Advanced Energy Announces Strong Growth and Profitability in Fourth Quarter Results
Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. announced financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2009. Sales for the fourth quarter of 2009 increased 28.4% to $66.4 million from $51.8 million in the third quarter of 2009, and decreased 1.6% from $67.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2008.
Sales to the semiconductor capital equipment markets rose 58.2% sequentially to $32.9 million, representing 49.6% of total sales for the quarter. Sales to the non-semiconductor markets grew 8.6% sequentially to $22.0 million, representing 33.2% of total sales for the quarter. Service revenue also continued strong, increasing 7.6% sequentially to $11.5 million or 17.3% of total sales for the quarter. Bookings for the fourth quarter were $98.0 million, which drove our book to bill ratio to 1.48:1, up from 1.16:1 in the third quarter of 2009. Ending backlog increased 91.2% sequentially to $66.2 million at the end of the fourth quarter compared to $34.6 million at the end of the third quarter of 2009.
Gross margin improved significantly to 36.8% in the fourth quarter, up from 30.1% in the third quarter of 2009 and 27.2% for the fourth quarter of 2008. The sequential improvement was driven largely by leverage against our fixed costs from the increase in revenues.
Fourth quarter net income was $1.5 million or $0.04 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $8.4 million or a loss per share of $0.20 in the third quarter of 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2008, the net loss was $19.0 million or a loss per share of $0.45, the vast majority of which was a non-cash charge of $18.0 million for income taxes related to a valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets. We are pleased to report that we ended 2009 with cash, cash equivalents and investments of $177.5 million, a decline of just $2.6 million due to our careful cash management during the year.
For the full year 2009, sales were $186.4 million, 43.3% below sales of $328.9 million in 2008. The challenging economic environment impacted sales across all markets, most notably in the semiconductor capital equipment market where sales fell 43.1% from 2008. Net loss from operations for 2009 was $102.7 million, or a loss per share of $2.45. More than half of this was due to a non-cash goodwill impairment charge in the first quarter of 2009 of $63.3 million or $1.51 per share. Net loss for 2008 was $1.8 million or $0.04 per diluted share.
"The fourth quarter marked a high point in 2009, as we grew revenues and achieved profitability by leveraging the cost reductions taken during the year," said Hans Betz, Chief Executive Officer. "The pace of the recovery in the semiconductor capital equipment market ramped significantly in the quarter, as did the penetration of our Solaron inverters into larger, multi-megawatt projects. When the global economy recovers, we expect to benefit from the investments we made in technology during the downturn and our growth in multiple markets."
