STEC Announces Second Quarter 2009 Results

Revenue, Gross Profit Margin and EPS Higher On Faster-Than-Expected Adoption of Its Enterprise Class Solid State Drives


SANTA ANA, Calif., Aug. 3, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STEC, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEC) announced today its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009. Revenue for the second quarter of 2009 was $86.4 million, an increase of 53.7% from $56.2 million for the second quarter of 2008, and an increase of 35.9% from $63.5 million for the first quarter of 2009. Shipments of our ZeusIOPS Solid-State drives ("SSD") into the Enterprise-Storage market grew to $57.7 million for the second quarter of 2009, an increase of approximately 375% from $12.1 million for the second quarter of 2008, and an increase of approximately 125% from $25.7 million for the first quarter of 2009.

GAAP gross profit margin was 50.0% for the second quarter of 2009, compared to 32.3% for the second quarter of 2008 and 36.3% for the first quarter of 2009. GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations was $0.38 for the second quarter of 2009, compared to $0.03 for the second quarter of 2008, and $0.07 for the first quarter of 2009.

Non-GAAP gross profit margin increased to 50.1% for the second quarter of 2009, compared to 35.3% for the second quarter of 2008 and 39.8% for first quarter of 2009. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations was $0.42 for the second quarter of 2009, compared to $0.09 for the second quarter of 2008, and $0.17 for the first quarter of 2009. GAAP results for the second quarter of 2009 included employee stock compensation, special charges related to the implementation of our restructuring plan and grant incentive income received from the Malaysian government. Non-GAAP results are explained and reconciled to GAAP results in tables included in this release.

Additional highlights for the second quarter of 2009 include:



 * signed a recently-announced $120 million contract to supply
   ZeusIOPS SSDs to a major Enterprise-Storage customer for the second
   half of 2009;
 * signed a $28 million, 12-month contract to supply the ruggedized
   MACH8 SSD to a leading defense systems contractor, extending reach
   of one our key product lines beyond the traditional storage market;
 * accelerated adoption of the ZeusIOPS SSDs into major
   Enterprise-Storage and Enterprise-Server OEM customers, including
   IBM, Fujitsu, Compellent and HP;
 * increased cash and cash equivalents, and short-term investments at
   the end of the second quarter of 2009 to approximately $94 million,
   a 49% increase from the end of the prior quarter;
 * decreased inventory to approximately $38 million at the end of the
   second quarter of 2009, a 16% decrease from the end of the prior
   quarter; and
 * successfully transitioned 100% of the Company's manufacturing from
   California to Malaysia.

Business Outlook

"It is exciting to share such outstanding results today and to deliver significant revenue, gross profit margin and EPS growth for the second quarter of 2009," said Manouch Moshayedi, STEC's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We have shown a significant improvement in our already strong balance sheet -- particularly in the generation of cash and effective management of inventory - added four more major Enterprise-Storage OEMs to our blue chip customer list, and surpassed our stated year-end 2009 non-GAAP gross profit margin goal of 40%, expanding it to 50% in the second quarter of 2009.

"In our prior quarter's earnings announcement we had estimated that ZeusIOPS revenue for the first half of 2009 would surpass $53 million. I am pleased to report that we have actually achieved $83 million in ZeusIOPS revenue for this period. Although we are still early in the process of the adoption of SSDs into the Enterprise-Storage market, I believe that the $120 million supply agreement that we signed for the second half of 2009 is a further indication of future SSD growth and customers' acceptance of SSDs into this growing market. I am very excited about our product road map -- specific to the Enterprise-Storage, Enterprise-Server and related markets."

Guidance

"We currently expect third quarter of 2009 revenue to range from $95 million to $97 million with diluted non-GAAP earnings per share to range from $0.45 to $0.47."

Conference Call

STEC will hold an open conference call to discuss results for the second quarter of 2009. The call will take place today at 2:30 p.m., Pacific/ 5:30 p.m., Eastern. The call-in numbers for the conference are (877) 419-6596 (United States and Canada) and (719) 325-4848 (International).

Webcast

This call will be webcast. The webcast can be accessed by clicking on the gray "Nasdaq:STEC" tab at the top of the home page at www.stec-inc.com. The webcast will be archived and available for replay beginning approximately two hours after the live call concludes.

About STEC, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEC)

STEC, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets enterprise-class solid state drives, or SSDs, for use in high performance storage and server systems, and high density dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, modules for networking, communications and industrial applications.

For information about STEC and to subscribe to the Company's "Email Alerts" service, please visit our web site at www.stec-inc.com, click the "Nasdaq:STEC" tab at the top of the page and then click "Email Alerts."

The STEC, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1079.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information

To supplement the consolidated financial results prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"), we use non-GAAP financial measures (non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP income from continuing operations, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share from continuing operations and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share) that exclude start-up costs related to our Malaysia facility, employee stock compensation, global tax structuring costs, intellectual property litigation costs, Malaysian government incentive grant income, special charges related to the implementation of our restructuring plan and the short-term impact of the global tax structuring on our effective tax rate. Management excludes these items because it believes that the non-GAAP measures enhance an investor's overall understanding of our financial performance and future prospects by being more reflective of our core, recurring operational activities and to be more comparable with our results over various periods. Management uses such non-GAAP financial measures internally for strategic decision making, forecasting future results and evaluating current performance. Guidance for diluted earnings per share is provided only on a non-GAAP basis due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting the timing or amount of such items. Difficulties in forecasting the non-GAAP items include the timing of customer audit approvals for the Malaysia facility which would impact the ramp up of production, registration costs for new entities related to our global tax structuring and unexpected delays in shipping new products developed by our foreign subsidiaries in lower tax jurisdictions than the United States. These items could be materially significant in our GAAP results in any period. By disclosing non-GAAP financial measures, management intends to provide investors with a more meaningful, consistent comparison of the Company's core operating results and trends for the periods presented. Non-GAAP financial measures are not prepared in accordance with GAAP; therefore, the information is not necessarily comparable to other companies' financial information and should be considered as a supplement to, not a substitute for, or superior to, the corresponding measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. A complete reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP information referred to in this release is provided in tables included in this release. Certain amounts reported in prior releases may have been reclassified to conform to the current quarter's non-GAAP presentation.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, statements concerning future SSD growth and customers' acceptance of SSDs, and expected third quarter 2009 revenue and earnings per share. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. Although STEC believes that the forward looking statements contained in this release are reasonable, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be fulfilled. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made from time to time by STEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and its Current Reports on Form 8-K. The information contained in this press release is a statement of STEC's present intention, belief or expectation. STEC may change its intention, belief, or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in STEC's assumptions or otherwise. STEC undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.



                                   STEC, INC.
                           CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                      (in thousands, except share amounts)

                                                ---------   ---------
                                                June 30,     Dec. 31,
                                                  2009         2008
                                                ---------   ---------
                                               (unaudited)  (audited)
                                                ---------   ---------
                    ASSETS

 Current Assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                     $  88,503   $  33,379
  Short-term investments                            5,200          --
  Accounts receivable, net of allowances of
   $2,520 at June 30, 2009 and $1,196 at
   December 31, 2008                               50,500      43,516
  Inventory                                        37,656      63,985
  Deferred income taxes                             2,992       1,302
  Other current assets                              2,769       7,872
                                                ---------   ---------
   Total current assets                           187,620     150,054
                                                ---------   ---------

 Leasehold interest in land                         2,562       2,587
 Property, plant and equipment                     39,899      44,406
 Intangible assets                                    419         573
 Goodwill                                           1,682       1,682
 Other long-term assets                             3,544       2,720
 Deferred income taxes                              4,144       4,407
                                                ---------   ---------
   Total assets                                 $ 239,870   $ 206,429
                                                =========   =========

      LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

 Current Liabilities:
  Accounts payable                              $  10,028   $  13,097
  Accrued and other liabilities                    13,875      10,339
                                                ---------   ---------
   Total current liabilities                       23,903      23,436
                                                ---------   ---------

 Long-term income taxes payable                     1,538       1,430

 Commitments and contingencies                         --          --
 Shareholders' Equity:
  Preferred stock, $0.001 par value,
   20,000,000 shares authorized, no shares
   outstanding                                         --          --
  Common stock, $0.001 par value, 100,000,000
   shares authorized, 49,443,510 shares issued
   and outstanding as of June 30, 2009 and
   48,429,348 shares issued and outstanding as
   of December 31, 2008                                49          48
  Additional paid-in capital                      140,193     129,670
  Retained earnings                                74,187      51,845
                                                ---------   ---------
   Total shareholders' equity                     214,429     181,563
                                                ---------   ---------
   Total liabilities and shareholders' equity   $ 239,870   $ 206,429
                                                =========   =========


                                   STEC, INC.
                         CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
                    (in thousands, except per share amounts)

                          --------------------  --------------------
                              Quarter Ended       Six Months Ended 
                                June 30,              June 30,
                          --------------------  --------------------
                          Unaudited  Unaudited  Unaudited  Unaudited
                            2009       2008       2009       2008
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 Net revenues             $  86,350  $  56,199  $ 149,886  $ 106,879
 Cost of revenues            43,177     38,029     83,680     72,055
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Gross profit               43,173     18,170     66,206     34,824
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------

 Sales and marketing          5,031      4,671      9,803      9,112
 General and
  administrative              6,714      5,596     14,080     10,940
 Research and
  development                 5,423      4,847     10,943      9,155
 Special charges              1,996         --      3,173         --
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Total operating
   expenses                  19,164     15,114     37,999     29,207
   Operating income          24,009      3,056     28,207      5,617
  Other income                  614        417        602      1,194
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Income from continuing
   operations before         24,623      3,473     28,809      6,811
   provision for income
   taxes
 Provision for income
  taxes                       5,260      2,150      6,252      3,643
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
  Income from continuing
   operations                19,363      1,323     22,557      3,168
 Discontinued
  operations:
  Income (loss) from
   discontinued
   operations                    --        149       (356)       149
  (Provision) benefit
   for income taxes              --        (58)       141        (58)
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
   Income (loss) from
    discontinued
    operations                   --         91       (215)        91
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
 Net income               $  19,363  $   1,414  $  22,342  $   3,259
                          =========  =========  =========  =========

 Net income per share:
  Basic:
   Continuing operations  $    0.40  $    0.03  $    0.46  $    0.07
   Discontinued
    operations                   --         --         --         --
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    Total                 $    0.40  $    0.03  $    0.46  $    0.07
                          =========  =========  =========  =========
  Diluted:
   Continuing operations  $    0.38  $    0.03  $    0.45  $    0.06
   Discontinued
    operations                   --         --         --         --
                          ---------  ---------  ---------  ---------
    Total                 $    0.38  $    0.03  $    0.45  $    0.06
                          =========  =========  =========  =========

 Shares used in net
  income per share
  computation:

 Basic                       48,871     49,612     48,654     49,801
                          =========  =========  =========  =========
 Diluted                     50,702     51,225     49,883     51,274
                          =========  =========  =========  =========


 The items excluded from GAAP financial results in calculating non-GAAP 
 financial results, are set forth below:

 a) The Malaysia facility start-up costs relate primarily to expenses
    associated with our manufacturing facility in Penang, Malaysia in
    which construction was completed in 2008. During 2008 and the
    first quarter of 2009, we used this facility to train production
    employees, obtain facility certifications such as ISO
    certification, install the necessary accounting and information
    systems and conduct customer audits to better prepare for the
    full-scale transition of our U.S. operations to Malaysia in 2009.
    As full-scale production was not completely transitioned to
    Malaysia until the second quarter of 2009, management believes
    excluding Malaysia start-up costs from our operations for the
    reporting periods through the first quarter of 2009 provides
    investors with a better means of evaluating our current
    operations. Starting in the second quarter of 2009, we no longer
    treat costs incurred for our Malaysia operations as a non-GAAP
    item since the transition of operations and integration of the
    Malaysia facility was substantially completed during the second
    quarter of 2009.

 b) Employee stock compensation costs incurred in connection with
    Statement of Financial Accounting Standards 123R have been
    excluded as management omits these expenses when evaluating its
    core operating activities, for strategic decision making,
    forecasting future results and evaluating current performance.

 c) The global tax structuring costs relate primarily to tax
    consulting, legal fees and filing fees associated with
    establishing various corporate entities throughout the world, and
    establishing cost-sharing and transfer pricing agreements among
    the worldwide entities. These costs were included as a non-GAAP
    item in 2008 as we believed these expenditures were one-time
    set-up fees and are therefore not indicative of our recurring
    operational results. Beginning in the first quarter of 2009 we no
    longer treat global tax structuring costs as a non-GAAP item
    because the structuring was substantially completed by the end of
    2008.

 d) Intellectual property litigation costs relate to a patent
    infringement suit filed against us by a competitor on
    April 14, 2008. We filed our answer to the lawsuit asserting
    affirmative defenses of non-infringement, invalidity and
    counter-claimed for a declaratory judgment of non-infringement,
    invalidity, and unenforceability for all patents in question plus
    legal fees and costs. In February 2009, the lawsuit was mutually
    dismissed by both parties. Management believes that legal and
    consulting fees incurred in conjunction with this lawsuit should
    be excluded when evaluating core operations since management
    believes these costs are non-recurring.

 e) Special charges relate to a restructuring plan that we implemented
    during the first quarter of 2009. These charges included expenses
    related to a reduction in our workforce and asset impairment
    charges. The special charges primarily impacted U.S. based
    operations and employees as part of the overall transition of
    certain operations to our facility in Penang, Malaysia. We expect
    the restructuring plan to be substantially completed by the end of
    2009. Management believes that costs incurred in connection with
    the restructuring plan which were primarily related to workforce
    reduction severance costs and consolidation of facilities expenses
    are non-recurring in nature and should be excluded when evaluating
    core operations.

 f) Malaysia government grant incentive income relates to proceeds
    received from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry
    ("MITI") in Malaysia. The grants are provided by MITI as incentive
    for our local subsidiary incurring research and development expenses
    and employee training costs for its operations in Malaysia. Since the
    grants represent reimbursement of expenses which were previously
    included by us as a non-GAAP item under Malaysia start-up costs,
    we have reversed the related grant reimbursement income from our
    second quarter 2009 non-GAAP results.

 g) During 2008, our effective tax rate increased in excess of its
    base historical tax rate as the result of the implementation of a
    global tax structuring plan. The short-term impact of the global
    tax structuring plan resulted in losses being incurred in foreign
    jurisdictions with zero tax rates which produced less overall tax
    benefits for us. For non-GAAP purposes, we have made an adjustment
    to reflect the full-year 2008 effective tax rates at historical
    base rate levels. No adjustments have been made to 2009 effective
    tax rates as the global tax structuring was substantially
    completed by the end of 2008 and we expect to achieve ongoing tax
    benefits. Management believes that fluctuations in our
    effective tax rate during the 2008 implementation of the global
    tax structuring were temporary and should be excluded when
    evaluating core operations for that period.

                                  STEC, INC.
      Schedule Reconciling GAAP Income From Continuing Operations to 
                Non-GAAP Income From Continuing Operations
                  ($ in thousands, except per share amounts)
                                 (unaudited)

                                     ------------------------------
                                         For the Quarters Ended
                                     June 30,   June 30,   March 31,
                                     ------------------------------
                                       2009       2008       2009
                                     --------   --------   --------
 GAAP income from continuing
  operations                         $ 19,363   $  1,323   $  3,194
                                     ========   ========   ========
 The non-GAAP amounts have been
  adjusted to exclude the following
  items:

 Excluded from cost of sales:
  Malaysia facility start-up
   costs (a)                         $     --   $  1,647   $  2,249
  Employee stock compensation (b)          72         15         21
                                     --------   --------   --------
                                           72      1,662      2,270
 Excluded from operating expenses:
  Malaysian facility start-up
   costs (a)                         $     --   $  1,218   $  1,635
  Employee stock compensation (b)         965        526        606
  Global tax structuring costs (c)         --        253         --
  IP litigation costs (d)                  --         --      1,249
  Special charges - restructuring
   costs (e)                            1,996         --      1,177
                                     --------   --------   --------
                                        2,961      1,997      4,667
 Excluded from other income:
  Malaysia government incentive
   grant income (f)                  $   (560)  $     --   $     --
                                     --------   --------   --------

 Total non-GAAP adjustments before
  income tax                            2,473      3,659      6,937
 Income tax effect on non-GAAP
  adjustments                            (536)    (1,380)    (1,644)
                                     --------   --------   --------

 Net effect of adjustments to GAAP
  net income                            1,937      2,279      5,293

 Global tax structuring
  implementation short-term income
  income tax impact (g)                    --        841         --

                                     --------   --------   --------
 Non-GAAP income from continuing
  operations                         $ 21,300   $  4,443   $  8,487
                                     ========   ========   ========

 GAAP diluted earnings per share
  from continuing operations         $   0.38   $   0.03   $   0.07
 Impact of non-GAAP adjustments on
  diluted earnings per share         $   0.04   $   0.06   $   0.10
                                     --------   --------   --------
 Non-GAAP diluted earnings per
  share from continuing operations   $   0.42   $   0.09   $   0.17
                                     ========   ========   ========

 (a) - (g)  See corresponding footnotes above.


                              STEC, INC.
            Schedule Reconciling Reported Financial Ratios
                              (unaudited)

                                         -----------------------------
                                            For the Quarters Ended
                                         -----------------------------
                                         June 30,  June 30,  March 31,
                                           2009      2008      2009
                                         --------  --------  ---------
 GAAP gross profit                         50.0%     32.3%     36.3%
 Effect of reconciling item on gross
  profit                                    0.1%      3.0%      3.5%
                                         --------  --------  ---------
 Non-GAAP gross profit                     50.1%     35.3%     39.8%
                                         ========  ========  =========


                              STEC, INC.
               Selected Non-GAAP Financial Information
                           ($ in thousands)
                             (unaudited)

                                         -----------------------------
                                            For the Quarters Ended
                                         -----------------------------
                                         June 30,  June 30,  March 31,
                                         --------  --------  ---------
                                           2009      2008      2009
                                         --------  --------  ---------

 GAAP gross profit                       $ 43,173  $ 18,170  $  23,033
   Malaysia facility start-up costs(a)         --     1,647      2,249
   Employee stock compensation(b)              72        15         21
                                         --------  --------  ---------
 Non-GAAP gross profit                   $ 43,245  $ 19,832  $  25,303
                                         ========  ========  =========

 (a) - (b)  Refer to the corresponding footnotes above.


            

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