climate-related changes can lead to an increase in the ambient temperature and a greater frequency of extreme weather events (such as heat waves and droughts), which could result in a limitation of resources (such as water and energy supplies). As a result, either costs could increase (e.g. for heating or cooling) or, in the worst case, production processes could be disrupted if supplies are interrupted. Acute and chronic climate change were therefore classified as relevant risks. To counter these risks, AT&S chooses a climate-resilient business model, obtains the energy required for its production processes from renewable sources wherever possible, and relies on efficient energy management. AT&S counters climate-related risks with the AT&S energy strategy and the associated decarbonisation targets. This energy strategy pursues the goal of covering at least 80% of the Group's energy requirements with renewable energy sources by 2025 and replacing all fossil fuels within the Group's own production sites worldwide by 2030 in order to avoid the direct release of climate-damaging gases within the Group. All these measures will minimize the impact of the climate crisis on the AT&S Group. If risk management measures result in accounting effects (change in useful lives, additional provisions required), these are recognized in the financial statements. This may be the case in particular if statutory measures mean that plants can no longer be used because the emissions are too high and therefore have to be replaced by more modern ones. In April 2020, the European Commission published detailed definitions of the economic activities that should contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, the regulations and standards relating to the EU taxonomy not only create uncertainty and increase the cost of compliance in general but also cause high costs for the actual implementation of necessary measures to comply with minimum standards. It is impossible to predict how the regulations will develop in the future. Strict rules will tend to lead to higher costs and thus have a greater negative impact on profitability.
F.Adjustment IAS 8
Due to an incorrect allocation, an adjustment must be made within the other operating result for the financial year 2022/23. This does not change the other operating result. There is only a reclassification between other operating income and other operating costs.The adjustment can be seen in the following table
| 01 Apr 2022 - 31 Mar 2023 | € in thousands | |
|---|---|---|
| Before IAS 8 adjustment | Adjustment | |
| Other operating income | 48,661 | 11,749 |
| Other operating costs | -51,906 | -11,749 |
| Other operating result | -3,245 | 0 |
| After IAS 8 adjustment | ||
| Other operating income | 60,409 | |
| Other operating costs | -63,654 | |
| Other operating result | -3,245 |
The segment information presented below is prepared in accordance with the management approach concept as depicted in the Group’s internal reporting (refer to Section I.B.b. “Segment Reporting”). The introduction of a new Group-wide organisational structure in the financial year 2023/24 has led to a change in the segment structure. As of 1 April 2023, internal reporting to the Board of AT&S as Chief Operating Decision Maker has been adapted accordingly. The corresponding prior-year comparative period was adjusted. The reportable segments consist of the business units Electronics Solutions and Microelectronics. In addition to product design services, the Other segment primarily includes the Group's general holding activities. The central operating result performance indicator is the operating result before depreciation and amortisation. The respective reconciliation to Group figures also includes the corresponding consolidation. Transfers and transactions between the segments are executed at arm’s length, as with independent third parties. Segment reporting is prepared in accordance with the principles set out in I.B. “Accounting and measurement policies”.
| BU ES (Electronics Solutions) | BU ME (Microelectronics) | Others | Elimination/ Consolidation | Group | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
| Segment revenue | 963,058 | 1,194,928 | 655,046 | 675,276 | 2 |
| thereof internal revenue | 168 | 20 | 68,157 | 78,840 | 2 |
| thereof external revenue | 962,890 | 1,194,908 | 586,889 | 596,436 | – |
| Operating result before depreciation/amortisation (EBITDA) | 210,230 | 309,978 | 96,092 | 115,689 | 1,166 |
| Depreciation/amortisation incl. appreciation | (107,721) | (114,841) | (161,170) | (149,215) | (7,477) |
| Operating result (EBIT) | 102,510 | 195,137 | (65,078) | (33,526) | (6,311) |
| Finance costs - net | (50,436) | 21,598 | |||
| (Loss)/Profit before tax | (19,315) | 167,841 | |||
| Income taxes | (17,379) | (31,197) | |||
| (Loss)/Profit for the period | (36,694) | 136,644 | |||
| Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 585,383 | 635,294 | 2,757,050 | 2,015,976 | 72,583 |
| Additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 85,753 | 120,801 | 996,062 | 1,056,936 | 28,674 |
Revenue broken down by region, based on customers’ headquarters:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 31,497 | 27,256 |
| Germany | 143,394 | 186,999 |
| Other European countries | 97,549 | 100,631 |
| China | 21,965 | 4,348 |
| Other Asian countries | 82,135 | 95,584 |
| Americas | 1,173,239 | 1,376,526 |
| Revenue | 1,549,779 | 1,791,344 |
71.8% of total revenue (previous year: 75.1%) is attributable to the five largest customers in terms of revenue, where the range is between 2% and 35% (previous year: 2% and 37%).
| € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 719,115 | 248,094 |
| Malaysia | 926,969 | 533,414 |
| China | 1,706,272 | 1,853,501 |
| Others | 62,660 | 69,078 |
| Total | 3,415,016 | 2,704,087 |
Revenue of the AT&S Group is generated by selling printed circuit boards and substrates, which are produced by AT&S. The following table shows the distribution of revenue recognised at a point in time and over time by segment:
| Electronics Solutions | Microelectronics | Group | |
|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 |
| External revenue | 962,890 | 1,194,908 | 586,889 |
| Type of revenue recognition | |||
| Point in time | 444,843 | 704,246 | 122,138 |
| Over time | 518,047 | 490,662 | 464,751 |
The expense types of cost of sales, distribution costs, and general and administrative costs are as follows:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of materials | 641,196 | 660,925 |
| Staff costs | 371,583 | 419,579 |
| Depreciation/amortisation | 271,503 | 268,662 |
| Purchased services incl. leased personnel | 24,622 | 29,455 |
| Energy | 83,352 | 89,031 |
| Maintenance (incl. spare parts) | 89,244 | 90,371 |
| Transportation costs | 20,615 | 27,873 |
| Rental and leasing expenses | 18,090 | 15,564 |
| Change in inventories | (83,092) | (29,290) |
| Legal and consulting fees | 13,564 | 21,179 |
| IT service, third parties | 12,111 | 16,532 |
| Administration services third parties | 12,656 | 15,399 |
| Other | 5,816 | 16,576 |
| Total | 1,481,260 | 1,641,856 |
In the financial years 2023/24 and 2022/23, the item “Other” mainly relates to insurance expenses, cleaning costs, travel costs and waste disposal with corresponding recycling revenues.
In the financial year 2023/24, the Group incurred research and development costs in the amount of € 155,446 thousand (previous year: € 183,441 thousand). The stated amounts represent only costs that can be directly allocated and which are recognised in the profit or loss. In these consolidated financial statements, no development costs were capitalised (previous year: € 0 thousand). Reference is made to Note 8 “Intangible assets”.
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Amortisation of deferred income - government grant | 10,428 | 9,612 |
| Government grants for expenses | 20,459 | 31,043 |
| Income from exchange differences | 7,641 | 11,749 |
| Miscellaneous other income | 5,728 | 8,005 |
| Other operating income | 44,256 | 60,409 |
| Start-up losses | (81,640) | (54,689) |
| Losses from the disposal of non-current assets | (14) | (2,515) |
| Other costs | – | (6,450) |
| Other operating costs | (81,654) | (63,654) |
| Other operating result | (37,398) | (3,245) |
In the financial years 2023/24 and 2022/23, government grants for expenses mainly relate to export refunds, research and development grants as well as funding for industry and employment development. The item “Miscellaneous other income” in the financial year 2023/24 includes, among other things, the reversal of the part of impending cancellation costs from onerous contracts not needed to be considered in the financial year 2022/23. As in the previous year, it also includes grants for employees and services in kind for miscellaneous projects. The item “Miscellaneous other income” in the financial year 2022/23 is mainly related to income from compensation payments. As in the financial year 2022/23, start-up losses resulted from the expansion at the plants in Leoben, Austria, Chongqing, China, and Kulim, Malaysia in the financial year 2023/24, and for the financial year 2022/23 additionally at the site in Chongqing, China. The item “Other costs” in the financial year 2022/23 includes, among other things, impending cancellation costs from onerous contracts.
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Interest income from financial assets at fair value through profit or loss and financial assets at amortised cost | 43 | 26 |
| Other interest income | 25,619 | 12,285 |
| Realised gains from derivative financial instruments, net | 9,001 | 1,723 |
| Gains from the measurement of derivative financial instruments at fair value, net | – | 6,012 |
| Foreign exchange gains, net | 4,942 | 38,268 |
| Finance income | 39,605 | 58,314 |
| Interest expense on bank borrowings and bonds | (65,070) | (23,935) |
| Net interest expense on personnel-related liabilities | (2,108) | (432) |
| Losses from the measurement of derivative financial instruments at fair value, net | (2,982) | – |
| Other financial expenses | (19,881) | (12,349) |
| Finance costs | (90,041) | (36,716) |
| Finance costs - net | (50,436) | 21,598 |
In accordance with IAS 23, the item “Interest expense on bank borrowings and bonds” includes capitalised borrowing costs in the amount of € 12,715 thousand (previous year: € 7,211 thousand), net.
Income tax expenses are broken down as follows:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Current income taxes | 24,577 | 26,088 |
| Deferred taxes | (7,198) | 5,109 |
| Total tax expense | 17,379 | 31,197 |
The difference between the Group’s actual tax expense and the theoretical amount that would arise using the Austrian corporate income tax rate is as follows:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| (Loss)/Profit before tax | (19,315) | 167,841 |
| Expected tax expense at Austrian tax rate 23.75% (previous year 24.75%) | (4,586) | 41,542 |
| Effect of different tax rates in foreign countries | 708 | (11,419) |
| Non-creditable foreign withholding taxes | 12,548 | 8,785 |
| Non-capitalized deferred taxes on temporary differences and tax loss carryforwards | 4,741 | 16,592 |
| Effect of the change in tax rate | 749 | 701 |
| Effect of permanent differences | 3,125 | (24,845) |
| Effect of taxes from prior periods | 94 | (159) |
| Total tax expense | 17,379 | 31,197 |
The effect of the change in tax rates mainly results from the gradual reduction of the Austrian corporate tax rate to 23%, which was recognised on non-current deferred tax assets, and from the reduced tax rate of 15% in the subsidiary AT&S China (compared to the regular tax rate of 25% valid in China), which is applicable again. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are offset when there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets against current tax liabilities and when the deferred taxes and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same taxation authority.The amounts after offsetting deferred income tax assets against deferred liabilities are as follows:
| 31 Mar 2024 Assets | 31 Mar 2024 Liabilities | 31 Mar 2023 Assets | 31 Mar 2023 Liabilities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | ||||
| Non-current assets | ||||
| Provisions for employee benefits | 4,145 | (35,282) | 5,291 | (36,911) |
| Financial liabilities | 6,239 | – | 5,882 | – |
| Income tax loss carryforwards | 17,143 | – | 18,985 | – |
| Deferred income tax from long-term assets/liabilities | 135,792 | – | 108,740 | – |
| Inventories | 163,319 | (35,282) | 138,898 | (36,911) |
| Trade and other receivables and contract assets | 22,825 | – | 25,681 | – |
| Trade and other payables | 22 | (20,482) | 15 | (23,722) |
| Others | 12,489 | – | 12,941 | – |
| Contract liabilities | 1,479 | (3,207) | 1,302 | (4,351) |
| Temporary differences arising from shares in subsidiaries | – | (10,607) | – | (3,905) |
| Deferred income tax from short-term assets/liabilities | – | (1,635) | – | (1,657) |
| Deferred income tax assets/liabilities | 36,815 | (35,931) | 39,939 | (33,635) |
| Unrecognised deferred taxes | 200,134 | (71,213) | 178,837 | (70,546) |
| Deferred income tax assets/liabilities, offsetting against the same taxation authority | (104,257) | – | (93,143) | – |
| Deferred income tax assets/liabilities, net | (69,528) | 69,528 | (65,783) | 65,783 |
As of 31 March 2024, the Group has income tax loss carryforwards amounting to a total of € 822,784 thousand (previous year: € 660,165 thousand). For loss carryforwards amounting to € 645,012 thousand (previous year: € 538,885 thousand) included in this figure, deferred income tax assets in the amount of € 96,752 thousand (previous year: € 80,833 thousand) were not recognised since it is unlikely that they will be realised in the foreseeable future. Deferred tax assets from loss carryforwards were recognized in the amount of € 39,040 thousand (previous year: € 27,907 thousand). The tax loss carryforwards not recognised relate to China. In addition, for temporary differences amounting to € 50,033 thousand (previous year: € 82,067 thousand) included in this figure, deferred income tax assets in the amount of € 7,505 thousand (previous year: € 12,310 thousand) were not recognised since it is likewise unlikely that they will be realised in the foreseeable future. Deferred tax assets on deductible temporary differences before netting were therefore recognized in the amount of € 56,837 thousand (previous year: € 57,787 thousand). Deferred taxes on temporary differences and tax loss carryforwards amounting to € 25,188 thousand (previous year: € 18,673 thousand) are capitalised although the companies concerned reported tax losses in the current financial year or in the previous year. Based on present tax planning, AT&S assumes the future taxable income of the companies will be sufficient to realise these deferred tax assets.
The tax loss carryforwards, which were not recognised, can be carried forward as follows:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Carried forward up to 5 years | 233,878 | 140,676 |
| Carried forward between 6 and 10 years | 346,368 | 398,209 |
| Carried forward more than 10 years | 64,766 | – |
| Total unrecognised tax loss carryforwards | 645,012 | 538,885 |
Deferred income taxes (net) changed as follows:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying amount at the beginning of the financial year | 15,148 | 22,531 |
| Currency translation differences | 82 | 21 |
| Income/Expense recognised in profit or loss | 7,198 | (5,109) |
| Income taxes recognised in equity | 2,236 | (2,295) |
| Carrying amount at the end of the financial year | 24,664 | 15,148 |
Income taxes in connection with the components of other comprehensive income are as follows:
| 2023/24 Income/ (expense) before taxes | 2023/24 Tax income/ (expense) | 2023/24 Income/ (expense) after taxes | 2022/23 Income/ (expense) before taxes | 2022/23 Tax income/ (expense) | 2022/23 Income/ (expense) after taxes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | ||||||
| Currency translation differences | (114,154) | – | (114,154) | (143,188) | – | (143,188) |
| Gains/(losses) on the measurement of hedging instruments for cash flow hedges | (7,886) | 1,827 | (6,059) | 5,954 | (1,382) | 4,572 |
| Remeasurements of post-employment obligations | (1,408) | 409 | (999) | 3,941 | (913) | 3,028 |
| Other comprehensive income | (123,448) | 2,236 | (121,212) | (133,293) | (2,295) | (135,588) |
With the Minimum Taxation Act of 30 December 2023, Council Directive (EU) 2022/2523 on ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for multinational enterprise groups and large-scale domestic groups in the Union was implemented in national law in Austria. Some other countries in which AT&S operates are currently introducing corresponding minimum taxation regulations. The objective of the global minimum tax is to ensure that corporate groups generating global revenues of at least € 750 million are subject to an effective minimum tax rate of 15 percent in the countries in which they operate. Since AT&S has to apply the regulations for the financial year starting on 1 April 2024 for the first time, an evaluation of the potential effects of the global minimum tax has been carried out. Based on the current planning it can be assumed that no minimum tax will be incurred for the next financial year. AT&S applies the mandatory temporary exception to the accounting for and disclosure of deferred taxes in connection with the global minimum tax, which was the subject of the amendments to IAS 12 published in May 2023. Accordingly, information on deferred tax assets and liabilities in connection with the global minimum tax is neither reported nor disclosed.
| € in thousands | Land, plants and buildings | Machinery and technical equipment | Tools, fixtures, furniture and office equipment | Prepayments and construction in progress | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2022 | 273,676 | 1,214,185 | 17,074 | 445,250 | 1,950,185 |
| Exchange differences | (12,931) | (72,601) | (668) | (43,052) | (129,252) |
| Additions | 47,685 | 209,370 | 19,092 | 954,535 | 1,230,682 |
| Disposals | (2,404) | (5,712) | (227) | (102,626) | (110,969) |
| Transfers | 6,135 | 256,960 | 2,797 | (266,050) | (158) |
| Depreciation, current | (25,979) | (224,948) | (10,268) | – | (261,195) |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2023 | 286,182 | 1,377,254 | 27,800 | 988,057 | 2,679,293 |
| Thereof Acquisition cost | 413,704 | 2,830,829 | 65,369 | 988,057 | 4,297,959 |
| Accumulated depreciation | (127,522) | (1,453,575) | (37,569) | – | (1,618,666) |
| Adjustment | (57) | – | – | – | (57) |
| Carrying amount 01 Apr 2023 | 286,182 | 1,377,254 | 27,800 | 988,000 | 2,679,236 |
| Exchange differences | (9,231) | (49,565) | (537) | (54,510) | (113,843) |
| Additions | 345,546 | 94,532 | 6,977 | 659,326 | 1,106,381 |
| Disposals | (2,854) | (3,866) | (482) | (1,355) | (8,557) |
| Transfers | 27,969 | 190,830 | 4,404 | (223,266) | (63) |
| Depreciation, current | (26,635) | (230,309) | (11,289) | – | (268,233) |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2024 | 620,977 | 1,378,876 | 26,873 | 1,368,195 | 3,394,921 |
| Thereof Acquisition cost | 769,062 | 2,989,155 | 71,067 | 1,368,195 | 5,197,479 |
| Accumulated depreciation | (148,084) | (1,610,278) | (44,195) | – | (1,802,557) |
The value of the land included in “Land, plants and buildings” amounts to € 5,543 thousand (previous year: € 5,670 thousand). The item “Land, plants and buildings” mainly includes the addition of a right-of-use asset according to IFRS 16 amounting to € 336,317 thousand as part of the construction of the R&D center including series production in Leoben-Hinterberg. The item “Prepayments and construction in progress“ mainly includes additions related to the investment project in Kulim, Malaysia, equipment for the plants in Chongqing, China, as well as the R&D center and series production facility in Leoben-Hinterberg, which is currently under construction.
The following table shows the right-of-use assets reported separately in accordance with IFRS 16, which are included in property, plant and equipment as of 31 March 2024:
| € in thousands | Land, plants and buildings | Machinery and technical equipment | Tools, fixtures, furniture and office equipment | Prepayments and construction in progress | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | 464,329 | 142 | 8,538 | – | 473,009 |
| Thereof additions | 339,331 | 39 | 1,492 | – | 340,862 |
| Accumulated depreciation | (26,467) | (113) | (6,006) | – | (32,586) |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2024 | 437,862 | 29 | 2,532 | – | 440,423 |
In the financial year 2023/24, the following lease expenses were shown in the income statement of profit or loss:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Lease expenses from short-term lease agreements | 2,675 | 2,832 |
| Lease expenses from low-value lease agreements | 489 | 371 |
| Depreciation of rights of use | 12,577 | 11,544 |
| Interest expenses from lease liabilities | 7,092 | 3,188 |
Depreciation in the current financial year is recognised mainly in cost of sales, as well as in distribution costs, general and administrative costs, and in start-up losses, recognised under other operating result. In the financial year 2023/24, borrowing costs on qualifying assets of € 12,715 thousand were capitalised (previous year: € 7,211 thousand). Interest rates between 1.00% and 4.30% were applied (previous year: 2.06% and 3.85%). Machinery and technical equipment in the amount of € 139,159 thousand are pledged.
Property, plant and equipment is regularly reviewed for indications of impairment. Impairment tests are conducted for cash-generating units. A key criterion for the qualification as a cash-generating unit is their technical and economic independence to generate income. Triggering event analyses are conducted for all cash-generating units, which consider both internal and external factors to determine the existence of a triggering event in accordance with IAS 36. If there are any indications of impairment, an impairment test is conducted immediately. The impairment tests are based on calculations of the value in use. The value in use is determined using a DCF method. In doing so, the value in use is determined as the present value of future estimated cash flows before tax in the next five to ten years based on the data of medium-term business planning. The medium-term business plan is drawn up annually. The plausibility of the underlying assumptions is therefore checked annually and these assumptions are updated; based on the result, the estimated cash flows are adapted.The assumptions on the development of the economic environment and customer demand in the respective markets included in business planning are incorporated in the annual, updated medium-term planning. After the detailed planning period, a perpetual annuity is used for calculation based on the assumptions of the past year. The discount rate is derived from a standard weighted cost of capital after tax adapted to the specific risks using recognised financial mathematics methods from external sources. The value in use is translated at the closing rate of the date when the impairment test is performed. All weighted cost of capital rates were reconciled to a pre-tax WACC for disclosure in accordance with the requirements of IAS 36. The triggering event analysis showed the need to conduct an impairment test for seven cash-generating units in the financial year 2023/24, mainly due to market uncertainties and the related variances from planning. Impairment tests were conducted for the following cash-generating units: Hinterberg, Fehring, Nanjangud, Shanghai, Substrates – Chongqing, Substrates –Hinterberg and Kulim. In the financial year 2023/24, no impairment was required at any of the tested cash-generating units. A sensitivity analysis was carried out with regard to key parameters for calculating the impairment tests (-10.0% EBIT margin; +1.00 percentage point discount rate). Based on these analyses, there are no material effects on the valuation of fixed assets.
Sale-and-leaseback transaction
As part of a sale-and-leaseback transaction in the financial year 2006/07, properties in Leoben were sold to a leasing company and leased back. The term of this lease (waiver of termination period) was extended by another 10 years during the financial year 2021/22, and a waiver of termination is thus in place until 2032. The intention is to subsequently acquire the properties at the residual value.
€ in thousands
| 31 Mar 2022 | Exchange differences | Additions | Transfers | Amortisation, current | Carrying amount 31 Mar 2023 | Thereof Acquisition cost | Accumulated amortisation | Adjustment | Carrying amount 01 Apr 2023 | Exchange differences | Additions | Transfers | Amortisation, current | Carrying amount 31 Mar 2024 | Thereof Acquisition cost | Accumulated amortisation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial property and similar rights and assets, and licenses in such rights and assets | 7,459 | (133) | 3,011 | 470 | (3,589) | 7,218 | 46,950 | (39,732) | – | 7,218 | (86) | 4,071 | 141 | (3,479) | 7,865 | 50,721 | (42,856) |
| Capitalised development costs | 24,348 | (1,163) | – | – | (5,609) | 17,576 | 120,875 | (103,299) | – | 17,576 | (705) | – | – | (4,641) | 12,230 | 116,137 | (103,907) |
| Goodwill | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6,527 | (6,527) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6,377 | (6,377) |
| Prepayments | – | – | 312 | (312) | – | – | – | – | 56 | 56 | – | 21 | (77) | – | – | – | – |
| Other intangible assets | – | – | 80 | – | (80) | – | – | – | – | – | – | 15 | – | (15) | – | – | – |
| Total | 31,807 | (1,296) | 3,403 | 158 | (9,278) | 24,794 | 174,352 | (149,558) | 56 | 24,850 | (791) | 4,107 | 64 | (8,135) | 20,095 | 173,235 | (153,140) |
In the financial year 2023/24, no development costs were capitalised (previous year: € 0).
€ in thousands
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Prepayments | 9,659 | 10,298 |
| Deposits made | 5,027 | 33,601 |
| Other prepaid expenses | 107 | 518 |
| Other non-current receivables | 3,283 | 4,142 |
| Carrying amount | 18,076 | 48,559 |
Prepayments relate to factory premises in China. Deposits given in the financial year 2022/23 primarily include collateral in connection with the investment project in Hinterberg. These were used in the financial year 2023/24. Other prepaid expenses are mainly related to accrued insurance premiums. Other non-current receivables include COVID-19 investment premiums for the Austrian locations.
€ in thousands
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials and supplies | 90,869 | 86,324 |
| Work in progress | 47,904 | 25,873 |
| Finished goods | 22,001 | 33,186 |
| Carrying amount | 160,774 | 145,383 |
The balance of inventory write-downs recognised as an expense amounts to € 48,239 thousand as of 31 March 2024 (previous year: € 54,238 thousand). The write-downs amounting to € 5,265 thousand (previous year: € 2,285 thousand) resulted from the measurement of inventories at net realisable value in the financial year 2023/24. The write-downs are recognised in cost of sales in the statement of profit or loss.
The carrying amounts of trade and other receivables and contract assets are as follows:
€ in thousands
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Trade receivables | 109,795 | 141,178 |
| Impairments of trade receivables | (775) | (672) |
| Contract assets | 118,994 | 135,427 |
| Impairments of contract assets | (238) | (251) |
| VAT receivables | 10,155 | 18,017 |
| Other receivables from authorities | 28,887 | 16,699 |
| Prepayments | 15,197 | 15,319 |
| Energy tax refunds | 1,183 | 1,105 |
| Deposits | 1,753 | 31,634 |
| Insurance reimbursements | 177 | – |
| Other receivables | 43,009 | 35,925 |
| Total | 328,137 | 394,381 |
Other receivables as of 31 March 2024 mainly include receivables from grants not yet paid as well as prepayments from customers not yet received and recognised as contract liabilities according to IFRS 15.106. The deposits of the previous year mainly include collateral for customs duties and taxes in connection with the investment project in Kulim, Malaysia. Trade receivables amounting to € 10,000 thousand (previous year: € 10,000 thousand) serve as collateral in connection with various financing agreements. Reference is made to Note 15 “Financial liabilities”. Taking impairment into account, the carrying amounts of trade and other receivables and contract assets approximate their fair values.
Remaining maturities of receivables
All receivables as at 31 March 2024 and 31 March 2023 have remaining maturities of less than one year.
Factoring
As of 31 March 2024, trade receivables totalling € 150,527 thousand (previous year: € 131,837 thousand) were assigned to banks to the amount of 100% of the nominal value and are fully derecognised in accordance with the regulations of IFRS 9 as both opportunities and risks and control have been transferred to the acquiring party. The default risk was assigned to the purchasers. AT&S assumes a liability for default to the amount of the retention level from the credit insurance. The maximum risk associated with liability for default was € 15,053 thousand as of 31 March 2024 (previous year: € 13,184 thousand) less coverage of the credit insurance applied. Claims of existing credit insurance were transferred to the purchaser. The part of the purchasing price not yet paid by the acquiring party is shown under the item “Financial assets”. Payments from customers of assigned trade receivables are presented in the current financial liabilities.
Contract assets
Contract assets have developed as follows:
€ in thousands
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Contract assets at the beginning of the financial year | 135,176 | 177,328 |
| Utilisation | (135,176) | (177,328) |
| Addition | 118,994 | 135,427 |
| Impairment according to IFRS 9 | (238) | (251) |
| Contract assets at the end of the financial year | 118,756 | 135,176 |
Development of past due receivables and impairments of trade receivables
The age structure of trade receivables and impairment is shown in the table below:
31 Mar 2024
€ in thousands
| Gross receivables | Impairments | Carrying amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| not due | 107,172 | (519) | 106,653 |
| 1 - 15 days overdue | 1,795 | (89) | 1,706 |
| 16 - 30 days overdue | 490 | (35) | 455 |
| 31 - 60 days overdue | 267 | (111) | 156 |
| 61 - 90 days overdue | 3 | (3) | – |
| more than 90 days overdue | 68 | (18) | 50 |
| Trade receivables | 109,795 | (775) | 109,020 |
31 Mar 2023
€ in thousands
| Gross receivables | Impairments | Carrying amount | |
|---|---|---|---|
| not due | 135,971 | (507) | 135,464 |
| 1 - 15 days overdue | 3,517 | (61) | 3,456 |
| 16 - 30 days overdue | 690 | (34) | 656 |
| 31 - 60 days overdue | 876 | (33) | 843 |
| 61 - 90 days overdue | 52 | (17) | 35 |
| more than 90 days overdue | 72 | (20) | 52 |
| Trade receivables | 141,178 | (672) | 140,506 |
There were no indications at the balance sheet date that overdue trade receivables not impaired would not be paid. Impairments of trade receivables are recognised if there are indications (past due, insolvency) that it is unlikely that the total amount can be collected. Receivables are derecognised if, on a legal basis, it can be assumed that no payment is to be expected anymore. In the financial year 2023/24, trade receivables amounting to € 5 thousand (previous year: € 0 thousand) were derecognised.
Impairments of trade receivables have developed as follows:
€ in thousands
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Impairments at the beginning of the financial year | 672 | 737 |
| Utilisation | (5) | – |
| Reversal | (473) | (535) |
| Addition | 578 | 474 |
| Currency translation differences | 3 | (4) |
| Impairments at the end of the financial year | 775 | 672 |
The carrying amounts of the financial assets are as follows:
€ in thousands
| 31 Mar 2024 | thereof non-current | thereof current | 31 Mar 2023 | thereof non-current | thereof current | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss | 946 | – | 946 | 877 | – | 877 |
| Financial assets at fair value through OCI | 118 | 118 | – | 118 | 118 | – |
| Financial assets at amortised cost | 33,943 | 9,700 | 24,243 | 34,439 | 13,624 | 20,815 |
| Derivatives | 8,720 | 6,981 | 1,739 | 17,401 | 13,952 | 3,449 |
| Total | 43,727 | 16,799 | 26,928 | 52,835 | 27,694 | 25,141 |
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
€ in thousands
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonds | 946 | 877 |
| Total | 946 | 877 |
All bonds are denominated in euros (nominal currency).# Financial Statements
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying amount at the beginning of the year | 118 | 117 |
| Additions/(Disposals) | – | 1 |
| Unrealised gains/(losses) from the current period, recognised in equity | – | – |
| Realised gains/(losses) from the current period, removed from equity | – | – |
| Exchange differences | – | – |
| Carrying amount at the end of the year | 118 | 118 |
All financial assets at fair value through OCI are denominated in euros (nominal currency).
Financial assets at amortised cost are denominated in euros, US dollars, Chinese yuan renminbi, and Japanese yen (nominal currencies). They mainly consist of notice deposits with a maturity of more than three months and factored receivables against banks from assignment agreements, as well as a loan granted to a third party. This loan results in an expected credit loss of € 122 thousand (previous year: € 196 thousand).
| € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Derivative financial instruments | 8,720 | 17,401 |
| Total | 8,720 | 17,401 |
Reference is made to Note 19 “Derivative financial instruments”.
| € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Bank balances and cash on hand | 676,490 | 791,738 |
| Carrying amount | 676,490 | 791,738 |
The reported carrying amounts correspond to the respective fair values.
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | Between 1 and 5 years | More than 5 years | Less than 1 year | Between 1 and 5 years | More than 5 years | ||
| Trade payables | 430,637 | ‒ | ‒ | 457,897 | ‒ | ‒ | |
| Government grants | 82,833 | 10,595 | 40,542 | 31,696 | 74,752 | 8,479 | |
| Liabilities to fiscal authorities and other state authorities | 10,961 | 10,961 | ‒ | ‒ | 8,759 | 8,759 | |
| Liabilities to social security authorities | 7,729 | 7,729 | ‒ | ‒ | 11,085 | 11,085 | |
| Liabilities from unconsumed leave | 10,454 | 10,454 | ‒ | ‒ | 9,962 | 9,962 | |
| Liabilities from stock appreciation rights | 875 | 337 | 538 | ‒ | 2,204 | 2,204 | |
| Liabilities to employees | 38,103 | 38,103 | ‒ | ‒ | 43,179 | 43,179 | |
| Other liabilities | 16,517 | 16,512 | 5 | ‒ | 16,985 | 16,980 | |
| Carrying amount | 598,109 | 525,328 | 41,085 | 31,696 | 624,823 | 558,545 |
The carrying amounts of the reported liabilities approximate the respective fair values.
Government grants mainly relate to grants for land-use rights and property, plant and equipment and are released to profit or loss according to the useful life of the related property, plant and equipment. Furthermore, the Group received grants for project costs for several research projects which are recognised in income on a pro rata basis according to the costs incurred and the grant ratio. Associated deferred amounts are included in government grants.
At the 81st Supervisory Board meeting on 3 July 2014, a resolution was passed to introduce a long-term incentive program based on stock appreciation rights (SARs). SARs relate to the value increase in share prices based on the development of the share price. SARs were granted in the period between 1 April 2014 and 1 April 2016. Due to the expiry of the stock appreciation rights plan (2014 to 2016), the 91st Supervisory Board meeting on 6 June 2016 extended the resolution to introduce a long-term incentive program based on stock appreciation rights (SAR plan 2017) to run for three years. The stock appreciation rights were granted between 1 April 2017 and 1 April 2019. Due to the expiry of the stock appreciation rights plan (2017 to 2019), the 112th Supervisory Board meeting on 12 March 2020 extended the resolution to introduce a long-term incentive programme based on stock appreciation rights (SAR plan 2020). The stock appreciation rights were granted on 1 April 2020. Due to the expiry of the stock appreciation rights plan (2020), the 118th Supervisory Board meeting on 18 March 2021 extended the resolution to introduce a long-term incentive program based on stock appreciation rights (SAR 2021-2023). The stock appreciation rights were granted between 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2023.
Each SAR entitles the holder to the right to a cash settlement at the remaining amount between the exercise price and the closing price of the AT&S share on the main stock exchange on which it is listed (currently the Vienna Stock Exchange) at the date the subscription right is exercised. The difference amount is limited to 200% of the exercise price. The exercise price of SARs is determined at the respective date of grant, corresponding to the average closing price of the AT&S share on the Vienna Stock Exchange or at the main stock exchange on which the AT&S share is listed over a period of six calendar months immediately preceding the date of grant. SARs may be exercised in full or in part after the respective completion of a three-year period following the date of grant, but not during a restricted period. Granted stock appreciation rights not exercised within five years after the grant date become invalid and forfeited without compensation.
SARs may only be exercised by the beneficiaries if the following requirements are met at the date of exercise:
Of the allocations of 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2022, eligible employees can exercise 50% of the allocated SAR (except allocations to board members) in any case if the Group’s operating result is positive. For these, the payout amount per SAR is limited to 100% of the respective exercise price.
Number and allocation of granted SARs:
| Date of grant | 1. April 2023 | 1. April 2022 | 1. April 2021 | 1. April 2020 | 1. April 2019 | 1. April 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise price (in €) | 32.30 | 42.81 | 22.92 | 17.56 | 17.25 | 21.94 |
| 31 Mar 2022 | – | – | 312,500 | 270,000 | 205,000 | 44,888 |
| Number of stock appreciation rights granted | – | 381,500 | 10,000 | – | – | – |
| Number of stock appreciation rights exercised | – | – | – | – | 200,000 | 40,572 |
| Number of stock appreciation rights expired | – | 12,500 | 17,500 | 42,500 | – | 4,316 |
| 31 Mar 2023 | – | 369,000 | 305,000 | 227,500 | 5,000 | – |
| Number of stock appreciation rights granted | 386,667 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Number of stock appreciation rights exercised | – | – | – | 102,130 | 5,000 | – |
| Number of stock appreciation rights expired | 7,500 | 46,000 | 21,000 | 94,795 | – | – |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 379,167 | 323,000 | 284,000 | 30,575 | – | – |
| Remaining contract period of stock appreciation rights granted | 4 Jahre | 3 Jahre | 2 Jahre | 1 Jahr | – | – |
| Fair value of granted stock appreciation rights as at the balance sheet date (in € thousands) | ||||||
| 31 Mar 2023 | – | – | – | 2,010 | 56 | – |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 1,137 | 182 | 260 | 55 | – | – |
SARs are measured at fair value at the respective balance sheet date using the Monte Carlo method and based on the model assumptions and valuation parameters stated below. The values determined for the calculation of the liabilities may differ from the values later realised on the market.
Volatility is calculated based on the daily share prices from 1 April 2020 until the balance sheet date. The expenses for the stock appreciation rights are included in the administration costs. The fair value of the SARs granted is recognised as an expense over their term.
Other liabilities mainly include debtors with credit balances, accrued legal, audit and consulting fees, as well as other accruals.# 15. Financial liabilities
| Remaining maturity € in thousands | Less than 1 year | Between 1 and 5 years | More than 5 years | Nominal interest rate in % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2024 | ||||
| Registered bonds | 14,999 | 16 | 14,983 | – |
| Export loans | 10,000 | 10,000 | – | – |
| Loans from state authorities | 1,643 | 1,643 | – | – |
| Other bank borrowings | 1,526,058 | 366,746 | 999,399 | 159,913 |
| Other financial liabilities due to financing partners | 199,926 | 109,472 | 90,454 | – |
| Liabilities from finance leases IFRS 16 | 367,808 | 30,312 | 127,390 | 210,106 |
| Derivative financial instruments¹ | 2,792 | – | 2,792 | – |
| Carrying amount | 2,123,226 | 518,189 | 1,235,018 | 370,019 |
| 31 Mar 2023 | ||||
| Registered bonds | 14,995 | 16 | 14,979 | – |
| Export loans | 10,000 | 10,000 | – | – |
| Loans from state authorities | 2,232 | 1,163 | 1,069 | – |
| Other bank borrowings | 1,371,788 | 533,408 | 790,955 | 47,425 |
| Other financial liabilities due to financing partners | 198,161 | 108,506 | 89,655 | – |
| Liabilities from finance leases IFRS 16 | 98,603 | 9,340 | 29,693 | 59,570 |
| Derivative financial instruments¹ | – | – | – | – |
| Carrying amount | 1,695,779 | 662,433 | 926,351 | 106,995 |
¹ Reference is made to Note 19 “Derivative financial instruments”
Other bank borrowings mainly include long-term investment financing in addition to the current liquidity needs. Other bank borrowings mainly include the following contracts:
Financial contracts in FY 2023/24:
Other liabilities to financing partners are related to financing from investment projects in Chongqing, China.
The contractually agreed (undiscounted) interest and redemption payments of the financial liabilities as of 31 March 2024, including interest rate hedging, are as follows in the coming financial years:
€ in thousands
| 2024/25 Redemption | 2024/25 Fixed interest | 2024/25 Variable interest | 2025/26 Redemption | 2025/26 Fixed interest | 2025/26 Variable interest | 2026/27 Redemption | 2026/27 Fixed interest | 2026/27 Variable interest | 2027/28 Redemption | 2027/28 Fixed interest | 2027/28 Variable interest | 2028/29 Redemption | 2028/29 Fixed interest | 2028/29 Variable interest | after 2026/27 Redemption | after 2026/27 Fixed interest | after 2026/27 Variable interest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered bonds | 16 | 270 | – | – | 270 | – | – | 270 | – | 15,000 | 270 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Export loans | 10,000 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Loans from state authorities | 1,643 | 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Other bank borrowings | 352,052 | 3,228 | 74,232 | 339,177 | 2,966 | 46,486 | 401,290 | 52,232 | 25,151 | 38,000 | 1,928 | 13,374 | 178,500 | 1,928 | 9,306 | 152,500 | 1,511 | 8,834 |
| Other financial liabilities due to financial partners | 109,472 | – | 20,152 | 22,613 | – | 18,475 | 22,613 | – | 16,753 | 22,613 | – | 14,969 | 22,613 | – | 13,096 | – | – | 29,963 |
| Liabilities from finance lease IFRS 16 | 30,312 | – | – | 30,610 | – | – | 30,871 | – | – | 32,099 | – | – | 33,809 | – | – | 210,106 | – | – |
| Derivative financial instruments | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1,672 | 1,672 | 16,753 | – | – | – | 1,119 | – | – | – | – | – |
No significant deviations from the agreed interest and redemption payments are expected regarding terms or amounts.
At the previous year’s balance sheet date of 31 March 2023, the contractually agreed (undiscounted) interest and redemption payments of the financial liabilities, including interest rate hedging, were as follows for the coming financial years:
€ in thousands
| 2023/24 Redemption | 2023/24 Fixed interest | 2023/24 Variable interest | 2024/25 Redemption | 2024/25 Fixed interest | 2024/25 Variable interest | 2025/26 Redemption | 2025/26 Fixed interest | 2025/26 Variable interest | 2026/27 Redemption | 2026/27 Fixed interest | 2026/27 Variable interest | 2027/28 Redemption | 2027/28 Fixed interest | 2027/28 Variable interest | after 2027/28 Redemption | after 2027/28 Fixed interest | after 2027/28 Variable interest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered bonds | 16 | 270 | – | – | 270 | – | – | 270 | – | – | 270 | – | – | 270 | – | 15,000 | 270 | – |
| Export loans | 10,000 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Loans from state authorities | 1,163 | 16 | 298 | 1,069 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Other bank borrowings | 520,427 | 1,838 | 42,487 | 255,177 | 1,027 | 32,358 | 389,177 | 948 | 18,147 | 141,790 | 292 | 6,113 | 6,000 | 272 | 1,956 | 47,500 | 272 | 2,600 |
| Other financial liabilities due to financial partners | 108,506 | – | 3,827 | 89,655 | – | 3,477 | 7,719 | – | 3,150 | 6,947 | – | 2,841 | 6,743 | – | 2,541 | 59,569 | – | 7,816 |
| Liabilities from finance leases IFRS 16 | 9,341 | – | – | 8,284 | – | – | 7,719 | – | – | 6,947 | – | – | 6,743 | – | – | 59,569 | – | – |
| Derivative financial instruments | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Some of the financial liabilities have interest rates that deviate from the market interest rates. For this reason, differences may arise between their fair values and carrying amounts.
| Carrying amounts € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | Fair values € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered bonds | 14,999 | 14,995 | 15,000 | 15,000 | |
| Export loans | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 10,000 | |
| Loans from state authorities | 1,643 | 2,232 | 1,646 | 2,236 | |
| Other bank borrowings | 1,526,058 | 1,371,788 | 1,540,293 | 1,374,875 | |
| Other financial liabilities due to financial partners | 199,926 | 198,161 | 199,926 | 198,161 | |
| Liabilities from finance leases IFRS 16 | 367,808 | 98,603 | 367,808 | 98,603 | |
| Derivative financial instruments | 2,792 | – | 2,792 | – | |
| Total | 2,123,226 | 1,695,779 | 2,137,465 | 1,698,875 |
The calculation of the fair values is based on the discounted value of future payments using current market interest rates, or the fair values are determined based on quoted prices.
The carrying amounts of financial liabilities by currency are as follows:
| € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Euros | 1,923,300 | 1,497,618 |
| US dollars | 199,926 | 198,161 |
| Total | 2,123,226 | 1,695,779 |
The Group’s unused credit lines are as follows:
| € in thousands | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Export credit | 22,000 | 22,000 |
| Other credit | 559,502 | 703,626 |
| Total | 581,502 | 725,626 |
Current and non-current Contract liabilities totaling € 911,530 thousand (previous year: € 607,243 thousand) include payments from bilateral agreements for the financing of new production facilities. Due to a significant financing component, interest totaling € 14,391 thousand is recognised as a liability in the financial year 2023/24 (previous year: € 6,628 thousand).
Provisions for employee benefits relate to pension commitments, severance payments, and other employee benefits.
The majority of the Group’s employees in Austria and some of its employees in India are covered by defined contribution pension plans that have been outsourced to a pension fund. For employees in Austria, the pension plans are supplemented by death and endowment insurance policies. Employer contributions are determined based on a certain percentage of current remuneration. Employer contributions under these plans amounted to € 844 thousand in the financial year 2023/24 and to € 800 thousand in the financial year 2022/23.
The Group operates defined benefit plans for several current and former members of the Management Board and former executive employees with no employee contribution required. The board members and other executive employees’ plans are partially funded through assets in pension funds and partially unfunded. Pension benefits of board members and executive employees are based on their salaries and years of service. Essentially, these obligations expose the Group to life expectancy and inflation risks due to future increases in pay and pensions, and, in the case of funded pension plans, to deviations in income.
The employees in India are entitled to severance payments upon retirement or, under certain circumstances, upon leaving the Company prematurely, the amount of which depends on years of service and the remuneration received by the respective member of staff. Severance payments range between half the monthly remuneration per year of service and a fixed maximum. Severance payment obligations are covered by a life insurance policy. The main risk to which the Group is exposed from these obligations is the risk of inflation due to future pay increases.
Employees in Austria, South Korea, and China are entitled to receive severance payments, which are based upon years of service and remuneration received by the respective member of staff and are generally payable upon retirement and, under certain circumstances, upon leaving the Company. For staff members who joined the Company before 1 January 2003, the severance payments in Austria range from two to twelve months of monthly salary, with staff members in South Korea and China also entitled to a fixed amount depending on years of service and salary. The main risk to which the Group is exposed from these obligations is the risk of inflation due to future pay increases.
For employees in Austria who joined on or after 1 January 2003, regular contributions are paid to a staff provision fund (“Mitarbeitervorsorgekasse”) without any further obligations on the part of the Group. The contributions amounted to € 1,345 thousand in the financial year 2023/24 and € 1,328 thousand in the financial year 2022/23.
The employees of the companies in Austria and China are entitled to anniversary bonuses for long-term service, the eligibility to and amount of which in Austria are stipulated in the Collective Agreement.# 17. Other employee benefits
Expenses for (defined benefit) pension obligations, severance payments, and other employee benefits consist of the following:
| Retirement benefits | Severance payments | Other employee benefits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | |
| 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
| Current service cost | – | – | 2,413 |
| 2,483 | 4,065 | 3,868 | |
| Interest expense | 365 | 194 | 1,152 |
| 653 | 369 | 250 | |
| Remeasurement of obligations from other employee benefits | – | – | – |
| – | (934) | 719 | |
| Expenses recognised in profit for the period | 365 | 194 | 3,565 |
| 3,136 | 3,500 | 4,837 | |
| Remeasurement of obligations from post-employment benefits | 1,481 | (1,430) | (73) |
| (2,511) | – | – | |
| Expenses/(Income) recognised in other comprehensive income | 1,481 | (1,430) | (73) |
| (2,511) | – | – | |
| Total | 1,846 | (1,236) | 3,492 |
| 625 | 3,500 | 4,837 |
Expenses for retirement, severance payments, and other employee benefits are recognised in profit or loss under cost of sales, distribution costs, general and administrative costs, and in other comprehensive income. Net interest expense on personnel-related liabilities is presented in “Finance costs – net”.
Amounts accrued in the statement of financial position are:
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| Funded pension benefits | 8,625 | 7,670 |
| Unfunded pension benefits | 1,330 | 1,241 |
| Total pension benefits | 9,955 | 8,911 |
| Unfunded severance payments | 26,736 | 27,221 |
| Funded severance payments | 97 | 34 |
| Total severance payments | 26,833 | 27,255 |
| Other employee benefits | 15,008 | 14,757 |
| Provisions for employee benefits | 51,796 | 50,923 |
In addition to anniversary bonuses, other employee benefits also include other obligations to employees.
Pension obligations and severance payments are as follows:
| Retirement benefits | Severance payments | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
| Present value of funded obligations | 17,461 | 15,800 |
| 2,492 | 2,073 | |
| Fair value of plan assets | (8,836) | (8,130) |
| (2,395) | (2,039) | |
| Funded status of funded obligations | 8,625 | 7,670 |
| 97 | 34 | |
| Present value of unfunded obligations | 1,330 | 1,241 |
| 26,736 | 27,221 | |
| Provisions recognised in the statement of financial position | 9,955 | 8,911 |
| 26,833 | 27,255 |
The present value of projected pension benefits, the movement in plan assets (held to cover the pension benefits), and the funded status are as follows:
| Funded retirement benefits | Unfunded retirement benefits | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
| Present value of pension obligation | ||
| Present value at the beginning of the financial year | 15,800 | 17,807 |
| 1,241 | 1,323 | |
| Current service cost | – | – |
| – | – | |
| Interest expense | 648 | 338 |
| 51 | 25 | |
| Remeasurement from the change in demographic assumptions | – | – |
| – | – | |
| Remeasurement from the change in financial assumptions | 879 | (2,309) |
| 49 | (131) | |
| Remeasurement from adjustments based on past experience | 920 | 688 |
| 66 | 95 | |
| Benefits paid | (786) | (724) |
| (77) | (71) | |
| Present value at the end of the financial year | 17,461 | 15,800 |
| 1,330 | 1,241 | |
| Fair value of plan assets | ||
| Fair value at the beginning of the financial year | 8,130 | 8,913 |
| Contributions | 725 | – |
| Investment result | 434 | (228) |
| Interest income | 333 | 169 |
| Benefits paid | (786) | (724) |
| Fair value at the end of the financial year | 8,836 | 8,130 |
| Funded status of funded pension benefits | 8,625 | 7,670 |
As at 31 March 2024, the average maturity of funded pension benefits is 13 years and unfunded pension benefits ten years. Plan assets held to cover the pension obligations have been transferred to pension funds.
The diversification of the portfolio is as follows:
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| in % | in % | |
| Debt securities | 26% | 28% |
| Equity securities | 58% | 55% |
| Real estate | 9% | 10% |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 7% | 7% |
| Total | 100% | 100% |
A significant portion of plan assets is traded in an active market.
The aggregate movement in funded and unfunded severance payments is as follows:
| Funded severance payments | Unfunded severance payments | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
| Present value of severance payment obligation | ||
| Present value at the beginning of the financial year | 2,073 | 2,056 |
| 27,221 | 30,557 | |
| Exchange differences | (14) | (132) |
| (146) | (363) | |
| Service cost | 140 | 142 |
| 2,273 | 2,341 | |
| Interest cost | 154 | 143 |
| 1,153 | 646 | |
| Remeasurement from the change in demographic assumptions | – | – |
| (437) | (392) | |
| Remeasurement from the change in financial assumptions | 278 | (67) |
| (1,375) | (2,323) | |
| Remeasurement from adjustments based on past experience | 37 | 51 |
| 1,407 | 224 | |
| Reclassification to other liabilities | – | – |
| – | (518) | |
| Benefits paid | (176) | (120) |
| (3,360) | (2,951) | |
| Present value at the end of the financial year | 2,492 | 2,073 |
| 26,736 | 27,221 | |
| Fair value of plan assets | ||
| Fair value at the beginning of the financial year | 2,039 | 1,913 |
| Exchange differences | (14) | (130) |
| Contributions | 409 | 236 |
| Investment result | (17) | 4 |
| Interest income | 154 | 136 |
| Benefits paid | (176) | (120) |
| Fair value at the end of the financial year | 2,395 | 2,039 |
| Funded status of funded severance payments | 97 | 34 |
As at 31 March 2024, the average maturity of unfunded severance payments is ten years.
The aggregate movement in other employee benefits (anniversary bonuses) is as follows:
| € in thousands | |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | |
| 2022/23 | |
| Present value at the beginning of the financial year | 14,757 |
| 14,315 | |
| Exchange differences | (415) |
| (589) | |
| Service cost | 4,065 |
| 3,868 | |
| Interest expense | 369 |
| 250 | |
| Remeasurement from the change in demographic assumptions | (333) |
| (489) | |
| Remeasurement from the change in financial assumptions | 222 |
| (665) | |
| Remeasurement from adjustments based on past experience | (822) |
| 1,873 | |
| Benefits paid | (3,623) |
| (3,806) | |
| Present value at the end of the financial year | 14,220 |
| 14,757 |
As at 31 March 2024, the average maturity of other employee benefits is ten years.
The following weighted actuarial parameters were used for the measurement at the balance sheet date:
| Retirement benefits | Severance payments | Other employee benefits (anniversary bonuses) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | 31 Mar 2024 | |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | 31 Mar 2024 | |
| Discount rate | 3.70% | 4.10 % | 3.92 % |
| 4.26 % | 2.59 % | 2.90 % | |
| Expected rate of remuneration increase | – | – | 3.88 % |
| 4.29 % | 6.19 % | 6.22 % | |
| Expected rate of pension increase | 3.80 % | 3.30 % | – |
| – | – | – | |
| Retirement age | 65 | 65 | 1 |
| 1 | – | – | |
| Individual according to respective local legislation |
Attrition rates and biometric data are included in the calculation of the provisions.
| € in thousands | |
|---|---|
| Total | |
| Warranty | |
| Others | |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2023 | 16,493 |
| 3,808 | |
| 12,685 | |
| Utilisation | (3,621) |
| (1,393) | |
| (2,228) | |
| Reversal | (10,928) |
| (2,322) | |
| (8,606) | |
| Addition | 14,385 |
| 13,617 | |
| 768 | |
| Exchange differences | (369) |
| (144) | |
| (225) | |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2024 | 15,960 |
| 13,566 | |
| 2,394 |
| € in thousands | |
|---|---|
| Total | |
| Warranty | |
| Others | |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2022 | 6,389 |
| 2,169 | |
| 4,220 | |
| Utilisation | (2,777) |
| (702) | |
| (2,075) | |
| Reversal | (2,206) |
| (1,618) | |
| (588) | |
| Addition | 15,565 |
| 4,144 | |
| 11,421 | |
| Exchange differences | (478) |
| (185) | |
| (293) | |
| Carrying amount 31 Mar 2023 | 16,493 |
| 3,808 | |
| 12,685 |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| thereof non-current | – | – |
| thereof current | 15,960 | 16,493 |
| Carrying amount | 15,960 | 16,493 |
Warranty provision
This item relates to the costs of existing and expected complaints about products still under warranty. The accrued amount is the best estimate of these costs based on experience and actual facts and is not yet recognised as a liability due to the uncertainty as to the amount and timing. The amount of expected costs includes amounts assumed from product liability insurance. The products affected are applications in the industrial segment.
Others
With regard to the provision for risks from pending losses on onerous contracts in the amount of € 6,014 thousand, an agreement was reached with the contractual partner, which led to the use of € 1,288 thousand and the reversal of the remaining provision. The tax situation in Asia was clarified and the related provision of € 3,945 thousand was reversed. As in the previous year, the remaining provisions are related to the uncertain legal situation regarding pension insurance contributions and risks from pending transactions.
Derivative financial instruments of the reporting year relate to interest rate swaps in their entirety. Payments related to loans are hedged. The carrying amounts of the Group’s derivative financial instruments correspond to their fair values. The fair value corresponds to the amount that would be incurred or earned if the transaction had been settled at the balance sheet date.
The fair values of the derivative financial instruments are as follows at the balance sheet date:
| Assets | Liabilities | Assets | Liabilities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
| € in thousands | € in thousands | € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| Interest rate swaps at fair value | 8,720 | 2,792 | 17,401 | – |
| Total market values | 8,720 | 2,792 | 17,401 | – |
| Non-current portion | 8,720 | 2,792 | 17,401 | – |
As of 31 March 2024, the fixed interest rates for interest rate swaps range between -0.03% and 3.46%.The variable interest rate is based on the six-month EURIBOR. Based on the various scenarios, the Group hedges its cash flow interest rate risk using interest rate swaps. Such interest rate swaps have the economic effect of converting loans from floating rates to fixed rates. If the Group takes out loans at floating rates, it uses swaps to convert such loans into fixed-rate loans. Under these interest rate swaps, the Group agrees with other parties to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between the fixed and variable interest rates calculated by reference to the agreed nominal amounts. All significant contractual terms and conditions (such as term, volume, market interest rate, etc.) of a large part of the interest rate swaps matched those of the underlying transaction, and a hedging relationship can thus be assumed, especially since the change in the value of the hedging instrument fully balances out the changes in future cash flows.The terms of the interest rate swaps employed as hedging instruments are as follows:
| € in thousands | in months | in % |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal volume | Maturity | Average hedged interest rate during the period |
| Interest rate swaps | 443,000 | 12 - 52 months |
The value of the interest rate swaps employed as hedging instruments developed as follows:
| Carrying amount of the hedging instrument¹ | € in thousands |
|---|---|
| Assets | |
| as per 31 Mar 2024 | 8,720 |
| as per 31 Mar 2023 | 17,401 |
¹ Interest rate swaps are reported under financial receivables and financial liabilities (previous year: financial receivables).
Carrying amounts and fair values by measurement category
The carrying amounts and fair values of financial instruments included in several items in the statement of financial position by measurement category are as follows at the balance sheet date. Unless otherwise stated, carrying amounts correspond approximately to the fair values:
31 Mar 2024
| € in thousands | Measurement categories in accordance with IFRS 9 or measurement in accord. with other IFRSs¹ | Level | Carrying amount | Fair value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||||
| Non-current assets | ||||
| Derivative financial instruments | DHI | 2 | 6,981 | 6,981 |
| Other financial assets | FAAFVOCI | 2 | 118 | 118 |
| Other financial assets | FAAC | 9,700 | ||
| Financial assets | 16,799 | |||
| Current assets | ||||
| Trade receivables less impairments | FAAC | 96,386 | ||
| Trade receivables | FAAFVOCI | 3 | 12,634 | 12,634 |
| Contract assets less impairments | - | 118,757 | ||
| Other receivables | FAAC | 43,185 | ||
| Other receivables | - | 57,175 | ||
| Trade and other receivables | 328,137 | |||
| Derivative financial instruments | DHI | 2 | 1,739 | 1,739 |
| Financial assets | FAAFVPL | 1 | 946 | 946 |
| Financial assets | FAAC | 24,243 | ||
| Financial assets | 26,928 | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents | FAAC | 676,490 | 676,490 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 676,490 | |||
| Liabilities | ||||
| Other financial liabilities | FLAAC | 2 | 2,120,434 | |
| Derivative financial instruments | DHI | 2 | 2,792 | 2,792 |
| Non-current and current financial liabilities | 2,123,226 | |||
| Trade payables | FLAAC | 430,637 | ||
| Other payables | FLAAC | 38,103 | ||
| Other payables | - | 129,369 | ||
| Trade and other non-current and current payables | 598,109 |
Aggregated by measurement categories
| Assets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At amortised cost | FAAC | 850,004 | – | |
| Financial assets at fair value through OCI | FAAFVOCI | 12,752 | 12,752 | |
| Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss | FAAFVPL | 946 | 946 | |
| Derivatives as hedging instruments | DHI | 8,720 | 8,720 | |
| Liabilities | ||||
| Financial liabilities at amortised cost | FLAAC | 2,589,174 | – | |
| Derivatives as hedging instruments | DHI | 2,792 | 2,792 |
31 Mar 2023
| € in thousands | Measurement categories in accordance with IFRS 9 or measurement in accord. with other IFRSs¹ | Level | Carrying amount | Fair value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||||
| Non-current assets | ||||
| Derivative financial instruments | DHI | 2 | 13,952 | 13,952 |
| Other financial assets | FAAFVOCI | 2 | 118 | 118 |
| Other financial assets | FAAC | 13,624 | ||
| Financial assets | 27,694 | |||
| Current assets | ||||
| Trade receivables less impairments | FAAC | 132,890 | ||
| Trade receivables | FAAFVOCI | 3 | 7,616 | 7,616 |
| Contract assets less impairments | - | 135,176 | ||
| Other receivables | FAAC | 35,925 | ||
| Other receivables | - | 82,774 | ||
| Trade and other receivables | 394,381 | |||
| Derivative financial instruments | DHI | 2 | 3,449 | 3,449 |
| Financial assets | FAAFVPL | 1 | 877 | 877 |
| Financial assets | FAAC | 20,815 | ||
| Financial assets | 25,141 | |||
| Cash and cash equivalents | FAAC | 791,738 | 791,738 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 791,738 | |||
| Liabilities | ||||
| Other financial liabilities | FLAAC | 2 | 1,695,779 | – |
| Non-current and current financial liabilities | 1,695,779 | |||
| Trade payables | FLAAC | 457,897 | ||
| Other payables | FLAAC | 43,179 | ||
| Other payables | - | 123,747 | ||
| Trade and other non-current and current payables | 624,823 |
Aggregated by measurement categories
| Assets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| At amortised cost | FAAC | 994,992 | – | |
| Financial assets at fair value through OCI | FAAFVOCI | 7,734 | 7,734 | |
| Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss | FAAFVPL | 877 | 877 | |
| Derivatives as hedging instruments | DHI | 17,401 | 17,401 | |
| Liabilities | ||||
| Financial liabilities at amortised cost | FLAAC | 2,196,855 | – | |
| Derivatives as hedging instruments | DHI | – | – |
¹ FAAC: Financial assets at amortised cost
FAAFVOCI: Financial assets at fair value through OCI
FAAFVPL: Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss
DHI: Derivatives as hedging instruments
FLAAC: Financial liabilities at amortised cost
When measuring fair value, a distinction needs to be made between three valuation hierarchies:
Net results relating to financial instruments by measurement category
Net gains or net losses relating to financial assets and liabilities by measurement category are as follows:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Amortised cost | 39,541 | 58,502 |
| Fair value through other comprehensive income | – | 5 |
| Fair value through profit or loss | 6,131 | 7,784 |
| Financial liabilities at amortised cost | (73,774) | (25,229) |
| Total | (28,102) | 41,062 |
The net results relating to financial instruments include dividend income, interest income, and expenses, foreign exchange gains and losses, realised gains and losses on the disposal and sale, as well as income and expenses recognised in profit or loss from the measurement of financial instruments. € 7,482 thousand in net profit (previous year: € 12,100 thousand in net expenses) of the total net result from financial instruments is included in the operating result and contains mainly foreign exchange effects, and € 35,584 thousand in net profit (previous year: € 28,962 thousand in net expenses) in “Finance costs – net”.
In the following, the financial risks, which comprise the financing risk, the liquidity risk, the credit risk, and the foreign exchange risk, are addressed. In the Group Management Report, further risk categories and the related processes and measures are outlined. Risk management of financial risks is carried out by the central treasury department (Group Treasury) under policies approved by the Management Board. Responsibilities, authorisations, and limits are governed by these internal guidelines. Group Treasury identifies, evaluates and hedges financial risks in close cooperation with the Group’s operating units.
The financing risk relates to securing the long-term funding of the Group and to fluctuations in the value of financial instruments. On the assets side, the Group is exposed to low-interest rate risks with regard to its securities portfolio. Other liquid funds are mainly invested short-term. Reference is made to Note 12 “Financial assets” and Note 13 “Cash and cash equivalents”. On the liabilities side, 36.0% (previous year: 44.0%) of the total bonds and bank borrowings are subject to fixed interest rates, taking into account interest rate hedging instruments. Reference is made to Note 15 “Financial liabilities”. The financial liabilities of the Group are linked to loan commitments that are customary in the market. These commitments are reviewed on a quarterly or an annual basis. If defined KPI thresholds are exceeded, lenders have a right to a step-up on the existing interest rate agreement. Rights of notice have not been agreed in this context.
In the Group, liquidity risk refers to the circumstance of insolvency. Therefore, sufficient liquidity shall be available at all times to be able to meet the current payment obligations on time. As of 31 March 2024, the Group has liquidity reserves of € 1,276.8 million (previous year: € 1,542.5 million). This comprises € 695,3 million (previous year: € 816.9 million) in cash and cash equivalents, held-to-maturity investments, securities held for trading and available-for-sale, and € 581.5 million (previous year: € 725.6 million) in available unused credit facilities. Thus, the liquidity reserves declined by € 265.7 million and include € 19.5 million in current reserves (previous year: € 20.3 million), which relate to AT&S in China and are subject to specific liquidity requirements.
In the Group, credit risk refers to the potential for payment default by customers. The credit risk is kept to a minimum through a comprehensive process. Customers are subject to regular credit assessments and their receivables are covered by insurance to a large extent. Non-insured receivables are continuously monitored and, if any risks are identified, the deliveries are made only against advance payments or bank guarantees. In the financial year 2023/24, € 0.8 million (previous year: € 0.7 million) or 0.7% (previous year: 0.5%) of receivables were impaired. Reference is made to the detailed disclosures in Note 11 “Trade and other receivables”.
As a globally operating entity, the AT&S Group is exposed to foreign exchange risk. “Natural hedges” exist in part through local added value created at the various sites. Within the Group, transaction risks are initially managed by a maximum reduction of the FX exposure (netting). Open positions are continuously analysed and hedged using different hedging instruments such as forward contracts, currency options, and currency swaps. No such instruments exist on the balance sheet date.Sensitivity analyses are performed to assess the foreign exchange risk, with – all else being equal – the effects of percentage changes in foreign exchange rates being simulated against each other.
Detailed information on financial market risks and derivative financial instruments is contained in Section I.B.I. “Accounting and measurement policies: Financial assets: Derivative financial instruments” and in Note 19 “Derivative financial instruments”. The Group uses derivative financial instruments, such as forward contracts, options, and swaps, exclusively for hedging purposes.
The Group applies sensitivity analyses to quantify the interest rate and currency risks. In gap analyses, the potential change in profit/loss resulting from a 1% change in price (exchange rate or interest rate) of the foreign currency or net interest position is determined. Correlations between different risk elements are not included in these analyses. The impact on profit/loss is determined taking into account income tax effects on the profit for the year after tax.
Risks concerning changes in interest rates emerge from positions with variable interest rates, mainly deriving from refinancing activities. Basis and option risks play a subordinated role. The risk of the interest ledger is managed by conducting businesses with fixed interest rates as well as using derivative financial instruments. The table below shows the effect on financial liabilities:
31 Mar 2024
€ in thousands
| EUR | USD | Others | Total | In % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Hedging | |||||
| Fixed interest rate | 120,545 | 199,926 | – | 320,471 | 15.1% |
| Variable interest rate | 1,799,963 | – | – | 1,799,963 | 84.9% |
| Total | 1,920,508 | 199,926 | – | 2,120,434 | 100.0% |
| In % | 90.6% | 9.4% | – | 100.0% | |
| After Hedging | |||||
| Fixed interest rate | 563,545 | 199,926 | – | 763,471 | 36.0% |
| Variable interest rate | 1,356,963 | – | – | 1,356,963 | 64.0% |
| Total | 1,920,508 | 199,926 | – | 2,120,434 | 100.0% |
| In % | 90.6% | 9.4% | – | 100.0% |
31 Mar 2023
€ in thousands
| EUR | USD | Others | Total | In % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Hedging | |||||
| Fixed interest rate | 139,653 | 198,161 | – | 337,814 | 19.9% |
| Variable interest rate | 1,357,966 | – | – | 1,357,966 | 80.1% |
| Total | 1,497,618 | 198,161 | – | 1,695,779 | 100.0% |
| In % | 88.3% | 11.7% | – | 100.0% | |
| After Hedging | |||||
| Fixed interest rate | 547,653 | 198,161 | – | 745,814 | 44.0% |
| Variable interest rate | 949,966 | – | – | 949,966 | 56.0% |
| Total | 1,497,618 | 198,161 | – | 1,695,779 | 100.0% |
| In % | 88.3% | 11.7% | – | 100.0% |
If the EUR interest rates at the balance sheet date had been 100 basis points higher resp. lower, based on the financing structure at the balance sheet date, the profit for the year would have been € 10.2 million lower (previous year: € 7.1 million) resp. € 10.2 million higher (previous year: € 7.1 million), provided all other variables remained constant.
If the USD interest rates at the balance sheet date had been 100 basis points higher (or lower), based on the financing structure at the balance sheet date, the profit for the year would have been € 0.0 million lower (previous year: € 0.0 million) or € 0.0 million higher (previous year: € 0.0 million), provided all other variables remained constant.
The effect of this interest rate sensitivity analysis is based on the assumption that the interest rates would deviate by 100 basis points during an entire financial year and the new interest rates would have to be applied to the amount of equity and liabilities at the balance sheet date.
According to IFRS 7, the impact of hypothetical changes in exchange rates on the profit for the year results from monetary financial instruments that are not denominated in the functional currency of the reporting company. Hence, the effect on profit/loss is calculated based on receivables, payables and financial balances or, if applicable, foreign currency derivatives. At AT&S, the risk primarily contains USD balances. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis is only carried out for this currency.
The average changes in USD/EUR closing rates in the last 5 years amount to 3.0% (previous year: 5.0%). An increase in the US dollar exchange rate of 3.0% against the euro would have had a positive impact on the profit for the year in the amount of € 14.0 million (previous year: € 21.2 million). Devaluation of the US dollar exchange rate against the euro would have reduced the profit for the year by € 14.0 million (previous year: € 21.2 million). On a closing date basis, the USD increased by 1.0% against the EUR.
The objectives of the Group in respect of capital management include, firstly, securing the Company as a going concern in order to be able to continue providing the shareholders with dividends and the other stakeholders with their due services and, secondly, maintaining an appropriate capital structure in order to optimise capital costs. Therefore, the amount of the dividend payments is adjusted to the respective requirements, capital is repaid to shareholders (withdrawal of treasury shares), new shares are issued or the portfolio of other assets is changed.
Based on the covenants defined in the credit agreements, the Group monitors its capital based on the ratio of net debt to EBITDA (theoretical payback period for debts). The Group’s financial liabilities are linked to standard market loan commitments, which are reviewed on a quarterly or annual basis. If the defined KPI thresholds are exceeded, lenders are entitled to a step-up on the existing interest rate agreement; termination rights have not been agreed upon in this context.
The Group’s strategy is to sustain an equity ratio above 30% and not to exceed a theoretical payback period for debts of 3.0 years. Deviations are possible depending on the market environment and due to investment projects and may occur in a volatile environment
At the balance sheet date, the equity ratio was 20.7% and thus below the previous year’s figure of 27.8% and below the target of more than 30.0%. This is mainly due to the increase in total assets as a result of investments and securing the financing of the future investment programme.
At 4.6 years, the theoretical payback period for debts was above the previous year’s figure of 2.0 years.
As of 31 March 2024, the Group has other financial commitments amounting to € 323,027 thousand (previous year: € 979,500 thousand) in connection with contractually binding investment projects.
As of 31 March 2024, the maximum risk associated with liability for default was € 15,053 thousand (previous year: € 13,183 thousand) less coverage of the credit insurance applied. The liability for default corresponds to the theoretical maximum loss if a default of all transferred receivables is incurred. The probability of needing to fall back on this liability is extremely low. The fair value of this risk is not material.
At the balance sheet date, the Group has contingent liabilities from bank guarantees in an amount of € 334 thousand (previous year: € 197 thousand). Contingent liabilities from guarantees at the balance sheet date amounted to € 315 thousand (previous year: € 0 thousand).
| Ordinary shares | Share premium | Share capital | |
|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | |||
| 31 Mar 2022 | 38,850 | 42,735 | 99,112 |
| 31 Mar 2023 | 38,850 | 42,735 | 99,112 |
| 31 Mar 2024 | 38,850 | 42,735 | 99,112 |
The ordinary shares of the Company as of 31 March 2024 amounting to € 42,735 thousand are fully paid in (previous year: € 42,735 thousand) and are made up of 38,850,000 (previous year: 38,850,000) no-par value bearer shares with a notional value of € 1.10 each.
The Management Board was authorised at the 25th Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019, until 3 July 2024, to increase the Company’s ordinary shares, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, by up to € 21,367,500 by way of issuing up to 19,425,000 new, no-par value bearer shares, for contributions in cash or in kind, in one or several tranches, also by way of indirect subscription rights, after having been taken over by one or more credit institutions in accordance with Section 153 (6) of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act (AktG). The Management Board was authorised to determine, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, the detailed terms and conditions of the issue (in particular the issue amount, subject of the contribution in kind, the content of the share rights, the exclusion of subscription rights, etc.) (approved capital). The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the issuance of shares from the approved capital.
Furthermore, the Management Board was authorised at the 25th Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019 to issue, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, one or several convertible bearer bonds at a total amount of up to € 150,000,000 until 3 July 2024 and to grant to bearers of convertible bonds conversion rights and/or subscription rights for up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in the Company in accordance with the convertible bond terms and conditions to be defined by the Management Board. In this regard, the Management Board was also authorised to fully or partially exclude shareholders’ subscription rights.
In this context, the Company’s ordinary shares were conditionally increased by up to € 21,367,500 by way of issuance of up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in accordance with Section 159 (2) No. 1 of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act (AktG). This conditional capital increase will only be carried out if the bearers of convertible bonds issued based on the authorisation resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019 claim the right to conversion and/or subscription granted to them with regard to the Company’s shares.# Management Board and Supervisory Board Authorisations and Resolutions
The Management Board was also authorised to determine, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, the further details of carrying out the conditional capital increase (particularly the issue amount and the content of the share rights). The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the issuance of shares from the conditional capital. The same applies in case the authorisation to issue convertible bonds is not exercised or the conditional capital is not used. With regard to the approved capital and the conditional capital, the following definition of the amount in accordance with the resolutions passed at the 25th Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019, is to be observed: the sum of (i) the number of shares currently issued or potentially to be issued from conditional capital in accordance with the convertible bond conditions and (ii) the number of shares issued from approved capital shall not exceed the total amount of 19,425,000 (limitation of authorised amount). The Annual General Meeting also resolved to amend the Articles of Association in § 4 (Nominal capital) to reflect these changes.
At the 27th Annual General Meeting on 8 July 2021 the Management Board was authorised to reallocate an amount of up to € 50,000,000 of the balance sheet profit carried forward to new account – after dividend distribution – to free reserves, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board.
The number of shares issued amounts to 38,850,000 as at 31 March 2024 (previous year: 38,850,000).
At the 29th Annual General Meeting on 6 July 2023, the Management Board was again authorised to purchase, within a period of 30 months from the adoption of the resolution by the General Meeting, treasury shares of up to 10% of the nominal share capital of the Company for a minimum consideration per share at the most 30% lower than the average, unweighted stock exchange closing price over the preceding ten trading days and a maximum consideration per share at the most 30% higher than the average, unweighted stock exchange closing price over the preceding ten trading days. The treasury shares may be purchased via the stock exchange, by means of a public offering or any other legally permitted way and for any legally permitted purpose. The authorisation also includes the purchase of shares by subsidiaries of the company (Section 66 of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act). The Management Board was also authorised to withdraw repurchased treasury shares and treasury shares already held by the Company without any further resolution by the Annual General Meeting. The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the withdrawal of the shares. The authorisations granted by the resolution of the 27th Annual General Meeting on 8 July 2021 on agenda item 10 were revoked. Furthermore, the Management Board was authorised by the 25th Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019, for a period of five years, i.e. up to and including 3 July 2024, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to sell or use the repurchased treasury shares or treasury shares currently held by the Company other than via the stock exchange or by public offer in particular for the purposes of stock transfer programmes, convertible bonds or as a consideration for the acquisition of entities, investments or other assets or for any other legal purpose, and to exclude a general purchase opportunity for shareholders. As at 31 March 2024, the Group held no treasury shares.
In the financial year 2023/24, a dividend of € 0.40 (previous year: € 0.90) was paid out from the total profit of the financial year 2022/23.
The reclassification adjustments of the other comprehensive income realised in the profit for the year and the movement in other reserves are as follows:
| € in thousands | Carrying amount 31 Mar 2022 | Balance of unrealised changes before reclassification, net of tax | Transfer of realised changes recognised in the profit for the year, net of tax | Remeasurement of obligations from post-employment benefits | Available for sale financial assets, net of tax | Carrying amount 31 Mar 2023 | Balance of unrealised changes before reclassification, net of tax | Transfer of realised changes recognised in the profit for the year, net of tax | Remeasurement of obligations from post-employment benefits, net of tax | Unrealised gains/losses on available-for-sale financial assets, net of tax | Carrying amount 31 Mar 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Currency translation differences | 195,251 | (143,188) | – | – | – | 52,063 | (114,154) | – | – | – | (62,091) | |
| Financial assets at fair value through OCI | (39) | – | – | – | – | (39) | – | – | – | – | (39) | |
| Hedging instruments for cash flow hedges | 2,746 | 4,572 | – | 3,028 | – | 7,318 | (6,059) | – | (999) | – | 1,259 | |
| Remeasurement of obligations from post-employment benefits | (10,049) | – | – | – | – | (7,021) | – | – | – | – | (8,020) | |
| Other reserves | 187,909 | (138,616) | – | 3,028 | – | 52,321 | (120,213) | – | (999) | – | (68,891) |
With regard to the presentation of income taxes attributable to the individual components of the other comprehensive income, including reclassification adjustments, reference is made to Note 6 “Income taxes”.
In January 2022, a hybrid bond with an issue volume of € 350,000 thousand and a coupon of 5.0% was placed. This hybrid bond has a perpetual maturity and can be called and redeemed after five years by AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft, but not by the creditors. The proceeds of this hybrid bond will be reported as part of equity as this instrument satisfies the IAS 32 criteria for equity. Accordingly, coupon payments are also presented as part of the appropriation of profit. The issue costs of the hybrid bond amounted to € 2,676 thousand. If the bond is not terminated after five years, the interest rate changes to the applicable 5-year swaprate plus a mark-up of 9.942 percentage points.
In accordance with IAS 7, cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and demand, deposits, and current, liquid investments that can be converted into known cash amounts at any time and which are only subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value. The indirect method was used to prepare the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Cash flow from operating activities before changes in working capital in the financial year 2023/24 was € 496,195 thousand (previous year: € 472,009 thousand), and Cash flow from operating activities amounted to € 653,380 thousand (previous year: € 476,370 thousand). The increase is mainly due to changes in working capital; trade and other receivables and contract assets declined by € 87,999 thousand (previous year: decline by € 4,476 thousand), and trade and other payables rose by € 89,308 thousand (previous year: decline by € -51,774 thousand). Cash Flow from changes in inventories increased by € -19,958 thousand (previous year: decline by € 41,076 thousand). Cash flow from investing activities amounts to € -825,985 thousand and is lower than in the previous year (€ -1,044,861 thousand). Investing activities declined significantly in Chongqing and increased in Kulim and Hinterberg. The capital expenditure for property, plant and equipment decreased by € 242,182 thousand and proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment (€ 3,413 thousand) also fell significantly compared to the previous year (€ 104,811 thousand). The significantly higher cash inflows in the previous year resulted primarily from the change in the financing arrangements (leasing) for the construction activities in Hinterberg, Austria. As of 31 March 2024, liabilities due to investments amount to € 195,945 thousand (previous year: € 313,952 thousand). Cash flow from financing activities in the financial year 2023/24 amounts to € 51,754 thousand. The decrease by € 210,969 thousand compared to the previous year is mainly due to the other liabilities to financing partners, which increased by € 198,161 thousand due to the financing of investment projects in Chongqing, China in the previous year and which did not change in the financial year 2023/24. Likewise, there was also no repayment of hybrid capital in 2023/24 (previous year: repayment of € -41,393 thousand).
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash flow from operating activities before changes in working capital | 496,195 | 472,009 | |
| Cash flow from operating activities | 653,380 | 476,370 | |
| Cash flow from investing activities | (825,985) | (1,044,861) | |
| Free cash flow | (172,605) | (568,491) | |
| Cash flow from financing activities | 51,754 | 210,969 | |
| Change in cash and cash equivalents | (120,851) | (357,522) | |
| Currency effects on cash and cash equivalents | 5,603 | 29,339 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year | 676,490 | 791,738 |
The balance of cash and cash equivalents at the end of the financial year 2023/24 was € 676,490 thousand (previous year: € 791,738 thousand). These are mainly used to ensure the financing of the future investment program.The non-cash expense/income is as follows:
€ in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23
---|---|---
Release of government grants | (11,238) | (10,516)
Other non-cash expense/(income), net | (17,598) | (24,111)
Non-cash expense/(income), net | (28,836) | (34,627)
Net debt reconciliation:
€ in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23
---|---|---
Cash and cash equivalents | 676,490 | 791,738
Financial assets | 43,727 | 52,835
Financial liabilities, current | (518,189) | (662,433)
Financial liabilities, non-current | (1,605,037) | (1,033,346)
Net debt | (1,403,009) | (851,207)
Other assets
€ in thousands | Amount as of 31 Mar 2022 | Cash flows | Foreign exchange adjustments | Other non-cash movements | Amounts as of 31 Mar 2023
---|---|---|---|---|---
Cash | 1,119,921 | (357,522) | 29,339 | – | 791,738
Financial assets | 23,413 | 2,630 | 201 | 26,591 | 52,835
Financial liabilities | (1,354,979) | (344,052) | 2,744 | 508 | (1,695,779)
Total | (211,646) | (698,944) | 32,284 | 27,099 | (1,550,206)
Net debt 31 Mar 2023 | (851,207) | | | |
| € in thousands | Cash flows | Foreign exchange adjustments | Other non-cash movements | Amounts as of 31 Mar 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | (120,851) | 5,603 | – | 676,490 |
| Financial assets | 1,962 | 229 | (11,299) | 43,727 |
| Financial liabilities | (426,537) | 1,882 | (2,792) | (2,123,226) |
| Total | (545,426) | 7,714 | (14,091) | (1,402,909) |
| Net debt 31 Mar 2024 | (1,403,009) |
Earnings per share are calculated in accordance with IAS 33 “Earnings per Share”.
The number of shares issued is 38,850,000. As of 31 March 2024, no treasury shares are held, which would have had to be deducted in the calculation of earnings per share. The weighted average number of outstanding shares for the basic earnings per share calculation amounts to 38,850 thousand in the financial year 2023/24 and to 38,850 thousand in the financial year 2022/23. The weighted average number of outstanding shares for the diluted earnings per share calculation amounts to 38,850 thousand in the financial year 2023/24 and to 38,850 thousand in the financial year 2022/23. The following table shows the composition of the diluted weighted average number of outstanding shares in the respective periods:
| in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted average number of shares outstanding – basic | 38,850 | 38,850 |
| Diluting effect | – | – |
| Weighted average number of shares outstanding – diluted | 38,850 | 38,850 |
Basic earnings per share are calculated by dividing the profit for the period attributed to the shareholders of the Company by the weighted average number of outstanding ordinary shares in the same period.
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| (Loss)/Profit for the year attributable to owners of the parent company (€ in thousands) | (54,194) | 117,862 |
| Weighted average number of shares outstanding – basic (in thousands) | 38,850 | 38,850 |
| Basic earnings per share (in €) | (1.39) | 3.03 |
Diluted earnings per share are calculated by dividing the profit for the period attributed to the shareholders of the Company by the weighted average number of outstanding shares including the number of potentially outstanding ordinary shares in the same period. The potentially outstanding ordinary shares comprise the additional shares to be issued for exercisable options or subscription rights and are included in diluted earnings per share.
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| (Loss)/Profit for the year attributable to owners of the parent company (€ in thousands) | (54,194) | 117,862 |
| Weighted average number of shares outstanding – diluted (in thousands) | 38,850 | 38,850 |
| Diluted earnings per share (in €) | (1.39) | 3.03 |
On 10 May 2024, the Management Board of AT&S decided not to carry out a capital increase for the time being. Discussions with potential investors have been concluded. The company now intends to sell the plant in Ansan, Korea, which primarily serves the medical market. To further sharpen the Group's strategic profile, AT&S has decided, subject to favourable economic conditions and - if applicable - corresponding approvals, to consider the sale of the medical division and has initiated a staged competitive sale process. The medical division is located at the Ansan production site in South Korea and is owned by the wholly owned subsidiary, AT & S Korea Co., Ltd. From a Group perspective, this company generated revenue of € 75,610 thousand in the 2023/24 financial year (previous year: € 64,003 thousand) and EBITDA of € 37,884 thousand (previous year: € 27,935 thousand). Property, plant and equipment amounted to € 37,006 thousand in the 2023/24 financial year (previous year: € 38,093 thousand). Based on expressions of interest from potential investors, AT&S will decide on further steps after due diligence has been completed. In addition, the Management Board of AT&S has decided to continue with the consistent implementation and further focus of the efficiency programs already underway to counteract the current price pressure in the market. In addition to comprehensive cost-cutting measures, there will also be a reduction of up to 1,000 employees at existing sites throughout the Group.
In connection with various projects, the Group received consulting services from companies in which Supervisory Board chairman Mr Androsch (AIC Androsch International Management Consulting GmbH) is active:
| € in thousands | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| AIC Androsch International Management Consulting GmbH | 363 | 363 |
| Total | 363 | 363 |
In the financial year 2023/24 and until the issue date of these consolidated financial statements, the following persons served on the Management Board:
* Andreas Gerstenmayer (Chairman)
* Peter Schneider (Deputy Chairman)
* Peter Griehsnig (since 1 April 2023)
* Petra Preining
* Ingolf Schröder
In the financial year 2023/24, the following persons were appointed members of the Supervisory Board:
* Hannes Androsch (Chairman)
* Regina Prehofer (First Deputy Chairwoman)
* Georg Riedl (Second Deputy Chairman)
* Hermann Eul
* Georg Hansis
* Robert Lasshofer
* Lars Reger
* Karin Schaupp
* Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell
Delegated by the Works Council:
* Bianca Ernhardt
* Wolfgang Fleck
* Christa Köberl (since 20 December 2023)
* Günter Pint
* Siegfried Trauch
* Günther Wölfler (until 19 December 2023)
The number of outstanding stock appreciation rights and staff costs from stock appreciation rights granted are as follows:
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of outstanding stock appreciation rights | Staff costs (€ in thousands) | |||
| Andreas Gerstenmayer | 150,000 | 150,000 | 213 | (948) |
| Peter Schneider | 90,000 | 60,000 | 78 | (293) |
| Peter Griehsnig¹ | 50,000 | – | 63 | – |
| Petra Preining | 60,000 | 30,000 | 46 | – |
| Ingolf Schröder | 90,000 | 60,000 | 78 | (293) |
| Total Management Board members | 440,000 | 300,000 | 478 | (1,534) |
| Heinz Moitzi | 5,000 | 35,000 | (283) | (586) |
| Monika Stoisser-Göhring | – | – | – | (586) |
| Total | 445,000 | 335,000 | 195 | (2,706) |
¹ Some of the allocations were made before being appointed as a member of the Executive Board. The share price performance led to a reduction in staff costs in the financial year 2022/23, which is indicated by negative signs in the table. For further details in this context, reference is made to the comments on the stock option plans under Note 14 “Trade and other payables”.
Total compensation to the members of the Management Board in accordance with IAS 24:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | Fixed | Variable | Total | Fixed | Variable |
| Fixed and expected variable payments | |||||
| Andreas Gerstenmayer | 647 | 838 | 1,485 | 647 | 2,366 |
| Peter Schneider | 449 | 176 | 625 | 449 | 176 |
| Peter Griehsnig¹ | 449 | 176 | 625 | – | – |
| Petra Preining | 449 | 176 | 625 | 225 | 216 |
| Ingolf Schröder | 449 | 176 | 625 | 449 | 176 |
| Total Management Board members | 2,443 | 1,542 | 3,985 | 1,770 | 2,934 |
| Simone Faath | – | 8 | 8 | 5 | 100 |
| Heinz Moitzi | – | – | – | – | 1,166 |
| Monika Stoisser-Göhring | – | – | – | – | 1,016 |
| Total former Management Board members | – | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2,282 |
| Total fixed and expected variable payments | 2,443 | 1,550 | 3,993 | 1,775 | 5,216 |
| Reconciliation to the expense recognized in the financial statements | – | (569) | (569) | – | 569 |
| Total | 2,443 | 981 | 3,424 | 1,775 | 5,785 |
¹ The remuneration in the 2023/24 financial year is shown from the first appointment to the Executive Board on April 1, 2023. Exercises of stock appreciation rights that were allocated before the appointment to the Executive Board are not included.
In the previous year, a provision of € 5,785 thousand for variable remuneration was recognised based on a provisorial calculation. The effective payment for variable remuneration of the Management Board amounted to € 5,216 thousand. In the financial year 2022/23, the group of executive employees was adapted and now only comprises members of the Management Board. The variable compensation of Andreas Gerstenmayer includes remuneration from stock appreciation rights amounting to € 518 thousand (previous year: € 1,725 thousand). In the previous year, the variable compensation of Andreas Gerstenmayer included a special premium of € 321 thousand. This payment was granted due to the significant effect on his activity on the Management Board resulting from the necessity to temporarily take over the responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer for a longer period. The item “Total former Management Board members” includes other benefits in connection with the termination of the Management Board Contract of Simone Faath. In the previous year, the variable compensation of Heinz Moitzi included renumeration from stock appreciation rights amounting to € 1,166 thousand. Also in the previous year, the variable compensation of Monika Stoisser-Göhring included remuneration from stock appreciation rights amounting to € 1,016 thousand.
Besides the above-mentioned compensation, € 64 thousand (previous year: € 64 thousand) was paid into a pension fund for Andreas Gerstenmayer, € 44 thousand (previous year: € 44 thousand) for Peter Schneider, € 42 thousand for Peter Griehsnig (previous year: € 0 thousand), € 44 thousand (previous year: € 20 thousand) for Petra Preining and € 44 thousand (previous year: € 44 thousand) for Ingolf Schröder.€ 45 thousand was paid into a pension fund for the former Management Board member Simone Faath in the previous year. In accordance with IAS 24, related persons are key management personnel who have direct or indirect authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the entity; this includes managing directors of that entity. Expenses for severance payments and retirement benefits for current and former members of the Management Board, executive employees, and their surviving dependents are as follows:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| Expenses recognised in profit for the period | 119 | 157 | 238 | 217 |
| Remeasurement recognised in other comprehensive income | (5) | 13 | – | – |
Total remuneration for services rendered personally by members of the Supervisory Board attributable to the financial year and proposed to the Annual General Meeting:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| Hannes Androsch | 159 | 170 |
| Regina Prehofer | 125 | 124 |
| Georg Riedl | 140 | 137 |
| Hermann Eul | 69 | 75 |
| Georg Hansis | 56 | 62 |
| Robert Lasshofer | 86 | 84 |
| Lars Reger | 56 | 62 |
| Karin Schaupp | 56 | 62 |
| Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell | 76 | 73 |
| Total | 823 | 849 |
The expenses for the financial year for the Group auditor are as follows:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| € in thousands | € in thousands | |
| Audit of consolidated and separate financial statements | 739 | 589 |
| Other assurance services | 777 | 33 |
| Other services | 422 | 44 |
| Total | 1,938 | 666 |
This item also includes expenses for other network members of the Group auditor, e.g. for the audit of financial statements of subsidiaries or tax consulting services. Other assurance services include expenses for various projects. Other services primarily include expenses in connection with strategic projects.
The average numbers of staff in the financial year are as follows:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Waged workers | 9,046 | 9,854 |
| Salaried employees | 4,782 | 5,426 |
| Total | 13,828 | 15,280 |
The calculation of the number of staff includes an average of 309 leased personnel for the financial year 2023/24 and an average of 383 for the financial year 2022/23.
Leoben-Hinterberg, 13 May 2024
The Management Board
Andreas Gerstenmayer m.p
Peter Schneider m.p
Peter Griehsnig m.p.
Petra Preining m.p.
Ingolf Schröder m.p.
Group Management Report 2023/24
Table of contents
In 2023, the economy largely returned to pre-COVID-19 conditions. Supply chains and demand stabilized, while central banks tightened the monetary reins to curb inflation. In most regions, headline inflation slowed from the peaks experienced in 2022. However, core inflation, which excludes volatile prices for food and energy, proved stickier. Consumer demand remained muted in most major economies, as inflation and high interest rates reduced purchasing power. Global output, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increased by an estimated 3.1% in 2023, with advanced economies experiencing slower growth than emerging market and developing economies. GDP grew by 0.5% in the euro area, by 5.2% in China, and by 2.5% in the United States. Projections for 2024 predict a global GDP growth of 3.1%.
Conflicts and geopolitics continued to play a significant role on the international stage. One of the most discussed topics was the continued effort of the United States, supported by European and Asian partners, to restrict Chinese access to advanced technologies via export restrictions and bans targeting an increasing number of Chinese companies. The ongoing war in eastern Ukraine and, since Autumn 2023, and the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza strip by the Israeli army following an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 have also contributed to the increase of tensions in the Middle East as well as internationally. The war in Gaza has already spawned new tensions in the Red Sea, where Yemeni Houthis have begun targeting commercial ships in retaliation for Israel’s actions in Gaza. The attacks have spurred major shipping companies to re-route shipping around Africa; the impact on logistics was mostly felt on Europe-Asia trade routes, and has so far amounted to longer delivery times and increased costs. Climate has also contributed to headwinds for economic recovery; the Panama Canal has experienced significant disruptions due to low water levels; reduced capacity at the canal is expected to continue to impact the trade route going forward.
During most of 2023 the semiconductor industry followed normal historical seasonal patterns, gradually recovering, especially during the second half of the year, from the downturn started in late 2022. The challenging macroeconomic conditions present in advanced economies, including high inflation, high interest rates, and low consumer demand, significantly impacted the semiconductor industry: global semiconductor industry sales totaled US$526.8 billion in 2023, a decrease of 8.2% compared to the 2022 total of US$574.1 billion. A significant portion of the sales in 2023 was fueled by sell-through of inventories, which remained high throughout the year for most applications. Industrial and automotive, which initially showed resilient growth carrying over from 2022, also slowed down in the second half due to the excessive inventory build-up and weaker demand. Client computing was the segment most impacted by low demand. Spending on infrastructure, particularly in the area of data centers, remained more resilient, albeit softer than in 2021 and 2022. The build-up of the infrastructure required to support Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related services caused a significant shift in spending towards high average selling price (ASP) Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and accelerator cards, creating a prominent pocket of growth. This trend mostly benefitted NVIDIA, but AMD was also able to further expand its market share. This shift in spending partly reduced expenditures for traditional servers. The growth of AI-related hardware is expected to continue throughout 2024 and in the mid-term. Low demand and inventory effects hit back-end manufacturers such as substrate suppliers particularly hard, a fact reflected in the continued downgrading of estimates of the Advanced Substrate (including flip-chip, system-in-package, and embedded die) market for 2023. For example, the estimate for the total Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) market in 2023 was reduced by 23% to US$6.8 billion from March to November 2023. Forecasts for the FC-BGA market were also corrected to the downside: the FC-BGA market is now expected to amount to US$10.6 billion in 2028 (previously US$12 billion in 2027). Looking ahead, 2024 is expected to be a transition year, with the first half still affected by low demand, inventory corrections, and tight monetary policies; tailwinds are not expected before the second half of the calendar year. The on-going geopolitical tensions provide additional risks that could lead to further headwinds for global growth. Divergent policies confronting these issues are poised to maintain high uncertainty and reduce visibility throughout 2024.
The weakness in demand for the Consumer, Computing, and Communication (3C) segments carried over from 2022 to 2023, impacting shipment volumes of most consumer electronics devices such as smartphones, PCs, tablets, and some wearable products. Major challenges include inventory digestion across the entire supply chain, weak demand from major market such as China, and other macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds. As a result, many major consumer applications recorded a year-over-year decline from negative impacts on both the supply and demand sides. Global smartphone shipments declined 3.2% to 1.17 billion units in 2023, with the Chinese market declining 5.0%. While overall shipments declined, 5G smartphone still recorded a 10% rise. The fourth calendar quarter saw 8.5% growth compared to the corresponding period last year and 326.1 million shipments, indicating potential stabilisation or even the beginning of a slow recovery in 2024. In 2022, PC shipment volume had plummeted 16.5%, and there was an additional 13.9% contraction in 2023. This downturn continues to reflect the aftermath of the significant surge in PC purchases driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the total volume of 260 million units were comparable to pre-pandemic PC volume shipments of 268 million units (5-year average, 2015-2019). The decline in end device sales coupled with increased price pressure is reflected in the PCB sales figures for 2023, which showed a decrease of 11.5% to US$18.1 billion for Communication (including smartphones), fell 16.8% to US$15.3 billion for Computing, and fell 14.4% to US$7.2 billion for Consumer. The latest mid-term outlook for 2029 is US$20.1 billion, US$23.5 billion, and US$9.1 billion for Computing, Communications, and Consumer respectively. Looking at 2024, slow demand recovery and continued destocking are expected to continue to impact the 3C market.# 1.3. Industry and technology trends
Recovery is expected to center around AI-related applications such as AI servers (storage, accelerator), High-Performance Computing (HPC), and networking. Consumer applications with AI enhanced features are also expected to benefit from the increasing AI trend – in addition to the 2.8% increase in smartphone shipment in 2024, 170 million next-gen AI smartphones are forecasted to ship in 2024, representing almost 15% of the total smartphone market.10 Shipments of AI PCs – personal computers with specific system-on-a-chip (SoC) capabilities designed to run generative AI tasks locally – is expected to reach 50 million units in 2024.11
Global automotive production reached 90.6 million vehicles in 2023, a 10% increase compared to the 82 million of 2022, thanks to fading supply side constraints and a better than expected economic and demand backdrop underpinned by a robust global Light Vehicle (LV) performance through 2023. While the near-term LV outlook has been revised upward, the mid-term estimate (2026-2030) has been cut by 1.2 million units annually. The bulk of this forecast adjustment reflects a more conservative view on the development of the market in China.12 The Automotive PCB market decreased by 2.7% in 2023 to US$8.7 billion, due to a combination of price pressure and high inventory, and is expected to reach US$11.6 billion in 2029.4 The slowdown in global growth for Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales persisted in the final months of 2023, despite a record number of BEVs delivered in November, which resulted in yearly sales of 10 million BEV cars in 2023, up 30%.13 Growth in electrified vehicles including hybrids (up 35%) outpaced that of BEVs, marking an unusual shift, as BEVs have usually been the fastest-growing vehicle type in recent years. Semiconductor shortages faded in 2023, but concerns over the supply of lithium in the mid–term could undermine the pace of the transition to BEVs. A high-price policy of some Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) could persist, but the reduction in the number of produced models could ease the situation thanks to a concurrent optimization of vehicle inventory. The automotive industry continues to be propelled forward by the adoption of Electrification and the advancement of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving (AD). A significant portion of this growth is attributed to China. The market for Battery Electric Vehicles in China accounted for 50% of global BEV growth. The share of Chinese BEVs in Europe grew from 5% in 2022 to almost 9% in 2023, and has put European OEMs under an increasing amount of competition. The BEV market in the United States grew by 47% in 2023, following a period where it seemed to lag behind developments in China and much of Europe.12 This resurgence was driven by investments into new models by original equipment manufacturers, along with substantial government incentives and an expanding charging infrastructure.
After navigating the complex COVID-19 pandemic for about three years, medical device companies experienced a return to normalcy in 2023. Challenges such as low procedure volumes, hospital staffing shortages, and supply chain issues either subsided or were managed through strategic measures. Economic pressures eased, allowing some companies in the medical technology sector to achieve more typical growth rates. The PCB market for medical declined 7.3% to US$1.4 billion in 2023, as a result of strong inventory corrections, but it is expected to grow 3.1% in 2024, and at a 2023-2029 CAGR of 3.7% to reach US$1.7 billion.4 Industry trends in the upcoming year might be significantly influenced by the evolution of the current challenging macroeconomic conditions, including high interest rates and inflation. In 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set a new record by approving the highest number of new medical technologies in a single year. This result was attributed to various factors, including a surge in approvals for AI and machine-learning-enabled medtech products, advancements in miniaturization, enhanced visualization driving approvals in cardiology and urology, and steady growth in neuromodulation and robotics. Additionally, waiting times for FDA reviews decreased by nearly 15% from 2020 to 2022. It is expected that the pace of innovation in 2024 will exceed 2020-2022 levels, with devices for cardiology, digital health, and neuromodulation continuing to gain momentum.14 Also on the regulatory side, the boundary between the consumer and medical device markets has been getting progressively blurrier. For example, since 2022 consumer device companies (such as Sony, HP, Bose) have been granted a growing number of applications for Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aids by the FDA, which allowed them to put hearing aid players in the US market (such as GN, Nuheara, Sonova) increasingly under pressure. The trend is also visible for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices, where large CGM players aim to enlarge their customer base by selling CGMs without prescription to consumers not yet subject to medical treatment, potentially creating a new market.15
The Internet of Things (IoT) and data-driven networks, powered by an array of devices and sensors, have become relevant tools for optimizing operations and processes. Mainly since the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have increasingly relied on IoT data to enhance the flexibility and resilience of their operations. As investment in IoT ecosystems surges, notably led by manufacturing sectors, the emphasis remains on the exponential growth of connected devices and the vast volume of data they generate across diverse categories. IoT investment is set to exceed US$1 trillion by 2026, with a growth rate of 10.4% from 2022 to 2027. It is estimated a total of 56.9 billion connected devices were installed worldwide in 2023.16 An enabler of these connected devices is 5G technology. As the 5G capital expenditure cycle enters its fourth year, the pace of investment in mobile infrastructure is slowing down. Major vendors are witnessing significant drops in year-over-year spending on Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment, notably in regions like the United States and China. Although low-band 5G deployments are reaching maturity, there is still considerable room for investment in mid-band (e.g., 2.5GHz, 3–4GHz) and high-band (e.g., 24GHz, 28GHz, and 39GHz) builds. Telecom operators, however, have been investing in the mid-band and in 5G Standalone (SA) with caution, due to high interest rates and an overall uncertain macroeconomic outlook. In the mid-term, the on-going 5G Advanced releases from 3GPP that started in 2023 and the steady increase in data traffic are expected to eventually bring about the upgrade to 5G SA.17 6G technology is already being actively developed by big industry players and is on the agenda of regulators and standardization institutions, with commercialization predicted by 2030. 6G is expected to be the “AI native network”, supported by the use of recombinant technologies, such as cloud-native network functions, machine learning, AI, and network slicing.18 However, given the low penetration rate of 5G mmWave so far – less than 10%, estimated to be less than 30% by 2028 – it is currently not clear whether the market will demand upper mmWave/THz at 6G in high volume or only for specific use cases.
The consolidated PCB market for Communication, including infrastructure and end devices declined by 11.5% to US$18.1 billion in 2023, and it is expected to grow by 3.5% in 2024, and at a 4.6% CAGR between 2023-2029 to US$23.5 billion. Despite the positive perspective for connected devices in the medium term, it is estimated that the PCB market for industrial electronics declined 13.6% to US$2.8 billion in 2023, due to high inventories and weaker than expected manufacturing in China. The PCB market for the Industrial electronics segment is expected to grow by 3.7% in 2024, and at a 4.4% CAGR in the 2023-2029 timeframe to US$3.6 billion.4
The rush to provide AI-powered services caused a surge in spending for the infrastructure needed to power them, that is servers with GPUs or accelerator cards. This surge has caused a delay in refresh cycles of traditional servers, as most capital expenditures were redirected towards high ASP AI-hardware. Meanwhile, supply of the GPUs has largely been constrained by the limited capacity for one of the steps required in the manufacturing of those products, namely the assembly of the silicon interposer. This bottleneck has limited the growth experienced by back-end manufacturers, but should be partially resolved as additional capacity comes on-line in 2024/25. From a more technical perspective, AI-systems have so far presented limited opportunities for substrate-makers beyond the additional volumes generated by the high-demand for these systems. GPUs and accelerator cards currently rely on the presence of a large quantity of high-speed memory on the package. The need for high-speed interconnects between memory and logic dies is mostly addressed with silicon interposers, which allows designers to avoid increasing the complexity of the underlying organic substrate. On the other hand, the increasing package size and the rising power draw of GPUs and accelerators pose increasing technical challenges for the design of packages, potentially creating opportunities for solutions that address aspects such as thermal management and warpage as well as voltage drop and other signal integrity issues at the substrate level.
AT&S operated in a challenging market environment in the financial year 2023/24. After a strong second quarter, demand was relatively weak again in the some market segments in the third and fourth quarters.# 2.1. Revenue development in the Group
The markets for mobile devices and industrial applications weakened significantly. While notebooks and PCs saw a slight recovery, the market for servers slowed down further. In this environment, AT&S continued to push its efficiency programmes, which were intensified a year ago, to ensure a sustainable optimisation of the Company’s cost structure. AT&S reorganised its “Mobile Devices & Substrates” and “Automotive, Industrial & Medical” segments with effect from 1 April 2023. The Company’s new structure comprises the business units “Electronics Solutions” and “Microelectronics”. Reporting has therefore been adapted accordingly. “Electronics Solutions” bundles the printed circuit board and module activities across the Group, while “Microelectronics” focuses on IC substrates.
Compared to the record level of the previous year, consolidated revenue declined by 13.5% to € 1,549.8 million in the financial year 2023/24 (previous year: € 1,791.3 million). This development was primarily driven by the fundamental changes in the economic environment, which led to a decline in revenue, in particular in the Electronics Solutions segment. A general market recovery is expected in the industries relevant for AT&S in the second half of 2024. It is consequently assumed that capacity utilisation at the Company’s existing plants will improve and AT&S is prepared for the rebound of the market with the go-live of the plant in Kulim, which is scheduled for the end of the financial year. AT&S therefore expects to have a good chance to participate in a market recovery with its improved cost structure.
Revenue declined by 13.5% compared to the previous year and amounted to € 1,549.8 million, at € 1,791.3 million, the revenue of the previous year was the highest revenue ever generated in the history of AT&S. Both segments recorded a decline in revenue in the financial year 2023/24. While revenue in the Electronics Solutions segment was down 19.4% on the strong prior-year figure, the decline in the Microelectronics segment amounted to 3.0%. Foreign exchange effects had a negative impact of € 48.3 million or 3.1% on the development of revenue. 87.9% of revenue (previous year: 88.6%) was invoiced in foreign currencies (primarily US dollars). Revenue in the first and second quarters of the financial year was significantly higher than in the last two quarters of the financial year 2022/23. Starting in the third quarter, the market climate in the two segments deteriorated, thus leading to a decline in demand. The regional revenue structure based on customers’ headquarters shows a share of 75.7% for America, compared 76.8% in the previous year. The share of products manufactured in Asia declined slightly from 90.0% to 88.3%. The effects of recognising revenue over time, which is required for a number of customers in accordance with IFRS 15, led to a decrease in revenue by € 12.1 million or 0.8% (effect in the previous year: decrease by € 34.8 million or 1.9%). For further information please refer to the notes to the consolidated financial statements.
Revenue split by segment shows the following picture:
The share of the Electronics Solutions (ES) segment in third-party revenue declined to 62.1% (previous year: 66.7%) share of the Microelectronics (ME) segment increased to 37.9% (previous year: 33.3%). Further information on the development of the segments is provided in Section 2.3 “Earnings development in the segments”.
€ 307.5 million, EBITDA margin 19.8%
EBITDA, at € 307.5 million, was significantly lower than in the previous year (€ 416.7 million). The decline in revenue and a related decrease in gross profit had a negative influence on earnings, whereas lower selling and administrative costs supported the operating result. Other operating income was significantly lower than in the previous year and was negatively influenced in particular by higher start-up losses, lower grants, and higher negative currency effects from the measurement of receivables and liabilities in non-Group currencies. Currency effects which resulted primarily from the translation of international subsidiaries to the reporting currency had a positive effect of € 6.8 million on EBITDA. The EBITDA margin declined by 3.4 percentage points from 23.3% in the previous year to 19.8%. The higher start-up costs of € 81.6 million (previous year: € 54.7 million) resulted primarily from the continuation and expansion of the construction activities in Hinterberg and Kulim. Adjusted for start-up costs, EBITDA amounted to € 384.3 million (previous year: € 469.6 million), which corresponds to decline by 18.2%.
| Result key data | € in millions (unless otherwise stated) | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 1,549.8 | 1,791.3 | (13.5%) | |
| Operating result before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) | 307.5 | 416.7 | (26.2%) | |
| EBITDA margin (%) | 19.8% | 23.3% | ||
| Operating result (EBIT) | 31.1 | 146.2 | (78.7%) | |
| EBIT margin (%) | 2.0% | 8.2% | ||
| Profit for the year | (36.7) | 136.6 | (>100%) | |
| Earnings per share (€) | (1.39) | 3.03 | (>100%) | |
| Additions to fixed assets | 1,110.5 | 1,234.1 | (10.0%) | |
| Average number of staff (incl. leased personnel) | 13,828 | 15,280 | (9.5%) |
The EBITDA margin adjusted for start-up costs declined from 26.2% in the previous year to 24.8%.
The decline in cost of sales by € 149.7 million to € 1,366.9 million results primarily from lower revenue coupled with lower personnel and material costs. Research & development expenses also declined, whereby AT&S also invested € 155.4 million in research and development in the financial year 2023/24 (previous year: € 183.4 million) in preparation for future technology generations and to pursue the modularisation strategy. These expenditures make the Company future-proof and significantly expand the earnings potential in the medium term. Positive currency effects increased the reduction of cost of sales by € 66.9 million. Administrative and distribution costs were € 10.9 million or 8.7% lower than in the previous year.
The other operating result declined from € -3.2 million to € -37.4 million. The deterioration was mainly due to higher start-up losses of € 81.6 million (previous year: € 54.7 million), which were caused, in particular, by the continued and expanded construction activities in Hinterberg and Kulim. However, a decline in grants by € 9.8 million to € 30.9 million (previous year: € 40.7 million) and the reduced exchange rate result from the measurement of receivables and liabilities of € 7.6 million (previous year: € 11.7 million) also had a negative impact.
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment and amortisation of intangible assets of € 276.4 million or 8.1% of non-current assets (previous year: € 270.5 million or 10.0% of non-current assets) reflect the high technical standard and the intensity of investment of AT&S. The increase by € 5.9 million compared with the previous year resulted from an increase in depreciation and amortisation by € 12.0 million in the Microelectronics (ME) segment and a decline by € 7.1 million in the Electronics Solutions segment (ES). While the higher depreciation and amortisation in the Microelectronics (ME) segment is primarily attributable to the plants in Hinterberg and Kulim, the decline in depreciation and amortisation in the Electronics Solutions (ES) segment is primarily related to the plant in Shanghai.
The operating result (EBIT) increased by € 115.1 million or 78.7% to € 31.1 million (previous year: € 146.2 million) due to the above-mentioned effects. The EBIT margin declined by 6.2 percentage points percentage points to 2.0% (previous year: 8.2%).
Finance costs – net declined from € 21.6 million to € -50.4 million. Interest expense on bank borrowings and bonds amounted to € 65.1 million (previous year: € 23.9 million). This includes capitalised interest on borrowings related to the acquisition of qualifying assets, which rose by € 5.5 million to € 12.7 million (previous year: € 7.2 million) and reduced expenses. Interest on social capital amounted to € 2.1 million and exceeded the prior-year level of € 0.4 million. The hedging of the interest rate risk with hedging instruments (measurement and realised result) resulted in a gain of € 6.0 million (previous year: gain of € 7.7 million). The hedging instruments swap variable for fixed interest payments. The disposition of available liquidity in the money market resulted in an investment result of € 25.6 million (previous year: € 12.3 million). Finance costs – net are influenced by currency effects because investments are in part denominated in foreign currency. In the financial year 2023/24, lower positive exchange rate differences had a negative impact on finance costs – net Exchange rate differences of € 4.8 million were recognised as income (previous year: income of € 37.5 million). The exchange rate differences resulted predominantly from the measurment liquid foreign currency funds and realised exchange rate gains from Group financing. The main intragroup loans are long-term in nature and their repayment is neither scheduled nor probable in the foreseeable future. These loans are therefore recorded directly in equity through the statement of comprehensive income.
Profit for the year decreased from € 136.6 million in the previous year by € 173.3 million to € -36.7 million. The Group’s tax expense amounts to € 17.4 million (previous year: € 31.2 million). Current income taxes declined to € 24.6 million (previous year:€ 26.1 million). In contrast to the previous year, deferred taxes resulted in income of € 7.2 million (previous year: € -5.1 million). AT&S China already obtained the favourable tax status as a “high-tech company” over the past years. The tax status has now been granted as of 1 January 2023, is valid for three years and is dependent on achieving certain criteria each year.AT&S Chongqing has also been granted this tax status for the calendar years 2022 to 2024. Earnings per share decreased from € 3.03 to € -1.39, with the number of shares outstanding remaining unchanged. In the calculation of earnings per share, interest on hybrid capital of € 17.5 million (previous year: € 18.8 million) was deducted from the profit for the year.
The Electronics Solutions segment was faced with a changed market environment in the financial year 2023/24, which led to a significant decline in revenue.
Segment ES (Electronics Solutions) – overview
€ in millions (unless otherwise stated)
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment revenue | 963.1 | 1,194.9 | (19.4%) |
| Revenue from external customers | 962.9 | 1,194.9 | (19.4%) |
| Operating result before depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) | 210.2 | 310.0 | (32.2%) |
| EBITDA adjusted¹ | 210.2 | 310.0 | (32.2%) |
| EBITDA margin (%) | 21.8% | 25.9% | |
| EBITDA margin adjusted (%)¹ | 21.8% | 25.9% | |
| Operating result (EBIT) | 102.5 | 195.1 | (47.5%) |
| EBIT adjusted¹ | 102.5 | 195.1 | (47.5%) |
| EBIT margin (%) | 10.6% | 16.3% | |
| EBIT margin adjusted (%)¹ | 10.6% | 16.3% | |
| Additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 85.8 | 120.8 | (29.0%) |
| Employees (incl. leased personnel), average | 7,274 | 7,784 | (6.5%) |
¹ Adjustment start-up costs.
With a revenue share of 62.1 % (previous year: 66.7 %, the Electronics Solutions segment is still the largest segment of the AT&S Group. Revenue, at € 963.1 million, was down € 231.9 million or 19.4% on the prior-year figure of € 1,194.9 million, this was due in particular to lower demand and, consequently, a decline in volume produced, as well as to price discounts. Revenue was also negatively influenced by the foreign exchange development, so overall revenue growth was € 26.7 million lower. In terms of geography, revenue from American customers declined. The segment’s EBITDA amounted to € 210.2 million, down € 99.7 million or 32.2% on the prior-year figure of € 310.0 million. Positive effects from currency translation supported earnings in the amount of € 8.9 million. The EBITDA margin of the Electronics Solutions segment amounted to 21.8%, down 4.1 percentage points on the prior-year margin of 25.9%. The segment’s depreciation and amortisation declined by € 7.1 million or 6.2% from € 114.8 million to € 107.7 million. The decline was primarily attributable to lower depreciation and amortisation at the Shanghai site. The operating result (EBIT) decreased by € 92.6 million to € 102.5 million (previous year: € 195.1 million). The EBIT margin dropped by 5.7 percentage points to 10.6% (previous year: 16.3%) due to the decline in EBIT. Additions to assets declined by € 35.0 million or 29.0% to € 85.8 million (previous year: € 120.8 million). The additions related in particular to ongoing replacement investments and technology upgrades at the sites in Chongqing and Shanghai.
Segment ME (Microelectronics) – overview
€ in millions (unless otherwise stated)
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment revenue | 655.0 | 675.3 | (3.0%) |
| Revenue from external customers | 586.9 | 596.4 | (1.6%) |
| Operating result before depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) | 96.1 | 115.7 | (16.9%) |
| EBITDA adjusted¹ | 168.9 | 167.1 | 1.1% |
| EBITDA margin (%) | 14.7% | 17.1% | |
| EBITDA margin adjusted (%)¹ | 25.8% | 24.7% | |
| Operating result (EBIT) | (65.1) | (33.5) | (94.1%) |
| EBIT adjusted¹ | 12.5 | 19.7 | (36.4%) |
| EBIT margin (%) | (9.9%) | (5.0%) | |
| EBIT margin adjusted (%)¹ | 1.9% | 2.9% | |
| Additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 996.1 | 1,056.9 | (5.8%) |
| Employees (incl. leased personnel), average | 6,106 | 7,081 | (13.8%) |
¹ Adjustment start-up costs.
The challenging market environment also caused a year-on-year decline in revenue in the Microelectronics segment. The successful ramp-up of production at plant III in Chongqing led to increased capacity. AT&S is prepared for a rebound in the market with the go-live of the plant in Kulim, Malaysia, which is scheduled for the end of the financial year. AT&S currently expects to have a good chance to benefit from a market recovery. Negative currency effects reduced earnings by € 2.4 million. The segment’s revenue, at € 655.0 million fell short of the prior-year level of € 675.3 million. EBITDA fell by € 19.6 million or 16.9% to € 96.1 million (previous year: € 115.7 million). Gross profit was not increased, primarily due to lower revenue. The increase in start-up costs and lower grants for research expenditures also had a negative impact on earnings. Start-up costs from the continued construction activities in Kulim and Hinterberg amounted to € 77.6 million, exceeding the prior-year value of € 53.2 million by € 24.4 million. The EBITDA margin declined by 2.4 percentage points to 14.7% (previous year: 17.1%). The operating result (EBIT) changed by € -31.6 million to € -65.1 million (previous year: € -33.5 million). The EBIT margin of the Microelectronics segment at -9.9%, was 4.9 percentage points lower than the prior-year-value of -5.0% due to due to lower revenue, increased price pressure, a less favourable product mix, higher start-up costs as well as higher depreciation and amortisation. Additions to assets declined by € 60.9 million to € 996.1 million (previous year: € 1,056.9 million). The additions were primarily related to construction activities at the plants in Kulim and Hinterberg.
The result of the general holding activities included in the Others segment was € 10.2 million higher than in the previous year, with EBITDA amounting to € 1.2 million (previous year: € -9.0 million). The main reasons for the positive deviation were increased charging from holding and corporate activities to the operating segments, an increase in grants received as well as lower expenses for legal, IT, and consulting services.
Others segment – overview
€ in millions (unless otherwise stated)
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Segment revenue | 0.0 | – | n.a. |
| Operating result before depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) | 1.2 | (9.0) | >100% |
| EBITDA adjusted¹ | 5.1 | – | n.a. |
| EBITDA margin (%) | – | – | |
| EBITDA margin adjusted (%)¹ | 0.3% | – | |
| Operating result (EBIT) | (6.3) | (15.4) | 58.9% |
| EBIT adjusted¹ | (2.3) | – | n.a. |
| EBIT margin (%) | – | – | |
| EBIT margin adjusted (%)¹ | (0.1%) | – | |
| Additions to property, plant and equipment and intangible assets | 28.7 | 56.3 | (49.1%) |
| Employees (incl. leased personnel), average | 448 | 415 | 8.1% |
¹ Adjustment start-up costs.
Increase in non-current assets
Total assets increased by 12.3% to € 4,674.9 million in the financial year 2023/24. Non-current assets rose by € 676.0 million to € 3,476.2 million. While property, plant and equipment increased by € 715.6 million to € 3,394.9 million, intangible assets declined by € 4.7 million to € 20.1 million. In property, plant and equipment, additions to assets and technology upgrades of € 1,106.4 million were offset by depreciation totalling € 268.2 million. Property, plant and equipment as reported in the statement of financial position also includes right-of-use assets of € 440.4 million resulting from the application of IFRS 16. The net change in non-current assets amounted to € 710.9 million or 26.3% to € 3,415.0 million (previous year: € 2,704.1 million).
Net working capital
€ in millions (unless otherwise stated)
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventories | 160.8 | 145.4 | 10.6% |
| Trade receivables and contract assets | 227.8 | 275.7 | (17.4%) |
| Trade payables | (430.6) | (457.9) | 6.0% |
| Liabilities from investments | 195.9 | 314.0 | (37.6%) |
| Working capital trade | 153.9 | 277.1 | (44.5%) |
| Other current assets, payables, provisions | (10.3) | 1.6 | (>100%) |
| Net working capital | 143.6 | 278.7 | (48.5%) |
| Net working capital in % of total revenue | 9.3% | 15.6% | |
| Days outstanding (in days):¹ | |||
| Inventories | 75 | 95 | (21.1%) |
| Receivables | 69 | 65 | 6.2% |
| Payables | 83 | 74 | 12.2% |
¹ Calculation logic changed in the 2022/23 business year.
Current assets decreased by € 163.0 million to € 1,198.7 million. Cash and cash equivalents declined to € 676.5 million (previous year: € 791.7 million). Financial assets increased by € 1.8 million to € 26.9 million. Overall, AT&S thus has cash and current financial assets totalling € 703.4 million (previous year: € 816.8 million). The increase of inventories by € 15.4 million to € 160.8 million primarily results from an increase in unfinished products and raw material inventories. Trade receivables, other receivables and contract assets decreased by € 66.2 million to € 328.1 million. Trade receivables declined by € 12.7 million, contract assets by € 16.4 million and other receivables by € 17.2 million. The reduction was additionally supported by higher factoring activities (change: € 18.7 million). Trade payables fell by € 27.3 million or 6.0% from € 457.9 million to € 430.6 million, including an increase in liabilities from investments by € 118.1 million to € 195.9 million (previous year: € 314.0 million).
Net gearing increased
Equity declined by 16.5% from € 1,157.5 million to € 966.6 million. Negative effects were related to the negative result for the year of € -36.7 million, currency differences from the translation of net asset positions of subsidiaries and the translation of long-term loans to subsidiaries of € -114.2 million. In addition, the coupon payment of € 17.5 million for the hybrid bonds as well as the dividend payment of € 15.5 million caused a decline in equity. Actuarial losses of € -1.0 million (previous year: gains of € 3.0 million) resulting from the parameters used for the calculation of personnel expenses reduced equity. The measurement of hedging instruments to hedge cash flows reduced equity by € 6.1 million (previous year: gain of € 4.6 million). Non-current financial liabilities increased by € 571.7 million or 55.3% to € 1,605.0 million. In the past financial year, a promissory note loan totalling € 275 million was placed on the market and term loans of € 145 million were concluded. Current financial liabilities declined from € 662.4 million to € 518.2 million.Net debt rose by € 551.8 million or 64.8% to € 1,403.0 million (previous year: € 851.2 million). The increase was primarily due to a decline in cash and cash equivalents resulting from AT&S’s investing activities and a simultaneous increase in financial liabilities to finance the planned construction activities and the procurement of machinery. The payments related to bilateral agreements, which are contained in the contract liabilities, rose by € 304.3 million to € 911.5 million.
| Net debt € in millions (unless otherwise stated) | 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial liabilities, current | 518.2 | 662.4 | (21.8%) |
| Financial liabilities, non-current | 1,605.0 | 1,033.4 | 55.3% |
| Gross debt | 2,123.2 | 1,695.8 | 25.2% |
| Cash and cash equivalents | (676.5) | (791.7) | 14.6% |
| Financial assets | (43.7) | (52.8) | 17.2% |
| Net debt | 1,403.0 | 851.2 | 64.8% |
| Operating result before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) | 307.5 | 416.7 | (26.2%) |
| Net debt/EBITDA ratio | 4.6 | 2.0 | |
| Equity | 966.6 | 1,157.5 | (16.5%) |
| Total consolidated statement of financial position | 4,674.9 | 4,161.9 | 12.3% |
| Equity ratio (%) | 20.7% | 27.8% | |
| Net gearing (net debt/equity) (%) | 145.2% | 73.5% |
Net gearing increased to 145.2% and is therefore above the level of the previous year of 73.5%.
The focus of the financial year 2023/24 was on ensuring continued financial flexibility and providing sufficient liquidity for operating activities and the planned investments. To this end, a promissory note loan totalling € 275 million was placed on the market and term loans of € 145 million were concluded.
The financing of AT&S is based on a broad spread of both financing instruments and maturities. Based on the prevailing financial market conditions, a stronger focus may be placed on individual instruments or, as the case may be, they may not be used at times. Loans which include guarantees by governmental and supranational organisations are a major component of the refinancing portfolio: their advantages lie in the fact that these organisations share part of the credit risk, as well as in favourable terms and conditions intended to provide incentives for investments in specific regions, for innovation and to promote the export sector. AT&S currently uses financing with guarantees by Oesterreichische Kontrollbank (OeKB) and a direct engagement with the European Investment Bank and KfW IPEX-Bank. The importance of promissory note loans as a key financing pillar did not change in the financial year 2023/24. The advantages of promissory note loans are their high level of predictability and their comparatively low issue costs. Due to these advantages, AT&S intends to also use this form of financing in the future.
| Instruments € in millions | 31 Mar 2024 in % | 31 Mar 2023 in % |
|---|---|---|
| Registered bond | 15.0 0.6% | 15.0 0.6% |
| Promissory note loans | 631.6 23.4% | 696.1 28.7% |
| Bank borrowings | 1,476.6 54.6% | 984.7 40.7% |
| Gross debt | 2,123.2 78.5% | 1,695.8 70.0% |
| Credit lines | 581.5 21.5% | 725.6 30.0% |
| Committed credit lines | 2,704.7 100.0% | 2,421.4 100.0% |
At 31 March 2024, promissory note loans totalling € 631.6 million (previous year: € 696.1 million) were placed with national and international investors. The remaining terms range between seven month and roughly six years. Furthermore, financing in the form of bank loans, lease agreements, and third-party financing is used (category “bank loans”). As at 31 March 2024, € 1,476.6 million were taken out with national and international banks (previous year: € 984.7 million). They have remaining terms ranging from a few months up to ten years. Credit lines serve to cover liquidity fluctuations, as a financing reserve and as financing provisions. At the balance sheet date, AT&S had unused credit lines of € 581.5 million (previous year: € 725.6 million) in the form of contracted loan commitments from banks. As at 31 March 2024, AT&S had used 78.5% (previous year: 65.8%) of its contracted financing potential and still possesses sufficient financial reserves in addition to cash and cash equivalents. The theoretical repayment period for debts, defined as net debt/EBITDA, of 4.6 years was significantly above the previous year’s figure (2.0 years). The equity ratio decreased from 27.8% in the previous year to 20.7% in the reporting year and thus remained below the medium-term target of more than 30.0%. This is due in particular to the increase in total assets as a result of investments and securing the financing of the future investment programme. For further information regarding capital risk management, please refer to Note 20 “Additional disclosures on financial instruments” – subsection Capital Risk Management – in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. AT&S pursues a balanced structure in terms of maturity. The repayment structure shows a high amount totalling € 518.2 million in the year 2023/24 due to the repayment of parts of the promissory note loans, bank loans, and lease liabilities. AT&S strives to finance capital requirements early and has liquidity reserves of € 1,276.8 million (previous year: € 1,542.5 million), which consist of financial resources and unused credit facilities.
Minimising interest rate risk is another important treasury objective, with an adequate ratio of variable to fixed interest rates. 36.0% (previous year: 44.0%) of financing is conducted at, or was swapped to, fixed interest rates and 64.0% (previous year: 56.0%) is based on variable interest rates. Strategies for hedging interest rates are regularly evaluated and adapted as necessary. Compared with the previous year, the share of variable interest rates rose due to the maturing of liability items carrying fixed interest. Overall, AT&S is in a position to turn the interest exposure in the desired direction at any time by using appropriate hedging instruments.
| Carrying amount of financial liabilities by maturity € in millions | 31 Mar 2024 in % | 31 Mar 2023 in % |
|---|---|---|
| Remaining maturity | ||
| Less than 1 year | 518.2 24.4 | 662.4 39.1% |
| Between 1 and 5 years | 1,235.0 58.2 | 926.4 54.6% |
| More than 5 years | 370.0 17.4 | 107.0 6.3% |
| Total financial liabilities | 2,123.2 100.0 | 1,695.8 100.0 |
AT&S also intends to invest available liquid funds profitably but risk-sensitively. As at 31 March 2024, AT&S had financial resources totalling € 703.4 million (previous year: € 816.8 million). The aim is to achieve the highest possible yields with the liquid funds available in the short term by optimising the investment period through the early conversion of liquid funds into currencies that have higher interest rates than the euro.
| € in millions | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash flow from operating activities before changes in working capital | 496.2 | 472.0 | 5.1% |
| Cash flow from operating activities | 653.4 | 476.4 | 37.2% |
| Cash flow from investing activities | (826.0) | (1,044.9) | 20.9% |
| Operating free cash flow | (202.0) | (519.8) | 61.1% |
| Free cash flow | (172.6) | (568.5) | 69.6% |
| Cash flow from financing activities | 51.8 | 211.0 | (75.5%) |
| Change in cash and cash equivalents | (120.9) | (357.5) | 66.2% |
| Currency effects on cash and cash equivalents | 5.6 | 29.3 | (80.9%) |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year | 676.5 | 791.7 | (14.6%) |
Early conversion into foreign currencies also serves as a natural currency hedge and a reduction of exposure to foreign currencies. The objective of AT&S is to keep the US dollar net risk position to a minimum. As at 31 March 2024, assets denominated in US dollars (trade receivables, financial assets and cash denominated in US dollars) amounting to € 755.8 million (previous year: € 714.2 million) were offset by liabilities denominated in US dollars (trade payables and financial liabilities denominated in US dollars) amounting to € 289.1 million (previous year: € 291.1 million). The resulting net risk position – at 31 March 2024 this was an active balance of € 466.7 million (previous year: € 423.1 million) – thus amounted to 10.0% (previous year: 10.2%) of the Group’s total assets and liabilities. In addition to this natural hedging and the above-mentioned instruments for interest rate hedging, AT&S occasionally hedges foreign currency transaction risks in the short term (up to one year).
Another treasury objective consists of optimised relationship management with financing partners. For AT&S, this means the selection of banks for cooperation at the national and international level as well as setting up and maintaining the communication necessary for both sides. The aim is to create a high level of transparency regarding the opportunities and risks of AT&S to strengthen a long-term partnership with the financing institutions which is successful for both sides. The annual and quarterly reports serve as the basis for this. In addition to the development of the financing network, AT&S continuously monitors the money and capital markets regarding possible transactions and transaction partners. This is not limited to debt financing but also extends to all forms of equity and M&A financing.
Cash flow from operating activities before changes in working capital rose by € 24.2 million from € 472.0 million to € 496.2 million. This increase is primarily due to an increase by € 136.9 million in payments received as part of bilateral agreements to € 273.8 million (previous year: € 136.9 million). The year-on-year decrease in EBITDA by € 109.2 million to € 307.5 million (previous year: € 416.7 million) had a negative effect. Interest payments were up € 36.1 million to € 59.1 million (previous year: € 23.0 million). Interest received increased by € 13.2 million to € 25.5 million (previous year: € 12.3 million). Income taxes paid declined by € 11.3 million to € 24.2 million (previous year: € 35.5 million).Cash flow from operating activities, at € 653.4 million (previous year: € 476.4 million), is higher than in the previous year, which is primarily attributable to the positive changes in working capital. Cash flow from operating activities decreased by € 20.0 million due to an increase in inventories (previous year: increase of € 41.1 million) and due to a reduction in trade receivables, other receivables, and contract assets increased by € 88.0 million (previous year: increase of € 4.5 million). The positive change in trade payables and other liabilities increased cash flow by € 89.3 million (previous year: cash flow decreasing effect of € 51.8 million). Capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment, and intangible assets of € -858.8 million were lower than in the previous year (€ -1,101.0 million). Capital expenditures in Chongqing declined significantly, while outflows from investments in Hinterberg and Kulim increased. While capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment, and intangible assets decreased by € 242.2 million in the financial year 2023/24, inflows from the sale of property, plant and equipment of € 3.4 million also dropped sharply compared to the previous year (previous year: € 104.8 million). The significantly higher inflows of the previous year primarily resulted from the change in financing method (leasing) in the previous year for the construction activities in Hinterberg. However, overall, cash flow from investing activities, at € -826.0 million, was significantly lower than in the previous year (€ -1,044.9 million). Free cash flow from operating activities, i.e., cash flow from operating activities less net investments in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets, amounted to € -202.0 million in the financial year 2023/24 (previous year: € -519.8 million). Free cash flow, i.e. cash flow from operating activities less cash flow from investing activities, amounted to € -172.6 million (previous year: € -568.5 million), which was primarily attributable to the positive change in working capital (change € 152.8 million), reduced investment activities (change in net capex € 140.8 million) and the higher payments received from customers (change € 136.9 million). Cash flow from financing activities of € 51.8 million was € 159.2 million lower than in the previous year € 211.0 million). The most significant deviation resulted from other liabilities to financing partners, which increased to € 198.2 million in the previous year due to financing of investment projects in Chongqing, China, and which were unchanged in the financial year 2023/24. Likewise, there were no repayments of hybrid capital in the financial year 2023/24 (previous year: repayment of € 41.4 million). Cash inflows were related to borrowings of € 507.7 million (previous year: € 340.1 million) and investment grants of € 22.2 million (previous year: € 21.4 million). Cash outflows resulted from the repayment of financial liabilities of € -445.0 million (previous year: € -54.7 million), the dividend payment of € -15.5 million (previous year: € -35.0 million), and the hybrid coupon payment of € -17.5 million (previous year: € -19.5 million. Cash and cash equivalents decreased from € 791.7 million to € 676.5 million, due in particular to the high investment level. This reduction was partly offset by the positive cash flow from operating activities and the above-mentioned financing and investment measures. In addition, AT&S has current financial assets of € 26.9 million (previous year: € 25.1 million) at its disposal. Overall, AT&S thus has cash and current financial assets totalling € 703.4 million (previous year: € 816.8 million). These resources, which are currently still at a very high level, combined with unused credit lines of € 581.5 million (previous year: € 725.6 million), serve to secure the financing of the future investment programme and short-term repayments.
In addition to revenue and EBITDA, AT&S uses the indicators ROCE and Vitality Index for strategic corporate management. They reflect the operating performance vis-à-vis investors and customers. AT&S uses the return on capital employed (ROCE) to measure its operating performance from the point of view of investors, using the ratio of the result adjusted for finance costs – net to average capital employed. This ratio serves to derive the extent to which AT&S fulfils its investors’ interest requirements. Average capital costs are derived from the minimum return investors expect for providing equity or borrowings. The weighted average cost of capital (WACC) for the printed circuit board industry was around 9.7%. With ROCE amounting to 0.6%, AT&S fell significantly short of this level during the reporting period. Net operating profit after tax (NOPAT) decreased from € 115.0 million in the previous year to € 13.7 million primarily due to lower EBIT. Capital employed rose by € 452.9 million both due to the higher average equity as a result of higher net debt. Since NOPAT dropped more sharply than capital employed, ROCE declined from 6.6% in the previous year to 0.6% in the financial year 2023/24.
| € in millions | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating result (EBIT) | 31.1 | 146.2 | (78.7%) |
| Income taxes | (17.4) | (31.2) | 44.3% |
| Operating result after tax (NOPAT) | 13.7 | 115.0 | (88.1%) |
| Equity – average | 1,062.1 | 1,204.9 | (11.9%) |
| Net debt – average | 1,127.1 | 531.4 | >100% |
| Capital employed – average | 2,189.2 | 1,736.3 | 26.1% |
| ROCE | 0.6% | 6.6% |
| € in millions | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main revenue | 1,549.8 | 1,791.3 | (13.5%) |
| Main revenue generated by innovative products | 401.9 | 637.9 | (37.0%) |
| Vitality Index | 25.9% | 35.6% |
The second performance indicator, the Vitality Index, shows the ability to implement innovations on timer and in response to the market. AT&S measures this ability using the Vitality Index, which expresses the revenue share of products that feature new and innovative technologies and which have been launched on the market in the last three years. In the financial year 2023/24, the Vitality Index is 25.9% compared with 35.6% in the previous year. AT&S strives for a medium-term average Vitality Index of at least 20%. This target was exceeded in the financial year 2023/24.
With regard to significant events after the reporting date, please refer to the explanations in the notes to the consolidated financial statements, note 27 “Significant events after the reporting date”.
The AT&S Group currently operates six production plants, which specialise in different technologies.
The Austrian plants primarily supply the European market. In Europe, special applications and customer proximity are particularly important. Based on production and technological diversity, flexibility in manufacturing, and the broad customer spectrum, the plant in Leoben continues to pursue the path of niche and prototype production it embarked on in recent years. Among other things, production using embedding technology takes place in Leoben. In addition, investments were made in the expansion of the IC core line to provide the required capacities for precursor material to supply the production facilities in Chongqing, Kulim, and Leoben. Now the Company is investing in a new R&D centre for substrate and packaging solutions for the global semiconductor industry at the location in Leoben. As part of the current diversification strategy, new customers were won for the IC substrates business segment. As a result of this development, the R&D centre will be expanded to include series production. In April 2024, the installation of the equipment for IC substrates began, and the start of series production is expected for 2025. The Fehring plant serves the Electronics Solutions segment, in particular the 3S areas (smart infrastructure, smart mobility, and smart manufacturing), as well as the medical device segment.
The Shanghai plant manufactures HDI (High-Density Interconnection) and mSAP (modified semi-additive process) printed circuit boards, in particular for customers in the areas of 3C (computer, communication and consumer electronics) and 3S (smart infrastructure, smart mobility and smart manufacturing). The plant has established itself as a leading supplier of the latest technology generation and its broad technology spectrum is very well received by customers.
The location in Chongqing currently comprises three operating plants. The plants Chongqing I and Chongqing III are designed for the production of IC substrates (integrated circuit substrates). At Chongqing III, which was newly built in 2021, the first of four production lines commenced production of large series in October 2021. The second line was commissioned in 2022, while a large part of the third line was approved for production in 2023. The installation work for the fourth line will be resumed depending on the development of the semiconductor market. High-end mSAP printed circuit boards and printed circuit boards for modules are produced for mobile applications at the Chongqing II plant. The production capacity for modules was further expanded to serve the growing customer demand in the high-end segment. The full expansion of the plant is scheduled to be completed in the coming financial year.
Construction of the plant for IC substrates, which commenced in October 2021, is in progress. The construction work is proceeding as scheduled; however, part of the investment project will be executed later than planned. Installation of the equipment started at one of the plants and the first products have been delivered for qualification by the customer. The site was officially opened in January 2024.# Ansan
The very positive development of the site in Korea continued in the financial year 2023/24 in particular in the medical technology segment for European and American customers. Capacity utilisation was very good at this site during the financial year 2023/24.
The site continued to focus on exports and strengthened its position, particularly in the automotive market. The qualification for HDI products continued, and the strategy towards higher-quality technologies in the product mix was thus further pursued.
AT&S Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong, is the holding company and the headquarters of Group-wide procurement. The proximity to the customers’ CEMs and to suppliers is a locational advantage that is highly valued by business partners.
The sales support companies in America, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Sweden continued to ensure good and close contact with customers in the financial year 2023/24.
As of the reporting date of 31 March 2024, the Company’s ordinary shares amount to € 42,735,000 and are made up of 38,850,000 no-par value shares with a notional value of € 1.10 per share. The voting right at the Annual General Meeting is exercised according to no-par value shares, with each no-par value share equalling one voting right. All shares are bearer shares. Significant direct and indirect shareholdings in the Group parent company AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft, which amount to at least 10% at the reporting date, are presented below: see table below. At the reporting date of 31 March 2024, roughly 64.3% of the shares were in free float. With the exception of the shareholdings stated below, no other shareholder held more than 10% of the voting rights in AT&S. No shares with special control rights exist. The exercise of the voting right by employees who hold shares in the Company is not subject to any limitations. No special provisions exist on the appointment and dismissal of members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board.
The contracts of all Management Board members include a “Change of Control” clause. Such a change of control exists if a shareholder of the Company has obtained control of the Company in accordance with Section 22 of the Austrian Takeover Act (ÜbG) by holding at least 30% of the voting rights (including the voting rights of third parties attributable to the shareholder pursuant to the Austrian Takeover Act), or the Company has been merged with a non-Group legal entity, unless the value of the other legal entity amounts to less than 50% of the value of the Company according to the agreed exchange ratio. In this case, the Management Board member is entitled to resign for good cause and terminate the Management Board contract at the end of each calendar month within a period of six months after the change of control takes legal effect, subject to a notice period of three months (“special termination right”). If the special termination right is exercised or the Management Board contract is terminated by mutual agreement within six months of the change of control, the Management Board member is entitled to the payment of their remuneration entitlements for the remaining term of this contract, however, for a maximum of three annual gross salaries. Other remuneration components shall not be included in the calculation of the amount of the severance payment and shall be excluded from it.
The Management Board was authorised at the 25th Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019, until 3 July 2024, to increase the Company’s ordinary shares, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, by up to € 21,367,500 by way of issuing up to 19,425,000 new, no-par value bearer shares, for contributions in cash or in kind, in one or several tranches, also by way of indirect subscription rights, after having been taken over by one or more credit institutions in accordance with Section 153 (6) of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act (AktG). The Management Board was authorised to determine, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, the detailed terms and conditions of issue (in particular the issue amount, subject of the contribution in kind, the content of the share rights, the exclusion of subscription rights, etc.) (approved capital). The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the issuance of shares from the approved capital.
| Shares/in % | Shares | % capital | % voting rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dörflinger-Privatstiftung: Vienna, Austria | 7,043,133 | 18.13% | 18.13% |
| Androsch Privatstiftung: Vienna, Austria | 6,819,337 | 17.55% | 17.55% |
Furthermore, the Management Board was authorised at the 25th Ordinary General Meeting on 4 July 2019 to issue, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, one or several convertible bearer bonds at a total amount of up to € 150,000,000 until 3 July 2024 and to grant to bearers of convertible bonds conversion rights and/or subscription rights for up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in the Company in accordance with the convertible bond terms and conditions to be defined by the Management Board. In this regard, the Management Board was also authorised to fully or partially exclude shareholders’ subscription rights. In this context, the Company’s ordinary shares were conditionally increased by up to € 21,367,500 by way of issuance of up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in accordance with Section 159 (2) No. 1 of the Austrian Stock Corporation carried out if the bearers of convertible bonds issued based on the authorisation resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019 claim the right to conversion and/or subscription granted to them with regard to the Company’s shares. The Management Board was also authorised to determine, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, the further details of carrying out the conditional capital increase (particularly the issue amount and the content of the share rights). The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the issuance of shares from the conditional capital. The same applies in case the authorisation to issue convertible bonds is not exercised or the conditional capital is not used. With regard to the approved capital and the conditional capital, the following definition of the amount in accordance with the resolutions passed at the 25th Ordinary General Meeting on 4 July 2019 is to be observed: the sum of (i) the number of shares currently issued or potentially to be issued from conditional capital in accordance with the convertible bond conditions and (ii) the number of shares issued from approved capital shall not exceed the total amount of 19,425,000 (limitation of authorised amount). The Annual General Meeting also resolved to amend the Articles of Association in § 4 (Nominal capital) to reflect these changes.
At the 29th Ordinary General Meeting of 6 July 2023, the Management Board was again authorised to purchase, within a period of 30 months from the adoption of the resolution, treasury shares to an extent of up to 10% of the nominal share capital for a minimum consideration per share being at the most 30% lower than the average, unweighted stock exchange closing price over the preceding ten trading days and a maximum consideration per share at the most 30% higher than the average, unweighted stock exchange closing price over the ten preceding trading days; such purchases may take place via the stock exchange, by means of a public offering or any other legally permitted way, and for any legally permitted purpose. The authorisation also includes the purchase of shares by subsidiaries of the Company (Section 66 of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act). The Management Board was also authorised to withdraw shares after repurchase as well as treasury shares already held by the Company without further resolution by the Annual General Meeting. The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association arising from the withdrawal of shares. The authorisations granted by the resolution of the 27th Ordinary General Meeting on 8 July 2021 on agenda item 10 were revoked. Furthermore, the Management Board was authorised at the 25th Ordinary General Meeting on 4 July 2019 for a period of five years, i.e. up to and including 3 July 2024, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to sell or use the repurchased treasury shares or treasury shares currently held by the Company other than via the stock exchange or by public offer in particular for the purposes of stock transfer programmes, convertible bonds or as a consideration for the acquisition of entities, investments or other assets or for any other legal purpose, and to exclude a general purchase opportunity for shareholders. The Company held no treasury shares as of 31 March 2024.
At the 27th Annual General Meeting of 8 July 2021, the Management Board was authorised to reallocate an amount of up to € 50,000,000 of the balance sheet profit carried forward to new account – after dividend distribution – to free reserves, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board.
There are no off-balance sheet transactions between AT&S and its subsidiaries. AT&S has neither granted any loans nor assumed any liabilities in favour of board members. For further information, please refer to the notes to the consolidated financial statements, Note 22 “Share capital” as well as Note 15 “Financial liabilities”. The Company’s Corporate Governance Report pursuant to Section 243b of the Austrian Commercial Code is available at https://ats.net/en/company/corporate-governance/.# 3.3. Non-financial statement
In accordance with Section 243b (6) UGB (Austrian Commercial Code), the Company is exempt from the obligation to prepare a non-financial statement in the Management Report since a separate non-financial report has been drawn up. This non-financial report is included in the Annual Report 2023/24 as a separate chapter.
AT&S’s research and development activities are focused on exploiting the opportunities arising from digitalisation and ecological optimisation (e.g. artificial intelligence) for AT&S. The electronics industry, in particular microelectronics, plays a central role in this context. It provides systems that enable digitalisation in the first place (e.g. data centres and computers with high-performance processors). In addition, the energy consumption of these devices can be reduced dramatically based on the efficient structure of the overall systems. Microelectronics also forms the basis for completely new solutions for more efficient energy use along the entire value chain (production, transportation, storage and usage). The ongoing projects in this context are summarised in our four key development areas.
Services based on artificial intelligence (AI) and other developments in digitalisation are applied more and more frequently, thus finding their way into our everyday lives. This becomes possible through high-performance computers located in servers and data centres. To cope with massively growing data volumes, these high-performance computer systems are becoming ever more powerful and have to use less energy at the same time. AT&S develops solution concepts for IC substrates that specifically cater to those needs.
As digitalisation progresses, the data volume to be transmitted will also increase significantly in the years to come. Electronic systems working at higher frequencies (e.g. communication modules for 5G and in the future 6G, radar systems for cars) will offer solutions in this regard. These will require new interconnect technology solutions. Based on development projects in this area AT&S ensures that the products transmit signals fast, precisely and with minimal losses.
In view of the sustainability efforts, there is currently a strong trend in electrification towards carbon-neutral energy production, new energy source systems and electricity-based forms of propulsion. AT&S focuses its development activity on systems that enable optimum power supply with the lowest electrical losses from energy production to usage, and can therefore switch, control and transmit high loads.
Industrial production processes will change fundamentally in the decades to come. The processes will increasingly be organised using artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainability will also play a key role: the manufacturing of products must involve minimum consumption of natural resources, be highly reliable and enable the reuse of the materials employed. AT&S is working on new solutions that allow efficient and flexible manufacturing with minimum resource consumption (material, water, energy, etc.). To this end, large data volumes are being put to use via digitalisation to optimise and improve production processes as well as product properties and quality, and new solutions enabling the sparing use of resources in production are being developed.
The Vitality Index measures the impact of the innovative strength of a company. It describes the revenue share AT&S has generated with innovative products launched on the market in the past three years. Generally speaking, the Vitality Index is higher in the years following the successful implementation of new technologies and lower in the development phase of new technologies (i.e. during the phase before their market launch). In the past financial year we see the effect of the launch of new, innovative products on the market. AT&S strives for a mean annual Vitality Index of at least 20%. In the past financial year, a Vitality Index of 25.9% was recorded. The innovative strength and long-term competitiveness of a company are also reflected in the number and quality of its intellectual property rights: AT&S submitted a total of 62 new patent applications in the financial year 2023/24. At present, AT&S has 573 patent families, which resulted in 797 granted patents. The IP portfolio is further strengthened by externally acquired licences, in particular in the area of embedding technology.
The costs of research and development projects totalled € 155.4 million in the financial year 2023/24. This corresponds to a research rate (i.e. ratio to revenue) of 10.0% compared with 10.2% in the previous year. Based on the continuously high research rate, AT&S is securing its position as a technology leader for the years to come.
AT&S pursues a two-stage innovation process: The first stage is based on technology platforms. In these technology platforms, technical approaches are developed to solve the technical problems in the strategic applications of AT&S for the coming years. This stage corresponds to applied research and technology evaluation. Subsequently, it is the task of the local technology development and implementation departments at the AT&S sites to continue the experimental development of processes and products and to integrate them into the existing production process. These development activities are accompanied by developments in the virtual world and strong collaboration with our customers, suppliers, and research institutions.
The key development areas for “High-performance computing”, “High-frequency electronics” and “Power and power efficiency” were further expanded. In these platforms, solution concepts that will support the challenges of electronic systems and find optimal solutions by the end of the decade are developed. For example, new assembly and interconnect concepts are being developed that enable connecting individual components of computers chips with a high signal rate, and, using a variety of different materials (e.g. glass), giving the ever larger IC substrates the necessary reliability and form stability, and offering concepts for the energy-efficient power supply of high-performance computer modules, low-loss circuit and cooling concepts for electromobility and energy supply. In the future, these developments will be strongly supported and accelerated by the R&D centre at the AT&S headquarters in Leoben, which is currently being established. It is a development centre for IC substrates and other technologies in the field of advanced electronic packaging. An R&D, prototype and series production line, which globally sets a new technological standard in this area, constitutes the heart of the centre. This measure brings a technology segment to Europe which is only available in Asia today, thus making a substantial contribution to technological supply security. Coupled with the investments in research and development at the headquarters in Leoben in the areas of “Substrate – Core” and “Packaging Technologies” over the past years, this new centre will become a hotspot in electronics development and will be a guarantor of leading-edge solutions made by AT&S.
Opportunities and risk management is a fundamental part of conducting business within the AT&S Group. The objective of increasing enterprise value involves not only opportunities but also risks. The task of Risk Management is to provide a uniform system that enables early identification and proactive management of positive or negative deviations from the corporate goals. Therefore, AT&S operates a Group-wide Risk Management (RM) system in accordance with the Austrian Code of Corporate Governance (ACCG), an Internal Control System (ICS) in accordance with COSO standards, as well as Internal Audit based on the IIA standards. From an organisational perspective, Risk Management, Internal Control System and Internal Audit functions fall within the responsibility of the CFO. Risk Management reports regularly to the full Management Board at a Management Board meeting. The Supervisory Board is included within the framework of the Audit Committee meetings, which take place at least twice a year. The proper functioning of the risk management system is assessed annually by the auditor in the course of the annual audit of the financial statements pursuant to Rule 83 ACCG. The risk management process shown in Figure 1 is conducted at least twice a year. Risk management is conducted based on the risk strategy and risk exposure at the hierarchy level assigned to the relevant level of risk (see Figure 2), which was defined in a Group-wide risk management policy.
In the financial year 2023/24, the integration of Enterprise Risk Management in all organisational units was intensified. At risk management workshops with the Group, business unit and plant functions, risks are comprehensively identified and assessed, and mitigation measures are defined. The standardized parameters used for the risk assessment have been revised within financial year 2023/24. Furthermore, the continuous improvement of the maturity level is mirrored in the risk reporting to the Management and Audit Committee.
The risks, uncertainties, and opportunities facing the Group are generally based on worldwide developments in the printed circuit board and substrate market and the Group’s own operating performance. The material risks are described by risk category in the following section.# Strategy
To use growth potential, AT&S has undertaken substantial investments in new technologies (IC substrates) as well as in the further development and capacity expansion of existing technologies (SLP, mSap, HDI). To secure the high-end substrate business as a strategic cornerstone, AT&S is investing in a production site at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah, Malaysia. The project is carried out in cooperation with two leading manufacturers of high-performance computing semiconductors. One of the two plants is nearly finalised and qualification has started. Production is expected to ramp at the end of fiscal year 2024/25. The building envelope of the second plant is completed. The timing of the procurement and installation of production equipment depends on how the market and the situation of a relevant customer develop. In addition, the Company invested in a new R&D center for substrate and packaging solutions for the global semiconductor industry at its site in Leoben-Hinterberg. As part of the current diversification strategy, new customers were won for the IC substrate segment. As a result of this development, the R&D center will be expanded to include series production, supported by financing contributions from new customers. Unexpected technological developments, changes in demand, restrictions through third-party patents, negative price developments, shorter technology cycles or problems in the technical implementation may have severe adverse effects on the intrinsic value of such investments. These effects can generally impact all current AT&S business activities. If there are any indications of such adverse effects, impairment tests of these investments are performed as required, which may lead to high impairment requirements due to the high investments made.
The use of HDI technology was successfully transferred from smartphone applications and other mobile devices to further applications, for example in the automotive industry. Delays in switching over to the new technologies on the customer side and volatile market developments may pose challenges for AT&S and lead to excess supply, over-capacities, and underutilisation. The opportunities of the AT&S plants are based on high flexibility, high quality standards, and the ability to react very quickly to changing specifications and technologies. These capabilities are imperative for prevailing in the competitive environment, especially in the Industrial segment, which is subject to diverse technological requirements among a large number of customers. To safeguard this competitive edge, AT&S constantly pursues new forms of technology and projects in close cooperation with customers. The market demand for IC substrates significantly declined in 2023 and is expected to grow at the end of fiscal year 2024/25. A recovery to 2022 levels is expected to take at least until 2025, however. The rapid decline and elevated inventories in the market of IC substrates for notebooks, seen after the boom of 2021/2022, ended and stabilized in 2023. The rapid demand increase for high-priced AI-related infrastructure as well as macroeconomic conditions (e.g. inflation, high interest rates, fears of recession) muted the numbers of server systems sold in 2023. This led to a decline in demand for server-related IC substrates and also elevated inventories. Based on seasonal market dynamics, the market is expected to pick up at the end of fiscal year 2024/25 again and lead to overall growth in IC substrates. AT&S is therefore adjusting the investment program in Malaysia to the current market situation. Competitor risks arise due to potential quality improvements and technological developments in countries with low production costs, for example, Vietnam or the Philippines. This could lead to a loss of competitiveness at AT&S sites, especially in Austria but possibly also at other production sites such as those in South Korea and China. In addition, competitors announced substantial investments in capacities for ABF substrates and PCB production sites outside of China in the past year, which can lead to additional overcapacities in the market and the resulting falling prices. Moreover, a difficult market environment in the financial year 2024/25 could adversely impact the Group‘s results. The war in Ukraine with its effects on the energy market, continued tensions between the USA and China, the upcoming election in the USA as well as a potentially persisting high interest level result in a continued weak market environment. Lower demand for IC substrates, possible reservations of customers regarding deliveries from China, stagnating smartphone sales, weak demand in the Automotive and Industrial segments as well as unfavourable market developments in the other core segments could lead to a decline in revenue. The broad-based positioning of AT&S in the Mobile Devices & Substrates segment and in the Automotive, Industrial, Medical segment with their different production cycles can partially mitigate market risks. Along with controlling risks, crisis-proof applications are being pushed based on customer and application analyses, for example applications in the medical sector.
With the help of advanced production technologies and high-quality standards, AT&S has managed to establish itself as a reliable provider to some of the world’s most renowned players in the electronics industry. Due to the focus on high-end technology, the number of customers is limited to technology leaders. The revenue generated by the five largest customers accounts for 71% of total revenue, with the respective shares ranging from 2% to 35%. Our long-term relationships with these customers also offer excellent opportunities for the future. However, a concentration of this kind also poses risks if there is a significant reduction in business volume or profitability from these customers. As part of its diversification strategy, AT&S succeeded in winning additional IC substrate customers, in particular in the area of server ICs. These measures support the rapid compensation of potential negative developments among individual key customers. Nevertheless, adverse changes in the markets can have a negative impact on AT&S, as the customers operate in similar market segments.
Supply chain trends are evolving all the time, the recent history has proven how important it is to be responsive, scalable and agile. Due to the past year market downturn, leading to even more customer demand volatility, the must-win battle is about providing a rapid response to customers, with shorter lead times, in order to excel in customer service and value proposition. AT&S is continuously optimizing its supplier base to create value, reduce delivery lead times, mitigate procurement risks through targeted supplier management, and exceed customer expectations. The past disruptions (Covid-19, war in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions) have eventually led to improvements in responsiveness and lead time reduction, thanks to alternate transportation options, as well as the qualification of new vendors regionally closer to AT&S manufacturing locations. Likewise, anticipating our production needs in Malaysia, an extended supplier base is being developed in South-East Asia. The market price volatility observed shortly after the beginning of the war in Ukraine has been contained: for raw materials the LME Copper rate has been very stable over the last 12 months On the contrary, Gold prices increased over the same timeframe, while Palladium price dropped, therefore the impacts were able to compensate each other.
The sourcing strategy of AT&S focuses on a wide and clearly diversified base of carefully selected suppliers to reduce dependencies on individual suppliers. Long-standing and stable customer-supplier relations are in place with key suppliers with particular expertise and competitive standing. To avoid supply shortages, AT&S conducts rigorous supplier risk management, taking account of regional cluster risks and various supply routes. In this matter of Transportation & Logistics, since the end of December 2023, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has escalated, and shipping companies have suspended the crossing of the Red Sea, re-routing their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. These disruptions in the Suez Canal have created more challenges through longer transit times, higher costs, and lower on-time reliability with accumulated delays & shortages. AT&S is very closely monitoring the situation with partners and freight forwarders, consequently due to immediate responsiveness and actions implemented (e.g. extension of lead times extended, revision of ordering patterns, inventory levels readjustment, pre-booking of vessels), there has been no major impact reported.
The vast majority of AT&S’s operating activities are based at sites outside of Austria, particularly in China. This means that the Group might be subject to potential legal uncertainties, state intervention, trade restrictions or political unrest. Irrespective of the above, any production site of the Group may furthermore be exposed to disruptive events such as fire, natural disasters, acts of war, shortages of supply or other elementary events. The termination of land use rights, permits, or lease contracts for specific plants might also have a considerable negative impact on the production output of the Group. Manufacturing PCB’s and IC substrates require a large number of wet-chemical, energy- and water-intensive processes. Furthermore, room conditions within the production area (e.g. clean room) and storage area (e.g. cold storage) have to meet specified limits. Climate-related changes may cause an increase in ambient temperature and a higher frequency of extreme weather events (e.g.## OperatiONs
As in the past, the high quality of products, adherence to delivery deadlines and service quality will offer the Group an opportunity to differentiate itself from the competition and exploit growth opportunities in the future. At the same time, AT&S has to make substantial contractual commitments, especially to key customers, with respect to capacity reserves and volume guarantees, adherence to delivery deadlines, and quality performance. Any technical defects, quality deficiencies, difficulties in delivering products, or failure to provide volume guarantees granted may expose AT&S to warranty claims, claims for damages, and contractual penalties. Quality deficiencies may even lead to delivery stops for certain part numbers. Even if such quality deficiencies were not caused in the production process of AT&S but within the supply chain, such delivery stops may lead to significant drops in revenue. Substantial quality deficiencies could also result in product recalls and the loss of customers. AT&S has established a quality management and planning system designed to rule out or minimise deficiencies in product quality and planning mistakes and their negative consequences as far as possible. In order to ensure high product quality, AT&S not only meets general international quality standards (ISO 9001) but also further standards for the automotive (e.g. IATF 16949), aviation (e.g. NADCAP accreditation), and medical technology (e.g. DS/EN ISO 13485) sectors. Furthermore, the Group is insured against major risks by virtue of an (extended) product liability insurance policy taking into account exclusions of coverage and customary coverage limits.
AT&S endeavours to exploit any opportunities for obtaining intellectual property as well as gaining access to promising patents through the development of its own projects, cooperation schemes with partners, and investments. Risks arise if AT&S fails to protect its intellectual property, thus enabling the competition to utilise these technologies. Legal disputes about intellectual property can prevent AT&S from using or selling disputed technologies. Furthermore, legal disputes with regard to the unauthorised use of external intellectual property can have considerable negative financial consequences.
The establishment and expansion of capacity for IC substrates in Chongqing and Kulim lead to specific risks given the significant investment volume. The market for IC substrates is influenced by technological changes. The establishment of an R&D centre including prototype production in Austria is also intended to serve the development of new technologies, thus mitigating the market risk of IC substrates. However, this technological progress includes the general risk of new technology developments. Complications in advancing these technological developments and project implementation could result in major burdens on business development and the existing financial and administrative resources.
AT&S has initiated comprehensive cost optimisation programmes in order to mitigate effects resulting from weak demand, price pressure, and inflation. These programmes focus on increasing the scope of continuous improvement measures, on accelerating their implementation, and on eliminating the inefficient use of materials and resources as far as possible. Continuous cost reduction and efficiency increases in all business segments are crucial to the Group’s profitability. If cost reduction measures and performance increases cannot be implemented as planned (or if the costs cannot be passed on to customers), this may have a negative impact on the competitiveness of the Group.
The electronics industry is characterised by highly integrated, transnational supply chains that are based on the free trade of goods and services. Potential protectionism or growing political tensions can lead to discontinuities in the supply chain and to competitive advantages for competitors in specific countries. The war between Ukraine and Russia, which has been ongoing since February 2022, has an impact on the entire global economy. In addition to the resulting humanitarian disaster, the war also affects the availability of materials and energy, which is reflected in their price development. Uncertainties regarding energy supply, particularly electricity, can also have a negative effect on AT&S. To mitigate this risk, measures have been taken to enable the Company to respond quickly if required. Furthermore, the AT&S energy strategy was also expanded to include the aspect of security of supply. Nevertheless, far-reaching sanctions and other unexpected geopolitical developments can have negative effects on the business operations of AT&S. A potential aggravation of the trade conflict between the USA and China could lead to an increase in punitive tariffs on imports of certain goods in both countries as well as trade restrictions for technology companies. From the current perspective, the trade conflict only has an insignificant influence on AT&S. Nevertheless, ongoing monitoring of new trade restrictions and/or export controls related to AT&S’s underlying technologies, raw materials, and equipment as well as potentially affected customers is necessary. In recent months, new escalations in East Asia, particularly between China and Taiwan, but also in Korea, as well as the renewed conflict in the Middle East, could have a general impact on global supply chain interdependencies. It is therefore important to monitor any intensification of these conflicts, which could potentially negatively impact on business activities. In addition, resulting macroeconomic developments may have an adversely affect the business of AT&S. The escalated war between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East is giving rise to further uncertainties in the global economy. In terms of manufacturing, Israel’s weight in the global semiconductor market is limited. Furthermore, AT&S doesn’t partner with manufacturing companies in Israel and is not dependent on the market in Israel. Nevertheless, the Red Sea crisis driven by the Middle East conflict has a negative impact on the transportation of goods and materials. Currently there are no major impacts on AT&S’s business, but a close monitoring of the situation is ongoing.
Amendments to regulatory requirements (for example REACH and ROHS), such as the prohibition of specific processes or materials, might lead to a rise in production costs. AT&S might be subject to payment of substantial damages or penalties should any breach of customer confidentiality agreements or statutory provisions occur. AT&S has implemented organisational measures aimed at preventing or minimising the occurrence of compliance risks. The extension of such measures is ongoing. As a rule, AT&S follows a zero-tolerance policy and expects 100% compliance with all applicable laws and regulations from its employees. The Governance, Risk & Compliance Committee (GRC Committee) supports Enterprise Risk Management in monitoring the risk landscape and helps promote compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, AT&S introduced the whistleblowing platform “We Care”, which enables employees and external third parties to report potential compliance violations.
To continue to successfully prevent attempted fraud, internal controls were further intensified in the past few financial years and initiatives to raise awareness among employees with regard to such fraud schemes were increased. Based on an analysis of internal processes regarding the use of personal data, the required measures were assessed and implemented in order to ensure the protection of sensitive data. Following the successful certification of all European locations in accordance with ISO 27001, the Information Security Management System (ISMS) was rolled out at all production locations and certification according to ISO 27001:2013 was performed. Alignment with international IT standards ensures safe handling and appropriate access to information, and the availability of reliable systems. Despite best efforts, we must acknowledge that no system is completely immune from potential hacking attacks. Such incidents, if they occur, could negatively impact the security of data and the availability of IT systems. AT&S continually strives to mitigate these risks and ensure the safety and integrity of its systems.
heatwaves, drought), which could lead to a limitation of resources (e.g. supply of water and energy). Consequently, either costs could increase (e.g. for heating or cooling) or, in the worst case, disruptions of the production process can occur, if the supply is interrupted. Additionally, further limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the air and water as well as stricter standards for the treatment, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes could be imposed. Therefore, AT&S is working on recycling projects (e.g. copper- and water recycling) to increase closed-loop processes and also a strategy to reduce waste. Moreover, the production processes expose some of the employees to impairments with regard to chemicals, noise, or emissions. Inadequate personal safety standards and inadequate safety management could cause business interruptions owing to rising accident and health cases. To minimise the effects of such risks, the Group has instituted business continuity management. AT&S also conducts active insurance management by means of weighing the risks and associated costs. It has concluded insurance contracts to the extent customary for a company of this size wherever such contracts were available at costs that are reasonable in relation to the impending risks.# Organisation Employees
The collective industry experience and management expertise of the employees of the AT&S Group are the foundation for using future opportunities. The two major projects (Leoben and Kulim) require a high number of qualified personnel. Should it not be possible to hire sufficient qualified staff, this might have a negative impact on the progress of these major projects. AT&S continuously develops strategies for retaining key employees, recruiting additional valuable personnel, and further expanding the skills of its staff.
Exchange rate fluctuations can have considerable positive or negative effects on the results of the Group. To minimize the transaction effects, the Group employs a hedging strategy by generating opposing cash flows in the respective currencies. The high investments in Asia over the past few years and the expected strong revenue growth will result in significant translation risks related to the RMB and MYR. Finance costs are influenced by currency effects because investments are in part denominated in foreign currency. The main intragroup loans are long-term in nature and their repayment is neither scheduled nor probable in the foreseeable future. These loans are therefore recorded directly in equity through the statement of comprehensive income. The extent of these risks is regularly analysed. The results are incorporated into strategies to implement efficient currency management.
The Group uses both short- and long-term financial and liquidity planning to secure the financial needs for the expansion strategy. However, negative business developments, significant deviations from assumptions in business cases, further changes in interest rates, exchange rate fluctuations, or valuation adjustments may have caused failure to achieve the targeted equity ratio and the net debt/EBITDA ratio, and subsequently may lead have led to additional financing requirements and higher costs, or even the temporary loss of existing financing facilities. The interest rate risk is hedged centrally for the Group by the Group Treasury as a whole, using appropriate financial instruments. For more information on financial, liquidity, credit, and foreign exchange risks, please refer to Note 20 “Additional disclosures on financial instruments” in the notes to the consolidated financial statements.
The Company is active on a global basis and thus subject to different tax systems. Unless the requirements for the formation of a provision or liability are met, both national and international tax risks are incorporated within financial risks and monitored accordingly. At present, the material tax risks are related to the Company in India. To minimise future tax risks, the Group continuously monitors compliance with national tax laws and international guidelines such as those of the OECD (in particular with a view to the BEPS action plan (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting)). Although AT&S strives to comply with all tax laws and regulations, there is a risk of different interpretations of international transactions in different countries, which may lead to double taxation and additional tax burdens. In addition, there is a risk of higher tax burdens resulting from future changes in tax legislation.
ESG risks, i.e. risks regarding environmental, social, and governance issues, have also been considered as part of corporate risk management. For further information regarding material ESG risks, please refer to the non-financial report 2023/24, section “ESG opportunities and risk management”.
The accounting-related Internal Control and Risk Management system is an integral part of the Group-wide risk management system. According to the framework concept of COSO (the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission), the actual risk management, as well as the Internal Control System (ICS), are subsumed under the concept of company-wide risk management. The main criteria of Risk Management, Internal Control System, and Internal Audit of AT&S are specified in a Group-wide risk management and audit manual. The documentation of the internal controls (business processes, risks, control measures, and those responsible) is made principally in the form of control matrices, which are archived in a central management database. The accounting-related Internal Control System includes principles, procedures, and measures to ensure the compliance of accounting in terms of control targets described for financial reporting. The Internal Control System aims to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the business activities, reliable financial reporting, and compliance with the applicable legal requirements and internal regulations. Further principles of the ICS are:
* Identification of operating risks and definition and implementation of adequate control measures
* Ensuring an adequate separation of functions
* Ensuring the correctness and completeness of accounting
* Ensuring transparency and traceability
* Disclosure of damage already done
* Protection of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets
The accounting procedures are documented in separate process instructions. These processes are standardised across the Group and are presented in a documentation format. Additional requirements for accounting procedures result from specific local regulations. The basic principles of accounting and reporting are documented in the process descriptions and in detailed process instructions, which are also filed in the central document management system. In addition, guidelines on measurement procedures and organisational requirements in connection with the processes of accounting and preparing financial statements are compiled and updated regularly. The necessary control measures in connection with accounting processes, for example, access authorisations and separation of functions, are documented in the Internal Control System. Their implementation and effectiveness are regularly reviewed by Internal Audit and any improvement measures are identified. The internal financial reporting is done monthly as part of Group reporting, with the financial information being reviewed and analysed by the Corporate Finance and Corporate Controlling departments. The monthly budget/actual variance with corresponding comments on the results of the segments, of the plants as well as of the Company, is reported internally to the executives and the members of the Supervisory Board. The annual preparation of the budget is carried out by the Corporate Controlling department. Quarterly forecasts are drawn up during the year for the remaining financial year based on the quarterly results and current planning information. The forecasts, with comments on the budget comparison and presentations on the impact of opportunities and risks up to the end of the financial year, are reported to the Supervisory Board. In addition to regular reporting, multiple-year planning, project-related financial information or calculations on investment projects are prepared and submitted to the Supervisory Board.
In 2023, the economy largely returned to pre-COVID-19 conditions. Supply chains and demand stabilized, while central banks tightened the monetary reins to curb inflation. In most regions, headline inflation slowed from the peaks experienced in 2022. However, core inflation, which excludes volatile prices for food and energy, proved stickier. Consumer demand remained muted in most major economies, as inflation and high interest rates reduced purchasing power. Global output, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increased by an estimated 3.1% in 2023, with advanced economies experiencing slower growth than emerging markets and developing economies. GDP grew by 0.5% in the euro area, by 5.2% in China, and by 2.5% in the United States. Projections for 2024 predict a global GDP growth of 3.1%.19 Conflicts and geopolitics continued to play a significant role on the international stage. One of the most discussed topics was the continued effort of the United States, supported by European and Asian partners, to restrict Chinese access to advanced technologies via export restrictions and bans targeting an increasing number of Chinese companies. The ongoing war in eastern Ukraine and, since Autumn 2023, the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza strip by the Israeli army following an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, have also contributed to the increase of tensions in the Middle East as well as internationally. Market analyses anticipate a declining trend of 4% for printed circuit boards and of 8% for IC substrates for the calendar year 2024. For further information on industry and technology trends please refer to Section 1 “Market and industry environment” of the Management Report.
The expectations for AT&S’s segments are currently as follows: In the area of mobile devices, where overall market conditions are weak, demand is expected to recover only slightly; this segment will remain a challenge for AT&S. In contrast, the module printed circuit board business continues to develop positively. Although the PCB market in the automotive segment is currently under pressure due to higher inventory levels in the supply chain, among other things, it is subject to a growth trend in the medium term, as the electronic content per vehicle continues to increase. In the Industrial segment, a slight recovery of the market is expected in 2024. The market for notebooks is generally volatile and subject to significant quarterly fluctuations. In the markets for IC substrates, demand for notebooks in 2024 is expected to be slightly higher than in 2023. This should lead to higher demand for IC substrates since inventories have now normalized.# Overall guidance for the financial year 2024/25
AT&S endeavors to finance its capital requirements at an early stage and currently has a liquidity reserve of € 1,276.8 million. Measures to secure future liquidity are continuously evaluated. In addition to the prolongation and raising of new loans, the sale of the subsidiary in South Korea is also being considered.
Some of the industries served by AT&S have stabilized over the past months. On this basis, demand is expected to recover in terms of volume, in particular in the second half of the financial year 2024/25. Nevertheless, the company assumes that strong price pressure will continue. The consistent implementation of and further focus on the already ongoing efficiency programs is intended to counter this pressure. In addition to comprehensive cost-cutting measures, a reduction of up to 1,000 employees will be implemented at the existing locations.
After the high investments of € 996 million in 2022/23 and € 855 million in 2023/24, net capex will decline significantly in the coming years. The management is planning investments of roughly € 500 million for the financial year 2024/25 depending on the market environment and progress of projects. The majority of these investments will be used for the IC substrate production at the new plants in Kulim and Leoben. With the start of high-volume production at the two plants at the end of the financial year 2024/25, AT&S will continue to further differentiate its customer base for IC substrates.
AT&S expects to generate annual revenue in the range of € 1.7 to € 1.8 billion in the financial year 2024/25. Excluding effects from the start-up of the new production capacities in Kulim and Leoben amounting to roughly € 80 million, the adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to range between 25 and 27%.
Leoben-Hinterberg, 13 May 2024
The Management Board
Andreas Gerstenmayer m.p.
Peter Schneider m.p.
Peter Griehsnig m.p.
Petra Preining m.p.
Ingolf Schröder m.p.
This report is a translation of the German original, which is solely valid.
We have audited the consolidated financial statements of AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft, Leoben (the Group), which comprise the consolidated statement of financial position as at March 31, 2024, and the consolidated statement of profit or loss, the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the financial year then ended, and notes to the consolidated financial statements.
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated financial statements comply with legal requirements and give a true and fair view of the consolidated financial position of the Group as at March 31, 2024, and its consolidated financial performance and its consolidated cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements under section 245a UGB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 537/2014 and with the Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. Those standards require the application of the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with laws and regulations applicable in Austria, and we have fulfilled our other professional responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained up to the date of our report is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion as of that date.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the consolidated financial statements as a whole and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
The valuation of deferred tax assets requires judgement and involves significant estimation uncertainties, and therefore, constitutes a risk of material misstatement in the consolidated financial statements. Estimation uncertainties exist in particular in relation to the assumption made in the business plan and their effect on taxable results. For this reason, we identified this issue as a key audit matter.
For the group wide analysis of the contractual and legal basis regarding the relevant accounting criteria for the identification of revenues that need to be recognized over time significant judgment from the management is involved, especially with regard to the evaluation if the enforceable right to payment for performance of the completed service exists. Furthermore because of the multitude of different types of contracts with customers, the group wide calculation of the contract assets to be recognized as of the reporting date are to be considered complex. For this reason, we identified this issue as a key audit matter.
Management is responsible for the other information.# REPORT OF THE STATUTORY AUDITOR
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated financial statements of AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Group as at March 31, 2024, and of its financial performance for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements under section 245a UGB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 and with Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, which require the application of the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements section of this report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the provisions of Austrian law and the requirements of the European regulations and the ISA (Austria) as well as the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the consolidated financial statements, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, but does not include the consolidated financial statements, the consolidated management report and our auditor’s report thereon. The consolidated corporate governance report and the consolidated non-financial report were made available to us before the date of the auditor's report, and the other parts of the annual report are expected to be made available to us after that date. Our opinion on the consolidated financial statements does not cover the other information and we will not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the consolidated financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information identified above when it becomes available and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the consolidated financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we, based on the work we did before the date of this report on the other information, conclude that the other information is materially misstated, we have to report it. In that respect, we have nothing to report.
Management is responsible for the preparation of the consolidated financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the EU and the additional requirements under section 245a UGB, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of consolidated financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the consolidated financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
The audit committee is responsible for overseeing the Group’s financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 and with Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, which require the application of the ISAs, will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these consolidated financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 and with Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, which require the application of the ISAs, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
We communicate with the audit committee regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit. We also provide the audit committee with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards. From the matters communicated with the audit committee, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the consolidated financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
Pursuant to statutory provisions, the consolidated management report is to be audited as to whether it is consistent with the consolidated financial statements and whether it has been prepared in accordance with the applicable legal requirements. Management is responsible for the preparation of the consolidated management report in accordance with the Austrian Commercial Code. We conducted our audit in accordance with laws and regulations applicable with respect to the consolidated management report.
In our opinion, the consolidated management report is prepared in accordance with the applicable legal requirements, includes appropriate disclosures according to section 243a UGB and is consistent with the consolidated financial statements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Group and its environment obtained in the course of our audit of the consolidated financial statements, we have not identified material misstatements in the consolidated management report.
We were appointed as auditors by the annual general meeting on July 6, 2023 and commissioned by the supervisory board on October 31, 2023 to audit the consolidated financial statements for the financial year ending on March 31, 2024. We have been auditing the Group uninterrupted since the financial year ending March 31, 2021.
We confirm that our opinion expressed in the section “Report on the Audit of the Consolidated Financial Statements” is consistent with the additional report to the audit committee referred to in Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014.
We declare that we did not provide any prohibited non-audit services referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 and that we remained independent of the Group in conducting the audit.
Engagement Partner
The engagement partner responsible for the audit is Gerhard Marterbauer.
Vienna, May 14, 2024
Deloitte Audit Wirtschaftsprüfungs GmbH
Gerhard Marterbauer
m.p.
Certified Public Accountant
This report is a translation of the audit report according to section 273 of the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB). The translation is presented for the convenience of the reader only. The German wording of the audit report is solely valid and is the only legally binding version. Section 281(2) UGB applies.
AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft
Financial Statements as of 31 March 2024
Table of contents
Balance Sheet
Profit- and Loss Statement
Notes to the Financial Statements as of 31 March 2024
Balance Sheet
Profit- and Loss Statement
Notes to the Financial Statements as of 31 March 2024
Table of contents
The financial statements of AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG (hereinafter referred to as “AT&S”) as of 31 March 2024 have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB) as amended. The financial statements, prepared under Austrian generally accepted accounting principles, present a true and fair view of the assets and liabilities, the financial situation of the company as of 31 March 2024, as well as of the results of its operations for the year then ended. In particular, the principles of going concern and individual valuation were adhered to in the seperate valuation of assets and liabilities. The principle of prudence was applied as all identifiable risks and impending losses were taken into account. Only the profits realised at the balance sheet date were recognised. Previously applied valuation methods were maintained. Estimations are based on prudent judgments. If empirical values determined by statistical methods from similar circumstances are available, they are to be taken into account. If assets or liabilities pertain to several items of the balance sheet, they are disclosed under the respective item they are stated.
Since 31 March 1999, AT&S has been a parent company within the meaning of section 244 UGB. By applying the provisions of section 245a UGB, the consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), complemented by notes and comments that are statutory under commercial law. A management report for the Group is also prepared. AT&S prepares the consolidated financial statements for the largest and smallest group of companies. The financial statements are deposited with Commercial court in Leoben. Advantage was taken of the exemptions provided under section 245 (1) UGB. The corporate law measures taken in the financial year are presented below:
In the financial year, AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, underwent a capital increase from company funds in the amount of €80,000,000.00.
Intangible and tangible assets are recognised at acquisition or production cost plus incidental acquisition cost less scheduled and unscheduled amortisation/depreciation. Impairment losses pursuant to Section 204 (2) UGB) are only recognized if the impairment in value is expected to be permanent. Low-value assets are written off in full in the year of acquisition. Scheduled amortisation/depreciation is charged on a straight-line basis according to the useful life.
Useful life
* Intangible assets: 4 - 10 years
* Buildings including Buildings on third party land: 15 - 40 years
* Machinery and technical equipment: 7 - 15 years
* Other assets, fixtures and furnitures: 3 - 10 years
For additions during the first half of the financial year, the full annual amortisation/depreciation was charged, for additions during the second half of the financial year, half of the annual amortisation/depreciation was charged. With regard to additions, amortisation/depreciation is calculated on the basis of the date of their initial use. Financial assets are stated at acquisition costs or the lower market values at the balance sheet date.
Raw materials and supplies as well as merchandise are valued at acquisition costs taking into account the strict lower of cost or market principle. Spare parts are valued at acquisition costs less a percentage with regard to discounts granted for asset classes. Discounts and bonuses received, as well as transport costs and customs were taken into account. Work in process and finished goods were valued at production costs. Material and production overhead costs were also included in the production costs. Receivables and other assets are stated at nominal values. Provisions are recognized for identifiable default risks, while unidentified default risks are accounted for by recognizing portfolio valuation allowances. Trade accounts receivable and loans for which there are no substantial indications of impairment are written down on a general basis as part of the portfolio valuation allowances. In accordance with Section 201 (2) no. 7 UGB, statistical empirical values from similar cases are used or taken into account when determining portfolio valuation allowances. Receivables denominated in foreign currencies are translated using the exchange rate at the date of the original transaction or the lower bank buying rate at the balance sheet date. Current securities are valued at acquisition costs or the lower market prices at the balance sheet date. Cash and cash equivalents held at banks denominated in foreign currencies are recognized at the exchange rate prevailing at the time of origination or lower exchange rate at the balance sheet date.
Prepaid expenses and deferred charges are reported as an item of deferred expenses before reporting date as long as it is expenditure for a specific period after the balance sheet date.
Differences between the carrying amounts in the financial statements and the taxable carrying amounts of fixed assets, provisions, liabilities and deferred items, which are expected to be offset in future financial years are calculated according to the “temporary concept” and are recognised as deferred tax assets in the Balance Sheet in case of a resulting overall tax relief. For future tax benefits arising from the carryforward of unused losses are recognised to the extent, as there are convincing and substantial evidences that sufficient taxable profit will be available in the next five years. For the calculation of deferred taxes, tax rates are used, that have been enacted or substantively enacted on the balance sheet date and are expected to apply when the realisation of tax relief or tax burden is expected. The calculation is based on the tax rate of 23 % with expected realisation from the fiscal year 2024/2025. An offsetting of deferred tax assets with deferred tax liabilities is carried out, if necessary, to the extent that it is legally possible to offset the actual tax refund claims with the actual tax liabilities.
The calculation of provisions for severance payments is based on the AFRAC-statement 27 “provisions for pensions, severance payments, anniversary bonus and comparable other long-term employee benefits persuant to the Austrian commercial Code“ (June 2022) pursuant to IFRS measurement requirements (IAS 19) based on the “projected unit credit method”, applying a discount rate of 3.60 % (prior year: 4.00 %) and a pensionable age according to the provisions of the 2003 pension reform as well as on the mortality tables AVÖ 2018-P. Furthermore, the company-specific staff turnover was taken into account by using an adequate turnover rate. As valorisation for salaries and wages 3.70 % were scheduled (prior year: 3.70 %). The defined benefit obligation (DBO) amounts to € 21,174,209.67 (prior year: € 20,312,172.46) at the balance sheet date. The change in the financial assumptions lead to an expense of € 797,778.92 (prior year: income of € 2,741,414.25), which is reported in the financial result.
The calculation of provisions for pensions is based on the AFRAC-statement 27 “provisions for pensions, severance payments, anniversary bonus and comparable other long-term employee benefits persuant to the Austrian commercial Code“ (June 2022) pursuant to IFRS measurement requirements (IAS 19) based on the “projected unit credit method”, applying a discount rate of 3.70 % (prior year: 4.10 %) based on the mortality tables AVÖ 2018-P. The pensionable age was determined according to the provisions of the 2003 pension reform. The uprating of the pensionable age for women starting from 01 January 2024 is also considered in the calculation 3.30 % as a value adjustment for pension payments were recognised (prior year: 3.30 %). The defined benefit obligation (DBO) of unfunded benefit obligations amounts to € 1,329,740.37 (prior year: € 1,240,598.95) at the balance sheet date. The change in the financial assumptions of unfunded benefit obligations results in an Expense of € 49,435.75 (prior year: income of € 130,964.41), which is reported in the financial result.
Moreover, pension obligations were in part transferred to APK Pensionskasse AG, Vienna, for which a provision was made at the balance sheet date. The defined benefit obligation (DBO) less plan assets amounts to € 8,624,629.91 (prior year: € 7,670,101.08) at the balance sheet date. The change in the financial assumptions of the funded obligations results in an expense of € 445,018.70 (prior year: income of € 2,081,664.52), which is reported in the financial result.The calculation of provision for anniversary bonuses is based on the AFRAC-statement 27 “provisions for pensions, severance payments, anniversary bonus and comparable other long-term employee benefits persuant to the Austrian commercial Code“ (June 2022) pursuant to IFRS measurement requirements (IAS 19) applying the “projected unit credit method” based on entitlements pursuant to collective agreements, applying a discount rate of 3.60 % (prior year: 4.00 %) as well as taking into account internal fluctuation by using an adequate turnover rate. As valorisation for salaries and wages 3.70 % were scheduled (prior year: 3.70 %). Wages include income from the release of provisons for anniversary bonuses of € 93,104.05 (prior year: income of € 85,780.50). Expenses for anniversary bonuses in salaries amounted to € 120,807.88 (prior year: € 54,617.65). The change in the financial assumptions results in an expense of € 166,144.91 (prior year: income of € 641,517.43), which is reported in the financial result. Provisions for impending losses from derivative financial instruments are recognised for negative market values in accordance with the imparity principle. Positive market values are not recognised in the balance sheet in accordance with the principle of prudence. Other provisions are calculated in accordance with statutory requirements taking into account all identifiable risks and uncertain liabilities. The other provisions are stated at their amount repayable. Provisions with a remaining term of more than one year are discounted at a market interest rate.
3.6. Liabilities
Liabilities are stated at the amount repayable. Liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated using the exchange rate at the date of the original transaction or the higher bank selling rate at the balance sheet date.
3.7. Accruals and deferred income
Accruals and deferred income are reported as an item of deferred income before the reporting date as long as it is revenue for a specific period after the balance sheet date. In order to deliver a true and fair view of the net assets, financial position and results of operations, accrued expense subsidies are reclassified as liabilities from deferred income.
4.1. Non-current assets
The item “buildings including buildings on third party land” includes land values in the amount of € 3,814,473.95 (prior year: € 1,229,400.11), as well as the finance leasing agreement for the new research center and production plant in Hinterberg/Leoben in the amount of € 335,628,894.44. The item "prepayments and construction in progress" includes accurals for machinery and equipment in transit in the amount of € 12,651,799.11. Reference is made to the following table for the development of non-current asset items.
4.2. Shares in affiliated companies
SHARES IN AFFILIATED COMPANIES in €
| Book value 31 Mar 2024 | Share % | Shareholders’ equity according to IFRS | Result of the past financial year according to IFRS | Book value 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&S Deutschland GmbH, Düren, Germany | 1,053,000.00 | 100 | 507,684.64 | 143,636.86 | 1,053,000.00 |
| AT&S India Private Limited, Nanjangud, India | 16,898,516.89 | 100 | 16,339,752.17 | 18,373.97 | 16,898,516.89 |
| AT&S Asia Pacific Limited, Hongkong, China | 229,768,865.92 | 100 | 527,586,786.65 | -13,606,447.20 | 229,768,865.92 |
| AT&S Korea Co., Ltd., Ansan-City, South Korea | 3,713,663.01 | 100 | 65,974,931.88 | 25,090,307.15 | 3,713,663.01 |
| AT&S Americas LLC, San José, California, USA | 6,444.34 | 100 | 2,305,840.44 | 376,857.14 | 6,444.34 |
| AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. | 148,965,517.44 | 100 | 32,536,032.37 | -85,727,281.23 | 68,965,517.44 |
| AT&S Skandinavia (AB), Solna, Sweden | 2,500.00 | 100 | 27,995.36 | 19,852.14 | 2,500.00 |
| Total | 400,408,507.60 | 320,408,507.60 |
Shares in affiliated companies are valued at acquisition cost or at their fair values at the balance sheet date. For the book values of the shares in affiliated companies, an impairment test was carried out according to the AFRAC-statement 24 “Investment valuation” (December 2022). The carrying amounts of the shares in affiliated companies were analysed and there were no indications of a lower fair value.
4.3. Loans
The item „Loans to affiliated companies” includes an amount of € 6,553,106.50 (prior year: € 6,771,764.07) which falls due within one year. In connection with loans to affiliated companies are write-ups due to unrealised foreign exchange effects in the amount of € 1,741,321.12 (prior year: write-offs in the amount of € 16,456,157.67) were recorded in the financial year. Under the item “Other Loans”, an amount of € 1,275,885.21 is due within one year. In connection with other loans, write-offs of € 1,182,344.50 (prior year: € 0.00) were made in the financial year due to unrealized foreign currency effects.
4.4. Receivables and other assets
Additional disclosure to receivables
Trade receivables were assigned to banks to the amount 100 % of the nominal value and are fully derecognised on the basis of the cessions of the essential opportunities and risks and on the basis of the transfer of the right of use to the acquiring party. As of 31 March 2024 trade receivables in total of € 35,741,286.68 (prior year: € 19,998,258.39) were sold. The default risk was completely assigned to the purchaser. AT&S assumes a liability for default, which is partly covered by credit insurance. The maximum risk associated with liability to default was € 3,574,128.99 as of balance sheet date (prior year: € 1,999,826.46) less the credit insurance coverage. Claims of existing credit insurances were transferred to the purchaser if applicable. Payments from customers of assigned trade receivables are presented in other receivables. Received customer payments from sold receivables are reported in short-term liabilities against banks. The administration of the trade receivables remains at AT&S. The receivables against affiliated companies consist exclusively of trade receivables of € 21.554.467,66 (prior year: € 7,330,273.96).
INCOME THAT WILL AFFECT CASH FLOW ONLY AFTER THE BALANCE SHEET DATE
Other receivables and assets include the following material income that will affect cash flow only after the balance sheet date:
INCOME THAT WILL AFFECT CASH FLOW ONLY AFTER THE BALANCE SHEET DATE in €
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax-free premiums | 28,446,264.00 | 16,345,590.86 |
| Grant IPCEI | 14,023,500.00 | 14,238,000.00 |
| COVID-19 refunds | 3,307,689.11 | 4,895,537.51 |
| Energy tax reimbursements | 1,183,426.94 | 1,105,565.31 |
| Supplies rebates | 606,772.28 | 545,448.10 |
| Total | 47,567,652.33 | 37,130,141.78 |
4.5. Deferred tax assets
The company has recognised deferred taxes for tax loss carryforwards amounting to € 179,181 thousand (prior year: € 147,317 thousand), which can be offset against future positive taxable income in line with the current tax planning. The development of the deferred tax assets, classified by balance sheet items (temporary differences) and loss carryforwards, is as follows:
DEFERRED TAX ASSETS in €
| As of 31 Mar 2022 | Recognised in profit or loss of the financial year | As of 31 Mar 2023 | Recognised in profit or loss of the financial year | As of 31 Mar 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed assets | 12,321.00 | -2,464.00 | 9,857.00 | -2,464.00 | 7,393.00 |
| Prepaid expenses and deferred charges | 0.00 | 172,666.00 | 172,666.00 | -115,166.00 | 57,500.00 |
| Loss carryforwards | 12,096,029.00 | 21,786,801.00 | 33,882,830.00 | 7,328,834.00 | 41,211,664.00 |
| Provisions | 4,932,741.00 | -1,710,886.00 | 3,221,855.00 | 674,913.00 | 3,896,768.00 |
| Liabilities | 983,326.00 | -220,683.00 | 762,643.00 | 45,966.00 | 808,609.00 |
| Total | 18,024,417.00 | 20,025,434.00 | 38,049,851.00 | 7,932,083.00 | 45,981,934.00 |
The Minimum Taxation Reform Directive (2022/2523) to ensure global minimum taxation for multinational enterprise groups and large domestic groups in the Union was transposed into national law in Austria on 30 December 2023. The global minimum tax is intended to ensure that groups with worldwide sales of at least € 750 million are subject to an effective tax burden of at least 15 percent in the countries in which they operate. As AT&S has to apply the regulations for the first time for the financial year beginning on April 1. 2024, an evaluation of the potential impact of the global minimum tax was carried out. Based on current planning, it can be assumed that no minimum tax will be incurred for the next financial year. In accordance with section 198 (10) sentence 3 no. 4 of the Austrian Commercial Code, no deferred taxes were recognised as a result of the application of the Minimum Tax Reform Act or a comparable foreign law.
4.6. Shareholders’ equity
Share capital
The ordinary shares of the company as of 31 March 2024 amount to € 42,735,000.00 (prior year: € 42,735,000.00) and are made up of 38,850,000 (prior year: 38,850,000) no-par value bearer shares with a notional value of € 1.10 each.
Approved capital and conditional capital increase
By resolution passed at the 25th annual general meeting on the 4 July 2019, the management board was authorised to increase the company's ordinary shares, subject upon approval by the supervisory board until 3 July 2024, by up to € 21,367,500.00 by way of issuing up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares against contribution in cash or in kind, in one or several tranches, also by way of indirect rights offering after having been taken over by one or more credit institutions in accordance with section 153 (6) Austrian Stock Corporation Act (AktG). In doing so, the management board was authorised, subject to approval by the supervisory board, to determine the detailed conditions for such issuance (in particular the issue amount, what the contribution in kind entails, the content of the share rights, the exclusion of subscription rights, etc.) (approved capital). The supervisory board was authorised to adopt amendments to the articles of association resulting from the issuance of shares from the approved capital.Furthermore, by resolution of the 25th annual general meeting on the 4 July 2019, the management board was authorised until 3 July 2024, subject to approval by the supervisory board, to issue one or several convertible bearer bonds at a total nominal amount of up to € 150,000,000.00 and to grant to bearers of convertible bonds subscription rights and/or conversion rights for up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares of the company in accordance with the convertible bond conditions to be defined by the management board. In this regard, the management board was also authorised to fully or partially exclude the shareholders’ subscription right to convertible bonds. Furthermore, in doing so, the company’s ordinary shares were conditionally increased by up to € 21,367,500.00 by way of issuance of up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in accordance with section 159 (2) No, 1 AktG. This conditional capital increase is only carried out insofar as the bearers of convertible bonds issued based on the authorisation resolution passed at the annual general meeting on the 4 July 2019 claim the right to conversion and/or subscription granted to them with regard to the company's shares. Furthermore, the management board was authorised to determine, subject to approval by the supervisory board, the further details of carrying out the conditional capital increase (particularly the issue amount and the content of the share rights). The supervisory board was authorised to adopt amendments to the articles of association resulting from the issuance of shares from the conditional capital. The same applies in case the authorisation to issue convertible bonds is not exercised or the conditional capital is not used. With regard to increasing the approved capital and/or the conditional capital increase, the following definition of amount in accordance with the resolutions passed at the 25th annual general meeting on the 4 July 2019 is to be observed: The sum of (i) the number of shares currently issued or potentially to be issued from conditional capital in accordance with the convertible bond conditions and (ii) the number of shares issued from approved capital shall not exceed the total amount of 19,425,000. The annual general meeting further decided to accordingly amend the articles of association in section 4 (share capital).
Free reserves
By resolution of the 27th annual general meeting on 8 July 2021, the Management Board was authorised, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to rededicate an amount of up to € 50,000,000.00 of the – after distribution of a dividend –retained earnings carried forward into free reserves.
SHARES IN CIRCULATION
The issued shares amount to 38,850,000 per 31 March 2024 (prior year: 38,850,000).
Approved Treasury shares
By a resolution passed at the 29th annual general meeting on 6 July 2023, the management board was authorised to acquire - within 30 months as from the resolution date - treasury shares to the maximum extent of up to 10 % of the ordinary shares of the company at a lowest price that may be no more than 30 % lower than the average unweighted closing rate of the last 10 trading days and at a highest price per share of a maximum of up to 30 % above the average unweighted closing rate of the last 10 trading days. The acquisition may be carried out via the stock exchange, by means of a public offering or in any other legal way and for any legal purpose. The authorisation also includes the acquisition of treasury shares by subsidiaries of the company (§ 66 AktG).
Additionally, The management board was also authorised to withdraw repurchased treasury shares as well as treasury shares already held by the company without any other resolution of the annual general meeting. The supervisory board was authorised to adopt amendments to the articles of association resulting from the redemption of shares.The authorisations granted by the resolution of the 27th ordinary general meeting on July 8, 2021, under agenda item 10, have been revoked. Furthermore the management board was authorised at the 25th annual general meeting on 4 July 2019, for a period of five years as of the date the resolution was passed, i.e, up to and including the 3 July 2024, upon approval by the supervisory board, to sell or use the repurchased treasury shares or treasury shares already held by the company also in a different way than via the stock exchange or by public offer, most notably for the following purposes:
* the servicing of stock transfer programmes,
* convertible bonds, or
* as consideration for the acquisition of entities, shares or other assets, and
* for any other legal purpose, and by doing so, to exclude the general purchase option of shareholders (subscription right exclusion).
AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG does not hold any treasury shares (prior year: 0 shares) at the balance sheet date.
Restriction of the distribution
For deferred tax assets amounting to € 45,981,934.00 (previous year: € 38,049,851.00), profits may only be distributed in accordance with Section 235 (2) UGB to the extent that the remaining reserves that can be released at any time plus any profit carried forward and less any loss carried forward are at least equal to the capitalized amount from deferred tax assets. For this reason, there is no distribution block for this year (previous year: € 0.00).
Proposal for the distribution of the result
The Management Board of AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft proposes that no dividend be distributed and that the entire balance sheet profit of € 325,707,202.91 as at 31 March 2024 be carried forward to new account.
4.7.Provisions
„Other Provisions“ include the following items:
| OTHER PROVISIONS | in € |
|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2024 | |
| Other personnel expenses | 8,653,428.24 |
| Holidays not yet consumed | 6,345,893.24 |
| Holiday bonus/Christmas bonus | 5,307,395.53 |
| Anniversary bonuses | 4,619,547.82 |
| Impending losses arising from derivative financial instruments | 3,047,525.67 |
| Legal and advisory expenses | 1,558,191.33 |
| Compensatory time off | 1,277,695.29 |
| Customer bonuses | 1,141,613.62 |
| Stock appreciation rights | 875,776.00 |
| Remuneration to the Supervisory Board | 823,000.00 |
| Pending losses | 167,462.21 |
| Warranty and claims | 92,122.23 |
| Debtors’ discounts | 32,198.12 |
| Var. other provisions | 1,969,253.73 |
| Total | 35,911,103.03 |
Stock Appreciation Rights Plan (2017 to 2019)
Due to the expiry of the stock option plan (2014 to 2016), the 91st supervisory board meeting on 6 June 2016 passed a resolution to introduce a long-term incentive programme based on stock appreciation rights (SAR). SAR relate to the value increase in share prices based on the development of the share price. SAR may be granted in the period between 1 April 2017 and 1 April 2019. Under the stock appreciation rights plan “SAR 2017-2019“ on 1 April 2017 297,500 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 9.96 per share. On 1 April 2018 270,000 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 21.94 per share and on 1 April 2019 267,500 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 17.25 per share. Each SAR entitles the holder to the right to a cash settlement at the remaining amount between the exercise price and the closing rate of the AT&S share at the stock exchange with the main quotation (currently Vienna Stock Exchange) at the date the subscription right is exercised. The exercise price of the stock appreciation rights is restricted at 200 % of the exercise price of the date of grant.
Exercise price: The exercise price of SAR is determined at the respective date of grant, corresponding to the average closing rate of the AT&S share at the Vienna Stock Exchange or at the stock exchange with the main quotation of the AT&S shares over a period of six calendar months immediately preceding the date of grant.
Exercise period: SAR may be exercised in full or in part after the respective completion of a three-year period following the date of grant, not however during a restricted period. Granted stock appreciation rights not exercised within five years after the grant date become invalid and forfeit without compensation.
Requirements to exercise: SAR may only be exercised by the beneficiaries if the following requirements are met at the date of exercise:
* The beneficiary’s employment contract with a company pertaining to the AT&S Group remains valid. Subject to certain conditions, rights may also be exercised within a year after expiry of the three year waiting period.
* The required personal investment in the amount of 20% of the first amount granted (in SAR) in AT&S shares is held. If the personal investment is not fully established by the end of the three-year waiting period, the previously granted SAR of the “SAR 2017 – 2019” become forfeit in full. The established personal investment is required to be held over the complete period of participation in the programme and will also apply to the granting in the subsequent years. The personal investment may only be wound down when exercise is no longer possible.
* The earnings per share (EPS) performance target was met. The level of attainment of the earnings per share performance indicator determines how many of the SAR granted may actually be exercised. The target value is the EPS value determined in the mid-term plan for the balance sheet date of the third year after the grant date. If the EPS target is attained at 100 % or surpassed, the SAR granted may be exercised in full. If attainment is between 50 % and 100 %, the SAR granted may be exercised on a pro rata basis. If the EPS value attained is below 50 %, the SAR granted become forfeit in full.
Number and allocation of SAR granted: in Units.# Stock Appreciation Rights Plan (2017 to 2019)
Due to the expiry of the stock appreciation rights plan (2017 to 2019), the 112th supervisory board meeting on 12 March 2020 passed again a resolution for a long-term incentive programme based on stock appreciation rights (SAR). SAR relate to the value increase in share prices based on the development of the share price. SAR allocation took place on 1 April 2020. Under the stock appreciation rights plan “SAR 2020“ on 1 April 2020 290,000 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 17.56 per share. Each SAR entitles the holder to the right to a cash settlement at the remaining amount between the exercise price and the closing rate of the AT&S share at the stock exchange with the main quotation (currently Vienna Stock Exchange) at the date the subscription right is exercised. The exercise price of the stock appreciation rights is restricted at 200 % of the exercise price of the date of grant.
The exercise price of SAR is determined at the respective date of grant, corresponding to the average closing rate of the AT&S share at the Vienna Stock Exchange or at the stock exchange with the main quotation of the AT&S shares over a period of six calendar months immediately preceding the date of grant.
SAR may be exercised in full or in part after the respective completion of a three-year period following the date of grant, not however during a restricted period. Granted stock appreciation rights not exercised within five years after the grant date become invalid and forfeit without compensation.
SAR may only be exercised by the beneficiaries if the following requirements are met at the date of exercise:
* The beneficiary’s employment contract with a company pertaining to the AT&S Group remains valid. Subject to certain conditions, rights may also be exercised within a year after expiry of the three year waiting period.
* The required personal investment in the amount of 20 % of the first amount granted (in SAR) in AT&S shares is held. If the personal investment is not fully established by the end of the three-year waiting period, the previously granted SAR of the “SAR 2020” become forfeit in full. The established personal investment is required to be held over the complete period of participation in the programme. The personal investment may only be wound down when exercise is no longer possible.
* The earnings per share (EPS) performance target was met. The level of attainment of the earnings per share performance indicator determines how many of the SAR granted may actually be exercised. The target value is the EPS value determined in the mid-term plan for the balance sheet date of the third year after the grant date. If the EPS target is attained at 100 % or surpassed, the SAR granted may be exercised in full. If attainment is between 50 % and 100 %, the SAR granted may be exercised on a pro rata basis. If the EPS value attained is below 50 %, the SAR granted become forfeit in full.
Number and allocation of SAR granted to the management board: in units
| Andreas Gerstenmayer | Peter Griehsnig¹ | Heinz Moitzi² | Monika Stoisser-Göhring² | Executive employees | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr 2020 | 50,000 | 10,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 170,000 | 290,000 |
| thereof expired | -16,407 | -3,281 | -30,000 | -30,000 | -77,607 | -157,295 |
| thereof exercised | -33,593 | -6,719 | 0 | 0 | -61,818 | -102,130 |
| Summe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30,575 | 30,575 |
¹ The allocations were made prior to appointment to the Management Board.
² Former member of the Management Board
The SAR exercised during the financial year had a value of € 1,481,418.50 when these SAR were exercised.
SARs are measured at fair value at the respective balance sheet date using the Monte Carlo method. The fair value of the SAR granted is recognised as expense over their term.
Fair value of SAR granted: in €
| Allocation from 01 Apr 2020 | Fair value as of 31 Mar 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| 54,729.00 |
Due to the expiry of the stock appreciation rights plan (2020), the 118th Supervisory Board meeting on 18 March 2021 passed again a resolution for a long-term incentive programme based on stock appreciation rights (SAR). SAR relate to the value increase in share prices based on the development of the share price. SAR may be granted in the period between 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2023. Under the stock appreciation rights plan “SAR 2021-2023“on 1 April 2021 352,500 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 22.92 per share and on the 1 April 2022 381,500 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 42.81 per share and on the 1 April 2023 386,667 SAR were granted at an exercise price of € 32.30 per share. Each SAR entitles the holder to the right to a cash settlement at the remaining amount between the exercise price and the closing rate of the AT&S share at the stock exchange with the main quotation (currently Vienna Stock Exchange) at the date the subscription right is exercised. The exercise price of the stock appreciation rights is restricted at 200 % of the exercise price of the date of grant.
The exercise price of SAR is determined at the respective date of grant, corresponding to the average closing rate of the AT&S share at the Vienna Stock Exchange or at the stock exchange with the main quotation of the AT&S shares over a period of six calendar months immediately preceding the date of grant.
SAR may be exercised in full or in part after the respective completion of a three-year period following the date of grant, not however during a restricted period. Granted stock appreciation rights not exercised within five years after the grant date become invalid and forfeit without compensation.
SAR may only be exercised by the beneficiaries if the following requirements are met at the date of exercise:
* The beneficiary’s employment contract with a company pertaining to the AT&S Group remains valid. Subject to certain conditions, rights may also be exercised within a year after expiry of the three year waiting period.
* The required personal investment in the amount of 20 % of the first amount granted (in SAR) in AT&S shares multiplied with € 10,00 is held. If the personal investment is not fully established by the end of the three-year waiting period, the previously granted SAR of the “SAR 2021-2023” become forfeit in full. The established personal investment is required to be held over the complete period of participation in the programme and will also apply to the granting in the subsequent years. The personal investment may only be wound down when exercise is no longer possible.
* The earnings per share (EPS) performance target was met. The level of attainment of the earnings per share performance indicator determines how many of the SAR granted may actually be exercised. The target value is the EPS value determined in the mid-term plan for the balance sheet date of the third year after the grant date. If the EPS target is attained at 100 % or surpassed. the SAR granted may be exercised in full, If attainment is between 50 % and 100 %, the SAR granted may be exercised on a pro rata basis. If the EPS value attained is below 50 %, the SAR granted become forfeit in full.
Eligible employees can exercise at least 50% of the allocated SAR (without Management Board allocation) from the allocations on 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2022, in the event of a positive consolidated operating result (EBIT). For these employees, the payout amount per stock price appreciation right is limited to 100% of the respective exercise price.
Number and allocation of SAR granted to the management board: in units
| Andreas Gerstenmayer | Peter Schneider | Peter Griehsnig¹ | Petra Preining | Ingolf Schröder | Simone Faath² | Heinz Moitzi² | Executive employees | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr 2021 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 10,000 | 0 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 5,000 | 197,500 | 352,500 |
| therof expired | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -30,000 | 0 | -38,500 | -68,500 |
| 01 Apr 2022 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 10,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 0 | 0 | 231,500 | 381,500 |
| therof expired | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -58,500 | -58,500 |
| 01 Apr 2023 | 50,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 0 | 0 | 216,667 | 386,667 |
| therof expired | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -7,500 | -7,500 |
| Total | 150,000 | 90,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 | 0 | 5,000 | 541,167 | 986,167 |
¹ The allocations on 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2022 took place before being appointinted as a member of the management board
² Former member of the management board
SARs are measured at fair value at the respective balance sheet date using the Monte Carlo method. The fair value of the SAR granted is recognised as expense over their term.# 4.8. Liabilities
Additional disclosure to liabilities in €
| Balance sheet value as of 31 Mar 2024 | Remaining maturity of more than five years | thereof secured by collaterals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonds | 365,000,000.00 | 0 | 0 |
| Bank loans | 895,692,732.08 | 300,000,000.00 | 10,000,000.00 |
| Promissory note loans | 642,569,903.72 | 48,500,000.00 | 0 |
| Liabilities to financing partners | 871,812,571.12 | 318,734,339.20 | 139,159,476.76 |
| Liabilities from financing leasing | 279,183,909.23 | 158,140,902.87 | 279,183,909.23 |
| Advances received | 228,958,118.07 | 0 | 0 |
| Trade payables | 69,057,944.31 | 0 | 0 |
| Payables to affiliated companies | 89,374,137.66 | 0 | 0 |
| Other liabilities | 13,880,443.02 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 3,455,529,759.21 | 825,375,242.07 | 428,343,385.99 |
in €
| Balance sheet value as of 31 Mar 2023 | Remaining maturity of more than five years | thereof secured by collaterals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonds | 365,000,000.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Bank loans | 679,708,418.59 | 30,000,000.00 | 10,000,000.00 |
| Promissory note loans | 703,968,148.01 | 17,500,000.00 | 0.00 |
| Liabilities to financing partners | 609,551,145.98 | 915,331.81 | 0.00 |
| Liabilities from financing leasing | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Advances received | 190,890,187.39 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Trade payables | 37,622,998.74 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Payables to affiliated companies | 59,428,244.19 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Other liabilities | 13,479,168.45 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total | 2,659,648,311.35 | 48,415,331.81 | 10,000,000.00 |
The item "Bonds" includes a hybrid bond issued in January 2022 with an issue volume of € 350,000,000.00 and an interest rate of 5%. The subordinated bond has an infinite term and can be called and redeemed for the first time after five years, i,e, in January 2027, by AT&S but not by the creditors. If the bond is not called after this period, the premium on the then applicable interest rate increases by 5 percentage points.
Liabilities to financing partners in the amount of € 871,812,571.12 (previous year: € 609,551,145.98) result from payments received as part of bilateral agreements. The amount due within one year is € 111,152,976.64 (previous year: € 111,152,976.64). The liabilities from finance leases in the amount of € 279,183,909.23 relate to the land and buildings for the new research center and production plant VOLT in Hinterberg/Leoben. Payables to affiliated companies in the amount of € 89,374,137.66 (previous year: € 59,428,244.19) relate to trade payables. As collateral, claims from trade receivables serve against claims from Banking institutions. Machines from the fixed assets of AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. serve as collateral against claims from the financing partners. The leasing company is entitled to the developed land and building covered by the contract as collateral.
Expenses that will affect cash flow only after the balance sheet date
The item “Other liabilities” includes the following material expenses that will affect cash flow only after the balance sheet date:
in €
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Interest with regard to bonds | 3,371,914.38 | 3,371,914.38 |
| Regional health insurance | 2,994,658.05 | 2,895,011.11 |
| Tax authority | 1,640,604.80 | 1,591,796.07 |
| Wages and salaries | 719,997.25 | 2,299,205.59 |
| Communities | 240,776.05 | 230,777.94 |
| Total | 8,967,950.53 | 10,388,705.09 |
Contingent liabilities pursuant to section 199 UGB
There were no contingent liabilities from guarantees at the balance sheet date (prior year: € 0.00). With regard to contingent liabilities in amount of default risk of the factoring, reference is made to item 4.4. Receivables and other assets.
in €
| In the following financial year | In the next five financial years | |
|---|---|---|
| Obligations from sale and lease back transactions | 3,065,725.19 | 15,358,077.35 |
| Prior year: 2,868,975.73 | 14,434,403.69 | |
| Obligations from rental agreements | 1,104,522.84 | 3,030,776.70 |
| Prior year: 1,090,535.88 | 3,847,693.02 | |
| Total | 4,170,248.03 | 18,388,854.05 |
| Prior year: 3,959,511.41 | 18,282,096.74 |
At the balance sheet date, orders in the amount of € 55,340,632.87 (prior year: € 212,297,577.10) were outstanding for replacement and expansion investments.
Derivative financial instruments are used to hedge against possible interest rate fluctuations. Hedged items are payments related to promissory notes and loans with variable interest rates.
in €
| Interest related products: | Nominal value 31 Mar 2024 | Fair value 31 Mar 2024 | Book value 31 Mar 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swaps | 493,000,000.00 | 5,052,435.09 | -3,047,525.67 |
in €
| Interest related products: | Nominal value 31 Mar 2023 | Fair value 31 Mar 2023 | Book value 31 Mar 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swaps | 408,000,000.00 | 15,919,972.23 | 0.00 |
The fair value as of 31 March 2024 include positive fair values of € 8,099,960.76 and negative fair values of € 3,047,525.67. The fair values as of 31 March 2023 includes exclusively positive fair values.
The remaining terms of derivative financial instruments outstanding at the balance sheet date, are as follows:
in months
| Interest related products: | 31 March 2024 | 31 March 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Swaps | 12 - 52 | 1 – 36 |
in €
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Abroad | 501,353,038.42 | 454,423,358.76 |
| Domestic | 48,938,683.18 | 43,915,290.65 |
| Total | 550,291,721.60 | 498,338,649.41 |
in €
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income from taxfree bonuses | 11,951,667.14 | 6,005,516.00 |
| Income from exchange rate differences | 6,420,297.44 | 11,615,095.58 |
| Income from non-taxable grants R&D | 809,605.96 | 903,417.82 |
| Energy tax reimbursements | 704,369.41 | 291,362.67 |
| Grant IPCEI | 0.00 | 11,167,536.00 |
| COVID-19 refunds | 0.00 | 545,478.60 |
| Miscellaneous other operating income | 1,015,333.15 | 1,501,296.87 |
| Total | 20,901,273.10 | 32,029,712.54 |
in €
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the Management Board and executive employees | 116,814.63 | 316,881.61 |
| Other employees | 2,728,335.02 | 4,643,836.59 |
| Total | 2,845,149.65 | 4,960,718.20 |
Expenses for severance payments and contributions to staff provision funds include severance payments in the amount of € 1.500.181,55 (prior year: € 3,747,281.44).
in €
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the Management Board and executive employees | 262,657.11 | 199,918.74 |
| Other employees | 1,537,283.05 | 1,346,226.82 |
| Total | 1,799,940.16 | 1,546,145.56 |
in €
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Third party services | 26,731,442.35 | 30,579,393.56 |
| Rental and leasing expenses | 19,756,193.21 | 15,013,169.83 |
| Legal and consulting fees | 11,323,486.89 | 16,830,577.25 |
| Maintenance of factory building and equipment | 6,124,594.59 | 6,163,368.50 |
| Expenses from exchange rate differences | 5,731,864.06 | 10,384,660.98 |
| Sales Support Service | 2,991,347.72 | 2,863,520.75 |
| Travel expenses | 2,457,978.28 | 2,856,086.98 |
| Cost of cleaning of buildings | 2,394,473.31 | 1,575,789.10 |
| Outward freight customers | 1,949,767.24 | 2,577,176.24 |
| Insurance expenses | 1,944,793.15 | 1,589,963.34 |
| Marketing costs and commissions for sales agents | 1,208,974.35 | 2,185,146.66 |
| Training and development | 933,392.37 | 2,321,851.08 |
| Bad debt losses | 490,216.31 | 534,822.06 |
| Expenses for company car | 481,220.61 | 460,997.62 |
| Miscellaneous other operating expenses | 4,669,323.25 | 4,920,976.85 |
| Total other operating expenses | 89,189,067.69 | 100,857,500.80 |
The expenses for the auditor are disclosed in the consolidated financial statements of AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG, 8700 Leoben-Hinterberg.
In the financial year the average number of staff was:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Waged workers | 673 | 733 |
| Salaried employees | 1,096 | 1,023 |
| Total | 1,769 | 1,756 |
Members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board:
In the financial year, the following persons served as members of the Management Board:
* Andreas Gerstenmayer (Chairman)
* Peter Schneider (Deputy Chairman)
* Peter Griesnig (since 01.04.2023)
* Petra Preining
* Ingolf Schröder
In the financial year, the following persons were appointed as members of the Supervisory Board:
* Hannes Androsch (Chairman)
* Regina Prehofer (First deputy chairwoman)
* Georg Riedl (Second deputy chairman)
* Hermann Eul
* Georg Hansis
* Robert Lasshofer
* Lars Reger
* Karin Schaupp
* Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell
Delegated by the Works Council:
* Bianca Ernhardt
* Wolfgang Fleck
* Christa Köberl (since 20.12.2023)
* Günter Pint
* Siegfried Trauch
* Günther Wölfler (till 19.12.2023)
Total remuneration of the members of the Management Board:
| 2023/24 | 2022/23 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed | Variable | Total | Fixed | Variable | Total | |
| Fixed and expected variable payments | ||||||
| Andreas Gerstenmayer | 647 | 838 | 1,485 | 647 | 2,366 | 3,013 |
| Peter Schneider | 449 | 176 | 625 | 449 | 176 | 625 |
| Peter Griehsnig¹ | 449 | 176 | 625 | – | – | – |
| Petra Preining | 449 | 176 | 625 | 225 | 216 | 441 |
| Ingolf Schröder | 449 | 176 | 625 | 449 | 176 | 625 |
| Total Management Board members | 2,443 | 1,542 | 3,985 | 1,770 | 2,934 | 4,704 |
| Simone Faath | – | 8 | 8 | 5 | 100 | 105 |
| Heinz Moitzi | – | – | – | – | 1,166 | 1,166 |
| Monika Stoisser-Göhring | – | – | – | – | 1,016 | 1,016 |
| Total former Management Board members | – | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2,282 | 2,287 |
| Total fixed and expected variable payments | 2,443 | 1,550 | 3,993 | 1,775 | 5,216 | 6,991 |
| Reconciliation to the expense recognized in the financial statements | – | (569) | (569) | – | 569 | 569 |
| Total | 2,443 | 981 | 3,424 | 1,775 | 5,785 | 7,560 |
¹ The remuneration in the 2023/24 financial year is shown from the first appointment to the Executive Board on April 1, 2023. Exercises of stock appreciation rights that were allocated before the appointment to the Executive Board are not included.
Based on provisionally calculation, a provision of € 5,785 thousand for variable remuneration is recognised. The effective payment for variable remuneration of the Management Board will amount to € 5,216 thousand. The variable portion of the remuneration of Andreas Gerstenmayer includes compensation from stock appreciation rights in the amount of € 519 thousand (prior year: € 1,725 thousand).In the prior year, the variable portion of the remuneration of Andreas Gerstenmayer also contains a special payment of € 321 thousand for temporary, longer-term taking over CFO activities. The item "Total former members of the management board" includes the severance payment in connection with the termination of the contract of Simone Faath. In the prior year, the variable portion of the remuneration of Heinz Moitzi includes compensation from stock appreciation rights in the amount of € 1,166 thousand. Similarly, in the prior period, the variable portion of the remuneration of Monika Stoisser-Göhring includes compensation from stock appreciation rights in the amount of € 1,016 thousand. In addition to the above-mentioned remuneration, € 64 thousand (prior year: € 64 thousand) for Andreas Gerstenmayer, € 44 thousand (prior year: € 44 thousand) for Peter Schneider, € 42 thousand (prior year: € 0 thousand) for Peter Griehsnig, € 44 thousand (prior year: € 44 thousand) for Ingolf Schröder, € 44 thousand (prior year: € 20 thousand) for Petra Preining were paid into the pension fund. For the former member of the Management Board Simone Faath € 45 thousand were paid into the pension fund in the prior year.
Number of stock appreciation rights as of the balance sheet date of the members of the Management Board: In units.
| 31 Mar 2024 | 31 Mar 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Andreas Gerstenmayer | 150,000 | 150,000 |
| Peter Schneider | 90,000 | 60,000 |
| Peter Griehsnig¹ | 50,000 | 30,000 |
| Petra Preining | 60,000 | 30,000 |
| Ingolf Schröder | 90,000 | 60,000 |
| Total members of the management board | 440,000 | 330,000 |
| Heinz Moitzi | 5,000 | 35,000 |
| Total former members of the management board | 5,000 | 35,000 |
| Total | 445,000 | 365,000 |
¹ The allocations were made prior to appointment to the Management Board.
As of March 31, 2024, the exercise price of the shares for the Management Board of April 1, 2021 in the amount of € 22.92 (125,000 shares), of April 1, 2022 in the amount of € 42.81 (150,000 shares) and of April 1, 2023 in the amount of € 32.30 (170,000 shares) is above or below the daily share price as of the balance sheet date (€ 19.35).
With regard to members of the Supervisory Board, remuneration in the amount of € 765,570.00 (prior year: € 937,430.00) was recognised as expenses. As of the Balance Sheet date, there were no loans or advances to members of the Management Board or the Supervisory Board.
On 10 May 2024 the Management Board of AT&S decided not to carry out a capital increase for the time being. Discussions with potential investors have been concluded. The company now intends to sell the production facility in Ansan, Korea, which mainly serves the medical market. In order to further sharpen the Group's strategic profile, AT&S has decided to consider the sale of the medical division, subject to favourable economic conditions and - where applicable - relevant approvals, and has initiated a staggered competitive sale process. The medical division is located in Ansan, South Korea and is owned by the 100% subsidiary AT&S Korea Co., Ltd.
In the financial year 2023/24, AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft recognised an investment of € 3,714 thousand (previous year: € 3,714 thousand), trade receivables of € 33 thousand (previous year: € 129 thousand) and trade payables of € 9,289 thousand (previous year: € 8,244 thousand). Income from investments in 2023/24 totalled €15,505 thousand (previous year: €15,068 thousand). Based on the expressions of interest from potential investors, AT&S will decide on further steps after completion of due diligence.
The Management Board of AT&S has also decided to continue to implement and focus the efficiency programmes already under way in order to counter the current price pressure in the market. In addition to comprehensive cost-cutting measures, there will be a reduction of up to 1,000 employees at existing sites throughout the Group.
Leoben-Hinterberg, 13 May 2024
The Management Board:
Andreas Gerstenmayer m.p.
Peter Schneider m.p.
Peter Griehsnig m.p.
Petra Preining m.p.
Ingolf Schröder m.p.
Management Report 2023/24
Table of contents
MANGEMENT REPORT 2023/24
In 2023, the economy largely returned to pre-COVID-19 conditions. Supply chains and demand stabilized, while central banks tightened the monetary reins to curb inflation. In most regions, headline inflation slowed from the peaks experienced in 2022. However, core inflation, which excludes volatile prices for food and energy, proved stickier. Consumer demand remained muted in most major economies, as inflation and high interest rates reduced purchasing power. Global output, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increased by an estimated 3.1% in 2023, with advanced economies experiencing slower growth than emerging market and developing economies. GDP grew by 0.5% in the euro area, by 5.2% in China, and by 2.5% in the United States. Projections for 2024 predict a global GDP growth of 3.1%.
Conflicts and geopolitics continued to play a significant role on the international stage. One of the most discussed topics was the continued effort of the United States, supported by European and Asian partners, to restrict Chinese access to advanced technologies via export restrictions and bans targeting an increasing number of Chinese companies. The ongoing war in eastern Ukraine and, since Autumn 2023, and the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza strip by the Israeli army following an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 have also contributed to the increase of tensions in the Middle East as well as internationally. The war in Gaza has already spawned new tensions in the Red Sea, where Yemeni Houthis have begun targeting commercial ships in retaliation for Israel’s actions in Gaza. The attacks have spurred major shipping companies to re-route shipping around Africa; the impact on logistics was mostly felt on Europe-Asia trade routes, and has so far amounted to longer delivery times and increased costs. Climate has also contributed to headwinds for economic recovery; the Panama Canal has experienced significant disruptions due to low water levels; reduced capacity at the canal is expected to continue to impact the trade route going forward.
During most of 2023 the semiconductor industry followed normal historical seasonal patterns, gradually recovering, especially during the second half of the year, from the downturn started in late 2022. The challenging macroeconomic conditions present in advanced economies, including high inflation, high interest rates, and low consumer demand, significantly impacted the semiconductor industry: global semiconductor industry sales totaled US$526.8 billion in 2023, a decrease of 8.2% compared to the 2022 total of US$574.1 billion. A significant portion of the sales in 2023 was fueled by sell-through of inventories, which remained high throughout the year for most applications. Industrial and automotive, which initially showed resilient growth carrying over from 2022, also slowed down in the second half due to the excessive inventory build-up and weaker demand. Client computing was the segment most impacted by low demand. Spending on infrastructure, particularly in the area of data centers, remained more resilient, albeit softer than in 2021 and 2022. The build-up of the infrastructure required to support Artificial Intelligence (AI)-related services caused a significant shift in spending towards high average selling price (ASP) Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and accelerator cards, creating a prominent pocket of growth. This trend mostly benefitted NVIDIA, but AMD was also able to further expand its market share. This shift in spending partly reduced expenditures for traditional servers. The growth of AI-related hardware is expected to continue throughout 2024 and in the mid-term. Low demand and inventory effects hit back-end manufacturers such as substrate suppliers particularly hard, a fact reflected in the continued downgrading of estimates of the Advanced Substrate (including flip-chip, system-in-package and embedded die) market for 2023. For example, the estimate for the total Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) market in 2023 was reduced by 23% to US$6.8 billion from March to November 2023. Forecasts for the FC-BGA market were also corrected to the downside: the FC-BGA market is now expected to amount to US$10.6 billion in 2028 (previously US$12 billion in 2027). Looking ahead, 2024 is expected to be a transition year, with the first half still affected by low demand, inventory corrections, and tight monetary policies; tailwinds are not expected before the second half of the calendar year. The on-going geopolitical tensions provide additional risks that could lead to further headwinds for global growth. Divergent policies confronting these issues are poised to maintain high uncertainty and reduce visibility throughout 2024.
The weakness in demand for the Consumer, Computing, and Communication (3C) segments carried over from 2022 to 2023, impacting shipment volumes of most consumer electronics devices such as smartphones, PCs, tablets, and some wearable products.# 1.3. Industry and Technology Trends
Major challenges include inventory digestion across the entire supply chain, weak demand from major markets such as China, and other macroeconomic and geopolitical headwinds. As a result, many major consumer applications recorded a year-over-year decline from negative impacts on both the supply and demand sides. Global smartphone shipments declined 3.2% to 1.17 billion units in 2023, with the Chinese market declining 5.0%25,26. While overall shipments declined, 5G smartphones still recorded a 10% rise.27 The fourth calendar quarter saw 8.5% growth compared to the corresponding period last year and 326.1 million shipments, indicating potential stabilization or even the beginning of a slow recovery in 2024.25 In 2022, PC shipment volume had plummeted 16.5%, and there was an additional 13.9% contraction in 2023. This downturn continues to reflect the aftermath of the significant surge in PC purchases driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.28 However, the total volume of 260 million units were comparable to pre-pandemic PC volume shipments of 268 million units (5-year average, 2015-2019).29 The decline in end device sales coupled with increased price pressure is reflected in the PCB sales figures for 2023, which showed a decrease of 11.5% to US$18.1 billion for Communication (including smartphones), fell 16.8% to US$15.3 billion for Computing, and fell 14.4% to US$7.2 billion for Consumer. The latest mid-term outlook for 2029 is US$20.1 billion, US$23.5 billion, and US$9.1 billion for Computing, Communications, and Consumer respectively.24 Looking at 2024, slow demand recovery and continued destocking are expected to continue to impact the 3C market. Recovery is expected to center around AI-related applications such as AI servers (storage, accelerator), High-Performance Computing (HPC), and networking. Consumer applications with AI-enhanced features are also expected to benefit from the increasing AI trend – in addition to the 2.8% increase in smartphone shipment in 2024, 170 million next-gen AI smartphones are forecasted to ship in 2024, representing almost 15% of the total smartphone market.30 Shipments of AI PCs – personal computers with specific system-on-a-chip (SoC) capabilities designed to run generative AI tasks locally – is expected to reach 50 million units in 2024.31
Global automotive production reached 90.6 million vehicles in 2023, a 10% increase compared to the 82 million of 2022, thanks to fading supply side constraints and a better than expected economic and demand backdrop underpinned by a robust global Light Vehicle (LV) performance through 2023. While the near-term LV outlook has been revised upward, the mid-term estimate (2026-2030) has been cut by 1.2 million units annually. The bulk of this forecast adjustment reflects a more conservative view on the development of the market in China.32 The Automotive PCB market decreased by 2.7% in 2023 to US$8.7 billion, due to a combination of price pressure and high inventory, and is expected to reach US$11.6 billion in 2029.24 The slowdown in global growth for Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales persisted in the final months of 2023, despite a record number of BEVs delivered in November, which resulted in yearly sales of 10 million BEV cars in 2023, up 30%.33 Growth in electrified vehicles including hybrids (up 35%) outpaced that of BEVs, marking an unusual shift, as BEVs have usually been the fastest-growing vehicle type in recent years. Semiconductor shortages faded in 2023, but concerns over the supply of lithium in the mid–term could undermine the pace of the transition to BEVs. A high-price policy of some Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) could persist, but the reduction in the number of produced models could ease the situation thanks to a concurrent optimization of vehicle inventory. The automotive industry continues to be propelled forward by the adoption of Electrification and the advancement of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Autonomous Driving (AD). A significant portion of this growth is attributed to China. The market for Battery Electric Vehicles in China accounted for 50% of global BEV growth. The share of Chinese BEVs in Europe grew from 5% in 2022 to almost 9% in 2023, and has put European OEMs under an increasing amount of competition. The BEV market in the United States grew by 47% in 2023, following a period where it seemed to lag behind developments in China and much of Europe.32 This resurgence was driven by investments into new models by original equipment manufacturers, along with substantial government incentives and an expanding charging infrastructure.
After navigating the complex COVID-19 pandemic for about three years, medical device companies experienced a return to normalcy in 2023. Challenges such as low procedure volumes, hospital staffing shortages, and supply chain issues either subsided or were managed through strategic measures. Economic pressures eased, allowing some companies in the medical technology sector to achieve more typical growth rates. The PCB market for medical declined 7.3% to US$1.4 billion in 2023, as a result of strong inventory corrections, but it is expected to grow 3.1% in 2024, and at a 2023-2029 CAGR of 3.7% to reach US$1.7 billion.24 Industry trends in the upcoming year might be significantly influenced by the evolution of the current challenging macroeconomic conditions, including high interest rates and inflation. In 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set a new record by approving the highest number of new medical technologies in a single year. This result was attributed to various factors, including a surge in approvals for AI and machine-learning-enabled medtech products, advancements in miniaturization, enhanced visualization driving approvals in cardiology and urology, and steady growth in neuromodulation and robotics. Additionally, waiting times for FDA reviews decreased by nearly 15% from 2020 to 2022. It is expected that the pace of innovation in 2024 will exceed 2020-2022 levels, with devices for cardiology, digital health, and neuromodulation continuing to gain momentum.34 Also on the regulatory side, the boundary between the consumer and medical device markets has been getting progressively blurrier. For example, since 2022 consumer device companies (such as Sony, HP, Bose) have been granted a growing number of applications for Over-The-Counter (OTC) hearing aids by the FDA, which allowed them to put hearing aid players in the US market (such as GN, Nuheara, Sonova) increasingly under pressure. The trend is also visible for Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices, where large CGM players aim to enlarge their customer base by selling CGMs without prescription to consumers not yet subject to medical treatment, potentially creating a new market.35
The Internet of Things (IoT) and data-driven networks, powered by an array of devices and sensors, have become relevant tools for optimizing operations and processes. Mainly since the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have increasingly relied on IoT data to enhance the flexibility and resilience of their operations. As investment in IoT ecosystems surges, notably led by manufacturing sectors, the emphasis remains on the exponential growth of connected devices and the vast volume of data they generate across diverse categories. IoT investment is set to exceed US$1 trillion by 2026, with a growth rate of 10.4% from 2022 to 2027. It is estimated a total of 56.9 billion connected devices were installed worldwide in 2023.36 An enabler of these connected devices is 5G technology. As the 5G capital expenditure cycle enters its fourth year, the pace of investment in mobile infrastructure is slowing down. Major vendors are witnessing significant drops in year-over-year spending on Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment, notably in regions like the United States and China. Although low-band 5G deployments are reaching maturity, there is still considerable room for investment in mid-band (e.g., 2.5GHz, 3–4GHz) and high-band (e.g., 24GHz, 28GHz, and 39GHz) builds. Telecom operators, however, have been investing in the mid-band and in 5G Standalone (SA) with caution, due to high interest rates and an overall uncertain macroeconomic outlook. In the mid-term, the on-going 5G Advanced releases from 3GPP that started in 2023 and the steady increase in data traffic are expected to eventually bring about the upgrade to 5G SA.37 6G technology is already being actively developed by big industry players and is on the agenda of regulators and standardization institutions, with commercialization predicted by 2030. 6G is expected to be the “AI native network”, supported by the use of recombinant technologies, such as cloud-native network functions, machine learning, AI, and network slicing.38 However, given the low penetration rate of 5G mmWave so far – less than 10%, estimated to be less than 30% by 2028 – it is currently not clear whether the market will demand upper mmWave/THz at 6G in high volume or only for specific use cases. The consolidated PCB market for Communication, including infrastructure and end devices declined by 11.5% to US$18.1 billion in 2023, and it is expected to grow by 3.5% in 2024, and at a 4.6% CAGR between 2023-2029 to US$23.5 billion. Despite the positive perspective for connected devices in the medium term, it is estimated that the PCB market for industrial electronics declined 13.6% to US$2.8 billion in 2023, due to high inventories and weaker than expected manufacturing in China. The PCB market for the Industrial electronics segment is expected to grow by 3.7% in 2024, and at a 4.4% CAGR in the 2023-2029 timeframe to US$3.6 billion.24
The rush to provide AI-powered services caused a surge in spending for the infrastructure needed to power them, that is servers with GPUs or accelerator cards.# 10-K Filing - AT&S AG
In the past financial year 2023/24 AT&S AG's revenues increased by € 52.0 million or 10.4 % to € 550.3 million. The increase in revenues resulted mainly from higher sales of merchandise, while sales of own manufactured products decreased slightly in the past fiscal year compared to the same period of the prior year. EBIT margin decreased by 2.5 percentage points to -13.2% in the past fiscal year (prior year: -10.7%). The main reasons for the reduction in the EBIT margin were, on the one hand, lower other operating income, considerably higher material and personal costs as well as high depreciation expenses in comparison to the prior year. The operating expenses for the period had reduced to € 89.8 million (prior year: € 101.4 million) in comparison to the prior period. This decrease was mainly due to lower legal and consulting fees, third party services and reduced exchange rate effects. However, rental fees have seen an increase. The average number of employees increased by 13 FTE year-on-year to 1,769. The financial result amounted to € 170.5 million in the past fiscal year (prior year: € 250.6 million). The main reason for the decrease was due to lower investment income of € 117.2 million (prior year: € 214.0 million). Income from loans of financial assets increased by € 52.9 million to € 144.2 million (previous year: € 91.3 million). The expenses from financial investments recorded a reduction of € 15.2 million, from € 16.5 to € 1.3 million. Contrary to this, the interest expenditure saw an increase of € 44.5 million and similar expenses rose by € 7.3 million from a total of € 60.1 to € 111.9 million. Income taxes are impacted by the capitalisation of deferred taxes, resulting in a deferred tax income of € 7.9 million (prior year: income of € 20.0 million). Tax expenses have increased in the reporting period to € 3.2 million (prior year: € 1.6 million). Due to the effects in the operating and financial results and the tax result explained above, the net income for the current fiscal year amounted to € 102.7 million (prior year: € 215.7 million).
The carrying amount of property, plant and equipment increased from € 172.4 million to € 643.2 million due to investments in the research centre and production plant in Leoben, together with additional and expansion investments. The carrying amount of intangible assets increased to a lesser extent from € 4.5 million to € 5.5 million. Shares in affiliated companies increased compared to the prior year due to a capital increase in AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia from € 320.4 million to € 400.4 million. Loans to affiliated companies increased from € 1,927.4 million to € 2,344.1 million due to the increase in shareholder loans. Under current assets, inventories decreased marginally from € 45.5 million to € 42.8 million. Receivables and other assets increased from € 124.3 million to € 133.8 million. Receivables from affiliated companies increased by € 14.2 million to € 21.6 million. Cash on hand and bank balances decreased from € 505.6 million to € 446.7 million. Deferred tax assets increased from € 38.0 million to € 46.0 million, mainly due to the recognition of tax loss carryforwards based on sufficient future realisable taxable income. Equity at the balance sheet date increased from € 466.3 million to € 553.5 million. The change resulted on the one hand from the net income of € 102.7 million generated in the reporting fiscal year (prior year: € 215.7 million) and on the other hand from the dividend distribution of € 15.5 million (prior year: € 35.0 million) resolved in the course of the Annual General Meeting. The equity ratio of 13.6% at the balance sheet date was below the prior year’s level of 14.6% due to the increase in total assets. In the financial year 2023/24, the net debt of AT&S increased from € 1,849.6 million to currently € 2,603.1 million. Net debt is calculated from the bonds issued, liabilities to banks, promissory note loans, financing partners and finance leasing less cash on hand and balances with banks, receivables from banks and other securities and shares in current assets. The net gearing, calculated as the ratio of net debt to equity, increased from 396.7% in the prior year to 470.3%.
The Cash flow statement subtotals were calculated in accordance with expert opinion AFRAC 36 “Geldflussrechnung UGB” (June 2020).
| € in millions | 2023/24 | 2022/23 |
|---|---|---|
| Net cash flow from operating activities | 54.9 | 76.8 |
| Net cash flow from investing activities | -403.2 | -191.9 |
| Net cash flow from financing activities | 289.4 | 194.7 |
The net cash flow from operating activities showed an decrease in the financial year 2023/24. The lower net cash flow from operating activities of € 54.9 million (prior year: € 76.8 million) is mainly attributable to the increase in trade payables. As part of the investing activities of AT&S, a total of € 221.2 million was invested in intangible assets and property, plant and equipment in the financial year 2023/24 (prior year: € 152.9 million). In addition to the payments described above, the further increase in shareholder loans and offsetting effects relating to cash inflows from interest and income from investments in the amount of € 281.6 million (previous year: € 325.9 million) essentially led to a net cash outflow from investing activities of € 403.2 million (previous year: € 191.9 million). Payments from financing partners and borrowings, less interest paid, repayment of promissory note loans and distribution of the annual dividend, resulted in an inflow of cash from financing activities of € 289.4 million (prior year: € 194.7 million).
The AT&S Group currently operates six production plants, which specialise in different technologies.
The Austrian plants primarily supply the European market. In Europe, special applications and customer proximity are particularly important. Based on production and technological diversity, flexibility in manufacturing, and the broad customer spectrum, the plant in Leoben continues to pursue the path of niche and prototype production it embarked on in recent years. Among other things, production using embedding technology takes place in Leoben. In addition, investments were made in the expansion of the IC core line to provide the required capacities for precursor material to supply the production facilities in Chongqing, Kulim, and Leoben. Now the Company is investing in a new R&D centre for substrate and packaging solutions for the global semiconductor industry at the location in Leoben. As part of the current diversification strategy, new customers were won for the IC substrates business segment. As a result of this development, the R&D centre will be expanded to include series production. In April 2024, the installation of the equipment for IC substrates began, and the start of series production is expected for 2025. The Fehring plant serves the Electronics Solutions segment, in particular the 3S areas (smart infrastructure, smart mobility, and smart manufacturing), as well as the medical device segment.
The Shanghai plant manufactures HDI (High-Density Interconnection) and mSAP (modified semi-additive process) printed circuit boards, in particular for customers in the areas of 3C (computer, communication and consumer electronics) and 3S (smart infrastructure, smart mobility and smart manufacturing). The plant has established itself as a leading supplier of the latest technology generation and its broad technology spectrum is very well received by customers.
The location in Chongqing currently comprises three operating plants. The plants Chongqing I and Chongqing III are designed for the production of IC substrates (integrated circuit substrates). At Chongqing III, which was newly built in 2021, the first of four production lines commenced production of large series in October 2021. The second line was commissioned in 2022, while a large part of the third line was approved for production in 2023. The installation work for the fourth line will be resumed depending on the development of the semiconductor market. High-end mSAP printed circuit boards and printed circuit boards for modules are produced for mobile applications at the Chongqing II plant. The production capacity for modules was further expanded to serve the growing customer demand in the high-end segment.The full expansion of the plant is scheduled to be completed in the coming financial year. Kulim Construction of the plant for IC substrates, which commenced in October 2021, is in progress. The construction work is proceeding as scheduled; however, part of the investment project will be executed later than planned. Installation of the equipment started at one of the plants and the first products have been delivered for qualification by the customer. The site was officially opened in January 2024.
Ansan The very positive development of the site in Korea continued in the financial year 2023/24 in particular in the medical technology segment for European and American customers. Capacity utilisation was very good at this site during the financial year 2023/24.
Nanjangud The site continued to focus on exports and strengthened its position, particularly in the automotive market. The qualification for HDI products continued, and the strategy towards higher-quality technologies in the product mix was thus further pursued.
Hong Kong AT&S Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong, is the holding company and the headquarters of Group-wide procurement. The proximity to the customers’ CEMs and to suppliers is a locational advantage that is highly valued by business partners.
Sales support companies The sales support companies in America, Germany, Japan, Taiwan and Sweden continued to ensure good and close contact with customers in the financial year 2023/24.
As of the reporting date of 31 March 2024, the Company’s ordinary shares amount to € 42,735,000 and are made up of 38,850,000 no-par value shares with a notional value of € 1.10 per share. The voting right at the Annual General Meeting is exercised according to no-par value shares, with each no-par value share equalling one voting right. All shares are bearer shares.
Significant direct and indirect shareholdings in the Group parent company AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft, which amount to at least 10% at the reporting date, are presented below: see table below.
| Significant direct and indirect shareholdings | Shares/in % | Shares | % capital | % voting rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dörflinger-Privatstiftung: Vienna, Austria | 7,043,133 | 18.13% | 18.13% | |
| Androsch Privatstiftung: Vienna, Austria | 6,819,337 | 17.55% | 17.55% |
At the reporting date of 31 March 2024, roughly 64.3% of the shares were in free float. With the exception of the shareholdings stated below, no other shareholder held more than 10% of the voting rights in AT&S.
No shares with special control rights exist. The exercise of the voting right by employees who hold shares in the Company is not subject to any limitations.
No special provisions exist on the appointment and dismissal of members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board.
The contracts of all Management Board members include a “Change of Control” clause. Such a change of control exists if a shareholder of the Company has obtained control of the Company in accordance with Section 22 of the Austrian Takeover Act (ÜbG) by holding at least 30% of the voting rights (including the voting rights of third parties attributable to the shareholder pursuant to the Austrian Takeover Act), or the Company has been merged with a non-Group legal entity, unless the value of the other legal entity amounts to less than 50% of the value of the Company according to the agreed exchange ratio. In this case, the Management Board member is entitled to resign for good cause and terminate the Management Board contract at the end of each calendar month within a period of six months after the change of control takes legal effect, subject to a notice period of three months (“special termination right”). If the special termination right is exercised or the Management Board contract is terminated by mutual agreement within six months of the change of control, the Management Board member is entitled to the payment of their remuneration entitlements for the remaining term of this contract, however, for a maximum of three annual gross salaries. Other remuneration components shall not be included in the calculation of the amount of the severance payment and shall be excluded from it.
The Management Board was authorised at the 25th Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019, until 3 July 2024, to increase the Company’s ordinary shares, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, by up to € 21,367,500 by way of issuing up to 19,425,000 new, no-par value bearer shares, for contributions in cash or in kind, in one or several tranches, also by way of indirect subscription rights, after having been taken over by one or more credit institutions in accordance with Section 153 (6) of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act (AktG). The Management Board was authorised to determine, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, the detailed terms and conditions of issue (in particular the issue amount, subject of the contribution in kind, the content of the share rights, the exclusion of subscription rights, etc.) (approved capital). The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the issuance of shares from the approved capital.
Furthermore, the Management Board was authorised at the 25th Ordinary General Meeting on 4 July 2019 to issue, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, one or several convertible bearer bonds at a total amount of up to € 150,000,000 until 3 July 2024, and to grant to bearers of convertible bonds conversion rights and/or subscription rights for up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in the Company in accordance with the convertible bond terms and conditions to be defined by the Management Board. In this regard, the Management Board was also authorised to fully or partially exclude shareholders’ subscription rights. In this context, the Company’s ordinary shares were conditionally increased by up to € 21,367,500 by way of issuance of up to 19,425,000 new no-par value bearer shares in accordance with Section 159 (2) No. 1 of the Austrian Stock Corporation carried out if the bearers of convertible bonds issued based on the authorisation resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting on 4 July 2019 claim the right to conversion and/or subscription granted to them with regard to the Company’s shares. The Management Board was also authorised to determine, subject to approval of the Supervisory Board, the further details of carrying out the conditional capital increase (particularly the issue amount and the content of the share rights). The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association resulting from the issuance of shares from the conditional capital. The same applies in case the authorisation to issue convertible bonds is not exercised or the conditional capital is not used.
With regard to the approved capital and the conditional capital, the following definition of the amount in accordance with the resolutions passed at the 25th Ordinary General Meeting on 4 July 2019 is to be observed: the sum of (i) the number of shares currently issued or potentially to be issued from conditional capital in accordance with the convertible bond conditions and (ii) the number of shares issued from approved capital shall not exceed the total amount of 19,425,000 (limitation of authorised amount). The Annual General Meeting also resolved to amend the Articles of Association in § 4 (Nominal capital) to reflect these changes.
At the 29th Ordinary General Meeting of 6 July 2023, the Management Board was again authorised to purchase, within a period of 30 months from the adoption of the resolution, treasury shares to an extent of up to 10% of the nominal share capital for a minimum consideration per share being at the most 30% lower than the average, unweighted stock exchange closing price over the preceding ten trading days and a maximum consideration per share at the most 30% higher than the average, unweighted stock exchange closing price over the ten preceding trading days; such purchases may take place via the stock exchange, by means of a public offering or any other legally permitted way, and for any legally permitted purpose. The authorisation also includes the purchase of shares by subsidiaries of the Company (Section 66 of the Austrian Stock Corporation Act). The Management Board was also authorised to withdraw shares after repurchase as well as treasury shares already held by the Company without further resolution by the Annual General Meeting. The Supervisory Board was authorised to adopt amendments to the Articles of Association arising from the withdrawal of shares. The authorisations granted by the resolution of the 27th Ordinary General Meeting on 8 July 2021 on agenda item 10 were revoked. Furthermore, the Management Board was authorised at the 25th Ordinary General Meeting on 4 July 2019 for a period of five years, i.e. up to and including 3 July 2024, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to sell or use the repurchased treasury shares or treasury shares currently held by the Company other than via the stock exchange or by public offer in particular for the purposes of stock transfer programmes, convertible bonds or as a consideration for the acquisition of entities, investments or other assets or for any other legal purpose, and to exclude a general purchase opportunity for shareholders.
The Company held no treasury shares as of 31 March 2024
At the 27th Annual General Meeting of 8 July 2021, the Management Board was authorised to reallocate an amount of up to € 50,000,000 of the balance sheet profit carried forward to new account – after dividend distribution – to free reserves, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board.There are no off-balance sheet transactions between AT&S and its subsidiaries. AT&S has neither granted any loans nor assumed any liabilities in favour of board members. For further information, please refer to the notes to the consolidated financial statements, Note 22 “Share capital” as well as Note 15 “Financial liabilities”. The Company’s Corporate Governance Report pursuant to Section 243b of the Austrian Commercial Code is available at https://ats.net/en/company/corporate-governance/.
In accordance with Section 243b (6) UGB (Austrian Commercial Code), the Company is exempt from the obligation to prepare a non-financial statement in the Management Report since a separate non-financial report has been drawn up. This non-financial report is included in the Annual Report 2023/24 as a separate chapter.
AT&S’s research and development activities are focused on exploiting the opportunities arising from digitalisation and ecological optimisation (e.g. artificial intelligence) for AT&S. The electronics industry, in particular microelectronics, plays a central role in this context. It provides systems that enable digitalisation in the first place (e.g. data centres and computers with high-performance processors). In addition, the energy consumption of these devices can be reduced dramatically based on the efficient structure of the overall systems. Microelectronics also forms the basis for completely new solutions for more efficient energy use along the entire value chain (production, transportation, storage and usage). The ongoing projects in this context are summarised in our four key development areas.
Services based on artificial intelligence (AI) and other developments in digitalisation are applied more and more frequently, thus finding their way into our everyday lives. This becomes possible through high-performance computers located in servers and data centres. To cope with massively growing data volumes, these high-performance computer systems are becoming ever more powerful and have to use less energy at the same time. AT&S develops solution concepts for IC substrates that specifically cater to those needs.
As digitalisation progresses, the data volume to be transmitted will also increase significantly in the years to come. Electronic systems working at higher frequencies (e.g. communication modules for 5G and in the future 6G, radar systems for cars) will offer solutions in this regard. These will require new interconnect technology solutions. Based on development projects in this area AT&S ensures that the products transmit signals fast, precisely and with minimal losses.
In view of the sustainability efforts, there is currently a strong trend in electrification towards carbon-neutral energy production, new energy source systems and electricity-based forms of propulsion. AT&S focuses its development activity on systems that enable optimum power supply with the lowest electrical losses from energy production to usage, and can therefore switch, control and transmit high loads.
Industrial production processes will change fundamentally in the decades to come. The processes will increasingly be organised using artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainability will also play a key role: the manufacturing of products must involve minimum consumption of natural resources, be highly reliable and enable the reuse of the materials employed. AT&S is working on new solutions that allow efficient and flexible manufacturing with minimum resource consumption (material, water, energy, etc.). To this end, large data volumes are being put to use via digitalisation to optimise and improve production processes as well as product properties and quality, and new solutions enabling the sparing use of resources in production are being developed.
The Vitality Index measures the impact of the innovative strength of a company. It describes the revenue share AT&S has generated with innovative products launched on the market in the past three years. Generally speaking, the Vitality Index is higher in the years following the successful implementation of new technologies and lower in the development phase of new technologies (i.e. during the phase before their market launch). In the past financial year we see the effect of the launch of new, innovative products on the market. AT&S strives for a mean annual Vitality Index of at least 20%. In the past financial year, a Vitality Index of 25.9% was recorded.
The innovative strength and long-term competitiveness of a company are also reflected in the number and quality of its intellectual property rights: AT&S submitted a total of 62 new patent applications in the financial year 2023/24. At present, AT&S has 573 patent families, which resulted in 797 granted patents. The IP portfolio is further strengthened by externally acquired licences, in particular in the area of embedding technology.
The costs of research and development projects totalled € 155.4 million in the financial year 2023/24. This corresponds to a research rate (i.e. ratio to revenue) of 10.0% compared with 10.2% in the previous year. Based on the continuously high research rate, AT&S is securing its position as a technology leader for the years to come.
AT&S pursues a two-stage innovation process: The first stage is based on technology platforms. In these technology platforms, technical approaches are developed to solve the technical problems in the strategic applications of AT&S for the coming years. This stage corresponds to applied research and technology evaluation. Subsequently, it is the task of the local technology development and implementation departments at the AT&S sites to continue the experimental development of processes and products and to integrate them into the existing production process. These development activities are accompanied by developments in the virtual world and strong collaboration with our customers, suppliers, and research institutions.
The key development areas for “High-performance computing”, “High-frequency electronics” and “Power and power efficiency” were further expanded. In these platforms, solution concepts that will support the challenges of electronic systems and find optimal solutions by the end of the decade are developed. For example, new assembly and interconnect concepts are being developed that enable connecting individual components of computers chips with a high signal rate, and, using a variety of different materials (e.g. glass), giving the ever larger IC substrates the necessary reliability and form stability, and offering concepts for the energy-efficient power supply of high-performance computer modules, low-loss circuit and cooling concepts for electromobility and energy supply.
In the future, these developments will be strongly supported and accelerated by the R&D centre at the AT&S headquarters in Leoben, which is currently being established. It is a development centre for IC substrates and other technologies in the field of advanced electronic packaging. An R&D, prototype and series production line, which globally sets a new technological standard in this area, constitutes the heart of the centre. This measure brings a technology segment to Europe which is only available in Asia today, thus making a substantial contribution to technological supply security. Coupled with the investments in research and development at the headquarters in Leoben in the areas of “Substrate – Core” and “Packaging Technologies” over the past years, this new centre will become a hotspot in electronics development and will be a guarantor of leading-edge solutions made by AT&S.
Opportunities and risk management is a fundamental part of conducting business within the AT&S Group. The objective of increasing enterprise value involves not only opportunities but also risks. The task of Risk Management is to provide a uniform system that enables early identification and proactive management of positive or negative deviations from the corporate goals. Therefore, AT&S operates a Group-wide Risk Management (RM) system in accordance with the Austrian Code of Corporate Governance (ACCG), an Internal Control System (ICS) in accordance with COSO standards, as well as Internal Audit based on the IIA standards. From an organisational perspective, Risk Management, Internal Control System and Internal Audit functions fall within the responsibility of the CFO. Risk Management reports regularly to the full Management Board at a Management Board meeting. The Supervisory Board is included within the framework of the Audit Committee meetings, which take place at least twice a year. The proper functioning of the risk management system is assessed annually by the auditor in the course of the annual audit of the financial statements pursuant to Rule 83 ACCG. The risk management process shown in Figure 1 is conducted at least twice a year. Risk management is conducted based on the risk strategy and risk exposure at the hierarchy level assigned to the relevant level of risk (see Figure 2), which was defined in a Group-wide risk management policy.
In the financial year 2023/24, the integration of Enterprise Risk Management in all organisational units was intensified. At risk management workshops with the Group, business unit and plant functions, risks are comprehensively identified and assessed, and mitigation measures are defined. The standardized parameters used for the risk assessment have been revised within financial year 2023/24.# AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG
The risks, uncertainties, and opportunities facing AT&S are generally based on worldwide developments in the printed circuit board and substrate market and the Group’s own operating performance. The material risks are described by risk category in the following section.
To use growth potential, AT&S has undertaken substantial investments in new technologies (IC substrates) as well as in the further development and capacity expansion of existing technologies (SLP, mSap, HDI). To secure the high-end substrate business as a strategic cornerstone, AT&S is investing in a production site at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah, Malaysia. The project is carried out in cooperation with two leading manufacturers of high-performance computing semiconductors. One of the two plants is nearly finalised and qualification has started. Production is expected to ramp at the end of fiscal year 2024/25. The building envelope of the second plant is completed. The timing of the procurement and installation of production equipment depends on how the market and the situation of a relevant customer develop. In addition, the Company invested in a new R&D center for substrate and packaging solutions for the global semiconductor industry at its site in Leoben-Hinterberg. As part of the current diversification strategy, new customers were won for the IC substrate segment. As a result of this development, the R&D center will be expanded to include series production, supported by financing contributions from new customers. Unexpected technological developments, changes in demand, restrictions through third-party patents, negative price developments, shorter technology cycles or problems in the technical implementation may have severe adverse effects on the intrinsic value of such investments. These effects can generally impact all current AT&S business activities. If there are any indications of such adverse effects, impairment tests of these investments are performed as required, which may lead to high impairment requirements due to the high investments made.
The use of HDI technology was successfully transferred from smartphone applications and other mobile devices to further applications, for example in the automotive industry. Delays in switching over to the new technologies on the customer side and volatile market developments may pose challenges for AT&S and lead to excess supply, over-capacities, and underutilisation. The opportunities of the AT&S plants are based on high flexibility, high quality standards and the ability to react very quickly to changing specifications and technologies. These capabilities are imperative for prevailing in the competitive environment, especially in the Industrial segment, which is subject to diverse technological requirements among a large number of customers. To safeguard this competitive edge, AT&S constantly pursues new forms of technology and projects in close cooperation with customers. The market demand for IC substrates significantly declined in 2023 and is expected to grow at the end of fiscal year 2024/25. A recovery to 2022 levels is expected to take at least until 2025, however. The rapid decline and elevated inventories in the market of IC substrates for notebooks, seen after the boom of 2021/2022, ended and stabilized in 2023. The rapid demand increase for high-priced AI-related infrastructure as well as macroeconomic conditions (e.g. inflation, high interest rates, fears of recession) muted the numbers of server systems sold in 2023. This led to a decline in demand for server-related IC substrates and also elevated inventories. Based on seasonal market dynamics, the market is expected to pick up at the end of fiscal year 2024/25 again and lead to overall growth in IC substrates. AT&S is therefore adjusting the investment program in Malaysia to the current market situation. Competitor risks arise due to potential quality improvements and technological developments in countries with low production costs, for example, Vietnam or the Philippines. This could lead to a loss of competitiveness at AT&S sites, especially in Austria but possibly also at other production sites such as those in South Korea and China. In addition, competitors announced substantial investments in capacities for ABF substrates and PCB production sites outside of China in the past year, which can lead to additional overcapacities in the market and the resulting falling prices. Moreover, a difficult market environment in the financial year 2024/25 could adversely impact the Group‘s results. The war in Ukraine with its effects on the energy market, continued tensions between the USA and China, the upcoming election in the USA as well as a potentially persisting high interest level result in a continued weak market environment. Lower demand for IC substrates, possible reservations of customers regarding deliveries from China, stagnating smartphone sales, weak demand in the Automotive and Industrial segments as well as unfavourable market developments in the other core segments could lead to a decline in revenue. The broad-based positioning of AT&S in the Mobile Devices & Substrates segment and in the Automotive, Industrial, Medical segment with their different production cycles can partially mitigate market risks. Along with controlling risks, crisis-proof applications are being pushed based on customer and application analyses, for example applications in the medical sector.
With the help of advanced production technologies and high-quality standards, AT&S has managed to establish itself as a reliable provider to some of the world’s most renowned players in the electronics industry. Due to the focus on high-end technology, the number of customers is limited to technology leaders. The revenue generated by the five largest customers accounts for 71% of total revenue, with the respective shares ranging from 2% to 35%. Our long-term relationships with these customers also offer excellent opportunities for the future. However, a concentration of this kind also poses risks if there is a significant reduction in business volume or profitability from these customers. As part of its diversification strategy, AT&S succeeded in winning additional IC substrate customers, in particular in the area of server ICs. These measures support the rapid compensation of potential negative developments among individual key customers. Nevertheless, adverse changes in the markets can have a negative impact on AT&S, as the customers operate in similar market segments.
Supply chain trends are evolving all the time, the recent history has proven how important it is to be responsive, scalable and agile. Due to the past year market downturn, leading to even more customers demand volatility, the must-win battle is about providing a rapid response to customers, with shorter lead times, in order to excel in customer service and value proposition. AT&S is continuously optimizing its supplier base to create value, reduce delivery lead times, mitigate procurement risks through targeted supplier management, and exceed customer expectations. The past disruptions (Covid-19, war in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions) have eventually led to improvements in responsiveness and lead time reduction, thanks to alternate transportation options, as well as the qualification of new vendors regionally closer to AT&S manufacturing locations. Likewise, anticipating our production needs in Malaysia, an extended supplier base is being developed in South-East Asia. The market price volatility observed shortly after the beginning of the war in Ukraine has been contained: for raw materials the LME Copper rate has been very stable over the last 12 months On the contrary, Gold prices increased over the same timeframe, while Palladium price dropped, therefore the impacts were able to compensate each other.
The sourcing strategy of AT&S focuses on a wide and clearly diversified base of carefully selected suppliers to reduce dependencies on individual suppliers. Long-standing and stable customer-supplier relations are in place with key suppliers with particular expertise and competitive standing. To avoid supply shortages, AT&S conducts rigorous supplier risk management, taking account of regional cluster risks and various supply routes. In this matter of Transportation & Logistics, since the end of December 2023, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has escalated, and shipping companies have suspended the crossing of the Red Sea, re-routing their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. These disruptions in the Suez Canal have created more challenges through longer transit times, higher costs, and lower on-time reliability with accumulated delays & shortages. AT&S is very closely monitoring the situation with partners and freight forwarders, consequently due to immediate responsiveness and actions implemented (e.g. extension of lead times extended, revision of ordering patterns, inventory levels readjustment, pre-booking of vessels), there has been no major impact reported.
The vast majority of AT&S’s operating activities are based at sites outside of Austria, particularly in China. This means that the Group might be subject to potential legal uncertainties, state intervention, trade restrictions or political unrest. Irrespective of the above, any production site of the Group may furthermore be exposed to disruptive events such as fire, natural disasters, acts of war, shortages of supply or other elementary events.The termination of land use rights, permits, or lease contracts for specific plants might also have a considerable negative impact on the production output of the Group. Manufacturing PCB’s and IC substrates require a large number of wet-chemical, energy- and water-intensive processes. Furthermore, room conditions within the production area (e.g. clean room) and storage area (e.g. cold storage) have to meet specified limits. Climate-related changes may cause an increase in ambient temperature and a higher frequency of extreme weather events (e.g. heatwaves, drought), which could lead to a limitation of resources (e.g. supply of water and energy). Consequently, either costs could increase (e.g. for heating or cooling) or, in the worst case, disruptions of the production process can occur, if the supply is interrupted. Additionally, further limitations on the discharge of pollutants into the air and water as well as stricter standards for the treatment, storage, and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes could be imposed. Therefore, AT&S is working on recycling projects (e.g. copper- and water recycling) to increase closed-loop processes and also a strategy to reduce waste. Moreover, the production processes expose some of the employees to impairments with regard to chemicals, noise, or emissions. Inadequate personal safety standards and inadequate safety management could cause business interruptions owing to rising accident and health cases. To minimise the effects of such risks, the Group has instituted business continuity management. AT&S also conducts active insurance management by means of weighing the risks and associated costs. It has concluded insurance contracts to the extent customary for a company of this size wherever such contracts were available at costs that are reasonable in relation to the impending risks.
The electronics industry is characterised by highly integrated, transnational supply chains that are based on the free trade of goods and services. Potential protectionism or growing political tensions can lead to discontinuities in the supply chain and to competitive advantages for competitors in specific countries. The war between Ukraine and Russia, which has been ongoing since February 2022, has an impact on the entire global economy. In addition to the resulting humanitarian disaster, the war also affects the availability of materials and energy, which is reflected in their price development. Uncertainties regarding energy supply, particularly electricity, can also have a negative effect on AT&S. To mitigate this risk, measures have been taken to enable the Company to respond quickly if required. Furthermore, the AT&S energy strategy was also expanded to include the aspect of security of supply. Nevertheless, far-reaching sanctions and other unexpected geopolitical developments can have negative effects on the business operations of AT&S. A potential aggravation of the trade conflict between the USA and China could lead to an increase in punitive tariffs on imports of certain goods in both countries as well as trade restrictions for technology companies. From the current perspective, the trade conflict only has an insignificant influence on AT&S. Nevertheless, ongoing monitoring of new trade restrictions and/or export controls related to AT&S’s underlying technologies, raw materials, and equipment as well as potentially affected customers is necessary. In recent months, new escalations in East Asia, particularly between China and Taiwan, but also in Korea, as well as the renewed conflict in the Middle East, could have a general impact on global supply chain interdependencies. It is therefore important to monitor any intensification of these conflicts, which could potentially negatively impact on business activities. In addition, resulting macroeconomic developments may have an adversely affect on the business of AT&S. The escalated war between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East is giving rise to further uncertainties in the global economy. In terms of manufacturing, Israel’s weight in the global semiconductor market is limited. Furthermore, AT&S doesn’t partner with manufacturing companies in Israel and is not dependent on the market in Israel. Nevertheless, the Red Sea crisis driven by the Middle East conflict has a negative impact on the transportation of goods and materials. Currently there are no major impacts on AT&S’s business, but a close monitoring of the situation is ongoing.
Amendments to regulatory requirements (for example REACH and ROHS), such as the prohibition of specific processes or materials, might lead to a rise in production costs. AT&S might be subject to payment of substantial damages or penalties should any breach of customer confidentiality agreements or statutory provisions occur. AT&S has implemented organisational measures aimed at preventing or minimising the occurrence of compliance risks. The extension of such measures is ongoing. As a rule, AT&S follows a zero-tolerance policy and expects 100% compliance with all applicable laws and regulations from its employees. The Governance, Risk & Compliance Committee (GRC Committee) supports Enterprise Risk Management in monitoring the risk landscape and helps promote compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, AT&S introduced the whistleblowing platform “We Care”, which enables employees and external third parties to report potential compliance violations.
To continue to successfully prevent attempted fraud, internal controls were further intensified in the past few financial years and initiatives to raise awareness among employees with regard to such fraud schemes were increased. Based on an analysis of internal processes regarding the use of personal data, the required measures were assessed and implemented in order to ensure the protection of sensitive data. Following the successful certification of all European locations in accordance with ISO 27001, the Information Security Management System (ISMS) was rolled out at all production locations and certification according to ISO 27001:2013 was performed. Alignment with international IT standards ensures safe handling and appropriate access to information, and the availability of reliable systems. Despite best efforts, we must acknowledge that no system is completely immune from potential hacking attacks. Such incidents, if they occur, could negatively impact the security of data and the availability of IT systems. AT&S continually strives to mitigate these risks and ensure the safety and integrity of its systems.
As in the past, the high quality of products, adherence to delivery deadlines and service quality will offer the Group an opportunity to differentiate itself from the competition and exploit growth opportunities in the future. At the same time, AT&S has to make substantial contractual commitments, especially to key customers, with respect to capacity reserves and volume guarantees, adherence to delivery deadlines, and quality performance. Any technical defects, quality deficiencies, difficulties in delivering products or failure to provide volume guarantees granted may expose AT&S to warranty claims, claims for damages, and contractual penalties. Quality deficiencies may even lead to delivery stops for certain part numbers. Even if such quality deficiencies were not caused in the production process of AT&S but within the supply chain, such delivery stops may lead to significant drops in revenue. Substantial quality deficiencies could also result in product recalls and the loss of customers. AT&S has established a quality management and planning system designed to rule out or minimise deficiencies in product quality and planning mistakes and their negative consequences as far as possible. In order to ensure high product quality, AT&S not only meets general international quality standards (ISO 9001) but also further standards for the automotive (e.g. IATF 16949), aviation (e.g. NADCAP accreditation), and medical technology (e.g. DS/EN ISO 13485) sectors. Furthermore, the Group is insured against major risks by virtue of an (extended) product liability insurance policy taking into account exclusions of coverage and customary coverage limits.
AT&S endeavours to exploit any opportunities for obtaining intellectual property as well as gaining access to promising patents through the development of its own projects, cooperation schemes with partners, and investments. Risks arise if AT&S fails to protect its intellectual property, thus enabling the competition to utilise these technologies. Legal disputes about intellectual property can prevent AT&S from using or selling disputed technologies. Furthermore, legal disputes with regard to the unauthorised use of external intellectual property can have considerable negative financial consequences.
The establishment and expansion of capacity for IC substrates in Chongqing and Kulim lead to specific risks given the significant investment volume. The market for IC substrates is influenced by technological changes. The establishment of an R&D centre including prototype production in Austria is also intended to serve the development of new technologies, thus mitigating the market risk of IC substrates. However, this technological progress includes the general risk of new technology developments. Complications in advancing these technological developments and project implementation could result in major burdens on business development and the existing financial and administrative resources.
AT&S has initiated comprehensive cost optimisation programmes in order to mitigate effects resulting from weak demand, price pressure, and inflation.# 5.3. Internal control and risk management system with regard to accounting
The accounting-related Internal Control and Risk Management system is an integral part of the Group-wide risk management system. According to the framework concept of COSO (the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission), the actual risk management as well as the Internal Control System (ICS), are subsumed under the concept of company-wide risk management. The main criteria of Risk Management, Internal Control System, and Internal Audit of AT&S are specified in a Group-wide risk management and audit manual. The documentation of the internal controls (business processes, risks, control measures, and those responsible) is made principally in the form of control matrices, which are archived in a central management database.
The accounting-related Internal Control System includes principles, procedures, and measures to ensure the compliance of accounting in terms of control targets described for financial reporting. The Internal Control System aims to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the business activities, reliable financial reporting, and compliance with the applicable legal requirements and internal regulations. Further principles of the ICS are:
The accounting procedures are documented in separate process instructions. These processes are standardised across the Group and are presented in a documentation format. Additional requirements for accounting procedures result from specific local regulations. The basic principles of accounting and reporting are documented in the process descriptions and in detailed process instructions, which are also filed in the central document management system. In addition, guidelines on measurement procedures and organisational requirements in connection with the processes of accounting and preparing the financial statements are compiled and updated regularly.
The necessary control measures in connection with accounting processes, for example access authorisations and separation of functions, are documented in the Internal Control System. Their implementation and effectiveness are regularly reviewed by Internal Audit and any improvement measures are identified.
The internal financial reporting is done monthly as part of Group reporting, with the financial information being reviewed and analysed by the Corporate Finance and Corporate Controlling departments. The monthly budget/actual variance with corresponding comments on the results of the segments, of the plants as well as of the Company, is reported internally to the executives and the members of the Supervisory Board. The annual preparation of the budget is carried out by the Corporate Controlling department. Quarterly forecasts are drawn up during the year for the remaining financial year based on the quarterly results and current planning information. The forecasts, with comments on the budget comparison and presentations on the impact of opportunities and risks up to the end of the financial year, are reported to the Supervisory Board. In addition to regular reporting, multiple-year planning, project-related financial information or calculations on investment projects are prepared and submitted to the Supervisory Board.
In 2023, the economy largely returned to pre-COVID-19 conditions. Supply chains and demand stabilized, while central banks tightened the monetary reins to curb inflation. In most regions, headline inflation slowed from the peaks experienced in 2022. However, core inflation, which excludes volatile prices for food and energy, proved stickier. Consumer demand remained muted in most major economies, as inflation and high interest rates reduced purchasing power. Global output, measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), increased by an estimated 3.1% in 2023, with advanced economies experiencing slower growth than emerging markets and developing economies. GDP grew by 0.5% in the euro area, by 5.2% in China, and by 2.5% in the United States. Projections for 2024 predict a global GDP growth of 3.1%.39 Conflicts and geopolitics continued to play a significant role on the international stage. One of the most discussed topics was the continued effort of the United States, supported by European and Asian partners, to restrict Chinese access to advanced technologies via export restrictions and bans targeting an increasing number of Chinese companies. The ongoing war in eastern Ukraine and, since Autumn 2023, the ongoing bombardment of the Gaza strip by the Israeli army following an attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, have also contributed to the increase of tensions in the Middle East as well as internationally. Market analyses anticipate a declining trend of 4% for printed circuit boards and of 8% for IC substrates for the calendar year 2024. For further information on industry and technology trends please refer to Section 1 “Market and industry environment” of the Management Report.
The expectations for AT&S’s segments are currently as follows: In the area of mobile devices, where overall market conditions are weak, demand is expected to recover only slightly; this segment will remain a challenge for AT&S. In contrast, the module printed circuit board business continues to develop positively.# AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft
Although the PCB market in the automotive segment is currently under pressure due to higher inventory levels in the supply chain, among other things, it is subject to a growth trend in the medium term, as the electronic content per vehicle continues to increase. In the Industrial segment, a slight recovery of the market is expected in 2024. The market for notebooks is generally volatile and subject to significant quarterly fluctuations. In the markets for IC substrates, demand for notebooks in 2024 is expected to be slightly higher than in 2023. This should lead to higher demand for IC substrates since inventories have now normalized. Since a growing share of investments in the server market is currently directed towards high-priced products focused on artificial intelligence, the reduction of inventories is proceeding more slowly than initially expected. Inventory levels should have normalized by the second half of the financial year 2024/25, and demand for server products is expected to pick up again. The most recent order planning of AT&S’s main customers also indicates such a development. Due to the expected change in architecture, the product mix should continue to change, with the trends towards technologically higher-end IC substrates also expected to continue; AT&S will benefit from this trend.
AT&S endeavors to finance its capital requirements at an early stage and currently has a liquidity reserve of € 1,276.8 million. Measures to secure future liquidity are continuously evaluated. In addition to the prolongation and raising of new loans, the sale of the subsidiary in South Korea is also being considered.
Some of the industries served by AT&S have stabilized over the past months. On this basis, demand is expected to recover in terms of volume, in particular in the second half of the financial year 2024/25. Nevertheless, the company assumes that strong price pressure will continue. The consistent implementation of and further focus on the already ongoing efficiency programs is intended to counter this pressure. In addition to comprehensive cost-cutting measures, a reduction of up to 1,000 employees will be implemented at the existing locations.
After the high investments of € 996 million in 2022/23 and € 855 million in 2023/24, net capex will decline significantly in the coming years. The management is planning investments of roughly € 500 million for the financial year 2024/25 depending on the market environment and progress of projects. The majority of these investments will be used for the IC substrate production at the new plants in Kulim and Leoben. With the start of high-volume production at the two plants at the end of the financial year 2024/25, AT&S will continue to further differentiate its customer base for IC substrates.
AT&S expects to generate annual revenue in the range of € 1.7 to € 1.8 billion in the financial year 2024/2540. Excluding effects from the start-up of the new production capacities in Kulim and Leoben amounting to roughly € 80 million, the adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to range between 25 and 27%.
Leoben-Hinterberg, 13 May 2024
The Management Board
Andreas Gerstenmayer m.p.
Peter Schneider m.p.
Peter Griehsnig m.p.
Petra Preining m.p.
Ingolf Schröder m.p.
This report is a translation of the German original, which is solely valid.
We have audited the financial statements of AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft, Leoben (the Company), which comprise the balance sheet as at March 31, 2024, and profit and loss account for the financial year then ended as well as the notes to the financial statements.
In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements comply with legal requirements and give a true and fair view of the financial position of the Company as at March 31, 2024, and its financial performance and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Austrian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
We conducted our audit in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 537/2014 and with the Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards. Those standards require the application of the International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report.
We are independent of the Company in accordance with laws and regulations applicable in Austria, and we have fulfilled our other professional responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained up to the date of our report is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion as of that date.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
The valuation of deferred tax assets requires judgement and involves significant estimation uncertainties, and therefore, constitutes a risk of material misstatement in the financial statement. Estimation uncertainties exist in particular in relation to the assumption made in the business plan and their effect on taxable results. For this reason, we identified the recoverability of deferred tax assets as a key audit matter.
Management is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with Austrian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
The audit committee is responsible for overseeing the Company’s financial reporting process.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No. 537/2014 and with Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, which require the application of the ISAs, will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with Regulation (EU) No. 537/2014 and with Austrian Generally Accepted Auditing Standards, which require the application of the ISAs, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
In our opinion, the accompanying consolidated financial statements and separate financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries (the "Company") and the parent company as at March 31, 2024, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for the financial year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB").
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing ("ISAs"). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants’ Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the "IESBA Code") and the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in [Country Name], and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the IESBA Code. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of goods and services. Significant judgment is involved in determining the timing of revenue recognition, particularly for contracts with multiple performance obligations, and the estimation of variable consideration. The revenue is recognized on a gross basis. For the year ended March 31, 2024, revenue amounted to EUR 2,652.9 million.
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The determination of net realizable value involves estimations of future selling prices and costs to complete and sell. The carrying amount of inventories as at March 31, 2024, was EUR 685.2 million.
Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are tested for impairment at least annually. This involves comparing the carrying amount of the asset or cash-generating unit to its recoverable amount, which is determined based on discounted cash flow projections. The carrying amount of goodwill and intangible assets as at March 31, 2024, was EUR 1,245.1 million.
The other information comprises the information in the management report, excluding the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Management is responsible for the other information. Our auditor’s report does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
Management is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with IFRS, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the financial reporting process of the Company.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit. We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards. From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
Pursuant to statutory provisions, the management report is to be audited as to whether it is consistent with the financial statements and whether it has been prepared in accordance with the applicable legal requirements. Management is responsible for the preparation of the management report in accordance with the Austrian Commercial Code. We conducted our audit in accordance with laws and regulations applicable with respect to the management report.
In our opinion, the management report is prepared in accordance with the applicable legal requirements, includes appropriate disclosures according to section 243a UGB and is consistent with the financial statements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Company and its environment obtained in the course of our audit of the financial statements, we have not identified material misstatements in the management report.
We were appointed as auditors by the annual general meeting on July 6, 2023 and commissioned by the supervisory board on October 31, 2023 to audit the financial statements for the financial year ending March 31, 2024. We have been auditing the Company uninterrupted since the financial year ending March 31, 2021. We confirm that our opinion expressed in the section “Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements” is consistent with the additional report to the audit committee referred to in Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014. We declare that we did not provide any prohibited non-audit services referred to in Article 5(1) of Regulation (EU) No 537/2014 and that we remained independent of the Company in conducting the audit.
The engagement partner responsible for the audit is Gerhard Marterbauer.
Vienna May 14, 2024
Deloitte Audit Wirtschaftsprüfungs GmbH
Mag. Gerhard Marterbauer
m.p.
Certified Public Accountant
This report is a translation of the audit report according to section 273 of the Austrian Commercial Code (UGB). The translation is presented for the convenience of the reader only. The German wording of the audit report is solely valid and is the only legally binding version. Section 281(2) UGB applies.
We confirm to the best of our knowledge that the consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Group as required by the applicable accounting standards and that the Group Management report gives a true and fair view of the development and performance of the business and the position of the Group, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties the Group faces.
We confirm to the best of our knowledge that the separate financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the parent company as required by the applicable accounting standards and that the management report gives a true and fair view of the development and performance of the business and the position of the company, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties the company faces.
Leoben-Hinterberg, 13 May 2024
The Management Board
Andreas Gerstenmayer
m.p.
Chief Executive Officer
Peter Schneider
m.p.
Member of the Executive Board, EVP BU Electronics Solutions, Deputy CEO
Peter Griehsnig
m.p.
Chief Technology Officer
Petra Preining
m.p.
Chief Financial Officer
Ingolf Schröder
m.p.
Member of the Executive Board, EVP BU Microelectronics
1 IMF, “World Economic Outlook Update”, January 2024
2 Semiconductor Industry Association, Press release “Global Semiconductor Sales Decrease 8.2% in 2023; Market Rebounds Late in Year”, February 2024
3 Prismark Partners, “Application Forecasts”, November 2023
4 Prismark Partners, “Application Forecasts”, February 2024; The 2023-2028 CAGR was used to extrapolate the 2028 figures provided by the source to 2029
5 IDC, Press release „Apple Grabs the Top Spot in the Smartphone Market in 2023 along with Record High Market Share Despite the Overall Market Dropping 3.2%, According to IDC Tracker“, January 2024
6 IDC, Press release “Apple Captures the Top Spot in the China Smartphone Market in 2023 for the First Time Ever, Despite the Overall Market Dropping 5.0%, According to IDC Tracker“, January 2024
7 IDC, “Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker”, February 2024
8 IDC, Press release “Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 2.7% Year Over Year in the Fourth Quarter of 2023 but Visions of Growth Lie Ahead, According to IDC”, January 2024
9 IDC, “Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker”, February 2024
10 IDC, Press release “Worldwide Smartphone Recovery Is Happening as Shipments Are Forecast to Grow 2.8% in 2024, According to IDC”, February 2024
11 IDC, Press release “IDC Forecasts Artificial Intelligence PCs to Account for Nearly 60% of All PC Shipments by 2027”, February 2024
12 LMC Automotive, “Global Light Vehicle Forecast”, January 2024
13 Bank of America Global Research, “EV Tracker”, February 2024
14 McKinsey, “What to expect from medtech in 2024”, February 2024
15 MedTech Dive, “Why medtech firms are putting diabetes tech in consumer devices”, August 2023
16 IDC Global DataSphere, “IoT Device Installed Base and Data Generated Forecast”, September 2023
17 IDC, “5G Network Infrastructure Forecast, 2023–2027”, December 2023
18 IDC, Brooklyn 6G Summit 2023, November 2023
19 IMF, “World Economic Outlook Update”, January 2024
20 Refers to the current company structure, including the plant in Ansan, Korea
21 IMF, “World Economic Outlook Update”, January 2024
22 Semiconductor Industry Association, Press release “Global Semiconductor Sales Decrease 8.2% in 2023; Market Rebounds Late in Year”, February 2024
23 Prismark Partners, “Application Forecasts”, November 2023
24 Prismark Partners, “Application Forecasts”, February 2024; The 2023-2028 CAGR was used to extrapolate the 2028 figures provided by the source to 2029
25 IDC, Press release „Apple Grabs the Top Spot in the Smartphone Market in 2023 along with Record High Market Share Despite the Overall Market Dropping 3.2%, According to IDC Tracker“, January 2024
26 IDC, Press release “Apple Captures the Top Spot in the China Smartphone Market in 2023 for the First Time Ever, Despite the Overall Market Dropping 5.0%, According to IDC Tracker“, January 2024
27 IDC, “Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker”, February 2024
28 IDC, Press release “Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 2.7% Year Over Year in the Fourth Quarter of 2023 but Visions of Growth Lie Ahead, According to IDC”, January 2024
29 IDC, “Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker”, February 2024
30 IDC, Press release “Worldwide Smartphone Recovery Is Happening as Shipments Are Forecast to Grow 2.8% in 2024, According to IDC”, February 2024
31 IDC, Press release “IDC Forecasts Artificial Intelligence PCs to Account for Nearly 60% of All PC Shipments by 2027”, February 2024
32 LMC Automotive, “Global Light Vehicle Forecast”, January 2024
33 Bank of America Global Research, “EV Tracker”, February 2024
34 McKinsey, “What to expect from medtech in 2024”, February 2024
35 MedTech Dive, “Why medtech firms are putting diabetes tech in consumer devices”, August 2023
36 IDC Global DataSphere, “IoT Device Installed Base and Data Generated Forecast”, September 2023
37 IDC, “5G Network Infrastructure Forecast, 2023–2027”, December 2023
38 IDC, Brooklyn 6G Summit 2023, November 2023
39 IMF, “World Economic Outlook Update”, January 2024
40 Refers to the current company structure, including the plant in Ansan, Korea
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