Randon SA Implementos e Participacoes

BOVESPA:RAPT4

Earnings Call Transcript

[Unknown Executive]

What takes us to the future? Our commitment is to generate solutions that will make people's life easier with mobility. We're a group of Brazilian companies transporting innovation and technology around the world. We have a global presence based on quality, transparency and resiliency. We are people working for people, generating value to our partners and clients.

Do we develop a business model that is diversified and robust creating synergy among all the Randon companies. Our Auto Parts produce suspensions, axles, brakes, drums, and coupling systems and many components for commercial vehicles. We are leaders in the South American market, in all our business units, guaranteeing quality, innovation and safety.

With a strong presence -- global presence, we deliver friction materials and suspension, brake and steering parts for commercial vehicles with a powerhouse for aftermarket price. We are an OEM, and we're 1 of the 10 largest manufacturers semitrailers in the world. We have the most complete line of equipment for road transportation of cargo. Since railway cars, we deliver solutions in financial services and digital services to make feasible the acquisition of goods. We offer financing and we facilitate the rental of assets.

We offer insurance. We invest in start-ups, and we give incentives to collaboration, creating software, digital products for transportation and logistics. We also have research in materials, nanotechnology and mobility and use of electricity for new products, apart from creating solutions in process automation and industrial robots.

More than 7 decades with our principles that make all of this happen, maintaining alive our legacy. We are reference in solutions for transportation, reaching leadership in the main segments, this due to our diversification of business. We grew rapidly, expanding our plants and distribution centers located around the world. We had a very great increase in net revenue with profitability. We are a financially solid company. It only makes sense if we overcome the expectations and generate value for our clients. For this, the improvement of processes and operations is constant.

People working in collaboration in modern spaces and with high technology, guaranteeing excellence and safety of our products. We count on the dedication of thousands of people that look for opportunities to have a positive impact on the planet. These people guide us every day to have ethics and transparency going to a future with more sustainability. We accelerate ecosystems that promote benefits for all of society. We value diversity, we believe in new businesses, and we invest in disruptive solutions. Thus, we continue with an appetite for what is new and a lot of courage looking at the future.

Evolving, this is how we see the future, and we build together the path that will take us to our objectives: Randon Companies connecting people and riches to generate prosperity.

Hello. Welcome to the conference call for earnings of Randon Companies for Q4 2022. Today, apart from the last 3 months, we will talk about the year 2022, which was very challenging, but full of important movements for Randon, and we will see this with our executives.

Before beginning I'd like to remind you that the information is not guarantee of performance. They involve risks and uncertainties. They refer to future events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur.

Our conference call today will be presented by our CEO, Sergio Carvalho, who will show us the results of 2022; Paulo Prignolato, our CFO and Investor Relations Director, the results; and then our Director for Finance and Investor Relations, Esteban Angeletti, with the main highlights of our business. At the end, we will have the Q&A session. And we invite you to participate. [Operator Instructions] The event is recorded and it will be on our website after the end of the presentation.

So let's begin the presentations, beginning with our CEO, Sergio Carvalho. Welcome, Sergio.

[Sergio Lisbão de Carvalho, executive]

Thank you, David. I'd like to welcome all of you. I'm very happy to be with you in another conference call of results talking about Q4 2022 and full year 2022. It was a year of many challenges, but also a period where we were able to conclude many objectives and projects. And these place Randon Companies in a very good position.

We closed the year with a historical record of revenue, even with all the complexity that we had in Brazil and abroad. We surpassed even our projections in the guidance, showing our capacity to execute what we planned and proving the consistency of our diversified business model. We want to continue growing at high rates and in a sustainable way. We're doing this with the same pillars that have brought us excellent results in the last few years: focus on expanding the portfolio of products, expansion of our production capacity and more efficiency and productivity in our operations and also internationalization of our companies.

Also, we will continue working strongly in innovation and technology in all the units of the group, with focus on new solutions, always connected to the aspects of ESG. We are committed with attaching value and development of people, reinforcing our culture and searching for constant evolution in our corporate governance practices. All these movements are very important within our strategy.

I have mentioned about our growth, which is very accelerated. As you can see on this graph in the last 6 years, we grew at very positive rates with more than 30%. We more than tripled the revenue during this period, delivering consistent margins. And this will become even more important if we think about what we had in the last few years. We had complex periods, a pandemic, rupture in supply chains, high inflation, high interest rates, which could have affected us in a significant way. Nevertheless, we maintained our growth level, even with this adverse scenario, due to our strategy of diversification.

Now I'd like to call your attention to our main numbers for 2022. Among them, I would like to highlight revenue in the export market that reached $436.5 million and due to our international expansion and new clients abroad. Our volumes that were very expressive and show that our companies are among the largest in this segment on a global value. The profitability on invested capital continued on good levels, and also the correct investments made that will bring us even more fruit in the medium and long term.

We did all of this, controlling our finances and maintaining our leverage on a healthy level. These relevant numbers show the expansion of our sources of revenue which are more and more resilient.

Most of the sales of Randon Companies are connected to markets that are less vulnerable due to problems in the economy, and only 20% of cyclic -- the acquisition of companies that we did recently reinforced our strategy of expansion in strong sectors such as agrobusiness, aftermarket and international markets.

For the internationalization of the company, we have made very important movements. For example, we went to the U.S. We acquired Hercules company in the U.S. and exports for the first time of semitrailers to the U.S. and more recently, through Fras-le, the acquisition of Juratek in the U.K., a company focused on aftermarket parts and which will expand our presence in this geography in Europe as a whole.

On the screen, you can see the acquisitions we made to expand our business. Year after year, we added companies to our group, which bring relevant contributions to our business: increasing capacity, greater portfolio, internationalization, innovation in all the fronts and always trying to capture synergies in each one of them. New businesses also included actions for diversification, like the strategy to strengthen the company. In partnership with Gerdau, we are now working with the rental of heavy vehicles, and we accelerated our journey for digital transformation with the acquisition of DBServer Company.

The year 2022 was also marked by the expansion in capturing synergies among the operations and innovation in our processes. As an example, the reorganization among the plants of Castertech to expand their presence and with the new unit of Castertech in [ Moshiguasu ] will consolidate it as one of the largest foundries in the company.

I highlight the integration of the logistics center of Nakata, which now gives agility in delivery and more competitive prices. In terms of innovation and processes, the new branch of JOST in Campinas, a model company, the most modern plant among our operations. Here we manufacture the Bus Link, a new product that was developed with Brazilian technology and an innovative concept in our country and thus expanding the market for Jost.

Apart from these initiatives with diversification and innovation, we also saw this in our operations in the last few years. In 2022, Randon Implements launched new products, such as the [ newer ] line, Randon Solar, the modular platform, Randon Smart, exploring the concepts of sustainability, connectivity and modularity. We introduced a new project in Smart Materials with a large OEM -- truck OEM when we developed auto parts with nanoparticles in niobium both in partnership with Centro Tecnologico Randon, [ esito tosiri ] Randon and NIONE. All of this was done with commitment and engagement of our employees who are fundamental for the success of the company.

We did not give up a healthy and safe work environment. And we have our ESG ambition, which takes us to a more prosperous and sustainable future. In this sense, I remind you that in 2022, we announced investments of BRL 100 million in renewable energies until 2030. And we implemented affinity groups to have a Randon that is more inclusive and diversified. But these are only some of the initiatives that we had this year. The complete content will be presented in the sustainability report to be sent to you in the next months.

I'd like to conclude my part. I'd like to thank you all for participating in our events like Randon Day and FENATRAN exhibition and also in our conference calls for earnings. This close contact is very important for us. We want to continue this relationship with a lot of transparency, maintaining an open channel of communication with the market. You, without doubt, help us to evolve and to have a Randon that is better and better.

I use this opportunity to ask you to participate in the Institutional Investor survey that we have every year. This is a source of feedback for our Investor Relations practices. To participate, please access the QR code on the screen.

Now I'd like to pass the floor to Paulo, who will continue with the presentation.

[Paulo Prignolato, executive]

Good morning. We'd like to welcome you all on this conference call for earnings for Q4 2022. Sergio mentioned that we reached and we surpassed our guidance. So I will begin my presentation detailing the indicators and the main factors that had an impact on each one of them.

Beginning with consolidated net revenue. So we surpassed the guidance, reaching BRL 11.2 billion, thanks to the excellent demand and also price increases due to inflation in some lines of products, acquiring companies in 2022, acquisitions and greater sales abroad. Concerning this last point, we reached $436 million in revenue in the export market while the guidance was 370 million, so surpassing by 18%.

The main reasons were the -- our OEM vertical in the U.S. and consistent performance in the other geographies. Our consolidated EBITDA margin was 13.5%. The year was very challenging in terms of margins. The inflationary pressure continued presence in the costs of raw materials in some business segments. Also greater competition; for example, in OEMs.

Now concerning organic investments, I highlight our discipline in being close to the lower part of the guidance. BRL 347 million invested in productivity, innovation and modernization, representing 23% of the EBITDA generated during the year.

I'd like to comment that the guidance for 2023, which traditionally we announce together with the annual report, is still being prepared and we will send it as soon as it is ready.

Now going to the indicators in the quarter. I'd like to highlight consolidated net revenue, BRL 2.8 billion, growth of 12% when compared with Q4 2021. A similar progress was recorded in the revenue from export markets, reaching $102.6 million in Q4 '22. Consolidated EBITDA of BRL 322 million and EBITDA margin of 11.3%. For this indicator, we had nonrecurring invest during this quarter with low impact on consolidated, which will be detailed by Esteban in his analysis by vertical.

Considering nonrecurring adjusted EBITDA reached BRL 327.8 million with an EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA margin of BRL 11.5 million. Finally, we had a net profit of BRL 89.4 million in Q4 '22. In comparison with Q4 '21, this indicator had a drop of 41.6%, but it's important to remember that during that quarter, we recognized revenue from tax credits impacting this comparison.

As you were able to observe on the previous slide, our search for more resilient results due to our diversified business model has had a good result. Currently, we have a Randon that is less cyclic and that has made important movements in this direction. A proof of this is that even in a year marked with a drop, as in the case of semitrailers, and stable volumes in the case of trucks, we were able to have growth in revenue and consistent margins.

In the graphs that will come next, I will show our diversification. On the screen, we have the distribution of revenue by vertical -- business vertical. Apart from the balance that they bring to Randon Companies in consolidated sales, we always aim at diversification within each one of them. An example is the access to new geographies in the verticals OEM and Movement (sic) [ Motion ] Control and the growth of revenues coming from agriculture in auto parts.

Now we observe the distribution of revenue by business segments. As you can see, OEM is the most relevant market with 60% of the revenue, but it is distributed in different types of products, such as trucks of different categories, railway cars, semitrailers, each one with its own market dynamics. We highlight that within OEMs, agrobusiness has become more relevant, strengthening the demand, especially for heavy vehicles.

As you were able to see in the last few months, we intensified our process of internationalization. It's one of the great focus -- it is the great focus of the company. We can see that the block formed by U.S., Mexico and Canada became the most relevant in revenue in the export market in Q4 2022. The exports of semitrailers to the U.S. market and the acquisition of Hercules were the main factors for this change in the profile of our sales by geography. Traditionally, the region that is most relevant was Mercosur in Chile. But with the expansion in the U.S., we will see the U.S. becoming more and more important.

Now going on to look at debt, we reached BRL 1.6 billion in net debt without the Randon Bank, with a leverage of 1.08x the EBITDA of the last 12 months. We reached an important reduction in this indicator when we look at the first 9 months of 2022, when we had BRL 2 billion and the leverage of 1.42x EBITDA. This was possible to reduce our debt with a greater generation of gross cash and the reduction in working capital, this based on efforts from all our team.

Talking about 2022, we diversified our sources of financing and we issued 2 debentures, one of them at market, which allows us to lengthen the payment of our debt.

We know that in this scenario of high inflation and high interest rates, our strategy of financial robustness is fundamental for us to go through periods of uncertainty with greater safety.

Now talking about investments, considering CapEx, nonorganics and integralization of capital in Q4 '22, we reached BRL 492.8 million. As a highlight, we have investments of BRL 258.2 million for the purchase of Hercules, BRL 40 million for the purchase in an auction of the assets of Fundicao Balancins and BRL 32.8 million acquisition of machines and expansion of our capacity for machining.

Now I'd like to bring you data about Randon Capital Markets. On the screen, you have the profile of shareholders. At the end of 2022 the company had 41,541 shareholders. The most relevant is the controlling group with 39.6%. Institutional funds with 20.5% and foreigners with 20.4% of the total shares. Our market cap BRL 2.7 billion. Also, I remind you that we decided to pay JCP of BRL 165.3 million in the year. Consequently, we will not have additional payment of dividends to be approved.

Now I'd like to pass the floor to Esteban to talk about the results by business vertical.

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Good morning. I also thank you for participating, and I reinforce the invitation to participate in the Q&A session. We arrived at the last conference call of results for the numbers of 2022, a year full of victories, important victories that we are happy to share with you.

Beginning with a general view of the markets, I remind you that the dynamics for trucks was that of a gradual recovery, sale of trucks. We began 2022 with lack of semiconductors and COVID-19, which decreased the production rhythm (sic) [ cadence ] of trucks. At the end, we had an accelerated production to guarantee Euro 5 products. The vacation which is in December was transferred to January 2023. Thus, we closed the year with a production of 162,000 trucks, a volume that is higher than 2021.

Semitrailers had a drop in production and sales in the annual comparison, and this happened due to the reduction in demand in the domestic market. Although agribusiness has resulted in new orders, some sectors had a strong drop, for example, retail. The market that had the largest growth was that of exports, both in trucks and semitrailers had a progress of 12%, an increase of 12%.

Also as a highlight, we are now in the U.S. market with road equipment, and I will explain this. Aftermarket also had a good performance, continuity in the growth in the secondary market due to the low availability and high price of new vehicles.

Now the highlights for OEMs. Net revenue, BRL 1.2 billion, supported by the good level of sales in the domestic market and also progress in exports. More volumes -- the addition of volumes and revenue of Hercules as of November, and the export of 590 containers to the U.S. reaching $51.3 million in Q4 '22. EBITDA, BRL 56.5 million and a margin of 4.7%, under pressure due to a lot of competition, inflation of costs and seasonality of the period. Investments in the quarter were very strong, BRL 301 million, BRL 258 million concerning the acquisition of Hercules.

In the U.S., Sergio and Paulo showed the importance of diversification and how we have focused on this. With this, this vertical made the largest operation of M&A in its history. It was a break of paradigm. The challenges for the entrance in the U.S. market were not small. We're still in the integration phase, but we trust in the results and opportunities that we have with the acquisition of Hercules.

Here, 2 important graphs. I begin talking about distribution of revenue by economic sector. Apart from internationalization, we know that most of the resilience has origin in agribusiness, where we have a strong presence in Brazil and with good perspectives in the next few years. In Q4 2022, the revenue from agribusiness represented almost 70% of the total. When we talk about sales of trucks, the most important trucks sold are dump trucks and also grain trucks used in agribusiness and where we are leaders. Both in Q4 '22 as in the full year, our market share in the domestic market was 29.5%.

Now talking about the participation in the export market. Our market share in Brazilian exports was close to 70%. And I remind you, we're the only company producing semitrailers to export them and even to manufacture semitrailers in the U.S., the largest market for these products in the world.

Now going on to Auto Parts. Another quarter with strong revenue, BRL 1 billion with the growth in all the business units when compared to the previous years. Revenue from export markets, $12 million, most of it sales from Master to the U.S., consistent margins due to a good demand from OEMs and increase in productivity. Also, in terms of EBITDA, our [ controlled ] Castertech had nonrecurring things that had a positive impact.

For example, we were successful in courts and also the update of a combination of business of Castertech and Indaiatuba, representing BRL 17 million. Without this effect, we would have an EBITDA of BRL 150 million and a margin of BRL 14.3 million. Concerning investments, BRL 71 million, BRL 40 million were used for the acquisition of the assets of Balancins in auction.

Now although we have a greater exposure to OEMs, we still see a great diversification within this group with highlight for heavy trucks and semitrailers that have an important exposure in agribusiness and have consistent volumes. Apart from this, this vertical has expanded direct sales to manufacturers of agricultural machines, adding more products to the portfolio and greater resilience to revenue and margins. We have also concentrated efforts to maintain our participation in the aftermarket and international, which represent 10% of the revenue of this vertical.

Talking about movement control, including Fras-le and its controlled companies, we have some highlights. But you can have access to more details in the site, ri.fras-le.com. Fras-le also aired its results this week, and the complete material is available to you.

But let's see the most important facts in the quarter for Fras-le. Net revenue of BRL 746.8 million due to a good moment for aftermarket parts, where we have a great portfolio of products. The integration of inventories in the distribution center of Nakata brought greater agility and efficiency for sending parts. Concerning Nakata, we stabilized the new shock absorber plant, which expanded its delivery capacity and a greater participation in the market.

Talking about the revenue from the export market, Nakata sold BRL 63 million in Q4 '22, expanding sales to the U.S., increasing production capacity in Fras-le North America, and the good performance in other regions.

EBITDA reached BRL 84 million with a margin of 11.3%. This vertical had nonrecurring events that had a negative impact on the indicator. The update of the combination of businesses in Nakata, BRL 16.2 million, an accrual for contingencies concerning the tax lawsuits, a BRL 5.6 million impairment in Fras-le North America, and Eurobrakes BRL 715,000. Adjusting EBITDA for all these values, we have an adjusted EBITDA of BRL 106 million with an adjusted margin of 14.3%. Concerning investments, BRL 76 million, most of this in CapEx.

Finally, Fras-le announced in February the purchase of Juratek company in the U.K., which will be the entrance of our company in Europe, as Sergio mentioned.

Now going on to net revenue by segment. Those who follow us for more time should remember that before the acquisition of Nakata, this distribution of revenue represented in the graph here was different, the export market being 50% of the total. In its expansion plan, Fras-le wants to go back to have more revenue from export products and Juratek's -- the purchase of Juratek will help in this.

Talking about financial services and digital services. We have the following points for Q4 '22. The results of this vertical had an impact due to the adoption of CPC 47. We had a reversal of BRL 55.4 million and also expenses with sales, a reversal of BRL 86.7 million, which had a benefit on EBITDA by BRL 30 million. CPC establishes that operations should be recorded by competence (sic) [ accrual basis ] and not cash, as we did in the past. In other words, the value should be deferred until the contract ends. It began in 2022, and we don't have to change things in the previous years.

Concerning the performance of the business, very, very good for pool sales with a highlight for sales for the agricultural sector. Also, growth of CPV due to the higher interest rates. Randon Bank is healthy with a low level of delinquency. The structuring of Addiante, a joint venture with Gerdau, is for rental of heavy vehicles. They will begin operations in the first semester of 2023. The acquisition of DBServer, we announced this in December and which was closed in February.

Finally, information about advanced technology and headquarters. Although the results are still small in comparison with the other businesses, the companies have the objective of being a source of innovation for Randon Companies, contributing for the development of new solutions and also making possible results in the medium and long term.

Concerning Q4 2022, we can highlight Auttom, which expanded its presence in the U.S. market in line with the strategy of internationalization of the company. NIONE, which has more than 60 projects in progress in different sectors and in partnership with large companies, but the flow of approval of these projects as well as the validation steps take on average 2 years, because they are disruptive and high complexity products. For this reason, they haven't been converted to revenue. This will happen gradually during the next few years.

Okay. Before closing, I'd like to thank you once again. I'd like to thank each one of you for the partnership last year, and I invite you to be with us and be closer to us in 2023. We are sure that it will be a year of many challenges, but also many projects for -- that we will have to share with you.

Also, I'd like to invite you to participate in the Institutional Investor survey which happens every year and gives us feedback for our IR practice. To participate, access the QR code that is -- can be seen on the screen.

Thank you. And now I'd like to pass the floor to David for our Q&A session.

[Unknown Executive]

Well, good morning to all. I thank Sergio, Paulo and Esteban for the presentation, and we would like to begin our Q&A session. And I'd like to also thank Hemerson De Souza, the M&A Director, and who will be here in the Q&A.

We have some questions and we have a queue for questions. [Operator Instructions].

So beginning our Q&A session. We have Pedro Fontana, Bradesco BBI.

[Pedro Fontana, analyst]

Good morning. Thank you for the results. Please talk more about equipment -- road equipment, which had a drop. How much of this is due to seasonal effects, stops at OEMs? And -- or increasing capacity at competitors? We saw that, apart from margin, also market share dropped below 30%. What do you expect for 2023 in terms of margin and market share?

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Thank you, Pedro, for the question, Before answering, during the presentation, we said that the acquisition of Juratek depended on certain conditions. And during this week and Fras-le announced this morning, informing that all the conditions were met and the acquisition is concluded.

So here -- now Pedro, concerning road equipment, I'd like to remind you that this is a part of our revenue that represents 37% -- 38% of the consolidated net revenue. It's an important part, yes, but we have other components, auto parts, movement control services and advanced technology that also help us to diversify. Paulo and Sergio mentioned this.

In the last quarter, yes, we had a combination of stronger competition and a high cost of raw materials. The perspectives of deflation hasn't reached our inventories. We have inventories of some raw materials for 90, 120 days. We need this inventory. So when this becomes normal, I believe the situation will improve in the next quarters. And also different from other operations in semitrailers. This part had vacation in the second quarter of -- in the second half of December, and this gave us an additional problem and used some occupancy.

Now looking forward, how much of this is structural, and how much we believe we can recover? We have an optimistic vision for the rest of the year. We believe that in Q1, we will still have these factors that put pressure on margins but during the year, this should improve with a reduction in the cost of raw materials and another component of our strategy, internationalization. Here, we will have 12 months of Hercules. Last year we had only 2 months, November and December of Hercules. So another 10 months this year.

Apart from additional exports that we had, we have guaranteed to the U.S. market that will help compensate this pressure in the domestic market. The domestic market, we are seeing a reduction in volumes in Brazil, but we can expand the revenue of road equipment through the export market that is more favorable.

[Unknown Executive]

Our next question, Renata Cabral, Citibank.

[Renata Fonseca Cabral Sturani, analyst]

Hello. The segment of auto parts for commercial vehicles, we noticed a good performance, especially in Q4, which is weaker. You explained this in the release, on the production of Euro 5 trucks -- on the part of OEMs. Now please give more color concerning 2023. With this change to Euro 6, this seasonality, will it change? We imagine that in the first quarter, it will be weaker. So what is -- what is your impression about this?

[Unknown Executive]

Thank you, Renata, for the question. Reminding you the relevance of auto parts in our revenue. Today, in the results for 2022, it represented 1/3 of our revenue, close to BRL 4 billion in billing, very significant with important growth in the last few years, with new clients, new products and new geographies, too.

Now concerning perspectives, we had a strong quarter at the end of the year, most of our clients decided to continue production until December 31 for Euro 5 and they can sell this product until March this year. That's why we noticed in the beginning of this year, the opposite. Lower production in spite of sales being strong in levels very close to 2022. This was expected. We know our clients, our OEMs transferred vacation to January.

In most of January, there was no production. But we believe that during the year, we should see a recovery of volumes in production or maintaining volumes, reminding you that one of the main factors for heavy trucks, the main factors for demand are agribusiness, which has had record harvests even if the volume may be a little lower. The volume from Fenabrave and [ Al Fave ] have showed a drop. In the case of our auto parts, we believe that our drop will be smaller because we are more exposed to heavy vehicles. That's the first point.

Second, we have the flexibility to internalize part of products that we used to buy at Castertech. We can produce them locally to compensate this drop in volume. This gives us the flexibility to recover margin.

And the third point, once again, agricultural market and international market. Castertech has made investments and this is giving us results to supply more to the agriculture market and looking for new geographies outside Brazil to compensate this potential drop in the domestic market.

[Unknown Executive]

The next question, Luiz Capistrano, ItauBBA.

Okay. Let's go on to 2 questions from Mr. [ Antonio Rizzi ]. Management of resources, talking about exports. 2 aspects of exports. One, to talk about semitrailer exports to the U.S., thinking of possible synergies with Hercules, Hercules and exports of semitrailers to the U.S. Will we have synergies? And also truck markets, do you expect to export more trucks from Brazil since the domestic market should have a small drop?

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Thank you, Antonio. I'd like to pass these 2 questions to Sergio. Sergio can comment on synergies of Hercules and truck as exports from Brazil.

[Sergio Lisbão de Carvalho, executive]

Thank you, Esteban. Antonio, thank you for the questions.

Yes, we're looking at this issue, exports to the U.S. market. And right now, we have a problem with availability of ships of the type roll-on. We believe we will have greater exports than we had in 2022 due to restrictions in ships. So we finalized the purchase. It's doing very well. We will reach 5,000 units, and we're exploring synergies. Maybe we will be able to sell [ kits ].

[Unknown Analyst]

I hope you can hear me better now. Okay, Sergio.

[Sergio Lisbão de Carvalho, executive]

Antonio, would you like me to repeat the answer?

I was saying that exports of semitrailers are going very well. We hope to grow volumes in a significant way this year. We have restrictions in the availability of special ships that can take these products to the U.S. This is the bottleneck. Hercules is doing very well. We should increase our production in Hercules this year. And we're considering more synergies with Brazil. We want to accelerate the capacity of local production in the U.S. for Hercules.

So our vision for the U.S. market is positive because of 2 aspects. As you mentioned, both local production and interaction with the Brazilian unit. In trucks, we also -- we don't see very clearly an upside, but we believe that the situation in Europe due to the war, the problems with availability of energy, all of this will facilitate the transfer of business by European plants to Brazilian branches. So we believe we will have more exports from Brazil by OEMs.

The situation in Argentina continues difficult, due to the situation of Argentina. In other geographies, we expect a more favorable environment for exports due to the difficulties in the market in Europe.

[Unknown Executive]

Now the next question, Jonathan Koutras, JPMorgan.

[Jonathan Koutras, analyst]

Good morning. Can you hear me? Paulo, Sergio, Esteban. So the question is about revenue. What is the target for medium and long term in the next 5 years? Do you see an increase of 50%?

Second question, Sergio mentioned, but thinking of Argentina. So I'd like to understand the perspectives? And we know the problems in Argentina, what is your vision of Argentina and the region?

[Unknown Executive]

Thank you, Jonathan. Sergio, to talk about the target of internationalization, you are the best person.

About Argentina, since Hemerson is with us, we can share -- we can count on Hemerson too.

[Sergio Lisbão de Carvalho, executive]

Jonathan, thank you for participating. Yes, we have the intention to grow our revenues from the export market. Are focused on this new cycle, selling to countries with strong currency. We want to get to 30% selling to mature markets. We also have actions in the domestic market, 30%.

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Your audio still has problems. I will try to repeat what you said. Can you hear me well?

So Jonathan, I don't know if you heard Sergio's answer. Our intention is to continue growing. We want to continue growing exports to mature markets, and our goal is 30%.

[Jonathan Koutras, analyst]

Please comment on Argentina. Thank you, Esteban.

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Thank you. Thank you, Jonathan, for the question about Argentina. Well, we have a concentration of business in Argentina, a reasonable concentration. 12% to 15% of the revenue of Fras-le comes from Argentina. We purchased Farloc and Armetal. We purchased companies in Argentina through Fras-le.

What we learned, we've been there for many years in Argentina. You need to have Argentinians that know the business. And for a long time we always had a Brazilian person, and when we bought Armetal, we saw so much efficiency that they had today. Fras-le is taken care of by people from this acquisition. So that's the success story there.

It's very complex, the situation in Argentina. We learned that as orthodox as it may be, clients in Argentina want to invest in something that doesn't depreciate like their currency. Our products represent a safe haven. So they buy much more than what they need because to fight inflation. So during the year 2022, we worked with these clients to avoid problems there.

It's difficult to obtain new licenses to export, but this quarter and next quarter, we see a reasonable situation with difficulties in obtaining export licenses. We believe we should be able to get licenses, because the country is suffering with a lack of many things. Not only auto parts, there is a lack of pharmaceutical products and even food. So we believe we are very -- the Brazilian government is very close to the Argentinian government.

But we're very cautious. We're being cautious. We have a financial discipline. We have hedges there in receivables. I'll remind you that since the middle of September, the Argentinian government has a quarantine on payments to suppliers and exports for 180 days. So we have been -- we are being paid. The most difficult has been the obtainment of licenses for exports. And Fras-le has healthy margins. And the difficulty is in obtaining in transferring resources to Brazil. Thank you.

[Unknown Executive]

Jonathan, just to conclude, Randon has a plant in Rosario since the '90s. 6% of the revenue from road equipment comes from Argentina, sale of road equipment in Argentina, and it's very similar to our operations in Brazil, especially due to the fact that it depends on agribusiness.

Argentina depends on agribusiness. So there is a positive demand from agribusiness helping our sales in Argentina. And like Fras-le companies, we also have problems in transferring money from Argentina to Brazil. In terms of market and margin, it's very similar to Brazil.

[Unknown Executive]

Well, our next question, Luiz Capistrano, ItauBBA.

[Luiz Capistrano, analyst]

Good morning. Thank you for the question. Congratulations for the results. For us, it was better than we expected in road equipment. You mentioned a lot about 2023 that Randon should have a better performance than the market in road equipment due to the constant search and execution, and you have gone after internationalization. How -- what will happen during 2023? Sergio mentioned that Hercules will increase the exports from Brazil to the U.S. Do you believe we will see this in the first quarter or during the year?

And also, I'd like to understand how will this balance the stops of OEMs in January? There will be an important drop in volume in the domestic market. How much do you think because of vacation of OEMs in January? Will it be below Q4? If you can give us an idea about these drops.

And additionally, a last question, we saw advanced technology a little more negative than it normally is. For 2023, is this what you expect, this new level of quarterly EBITDA? Or you had a specific project?

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Okay, Luiz, thank you for these topics. Advanced technology due to the relevance -- small relevance in billing, people sometimes don't look at it, but we're very optimistic. Concerning advanced technology, we can mention adjustments that we have been making in operations, but I begin commenting on the market concerning road equipment and trucks.

In fact, we're very aligned with the projections of the association [ Safavia ] for trucks. For equipment, we see a drop around 10%, for trucks 20%. This is for trucks as a whole, there should be a larger drop in light medium trucks and a little less in heavy trucks. In heavy trucks, which is where we have more exposure, the drop should be around 10%.

In our vision, this drop will happen, especially in Q1. So I believe that in the next quarters after Q2, we should have volumes that will be similar to those of last year and, in fact, a concentrated drop in Q1 2023.

Concerning the compensation with revenue in the export market, I'd like to say that this is happening. Hercules not only is being consolidated, but is bringing us margins that are even better than Brazilian margins for semitrailers. One of the pillars for the acquisition of Hercules was to have a market that is different from that of Brazil, countercyclic. And this is what we're seeing in the U.S. market. The demand exists. It's growing, it's booming and there is lack of products, so we can guarantee a backlog up to October. And also, we have a good capacity to increase prices having healthier margins in the U.S.

And exports continue, part of the exports that we were not able to deliver last year are being delivered now in Q1. And apart from this, we have this perspective of another 2,000 semitrailers to be exported to the U.S. Initially, this production should be balanced in the next -- should be fulfilled in the next 4 quarters.

Concerning this topic, do you need more information, any? No. Perfect. Thank you.

[Unknown Executive]

Thank you. Esteban had mentioned, we have many projects, most of them in ramp-up, and we always have a conservative policy in accruals or when we capitalize projects. So some investments, even in projects, are not included. For this vertical, we have a significant expectations. We can't project margins specifically for this vertical. But I can tell you that what happened in the last few months in terms of margin was foreseen in this phase of ramp-up of projects. So in the next quarters, we expect to see much better results for this vertical.

[Esteban Angeletti, executive]

Well, we have no more questions. We remind you if you have additional questions, please get in touch with our Investor Relations Department.

I'd like to pass the floor to Sergio for his final comments.

[Sergio Lisbão de Carvalho, executive]

Thank you, Esteban. We continue very optimistic concerning our strategy and our capacity to execute our strategy. Once again, we're optimistic in relation to this year 2023 for our companies. Thank you very much for your support. Our Investor Relations Department is available. We are all available for any additional clarifications that you may need. Please access our site or call us directly. It will be a pleasure to share with you to clarify any points that you may need. Thank you for the support, and we wish you a good afternoon.

[Unknown Executive]

Thank you. Good afternoon.

[Unknown Executive]

Good afternoon. Thank you.