Revenue in high power continuous wave (CW) lasers declined 19% year over year due to lower demand, high customer inventories and increased competition in cutting applications in China. Sales of pulsed lasers declined 40% compared with the prior year due to lower demand in solar cell manufacturing and foil cutting applications. By region, sales decreased 3% in North America, 25% in China and 5% in Japan. Sales increased 1% in Europe.

Gross margin of 38.2% increased year over year on significantly lower inventory provision, but was negatively impacted by reduced absorption of manufacturing expenses due to an intended decrease in inventory. Earnings per diluted share (EPS) was $0.89, an increase compared to the reported loss per diluted share in the prior year, but was down compared to prior year adjusted diluted EPS of $1.08.⁽¹⁾ Foreign currency exchange transaction loss decreased operating income by $0.4 million and earnings per share by $0.01 in the quarter. The effective tax rate in the quarter was 2% and benefited from certain discrete items. During the fourth quarter, IPG generated $106 million in cash from operations, and spent $25 million on capital expenditures and $64 million on share repurchases.

⁽¹⁾Refer to supplemental schedule of non-GAAP financial measures for reconciliation details for the three months ended December 31, 2022.

Business Outlook and Financial Guidance

Total backlog was $691 million and consisted of $401 million of orders with firm shipment dates and $290 million of frame agreements. Total backlog decreased by 15%, driven by a 20% decrease in orders with firm shipment dates and 6% decrease in frame agreements. Fourth quarter book-to-bill was below 1.

"As we enter 2024, our visibility is still limited and macroeconomic conditions and global industrial demand remain challenging. These uncertainties are further compounded by large OEM customers delaying orders and managing inventories and e-mobility investments remaining soft. Some of our more mature markets are also seeing increased competition. However, we are working relentlessly on developing new markets and applications for our lasers as well as developing new products. We are targeting a number of large addressable markets where fiber lasers can replace existing technologies by taking advantage of several known trends, including automation and customer focus on increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts. We expect growth in the emerging products to continue and further diversify our revenue," continued Dr. Scherbakov. "While the beginning of the year is going to be challenging, we are expecting demand to improve as the year progresses. Given the headwinds, we are also focused on operational improvements, such as lowering product costs, managing expenses and reducing inventories in 2024."

For the first quarter of 2024, IPG expects revenue of $235 million to $265 million. The Company expects the first quarter tax rate to be approximately 25%. IPG anticipates delivering earnings per diluted share in the range of $0.30 to $0.60.

As discussed in more detail in the "Safe Harbor" passage of this news release, actual results may differ from this guidance due to various factors including, but not limited to, trade policy changes and trade restrictions, product demand, order cancellations and delays, competition, tariffs, currency fluctuations and general economic conditions. This guidance is based upon current market conditions and expectations, and is subject to the risks outlined in the Company's reports filed with the SEC, and assumes exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar of Euro 0.91, Russian ruble 90, Japanese yen 141 and Chinese yuan 7.08, respectively.

Authorization of New Stock Buyback Program

The Board of Directors authorized a new program to purchase up to $300 million of IPG common stock. Share repurchases may be made periodically in open-market or other transactions, and are subject to market conditions, legal requirements and other factors. The share repurchase program authorization does not obligate the Company to repurchase any dollar amount or number of its shares, and repurchases may be commenced or suspended from time to time without prior notice. Over the last three years, IPG has repurchased in excess of $850 million of its common stock.

Supplemental Financial Information

Additional supplemental financial information is provided in the unaudited Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Data Workbook and Earnings Call Presentation available on the investor relations section of the Company's website at investor.ipgphotonics.com.

Conference Call Reminder

The Company will hold a conference call today, February 13, 2024 at 10:00 am ET. To access the call, please dial 877-407-6184 in the US or 201-389-0877 internationally. A live webcast of the call will also be available and archived on the investor relations section of the Company's website at investor.ipgphotonics.com.

Contact

Eugene Fedotoff
Senior Director, Investor Relations
IPG Photonics Corporation
508-597-4713
efedotoff@ipgphotonics.com

About IPG Photonics Corporation

IPG Photonics Corporation is the leader in high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers used primarily in materials processing and other diverse applications. The Company’s mission is to develop innovative laser solutions making the world a better place. IPG accomplishes this mission by delivering superior performance, reliability and usability at a lower total cost of ownership compared with other types of lasers and non-laser tools, allowing end users to increase productivity and decrease costs. IPG is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts and has more than 30 facilities worldwide. For more information, visit www.ipgphotonics.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Information and statements provided by IPG and its employees, including statements in this press release, that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including developing new products and new markets and applications for our fiber lasers, targeting a number of large addressable markets, fiber lasers replacing existing laser and non-laser technologies, growth in the emerging products to continue and further diversify our revenue, expecting demand to improve as the year progresses, as well as revenue, tax rate and earnings guidance, and the impact of the U.S. dollar on our guidance for first quarter of 2024. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with the strength or weakness of the business conditions in industries and geographic markets that IPG serves, particularly the effect of downturns in the markets IPG serves; uncertainties and adverse changes in the general economic conditions of markets; inability to manage risks associated with international customers and operations; changes in trade controls and trade policies; IPG's ability to penetrate new applications for fiber lasers and increase market share; the rate of acceptance and penetration of IPG's products; foreign currency fluctuations; high levels of fixed costs from IPG's vertical integration; the appropriateness of IPG's manufacturing capacity for the level of demand; competitive factors, including declining average selling prices; the effect of acquisitions and investments; inventory related charges; asset impairment charges; intellectual property infringement claims and litigation; interruption in supply of key components; manufacturing risks; government regulations and trade sanctions; and other risks identified in IPG's SEC filings. Readers are encouraged to refer to the risk factors described in IPG's Annual Report on Form 10-K (filed with the SEC on February 27, 2023) and IPG's other reports filed with the SEC, as applicable. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. IPG undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Use of Non-GAAP Adjusted Financial Information

The Company’s financial results in this press release are provided in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). The Company has also included certain supplemental non-GAAP financial information regarding adjusted gross profit, adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share (each, a non-GAAP financial measure). The non-GAAP financial measures provided are a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the Company’s financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided to enhance the investor's understanding and aid in their analysis of the Company's ongoing operations. Specifically, the Company believes the non-recurring impact of certain long-lived asset impairment, restructuring charges, inventory related charges, gain or loss on sale of assets and foreign currency gains or losses, are not indicative of its core operating results and may obscure trends useful in evaluating the Company's continuing operating activities. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Also, these non-GAAP financial measures, as determined and presented by the Company, may not be comparable to related or similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to their most comparable GAAP measures are included in the financial statements portion of this press release.