News

Power Integrations Reports Fourth-Quarter & Full-Year 2008 Financial Results

February 04, 2009 by Jeff Shepard

Power Integrations announced financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Net revenues for the quarter were $42.4 million, a decrease of 19% from $52.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2007, and down 21% compared with $53.8 million in the prior quarter. Under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), fourth-quarter gross margin was 44.7%, including impacts of approximately five%age points from stock-based compensation expenses and approximately two%age points from an increase in the company’s inventory reserves. The company reported a GAAP net loss for the quarter of $20.7 million, or $0.72 per share, compared with net income of $6.6 million or $0.20 per diluted share in the year-ago quarter.

The company’s fourth-quarter results include non-cash stock-based compensation expenses of $22.9 million, including $19.3 million in accelerated expenses arising from the repurchase of employee stock options via a tender offer completed in December 2008. Options to purchase 2.4 million shares of the company’s common stock were repurchased by the company for $9.0 million. The accelerated expenses would otherwise have been recognized over the remaining vesting periods of the tendered options. Also included in the company’s results was a non-cash charge of $2.0 million reflecting the impairment of certain intangible assets.

The company ended the quarter with $174 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, down $51 million from the prior quarter and $30 million from the end of the prior year due primarily to share repurchases. Power Integrations repurchased 2.9 million shares during the quarter and 4.0 million shares during the year for $53 million and $82 million, respectively. The company had 27.5 million shares outstanding as of December 31, 2008, compared with 30.1 million at the end of 2007. As of December 31, 2008, the company had approximately $18 million remaining in the $50 million stock-repurchase program announced in October 2008.

For the full year, net revenues were $201.7 million, an increase of six% compared with $191.0 million in 2007. Net income was $1.8 million or $0.06 per diluted share, compared with $26.6 million or $0.85 per diluted share in 2007. Non-GAAP net income was $36.8 million or $1.16 per diluted share, compared with $40.8 million or $1.31 per diluted share in 2007. Non-GAAP results for 2007 exclude stock-based compensation expenses, an in-process research and development charge recognized in conjunction with the acquisition of Potentia Semiconductor in December 2007, and the related tax effects.

"The global economic downturn has had a significant impact on demand in the power supply market, and business conditions remain challenging and unpredictable," said Balu Balakrishnan, President and CEO of Power Integrations. "In response, we are taking steps designed to achieve continued profitability and cash-flow generation, including a number of expense-reduction measures implemented over the past several months.

"Notwithstanding the difficult economic climate, we believe we are well positioned to succeed competitively in the power supply market in 2009. We introduced a number of innovative new products in 2008, making us even more competitive in our core low-power market while also expanding our addressable market to include high-power ac-dc power supplies.

"Meanwhile, as policymakers and consumers seek cost-effective ways to reduce carbon emissions, we believe our EcoSmart® technology is the right technology at the right time. We estimate that EcoSmart technology saved about five billion kilowatt-hours of standby power in 2008, averting millions of tons of CO2 emissions and saving consumers and businesses around the world up to half a billion dollars on their energy bills."