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Nanometrics Reports Third Quarter 2014 Financial Results

Published on 29 Oct 2014
Nanometrics 
Nanometrics Incorporated today announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 27, 2014.

Third Quarter Highlights

- Significant new customer penetration achieved, with the world's second-largest memory company becoming a new 10% customer for Nanometrics, reflecting:

● worldwide deployment of IMPULSE® integrated metrology for optical critical dimension (OCD) control of lithography, deposition and CMP to multiple fab locations for both DRAM and Flash;

● multiple Atlas® systems with NanoDiffract® software for advanced process control deployed for high-volume manufacturing of 3D NAND; 

● and follow-on shipment of a UniFire® system to an additional fab location for through-silicon-via (TSV) applications.

- Additional pure-play foundry penetration, with deployment of a complete NanoCD Suite, including Atlas, NanoGenTM and NanoStation® all powered by NanoDiffract software, in support of high-volume manufacturing of planar logic and advanced FinFET development in Taiwan.


A reconciliation between GAAP operating results and non-GAAP operating results is provided following the financial statements that are part of this release and on the investor page of Nanometrics' website. Non-GAAP results exclude the impact of amortization of acquired intangible assets and, for Q3 2014 and Q3 2013, also excluded a restructuring charge and, for Q3 2013, also excluded an inventory write-off associated with the discontinuation of the Mosaic product line. Non-GAAP results for Q3 2014 exclude a non-cash valuation allowance of $21.1 million related to certain deferred US tax assets.

Commenting on the company's results, president and chief executive officer Dr. Timothy J. Stultz said, "As expected, our third-quarter results reflected the significant decline in process control spending by our two largest customers, sales to which were down more than 80% quarter-over-quarter. This decline was tempered by record-level sales to a new 10% customer for Nanometrics, demonstrating the meaningful progress we are making to diversify our revenues and grow our customer footprint within the semiconductor industry. Today we have tool-of-record positions in critical applications for leading-edge devices with every one of the top seven spenders on semiconductor fab equipment - a notable first for Nanometrics. We continue to expect a rebound in revenues beginning in the fourth quarter and continuing into 2015, which is still shaping up to be a strong year for the industry generally and Nanometrics specifically as we expect to benefit from our market share gains and the critical enabling role of our technology for 3D devices and processing technologies." 

Third Quarter 2014 Summary

Revenues for the third quarter of 2014 were $27.1 million, down 44% from $48.0 million in the second quarter of 2014 and down 31% from $39.0 million in the third quarter of 2013. On a GAAP basis, gross margin was 42.1%, compared to 47.7% in the prior quarter and 40.5% in the year-ago period. The operating loss was $10.6 million, compared to operating income of $0.7 million in the prior quarter and an operating loss of $7.2 million in the year-ago period. The net loss includes a non-cash valuation allowance of $21.1 million related to certain deferred US tax assets and was $28.7 million or $1.19 per share, compared to net income of $0.6 million or $0.02 per diluted share in the prior quarter and a net loss of $4.6 million or $0.20 per share in the third quarter of 2013.

On a non-GAAP basis, which excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets, gross margin was 44.6% compared to 49.1% in the prior quarter. In the third quarter of 2013, non-GAAP gross margin also excluded a $2.4 million inventory write-off recorded for the discontinued Mosaic® and was 48.4%. The non-GAAP operating loss for the third quarter also excluded a $1.7 million restructuring charge and was $8.1 million, compared to operating income of $1.5 million in the prior quarter and an operating loss of $2.2 million in the third quarter of 2013, which also had excluded a $1.7 million restructuring charge and the Mosaic inventory write-off. The non-GAAP net loss, which adjusts for amortization of intangible assets, the Mosaic inventory write-off, restructuring charges, a $21.1 million valuation allowance related to certain deferred US tax assets, and the income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments, was $5.9 million or $0.24 per share, compared to net income of $1.1 million or $0.05 per diluted share in the prior quarter and a net loss of $1.3 million or $0.06 per share in the third quarter of 2013.

Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance

In accordance with ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, the company determined based upon an evaluation of all available objectively verifiable evidence, including but not limited to the company's U.S. operations falling into a cumulative three year loss, that a non-cash valuation allowance should be established against its deferred US tax assets which are comprised of accumulated and unused U.S. tax credits, and net operating losses and other temporary book-tax differences. The establishment of a non-cash valuation allowance on the company's deferred US tax assets does not have any impact on its cash, nor does such an allowance preclude the company from utilizing its tax losses, tax credits or other deferred tax assets in future periods.

Business Outlook

Management expects revenues to rebound in the fourth quarter, in the range of $36 to $40 million, with GAAP gross margin in the range of 41% to 45% and non-GAAP gross margin in the range of 43% to 47%. Management expects fourth quarter operating expenses to range between $20.4 million and $21.6 million on a GAAP basis, and between $20.0 million and $21.0 million on a non-GAAP basis, with a GAAP net loss to range from $0.12 to $0.29 per share and a non-GAAP net loss to range from $0.08 to $0.24 per share.


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