Visteon Corp. on Wednesday said it swung to a loss in the first quarter as increased demand in Europe and Asia for its parts was offset by lower production volumes from former parent Ford.


Visteon reported a Q1 loss of US$153m, or US$1.19 a share, reversing a year-ago profit of US$3m, or 2 cents a share. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had forecast a loss of 51 cents a share.


Total sales slipped to US$2.93bn from US$2.96bn a year earlier.


Visteon said that Ford sales slipped 12% to US$1.18bn as the former parent cut production in North America.


Visteon said it has completed its salaried reduction program that was first disclosed in October, eliminating roughly 900 positions.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The company said it now projects a 2007 loss, excluding restructuring costs and other items, in a range of US$35m to US$135m on anticipated product sales of about US$10.7bn.
 
Visteon said it is looking for production volumes for the second quarter to come in “significantly lower” than a year ago for a number of its key customers.


Citigroup analyst Jon Rogers said in a note to clients: “We remain optimistic that restructuring should build the foundation for a more competitive Visteon.”


“However, lower Ford production, more aggressive OEM sourcing strategies, and cash burn poses risk.”