Infineon"˜s 2014 revenue up by 12 percent
International Rectifier acquisition expected to make a positive contribution in 2015
At Infineon's annual general meeting today, the company announced that revenue rose by 12 percent to €4.32 billion over the last fiscal year 2014. "The fiscal year followed the typical pattern for our markets, with a seasonal decline in revenue in the first quarter, followed by three quarters of growth in revenue and earnings," said CEO Reinhard Ploss.
Looking forward, he said, Infineon wants to grow by an average of 8 percent and achieve a margin of 15 percent over the economic cycle, while employing less capital.
Talking about the recent acquisition of International Rectifier, Ploss said it had opened a new chapter in Infineon's history in which it moves into the 'fast lane'.
"We expect International Rectifier to already make a positive contribution to Infineon's segment result this fiscal year. In fiscal year 2017 at the latest, International Rectifier's margin will be at least 15 percent, which is exactly in the target corridor we have set for Infineon," he said.
"In the last five years, we have shown that we can grow profitably over an entire economic cycle. Infineon has developed impressively over that period. We are now a very healthy business in a sound financial position. With International Rectifier, we will take a significant step forward in terms of revenue, product portfolio, customers and expertise. In a nutshell, we are reinforcing our strengths."
Importantly, the acquisition of International Rectifier extends Infineon's technology base with regard to compound semiconductors for power electronics, which open up whole new technical opportunities to increase energy efficiency, said Ploss.
In recent years, Infineon has already become a leading vendor of power conductors made of SiC. International Rectifier is a globally recognised specialist for chips based on GaN.
Ploss outlined data centres and mobile devices as examples of areas in which Infineon expects clear growth from the International Rectifier acquisition.
"Combined, all the data centres worldwide now consume as much power as Spain. Every tenth of a percent that our products and solutions save counts. And we even see potential savings in the percentage range, " he said.
"Mobile devices can now do more and more, and require increasingly powerful batteries. Charging them with more compact power supply units requires new technologies.
"Here, you can see how small battery chargers will be in the future. They are compact and weigh just a few grams but deliver the same power. With them, people will stay mobile even with power-hungry devices. After all, what is the use of small and light computers or tablets if people have to carry large and heavy units around with them to recharge them?"
He continued: "We now have a clear competitive edge in compound semiconductors: No other vendor operating in our markets can match Infineon's broad product portfolio and offer such comprehensive solutions."
