EANS-Adhoc: ams AG ams reports first quarter 2015 results ahead of
expectations; expects further sequential growth in second quarter; Annual Report
2014 published
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Financial Figures/Balance Sheet/3-month report
27.04.2015
Key financial data for the first quarter 2015
Unterpremstaetten, Austria (27 April 2015) - ams (SIX: AMS), a leading worldwide
manufacturer of high performance sensor and analog solutions, reports first
quarter 2015 revenues and profitability ahead of expectations with year-on-year
and quarter-on-quarter growth in revenues and earnings. For the second quarter
2015, ams expects further sequential revenue growth together with another
improvement in operating profitability.
First quarter group revenues were EUR 153.3 million, 78% higher than in the same
quarter 2014 and 10% higher quarter-on-quarter. On a constant currency basis,
first quarter revenues were 54% higher compared to the first quarter last year.
Gross margin was 56%, excluding acquisition-related costs, and 54%, including
acquisition-related costs, unchanged from 56%, excluding acquisition-related
costs, and 54%, including acquisition-related costs, in the first quarter 2014.
The result from operations (EBIT) excluding acquisition-related costs for the
first quarter reached EUR 42.1 million or 27% of revenues, compared to EUR 17.9
million in the first quarter 2014. The result from operations (EBIT) including
acquisition-related costs for the first quarter was EUR 38.2 million or 25% of
revenues, compared to EUR 15.4 million in the same period 2014. The
first quarter net result was EUR 42.2 million compared to EUR 14.7 million in
the same period 2014. Basic/diluted earnings per share were CHF 0.65/0.62 or EUR
0.62/0.59 based on 68,638,875/ 71,483,195 shares (basic/diluted; weighted
average) compared to CHF 0.26/0.25 or EUR 0.22/0.21 based on
67,737,709/70,889,796 shares (basic/diluted; split-adjusted weighted average) in
the first quarter 2014.
Operating cash flow for the first quarter was EUR 44.3 million, a substantial
increase from EUR 14.3 million in the first quarter 2014. Total backlog,
excluding consignment stock agreements, rose to EUR 150.7 million on March 31,
2015, compared to EUR 131.3 million on December 31, 2014 and EUR 85.5 million on
March 31, 2014.
ams' business showed a strong performance in the first quarter given continuing
high demand in key end markets, the success of major customers worldwide,
particularly in the company's consumer business, and the strength of ams'
product portfolio.
In its consumer and communications business, ams began shipping its innovative
gesture sensor solution into the recently launched next generation of a high
volume global smartphone platform. The award-winning gesture module combines
advanced gesture recognition with RGB color, proximity sensing and mobile coupon
redemption in a minimized footprint. ams is also adding further Asian smartphone
OEMs to the customer base for its gesture solution. Shipments of the company's
portfolio of intelligent light sensors, power management and other product lines
to major smartphone and device vendors remained strong in the quarter and
supported new device introductions. In audio, ams' ANC noise cancellation has
been included in a first smartphone bundled headset and the company is seeing
further adoption of its low-power ANC technology for in-box accessories.
High volume shipments of ams' patented NFC antenna booster solution continued in
the first quarter driven by high smartphone demand and providing an important
contribution to this quarter's performance. The solution ensures dependable
signal transmission in space-constrained device environments such as smartphones
and wearables. In these devices, ams' technology enables a compelling consumer
experience for NFC mobile payments. ams also announced a first consumer
application for its gas sensor technology measuring the concentration of
potentially harmful substances in the air. This market introduction for an
innovative customer device underscores the breadth of ams' consumer sensor
technologies.
ams' industrial, medical and automotive businesses also had a good start into
the year recording positive results. Demand in the company's industrial
end-markets continues to be attractive benefitting its broad range of industrial
product lines. ams' high performance sensors and sensor interfaces manage key
tasks in diverse industrial applications for leading OEMs. In the emerging area
of sensor-based LED lighting control for white light industrial and workspace
applications ams announced the first products in the quarter. Sensor solutions
for digital imaging, which includes advanced computed tomography (CT),
mammography, and ultrasound, remain the centerpiece of the company's high value
medical business. In its automotive business, ams sees continuing healthy demand
for its sensor and sensor interface solutions in 2015. Advanced driver
assistance systems such as collision avoidance and critical functions including
battery power management harness ams' design expertise and sensor performance.
ams offers higher safety and vehicle reliability through expanding applications
in volume platforms.
ams is nearing completion of the second expansion step for its internal wafer
manufacturing capacity. Together with expansion investments into its test
facility in the Philippines ams is preparing the company to support a strong
pipeline of design-ins and growth opportunities in the coming years.
In the quarter, ams' U.S subsidiary won a significant first-instance court
verdict in a U.S. IP infringement case involving light sensor technology and
dating back to 2004. As part of the verdict, ams was awarded significant actual
and punitive damages. While the decision is expected to be appealed ams is
confident that it will ultimately prevail and receive compensation for the
damages incurred. This resounding legal success demonstrates ams' absolute
commitment to vigorously defend its IP against any form of infringement and
across all areas of its business. ams will continue to seek full compensation
for any misappropriation of its IP and pursue claims to the full extent of the
law.
For the second quarter 2015, ams expects another quarter of sequential and
year-on-year revenue growth with revenues of EUR 165-170 million based on
currently available information. This growth is expected to be driven in
particular by large Consumer & Communications ramp-ups for new smartphone
models. ams sees very good profitability continuing in the second quarter and
looks for a further improvement in EBIT margin quarter-on-quarter. ams continues
to expect a strong year-on-year increase in revenues and earnings for the
current year and substantial mid-term growth supported by its full project
pipeline reaching beyond 2016.
The company's first quarter report 2015 including additional financial
information is available on the company website at
http://www.ams.com/eng/Investor/Financial-Reports . Concurrently, ams has
published the Annual Report 2014 which is also available on the company website
at www.ams.com/eng/Investor/Financial-Reports .
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About ams
ams is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced sensor
solutions and analog ICs. Our mission is to shape the world with sensor
solutions by providing a seamless interface between humans and technology.
ams' high-performance analog products drive applications requiring extreme
precision, dynamic range, sensitivity, and ultra-low power consumption. Products
include sensors, sensor interfaces, power management and wireless ICs for
consumer, communications, industrial, medical, and automotive markets.
With headquarters in Austria, ams employs over 1,700 people globally and serves
more than 8,000 custom-ers worldwide. ams is listed on the SIX Swiss stock
exchange (ticker symbol: AMS). More information about ams can be found at
www.ams.com.
Further inquiry note:
Moritz M. Gmeiner
Director Investor Relations
Tel: +43 3136 500-31211
Fax: +43 3136 500-931211
Email: investor@ams.com
end of announcement euro adhoc
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issuer: ams AG
Tobelbader Strasse 30
A-8141 Unterpremstaetten
phone: +43 3136 500-0
FAX: +43 3136 500-931211
mail: investor@ams.com
WWW: www.ams.com
sector: Technology
ISIN: AT0000A18XM4
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language: English