Summary
Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) filed an 8-K on June 17, 2020, providing an update on its three-month trailing orders as of May 2020, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and oil market volatility. The report indicates a challenging demand environment across both its Automation Solutions and Commercial & Residential Solutions segments. Total Emerson orders were down 17% year-over-year, with underlying orders down 15% excluding currency impacts. Automation Solutions saw orders decline by 15% (13% underlying), while Commercial & Residential Solutions experienced a steeper decline of 21% (20% underlying). Investors should note that these order trends reflect the ongoing economic uncertainty stemming from the pandemic. The company also announced its third quarter 2020 earnings release date as August 4, 2020, with a conference call to follow. While the disclosed order figures are concerning, they were presented as expected given the macro-economic conditions. The filing also includes standard forward-looking statements and cautionary language regarding risks and uncertainties, including the impact of COVID-19 and oil price volatility.
Key Highlights
- 1Emerson Electric reported a challenging demand environment in May 2020, with total trailing three-month orders down 17% year-over-year.
- 2Underlying orders (excluding currency) for the trailing three months declined by 15%, indicating a significant organic slowdown.
- 3The Automation Solutions segment experienced a 15% order decline (13% underlying), reflecting headwinds in industrial markets.
- 4The Commercial & Residential Solutions segment saw a more pronounced order decrease of 21% (20% underlying), likely due to impacts on construction and maintenance activities.
- 5The company attributes the order weakness to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and oil market volatility.
- 6Emerson will report its third quarter 2020 financial results on August 4, 2020, followed by an investor conference call.
- 7The filing includes a slide presentation (Exhibit 99.1) with detailed order information by platform and world area, which investors can use for further analysis.