AXT, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2013 Financial Results


FREMONT, CA--(Marketwired - Feb 25, 2014) - AXT, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXTI), a leading manufacturer of compound semiconductor substrates, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, 2013.

Fourth Quarter 2013 Results
Revenue for the fourth quarter of 2013 was $18.6 million compared with $20.5 million in the third quarter of 2013. Total gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate revenue was $8.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with $9.0 million in the third quarter of 2013. Indium phosphide (InP) substrate revenue was $1.8 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with $1.4 million in the third quarter of 2013. Germanium (Ge) substrate revenue was $3.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with $5.5 million in the third quarter of 2013. Raw materials sales were $4.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with $4.6 million in the third quarter of 2013.

Gross margin was 15.1 percent of revenue for the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with 11.9 percent of revenue in the third quarter of 2013.

Operating expenses were $4.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared with $5.1 million in the third quarter of 2013.

Loss from operations for the fourth quarter of 2013 was $1.6 million compared with a loss from operations of $2.6 million in the third quarter of 2013.

Net interest and other income for the fourth quarter was $293,000, which was primarily attributable to $278,000 from equity earnings of the company's unconsolidated joint ventures, and $272,000 from interest income, partially offset by $289,000 foreign exchange losses. This compares with net interest and other income of $354,000 in the third quarter, which was mainly attributable to $346,000 equity earnings of our unconsolidated joint ventures, partially offset by $67,000 foreign exchange losses.

Net loss in the fourth quarter of 2013 was $1.2 million or $0.04 per diluted share compared with net loss of $2.3 million or $0.07 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2013.

Fiscal Year 2013 Results
Revenue for fiscal year 2013 was $85.3 million, down from $88.4 million in fiscal year 2012. Gross margin for fiscal year 2013 was 13.9 percent of revenue compared with 28.1 percent of revenue for fiscal year 2012.

Net loss for fiscal year 2013 was $8.0 million or $0.25 per share compared with net income of $3.1 million or $0.09 per diluted share for fiscal year 2012.

Management Qualitative Comments
"Our fiscal year 2013 was among our most difficult years, with a significant technology transition, market consolidation and customer-specific technical issues," said Morris Young, chief executive officer. "We are now focusing our efforts on growing our market presence in strategic areas, and leveraging our low-cost manufacturing as a competitive advantage. In the meantime, we are sizing our operations to be more in line with the demand environment and are implementing a number of programs to improve our gross margins and lower our operating expenses. We continue to focus on cash management and are committed to driving increasing value for our shareholders."

Conference Call
The company will also host a conference call to discuss these results on Feb. 25, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. PT. The conference call can be accessed at (719) 325-2455 (passcode 9920007). The call will also be simulcast on the Internet at www.axt.com. Replays will be available at (719) 457-0820 (passcode 9920007) until March 3, 2014. 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.

AXT will provide highlights of its fourth quarter results on today's conference call, but investors can find the full financial summary on the investor relations portion of the company's website at www.axt.com.

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 statements regarding the market demand for our products, our market opportunity, our business planning and management approach and our expectations with respect to our business prospects. These forward-looking statements are based upon specific assumptions that are subject to uncertainties and factors relating to the company's operations and business environment, which could cause actual results of the company 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; 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; and other factors as set forth in the company's annual report on Form 10-K 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.

   
   
AXT, INC.  
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS  
(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share data)  
                         
    Three Months Ended     Twelve Months Ended  
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2013     2012     2013     2012  
                                 
Revenue   $ 18,603     $ 18,927     $ 85,335     $ 88,374  
Cost of revenue     15,790       15,243       73,507       63,522  
Gross profit     2,813       3,684       11,828       24,852  
                                 
Operating expenses:                                
  Selling, general and administrative     3,631       3,710       16,066       15,419  
  Research and development     797       875       3,424       3,468  
    Total operating expenses     4,428       4,585       19,490       18,887  
Income (loss) from operations     (1,615 )     (901 )     (7,662 )     5,965  
Interest income, net     272       316       408       518  
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures     278       495       1,377       1,281  
Other income (expense), net     (257 )     (289 )     (748 )     (761 )
                                 
Income (loss) before provision for income taxes     (1,322 )     (379 )     (6,625 )     7,003  
Provision for (benefit from) income taxes     (134 )     294       188       853  
Net income (loss)     (1,188 )     (673 )     (6,813 )     6,150  
                                 
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest     (40 )     (83 )     (1,145 )     (3,040 )
Net income (loss) attributable to AXT, Inc.   $ (1,228 )   $ (756 )   $ (7,958 )   $ 3,110  
                                 
Net income (loss) attributable to AXT, Inc. per common share:                                
  Basic   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.25 )   $ 0.09  
  Diluted   $ (0.04 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.25 )   $ 0.09  
                                 
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:                                
  Basic     32,628       32,220       32,700       32,144  
  Diluted     32,628       32,220       32,700       32,865  
                                   
                                   
   
   
AXT, INC.  
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS  
(Unaudited, in thousands)  
             
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2013     2012  
Assets:                
Current assets                
  Cash and cash equivalents   $ 24,961     $ 30,634  
  Short-term investments     12,499       10,270  
  Accounts receivable, net     14,943       17,912  
  Inventories     39,127       40,352  
  Related party notes receivable - current     0       2,036  
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets     8,010       5,268  
    Total current assets     99,540       106,472  
                 
Long-term investments     10,145       9,191  
Property, plant and equipment, net     37,621       37,235  
Related party notes receivable - long-term     1,715       416  
Other assets     14,801       14,275  
                 
    Total assets   $ 163,822     $ 167,589  
                 
Liabilities and stockholders' equity:                
Current liabilities                
  Accounts payable   $ 8,140     $ 5,894  
  Accrued liabilities     7,286       7,202  
    Total current liabilities     15,426       13,096  
                 
Long-term portion of royalty payments     2,525       3,325  
Other long-term liabilities     325       254  
    Total liabilities     18,276       16,675  
                 
Stockholders' equity:                
  Preferred stock     3,532       3,532  
  Common stock     32       32  
  Additional paid-in capital     194,156       193,063  
  Accumulated deficit     (67,005 )     (59,047 )
  Accumulated other comprehensive income     8,953       6,033  
    Total AXT, Inc. stockholders' equity     139,668       143,613  
                 
Noncontrolling interest     5,878       7,301  
    Total stockholders' equity     145,546       150,914  
                 
    Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   $ 163,822     $ 167,589  
                     
                     

Contact Information:

Contacts:
Morris S. Young
Chief Executive Officer
(510) 683-5900

Leslie Green
Green Communications Consulting, LLC
(650) 312-9060