威世科技 (VSH) 2013 Q2 法說會逐字稿

Good morning. My name is Kathy, and I will be your conference operator. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Vishay Quarter 2 2013 earnings conference call. All lines have been placed on mute to prevent any background noise. After the speakers' remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session.

(Operator Instructions)

I will now turn the conference over to your host, Peter Henrici. Please go ahead.

Thank you, Kathy. Good morning and welcome to Vishay Intertechnology's second quarter 2013 conference call. With me today are Dr. Gerald Paul, Vishay's President and Chief Executive Officer; and Lori Lipcaman, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. As usual, we will start today's call with the CFO, who will review our second quarter financial results. Dr. Gerald Paul will then give an overview of our business and discuss operational performance as well as segment results in more detail. Finally, we will reserve time for questions and answers.

This call is being webcast from the Investor Relations section of our website, at ir.vishay.com. The replay for this call will be publicly available for approximately 30 days.

You should be aware that in today's conference call, we will be making certain forward-looking statements that discuss future events and performance. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of factors that could cause results to differ, please see today's press release and Vishay's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In addition, during this call we may refer to adjusted or other financial measures that are not prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles. We use non-GAAP measures because we believe they provide useful information about the operating performance of our businesses, and should be considered by investors in conjunction with GAAP measures that we also provide. This morning, we filed a Form 8-K that outlines the various variables that impact the diluted earnings per share computation. We expect to file our Form 10-Q for the second quarter this evening. On the Investor Relations section of our website, you can find a presentation of the Q2 2013 financial information, containing some of the operational metrics Dr. Paul will be discussing.

Now, I turn the discussion over to Chief Financial Officer Lori Lipcaman.

Thank you, Peter. Good morning, everyone.

I am sure that most of you have had a chance to review our earnings press release. I will focus on some highlights and key metrics. Vishay reported revenues for Q2 of $598 million, above the midpoint of our guidance; however, gross margin percent came in slightly below. GAAP EPS for the quarter was $0.21. The second quarter includes an adjustment of $1.8 million related to performance-based stock compensation for certain former executives. Excluding the after-tax effect of this item, adjusted EPS was $0.20 for the quarter.

On June 13, Vishay completed the purchase of MCB Industry SA, a specialty resistor company located in France. The purchase price was approximately EUR17.3 million, or $23 million. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, sales of MCB were approximately EUR22.6 million, or $29.1 million. In Q2, MCB contributed $2.5 million sales to Vishay. We expect MCB to be accretive to earnings in Q3 and going forward.

Cash generation returned to more normal levels following the slow start in Q1, with free cash flow of $46 million in Q2. Revenues in the quarter were $598 million, up by 7.8% from previous quarter and up by 1.6% compared to prior year. Gross margin was 23.9%. Operating margin was 8.7%. Adjusted operating margin was 8.4%. EPS was $0.21. Adjusted EPS was $0.20.

In Q2, we recorded an adjustment of $1.8 million related to performance-based stock compensation for certain former executives, following a determination that achievement of the three-year performance targets was no longer probable. These costs had been originally reported as a separate line item upon cessation of employment of these executives in 2011; and accordingly this adjustment is also reported as a separate line item.

Reconciling adjusted operating income Q2 2013 compared to operating income for prior quarter, based on $43 million higher sales, or $46 million higher excluding exchange rate impacts, adjusted operating margin increased by $5 million, from $46 million in Q1 2013 to $50 million in Q2 2013. The main elements were average selling prices, which had a negative impact of $7 million, representing a 1.1% ASP decline. Volume increase was a positive impact of $23 million. Variable costs had a negative impact of $4 million. Fixed costs had a negative impact of $5 million. We discontinued the temporary cost containment measures of Quarter 1 and implemented the previously delayed salary increases, impacting both fixed and variable costs.

Reconciling adjusted operating income Quarter 2 2013 compared to prior year, based on $10 million higher sales, or $8 million higher excluding exchange impacts, adjusted operating income decreased by $11 million, from $61 million in Q2 2012 to $50 million in Q2 2013. The main elements were average selling prices, which had a negative impact of $19 million, representing a 3.1% ASP decline. Volume increased with a positive impact of $14 million. Variable costs decreased with a positive impact of $4 million. Fixed costs increased with a negative impact of $9 million. This is higher than inflation; however, Quarter 2 of 2012 includes temporary cost containment measures that were not repeated in Q2 2013.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter were $93 million, as expected and as previously announced on our Quarter 1 earnings call. For the remainder of 2013, our expectations are approximately $96 million of SG&A expenses per quarter, which includes the impact of the acquisition of MCB.

The expected normalized tax rate for the year, excluding unusual items, is approximately 32%, up from the approximately 31% recorded in Quarter 1. This increase of the expected annual tax rate to 32% resulted mathematically in an effective tax rate of 33% for Quarter 2. The increased rate is based on an assumed mix of income among our various taxing jurisdictions. A shift in income could result in significantly different results. Please note that the year-to-date GAAP tax rate continues to include the one-time $1.3 million benefit recorded in Q1. This benefit is a discrete item not included in our normalized tax rate. Our year-to-date effective rate for GAAP is approximately 30%.

Total shares outstanding at quarter-end were 144 million. The expected share count for EPS purposes for the third quarter of 2013, based on the same average stock price as in Quarter 2, is approximately 152 million shares. For a full explanation of our EPS share count and variables that impact the calculation, please refer to the 8-K we filed this morning.

Looking at selected key metrics, cash from operations for the quarter was $70 million. Capital expenditures for the quarter were $27 million. Proceeds from the sale of assets were $3 million. Free cash generation for the quarter was $46 million. For the trailing 12 months, cash from operations was $287 million. Capital expenditures were $150 million, split approximately $78 million for expansion, $14 million for cost reduction, $58 million for maintenance of business. Proceeds for the trailing 12 months from the sales of property and equipment were $7 million.

Free cash generation was $144 million. Vishay has consistently generated in excess of $100 million free cash in each of the past seven years. Cash flow from operations were greater than $100 million for the last 18 years and greater than $200 million for the last 11 years. Backlog at the end of Quarter 2 was at $648 million, or 3.3 months of sales. Inventories increased quarter-over-quarter by $26 million, or by $24 million excluding exchange rate impacts; $9 million coming from the acquisition of MCB. Days of inventory outstanding were 86 days. Days of sales outstanding for the quarter were 43 days. Days of payables outstanding for the quarter were 29 days, resulting in a cash conversion cycle of 100 days. We had a total liquidity of $1.4 billion at quarter-end. Cash and short-term investments comprised $1.028 billion, and unused capacity on the credit facility was $420 million.

The breakdown of our debt of $405 million was $100 million outstanding on our credit facility; $95 million of exchangeable unsecured notes due in 90 years; $210 million of convertible debentures, net of unamortized discount issued in three tranches and due in 27, 28, and 29 years, respectively. The principal amount, or face value, of the converts is $575 million. No principal payments are due until 2015.

Now I will turn the call over to our Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Gerald Paul.

Thank you, Lori, and good morning, everybody.

In the second quarter, the channel economic recovery from a difficult second half of 2012 continued. Vishay's sales volume benefited from this development, but operational results were impacted by a few adverse and temporary effects. We achieved gross margin of 24% of sales, adjusted operating margin of 8% of sales, and adjusted earnings per share of $0.20. We are on track in terms of free cash generation. As Lori indicated, we generated $46 million in the quarter, and $50 million year-to-date.

Let me talk about the economic environment as we see it. After a very slow fourth quarter, our markets began to recover in the course of the first quarter. This trend has continued also in the second quarter, driven by moderate restocking and distribution and by an overall improving end-customer demand. Growth is positive in America. We see normal seasonal trends in Asia, and no major changes in Europe, with Central Europe doing well and Southern Europe suffering. This sounds a little bit simplified, but it's the truth of the matter.

Automotive continues to perform well, driven by ongoing growth in vehicle sales in Asia and America and by high-end vehicle sales growth worldwide. The industrial market worldwide continues to improve further. Computing remains weak, in particular for notebooks. For Consumer, we continue to expect the normal seasonality this year.

Distribution started to restock moderately. Inventories during the second quarter increased by 6%. Distribution trends improved further, to 3.9% worldwide versus 3.7% in Quarter 1, 2.6% in the Americas vis a vis 2.5% in Quarter 1, 5.3% in Asia versus 4.8%, and 4.1% in Europe versus 4.1%, so no change in Europe. The POS is up by 4% versus the first quarter. A positive book-to-bill ratio of distributors to their customers can be reported -- 1.06 in the quarter, which appears to be quite healthy.

Let me talk about our business development in the second quarter. Sales came in well within our guidance. We had $598 million in the quarter of sales, versus $554 million in prior quarter and $588 million in prior year. Excluding exchange rate effects, sales were up versus prior quarter by $46 million, or 8%, and up versus prior year by $8 million, or by 1%. Again, we saw a strong book-to-bill ratio in the quarter, 1.08 in total, 1.13 for distribution, 1.01 for OEMs, 1.12 for actives and 1.04 for passives, 1.02 for the Americas, 1.14 for Asia, and 1.06 for Europe. Again, recovery continues, in particular for actives at Asian distribution.

The backlog at Vishay has grown to 3.3 months, 3.4 months in actives and 3.1 in passives. Order cancellations continued on a very low level. We have seen quite a normal development of the selling prices in the second quarter. For Vishay in total, we have seen minus 1.1% versus prior quarter, and minus 3.1% versus prior year. The decreases are primarily due to actives, as always, may I say; minus 1.5% versus prior quarter and minus 4.2% versus prior year. On the other hand, there's relative price stability in passives, minus 0.7% versus prior quarter and minus 1.7% versus prior year.

Let me talk about operations. After a quite excellent first quarter, the contributive margin at Vishay in the second quarter suffered from various incidents. For the most part, they were of temporary nature. We have seen some start-up inefficiencies at our major foundry, some negative valuation effects, (Inaudible) results, the palladium prices increased, and some unfavorable product mix shift took place. The contributive margin in the second quarter came in below our traditional range of between 46% and 48%.

SG&A costs continued to be well under control, $93 million in the quarter, according to expectations. Manufacturing fixed costs in the quarter were $123 million, again according to our expectations. The increase of total fixed costs quarter-over-quarter was due to the end of temporary fixed cost savings measures which we had in the first quarter. Total employment at Vishay at the end of the second quarter was 22,450, an increase of 350 heads; 240 out of that came from the acquisition of MCB in France.

The inventory turns in the quarter were on a good level of 4.2. Excluding exchange rate impacts and the addition of MCB, inventories in the second quarter increased by $15 million, $4 million from raw materials, and $11 million from [rip] and finished goods, all driven by further increased production rates.

Capital spending in Q2 was $27 million. We expect capital expenditures of approximately $170 million in 2013, following the mid-term requirements of our growth plan. We are seeing the traditional split -- you will see the traditional split, more than $100 million we will spend for expansion and cost reduction.

We in Q2 generated cash from operations of $70 million, like in prior year; and generated, again in Q2, free cash of $46 million versus $45 million in the prior year. On a trailing 12-month basis, Vishay generated cash from operations of $287 million and free cash of $144 million. So I think we can say that Vishay remains a very reliable generator of free cash.

Let me come to our main product lines, and I start out with resistors and inductors. Vishay's traditionally most profitable business has continued to recover. We enjoy a very strong position in the industrial and mill markets and are intensively penetrating the medical segment. Sales in the quarter were at $171 million, which is 4% above prior quarter and 3% above prior year. Book-to-bill was 1.04 in the quarter, after 1.07 in prior quarter, and this indicates an unbroken positive trend of this business. The backlog has increased to three months, which represents a quite comfortable level.

The gross margin is at a satisfactory 32% of sales, on the level of prior quarter. There was relative price stability, minus 0.5% versus prior quarter and minus 1.5% versus prior year. The inventory turns were an excellent 4.7.

We are in process to integrate MCB, the recently acquired manufacturer of specialty resistors and sensors in France. The run rate of sales of this acquisition of $30 million to $35 million is $30 million to $35 million at the gross margin, before disrupturing of about 25%. This acquisition expands our European market position in the Industrial segment, and will synergize well with our successful Spanish division -- a most welcome acquisition.

Let me come to capacitors. The business is based on a broad range of technologies, with a strong position in European and American market niches. It has bottomed in the course of the first quarter, and since then is in a phase of recovery. Sales in the quarter were $112 million, 6% above prior quarter, but still 4% below prior year. Book-to-bill in the quarter was 1.05, after 1.06 in prior quarter. The backlog is in a normal level of 3.2 months.

Gross margin development has been disappointing in the quarter. It was down to 19% of sales from 23%, despite substantially increased sales. The performance was negatively impacted by higher palladium prices, some valuation effects, the non-repetition of the Quarter 1 inventory build, and a strong Israeli currency, a strong shekel. We do expect improvements in the third quarter.

The price decline of capacitors is back to normal. We are seeing minus 1% versus prior quarter and minus 2% versus prior year. The inventory turns were at 3.3. We remain confident for the mid-term development of capacitors, in view of increasing power and clean energy applications.

Coming to Opto products, Vishay's Opto business consists of infrared emitters and receivers, infrared sensors, couplers, and LEDs -- the latter mainly for automotive applications. It contains a substantial share of customer-designed products, mainly sold to automotive and industrial markets. We enjoy a leading position with innovative infrared emitters and receiver solutions for remote controls, phones, et cetera. The business has shown a high degree of stability during the recent downturn and had recovered to the full extent already in the first quarter. Sales in the second quarter were $58 million, 4% above the prior quarter and on the same level as prior year. Book-to-bill was 1.0, after 1.08 in prior quarter. The backlog of this business is at a normal 2.9-month level.

Gross margin declined slightly to 33% of sales, mostly due to inventory-related effects. Quite excellent inventory turns at this business of 5.4. Normal ASP declined year-over-year; we have seen with some acceleration versus prior quarter, minus 2.3% versus prior quarter and minus 2.6% versus prior year.

Coming to diodes. Diodes represent a broad commodity business where we, Vishay, are largest supplier worldwide. Vishay offers virtually all technologies, as well as the most complete product portfolio, and we are leading, in particularly in power applications. After a steep recovery in the course of the first quarter, also in Q2 business conditions remain very good. Sales in the quarter were $141 million, 13% above prior quarter and 4% above prior year. The book-to-bill ratio continues quite strong, at 1.17, at 1.28 in prior quarter. The backlog has grown to 3.6 months. We are in process to increase manufacturing capacities there.

The gross margin came in at 22% of sales, slightly improved vis a vis prior quarter, but impacted by inventory-related effects and higher manufacturing fixed costs after the end of our temporary fixed cost savings program. The inventory turns were at quite excellent 4.8. And we have seen for this product line in the quarter a relatively modest price decline of minus 1.2% versus prior quarter and minus 3.1% versus prior year.

MOSFETs, the next product line. Vishay continues to be one of the market leaders in the segment of low voltage MOSFETs, and we are in process to complete our product offering also in high and medium voltage products. The predominantly Asian business with customers in computers and phones in Quarter 1 has started to benefit from the recovery of Asian distribution, which continues. Sales in the quarter were at $116 million, 15% above prior quarter and 4% above prior year. There's a continued strong book-to-bill ratio of 1.11, after 1.22 in prior quarter. The backlog is at a comfortable level of 3.4 months.

Gross margin in the quarter was at 14% of sales, 1% improved versus prior quarter. The performance of this product line still suffered from inefficiencies related to the start of new platforms and technologies at our foundries, and we do expect to see substantial improvements in the third quarter. Inventory turns are at a satisfactory level of 3.9. The price decline in the quarter was normal, minus 1.3% versus prior quarter and minus 6.3% versus prior year.

Let me summarize. Vishay has delivered a principally acceptable second quarter, with results not quite in line with our expectations, though. While sales benefited from a continued friendly economic environment and, of course, from the traditional strong market position of Vishay, contributive margins, mostly due to temporary cost effects, suffered; saying the quarter came out below our traditional range and below our expectation. Fixed costs were under control, as always, may I say.

We are very confident that Vishay in the third quarter will show major improvements based on further increased sales, fixed costs in line with our plans, and recovered contributive margins. We also will continue to work steadily on our growth plan by expanding manufacturing capacities in critical lines, by strengthening R&D and designing efforts, by expanding our sales presence in Asia, and by acquiring specialty businesses, like recently MCB of France. For the third quarter, we guide to a range of $605 million to $645 million sales, at improved gross margin percent and operating margin percent.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Dr. Paul. We will now open the call to questions. Kathy, please take the first question.

(Operator Instructions)

Steve Smigie.

Thanks a lot, guys, and congratulations on some good revenue here and a good revenue outlook for the next quarter. I was hoping you could talk a little bit about what gross margin percent and EPS would have been if you hadn't had the foundry impact.

We did this calculation, as you can imagine. So we would have come out right according to guidance, to make it very simple. It would have been, instead of $0.20, at $0.22.

Okay. Great. And if I look at your September revenue guidance, can you talk a little bit about how much we should be thinking your acquisition contributes there. If I just take maybe an average, maybe $5 million, even assuming that seems like your guide's still a decent amount ahead of, at least --

It would be -- the sales impact of this new acquisition would be $5 million to $6 million, approximately. Say, $7 million would be the best guess, I think. $7 million. And a gross margin of around 25%.

Okay. Great. And then if we look at the color you gave on what's working well, it seems like distributors are ordering, but then you also had some decent end demand, it sounded like. So can you put a little bit more color on, with such high book-to-bill for distribution, should we be worried about overstocking? And then on the portion of end demand recovery, is it just kind of modest recovery or a little bit weaker, a little bit stronger type recovery? How should we think about that?

Normally, it's always we ask ourselves the same question, as you can imagine. Really, the business with Asian distribution was completely on the ground in the fourth quarter, say the second half of last year. And it started to recover already in Quarter 1 and continued now. The inventory levels Asian distribution has are very reasonable. They were very low in the first quarter. Still, they are catching up to normal. And as you have heard, the POS in particular, the POS is up by 4% in general, and more so in Asia. So I am not worrying at this point in time. Of course, we have to keep an eye on it. But at this point in time, I would not say that any inventory increase, neither the one that happened in Quarter 2 or the other one, which were modestly foreseeable for Quarter 3, is in danger of the situation.

And just the color on the relative strength of end demand. Is it real end demand pick-up?

No, no. It is end demand pick up, as far as we can judge.

Okay. Great. Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

Chris Stanley.

Hello. This is Sameer Kalucha calling in for Chris Danely. Just wanted to get a little more color on the end market trends particularly in Asia, and maybe you can tell us a little bit more about China. What are you seeing over there, there are talks of maybe potential slowdowns? And how do you see the economic trends in China right now?

Well, everybody talks like that. On the other hand, even a 7% growth is more than you Americans, and especially we Europeans, can dream about, so to speak. So Vishay is not suffering from that, not foreseeably, I believe. But of course, you never know. We are trying to expand our market position in China. Even we are putting more salespeople on the ground, because we do feel that we are under-represented there, so we do feel that we have a chance to improve our market share, especially in industrial, which is the strength of Vishay in Europe and in Americas, in particular. And this is really our weak spot in Asia. So are working on that. So we want to look ahead and we are not so afraid, if the economic growth in China goes from, say, 9% or 10% down to 7% So we will try the best, and I think Vishay has major chances to grow its market share, which is not an overnight thing, unfortunately, but we work on it.

Okay, okay. Makes sense. And how was the linearity of the orders during the quarter? Was it stable, picking up strength?

Very steady, very steady.

Okay. Thanks. And then in the last quarter, you mentioned there was some slight lead time extension in active components. I was wondering how that has trended during the quarter. Has it been addressed, or you are still working to address the lead times?

Yes, we do. As a matter of fact, we are putting capacity online. We are putting capacity online in critical product lines. This is just also in line with what we wanted to do for the growth plan, anyway, to keep lead times under control better than we managed, and maybe the whole industry managed to do so in 2010, where we really created a mess, we producers of components. I think this time we will be more successful. But of course, if demand shoots up, like in diodes, unexpectedly within a few weeks, there is a lead time extension. And we fight it. We do our best.

Did the lead times extend this quarter or they are similar levels, or lower, as compared to what you saw in the last quarter?

No, no. Backlog went up, so lead times went up. But no comparison to what we have seen in 2010.

Got it. Thank you.

Thank you.

Shawn Harrison.

Hello. Good morning. This is Gausia Chowdhury calling on behalf of Shawn. I had a question about the $0.02 figure that you quoted. Was that at all-in gross margin impact of the one-time item, or what were the cumulative impact of the palladium and mix headwinds on gross margins?

They added thoroughly together, and it really gave additional variable costs, in fact. Additional variable costs, which had a negative impact if you bring it down, if you brought it down to the bottom line, of $0.02.

Okay. All right. And then my second question was just a little bit more on end demand. What would your view be, then, on the ramp, or a possibility of a ramp for Siliconix in the third quarter, specifically you mentioned computers improving a little bit. So is there any PC recovery expected at all?

In general, we expect this recovery. We have it already in the books, obviously, in the order books, and we are prepared from a manufacturing standpoint. So I, too, have no doubt that Siliconix will improve sales in this current quarter. It's not an iffy thing.

All right. Good. Thank you.

Thank you.

Ruplu.

Hello. This is Ruplu Bhattacharaya from Bank of America. Thanks for taking my question. Dr. Paul, I wanted to start by asking you a big picture question. So as we go into the second half of '13 and when you compare that to the second half of '12 and second half of '11, how would you categorize end markets, especially in autos, for example, in Europe. Are you seeing the same level of shutdowns that we typically see? Or, how are the end markets versus the last two years?

First of all, in the last two years, the second half was always a major disappointment vis a vis the first half. But we saw this happening already in May, historically. It became nearly a habit that in May, orders broke down, in 2011 and in 2012. This is absolutely not the case this year, really not. So the orders remained on this improved level, which we have seen building up in the first quarter. They remained throughout the second quarter and continue also now. That means the picture, if you want to have a global view, the picture for the second half is much better than in recent two years. And we do believe that this year will not provide us a surprise, a negative surprise, as the last two years. And I believe also that Vishay is not alone in this judgement.

Right, right. And the same question is, you talked about some mix effects that affected margins this quarter. Can you just be a little bit -- can you elaborate on that? What was that mix, and do you see that improving in the next quarter?

Can give you an example, at least, because Vishay's product portfolio is very broad. I'll take tantalum capacitors. Tantalum capacitors in Vishay is not an unimportant product line and consists of commodity products as well as of highly specialized products. We, in the second quarter, have seen a drastic swing to the commodity products, but we know already from the order book that in the third quarter, the opposite will happen. So it's just -- it happens. It happens, and we don't have a big influence on that. So this is an example. But it happened in a few product lines like that, maybe not as drastic as in tantalum caps, but still.

Got it. Got it. And then last one from me, can you just give us what the book-to-bill is now, currently?

Slightly above 1. I have to ask, even for. Slightly above 1, right?

Okay. All right. Thank you.

Jim Suva.

Thank you very much, and congratulations to you and your team at Vishay. A quick question on margins. You had mentioned, first of all, operating margins should improve quarter-over-quarter. Is that a function of gross margins improving quarter-over quarter, or is there something also with SG&A that we should be conscious of?

No, no, no. It boils down to the variable margin, even. We expect to return, in terms of variable contributive margin, back to our normal level of between 46% and 48%. And this quarter was below, out of these singularities in variable costs. And this is the reason on the whole thing. Neither, in all the fixed cost segments, there will be no surprises. We will not squeeze further. We just will have a better performance a, in terms of sales, which we guide to, and b, also in terms of contributive margin percent. So it's a return to normal, if you want to say.

Great. And then my follow-up question is on gross margins. Is that primarily -- when you mention an improvement quarter-over-quarter -- is that primarily due to this quarter just reporting Q2 as softer than expected, or is more a function of Siliconix and other items doing better? Or what specifically are you controlling that causes the gross margin --?

First of all, you have more sales. More volume helps. And secondly, we are going to see, as I said, a better contributive margin percent. And all this leads to a better gross margin.

Great. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Jim.

Matt Sheerin.

Thanks. Good morning, Dr. Paul and team. So your typical -- the margin contribution, contributed margin is in the mid-40s. And that's what you are expecting?

Yes.

Okay. And trying to get a gauge of seasonality in both businesses. Of course, the last three or four years, we really haven't seen seasonality because of all these swings in the markets, et cetera. But typically, your passives business is flat to down because of the European exposure and the automotive exposure and industrial, and then Asia is up. It sounds like you feel a little bit better on both sides of the business. So are you still expecting those seasonal patterns, or a little bit better than that?

First of all, you are right. These are the main drivers in the normal seasonality which we have seen for many years. But a little remark on that one. The last two years, we had a real breakdown everywhere, across the board. This is not to be seen this year. It's just the opposite. It continues strong. But now, from a segment standpoint, a geographic segment, Asia will show, as it appears, its full seasonality. That means we will have a better second half than first half. This is very normal, and seems now to come back in this year. And Europe is not doing so badly, especially Central Europe. The automotive industry continues very strong, very strong. So we also hope that in passives, we may be a little better than normal in the second half. You're right.

Okay.

And America is steady, by the way. America is steady. Never has shown some big seasonality.

Okay. And then looking at the end markets in Asia, I know you talked a little bit, but the computing market certainly has been weak. What gives you confidence there? And then also, could you talk about the Siliconix or the power MOSFET exposure to the mobility segment, where things seem to be fairly volatile right now?

As a matter of fact, I believe in Asia we do not expect miracles for the second half. We believe -- we have been brought down in last two years, in particular, by Asian distribution stepping on the brakes terribly. This is not exactly the case this year, but of course, whatever you said is true. That means our laptop business, we do not expect a major recovery there. But of course, there are differences between even a worse situation which we have seen and a plain step on the brakes scenario, which we have seen the last two years. So I am not super confident that the laptop business will improve again, like it was. It may never come back to that extent. But just the normalization in combination with what we want to do in the Chinese market on the industrial side should give us a better outcome.

Okay. And then in terms of the smartphone and tablet exposure there?

There is an exposure, of course. But we expect a more normal picture than in the last two years.

Okay. Great. And just lastly, on the commentary about the execution issues with the foundry ramping for you, could you be more specific about those issues, and what gives you confidence that it's going to work out this quarter?

What gives me confidence is the fact that it's going better already now, so to speak. So we started something -- and it happens from time to time, in real life, that when you start something new, that in the beginning, your yields are not right, the productivity is not right. And it has improved through the quarter, so I'm confident that based on what we see today, things in the third quarter will look more decent.

Okay. Thanks a lot.

Thank you, Matt.

(Operator Instructions)

We do have a follow-up question from Steve Smigie.

Dr. Paul, in Q3, is there anything unusual that would happen to inventory or obsolescence that would change the potential gross margin?

You mean in Vishay, really? No, nothing for Vishay.

Okay. Just in terms of thinking about tax rate as we get into next year, would you expect that to remain at the similar low 30%-type level, or would that potentially go down?

I think I should pass this on to my CFO. Just a second.

Thank you. So as we've said several times, our tax rate is obviously influenced by the mix of our income in the various taxing jurisdictions. So as the -- in particular, the MOSFET segment would improve, we would expect a reduction in those tax rates.

Okay. In terms of the MOSFET improvement, how much of that is Vishay doing a better job versus folks like Fairchild have emphasized computing less? How much of it is action you're taking, how much of it's seasonality, or maybe better computing versus other folks maybe focusing less on the business?

Maybe I didn't follow completely. You said that most of MOSFET situation is a seasonal thing, you asked?

I'm just asking, you said that you thought maybe MOSFETs would be improving such that tax rate could go down. In that assumption about improving MOSFETs, what's driving that?

First of all, it is exactly these new platforms which we are producing and which we are bringing to production which brought us some negative variable impacts, cost impacts, this quarter which carry our trust. It's the next step of development, as a matter of fact. You know that we are on the way to introduce high voltage [diodes]. I've talked about it quite often. But there are also new generations of low voltage MOSFETs. And this was just a starting point which will give us a better profitability. Very simple.

But secondly, also, Siliconix, we expect the volume to come up as we go. We have seen very low volumes in the last, say, quarters. And we do believe that, based on what we have done at Siliconix, that we will see better market shares, better sales and also better margins, therefore. And this will positively impact, or should positively impact, our tax rate, as explained before.

Okay. And then just as we look at the order patterns -- I'm sorry if I missed this -- but have you made any comments yet on how orders have been so far this quarter, relative to the last quarter?

In the third quarter, you mean?

Correct.

The continuation of the second quarter. Continuation of the second quarter, and you see our guidance. It fully supports the guidance.

All right. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

At this time, there are no further questions. I will now turn the call over to Peter Henrici for closing remarks.

This concludes our call. Thank you for your interest in Vishay Intertechnology. Kathy?

This concludes today's conference. You may now disconnect.