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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

[ X ] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarter ended
March 26, 2005

[   ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from __________ to __________

Commission File Number 000-23103

APPLIED FILMS CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

COLORADO
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
84-1311581
(IRS Employer Identification No.)

9586 I-25 FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 200, LONGMONT, COLORADO 80504
(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (303) 774-3200

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes   X   No      

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes   X   No      

14,909,183 shares of Common Stock were outstanding as of April 21, 2005.


INDEX

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION Page
 
Item 1: Consolidated Financial Statements:    
 
     Applied Films Corporation and Subsidiaries 
 
         Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 26, 2005 (unaudited) and June 26, 2004  2  
 
         Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited) for the three months and nine months ended 
               March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively  3  
 
         Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited) for the nine months ended March 26, 2005 and 
               March 27, 2004, respectively  4  
 
     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements  5  
 
Item 2: Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations  17  
 
Item 3: Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk  23  
 
Item 4: Controls and Procedures  23  
 
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION 
 
Item 6: Exhibits  24  

Page 1 of 24


Applied Films Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands except share data)

March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004


(unaudited)
ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS:
     
  Cash and cash equivalents  $  23,029   $  15,986  
  Restricted cash  126   2,026  
  Marketable securities  149,738   133,385  
  Accounts, trade notes and other receivables, net of allowance of $420 and 
    $525 respectively  16,544   19,567  
  Revenue in excess of billings  46,757   70,644  
  Inventories, net of allowance of $2,214 and $937, respectively  14,803   8,431  
  Prepaid expenses and other  2,218   2,093  
  Deferred tax asset  723   1,930  


    Total current assets  253,938   254,062  
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $10,421 and 
  $7,901, respectively  16,558   19,474  
Goodwill  70,721   64,077  
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $20,392 and $15,731, 
  respectively  12,500   15,800  
Investment in joint venture  17,710   15,157  
Deferred tax asset, net  13,131   9,687  
Restricted cash  65   69  
Other assets  503   272  


  Total assets  $385,126   $378,598  


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 
CURRENT LIABILITIES: 
  Trade accounts payable  $  14,223   $  22,278  
  Accrued expenses  22,024   27,352  
  Billings in excess of revenue  6,768   3,987  
  Current portion of deferred gross profit, deferred gain and other obligations  372   372  
  Deferred tax liability  12,185   10,770  


    Total current liabilities  55,572   64,759  
Long-term portion of deferred tax liability  662   314  
Long-term portion of gross profit, deferred gain and other obligation  1,612   1,709  


Accrued pension benefit obligation  15,759   13,289  


  Total liabilities  73,605   80,071  
 
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY: 
Common stock, no par value, 40,000,000 shares authorized, 14,909,183 and 
  14,838,125 shares issued and outstanding at March 26, 2005 and 
  June 26, 2004, respectively  259,273   258,340  
Warrants  595   595  
Cumulative other comprehensive income  30,927   22,956  
Retained earnings  20,726   16,636  


  Total stockholders' equity  311,521   298,527  


  Total liabilities and stockholders' equity  $385,126   $378,598  


        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Page 2 of 24


Applied Films Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(unaudited)
(in thousands, except per share data)

Three months ended Nine months ended


March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004




Net revenues   $ 44,890   $ 58,168   $ 133,460   $ 162,948  
Cost of goods sold  29,891   42,532   93,595   120,122  




Gross profit  14,999   15,636   39,865   42,826  
Operating expenses: 
Research and development  5,252   4,739   15,521   13,042  
Selling, general and administrative  7,846   6,976   23,838   19,663  
Amortization of intangible assets  1,123   1,130   3,599   3,212  




Income (loss) from operations  778   2,791   (3,093 ) 6,909  
Investment income, net  982   959   2,451   1,859  
Other income, net  905   343   1,910   1,435  
Equity earnings of joint venture  1,394   779   4,132   2,390  




Income from continuing operations before income taxes  4,059   4,872   5,400   12,593  
Income tax provision  (1,160 ) (1,204 ) (1,310 ) (3,280 )




Income from continuing operations  2,899   3,668   4,090   9,313  
Discontinued operations (Note 3): 
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax  -   -   -   (418 )
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax  -   -   -   783  




Discontinued operations, net of tax  -   -   -   365  




Net income applicable to common stockholders  $   2,899   $   3,668   $     4,090   $     9,678  




Earnings per share: 
Basic: 
Earnings from continuing operations  $     0.19   $     0.25   $       0.28   $       0.69  
Income from discontinued operations  -   -   -   0.03  




Basic earnings per share  $     0.19   $     0.25   $       0.28   $       0.72  




Diluted: 
Earnings from continuing operations  $     0.19   $     0.24   $       0.27   $       0.68  
Income from discontinued operations  -   -   -   0.03  




Diluted earnings per share  $     0.19   $     0.24   $       0.27   $       0.71  




Weighted average common shares outstanding: 
Basic  14,892   14,730   14,865   13,429  




Diluted  15,102   15,081   15,067   13,745  





        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Page 3 of 24


Applied Films Corporation and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)
(in thousands)

Nine months ended

March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004


Cash flows from operating activities:      
Net income  $   4,090   $     9,678  
  Adjustments to net income: 
  Loss from discontinued operations  -   418  
  Gain on disposal of discontinued operations  -   (783 )


Income from continuing operations  4,090   9,313  
Adjustments to reconcile net income from continuing operations to net cash 
  provided by operations: 
Depreciation  1,961   1,530  
Amortization of intangible assets  3,599   3,212  
Amortization of deferred gain on building sale/leaseback and sales of equipment 
  to joint venture  (97 ) (265 )
Loss on disposal of equipment  17   705  
Equity in earnings of affiliate  (3,910 ) (2,168 )
Changes in: 
  Restricted cash  1,904   6,820  
  Accounts, trade notes, and other receivables, net  3,434   (831 )
  Revenue in excess of billings  23,887   (13,390 )
  Inventories  593   1,765  
  Prepaid expenses and other  (356 ) 518  
  Accounts payable and accrued expenses  (10,973 ) (1,238 )
  Billings in excess of revenue  1,575   (7,149 )
  Deferred income taxes  (474 ) 2,530  


  Net cash flows provided by operating activities  25,250   1,352  
 
Cash flows from investing activities: 
Purchases of property, plant, and equipment  (3,613 ) (5,354 )
Purchase of marketable securities  (16,353 ) (95,964 )
Return of funds from acquisition of Helix  523   -  
Joint venture distribution  1,356   -  
Escrow for Helix acquisition  -   (9,955 )


Net cash used in investing activities  (18,087 ) (111,273 )
 
Cash flows from financing activities: 
Reduction in restricted cash for the Joint venture debt guaranty  -   5,000  
Proceeds from offering, net  -   93,324  
Proceeds from stock options and issuance under stock purchase plan  933   1,740  


Net cash provided by financing activities  933   100,064  
 
Cash flows from discontinued operations:  -   1,173  
 
Effect on exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents  (1,053 ) 7,352  


Net increase/(decrease) in cash  7,043   (1,332 )
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period  15,986   22,817  


Cash and cash equivalents, end of period  $ 23,029   $   21,485  


 
Supplemental cash flow information: 
Cash paid for interest  $        69   $          79  


Cash paid for taxes  $   2,236   $        507  


Product cost transferred from property, plant and equipment to inventory  $   7,087   -  


        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.

Page 4 of 24


Applied Films Corporation and Subsidiaries
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

NOTE 1: COMPANY ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS

Applied Films Corporation (“Applied Films,” the “Company,” “we,” or “our”) is a leading provider of thin film deposition equipment to diverse markets such as the flat panel display (“FPD”), the architectural and solar glass, and the consumer products packaging and electronics industries. Our deposition systems are used to deposit thin films that enhance the characteristics of a base substrate, such as glass, plastic, paper or foil. These thin films provide conductive, electronic, reflective, filter, barrier and other properties that are critical elements of our customers’ products. Our thin film deposition systems provide our customers with high yield and throughput, flexible modular configurations, and innovative coating and process technologies.

In December 2000, we completed the acquisition of the Large Area Coating (LAC) business of Unaxis which improved our position in the FPD market and enabled our entry into additional markets.

In June 2004, we completed the acquisition of the In-Line Systems division of Helix Technology, Inc. in Taiwan. The acquisition provided us with an Asian manufacturing base, where we expect to manufacture display systems. We believe manufacturing in Taiwan will allow us to reduce our manufacturing costs, and reduce the transit time for systems sold to our customers in Asia.

We also own 50% of a joint venture in China (China JV) that manufactures and sells coated glass for the liquid crystal display (LCD) industry.

NOTE 2: SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of the China JV are accounted for using the equity method of accounting in the consolidated financial statements and the results appear in “Equity earnings of joint venture” (Note 4).

Use of Estimates

The preparation of these consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2005, we evaluated our warranty accruals, loss contract reserves and accruals for cost of sales not posted. We reviewed historical data and determined that the amount of the reserves and accruals and the historical percentages of revenues used to create those standard reserves and accruals were no longer appropriate. Based on our review, we determined that there were changes in performance driven by improved product specifications, contract execution and the maturity of the Company’s products. As a result, we made a change to our estimates resulting in a reduction in those accruals and reserves and a corresponding reduction in cost of goods sold of approximately $3.6 million, or $0.24 earnings per share.

Unaudited Financial Information

The accompanying consolidated financial information as of March 26, 2005 and for the three month and nine month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004 are unaudited. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) have been included that are necessary to provide a fair statement of the results of those periods presented. The results of operations for the quarter and the nine months ended March 26, 2005 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.

These unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such rules and regulations allow the omission of certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in these consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, as long as the statements are not misleading. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K audited for the fiscal year ended June 26, 2004.

Page 5 of 24


Fiscal Year

The Company has adopted a fiscal year ending on the Saturday nearest June 30, which will result in fiscal years composed of 52 or 53 weeks. Fiscal year 2005 will include 53 weeks and fiscal year 2004 included 52 weeks.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company generally considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of less than 90 days to be cash equivalents.

Restricted Cash

At March 26, 2005 and June 26, 2004, the Company had guaranties outstanding totaling $9.6 million and $5.9 million, respectively, on behalf of certain customers in Asia, for their cash deposits on contracts. The $9.6 million of guaranties at March 26, 2005 is comprised of $191,000 of pledged cash and $9.4 million which is committed under lines of credit. The $5.9 million at June 26, 2004 is comprised of $2.1 million of pledged cash and $3.8 million which is committed under lines of credit.

Marketable Securities

The Company records its short-term investments as available-for-sale securities. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, with the unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported in other comprehensive income. Realized gains and losses and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included in investment income. The cost of securities sold is based on the specific identification method. Interest and dividends on securities classified as available-for-sale are included in investment income. Interest and dividends not received of $1.4 million and $1.2 million at March 27, 2005 and June 26, 2004, respectively, are included in accounts, trade notes and other receivables on the balance sheet. We commonly hold our investments to maturity but can sell them at any time as short term cash needs arise.

From 1997 through April 20, 2004 we had classified our investments as trading securities. In April 2004, in accordance with SFAS 115, we determined that a more appropriate classification is to classify our investments as securities available-for-sale, because the securities were not held to make a profit from short-term fluctuations in market prices.

The following is a summary of the Company’s available-for-sale securities as of March 26, 2005 and June 26, 2004 (in thousands):

Available-for-Sale Securities - March 26, 2005

Amortized Costs Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Estimated Fair
Value (Net
Carrying Amount)




Corporate bonds   $  82,609   $3   $(504 ) $  82,108  
Municipal debt securities .  12,959   -   (39 ) 12,920  
Government bonds  31,515   -   (319 ) 31,196  
Equity securities  20,691   -   (29 ) 20,662  
Money market funds  2,852   -   -   2,852  




Total  $150,626   $3   $(891 ) $149,738  





Available-for-Sale Securities - June 26, 2004

Amortized Costs Gross
Unrealized
Gains
Gross
Unrealized
Losses
Estimated Fair
Value (Net
Carrying Amount)




Corporate bonds   $  90,586   $11   $(435 ) $  90,162  
Municipal debt securities .  9,451   -   (43 ) 9,408  
Government bonds  25,599   15   (208 ) 25,406  
Equity securities  8,402   -   -   8,402  
Money market funds  7   -   -   7  




Total  $134,045   $26   $(686 ) $133,385  





Page 6 of 24


For the nine month period ended March 26, 2005 marketable equity available-for-sale securities with a fair value at the date of sale of $18.5 million were sold. There was a gross realized gain of $5,000 on such sales. When the available-for-sale securities mature or are sold, if the proceeds are reinvested, they are invested in other available-for-sale securities.

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of marketable securities at March 26, 2005, by contractual maturity, are shown below (in thousands):

Amortized
Cost
Estimated
Fair Value

Due in one year or less   $118,230   $117,755  
Due after one year through five years  32,396   31,983  


Total marketable securities  $150,626   $149,738  



Inventories

Inventories net of allowance consist of materials used in the construction of systems or spare parts and work-in-process for contracts accounted for under the completed contract method of accounting. We included, in work-in-process, the accumulated costs of the TRITON system and several other contracts that are accounted for under completed contract method of accounting. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market. Inventories consist of the following (in thousands):

March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004


Materials for manufacturing systems   $   3,967   $ 6,508  
Work-in-process  13,050   2,860  


Inventory  17,017   9,368  


Less inventory allowance  (2,214 ) (937 )


Inventory, net of allowance  $ 14,803   $ 8,431  



Included in the inventory allowance are additional costs surrounding the installation of the TRITON system. These costs were recorded to reduce the value of the TRITON contract to the lower of cost or market.

Property, Plant, and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Replacements, renewals and improvements are capitalized and costs for repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements are depreciated using the straight-line method over the lesser of the useful life of the asset or lease term.

Estimated
Useful Lives
Building   30 years  
Machinery and equipment  3-10 years 
Office furniture and equipment  3-5 years 

Page 7 of 24


Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired. Intangible assets (identified as patents and customer lists) are recorded at fair value determined at the time of acquisition. The goodwill and intangible assets are carried on the balance sheet of the Company’s German subsidiary and Tainan, Taiwan subsidiary. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, the Company completed the acquisition of the In-Line Systems division of Helix Technology in Tainan, Taiwan. As a result of the acquisition, the Company has recorded approximately $1.4 million of patents. The Company is in the process of having a third party complete a fair value analysis of the assets. Upon completion of this analysis, these preliminary purchase price allocation amounts may change (Note 7). After initial recording, increases or decreases in the gross cost amount are due to currency fluctuation between the U.S. dollar, the Euro, and the Taiwan dollar. The increase in accumulated amortization of intangible assets is due to the current amortization expense in the current period and currency fluctuation between the U.S. dollar, the Euro, and the Taiwan dollar. The composition of intangible assets follows (in thousands):

March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004


Intangible assets:      
  Patents  $ 29,415   $ 27,254  
  Customer lists  3,477   4,277  


    Intangible assets  32,892   31,531  
  Less accumulated amortization  (20,392 ) (15,731 )


Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization   $ 12,500   $ 15,800  



The patents are amortized over seven years and the customer lists are amortized over five years. As a result of adopting SFAS No. 142 “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets”, the Company no longer recognizes amortization expense on its goodwill. Annually, and more frequently if a triggering event occurs, the Company is required to test the carrying value of goodwill for impairment. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2004, the annual impairment test on the goodwill recorded with respect to the LAC acquisition was completed and it was determined that there was no impairment. Impairment testing in fiscal 2005 will occur in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

With the exception of goodwill, which is evaluated annually, the Company evaluates the carrying value of all long-lived assets whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of assets may exceed their recoverable amounts. An impairment loss would be recognized when the undiscounted estimated future cash flows expected to result from the use of an asset are less than the carrying amount of the asset. Measurement of an impairment loss is based on fair value of the asset computed using discounted cash flows if the asset is expected to be held and used. Measurement of an impairment loss for an asset held-for-sale would be based on fair market value less estimated costs to sell.

Historically, the Company performed an annual impairment test of the equity investment in the China JV recorded on the Company’s balance sheet. The last impairment test that was completed in the third quarter of fiscal 2004 determined that there was no impairment of the investment in the China JV. The Company has determined based on the operating performance of the China-JV, that no impairment testing is needed at this time.

The Company believes no circumstances indicating an impairment exist for any of its long-lived assets.

Accrued Expenses

The significant components of accrued expenses are as follows (in thousands):

March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004


Accrued losses on contracts   $     497   $  2,113  
Accrued warranty  6,804   10,022  
Accrued compensation  9,165   9,814  
Accrued income taxes payable  1,779   1,382  
Other accruals  3,779   4,021  


Total accrued expenses  $22,024   $27,352  



Page 8 of 24


Accrued losses on contracts are recognized on specific projects when contract costs in excess of the contracted revenue become probable and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. This accrual was reduced in the second and third quarters of fiscal 2005 based on historical experience. See Note 2. Contract accounting requires management to make estimates of future costs over the performance period of the contract. These estimates are subject to change and result in adjustments to cost of goods sold, which are reflected in the margins on contracts in progress.

Accrued warranty represents the estimated warranty costs associated with contracts in progress and completed projects that have entered into the warranty period. Accrued warranty is calculated as a percentage of the total project costs based on historical experience. Actual costs incurred are used to deplete these accruals over the life of the warranty period for each specific project. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2005, we reviewed historical data regarding our warranty accruals. Based on our review and due to changes in performance, driven by improved product specifications contract execution and the maturity of the Company's products, we made a change to our estimates resulting in a reduction in warranty accruals and a corresponding reduction in cost of goods. See Use of Estimates Note 2.

Other accruals represent all other incurred and anticipated costs, not included in the categories above such as insurance, accounting, legal, and non-payroll related benefits.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with SFAS 109, “Accounting for Income Taxes.” SFAS 109 requires deferred tax assets and liabilities to be recognized for temporary differences between the tax basis and financial reporting basis of assets and liabilities, computed at the local current effective tax rates for each country we operate in. Also, the Company’s deferred income tax assets include certain future tax benefits. The Company records a valuation allowance against any portion of those deferred income tax assets which it believes it will more likely than not fail to realize.

Spare Parts Revenue Recognition

Spare parts revenues and related costs are recognized when title to the goods passes to the customer according to the terms specified in the purchase order. The Company’s spare parts are warranted to be free from material defects caused by workmanship and within its design or customer specifications and are inspected for workmanship and compliance to specification prior to shipment. Customers who experience defects in material may return product for credit or replacement. Historically, return product has been insignificant and infrequent. Therefore, Applied Films does not maintain a reserve to cover sales returns for quality defects from its customers.

Equipment Sales Revenue Recognition

The percentage of completion method of accounting is used for sales to customers of products valued at greater than €1 million or a manufacturing time of greater than six months in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) Statement of Position (“SOP”) 81-1, “Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts.” Pursuant to SOP 81-1, revenues are measured by the percentage of the total costs incurred and applied or accrued to date in relation to the estimated total costs to be incurred at completion for each contract. Management considers costs incurred to be the best available measure of progress on these contracts. Contract costs include all direct material and labor costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance. General and administrative costs are expensed as incurred. Changes in performance, contract conditions and estimated profitability, including those arising from contract penalty provisions and final contract settlements, may result in revisions to costs and income and are recognized in the period in which the revisions are determined. The Company’s contracts accounted for under the percentage of completion method do not provide for the right of a customer to return the machine once title has transferred.

Revenues in excess of billings represent revenues recognized under the percentage of completion method prior to billing the customer for contractual cash payments. Billings in excess of revenue represent amounts billed pursuant to the contract terms, in excess of the Company’s recognized revenues on the contract for financial reporting purposes.

Contracts in progress are as follows (in thousands):

March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004
Costs incurred and estimated profit on contracts in progress   $ 164,156   $ 168,837  
Less: billings to date  (124,167 ) (102,180 )


   Revenue in excess of billings, net  $   39,989   $   66,657  



Page 9 of 24


The Company typically collects 80-85% of the cash due on the total project by the time the equipment ships from its facility. The remaining 15-20% balance that is due following the ship date is billed in accordance with the contract terms and those subsequent billings are generally collected within 30 days after billing.

The completed contract method of accounting is used for sales to customers of standard products that are typically valued at less than €1 million or have a machine fabrication time of less than six months. For projects accounted for using the completed contract method of accounting, we accumulate the project costs in work-in-process until we complete the fabrication of the system. Once fabrication of the system is complete, the customer evaluates the machine at Applied Films’ manufacturing facility according to any specific acceptance criteria outlined in the contract. Upon customer acceptance at Applied Films manufacturing facility, the machine is shipped and installed at the customer’s facility and title is transferred to the customer. Applied Films recognizes the revenue upon transfer of title. Our contracts accounted for under the completed contract method generally do not provide for the right of a customer to return the machine once title has transferred.

The Company generally offers warranty coverage for equipment sales for a period of one year after final acceptance. The Company estimates the anticipated costs to be incurred during the warranty period and accrues a reserve as a percentage of revenue is recognized. These reserves are evaluated periodically based on actual experience and anticipated activity and are adjusted if necessary.

Changes in the Company’s product warranty accruals were as follows (in thousands):

Nine months ended Year ended


March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004


Beginning of period   $ 10,022   $   6,690  
  Warranty accruals, net  2,719   5,028  
  Warranty costs incurred  (4,690 ) (1,696 )
  Change in estimate  (1,247 ) -  


End of period  $   6,804   $ 10,022  



During the third quarter of fiscal 2005, we evaluated our warranty accruals and determined that due to improved contract execution, a change in estimates was required which resulted in a reduction in the warranty accruals and a corresponding reduction in cost of goods sold of approximately $1.2 million see Note 2.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and consist primarily of salaries, supplies, lab expenses, and depreciation of equipment used in research and development activities. The Company incurred approximately $5.3 million and $4.7 million of research and development expenses for the three months ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively, and approximately $15.5 million and $13.0 million of research and development expenses for the nine months ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively, net of reimbursements for funded research and development received from German and European Union governmental agencies. The Company is reimbursed by the governmental agencies for up to 50% of the costs incurred for specific research and development projects. The reimbursement terms are contained in agreements between the Company and the governmental agencies and reimbursements are paid when the research is completed and accepted by the governmental agencies. The Company received reimbursements of $487,000 and $193,000 in the three month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively, and $1.5 million and $443,000 in the nine month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively.

Foreign Currency Transactions

As of March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, the Company principally purchased raw materials from Euro based suppliers and manufactured its products in Germany. The majority of the Company’s sales and purchases are denominated in Euros, with the remainder denominated in U.S. dollars. The Company generated 84% and 82% of its revenues in the nine month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively, from sales to corporations located outside of Europe, which are primarily in Asia and the United States. For those transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency, the Company records the sale or purchase at the spot exchange rate in effect on the date of sale. When we engage in a system related sales contract other than one denominated in Euros, we enter into a currency hedging transactions to mitigate our foreign exchange exposure for the duration of the contract. The Company currently does not have any outstanding hedging transactions. Receivables from such sales or payables for such purchases are converted to the functional currency using the end of the period spot exchange rate. Realized gains and losses are charged or credited to income during the year.

Page 10 of 24


Foreign Currency Translation

The financial results of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries whose functional currencies are other than U.S. dollars, are translated to U.S. dollars using the current-rate method. Assets and liabilities are translated at the period end spot exchange rate, revenue and expenses at average exchange rates and equity transactions at historical exchange rates. Exchange differences arising on translation are recorded as a component of cumulative other comprehensive income.

Cumulative Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

SFAS 130, “Reporting Comprehensive Income,” establishes a standard for reporting and displaying comprehensive income and its components within the financial statements. Comprehensive income includes charges and credits to equity that are not the result of transactions with shareholders. Cumulative other comprehensive income for the Company represents foreign currency items associated with the translation of the Company’s investment in its foreign subsidiaries and the China JV, and unrealized gains/losses on available-for-sale marketable securities.

A summary of the comprehensive income (loss) is as follows (in thousands):

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004




Net income   $ 2,899   $ 3,668   $   4,090   $  9,678  
Other comprehensive income: 
Currency translation adjustment  (4,311 ) (2,877 ) 8,199   11,990  
Unrealized loss on marketable securities, 
  net of tax  (304 ) -   (228 ) -  




Comprehensive income (loss)  $(1,716 ) $    791   $ 12,061   $21,668  





Net Income per Common Share

The Company follows SFAS 128, “Earnings per Share,” which establishes standards for computing and presenting basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”). Under this statement, basic earnings per share is computed by dividing the income or loss available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is determined by dividing the income or loss available to common stockholders by the sum of (1) the weighted average number of common shares outstanding and (2) the dilutive effect of outstanding potentially dilutive securities, stock options and warrants determined utilizing the treasury stock method.

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 123

SFAS 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” defines a fair value based method of accounting for employee stock options or similar equity instruments. However, SFAS 123 allows the continued measurement of compensation cost in the financial statements for such plans using the intrinsic value based method prescribed by Accounting Principles Board Opinion 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees” (“APB 25”), as amended by Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation No. 44, “Accounting for Certain Transactions involving Stock Compensation an interpretation of APB Opinion No. 25,” and to adopt the disclosure-only provisions as required under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, ” Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” (SFAS 123). The Company has elected to account for its stock-based compensation plans for employees and directors under APB 25.

Accordingly, for purposes of the pro forma disclosures presented below, the Company has computed the fair values of all options granted during the periods using the Black-Scholes pricing model and the following weighted average assumptions:

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 26,
2005
March 27,
2004
March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004




Risk-free interest rate   3.71% 3.38% 3.8%   3.5%  
Expected lives  6.06 years 6.15 years 6.12 years  6.67 years 
Expected volatility  81.2% 54.6% 59.5%  50.2% 
Expected dividend yield  0.0% 0.0% 0.0  0.0 

Page 11 of 24


To estimate expected lives of options for this valuation, it was assumed options will be exercised at varying schedules after becoming fully vested. All options are initially assumed to vest. Cumulative compensation cost recognized in pro forma net income or loss with respect to options that are forfeited prior to vesting is adjusted as a reduction of pro forma compensation expense in the period of forfeiture. Fair value computations are highly sensitive to the volatility factor assumed; the greater the volatility, the higher the computed fair value of the options granted.

The total fair value of options granted was approximately $2.0 million and $2.9 million for the three month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively and $5.6 million and $5.4 million for the nine months periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively. The amounts are amortized ratably over the vesting period of the options. Pro forma stock-based compensation, net of the effect of forfeitures and income tax, was $941,000 and $656,000 for the three month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively and was $2.6 million and $1.4 million for the nine month periods ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively.

The following table illustrates the effect on net income and earnings per share as if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS 123 to stock-based employee compensation, as amended by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 148 “Accounting for Stock based Compensation, Transition and Disclosures” (in thousands, except per share data):

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 26,
2005
March 27,
2004
March 26,
2005
March 27,
2004




Net income applicable to common shareholders:          
As reported  $2,899   $3,668   $4,090   $      9,678  
Add: Stock-based employee compensation expense, included in 
  the reported net income, net of tax  49   -   49   -  
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense 
  determined under fair-value based method for all awards, 
  net of tax  (941 ) (656 ) (2,587 ) (1,411 )




Pro forma net income  $2,007   $3,012   $1,552   $      8,267  




Income per share: 
  Basic - as reported  $0.20   $0.25   $0.28   $0.72




  Diluted - as reported  $0.20   $0.24   $0.28   $0.71




  Basic - pro forma  $0.14   $0.20   $0.10   $0.62




  Diluted - pro forma  $0.13   $0.20   $0.10   $0.60





Recent Accounting Standards

In November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 151, “Inventory Costs, an amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4,” to clarify that abnormal amounts of idle facility expense, freight, handling costs and wasted material (spoilage) should be recognized as current period charges, and that fixed production overheads should be allocated to inventory based on normal capacity of production facilities. This statement is effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2006. The Company does not anticipate that SFAS 151 will have a significant impact on our overall results of operations or financial position.

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123(R) “Share-Based Payment.” SFAS 123(R) requires the recognition of compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions in financial statements. That cost will be measured based on the fair value of the equity or liability instruments issued as of the grant date, based on the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. SFAS 123(R) covers a wide range of share-based compensation arrangements including share options, restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans and specifically including charges for share-based compensation granted in the past but testing after the effective date of the rule. Statement 123(R) replaces FASB Statement No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” and supersedes APB Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” Statement 123(R), as amended, is effective for fiscal years that begin after June 15, 2005. The Company is allowed to select from three alternative transition methods, each having different reporting implications. The Company has not completed its evaluation or determined the impact of adopting SFAS 123(R).

Page 12 of 24


On April 20, 2005, the Company’s Board of Directors approved accelerating the vesting of all the Company’s outstanding stock options having an option exercise price above the closing stock price on that date, which was $21.61 (“underwater options”). The underwater options are held by current employees, including executive officers, past employees, directors, and non-employee officers. As a result of the vesting acceleration, options for approximately 578,000 shares became immediately exercisable. The Company will report the avoided future compensation resulting from the acceleration of vesting in its fiscal 2005 year end financial statements within its pro forma footnote disclosure, as permitted under the transition guidance provided by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

After the Company examined a number of alternatives, the decision to accelerate vesting of the “underwater options” was made for several reasons: to avoid recognizing compensation expense associated with these stock options in future financial statements upon adoption of Statement No. 123(R); because the future compensation expense will be based upon the value of such stock options on the historical dates grant, which the Company believes are substantially in excess of the current value of the stock options; and because a number of the stock options had exercise prices which were so much higher than current market price that they ceased to be an effective incentive.

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

NOTE 3: SALE OF THE HONG KONG COATINGS DIVISION – DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

Effective September 26, 2003, the Company sold its coated glass business located in Hong Kong to NSG for approximately $1.4 million and recorded a final after tax gain in the second quarter of fiscal 2003 of $783,000 on the transaction. The assets sold included the right to direct 50% of the China JV production, customer lists of the business, the coated glass inventory and any outstanding purchase orders of the coated glass business located in Hong Kong.

The Company accounted for the sale of the Hong Kong coated glass business as a discontinuance of the business. As a result, certain financial information has been restated to give effect to the classification of the Hong Kong coated glass business as a discontinued operation. The net revenues of the discontinued operation were $933,000 for the nine month period ended March 27, 2004.

NOTE 4: INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE

In June 1998, the Company formed a 50/50 China JV with NSG to manufacture, process, sell and export certain types of thin film coated glass. Each party contributed $3.2 million in cash to the China JV as equity. The China JV began operations during the fourth quarter of fiscal 1999. During fiscal 2002, 2001 and 1999, the Company sold new and refurbished equipment to the China JV for use in the process of thin film coating of glass. The sales prices were approximately $1.2 million, $5.6 million and $5.1 million, respectively. Because the Company owns 50% of the China JV, the Company recorded 50% of the revenue and related cost of the sales and has deferred 50% of the gross profit of each sale, approximately $0, $1.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively, which will be recognized on a straight-line basis over ten years, consistent with the depreciation schedule at the China JV and the estimated depreciable life of the equipment. The amortization of the deferred gross profit is included with “Equity earnings of joint venture” in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

The Company records 50% of income or loss from operations of the China JV after eliminating the impact of inter-entity transactions. In the first calendar quarter of each year the China JV makes an adjustment to retained earnings related to social insurance. This adjustment requires the Company to modify its equity earnings in the China JV during the third fiscal quarter. The effect of this adjustment, in the third quarter of fiscal 2005, was to reduce our equity earnings in the China JV by $256,000. The functional currency for the China JV is the local Chinese Yuan Renminbi. The Company’s investment in the China JV is translated into U.S. dollars using the period-end exchange rate. The earnings recorded by the Company from the China JV are translated at average rates prevailing during the period. These rates have remained fixed by the Chinese government for a number of years. The cumulative translation gain or loss, if any, is recorded as “Cumulative other comprehensive income” in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company received royalty income from the China JV. The royalty is approximately 1.0% of our China JV sales.

Page 13 of 24


Summarized statement of operations information for the China JV is presented below (in thousands):

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 31, 2005 March 31, 2004 March 31, 2005 March 31, 2004




China JV:          
     Operating revenues  $13,741   $12,657   $45,498   $40,179  




     Net income  $3,187   $1,409   $8,422   $4,264  




Applied Films equity in earnings: 
     Proportionate share of net income 
         after eliminations  $  1,320   $     705   $  3,910   $  2,168  




     Amortization of deferred gain on  74   74   222   222  
         sale of equipment 




     Equity in earnings of joint venture  $  1,394   $     779   $  4,132   $  2,390  




Applied Films portion of royalty income 
     (included in other income, net)  $     199   $       98   $     497   $     359  





During the first quarter of fiscal year 2005, the China JV returned approximately $1.4 million in excess cash that was not needed for operations to each of the owners. The cash distribution was recorded as a reduction to the China JV investment account recorded in the Company’s balance sheet. The Company intends to continue to reinvest undistributed earnings from the China JV.

The Company recorded customer support sales to the China JV of $132,000 and $320,000 for the three months ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively, and $477,000 and $628,000 for the nine months ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively.

Summarized balance sheet information for the China JV is presented below (in thousands):

March 31, 2005 June 30, 2004


Assets:      
Current assets  $22,343   $15,822  
Property, plant, and equipment, net  21,529   22,543  


   $43,872   $38,365  


Capitalization and liabilities: 
Current liabilities  $  8,394   $  7,993  
Equity  35,478   30,372  


   $43,872   $38,365  



As of March 26, 2005 and June 26, 2004 the Company had receivables from the China JV of approximately $316,000 (including royalty receivables of $196,000) and $281,000 (including royalty receivables of $157,000), respectively.

NOTE 5: SALES AND NET LONG-LIVED ASSETS BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION

The following table represents the breakdown of net revenues (as adjusted for discontinued operations) by geographic region (in thousands):

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004




Asia   $38,683   $43,232   $101,335   $  98,958  
United States  1,455   12,515   10,217   36,234  
Europe and other  4,752   2,421   21,908   27,756  




     Net revenues  $44,890   $58,168   $133,460   $162,948  




Page 14 of 24


The breakdown of net revenues by geographic region expressed as a percentage of net revenues is as follows:

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004




Asia   86 % 74 % 76 % 60 %
United States  3   22   8   22  
Europe and other  11   4   16   18  




     Net revenues  100 % 100 % 100 % 100 %





The following table represents the breakdown of net long-lived assets (as adjusted for discontinued operations) by geographic region (in thousands):

March 26, 2005 June 26, 2004


Asia   $12,779   $11,800  
United States  1,637   1,656  
Europe and other  85,363   85,895  


     Net long-lived assets  $99,779   $99,351  



NOTE 6: LEASES

The Company is obligated under certain non-cancelable operating leases for office, manufacturing and warehouse facilities, and various equipment. Beginning in April 2002, the Company entered into an eight-year lease for the Company’s manufacturing and administrative location in Germany. Under this lease, payments are fixed for the entire term of the lease and there is an option to renew the term for an additional five years. The Company entered into a lease for the Company’s manufacturing and administrative location in Longmont, Colorado, which commenced on January 30, 1998; payments were fixed until the first day of the second lease year, at which time payments increase annually one and one-half percent plus one-half of the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) per annum. Lease expense (including the annual increase of one and one-half percent) for the Longmont location has been recorded straight-line over the term of the lease. Because the CPI is subjective and not reasonably estimated, the Company has not included the CPI increase in the straight line calculation. The initial lease term is 15 years, with two additional five year options to extend. Both of these facility leases are accounted for as operating leases.

The Company currently subleases approximately 40,900 square feet at the Company’s Longmont, Colorado facility, which contains approximately 126,000 square feet, to Optera, Inc. The original term of the sublease began on September 24, 2002 and terminated on March 31, 2005, however Optera, Inc. has exercised its option to renew for one year. Optera, Inc. has the option to renew the sublease for additional periods of one year each commencing at the expiration of the initial term and continuing until the expiration or termination of the Company’s lease for the Longmont, Colorado facility. Optera, Inc. also holds a right of first refusal with respect to the assignment or subleasing of, and holds an option to lease, certain additional space in the Longmont, Colorado facility. Basic rent under the sublease for the initial term is $252,000 annually.

With the acquisition in Tainan, the Company has entered into a one year lease agreement through May of 2006 for approximately 41,000 square feet of office, manufacturing, and research and development space in Tainan, Taiwan. The lease can be automatically extended on the same terms upon the expiration of the original lease term, unless the lease is canceled by either party by giving a thirty day notice.

Rent expense, net of sublease income, under operating leases was $1.5 million and $1.8 million for three months ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively and $4.4 million and $5.0 million for the nine months ended March 26, 2005 and March 27, 2004, respectively.

NOTE 7: HELIX ACQUISITION

The Company completed the acquisition of the In-Line Systems division of Helix Technology, Inc., in Tainan, Taiwan (“the In-line Division”) on June 2, 2004. The In-line division produces equipment for the FPD industry and other industries. The acquisition will allow the Company to expand its operations to include manufacturing in Asia. The final aggregate consideration and costs paid by the Company was $14.7 million consisting of $12.0 million of cash and 80,826 shares of Applied Films Corporation common stock valued at $26.59 per share and $571,000 in transaction costs.

Page 15 of 24


The accounts of this acquisition have been included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the acquisition date. The final purchase price has been preliminarily allocated based upon the estimated fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired. The Company is currently undergoing an independent third party valuation of the assets acquired and the purchase price allocation. Upon completion of this independent evaluation, the allocation of the purchase price may be revised to reflect the results of the valuation. The excess of the purchase price over fair value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets was allocated to goodwill. The $14.7 million purchase price has been preliminarily allocated as follows (in thousands):

Inventory   $   1,370  
Goodwill  5,422  
Patents  1,428  
Property, plant and equipment  5,461  
Billings in excess of revenues  (1,206 )
In-process research and development  2,200  

Total allocation of purchase price  $ 14,675  


Goodwill increased, during the nine months ended, as a result of the final purchase price settlement, due to a lower determined value of property, plant and equipment and other intangible assets along with the addition of billings in excess of revenue. The billings in excess was created by the acquisition of two projects that were under construction at the time the agreement was signed.

Intangible assets are being amortized on a straight line basis over a period of five years. The in-process research and development charge represents the intangible value of in-process research and development projects that had not yet reached technical feasibility. The related technology had no alternative use and requires substantial additional development by the Company. In-process research and development was charged as an operational expense at the time of the acquisition in fiscal year 2004.

NOTE 8: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Pension Plan

The Company’s German subsidiary, Applied Films GmbH & Co. KG maintains a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan covering substantially all of its employees. Benefits are based primarily on compensation during a specified period before retirement of a specified amount for each year of service. The German pension liability of $15.6 million and $13.3 million, respectively, is reflected in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of March 26, 2005 and June 26, 2004. The German pension liability is subject to adjustment based upon an assessment of the actuarial value of the obligation. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2005, the third party actuary in Germany made a revision to their estimates of $295,000. This plan has no assets as of March 26, 2005.

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (in thousands):

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended


March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 March 27, 2004




Service cost   $172   $162   $   516   $   485  
Interest cost  183   172   549   515  
Expected return on plan assets  -   -   -   -  
Amortization of prior service costs  -   -   -   -  
Recognition of actuarial loss  295   -   295   -  




  Net periodic benefit expense  $650   $334   $1,360   $1,000  





Applied Films Japan, Co. LTD, has implemented a retirement plan for employees working in the Japan office. Retirement benefits are based on years of service and an adjusted base salary. If an employee leaves or retires before 20 years of service the retirement benefit is reduced. The liability recorded in accrued pension benefit obligation at March 26, 2005 is approximately, $166,000.

Page 16 of 24


ITEM 2: Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation

Overview

We are a leading provider of thin film deposition equipment to diverse markets such as the flat panel display (FPD), the architectural and solar glass, and the consumer products packaging and electronics industries. Our deposition systems are used to deposit thin films that enhance the characteristics of a base substrate, such as glass, plastic, paper or foil. These thin films provide conductive, electronic, reflective, filter, barrier and other properties that are critical elements of our customers’ products. Our thin film deposition systems provide our customers with high yield and throughput, flexible modular configurations, and innovative coating and process technologies.

In December 2000, we completed the acquisition of the Large Area Coating (LAC) business of Unaxis which improved our position in the FPD market and enabled our entry into additional markets.

In June 2004, we completed the acquisition of the In-Line Systems division of Helix Technology, Inc. in Taiwan. The acquisition provided us with an Asian manufacturing base, where we expect to manufacture display systems. We believe manufacturing in Taiwan will allow us to reduce our manufacturing costs, and reduce the delivery time and costs for systems sold to our customers in Asia.

We also own 50% of a joint venture in China that manufactures and sells coated glass for the liquid crystal display (LCD) industry. Because of the 50%-50% ownership structure, the China JV net income is reported as “Equity earnings of joint venture” in our consolidated statements of operations.

Revenues for our thin film deposition equipment are generally recognized using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting, measured by the percentage of the total costs incurred in relation to the estimated total costs to be incurred for each contract. We operate with a certain amount of unrecognized revenue, which we refer to as backlog, on our contracts in progress. This is an operational measure. Customers usually make progress payments during the term of the contract. We usually receive approximately 80% to 85% of the purchase price in cash or letter of credit prior to shipment. Our average manufacturing lead-time is between nine and twelve months.

Sales of our systems and backlog are generally denominated in Euros and are subject to fluctuation in the valuation against the dollar. Revenues generated from customers outside of Europe were 89% of total revenues in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 compared to 96% of total revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2004. When we engage in a system related sales contract other than one denominated in Euros, we will usually enter into currency hedging transactions to mitigate our foreign exchange exposure for the duration of the contract. The effects of foreign exchange rate changes on non-Euro denominated contracts have not been significant to date.

Net revenues in Euros reported in equivalent U.S. dollars were approximately $39.9 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2005 and $55.2 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2004. As of March 26, 2005, the U.S. dollar equivalent of accounts receivable denominated in Euros was approximately $8.7 million, or approximately 61%, of total accounts receivable. As of March 26, 2005, the U.S. dollar equivalent of accounts payable denominated in Euros was approximately $12.4 million, or approximately 87%, of total accounts payable.

Comparison of the Third Quarter Ended March 27, 2004 to the Third Quarter Ended March 26, 2005

The following table presents certain key highlights and the percentage change from the results of operations for the third quarter ended ($ in millions):

March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 Percent Change
Backlog   $    107 .0 $    63 .2 (40 .9)%
Net Revenues  58 .2 44 .9 (22 .9)%
Gross profit  15 .6 15 .0 (3 .9)%
Research and development  4 .7 5 .3 12 .8%
Selling, general and administrative expenses .  7 .0 7 .8 11 .4%
Amortization of other intangible assets  1 .1 1 .1 0 .0%
Investment income, net  1 .0 1 .0 0 .0%
Other income, net  0 .3 0 .9 200 .0%
Equity earnings of joint venture  0 .8 1 .4 75 .0%
Income tax expense (benefit)  1 .2 1 .2 0 .0%

Page 17 of 24


In comparison to the same quarter in the prior year the Euro strengthened by 4.9% against the U.S. dollar which has increased our revenue and cost items in fiscal 2005.

Backlog.  Backlog decreased 40.9% to $63.2 million at March 26, 2005 from $107.0 million at March 27, 2004. Backlog is unrecognized revenue on contracts in progress. Our order activity is related to the expansion of our customers’ capacity for the markets that we serve. Bookings in flat panel display were lower for the third quarter of fiscal 2005 as compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2004. The strong bookings for the same quarter in the previous year were at record highs as our customers increased their commitment to producing LCD televisions with their first orders for Generation 6 and 7 equipment. Our success in securing these orders allowed us to report record bookings in the third quarter of fiscal 2004 and the orders pushed our backlog to record high levels in March 2004. For the third quarter of fiscal year 2005 we saw our display orders improve from the second quarter of fiscal 2005. The orders include the booking of our first TRITON system. In the third quarter of fiscal 2005, we also registered increased order volume in the architectural glass business which has helped to offset the declines in the display market as compared to the prior year.

Net Revenues.  The backlog at the beginning of the third quarter of fiscal 2005 was lower than the prior year, and as a result net revenues decreased 22.9% compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2004. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2004, the revenue mix was concentrated in our architectural glass and display markets. In the third quarter of fiscal 2005 the concentration of revenues was spread more evenly across all of our markets compared to the high concentration of FDP revenue in the third quarter of fiscal 2004.

Gross Profit.  The 3.9% decrease in gross profit in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 was due to the decrease in revenues and the accrual of $1.3 million in inventory reserves related to costs to install our first TRITON system. However, gross profits were enhanced by a $3.6 million or 8.1% of gross margin reduction in cost of goods sold from changes in our estimates for warranty accruals, loss contract reserves and accrual for cost of sales not posted, as described in Note 2. Gross margins increased from 26.9% in the third quarter of fiscal 2004 to 33.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2005. Excluding the impact of the change in estimates that were made to our reserves and accruals, gross margins would have been 25.3%.

Research and Development.  Research and development expenses grew 12.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2005, as compared to the third quarter of fiscal 2004. We have continued to concentrate our research and development efforts on FPD related products targeted towards larger glass sizes, including Generation 7 and 8 glass sizes, as well as the continued efforts to develop our TRITON system. Due to the lower revenue base in the current quarter, research and development expenses as a percentage of net revenues, increased to 11.8% in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 from 8.1% in the third quarter of fiscal 2004.

Selling, General and Administrative.  Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 11.4% in the third quarter of fiscal 2005, related to professional fees and increased costs associated with compliance related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We also recognized increased costs related to the marketing of our products, including the initial marketing of the TRITON system, as well as operating costs incurred at our facility in Taiwan.

Amortization of Intangible Assets.  The amortization of other intangible assets remained consistent with the prior year. The intangible assets are reported on the balance sheets of our German and Taiwan subsidiaries.

Investment Income, Net.  During the third quarter of fiscal 2005, our average investment yield for the quarter was 2.3% compared to 1.6% in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. We earned a net $982,000 on our invested cash in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 compared to $959,000 in the third quarter of fiscal 2004. Higher interest rates principally caused the increase in net investment income for the quarter.

Other Income, Net.  The majority of the $600,000 increase between the third quarter of fiscal year 2005 and the third quarter of fiscal year 2004 was related to realized foreign currency transaction gains between the Euro and the US Dollar. Net other income also includes an approximate 1.0% royalty on our China JV sales.

Equity Earnings of Joint Venture:  The 75.0% increase in equity earnings was primarily due to the increase in profitability of the China JV as a result of an unseasonably strong demand for color STN glass supplied by the China JV to the market for cellular telephones with color displays. The third quarter of our fiscal year is generally our seasonally low quarter as it follows the holiday buying season and includes Chinese New Year.

Page 18 of 24


Income Tax Expense:  Income tax expense reflects the estimated tax effect of the earnings of each operating subsidiary and their respective tax rates. Our effective tax rate excluding the earnings from the China JV for the third quarter of fiscal 2005 was a provision of 42.7% compared to a provision of 29.4% during the third quarter of fiscal 2004. The income tax expense in the third quarter of fiscal 2005 is primarily a result of withholding taxes that were required to be paid in one of our foreign tax jurisdictions. If the withholding tax were excluded, our effective rate for the third quarter of fiscal 2005 would be zero. The decrease in the effective tax rate is a result of decreased earnings in our anticipated tax paying subsidiaries. Our tax provision is adjusted based on our year to date tax calculation for each subsidiary tax jurisdiction. In the current quarter one of our subsidiaries paid withholding taxes required by the tax jurisdiction.

Comparison of the Nine Months Ended March 27, 2004 to the Nine Months Ended March 26, 2005   The following table presents certain key highlights and the percentage change from the results of operations for the nine months ended ($ in millions):

March 27, 2004 March 26, 2005 Percent Change
Backlog   $    107 .0 $      63 .2 (40 .9)%
Net Revenues  163 .0 133 .5 (18 .1)%
Gross profit  42 .8 39 .9 (6 .5)%
Research and development  13 .0 15 .5 19 .2%
Selling, general and administrative expenses .  19 .7 23 .8 20 .8%
Amortization of other intangible assets  3 .2 3 .6 12 .5%
Investment income, net  1 .9 2 .5 31 .6%
Other income, net  1 .4 1 .9 35 .7%
Equity earnings of joint venture  2 .4 4 .1 70 .8%
Income tax expense  3 .3 1 .3 (60 .6)%

For the first nine months of fiscal 2005, in comparison to the same period in the prior year the Euro strengthened by 7.0% against the U.S. dollar which has increased our revenue and cost items.

Backlog.  Backlog decreased 40.9% to $63.2 million at March 26, 2005 from $107.0 million at March 27, 2004. Backlog is unrecognized revenue on contracts in progress. Our order activity is related to the expansion of our customers’ capacity for the markets that we serve. For the first nine months of the fiscal year our bookings were concentrated in the display and web markets. Display bookings included the first order for our TRITON system. Bookings were lower for the first three quarters of fiscal 2005, as compared to the prior year. The bookings for the nine month period in the previous year were at record highs as our customers increased their commitment to producing LCD television screens with their first orders for Generation 6 and 7 equipment. Our success in securing these orders allowed us to report record bookings and increased our backlog to record high levels by March 2004. Since it takes customers at least one year to install our equipment in their fabs, reorders will only follow a successful production ramp in their factory. During the first nine months of fiscal 2005 our bookings in the architectural glass market has been consistent with the same period in the prior year and we have seen improvements in our web market bookings over the same period in the prior year.

Net Revenues.  Bookings were lower during the first nine months of fiscal 2005, which caused a decrease in net revenues of 18.1% compared to the first nine months of fiscal 2004. During the first nine months of fiscal 2005 the revenue mix shifted from a high concentration of revenues from the architectural glass markets in fiscal 2004 to a higher concentration in revenues from our New Aristo system for the FPD market.

Gross Profit.  The 6.5% decrease in gross profit for the first nine months of fiscal 2005 was due to the decrease in revenues; however gross profits were enhanced by a $3.6 million reduction in our cost of goods sold from a change in our warranty accrual and other contract related accruals estimates due to improved contract executions over the past several years. Gross margins have increased from 26.3% in the first nine months of fiscal 2004 to 29.9% in the first nine months of fiscal 2005. Excluding the adjustment that was made to our accrued warranty and other contract related reserves, due to a change in estimates, gross margins would have been 27.2%. In addition, we accrued $1.3 million in inventory reserves related to the costs anticipated to install the first TRITON system.

Research and Development.  Research and development expenses grew 19.2% in the first nine months of fiscal 2005, compared to the first nine months of fiscal 2004. Significant increases over the prior year included costs related to process development for larger generation display sizes and the continued development of our TRITON system. Research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries, outside contractor expenses, lab expenses, materials, and other expenses related to the ongoing product development for our products. Due to the lower revenues, as a percentage of net revenues, research and development expenses increased to 11.6% in the first nine months of fiscal 2005 from 8.0% in the first nine months of fiscal 2004.

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Selling, General and Administrative.  Selling, general and administrative expenses increased 20.8% in the first nine months of fiscal 2005, primarily due to professional fees and increased costs associated with compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We also recognized increased costs related to the marketing of our products including the initial marketing of the TRITON system, as well as operating costs incurred at our new facility in Taiwan. Due to the lower revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses increased to 17.8% of net revenues in the first nine months of fiscal 2005 from 12.1% in the first nine months of fiscal 2004.

Amortization of Intangible Assets.  The 12.5% increase in amortization of other intangible assets was the result of the amortization of the intangible assets related to the Helix acquisition that closed in June 2004. The intangible assets are reported on the balance sheets of our German and Taiwan subsidiaries.

Investment Income, Net.  During the first nine months of fiscal 2005, our average annual investment yield was 2.0% which was consistent with the average annual investment yield for the first nine months of fiscal 2004. We earned a net $2.5 million on our invested cash in the first nine months of fiscal 2005 compared to $1.9 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2004. Net investment income primarily increased because we had a higher average invested cash balance during the first nine months of fiscal 2005.

Other Income, Net.  The majority of the $500,000 increase between the first nine months of fiscal year 2005 and the first nine months of fiscal year 2004 was related to realized foreign currency transaction gains between the Euro and US Dollar. Net other income also includes an approximately 1.0% royalty on our China JV sales.

Equity earnings of Joint Venture:  The 70.8% increase in equity earnings during the first nine months of 2005 as compared to the first nine months of 2004 was primarily due to the increase in profitability of the China JV as a result of an increase in the demand for color STN glass supplied by the China JV to the market for cellular telephones with color displays.

Income Tax Expense.  Income tax expense reflects the estimated tax effect of the earnings of each operating subsidiary and their respective tax rates. Our effective tax rate excluding the earnings from the permanently reinvested China JV for the first nine months of fiscal 2005 was 99.5% compared to 32.2% during the first nine months of fiscal 2004. The income tax expense for the first nine months of fiscal 2005 is primarily a result of withholding taxes that were required to be paid in one of our foreign tax jurisdictions. If the withholding tax were excluded, our effective rate for the first nine months of fiscal year 2005 would be 11.7%. The decrease in the effective tax rate is a result of decreased earnings in our anticipated tax paying subsidiaries. Our tax provision is adjusted based on our year to date tax calculation for each subsidiary tax jurisdiction. Equity earnings of the China JV is deemed as a permanent investment and earnings will be reinvested in the China JV and as such are not taxed in the United States and are not included in our effective tax rate calculations.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. During preparation of these financial statements, we are required to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to project costs, warranties, collections, product returns, bad debts, inventories, investments, fixed assets, intangible assets, income taxes, pension benefits and contingencies. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. The results form the basis of making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

We believe the following critical accounting policies affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements. See also Note 2: Significant Accounting Policies.

We recognize revenues on a majority of contracts relating to the construction and sale of thin film deposition equipment using the percentage-of-completion method in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) Statement of Position (“SOP”) No. 81-1, “Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts.” Pursuant to SOP 81-1, revenues are measured by the percentage of the total costs incurred and applied to date in relation to the estimated total costs to be incurred for each contract at completion. Our management considers costs incurred and applied to be the best available measure of progress on these contracts. Contract costs include all direct material and labor costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance. General, administrative, selling and research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred. Changes in performance, contract conditions and estimated profitability, including those arising from contract penalty provisions and final contract settlements, may result in revisions to costs and income and are recognized in the period in which the revisions are determined.

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We generally offer warranty coverage for equipment sold for a one-year period after final installation is accepted by the customer. We estimate the anticipated costs to be incurred during the warranty period and accrue a reserve as a percentage of revenue. In addition, specific reserves are provided for known and anticipated problems. These reserves are evaluated periodically based on actual experience and anticipated activity and are adjusted if necessary.

During the third quarter of fiscal 2005, we evaluated our warranty accruals, loss contracts reserves and accrual for cost of sales not posted and determined that due to improved product specifications, contract execution, and the maturity of the Company's projects a change in estimates was required which resulted in a reduction in the reserves, accruals and a corresponding reduction in cost of goods sold of approximately $3.6 million. See Note 2.

We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. We determine the adequacy of this allowance by regularly evaluating individual customer receivables and considering a customer’s financial condition, credit history, and current economic conditions. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, additional allowances could be required.

We record an allowance for estimated inventory obsolescence or unmarketable inventory equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value based upon assumptions about future demand and market conditions. If actual market conditions are less favorable than those projected by management, additional inventory write-downs may be required. In addition, we have accrued for an allowance of $1.3 million for additional costs anticipated surrounding the installation of the TRITON.

We estimate our actual current tax exposure together with the temporary differences that have resulted from the differing treatment of items dictated by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States versus U.S. tax laws. These temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we assess the likelihood that our deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income. To the extent that we believe the recovery is less than likely, we establish a valuation allowance against the deferred tax asset and charge the amount as an income tax expense in the period in which such a determination is made.

In November 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 151, “Inventory Costs, an amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4,” to clarify that abnormal amounts of idle facility expense, freight, handling costs and wasted material (spoilage) should be recognized as current period charges, and that fixed production overheads should be allocated to inventory based on normal capacity of production facilities. This statement is effective for the Company’s fiscal year 2006. The Company does not anticipate that SFAS 151 will have a significant impact on our overall results of operations or financial position.

In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123(R) “Share-Based Payment.” SFAS 123(R) requires the recognition of compensation cost relating to share-based payment transactions in financial statements. That cost will be measured based on the fair value of the equity or liability instruments issued as of the grant date, based on the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. SFAS 123(R) covers a wide range of share-based compensation arrangements including share options, restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. Statement 123(R) replaces FASB Statement No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” and supersedes APB Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” Statement 123(R), as amended, is effective for fiscal years that begin after June 15, 2005. The Company is allowed to select from three alternative transition methods, each having different reporting implications. The Company has not completed our evaluation or determined the impact of adopting SFAS 123(R).

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We have funded our operations with cash balances, cash generated from operations, proceeds from public offerings of our common stock and bank borrowings. Cash provided by operating activities was $1.4 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2004 compared to $25.2 million provided by operating activities for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. As of March 26, 2005, we had cash and marketable securities of approximately $172.9 million consisting of cash and cash equivalents of approximately $23.0 million, restricted cash of approximately $191,000 and marketable securities of $149.7 million. Total working capital was $198.4 million.

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Capital expenditures were $5.4 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2004 and $3.6 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2005. We anticipate total capital expenditures of approximately $7.2 million in fiscal 2005. Our capital expenditures have related primarily to process equipment for product development. The increase in capital expenditures in 2005 is related primarily to the investment in larger size display lab equipment for the development of hardware and process technologies for the FPD market, and our alpha system related to the development of our TRITON system for TFT array.

Cash used for investing activities was $111.3 million and $18.1 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2004 and 2005, respectively. We had net purchases of $96.0 million and $16.4 million of marketable securities in the first nine months of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, respectively. During the third quarter of fiscal 2004, we established an escrow account in accordance with the definitive agreement to purchase Helix. We contributed approximately $10.0 million to the escrow.

Cash generated from financing activities related to the exercise of stock options and the issuance of stock from the stock purchase plan, was $1.7 million and $900,000 for the first nine months of fiscal 2004 and 2005, respectively. In the first nine months of fiscal 2004, we raised $93.3 million in a public offering of stock that closed in October 2003 and we eliminated the China JV debt guaranty, resulting in the removal of restrictions on $5.0 million in cash.

We believe that our working capital and operating needs will continue to be met by cash on hand, and cash from operations. Our operating capital requirements depend on a number of factors, including the amount and timing of orders we receive, the timing of payments received from customers, and capital requirements associated with new product introductions. If we require additional capital, we may consider various alternatives such as an additional bank financing or the public or private sale of debt or equity securities. There can be no assurance that we will be able to raise such funds on satisfactory terms if and when such funds are needed.

Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments

We have the following contractual obligations and commercial commitments as of March 26, 2005 (in thousands):

Payments Due by Period

Total Less than 1 year 1-3 years 4-5 years After 5 years





Contractual Cash Obligations            
Operating leases: 
Buildings  $37,047   $  1,837   $20,446   $11,776   $2,988  
Office equipment  133   24   109   -   -  
Other  542   77   418   47   -  





   $37,722   $  1,938   $20,973   $11,823   $2,988  






Amount of commitment expiration per period

Total Amounts
Committed
Less than
1 year
1-3 years Over 3 years




Other Commercial Commitments          
Bank guaranty  $ 9,610   $ 9,389   $ 221   $ -  
Other commercial commitments  2,511   693   1,790   28  




Total commercial commitments  $ 12,121   $ 10,082 $ 2,011   $ 28  





There were no currency forward contracts outstanding as of March 26, 2005.

Operating leases primarily include leases for offices, factories and office equipment throughout our operations. Lease obligations do not include amounts related to maintenance, insurance and taxes on our facilities. The bank guaranty represents progress payments made to the Company, primarily from customers in China and Europe, deposited in a restricted account until the contract terms are fulfilled and the guaranty’s required by the German government for custom duties on imports received into Germany. Our other commercial commitments consist of software licenses and third party service contracts.

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ITEM 3: Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Market Risk Exposure

Market risk represents the risk of loss that may impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows due to adverse changes in financial market prices. Our exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to our investment portfolio. We generally place our investments with high credit quality issuers and by policy are averse to principal loss and seek to protect and preserve our invested funds by limiting default risk, market risk and reinvestment risk.

As of March 26, 2005, our investments of $149.7 million consisted primarily of corporate, municipal and government bonds, equity securities, money market mutual funds and restricted cash. These investments earned approximately $982,000 for the quarter then ended, at an average interest rate of approximately 2.3%. The impact of an increase/(decrease) of one percent in the average interest rate would have resulted in an increase/(decrease) of approximately $427,000 of investment income for the quarter ended March 26, 2005.

Foreign Exchange Exposure

We are exposed to foreign exchange risk associated with accounts receivable and payable denominated in foreign currencies. At March 26, 2005, we had approximately $8.7 million of accounts receivable and approximately $12.4 million of accounts payable denominated in Euros. A one percent change in exchange rates would result in an approximate $36,000 net impact on pre-tax income based on the foreign currency denominated accounts receivable and accounts payable balances at March 26, 2005.

Notwithstanding the above, actual changes in interest rates and foreign exchange rates could adversely affect our operating results or financial condition. The potential impact depends upon the magnitude of the rate change. We are exposed to changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates primarily in our cash balance, foreign currency transactions and the operating results of our foreign affiliates.

Our manufacturing operations are based in Germany and Taiwan, and constitute a significant portion of our revenue generating activities and identifiable assets. These identifiable assets are based in Euros in Germany and in New Taiwan dollars in Taiwan. Our operations result in a large volume of foreign currency commitments and transactions and significant foreign currency net asset exposures.

Our cash position includes amounts denominated in foreign currencies, primarily Euros. The repatriation of cash balances from certain of our affiliates could have adverse consequences to the statement of operations as well as adverse tax consequences. However, those balances are generally available without legal restrictions to fund ordinary business operations.

ITEM 4: Controls and Procedures

The Company maintains certain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the Company’s Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the Securities and Exchange Commission and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to permit timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, the Company’s management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and implemented, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management’s duties require it to make its best judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of potential controls and procedures.

The Company and its management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, engage in a variety of perpetual procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of the design and implementation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures. Based on the foregoing, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were reasonably effective in meeting the desired objectives as of March 26, 2005.

No changes occurred in the Company’s internal controls concerning financial reporting during the quarter ended March 26, 2005, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. The Company will continue to review and analyze our internal controls over financial reporting and make changes as deemed necessary to strengthen those controls.

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PART II. OTHER INFORMATION.

ITEM 6. – EXHIBITS

         Exhibits

  Exhibit No. Description

  31.1 Certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and President of Applied Films Corporation pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

  31.2 Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Films Corporation pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

  32.1 Certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Films Corporation pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.






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SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on behalf of the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





Date: April 26, 2005




Date: April 26, 2005
APPLIED FILMS CORPORATION



/s/ Thomas T. Edman
Thomas T. Edman
President and Chief Executive Officer


/s/ Lawrence D. Firestone
Lawrence D. Firestone
Chief Financial Officer






EXHIBIT INDEX

  Exhibit No. Description

  31.1  Certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and President of Applied Films Corporation pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

  31.2  Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Films Corporation pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

  32.1  Certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of Applied Films Corporation pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.




Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATIONS

I, Thomas T. Edman, certify that:

  1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Applied Films Corporation;

  2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;

  3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

  4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15e and 15d-15e) for the registrant and have:

  a. Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

  b. Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

  c. Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting;

  5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

  a. All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

  b. Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

April 26, 2005

/s/ Thomas T. Edman
Thomas T. Edman
Chief Executive Officer/President


Exhibit 31.2

CERTIFICATIONS

I, Lawrence D. Firestone, certify that:

  1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Applied Films Corporation;

  2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;

  3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

  4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15e and 15d-15e) for the registrant and have:

  a. Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

  b. Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

  c. Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting;

  5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent function):

  a. All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

  b. Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

April 26, 2005

/s/ Lawrence D. Firestone
Lawrence D. Firestone
Chief Financial Officer


Exhibit 32.1

Each of Thomas T. Edman, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Lawrence D. Firestone, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Senior Vice President and Secretary of Applied Films Corporation, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

1) the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 26, 2005 which this statement accompanies fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and

2) the information contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 26, 2005 fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of Applied Films Corporation.

April 26, 2005

/s/ Thomas T. Edman
Thomas T. Edman
Chief Executive Officer/President


/s/ Lawrence D. Firestone
Lawrence D. Firestone
Chief Financial Officer

A signed original of this certification has been provided to Applied Films Corporation and will be retained by Applied Films Corporation and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.