STOCKHOLM – NOTE today reported September sales of $50.7 million, up 2.2% over a year ago. Operating profits were $1.8 million, down 50%. Net profits were down 59% to $980,000.
The operating margin of 3.6% is down 50% from last year. The EMS company took $1.2 million in restructuring charges for the quarter.
Through September, NOTE had nine-month sales of $164 million and a net profit of $7.3 million. Year-to-date operating profits were $5.6 million. To date, the EMS provider has taken $3.8 million in charges for ongoing restructuring. Profit after items, but before taxes, was $9.8 million, down more than 50% year-over-year. Operating margins are 3.4%, down from 6.5% last year.
NOTE is transferring labor-intensive production and sourcing services to lower-labor rate countries, and cutting its headcount in Sweden by 200 staff, or just over 25%.