Philips (PHG) fell 18% in the year and 8% in the fourth quarter. The company faced a number of short-term challenges including a one-time pension payment, a temporary suspension of production at its Cleveland, OH-based medical imaging plant, slower emerging market demand, and foreign exchange headwinds. Currency translation from euros into U.S. dollars accounted for approximately half of the price decline. The stock price does not reflect the ongoing transformation of the company under CEO Frans Van Houten who has substantially improved operating margins and focused the company over his 3+ year tenure. Philips’ discounted share price provided management the opportunity to execute another massive €1.5 billion share repurchase. In 2014 Philips announced plans to sell or spin off its Lumiled and auto lighting businesses and to split into two companies: Lighting Solutions and HealthTech, which will be comprised of the current Healthcare and Consumer Lifestyle businesses. We applaud the split. The “conglomerate discount” should disappear as each business stands on its own and is easier to compare to more pure-play peers that trade at higher multiples. Separate reporting will commence in January 2015, and the split is expected to happen by 2016.
From Mason Hawkins (Trades, Portfolio)’ Longleaf Partners Fund Q4 2014 Management Discussion.
