Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) (NASDAQ:ERIC) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

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So that will start to help the mix again as you move forward beyond 2023. Pricing environment, we are in a competitive industry. This is why we’re focused on leading on technology. And when we lead on technology, we help our customers both improve performance in the network, but also lower the OpEx. And what we see is that we can win those deals at attractive gross margins. And that’s why you see us even though we’re fairly substantially changing the business mix in the company achieving compared to historic levels, a very attractive gross margin. So I feel quite good about our competitive position, and that’s ultimately the driver of the gross margin you can realize.

Peter Nyquist: Thanks, Börje. Thanks, Sebastien.

Sebastien Sztabowicz: Thank you.

Peter Nyquist: Thank you. We will then move to the last question of this session today. And the last question I have from Terence Tsui at Morgan Stanley. Hello, Terence.

Terence Tsui: Yes. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. A question on networks as well, please, and just around the strong growth in India. Can you just give us maybe a flavor of the margin profile in India versus the other regions? And maybe give us an idea of how your profitability should evolve as revenues start to pick up in the region? And then a real quick follow-up just on a topic that we haven’t asked on so far, just around the provision you made for the DOJ. Just wondering, are there any updates on the investigations being conducted by the other authorities? And shall we expect maybe a single settlement that covers all of the investigations in the future? Thank you.

Börje Ekholm: If we start with the provision, yes, we set aside the provision for the bridge notices. And that was because we could, as we say, provide a reliable estimate of the financial consequences. Besides that, we have, as you know, not reached any agreement with them or with anybody else. So that’s why at this point in time, there are ongoing investigations and discussions. So we cannot update you in any shape and form right now.

Terence Tsui: India?

Börje Ekholm: India. We will not comment on individual markets and our margin profiles there. But what I can say is that when you look at the guidance, we’ve given for Q1 on gross margin in Networks, and you can there see that we expect a decline in the US quite substantial as well as a growth in new market share contracts. That is not only India, it’s other market share contracts as well. And you still see a longer-term healthy gross margin. If you compare to what we had five years ago, it’s still a very healthy gross margin. So we have factored in a lot of those swings. But the most important one here, when we talk about mix is actually the — that when we take a market share gain, the contract by nature has a lot more service content than a normal, continuous business. And when that happens, we have lower margin. They’re all positive margins, but it will dilute gross margin, but that’s all factored into the 40% to 42% gross margin.

Peter Nyquist: Thanks Börje.

Terence Tsui: Thank you very much.

Peter Nyquist: Thanks Terence. That was our last question. I see that I still have some questions in the queue. IR is clearly open, you can call in and ask a question to us. Carl Mellander will be in London on Tuesday, meeting some of you, both the sell side and the buy side. So, that’s another opportunity. And as Börje said, we have the event in Barcelona coming up, and I know that a lot of you are traveling down there as well to meet with us. So those are opportunities near-term to meet the management. With that said, I would like to conclude this call. And thank you all for dialing in and asking questions. Thank you.

Carl Mellander: Thank you.

Börje Ekholm: Thank you.

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