AEIS: Solar Power

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dan_s
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Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:22 am

AEIS: Solar Power

Post by dan_s »

If any of you have any thoughts on this one I would like to hear them. Generally, I'm bearish on solar power. However, it does have a niche in the U.S. energy future. - Dan

FORT COLLINS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq GM: AEIS) today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010. Total sales for the second quarter were $115.2 million, representing an all-time high for the company in a single quarter and producing earnings of $0.31 per diluted share. The results highlighted in this release include our Aera® mass flow controller business that is currently being divested, as well as the inclusion of two months of operating results from PV Powered.

“We had an outstanding second quarter, with $154 million in bookings and $115 million in revenue, including PV Powered and the flow business. As our semiconductor revenues continued to grow, the semiconductor industry demonstrated its momentum again this quarter,” said Dr. Hans Betz, chief executive officer.

"Our recent acquisition of PV Powered contributed significantly to our higher inverter revenues and backlog, which we anticipate will provide momentum for the second half of 2010. PV Powered also contributed to our bottom line, delivering a profitable second quarter ahead of expectations and making the acquisition immediately accretive. The addition of this excellent team and product line to our Solaron inverter business positions us to forge ahead and take the leading position in the US market for inverters and expand worldwide.”

"Additionally, today we announced that we are divesting our flow business. We see this move as a crucial part of our corporate strategy to focus the company on becoming the market leader in power conversion and capitalize on future growth opportunities.”

Semiconductor sales rose 9.9% sequentially to $53.5 million, representing 46.4% of total sales for the quarter. Sales to the non-semiconductor thin film markets increased 87.2% sequentially to $35.9 million, representing 31.2% of total sales for the quarter. Inverter sales grew substantially with the addition of PV Powered to $14.4 million to 12.5% of total sales compared to $2.3 million in the first quarter. Service revenue was flat sequentially at $11.4 million, representing 9.9% of total sales for the quarter.

Bookings for the second quarter, including $15.3 million for the mass flow controller business, hit a record of $154.3 million, or a 60.0% increase, compared to $96.7 million in the first quarter of 2010, resulting in a book-to-bill ratio of 1.34:1 for the second quarter. Ending backlog for the second quarter increased 52.0% sequentially to $123.6 million, including $14.4 million for the flow business, compared to $81.3 million at the end of the first quarter of 2010.

Advanced Energy also announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its flow business, related product lines and all related assets including the real property in Japan to Hitachi Metals, Ltd. for $44 million in cash, subject to an adjustment based on inventory balance at closing. The company anticipates this transaction will close in the third quarter of 2010 subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

As a result of this transaction, the financial results for our flow business will be recorded in discontinued operations on a net basis beginning with the second quarter 2010. These amounts are revenue of $15.1 million, gross profit of $5.3 million, operating expenses of $1.7 million and net income of $2.2 million, or $0.05 per diluted share in the quarter ended June 30, 2010. Comparable results for the flow business for the second quarter of 2009 were revenues of $3.7 million, gross profit of $0.6 million, operating expenses of $1.3 million and a net loss of $0.4 million, or $0.01 per diluted share. For comparative purposes, the financial results discussed below assume the adjustments for the divestiture have been made.

Excluding the flow business, sales for the second quarter of 2010 increased 43.6% to $100.1 million from $69.7 million in the first quarter of 2010, and up substantially from $31.9 million in the second quarter of 2009.

Gross margin for the second quarter was 44.5%, compared with 41.9% in the first quarter of 2010, as a result of higher revenues and leverage from overhead absorption. This compares to gross margin of 22.8% in the same period last year.

Operating expenses for the second quarter increased to $31.5 million. This increase was significantly driven by the addition of approximately two months of operating costs associated with the acquisition of PV Powered, including an additional $767,000 of amortization of acquired intangible assets.

Second quarter net income from continuing operations was $11.5 million or $0.26 per diluted share, compared to net income from continuing operations of $4.9 million or $0.11 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2010. In the same period a year ago, net loss from continuing operations was $16.0 million or a loss of $0.38 per share.

Cash, cash equivalents and investments were $128.9 million at the end of the second quarter, versus $163.4 million in the first quarter reflecting the $35 million payment for the PV Powered acquisition.

Third Quarter 2010 Guidance

The Company anticipates third quarter 2010 results from continuing operations, without revenues from the flow business, to be within the following ranges:


•Sales of $130.0 million to $140.0 million
•Earnings per share of $0.36 to $0.44

Announcement of Agreement to Sell Aera Flow Controller and Related Product Lines to Hitachi Metals, Ltd.

This earnings release should be read in conjunction with our press release regarding the sale of the Aera flow business transaction dated July 21, 2010.

Second Quarter 2010 Conference Call

Management will host a conference call tomorrow, Thursday July 22, 2010, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to discuss Advanced Energy's financial results. Domestic callers may access this conference call by dialing (888) 713-4717. International callers may access the call by dialing (816) 650-2836. Participants will need to provide a conference pass code 86106130. For a replay of this teleconference, please call (800) 642-1687 or (706) 645-9291, and enter the pass code 86106130. The replay will be available through 12:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, July 24, 2010. A webcast will also be available on the Investor Relations Web page at http://ir.advanced-energy.com.

About Advanced Energy

Advanced Energy (NASDAQ: AEIS - News) is a global leader in innovative power and control technologies for high-growth, thin-film manufacturing and solar-power generation. Advanced Energy is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado, with dedicated support and service locations around the world. For more information, go to www.advanced-energy.com.
Dan Steffens
Energy Prospectus Group
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