About Teradyne
Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER) brings high-quality innovations such as smart devices, life-saving medical equipment and data storage systems to market, faster. Its advanced test solutions for semiconductors, electronic systems, wireless devices and more ensure that products perform as they were designed. Its Industrial Automation offerings include collaborative and mobile robots that help manufacturers of all sizes improve productivity and lower costs. In 2020, Teradyne had revenue of $3.1 billion and today employs 5,500 people worldwide. For more information, visit
teradyne.com. Teradyne® is a registered trademark of Teradyne, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements regarding Teradyne’s future business prospects, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, results of operations, market conditions, earnings per share, the payment of a quarterly dividend, the repurchase of Teradyne common stock pursuant to a share repurchase program, and the impact of U.S. and Chinese export and tariff laws. Such statements are based on the current assumptions and expectations of Teradyne’s management and are neither promises nor guarantees of future performance, events, earnings per share, use of cash, payment of dividends, repurchases of common stock, payment of the senior convertible notes, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or the impact of U.S. and Chinese export and tariff laws. There can be no assurance that management’s estimates of Teradyne’s future results or other forward-looking statements will be achieved. Additionally, the current dividend and share repurchase programs may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time.
On May 16, 2019, Huawei and 68 of its affiliates, including HiSilicon, were added to the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List under U.S. Export Administration Regulations (the “EAR”). This action by the U.S. Department of Commerce imposed new export licensing requirements on exports, re-exports, and in-country transfers of all U.S. - regulated products, software and technology to the designated Huawei entities. While most of Teradyne’s products are not subject to the EAR and therefore not affected by the Entity List restrictions, some of its products are currently manufactured in the U.S. and thus subject to the Entity List restrictions.
On August 17, 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce published final regulations expanding the scope of the U.S. EAR to include additional products that would become subject to export restrictions relating to Huawei entities including HiSilicon. These new regulations restrict the sale to Huawei and the designated Huawei entities of certain non-U.S. made items, such as semiconductor devices, manufactured for or sold to Huawei entities including HiSilicon under specific, detailed conditions set forth in the new regulations. These new regulations have impacted our sales to Huawei, HiSilicon and their suppliers. Teradyne is taking appropriate actions, including filing for licenses with the U.S. Department of Commerce and working with the U.S. regulators to clarify the scope of the restrictions. However, Teradyne cannot be certain that the actions it takes will mitigate the risks associated with the new export controls that impact its business. It is uncertain the extent these new regulations and any other additional regulations that may be implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce or other government agency may have on Teradyne’s business and financial results.
On April 28, 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce published new export control regulations for certain U.S. products and technology sold to military end users or for military end-use in China, Russia and Venezuela. The definition of military end user is broad. The regulations went into effect on June 29, 2020. In December 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a list of companies in China and other countries that it considered to be military end users. Teradyne does not expect that compliance with the new export controls will significantly impact its ability to sell products to its customers in China or to manufacture products in China. The new export controls, however, could disrupt the Company’s supply chain, increase compliance costs and impact the demand for the Company’s products in China and, thus, have a material adverse impact on Teradyne’s business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, while the Company maintains an export compliance program, its compliance controls could be circumvented, exposing the Company to legal liabilities. Teradyne will continue to assess the potential impact of the new export controls on its business and operations and take appropriate actions, including filing for licenses with the U.S. Department of Commerce, to minimize any disruption. However, Teradyne cannot be certain that the actions it takes will mitigate all the risks associated with the new export controls that may impact its business.
In response to the regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Chinese government has passed new laws that may impact Teradyne’s business activities in China. The Company is assessing the potential impact of these new Chinese laws and monitoring relevant laws and regulations issued by the Chinese government.
The global pandemic of the novel strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in authorities implementing numerous measures to try to contain the virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, quarantines, shelter in place orders, and shutdowns. These measures have impacted and may further impact Teradyne’s workforce and operations, the operations of its customers, and those of its contract manufacturers and suppliers. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted the Company’s results of operations, including increased costs company-wide and decreased sales in its industrial automation businesses. The Company cannot accurately estimate the amount of the impact on Teradyne’s 2020 financial results and to its future financial results. There is considerable uncertainty regarding the impact on Teradyne’s business from the measures in place and potential future measures, and restrictions on Teradyne’s access to its manufacturing facilities or on its support operations or workforce, or similar limitations for its contractor manufacturers and suppliers, and restrictions or disruptions of transportation, such as reduced availability of transportation and increased border controls or closures, could limit Teradyne’s capacity to meet customer demand and have a material adverse effect on its financial condition and results of operations. The COVID-19 outbreak has significantly increased economic and demand uncertainty in Teradyne’s markets. This uncertainty has resulted in a significant decrease in demand for certain Teradyne products and could continue to impact demand for an uncertain period of time. The spread of COVID-19 has caused Teradyne to modify its business practices (including employee travel, employees working remotely, and cancellation of physical participation in meetings, events and conferences), and the Company may take further actions as may be required by government authorities or that it determines are in the best interests of its employees, customers, contract manufacturers and suppliers. There is uncertainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by the virus, and Teradyne’s ability to perform critical functions could be impacted. The degree to which COVID-19 impacts Teradyne’s results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including, but not limited to, the duration and continued spread of the virus, its severity, the actions to contain the virus or the availability and impact of vaccines, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume.
Important factors that could cause actual results, earnings per share, use of cash, dividend payments, repurchases of common stock, or payment of the senior convertible notes to differ materially from those presently expected include: conditions affecting the markets in which Teradyne operates; decreased or delayed product demand from one or more significant customers; development, delivery and acceptance of new products; the ability to grow the Industrial Automation business; increased research and development spending; deterioration of Teradyne’s financial condition; the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government responses on the market and demand for Teradyne’s products, on its contract manufacturers and supply chain, and on its workforce; the consummation and success of any mergers or acquisitions; unexpected cash needs; insufficient cash flow to make required payments and pay the principal amount on the senior convertible notes; the business judgment of the board of directors that a declaration of a dividend or the repurchase of common stock is not in the company’s best interests; additional U.S. tax regulations or IRS guidance; the impact of any tariffs or export controls imposed in the U.S. or China; compliance with trade protection measures or export restrictions; the impact of U.S. Department of Commerce or other government agency regulations relating to Huawei and HiSilicon; and other events, factors and risks disclosed in filings with the SEC, including, but not limited to, the “Risk Factors” sections of Teradyne’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 27, 2020. The forward-looking statements provided by Teradyne in this press release represent management’s views as of the date of this release. Teradyne anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause management’s views to change. However, while Teradyne may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Teradyne specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Teradyne’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this release.
