NEUBIBERG, Germany (Thomson Financial) - Infineon Technologies AG. rose to
the top of the DAX despite a third-quarter net loss of 592 million euros, with
analysts pointing to the 411 million euros writedown on its Qimonda AG. unit
that might signal the end of major charges for the company.
At 1:51 p.m., shares in the company were up 0.170 euros, or 3.52 percent, at
5.000, while the DAX stood at 6,385.78, down 54.92 points, or 0.85 percent.
"The market was relieved that Infineon booked Qimonda at $2.80 per share,
meaning that the major part of writedowns is included," said BayernLB analyst
Alexander Rummler.
This was the second major writedown on the ailing unit, which posted a
third-quarter net loss of 401 million euros late on Thursday. In the second
quarter, Infineon had already reported a 1 billion euros writedown on Qimonda,
in which it still owns 77.47 percent but for which is trying to find a buyer.
The company said in euro terms Qimonda is now booked at 466 million euros.
But UniCredit analyst Guenther Hollfelder attributed the turnaround in the
share price -- earlier on Friday, Infineon shares had been among the lowest in
Germany's large cap index -- to the better-than-expected EBIT results in the
company's segments.
In the automotive, industrial & multimarket segment, EBIT came in at 106
million euros compared with consensus forecasts of 94 million.
The EBIT loss at communications solutions was 30 million euros, beating
analysts' expectations for 36 million.
Excluding Qimonda, EBIT came in at 71 million euros, up from last year's 13
million.
"EBIT was significantly better than the market expected," said Merck Finck
analyst Theo Kitz in a note to clients.
But despite the soaring share price, the company also made gloomy comments
about the future of the chip market.
The company said: "Market risks in general are likely to rise and that the
persistent weakness of the U.S. dollar against the euro is adding to normal
price declines in the company's markets."
Chief executive Peter Bauer also pointed to "adverse exchange rate trends
and increasing risks in the overall economic environment".
But he said he is not expecting a recession to take place in the United
States.
Infineon also provided an update regarding its IFX 10+ savings programme,
saying it aims to generate 200 million euros in annualised savings within five
quarters.
"The market might have expected more than that," Merck Finck's Theo Kitz
wrote. "We think most of the cost savings will have to be passed on to the
customers anyway."
In addition, the company aims to slash 3,000 jobs as part of the
restructuring move, with two thirds of that figure to be cut in Germany, where
the company employs about 10,000 people.
Bauer said he cannot rule out compulsory redundancies but added the focus
will lie on voluntary redundancy measures.
christoph.steitz@thomsonreuters.com
cs1/ms1
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