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| Statement |
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| Segment operating profit in the fourth quarter was up $50 million or 34% year-over-year, and operating margin expanded 400 basis points to 16.4% |
| We have industry-leading technology that makes those devices very easy to use and monitor and interface with, and as I said, it’s an outstanding team out there, so that business is going to continue to perform very well for us in ’24 and beyond |
| We delivered a strong finish to another dynamic and successful year |
| We have a great product offering that’s recently launched, that’s performing well for us |
| Operating profit increased $38 million in the quarter due to a favorable price-commodity relationship as we continued to recover the significant inflation that we have experienced over the past two years and due to our continued efforts to drive efficiencies across our operations |
| Operating profit margin improved 230 basis points to 14.5% |
| With our strong execution, our earnings per share for the quarter increased 28% to $0.83 per share |
| Plumbing performance in the quarter was led by Delta Faucet’s mid-single digit sales growth driven by strong performance in the wholesale channel |
| International plumbing performed better than expected in the fourth quarter as demand in Europe and China, while still challenged, appears to be stabilizing |
| Investments in our leading global plumbing brands, innovative products and customer service are producing results, and we will continue to capitalize on these initiatives |
| While our propane business declined slightly in the quarter, we are very pleased with our three-year pro paint stacked comp of approximately 60% |
| This significant growth and share gain demonstrates the strength of our Behr brand and the quality of our products that continue to resonate with pro painters |
| We’re going to continue to drive market share and the business is growing and doing a fine job |
| Masco executed extremely well in 2023 and improved nearly every operating metric for the full year |
| Gross margin improved 360 basis points to 35.2% |
| It’s a strong business with global market share |
| Plumbing margin expanded 210 basis points to 18% |
| Look at our net promoter scores that we’re clocking on our new and existing pro paint customers - it’s industry leading, so we feel really good about that, so there’s a couple areas there, plumbing, wholesale, pro paint, but we’re really driving across the board an expectation of market outperformance and margin expansion |
| We’ve demonstrated, as we said, the ability to meet our commitment of double digit EPS growth through cycles when you look at 14% EPS CAGR from ’19 through to where we are today, 2023, so we’re very pleased with that and we think that is partly driven--more than partly driven by the reconfiguration of our portfolio, so that’s a significant part of it |
| I’ve had the opportunity to really get out and meet all of the business unit leaders, and I’ve been out to many of the business units - I was actually in Germany at Hansgrohe last week, really impressed with the team and really impressed with the mindset in terms of the Masco operating system and the mindset of continuous improvement, operational efficiency and cost reductions |
| Importantly, we have achieved compound annual earnings per share growth of 14% from 2019 to 2023, delivering on our commitment of double-digit EPS growth through cycles and demonstrating the power of our brands, innovation, and portfolio of lower ticket repair and remodel-oriented products |
| I want to thank all our employees for their strong execution, focus on the customer, and their continuous improvement mindset that delivered this tremendous performance |
| Turning to Slide 7, as we look to the future, we are well positioned to achieve strong profitable growth over the next few years through top line growth, market share gains, margin expansion, and disciplined capital deployment |
| I’m really excited about the portfolio brands and products in the business |
| Despite this flat top line assumption, we will continue to improve margins through disciplined pricing, selective cost reductions, innovative product introductions, and operational efficiencies across our business |
| Yes, as I mentioned, first of all as I mentioned in my opening comments, I’m really excited to be part of the Masco team and the strong business and operations and portfolio that we have |
| From a Q4 perspective, we saw--we did see some favorable pricing, kind of low single digits in the plumbing both for the quarter and for the calendar year |
| We expect to deliver increased plumbing margins of approximately 18.5% and decorative margins of approximately 18% in 2024, resulting in a Masco operating margin of approximately 17% |
| In addition to the new product launches and our brand building, in addition to the benefit to the top line, that gives us also pricing power, and we’re confident in that and being able to have that be a contributor to margin expansion as well |
| We’re very excited about the momentum we have in terms of the Masco operating system and what that’s been able to produce in terms of leverage in our factories, in term of variable overhead |
| Statement |
|---|
| Turning to our decorative architectural segment, sales declined 7% primarily due to a soft DIY paint market, with DIY paint sales declining high single digits |
| In local currency, international plumbing sales decreased 3% as demand continued to be soft in Europe and in China |
| Turning to the full year 2023, sales decreased 9% driven by high single-digit declines in our DIY paint business and a mid-single digit decline in our pro paint business |
| In the fourth quarter, our top line decreased 2% with volumes down across most categories, partially offset by favorable pricing, currency, and our acquisition of Sauna360 |
| Turning to Slide 11, decorative architectural sales decreased 7% for the fourth quarter |
| Paint sales declined mid-single digits with pro paint sales down slightly against a mid-single digit comp in the fourth quarter of 2022 |
| In local currency, North American sales decreased 9% and international sales decreased 6% |
| As we think about the cadence for the year, we expect sales to be down slightly in the first half of the year with modest growth in the back half of the year |
| In local currency, North American plumbing sales decreased 8% net of the 1% impact from acquisitions, and international plumbing sales decreased 6% |
| Turning to Slide 9, sales in the quarter decreased 2%, or 3% excluding favorable currency impacts |
| This figure assumes a tax rate of 24.5% versus the previously guided 24%, which unfavorably impacted full year EPS by $0.03 |
| In local currency, North American sales decreased 3%, or 4% excluding acquisition |
| Lower volume and mix decreased sales by 4% |
| Obviously, as I think we all know given the dynamics in the Red Sea, freight cost is a little bit volatile and there’s a bit of a headwind in the first half - that’s baked into our outlook as a contributor to our expectations in the first half of the year |
| Are you saying--could we see sales and margins on a year-over-year basis be down in 1Q, or is that not what you’re envisioning? Keith Allman They could be |
| For our international markets, we expect the markets in aggregate to be down low to mid single digits |
| Operating profit was impacted by lower volumes and pricing offset by cost savings initiatives and lower material costs |
| When we think about the benefit of pricing, we’ll see, I would say a little bit of a headwind in our paint business |
| In local currency, international sales decreased 3% |
| Looking specifically at our paint business in 2024, we anticipate our DIY business to decrease low single digits and our pro paint business to increase low single digits |
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