Netlist Reports Third Quarter, Nine-month Results

Strong Sequential Revenue Growth

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Netlist, Inc. (Nasdaq: NLST) today reported financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended October 3, 2009. Revenues for the third quarter and nine months ended October 3, 2009, were $6.4 million and $11.8 million, respectively, compared to $28.9 million and $60.4 million for the third quarter and nine months ended September 27, 2008. Revenue for the 2009 third quarter doubled from the $3.2 million in this year's second quarter.

The year-over-year decline in revenues was driven by a reduction in demand from the Company's customer base mainly due to the commoditization of certain product offerings. In response to the current lower base of revenue, costs have been aggressively managed downward to better match those levels of revenue. The Company continues to invest heavily in R&D as it executes on the planned technology transition to its next-generation memory subsystems.

"We are very pleased by the progress of our next-generation product development," Chief Executive Officer Chun K. Hong said. "We remain on track to launch the first of our new products before the end of the year. The improving market for high-performance computing, firming prices for memory and the early interest from OEMs in our chip-based technologies have given us reason for optimism as we look into 2010 and beyond."

Gross profit for the third quarter ended October 3, 2009, was $1.6 million, or a gross margin of 24.3 percent, compared to $2.0 million, or a gross margin of 7.1 percent for the third quarter ended September 27, 2008. This is an improvement from the second quarter gross profit of $244,000, or a gross margin of 7.7 percent. Gross profit for the nine months ended October 3, 2009, was $1.3 million, or a gross margin of 10.8 percent, compared to gross profit of $7.8 million, or a gross margin of 13.0 percent in the year-earlier period.

Net loss for the 2009 third quarter was $2.1 million, or $0.11 loss per share, compared to a net loss in the prior year period of $7.4 million, or $0.37 loss per share. Net loss for the 2009 first nine months was $9.9 million, or $0.50 loss per share, compared to a net loss of $10.3 million, or a $0.52 loss per share. These results include stock-based compensation expense in the third quarter and nine months ended October 3, 2009 of $631,000 and $1.2 million, respectively, compared with $362,000 and $981,000 in the prior year periods.

During the third quarter, the Company remained focused on preserving cash. As of October 3, 2009, cash, cash equivalents, and investments in marketable securities were $16.4 million, total assets were $27.1 million, working capital was $14.5 million, total long-term debt was $192,000, and stockholders' equity was $21.6 million.

Conference Call Information

As previously announced, Netlist is conducting a conference call today to be broadcast live over the Internet at 5:00 pm Eastern Time to discuss and review the financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended October 3, 2009. The dial-in number for the call is 1-877-941-8602. The live webcast and archived replay of the call can be accessed in the Investors section of Netlist's website at www.netlist.com.

About Netlist, Inc.

Netlist designs and manufactures high-performance memory subsystems for the server and high-performance computing and communications markets. The Company's memory subsystems are developed for applications in which high-speed, high-capacity memory, functionality, small form factor, and heat dissipation are key requirements. These applications include tower-servers, rack-mounted servers, blade servers, high-performance computing clusters, engineering workstations, and telecommunication equipment. Netlist maintains its headquarters in Irvine, California with manufacturing facilities in Suzhou, China.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of Netlist, including future opportunities and growth for the company's business. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or projected. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the rapidly-changing nature of technology; volatility in the pricing of DRAM ICs and NAND;changes in and uncertainty of customer demand, including delays in product qualifications; delays in the Company's and its customers' product releases and development; introductions of new products by competitors; changes in end-user demand for technology solutions; the Company's ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the Company's reliance on suppliers of critical components; fluctuations in the market price of evolving industry standards; and the political and regulatory environment in the People's Republic of China. Other risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, dated March 30, 2009, and subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission made by the Company from time to time. Netlist undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

TABLES FOLLOW

                                    Netlist, Inc.
            Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
                    (in thousands, except per share amounts)

                                       Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
                                       ------------------- ------------------
                                        October  September October  September
                                            3,      27,      3,        27,
                                          2009     2008     2009      2008
                                       --------  --------- -------  ---------

    Net sales                            $6,446  $28,876  $11,781   $60,409
    Cost of sales(1)                      4,879   26,832   10,507    52,575
                                          -----   ------   ------    ------
    Gross profit                          1,567    2,044    1,274     7,834
                                          -----    -----    -----     -----
    Operating expenses:
      Research and development(1)         1,975    1,651    5,619     4,943
      Selling, general and
       administrative(1)                  2,115    3,364    6,170    10,142
                                          -----    -----    -----    ------
        Total operating expenses          4,090    5,015   11,789    15,085
                                          -----    -----   ------    ------
    Operating loss                       (2,523)  (2,971) (10,515)   (7,251)
                                         ------   ------  -------    ------
    Other income:
      Interest (expense) income, net        (25)      38       75       381
      Other income (expense), net             4       13      134       (55)
                                              -       --      ---       ---
        Total other income (expense), net   (21)      51      209       326
                                            ---       --      ---       ---
    Loss before provision
     (benefit) for income taxes          (2,544)  (2,920) (10,306)   (6,925)
    Provision (benefit) for
     income taxes                          (458)   4,502     (409)    3,332
                                           ----    -----     ----     -----
    Net loss                            $(2,086) $(7,422) $(9,897) $(10,257)
                                        =======  =======  =======  ========
    Net loss per common share:
      Basic and diluted                  $(0.11)  $(0.37)  $(0.50)   $(0.52)
    Weighted-average common
     shares outstanding:
      Basic and diluted                  19,855   19,855   19,855    19,845

      (1)  Amounts include stock-based
       compensation expense as follows:

      Cost of sales                        $146      $44     $213      $106
      Research and development              156       55      262       140
       Selling, general and
       administrative                       329      263      753       735

                                   Netlist, Inc.
                Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
                                  (in thousands)

                                                      October 3,   January 3,
                                                        2009           2009

    ASSETS
      Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents                         $11,501       $15,214
      Investments in marketable securities                3,115         5,199
      Accounts receivable, net                            2,732         1,917
      Inventories                                         1,886         1,829
      Income taxes receivable                                 -         1,880
      Prepaid expenses and other current assets             636           761
                                                            ---           ---
        Total current assets                             19,870        26,800

      Property and equipment, net                         5,202         6,939
      Long-term investments in marketable
       securities                                         1,742           960
      Other assets                                          252           234
                                                            ---           ---
        Total assets                                    $27,066       $34,933
                                                        =======       =======

    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current liabilities:
      Accounts payable                                   $1,969        $1,786
      Current portion of long-term debt                     115           474
      Current portion of deferred gain on sale and
       leaseback transaction                                118           118
      Income taxes payable                                   78             -
      Accrued expenses and other current
       liabilities                                        3,093         2,083
                                                          -----         -----
        Total current liabilities                         5,373         4,461
    Long-term debt, net of current portion                   77           130
    Deferred gain on sale and leaseback
     transaction, net of current portion                     19           108
                                                             --           ---
        Total liabilities                                 5,469         4,699

    Commitments and contingencies

    Stockholders' equity:
      Common stock, $0.001 par value - 90,000
       shares authorized; 19,855
       shares issued and outstanding                         20            20
      Additional paid-in capital                         70,611        69,383
      Accumulated deficit                               (49,010)      (39,113)
      Accumulated other comprehensive loss                  (24)          (56)
                                                            ---           ---
        Total stockholders' equity                       21,597        30,234
                                                         ------        ------
        Total liabilities and stockholders' equity      $27,066       $34,933
                                                        =======       =======



    Contact:  Allen & Caron Inc             Gail Itow
              Jill Bertotti (investors)     Chief Financial Officer
              jill@allencaron.com           Netlist, Inc.
              Len Hall (media)              (949) 435-0025
              len@allencaron.com
              (949) 474-4300

SOURCE Netlist, Inc.

Nov 02, 2009

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