- Sold 3.7 million units in third quarter 2012, a 7% increase over third quarter 2011.
- Maintained our global PND market share with approximately 70% share in the U.S. market and over 32% in the major European markets.
- Shipped our first fully integrated infotainment system to Suzuki for the 2013 SX4, Grand Vitara and Kazachi.
- Announced new features and functionality for select 2013 Chrysler and Dodge vehicles including 3D buildings, landmarks and terrain, trip planner, multi-route view and many others.
- Expanded our OEM relationship with Cessna to include the recent upgrade of the Sovereign with the G5000 integrated avionics system.
- Launched the Forerunner® 10 running watch – an affordable and intuitive solution for runners, joggers and walkers of all levels.
- Announced the dēzl truck navigator with a seven-inch display and active lane guidance.
- Delivered the Alpha™ - an integrated tracking and training system for hunters and their sporting dogs.
Executive Overview from Dr. Min Kao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer:
“Due to the diverse markets that we serve, we were able to again post growth in revenue, unit volumes, and operating income during the third quarter of 2012,” said Dr. Min Kao, chairman and chief executive officer of Garmin Ltd. “Because of our third quarter results, we are raising our full year EPS guidance to $2.75-$2.90. We have continually strived to diversify our product portfolio across a wide variety of categories, as well as expand our geographic reach. By doing this, we have created opportunities for growth even when segments of our business face adverse market conditions. I am pleased with the continued strategic direction of the company and feel confident in our ability to achieve long-term sustained growth.
The outdoor segment posted revenue growth of 11% in the quarter. Growth continued to be driven by our golf line-up, dog tracking and training, and our recently introduced fēnix™. During the quarter, we introduced our first collaborative product following the Tri-Tronics® acquisition, the Alpha GPS Track and Train System. The unit combines robust GPS tracking from Garmin and proven electronic correction from Tri-Tronics.
The fitness segment posted a revenue decline of 6% in the quarter as growth in cycling and multi-sport were offset by a slowdown in running watches. We again faced a difficult year-over-year comparison due to 2011 promotional activity on the Forerunner 305 and the strong early shipments of the Forerunner 610. With the launch of the Forerunner 10, we expect to regain market share in the value price category. Early response to the Forerunner 10 has been positive with great reviews and strong pre-orders. We remain confident that the fitness market will continue to offer growth opportunities in 2013 and beyond.
The aviation segment posted revenue growth of 3% driven by our OEM relationships. The general aviation market remains depressed as evidenced by production levels and we do not foresee any near-term improvement. Yet, we continue to gain market share which will provide accelerated growth in 2013. Most recently, the Garmin G5000 integrated avionics system was selected by Cessna for the upcoming Sovereign refresh which will be delivered to customers in 2013. We now have five new cockpit certifications pending for 2013.
In the marine segment, revenues declined 7% year-over-year as growth in the Americas could not offset the very weak European market. The marine industry continues to be affected by weak economic conditions, as the large boat market has further declined, and we anticipate that the market will remain difficult throughout 2013. Though the near-term remains challenging, we are focusing our resources on the long-term opportunities by continuing to invest in new product development and making strategic acquisitions that broaden our market reach, including Nexus® Marine AB in the third quarter. Nexus is a leading supplier of instrumentation for the sailing market and provides Garmin with immediate expertise and presence in another niche of the marine industry.
Looking finally at the auto/mobile segment, we delivered stable revenue of $384 million in the quarter. A slight decline in the PND business was offset by strong growth in our OEM revenues as we began to ship to Suzuki and saw improving volumes from Chrysler and Volkswagen. We believe that our PND volumes continue to trend ahead of the industry due to market share gains. The growth in OEM is exciting as we begin to see the results of our research and development investment. We will continue to invest in new opportunities for future growth.”
Financial Overview from Kevin Rauckman, Chief Financial Officer:
“Our team continues to execute well, delivering another quarter of
revenue growth and strong margin expansion,” said Kevin Rauckman, chief
financial officer of Garmin Ltd. “At the same time, we are able to fund
significant research and development efforts in our marine, aviation and
auto OEM businesses which will create accelerating growth opportunities
in the future.