MKS Instruments Reports Q1 2012 Financial Results

ANDOVER, Mass., April 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MKS Instruments, Inc. (Nasdaq:MKSI), a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, today reports first quarter 2012 financial results.

First Quarter Financial Results

Sales were $190.9 million, an increase of 11.2% from $171.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, and a decrease of 17.7% from a record $231.9 million in the first quarter of 2011.

First quarter net income was $22.8 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, compared to net income of $22.7 million, or $0.43 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2011, and $38.0 million, or $0.73 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2011.

Non-GAAP net earnings, which exclude special charges, were $22.9 million, or $0.43 per diluted share, compared to $20.4 million, or $0.38 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2011, and $38.2 million, or $0.73 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2011.

Also in the first quarter, the board of directors authorized a quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share, which was paid on March 16th. The Company repurchased 124,000 shares for $3.7 million at an average price of $30.01 pursuant to the share repurchase program announced in July of 2011.  

Leo Berlinghieri, Chief Executive Officer and President, said, "We continue to demonstrate our commitment and ability to provide technologies that address the needs of both new and existing customers to grow our core semiconductor market, while leveraging our technologies and infrastructure to identify and penetrate new customers and new applications in a variety of diverse and growing markets. 

"Our semiconductor business certainly improved in the first quarter; however, we continued to see variability in our other markets, with strength in some areas offset by continued weakness in the solar, LCD and LED markets. Given current business levels, we anticipate that sales in the second quarter should be relatively unchanged from the first quarter and may range from $175 million to $195 million, and, at these volumes, our non-GAAP net earnings could range from $0.29 to $0.42 per share."

Conference Call Details

A conference call with management will be held on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time). To participate in the conference call, please dial (877) 212-6076 for domestic callers and (707) 287-9331 for international callers, and an operator will connect you. Participants will need to provide the operator with the Conference ID of 65092567, which has been reserved for this call.  A live and archived webcast of the call will be available on the company's website at www.mksinst.com.  

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Results

Non-GAAP net earnings and Non-GAAP net earnings per share amounts exclude discontinued operations, amortization of acquired intangible assets, costs associated with acquisition and disposition related charges, and certain adjustments to income taxes. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). MKS' management believes the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures, which exclude discontinued operations and disposition related charges, amortization of acquired intangible assets, costs associated with acquisitions, the related tax effect of any adjustments and income tax adjustments related to settlement of tax audits, is useful to investors for comparing prior periods and analyzing ongoing business trends and operating results.

About MKS Instruments

MKS Instruments, Inc. is a global provider of instruments, subsystems and process control solutions that measure, control, power, monitor and analyze critical parameters of advanced manufacturing processes to improve process performance and productivity. Our products are derived from our core competencies in pressure measurement and control, materials delivery, gas composition analysis, control and information technology, power and reactive gas generation, and vacuum technology. Our primary served markets are manufacturers of capital equipment for semiconductor devices, and for other thin film applications including flat panel displays, solar cells, light emitting diodes, data storage media, and other advanced coatings. We also leverage our technology in other markets with advanced manufacturing applications including medical equipment, pharmaceutical manufacturing, energy generation, and environmental monitoring.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains projections or other forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27 of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act regarding MKS' future growth and the future financial performance of MKS. These projections or statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially from those in the projections or other forward-looking statements set forth herein. Among the important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those in the projections or other forward-looking statements are the fluctuations in capital spending in the semiconductor industry, and other advanced manufacturing markets, fluctuations in net sales to MKS' major customers, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, the challenges, risks and costs involved with integrating the operations of MKS and any acquired companies, dependence on new product development, rapid technological and market change, acquisition strategy, manufacturing and sourcing risks, volatility of stock price, international operations, financial risk management, and future growth subject to risks. Readers are referred to MKS' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, for a discussion of these and other important risk factors concerning MKS and its operations. MKS is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

MKS Instruments, Inc.  
Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations  
(In thousands, except per share data)  
       
  Three Months Ended (Note 1)
  March 31,
2012		 March 31,
2011		 December 31,
2011
       
Net revenues  $ 190,868  $ 231,851  $ 171,671
Cost of revenues  107,077  125,490  95,710
Gross profit  83,791  106,361  75,961
       
Research and development  16,184  16,896  14,224
Selling, general and administrative  34,119  32,707  31,473
Amortization of intangible assets  119  250  264
Income from operations  33,369  56,508  30,000
       
Interest income, net  252  271  275
       
Income before income taxes  33,621  56,779  30,275
Provision for income taxes   10,853  18,736  7,561
Net income  $ 22,768  $ 38,043  $ 22,714
       
Basic income per share:       
Net income  $ 0.43  $ 0.74  $ 0.43
       
Diluted income per share:       
Net income  $ 0.43  $ 0.73  $ 0.43
       
Cash dividends per common share  $ 0.15  $ 0.15  $ 0.15
       
Weighted average shares outstanding:       
Basic  52,504  51,407  52,465
Diluted  53,222  52,386  53,105
       
The following supplemental Non-GAAP earnings information is presented to aid in understanding MKS' operating results:  
       
Net income  $ 22,768  $ 38,043  $ 22,714
       
Adjustments (net of tax, if applicable):      
Settlement of foreign tax audit  --   --   (2,548)
Amortization of intangible assets  119  250  264
Proforma tax adjustments  (34)  (65)  (71)
       
Non-GAAP net earnings (Note 1)  $ 22,853  $ 38,228  $ 20,359
       
Non-GAAP net earnings per share (Note 1)  $ 0.43  $ 0.73  $ 0.38
Weighted average shares outstanding  53,222  52,386  53,105
       
Note 1: The Non-GAAP net earnings and Non-GAAP net earnings per share amounts exclude results of discontinued operations and disposition related charges, amortization of acquired intangible assets, costs associated with acquisitions, the related tax effect of any adjustments and income tax adjustments related to settlement of tax audits.
 
MKS Instruments, Inc.
Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheet
(In thousands)
     
  March 31,
2012		 December 31,
2011
     
ASSETS    
     
Cash and short-term investments  $ 569,445  $ 565,519
Trade accounts receivable, net  131,132  120,894
Inventories  148,474  153,632
Other current assets  35,058  44,856
Total current assets  884,109  884,901
     
Property, plant and equipment, net  73,994  72,487
Goodwill  140,084  140,084
Intangible assets, net  1,150  1,043
Long-term investments  16,481  7,873
Other assets  11,915  12,266
     
Total assets  $ 1,127,733  $ 1,118,654
     
     
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY    
     
Short-term borrowings  $ 368  $ 1,932
Accounts payable  22,583  24,853
Accrued expenses and other liabilities  64,528  69,646
Total current liabilities  87,479  96,431
     
Other liabilities  34,212  32,211
     
Stockholders' equity:    
Common stock  113  113
Additional paid-in capital  709,707  707,419
Retained earnings  281,711  268,870
Other stockholders' equity  14,511  13,610
Total stockholders' equity  1,006,042  990,012
     
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity  $ 1,127,733  $ 1,118,654 
CONTACT: Seth H. Bagshaw

         Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

         Telephone:  978.645.5578
Source: MKS Instruments, Inc.

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