Healthcare, PMG, Canvys and Semiconductor Wafer Fab Revenues Grow Versus Q4 FY20;  Higher ALTA750™  Tube Sales

Q4 and FY21 Highlights

• Net sales of $50.5 million were up 35.1% from last year’s fourth quarter and up 11.6% over the third quarter of fiscal 2021.
• Sales increased for Healthcare, PMG, Canvys and Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication Equipment products in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 versus the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.
• Gross margin improved to 32.4% of net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 versus 30.4% of net sales in the prior year’s fourth quarter due to a favorable product mix and improved manufacturing performance for Richardson Healthcare.
• Operating expenses increased $1.3 million to $14.0 million compared to the prior year’s fourth quarter. Employee incentive expense increased due to the substantially improved performance, which was partially offset by decreased legal fees of $0.2 million.
• Operating income was $2.3 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021.
• Earnings per common share (diluted) were $0.14 for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021.
• For fiscal year 2021, net sales increased 13.5% to $176.9 million.
• Operating income was $2.9 million for fiscal year 2021, and Non-GAAP operating income* was $4.5 million for fiscal year 2021.
• Earnings per common share (diluted) were $0.13 for fiscal year 2021, and Non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)* were $0.25 for fiscal year 2021.
• Cash and investments were $43.3 million as of May 29, 2021 versus $47.4 million on February 27, 2021 and $46.5 million on May 30, 2020.

LAFOX, Ill., July 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Richardson Electronics, Ltd. (NASDAQ: RELL) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended May 29, 2021. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a $0.06 per share quarterly cash dividend. 

Fourth Quarter Results

Net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 increased 35.1% to $50.5 million compared to net sales of $37.4 million in the prior year’s fourth quarter primarily due to higher net sales across all three business units. Richardson Healthcare sales increased $1.3 million or 92.3% primarily due to an increase in demand for the ALTA750 ^TM Tubes, reflecting the highest quantity sold in any quarter. In addition, parts sales increased, partially offset by lower sales of pre-owned CT scanners in Latin America. PMT sales increased $9.6 million or 32.5% from last year’s fourth quarter because of higher sales of semiconductor wafer fab equipment specialty products as well as power conversion and RF and microwave components. In addition, power grid tube sales increased from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Canvys sales increased by $2.2 million or 33.9% due to increased customer demand in both Europe and North America.

Gross margin improved to 32.4% of net sales during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 compared to 30.4% of net sales during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Canvys margin as a percent of net sales increased to 35.3% from 31.0% because of its product mix and foreign currency effects. Healthcare margin as a percent of net sales was 29.4% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 compared to minus 28.6% in the prior year’s fourth quarter primarily due to improved manufacturing absorption and lower scrap and inventory reserve expense. PMT margin decreased to 32.0% from 33.2% due to a higher percentage of lower margin PMG sales.

Operating expenses were $14.0 million compared to $12.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. The increase in operating expenses resulted from higher employee compensation expense, partially offset by lower legal and consulting expenses. Throughout the pandemic, the Company decided to support its employees through regular merit increases and incentive plans, and by avoiding layoffs or furloughs.

As a result, the Company reported an operating income of $2.3 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 compared to an operating loss of $1.3 million in the prior year’s fourth quarter. Other expense for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, including interest income and foreign exchange, was less than $0.1 million, compared to other income of $0.2 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

The income tax provision of $0.4 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 reflected a provision for foreign income taxes, which was higher than the prior year’s fourth quarter, and the offset of a U.S. tax provision against the valuation allowance. Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 was $1.9 million compared to a net loss of $1.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Earnings per common share (diluted) were $0.14 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021.

“We are pleased with more than 30% sales growth in each of our strategic business units during an unprecedented pandemic, resulting in our strongest quarterly financial performance in nearly 10 years” said Edward J. Richardson, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President. “We are also excited about the outlook for all of our businesses in fiscal year 2022, including our patent pending ultracapacitor modules for wind turbines and related LED battery replacements,” he concluded.

Fiscal 2021 Results

Net sales for fiscal 2021 were $176.9 million, an increase of 13.5%, compared to net sales of $155.9 million for fiscal 2020. Sales increased $18.8 million or 15.9% for PMT, $1.8 million or 21.7% for Richardson Healthcare and $0.4 million or 1.4% for Canvys.

Gross margin increased to $58.8 million for fiscal 2021, compared to $49.7 million for fiscal 2020. As a percentage of net sales, gross margin increased to 33.2% of net sales for fiscal 2021, compared to 31.9% of net sales for fiscal 2020, primarily because of a favorable product mix in PMT and Canvys, as well as improved manufacturing efficiencies for PMT.

Operating expenses increased to $55.9 million and Non-GAAP operating expenses* to $54.3 million for fiscal 2021, compared to $51.3 million for fiscal 2020. This increase included a one-time cost of $1.6 million for a legal settlement with Varex Imaging Corporation in the third quarter of fiscal 2021. In addition, the increase resulted from higher employee compensation expense and legal fees, partially offset by lower travel and consulting expenses.

Operating income was $2.9 million and Non-GAAP operating income* was $4.5 million for fiscal 2021, compared to an operating loss of $1.7 million for fiscal 2020. Other expense for fiscal 2021, including interest income and foreign exchange, was $0.6 million, compared to other income of $0.4 million for fiscal 2020.

The income tax provision of $0.7 million for fiscal 2021 reflected a provision for foreign income taxes, which was higher than in the prior year, and the offset of a U.S. tax provision against the valuation allowance. Net income for fiscal 2021 was $1.7 million and Non-GAAP net income* was $3.3 million, compared to a net loss of $1.8 million for fiscal 2020. Earnings per common share (diluted) for fiscal 2021 were $0.13 and Non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)* were $0.25.

*Please refer to Unaudited Reconciliation between GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures below for a reconciliation of Non-GAAP items to the comparable GAAP measures.

CASH DIVIDEND AND POSITION

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a $0.06 quarterly dividend per share to holders of common stock and a $0.054 cash dividend per share to holders of Class B common stock. The dividend will be payable on August 25, 2021, to common stockholders of record as of August 6, 2021.

Cash and investments at the end of fiscal 2021 were $43.3 million compared to $47.4 million at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021 and $46.5 million at the end of fiscal 2020. The Company spent $0.8 million during the quarter on capital expenditures primarily related to its Healthcare business and IT System, versus $0.5 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. Total capital expenditures in fiscal 2021 were $2.6 million compared to $1.8 million in fiscal 2020.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

In addition to the results reported in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) included throughout this press release, the Company has provided information regarding “Non-GAAP net income,” “Non-GAAP operating income,” “Non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)” and “Non-GAAP operating expenses” (each, a Non-GAAP financial measure). These Non-GAAP financial measures exclude a one-time cost in connection with a legal settlement from the most directly comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP.