Brooks Automation Reports Results of First Fiscal Quarter of 2019, Ended December 31, 2018

CHELMSFORD, Mass., Feb. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooks Automation, Inc. (Nasdaq: BRKS) today reported financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2019, ended December 31, 2018.

The Company provides additional non-GAAP information to provide investors a better perspective on the results of operations, which the Company believes is more comparable to the similar analysis provided by its peers.  A reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to the most nearly comparable GAAP measures is included at the end of this release following the consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and statements of cash flows.

The Company announced on August 27, 2018 it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Semiconductor Cryogenics business to Edwards Vacuum LLC (a member of the Atlas Copco Group).  In accordance with GAAP, the Company is reporting the operating results of the Semiconductor Cryogenics business, for all periods presented, as discontinued operations.

Management Comments
"Our 2019 fiscal year is off to a strong start with overall Q1 revenue growing 26% from the prior year driven by double digit revenue growth in each of our business segments," commented Steve Schwartz, CEO of Brooks Automation. "The newly acquired GENEWIZ business is meeting our growth expectations and our Sample Management business increased organic growth to 8% and delivered a record quarter of new bookings.  And in a muted semiconductor market environment, the Semiconductor Solutions Group grew 4% sequentially, and 18% from the same quarter a year earlier.  The Brooks portfolio and team have never been stronger."

GAAP Summary, First Quarter, Fiscal 2019

• EPS from continuing operations was $0.09 in the quarter compared to a loss of $0.02 in the fourth fiscal quarter of 2018. Revenue growth combined with 100 basis points of gross margin expansion to lift operating income to $5.3 million, 47% higher in the first fiscal quarter of 2019 compared to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2018. The improvement was partially driven by the acquisition of GENEWIZ, which was accretive to operating income in the quarter. Net interest expense increased $2.9 million compared to the fourth fiscal quarter, driven by additional debt taken at the time of the GENEWIZ acquisition. The Company reported a $5.8 million benefit from taxes in the quarter.
• Revenue was $179 million in the first quarter, an increase of 12% compared to the fourth fiscal quarter of 2018, and 26% higher compared to the first fiscal quarter of 2018.
• Life Sciences revenue was $67 million, 31% higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2018 and 41% higher on a year over year basis, inclusive of 8% organic growth. The GENEWIZ acquisition, which closed November 15, 2018, contributed $16 million of revenue in the quarter.
• Semiconductor Solutions revenue was $113 million, 4% higher compared to the fourth quarter of 2018 and 18% higher on a year over year basis.
• Cash flow from operations was $6 million in the quarter. The Company raised an additional $350 million of debt on November 15, 2018 to support the acquisition of GENEWIZ, which was purchased for a cash purchase price of approximately $450 million. At December 31, 2018, the ending balance of total debt was $541 million and the balance of cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities was $138 million.

Non-GAAP Profit Discussion for Continuing Operations

• Non-GAAP EPS for the quarter was $0.17, an improvement of 86% year over year. Improved earnings were driven predominantly by 26% year over year revenue growth and improved gross margins.
• Non-GAAP gross margins were 41.4%, an improvement of 130 basis points compared to the fourth quarter of 2018 and 190 basis points higher than the first quarter of 2018. Life Sciences gross margins were 40.9%, up 440 basis points compared to the first quarter of 2018, driven by a 130 basis points improvement in Sample Management and the addition of the higher margin GENEWIZ business. The Semiconductor Solutions business also expanded margins 70 basis points year over year to 41.7%.
• Adjusted EBITDA in the quarter was $28 million, up from $22 million in the prior quarter and $18 million in the first quarter of 2018. The adjusted EBITDA margin improved 150 basis points sequentially to 15.6% and reflects 320 basis points improvement from the first quarter of 2018.
• Operating margin improved 160 basis points sequentially and 240 basis points from first quarter 2018 to 11.0% driven primarily by revenue growth and improved gross margins.
• Net interest expense increased $2.9 million sequentially in the quarter to $4.9 million reflecting the additional debt utilized to fund the GENEWIZ acquisition.

A reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to the most nearly comparable GAAP measures follows the consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations and statements of cash flows included in this release.

Pending Sale of the Semiconductor Cryogenics Business  
As previously disclosed, the completion of the sale of the Company's Semiconductor Cryogenics business is conditioned upon, among other things, certain regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).  The Company and the buyer continue to pursue the necessary clearances, but now expect that the CFIUS process will extend into the second calendar quarter.  Accordingly, the Company now expects to complete the sale within the June quarter.  The Company and the buyer remain fully committed to completing the sale as expeditiously as possible. 

Quarterly Cash Dividend
The Company additionally announced that the Board of Directors has reiterated a dividend of $0.10 per share payable on March 22, 2019 to stockholders of record on March 1, 2019.  Future dividend declarations, as well as the record and payment dates for such dividends, are subject to the final determination of the Company's Board of Directors.

Guidance for Fiscal Second Quarter 2019
The Company announced revenue and earnings guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2019.  Revenue is expected to be in the range of $190 million to $200 million and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations is expected to be in the range of $0.07 to $0.12.  GAAP diluted earnings per share for the second quarter is expected to be in the range of $0.01 to $0.06.

Conference Call
Brooks management will webcast its first quarter earnings conference call today at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. During the call, Company management will respond to questions concerning, but not limited to, the Company's financial performance, business conditions and industry outlook.  Management's responses could contain information that has not been previously disclosed.

The call will be broadcast live over the Internet and, together with presentation materials referenced on the call, will be hosted at the Investor Relations section of Brooks' website at www.brooks.com, and will be archived online on this website for convenient on-demand replay.  In addition, you may call 800-915-4217 (US & Canada only) or +1-212-231-2921 for international callers to listen to the live webcast.

About Brooks Automation, Inc.
Brooks is a leading worldwide provider of automation equipment and services solutions for multiple markets including semiconductor manufacturing and life sciences.  Brooks' automation technologies, engineering competencies and global service capabilities provide customers speed to market and ensure high uptime and rapid response, which equate to superior value in their mission-critical controlled environments.  Since 1978, Brooks has been a leading partner to the global semiconductor manufacturing market as a provider of precision automation and vacuum solutions.  In 2011, Brooks applied its automation and cryogenics expertise to meet the needs of the life sciences industry for reliable ultra-cold storage of compound and biological samples.  Today, Brooks' offers comprehensive sample management solutions including on-site infrastructure for temperatures of ‑20°C to -196°C, and outsource service solutions for collection, transport, processing, long-term storage, protection, retrieval and disposal of customer samples.  Brooks recently completed the strategic acquisition of GENEWIZ Group, expanding Brooks' sample-based offerings with a leading global capability in gene sequencing and synthesis services.  Brooks is headquartered in Chelmsford, MA, with operations in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.brooks.com.

"Safe Harbor Statement" under Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Some statements in this release are forward-looking statements made under Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but involve risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that could cause Brooks' financial and business results to differ materially from our expectations. They are based on the facts known to management at the time they are made. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements about whether CFIUS will approve the sale of our Semiconductor Cryogenics business or the expected timing for completion of the sale, our revenue and earnings expectations, our ability to increase our profitability, our ability to improve or retain our market position, the expected financial results from our recently acquired GENEWIZ business and our ability to deliver financial success in the future. Factors that could cause results to differ from our expectations include the following:  the volatility of the industries the Company serves, particularly the semiconductor industry; our possible inability to meet demand for our products due to difficulties in obtaining components and materials from our suppliers in required quantities and of required quality; the inability of customers to make payments to us when due; the timing and effectiveness of cost reduction and cost control measures; price competition; disputes concerning intellectual property; uncertainties in global political and economic conditions, the risk that CFIUS does not approve the sale of the Cryogenics business and other factors and other risks, including those that we have described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to our Annual Report on Form 10-K, current reports on Form 8-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. As a result, we can provide no assurance that our future results will not be materially different from those projected. Brooks expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Brooks undertakes no obligation to update the information contained in this press release.

CONTACTS:
Sherry Dinsmore
Brooks Automation
978.262.2400
[email protected]

John Mills
Partner
ICR, LLC
646.277.1254
[email protected]

Notes on Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

These financial measures are used in addition to and in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP and should not be relied upon to the exclusion of GAAP financial measures. Management adjusted the GAAP results for the impact of amortization of intangible assets, restructuring charges, purchase price accounting adjustments and charges related to M&A to provide investors better perspective on the results of operations which the Company believes is more comparable to the similar analysis provided by its peers. Management also excludes special charges and gains, such as impairment losses, gains and losses from the sale of assets, as well as other gains and charges that are not representative of the normal operations of the business. In this context, the Company has also removed the effect of reversing the valuation allowance reserve on the U.S. deferred income tax assets.  Management strongly encourages investors to review our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and not rely on any single measure.

SOURCE Brooks Automation, Inc.