Magna Announces Outlook Sales growth and increased EBIT

• Sales growth and increased EBIT Margin ¹ over outlook period
• Higher free cash flow ² in 2019-2021 period, compared to 2018-2020

AURORA, Ontario, Jan. 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG; NYSE: MGA) today announced its financial outlook for 2019 and 2021. 

Our outlook to 2021 anticipates continued growth in total sales and improvement in our EBIT Margin compared to 2018 despite our expectation of relatively level light vehicle production across our major end markets of North America and Europe during this same outlook period. Free cash flow is expected to increase to a cumulative total of more than $6.5 billion in the 2019-2021 timeframe as compared to over $6 billion in the 2018-2020 period, reflecting an anticipated increase in earnings and relatively level capital spending.

For 2019, our sales are expected to be negatively impacted by the announced disposition of our Fluid Pressure & Controls business, net of acquisitions, and by foreign currency translation, reflecting the stronger U.S. dollar.  Excluding these items, our total sales are expected to increase in 2019, compared to 2018.  Our North American business reflects the negative impact of the recently announced General Motors assembly plant actions.  Our outlook anticipates a slight decline in our EBIT Margin in 2019 reflecting, among other factors, higher commodity costs, increased spending for electrification and autonomy, a decline in equity income, and a higher proportion of lower margin Complete Vehicle sales.

OUTLOOK

In this outlook we have assumed no material unannounced acquisitions or divestitures or other significant transactions.  The outlook reflects the divestiture of our Fluid Pressure & Controls business, which is expected to occur at the end of the first quarter of 2019.  However, the outlook above does not include any estimated gain or loss on the sale.  In addition, we have assumed that foreign exchange rates for the most common currencies in which we conduct business relative to our U.S. dollar reporting currency will approximate year end 2018 rates.

Certain of the forward-looking financial measures above are provided on a Non-GAAP basis. We do not provide a reconciliation of such forward-looking measures to the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP.  To do so would be potentially misleading and not practical given the difficulty of projecting items that are not reflective of on-going operations in any future period. The magnitude of these items, however, may be significant.

We will be making a presentation at the Wolfe Research Global Auto Industry Conference on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 3:40 p.m. EST during which we will review the details of our outlook.  The presentation will be webcast and available on our website at www.magna.com .  The slides accompanying the presentation will be available on our website Tuesday morning.

TAGS 2019 outlook, sales growth, free cash flow

INVESTOR CONTACT Louis Tonelli, Vice-President, Investor Relations louis.tonelli@magna.com , 905.726.7035

MEDIA CONTACT Tracy Fuerst, Director of Corporate Communications & PR tracy.fuerst@magna.com , 248.631.5396

WEBCAST CONTACT Nancy Hansford, Executive Assistant, Investor Relations nancy.h ansford@magna.com , 905.726.7108

OUR BUSINESS ⁴ We have more than 173,000 entrepreneurial-minded employees dedicated to delivering mobility solutions. We are a mobility technology company and one of the world's largest automotive suppliers with 340 manufacturing operations and 89 product development, engineering and sales centres in 27 countries. Our competitive capabilities include body exteriors and structures, power and vision technologies, seating systems and complete vehicle solutions. Our common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MG) and the New York Stock Exchange (MGA). For further information about Magna, visit www.magna.com .

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS   We disclose "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") to provide information about management's current expectations and plans. Such forward-looking statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements may include financial and other projections, as well as statements regarding our future plans, objectives or economic performance, or the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing, and other statements that are not recitations of historical fact. We use words such as "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "plan", "aim", "forecast", "outlook", "project", "estimate", "target" and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, 2019-2021 outlook period statements related to:

Our forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us, and are based on assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors we believe are appropriate in the circumstances.

While we believe we have a reasonable basis for making such forward-looking statements, they are not a guarantee of future performance or outcomes. Whether actual results and developments conform to our expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and the effects of which can be difficult to predict, including, without limitation:

In evaluating forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, we caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement, and readers should specifically consider the various factors which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including the risks, assumptions and uncertainties above which are discussed in greater detail in this document under the section titled "Industry Trends and Risks" and set out in our Annual Information Form filed with securities commissions in Canada and our annual report on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and subsequent filings.

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¹ Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (“EBIT”) is defined as Net Income attributable to Magna before income attributable to non-controlling interests, income taxes, and interest expense, net.  EBIT Margin is the ratio of EBIT to Total Sales. ² Free cash flow represents Cash from Operating Activities plus proceeds from normal course dispositions of fixed and other assets minus capital spending minus investments in other assets. ³ Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (“EBIT”) is defined as Net Income attributable to Magna before income attributable to  non-controlling interests, income taxes, and interest expense, net.  EBIT Margin is the ratio of EBIT to Total Sales. ⁴ Manufacturing operations, product development, engineering and sales centres and employee figures include certain  equity-accounted operations.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...b7e00d8970

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...107a0842f4