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8-K - AXT, INC 8-K 4-30-2015 - AXT INCform8k.htm

Exhibit 99.1

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 
Contacts:
 
 
Gary Fischer
 
Chief Financial Officer
 
(510) 683-5900
   
 
Leslie Green
 
Green Communications Consulting, LLC
 
(650) 312-9060

 
AXT, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2015 Financial Results

FREMONT, Calif., April 30, 2015 – AXT, Inc. (NasdaqGS: AXTI), a leading manufacturer of compound semiconductor substrates, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2015.

First Quarter 2015 Results
Revenue for the first quarter of 2015 was $20.1 million compared with $19.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Gross margin was 23.7 percent of revenue for the first quarter of 2015, compared with 25.4 percent of revenue in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Operating expenses were $6.5 million in the first quarter of 2015, compared with $5.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2014.  The increase was largely the result of professional fees in the first quarter totaling $1.2 million associated with an internal investigation of certain potential related-party transactions, which was completed during the first quarter.  Investigation fees in the fourth quarter of 2014 were $0.6 million.

Operating loss for the first quarter of 2015 was $1.7 million compared with $592,000 in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Net interest and other income for the first quarter of 2015 was $930,000, compared with $260,000 in the fourth quarter of 2014.   The first quarter 2015 total was primarily attributable to $200,000 from equity earnings of the company’s unconsolidated joint ventures, $368,000 from the sale of IntelliEpi stock, $180,000 from a gain on foreign exchange and $182,000 from interest income and other income.

Net loss in the first quarter of 2015 was $1 million or a loss of $0.03 per diluted share compared with $311,000 or $0.01 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Management Qualitative Comments
“As we move into 2015, our goal is to take advantage of developing market conditions in our business,” said Morris Young, chief executive officer.  “Gallium arsenide has stabilized and addresses a market with numerous applications and dynamic opportunities.  Indium phosphide is growing and we are investing in ways to capitalize on industry demand.  Additionally, we see catalysts for growth this year in several of our target markets and believe that we continue to benefit from our unique vertical integration.  In total, our diversified revenue base, solid competitive positioning and lower cost structure give us renewed optimism for our direction and prospects.”
 
AXT, Inc.
4281 Technology Drive
Fremont, CA 94538
Tel: 510.683.5900
Fax: 510.353.0668
www.axt.com.
 

AXT, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2015 Results
April 30, 2015
Page 2 of 4
 
Conference Call
The company will host a conference call to discuss these results today at 1:30 p.m. PT. The conference call can be accessed at (719) 325-2458 (passcode 2515056). The call will also be simulcast on the Internet at www.axt.com. Replays will be available at (719) 457-0820 (passcode 2515056) until May 6, 2015. Financial and statistical information to be discussed in the call will be available on the company's website immediately prior to commencement of the call. Additional investor information can be accessed at http://www.axt.com or by calling the company's Investor Relations Department at (510) 683-5900.

About AXT, Inc.
AXT designs, develops, manufactures and distributes high-performance compound and single element semiconductor substrates comprising gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP) and germanium (Ge) through its manufacturing facilities in Beijing, China.  In addition, AXT maintains its sales, administration and customer service functions at its headquarters in Fremont, California.  The company’s substrate products are used primarily in lighting display applications, wireless communications, fiber optic communications and solar cell. Its vertical gradient freeze (VGF) technique for manufacturing semiconductor substrates provides significant benefits over other methods and enabled AXT to become a leading manufacturer of such substrates. AXT has manufacturing facilities in China and invests in joint ventures in China producing raw materials. For more information, see AXT’s website at http://www.axt.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
The foregoing paragraphs contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws, including, for example, statements regarding the market demand for our products, our market opportunity, and our expectations with respect to our business prospects. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to the company’s operations and business environment, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements contained in the foregoing discussion. These uncertainties and factors include but are not limited to: overall conditions in the markets in which the company competes; global financial conditions and uncertainties; policies and regulations in China; market acceptance and demand for the company’s products; the impact of factory closures or other events causing delays by our customers on the timing of sales of our products; our ability to control costs, our ability to utilize our manufacturing capacity; product yields and their impact on gross margins; and other factors as set forth in the company’s annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Each of these factors is difficult to predict and many are beyond the company’s control. The company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 
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AXT, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2015 Results
April 30, 2015
Page 3 of 4
 
AXT, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)

   
Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
 
         
Revenue
 
$
20,064
   
$
19,345
 
Cost of revenue
   
15,315
     
16,627
 
Gross profit
   
4,749
     
2,718
 
                 
Operating expenses:
               
Selling, general and administrative
   
5,251
     
3,436
 
Research and development
   
1,241
     
775
 
Restructuring charge
   
0
     
907
 
Total operating expenses
   
6,492
     
5,118
 
Income (loss) from operations
   
(1,743
)
   
(2,400
)
Interest income, net
   
97
     
127
 
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures
   
200
     
487
 
Other expense, net
   
633
     
10
 
                 
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes
   
(813
)
   
(1,776
)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
   
86
     
59
 
Net income (loss)
   
(899
)
   
(1,835
)
                 
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest
   
(125
)
   
(205
)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXT, Inc.
 
$
(1,024
)
 
$
(2,040
)
                 
Net income (loss) attributable to AXT, Inc. per common share:
               
Basic
 
$
(0.03
)
 
$
(0.06
)
Diluted
 
$
(0.03
)
 
$
(0.06
)
                 
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
               
Basic
   
32,553
     
32,364
 
Diluted
   
32,553
     
32,364
 
 

AXT, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2015 Results
April 30, 2015
Page 4 of  4
 
AXT, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited, in thousands)
     
   
March 31,
2015
   
December 31,
2014
 
Assets:
       
Current assets
       
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
33,285
   
$
28,814
 
Short-term investments
   
3,590
     
12,340
 
Accounts receivable, net
   
18,787
     
17,864
 
Inventories
   
39,475
     
38,574
 
Related party notes receivable - current
   
173
     
171
 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
   
4,312
     
5,430
 
Total current assets
   
99,622
     
103,193
 
                 
Long-term investments
   
10,612
     
7,783
 
Property, plant and equipment, net
   
33,223
     
33,862
 
Related party notes receivable - long-term
   
1,710
     
1,704
 
Other assets
   
15,128
     
14,975
 
                 
Total assets
 
$
160,295
   
$
161,517
 
                 
Liabilities and stockholders' equity:
               
Current liabilities
               
Accounts payable
 
$
9,131
   
$
7,137
 
Accrued liabilities
   
5,815
     
7,634
 
Total current liabilities
   
14,946
     
14,771
 
                 
Long-term portion of royalty payments
   
1,581
     
1,725
 
Other long-term liabilities
   
350
     
333
 
Total liabilities
   
16,877
     
16,829
 
                 
Stockholders' equity:
               
Preferred stock
   
3,532
     
3,532
 
Common stock
   
32
     
32
 
Additional paid-in capital
   
195,152
     
195,419
 
Accumulated deficit
   
(69,417
)
   
(68,393
)
Accumulated other comprehensive income
   
7,620
     
7,673
 
Total AXT, Inc. stockholders' equity
   
136,919
     
138,263
 
                 
Noncontrolling interest
   
6,499
     
6,425
 
Total stockholders' equity
   
143,418
     
144,688
 
                 
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
 
$
160,295
   
$
161,517