|
Geneva, July 22, 2008 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM)
reported financial results for the 2008 second quarter and six months
ended June 28, 2008.
ST, in conjunction with Intel and Francisco Partners, completed
their previously announced agreement to create Numonyx, an independent
semiconductor company, with ST contributing its Flash Memories Group
(FMG). The transaction was completed on March 30, 2008. In this press
release the income statement for the Q2 2008 period reflects the deconsolidation
of the FMG segment. Accordingly, all comparisons of Q2 2008 results,
both sequential and year-over-year, exclude FMG, except as noted.
Second Quarter Net Revenues and Gross Profit Review
ST’s net revenues for the second quarter increased 9.7% sequentially
to $2.39 billion driven by double-digit sales growth in the Telecom
(wireless), Industrial and Consumer market segments. On a year-over-year
basis, ST’s net revenues grew 14.6%, led by nearly 20% gains in
both the Industrial and Telecom (wireless) segments.
Application Specific Product Group’s (ASG’s) net revenues
grew 8.4% sequentially and 15.9% year-over-year to $1.51 billion and
were driven in both comparisons by strong wireless performance led by
3G digital baseband and device unit growth in connectivity and imaging.
On a sequential basis, Consumer market segment posted double-digit sales
growth, primarily driven by portable navigation device shipments. Industrial
and Multisegment Sector (IMS) net revenues of $865 million grew 11.9%
sequentially and 12.8% year-over-year led by MEMS, Advanced Analog and
Smartcards/Microcontrollers for both comparisons. Q2 2008 IMS sales
were composed of $531 million of ICs and $334 million of discrete products,
which grew 20% and 4% respectively year-over-year.
Gross profit was $880 million for the 2008 second quarter compared
to $820 million in the prior quarter, and posted a 12% improvement in
comparison to the $788 million in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin
was 36.8%. The Company estimates that currency negatively impacted gross
margin by over 300 basis points year-over-year.
Operating Expenses
Combined Q2 2008 SG&A and R&D expenses were $751 million equal
to 31.4% of net revenues compared to 33.3% of net revenues (excluding
the one-time $21 million in-process R&D charge) in the prior quarter,
despite the negative effects of currency.
R&D and SG&A expenses were $470 million and $281 million, respectively,
in the second quarter of 2008. On a year-over-year basis, R&D costs
increased about 8.6% net of currency impacts reflecting increased costs
associated with the Genesis and wireless IC design-team acquisitions,
while SG&A increased 3% excluding currency impacts.
In the second quarter of 2008, the effective average exchange rate
for the Company was approximately $1.55 to €1, compared to $1.47
to €1 in the first quarter of 2008 and $1.33 to €1 in the
year-ago quarter. The Company’s effective exchange rate reflects
actual exchange rate levels combined with the impact of hedging programs.
President and CEO
Carlo Bozotti commented, “ST’s top-line performance
in the second quarter clearly demonstrates the significant improvement
in our product portfolio, which is leading to market-share gains for
ST. Moreover, we believe ST will continue these market-share gains as
we move through the remainder of 2008.
“Our more competitive product line-up and marketing initiatives
drove an increase in net revenues of approximately 10% on a sequential
basis. And, for the first half of 2008, sales increased by 13.2% in
comparison to the 2007 first half.
“On top of strong revenue results, our gross margin and operating
expenses were essentially in-line with our initial expectations. In
combination this led to a sequential improvement in our comparable operating
margin to 6.7%, from the 4.6% in the prior quarter, and resulted in
diluted earnings per share of $0.18, before charges.”
Constant Currency Analysis
Management believes that the currency impact on operating performance
is an important element in comparing operating results. The following
table illustrates estimated year-over-year currency impacts.
Second Quarter Net Revenues Review
| In Million
US$ and % |
|
|
|
| Effective
Euro/USD |
Q2 2008
As reported $1.55 |
Q2 2007
Excluding FMG $1.33 |
Estimated
impact on selected Q2 2008 results at Q2 2007 exchange rates* |
| |
|
|
Estimated
Adverse Impact |
Estimated
Q2 2008 results at constant currency |
Net
Revenues |
2,391 |
2,087 |
|
|
Gross
Profit |
880 |
788 |
75 |
955 |
Gross margin |
36.8% |
37.8% |
310 basis
points |
39.9% |
R&D |
(470) |
(397) |
39 |
(431) |
SG&A |
(281) |
(243) |
29 |
(252) |
**Pro-forma
Operating income: excluding Impairment & Restructuring charges |
159 |
159 |
134 |
293 |
* These columns reflect non-GAAP best estimates of exchange-rate impact
on selected financial metrics for ST, and are based upon a US dollar-to-Euro
effective exchange rate of $1.33 per Euro and $1.55 per Euro for Second
Quarter 2007 and Second Quarter 2008, respectively. Net revenues impact
is based on the assumption that industry prices adjust to equivalent
US$ prices with a delay of one quarter which is incorporated into estimated
amounts.
**Pro-forma Operating income excluding Impairment and Restructuring
charges is a metric management believes represents a meaningful comparison
of operating performance. The Q2 2007 amount is derived by adding $906
million in impairment and restructuring charges to the reported operating
loss (excluding FMG) of $747 million; while the Q2 2008 amount comes
from the addition of $185 million in impairment and restructuring to
the reported operating loss of $26 million.
Operating Income, Net Income and Earnings per Share
Excluding impairment and restructuring charges, Q2 2008 operating income
and margin were $159 million and 6.7%, respectively. Net income per
diluted share was $0.18, excluding $224 million in pre-tax charges from
restructuring, impairment, and other-than-temporary impairments on financial
assets.
During the second quarter of this year, ST entered into advanced negotiations
to sell its Phoenix, Arizona, USA, fab as an ongoing business. Accordingly,
the Company has revised the original restructuring plan for this site
and intends to pursue the sale of the fab in order to realize substantial
advantages in operational and financial impacts. As a result, in the
second quarter of 2008 ST recorded a $114 million, non-cash impairment
charge related to the intended sale of the Phoenix manufacturing facility.
In total, second quarter 2008 impairment and restructuring charges amounted
to $185 million, with $36 million coming primarily from previously announced
restructuring programs, $35 million from remaining FMG separation costs
and $114 million from the planned sale of ST’s Phoenix fab.
Based upon impairment, restructuring charges and other closure costs,
ST reported an operating loss of $26 million in the second quarter of
2008. In the year-ago quarter, the Company reported an operating loss
of $772 million -including FMG - ($134 million with a 5.5% operating
margin, excluding restructuring and impairment charges), and in the
prior quarter the Company reported an operating loss of $88 million
-including FMG - (operating income was $116 million, an operating margin
of 4.7%, excluding restructuring and impairment charges and one-time
in process R&D totaling $204 million).
Following the prior announcements of impairment recognition in certain
asset-backed securities, in the 2008 second quarter an accounting revaluation
resulted in an additional $39 million, pre-tax, other-than-temporary
impairment to the value of these financial assets. The Company has initiated
legal action against Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and will continue
to pursue all options to recover its losses in these investments, which
resulted directly from deviating from ST’s specific authorization.
ST reported a net loss of $47 million or -$0.05 per share in the 2008
second quarter compared to the year-ago quarter net loss – including
FMG - of $758 million or -$0.84 per share ($0.15 per diluted share excluding
restructuring and impairment charges) and the prior quarter net loss
– including FMG - of $84 million, or -$0.09 per share ($0.13 per
diluted share excluding restructuring, impairment charges including
other-than-temporary impairment on marketable securities and in-process
R&D).
Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights
Net cash from operating activities was $416 million in the 2008 second
quarter. Net operating cash flow* was $128 million, compared to $225
million in the year-ago quarter. For the first half, net cash from operating
activities was $918 million and net operating cash flow was $347 million,
excluding the $170 million expenditure for the purchase of Genesis Microchip.
Capital expenditures were $272 million during the second quarter of
2008, compared to $258 million in the prior quarter and $222 million
in the year-ago quarter. For the 2008 first half, capital expenditures
were $530 million, or 10.9% of net sales, compared to $507 million or
10.8% of net sales in the first half of 2007. These 2008 capital spending
amounts reflect the previously announced purchase of ST’s former
partner’s production equipment in Crolles2, biased toward the
first half of the year. The Company reiterated its expectation to be
at or below a capex-to-sales ratio of 10% for the full year 2008.
In the 2008 second quarter, ST repurchased $83 million of common stock
under the most recently approved plan, as well as paid $81 million in
dividends. For the third quarter, 2008 the global ex-dividend date will
be August 18, 2008 and the dividend of $0.09 is planned to be paid on
or after this date in accordance with the previously announced schedule.
Inventory was $1.58 billion at quarter end, with inventory turns accelerating
to 3.8 times.
At June 28, 2008, ST’s cash and cash equivalents, marketable
securities (current and non-current), short-term deposits and restricted
cash equaled $3.58 billion. Total debt was $2.47 billion. ST’s
net financial position** was $1.1 billion. Shareholders’ equity
was $9.36 billion.
* Net operating cash flow is a non-US GAAP metric, which the Company’s
management utilizes as a measure of cash-generation capability. It is
defined as net cash from operating activities ($416 million in the second
quarter of 2008) minus net cash used in investing activities (primarily
capital expenditures of $272 million) excluding restricted cash ($250
million), payments for purchase of and proceeds from the sale of marketable
securities (current and non-current) and investment in and proceeds
from matured short-term deposits ($288 million in the second quarter
of 2008).
** Net financial position is a non-US GAAP metric used by the Company’s
management to help assess financial flexibility. It is defined as cash
and cash equivalents, marketable securities (current and non-current),
short-term deposits and restricted cash ($3,584 million) minus total
debt (bank overdrafts $0 million + current portion of long-term debt
$153 million + long-term debt $2,313 million).
Net Revenues by Market Segment for Q2 2008
The following table estimates, within a variance of 5% to 10% in the
absolute dollar amount, the relative weighting of each of the Company’s
target market segments for the 2008 second quarter.
Second Quarter Gross Profit Review
| As % of
Net Revenues |
Q2 2008 |
| Market
Segment |
ST |
| Automotive |
17% |
| Consumer |
17% |
| Computer |
16% |
| Telecom |
32% |
| Industrial & Other |
18% |
In comparison to the year-ago quarter, all market segments posted growth,
led by Industrial & Other which increased 20% and Telecom which
increased 19%, followed by Computer and Consumer which increased 12%
and 11%, respectively, and Automotive, which increased approximately
7%.
Sequentially, performance was led by the 14% growth of both Telecom
and Industrial & Other. Consumer was up 11%, while Automotive gained
5%. Computer was essentially flat with the prior quarter.
Financial and Operating Data by Product Segment for Q2 2008
The following table provides a breakdown of revenues and operating income
by product segment.
| In Million
US$ and % |
Q2
2008 |
| Product
Segment |
Net Revenues |
% of Net
Revenues |
Operating
income (loss) |
| ASG (Application Specific Product Groups) |
$1,511 |
63.2% |
$35 |
| IMS (Industrial and Multisegment Sector) |
865 |
36.2% |
132 |
| Others (1)(2) |
15 |
0.6% |
(193) |
| TOTAL |
$2,391 |
100.0% |
$(26) |
(1) Net revenues of “Others” include revenues from sales of
Subsystems and Other Products not allocated to product segments.
(2) Operating loss of “Others” includes items such as impairment,
restructuring charges, and other related closure costs, start-up costs,
and other unallocated expenses such as strategic or special research and
development programs, acquired in-process R&D, certain corporate-level
operating expenses, certain patent claims and litigations, and other costs
that are not allocated to the product segments, as well as operating earnings
or losses of the Subsystems and Other Products.
ASG posted strong net revenue growth of 15.9% and 8.4% in comparison
to the year-ago and prior periods, respectively. ASG’s operating
profit improved sequentially largely due to mix improvement, while declining
on a year-over-year basis driven by a combination of currency factors
and increased R&D expenses coming from the Genesis and wireless
IC design-team acquisitions as well as a higher level of design activity.
IMS sales also rose sharply, with net revenues increasing 12.8% year-over-year
and 11.9% sequentially. IMS operating profit was $132 million, improving
both sequentially and year-over-year, reflecting improved volume, mix
- notably driven by product emphasis in Advanced Analog and ICs, - and
efficiency, which more than offset currency impacts.
First Half 2008 Results
In this press release the income statement for the first half of
2008 incorporates FMG for the first three months of 2008.
| In Million
US$ and % |
|
|
|
| Net Revenues |
First Half 2008 |
First Half 2007 |
Year-over-Year Growth |
| ST ex FMG |
$4,570 |
$4,039 |
13.2% |
| ST including FMG |
$4,869 |
$4,693 |
3.8% |
Net revenues for the first half were $4,570 million, increasing 13.2%
compared to 2007 first half revenues of $4,039 million (excluding FMG).
Gross profit increased 9.6% to $1,779 million, or 36.5% of net revenues,
compared to $1,623 million or 34.6% of net revenues for the 2007 first
half. Operating loss was $114 million, compared to operating loss of
$710 million in last year’s first half. Net loss was $131 million,
or $-0.15 per share, compared to net loss of $684 million, or $-0.76
per share for the 2007 first half. Net loss included pre-tax restructuring,
impairment charges and in-process R&D costs of $459 million ($0.45
per diluted share impact) and $918 million ($1.01 per diluted share
impact) for the 2008 and 2007 first half results, respectively.
Research and development expenses were $978 million, including a $21
million in-process R&D charge associated with the closing of the
Genesis Microchip acquisition, compared to $881 million in the 2007
first half. Selling, general, and administrative expenses were $585
million compared to $531 million in the 2007 first half.
In the 2008 first half, the effective average exchange rate for the
Company was approximately $1.51 to €1.00, compared to $1.31 to
€1.00 for the 2007 first half.
First Half 2008 Financial and Operating Data by Product Segment
The following table provides a breakdown of revenues and operating income
by product segment.
| In Million
US$ |
First
Half 2008 |
| Product
Segment |
Net Revenues |
% of Net
Revenues |
Operating
income (loss) |
| ASG (Application Specific Product Groups) |
$2,904 |
59.7% |
$42 |
| IMS (Industrial and Multisegment Sector) |
1,637 |
33.6% |
222 |
| FMG (Flash Memories Group) |
299 |
6.1% |
16 |
| Others (1)(2) |
29 |
0.6% |
(394) |
| TOTAL |
$4,869 |
100% |
$(114) |
(1) and (2) defined in earlier table.
Outlook
Mr. Bozotti stated, “Despite the current macroeconomic
situation we expect ST’s sequential net revenue growth to be in
the range between -1% and 6%, which represents year-over-year growth
of between 7% and 14%. The third quarter 2008 gross margin is expected
to be equal to the second quarter level of 36.8%, plus or minus one
percentage point.”
This outlook is based on an assumed currency exchange rate of approximately
$1.57 = €1.00 for the 2008 third quarter, which reflects current
exchange rate levels combined with the impact of existing hedging contracts.
Additionally, this outlook is provided for ST as currently configured
and does not include any impact of the ST-NXP Wireless joint venture,
which is expected to close in the 2008 third quarter. ST’s third
quarter 2008 results will also include the Company’s pro-rata
portion of Numonyx’ second quarter 2008 financial performance
in the income statement line ‘Earnings(loss) on equity investment,’
reflecting the anticipated one quarter lag in reporting.
Recent Corporate Developments
- At the Company’s Annual General Meeting, which was held in
Amsterdam on May 14, 2008, all of the proposed resolutions were approved.
The Company’s 2007 accounts in accordance with International
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) were approved. The shareholders
reappointed the following members of the Supervisory Board: Mr. Gérald
Arbola, Mr. Tom de Waard, Mr. Didier Lombard, Mr. Bruno Steve, in
addition to appointing Mr. Antonino Turicchi, for three-year terms,
expiring at the 2011 Annual General Meeting. The distribution of a
cash dividend of $0.36 per share, to be paid in four equal installments,
was also approved.
oThe complete Agenda and relevant detailed information concerning
the STMicroelectronics N.V. Annual General Meeting, as well as all
related AGM materials, is available on the Company’s website
http://investors.st.com
- On June 26, 2008, ST and NXP announced that the name of their new
joint venture will be ST-NXP Wireless, following the announcement
on April 10, 2008, that the two companies would create a new company
from their respective mobile and wireless businesses, which together
generated US$3 billion in revenue in 2007. The management team of
ST-NXP Wireless will be comprised of experienced industry leaders
from both parent companies, with Alain Dutheil leading ST-NXP Wireless
as Chief Executive Officer. The new company will begin operations
in a strong position to meet customer needs in 2G, 2.5G, 3G, multimedia,
connectivity and future wireless technologies.
- On June 30, 2008, ST published its 2007 Corporate Responsibility
Report, which is available for download at www.st.com/cr. The report,
which covers all of ST’s activities and sites in 2007, contains
detailed indicators of the Company’s performance across the
full range of Social, Environmental, Health & Safety, and Corporate
Governance issues and reaffirms ST’s long-established commitment
to serving its stakeholders with integrity, transparency and excellence.
Products, Technology and Design Wins
Application-Specific Product Highlights
- In wireless, ST announced the intention to develop an analog baseband
for a future high-volume EMP (Ericsson Mobile Platforms) platform,
within the existing partnership between the two companies. This effort
builds upon the successful joint development and the start of production
of 3G and 3.5G digital baseband processors for EMP’s licensees.
- Also in the wireless area, due to its expertise in mobile multimedia,
ST was nominated as one of the founding members of the Symbian Foundation,
along with other major leaders in the mobile handset industry. The
intention of the Foundation is to unite leading operating systems
to create one open mobile software platform. As part of its membership,
ST is to contribute some of its IP and reference platforms to the
foundation.
- In communications infrastructure applications, ST gained five design
wins from three leading OEMs for devices implemented in 65nm process
technology, some of which included embedded DRAM and other analog
options, confirming ST’s leading position in delivering CMOS-derivative
process technology to infrastructure customers.
- In imaging, ST introduced a new high-performance stand-alone Image
Signal Processor with dual-camera support that brings DSC-like performance
to cellphones, PDAs, gaming devices and other mobile applications.
Capable of controlling the entire imaging subsystem in a mobile phone,
the processor supports a wide range of modules including sensors with
up to 5-megapixel resolution.
- In digital consumer, ST continued to increase shipments of its leading-edge
H.264 decoder chips for the worldwide deployment of high-definition
digital set-top-boxes and integrated digital TVs. ST has also sampled
four different products, implemented in 65nm, to world-leading manufacturers,
targeting key segments of the set-top box market.
- In automotive, ST announced the first four 32-bit microcontrollers
in the company’s new Power Architecture™ families, enabling
integrators to use the MCUs in powertrain, car body, chassis and safety,
and instrumentation systems. The devices will support advanced functions,
enable improved vehicle performance and economy, and deliver development
savings by promoting hardware and software reuse.
- In powertrain applications, ST gained a significant design win for
a dynamic vehicle control and ABS (anti-lock braking system) platform
from a major Japanese car maker. Based on ST’s BCD8 smart-power
process, the single-chip products will serve the full platform from
simple ABS solutions for low- and mid-level cars to full vehicle control
for the high-end segment. In car safety, ST and Mobileye announced
that the two companies have sampled the second generation of the EyeQ2
system-on-chip for vision-based driver assistance systems. In addition,
ST achieved a major design win from a European tier one OEM for a
PSI5-protocol IC, which provides a simplified and safer interface
between the airbag sensor and car diagnostics. In production in 2009
with European, American and Japanese car makers, ST will be the first
non-captive-market vendor with an IC handling the PSI5 protocol.
- In car-body applications, ST gained major design wins, including
a door-module chipset in the US market and for smart actuators in
body-control modules in China and India. ST also achieved several
design-ins at tier one OEMs worldwide for 8- and 32-bit MCUs.
- In car communications, ST signed an agreement with WorldSpace®
Satellite Radio to develop, manufacture and distribute chips for European
Satellite Digital Radio receivers for a pan-European and Middle East
service offering. Also, ST started production of its Nomadik-platform-based
Cartesio automotive-grade application processor with embedded GPS
for three customers for telematics, handheld and Personal Navigation
Device (PND) applications. Additionally, ST gained a design win for
an AM/FM tuner IC at a major US OEM and a tuner design-in at a major
Japanese car radio maker, plus design wins for audio power chips with
a Japanese car radio maker and major US car manufacturers.
- In computer peripherals, ST gained two design wins in the US for
its SPEAr® family of configurable System on-Chip (SoC) ICs, in
printers and networking applications. Additionally, ST announced a
new device in the family: manufactured in state-of-the-art low-power
65nm technology, SPEAr Basic addresses various embedded applications,
including entry-level printers, digital photo frames, Voice-over-IP
and other equipment.
- In healthcare applications, ST and Debiotech introduced the first
evaluation prototypes of a unique miniaturized insulin-delivery pump.
The device, which could be a couple of years away from commercial
availability, relies on microfluidic MEMS technology and can be mounted
on a disposable skin patch to provide continuous insulin infusion,
enabling substantial advancements in the availability, treatment efficiency
and the quality of life of diabetes patients.
Industrial and Multi-Segment Product Highlights
- In 32-bit microcontrollers, ST increased the scalability and peripheral
options of its breakthrough 32-bit STM32 Cortex™-M3 MCU family
with devices providing up to 512 Kbytes of on-chip Flash, larger SRAM
and extra features for displays, sound, storage and advanced control,
and multiple power-saving modes for optimal performance in industrial
equipment, building-services controllers, medical devices and computer
peripherals. In 8-bit MCUs, ST launched a range of MCUs, based on
the STM8 core and specified for the industrial temperature range,
that boasts extra features for robustness and reliability.
- In MEMS, in addition to gaining two significant design wins for
sensors in game controllers and another in a consumer application,
ST introduced a number of important new products, including its first
‘Gyroscope’ angular-rate sensors, which offer an extended
voltage range and reduced standby power for applications such as game
controllers, intuitive pointers, vehicle or personal navigation, and
image stabilization.
- Also in MEMS, ST announced the first in a new family of 3D orientation
sensors that embed both 3D orientation functionality and click/double-click
detection, allowing developers to integrate mouse-button controls.
ST also added two new high-performance accelerometers to its ultra-compact
portfolio for super-small applications where high performance is required
in space-constrained applications, including mobile phones, portable
media players, digital still or video cameras, and personal navigation
devices.
- For power conversion markets, ST gained a significant design win
with a major power-supply manufacturer for a Halogen-free product
kit and also ramped up production of power-converter and regulators
ICs for several PC notebook applications from major customers in the
US and Asia. ST also introduced new products including the VIPer17
off-line switched-mode converter, step-up converters for LED backlights
and lighting, and a new multi-output regulator aimed at a range of
PC and consumer products.
- Also in power applications, ST gained several design wins for MOSFETS
including high-end desktop PCs for a major customer and applications
in automotive and lighting. ST also announced a family of FDmesh™
II fast-recovery MOSFETs that combine enhanced switching performance
with on-resistance improved by more than 18% over existing devices.
And in bipolar and IGBTs, ST gained numerous design wins in industrial,
medical and audio applications and introduced a new ESBT switch for
power supplies for single- and three-phase applications and a PowerMESH™
IGBT for use in energy-sensitive circuits such as lighting ballasts.
- In application-specific discretes and IPADs™ (Integrated Passive
and Active Devices), ST introduced into the home-appliance market
a solid-state AC-switch driver that integrates switch-failure detection,
allowing designers to save board space and simplify the process to
meet various international safety standards. In telecom and consumer
applications, ST enlarged its IPAD range of combined ESD protection
and EMI filtering products dedicated to audio functions, and also
introduced protection devices dedicated to USB2.0 and Ethernet to
meet increasing data rates in connectivity and wireline applications.
- In analog products, ST introduced a range of new devices including
interfaces and amplifiers and achieved numerous design wins in a range
of applications, such as mobile phone audio for a world-leading manufacturer
and use in data-storage products for two important customers. And
in advanced analog and mixed-signal, ST announced a new family of
silicon oscillators and a range of four- and five-channel voltage
supervisors for computer, consumer and communications applications,
in addition to picking up several design wins and product qualifications
in the advanced analog field from world-leading makers of mobile phones,
computer and PNDs.
- In advanced logic, ST gained numerous design wins for logic switches
and translators in computer and communications applications from major
notebook and mobile phone manufacturers. ST also announced a new touch-screen
controller IC that offers autonomous functionality to minimize demands
on the system processor in applications such as PDAs, mobile phones,
GPS receivers, game consoles and POS terminals.
Technology Highlights
- ST announced the deployment of a certified electronic system-level
(ESL) System-on-Chip reference design flow aimed at complex designs
for next-generation consumer electronics equipment. The design flow
has been adopted and internally distributed following successful tape-outs
of more than a dozen ASIC designs with productivity gains from four
to ten times faster than with traditional methods.
- ST and CMP (Circuits Multi Projects®) announced that the two
companies are offering Chinese universities access to ST’s most
advanced CMOS processes for academic and research purposes. ST will
ensure the certification of the local partners and the fabrication
of the ICs designed by the universities, while CMP will be the interface
for commercial and technical aspects.
All of STMicroelectronics’ press releases (including all releases
in Q2) are available at www.st.com/stonline/press/news/latest.htm
Nomadik, SPEAr, IPAD, FDmesh and PowerMESH are trademarks of STMicroelectronics.
All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
Some of the statements contained in this release that are not
historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking
statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act
of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each
as amended) based on management’s current views and assumptions
and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those
in such statements due to, among other factors:
- future developments of the world semiconductor market, in particular
the future demand for semiconductor products in the key application
markets and from key customers served by our products;
- the results of actions by our competitors, including new product
offerings and our ability to react thereto;
- curtailments of purchases from key customers or pricing pressures
which are highly variable and difficult to predict;
- the financial impact of obsolete or excess inventories if actual
demand differs from our anticipations;
- the impact of intellectual-property claims by our competitors
or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses
on reasonable terms and conditions;
- the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as any new litigation
to which we may become a defendant;
- our ability to close as planned in the third quarter of 2008
the purchase of the wireless business of NXP Semiconductors, which
we announced on April 10, 2008, as well as our ability to sign and
close an agreement for the sale of our manufacturing facility in Phoenix
(AZ, USA) in accordance with the currently envisaged terms;
- changes in the exchange rates between the US dollar and the
Euro, compared to an assumed effective exchange rate of US $1.57 =
€1.00 and between the U.S. dollar and the currencies of the other
major countries in which we have our operating infrastructure;
- our ability to manage in an intensely competitive and cyclical
industry, where a high percentage of our costs are fixed, incurred
in currencies other than US dollars which is our reporting currency
and difficult to reduce in the short term;
- our ability to adequately utilize and operate our manufacturing
facilities at sufficient levels to cover fixed operating costs;
- our ability to restructure in accordance with our plans if
unforeseen events require adjustments or delays in implementation;
- our ability in an intensively competitive environment to secure
customer acceptance and to achieve our pricing expectations for high-volume
supplies of new products in whose development we have been, or are
currently, investing;
- the ability of our suppliers to meet our demands for supplies
and materials and to offer competitive pricing;
- significant differences in the gross margins we achieve compared
to expectations, based on changes in revenue levels, product mix and
pricing, capacity utilization, variations in inventory valuation,
excess or obsolete inventory, manufacturing yields, changes in unit
costs, impairments of long-lived assets (including manufacturing,
assembly/test and intangible assets), and the timing, execution and
associated costs for the announced transfer of manufacturing from
facilities designated for closure and associated costs, including
start-up costs;
- changes in the economic, social or political environment, including
military conflict and/or terrorist activities, as well as natural
events such as severe weather, health risks, epidemics or earthquakes
in the countries in which we, our key customers and our suppliers,
operate;
- changes in our overall tax position as a result of changes
in tax laws or the outcome of tax audits, and our ability to accurately
estimate tax credits, benefits, deductions and provisions and to realize
deferred tax assets.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties,
which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ
materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking
statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology
such as “believes,” “may,” “will,”
“should,”, “would be” or “anticipates”
or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof,
or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. Some of the risk
factors we face are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item
3. Key Information—Risk Factors” included in our Annual
Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2007, as filed with
the SEC on March 3, 2008. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties
materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual
results may vary materially from those described in this release as
anticipated, believed or expected. We do not intend, and do not assume
any obligation, to update any information or forward-looking statements
set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Unfavorable changes in the above or other factors listed under “Risk
Factors” from time to time in our SEC filings, including our Form
20-F, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations
or financial condition.
Conference Call Information
The management of STMicroelectronics will conduct a conference call
on July 23, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time / 3:00 p.m. CET, to
discuss operating performance for the second quarter of 2008.
The conference call will be available via the Internet by accessing
the following Web address: http://investors.st.com.
Those accessing the webcast should go to the Web site at least 15 minutes
prior to the call, in order to register, download and install any necessary
audio software. The webcast will be available until August 1, 2008.
About STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor
solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled
combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength,
Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions
the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and
its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets.
The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext
Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2007, the Company's net revenues
were $10 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.
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