Market risks
In the ongoing financial period, global economic uncertainty may affect the demand for EBīs services, solutions and products and provide pressure on e.g. pricing. In the short term such uncertainty may affect, in particular, the utilization and chargeability levels and average hourly prices of R&D services.
As EBīs customer base consists mainly of companies operating in the fields of automotive and telecommunications and defense and public safety authorities, the Company is exposed to market changes in these industries. In both of EBīs business segments a significant part of net sales accumulates from just a few customers. In the Automotive Business Segment a significant part of net sales is tied to projects carried out with different Volkswagen Group companies. EB and AUDIīs subsidiary, Audi Electronics Venture GmbH (AEV), have a jointly owned company e.solutions GmbH that is developing infotainment software and provides systems engineering and systems integration services for Volkswagen Group car models. EB also delivers products and R&D services to the jointly owned company. In addition, EB delivers products and R&D services directly or through TIER1 suppliers to different Volkswagen Group companies. In the Wireless Business Segment a significant part of net sales accumulates from selling R&D services to a certain mobile communications equipment manufacturer and from selling products and R&D services to the Finnish Defence Forces. Deviation in anticipated business development with such customer concentrations may translate as a significant deviation in the EBīs outlook, both in terms of net sales and operating result, during the ongoing financial period and thereafter. EB seeks to expand its customer base on a longer term and reduce dependence on individual companies and hence the Company will thereby be mainly affected by the general business climate in automotive and telecommunication industries. The more specific market outlook has been presented under the “Market Outlook for the Automotive Business Segmentī and “Market Outlook for the Wireless Business Segmentī section.
