Achieves Record Mobile Revenue, Increasing 91% Sequentially and 58% Year-over-Year to 44% of Total Revenue

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 4, 2021 — (PRNewswire) —  Pixelworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: PXLW), a leading provider of innovative video and display processing solutions, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021.

First Quarter and Recent Highlights

• Mobile revenue increased sequentially for the third consecutive quarter, driven by growing adoption of Pixelworks' visual processing solutions in newly launched smartphones
• OnePlus 9 Pro smartphone launched with X5 Pro visual processor, leveraging Pixelworks dual MotionEngine®, color calibration, flesh tone management and adaptive display technologies
• vivo launched its iQOO Neo5 smartphone, incorporating the X5 Pro visual processor to enable ultra-premium display performance and advanced 5G gaming experience
• OPPO Find X3, Find X3 Pro and Reno 5 Pro+ smartphones incorporated with Pixelworks' patented, high-efficiency calibration technology and color management solution
• TCL 20 Pro 5G power by AI-based i6 visual processor launched and received an overall display score of 89 by DXOMARK, placing it among the industry's top performing displays on a smartphone
• ASUS ROG Phone 5 launched as the industry's first smartphones to incorporate Pixelworks' sixth-generation mobile visual processor (i6) with dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) engine
• Lenovo Legion™ Phone Duel 2 launched with i6 visual processor, featuring real-time SDR-to-HDR conversion and industry-leading multi-refresh-rate color calibration for immersive HDR gaming and video experiences
• Year-to-date, Pixelworks technologies incorporated into 11 new models across 6 mobile OEMs

"We continued to execute and make steady progress on our mobile growth initiative in the first quarter, with record Mobile revenue expanding to 44% of total revenue," stated Todd DeBonis, President and CEO of Pixelworks. "As advanced AMOLED displays, higher refresh rates and 5G-enable mobile gaming become increasingly mainstream, mobile OEMs are turning to Pixelworks' visual processing solutions and display expertise to differentiate their next-generation devices with industry-leading display performance. Our growing momentum is demonstrated by the expanding number of new smartphone models launched across a series of new and existing customers, including our second tier-one mobile OEM. The models launched year-to-date span numerous product tiers and price points, from feature-packed flagships and ultra-high performance gaming phones to more affordable smartphones with premium displays. We continue to have a robust pipeline of design-ins on upcoming smartphones in support of our goal for 2021 to double the number of devices that were launched by customers in 2020.

"Also, during the quarter we saw improving demand in the Projector market. While we anticipate the broadly reported supply constraints across the semiconductor industry to moderate the pace of recovery throughout the year, we expect a meaningful uptick in revenue from Projector in the second quarter. Together with continued sequential growth in Mobile, we expect to deliver strong top-line growth, gross margin expansion and improvement in our operating results in the coming quarters."

First Quarter Fiscal 2021 Financial Results

Revenue in the first quarter of 2021 was $9.3 million, compared to $9.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $13.8 million in the first quarter of 2020. The sequential and year-over-year decline in first quarter revenue reflected weaker end market demand in the projector and video delivery markets, partially offset by continued strong growth and record revenue in the mobile market.

On a GAAP basis, gross profit margin in the first quarter of 2021 was 40.2%, compared to 45.5% in the fourth quarter of 2020 and 49.2% in the first quarter of 2020. First quarter 2021 GAAP operating expenses were $11.6 million, compared to $11.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $12.1 million in the year-ago quarter.

For the first quarter of 2021, the Company recorded a GAAP net loss of $8.1 million, or ($0.16) per share, compared to a GAAP net loss of $6.4 million, or ($0.15) per share, in the fourth quarter of 2020 and a GAAP net loss of $5.4 million, or ($0.14) per share, in the year-ago quarter.

On a non-GAAP basis, first quarter 2021 gross profit margin was 43.7%, compared to 49.6% in the fourth quarter of 2020 and 52.1% in the year-ago quarter. First quarter 2021 non-GAAP operating expenses were $10.2 million, compared to $9.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and $9.7 million in the year-ago quarter.

For the first quarter of 2021, the Company recorded a non-GAAP net loss of $6.4 million, or ($0.12) per share, compared to a non-GAAP net loss of $4.9 million, or ($0.11) per share, in the fourth quarter of 2020, and a non-GAAP net loss of $2.6 million, or ($0.07) per share, in the first quarter of 2020.

Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2021 was a negative $5.2 million, compared to a negative $3.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2020 and a negative $1.5 million in the year-ago quarter.

Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments at the end of the first quarter of 2021 were $25.4 million, compared to $31.5 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020.

Business Outlook

The Company's current business outlook, including guidance for the second quarter of 2021, will be provided as part of the scheduled conference call.