ARM Q2 and Half Year 2008 Trading Update
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ARM Q2 and Half Year 2008 Trading Update

CAMBRIDGE, England, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Due to an inadvertent disclosure of our Q2 2008 headline numbers, ARM Holdings plc [; (NASDAQ: ARMH)] announces its expected preliminary unaudited financial results for the second quarter and half year ended 30 June 2008. The full set of results will be released on 30 July 2008.

A conference call will be held today at 08:00 BST to discuss this announcement. The dial-in number for the conference call is +44-1452-541-077, Reference ID: 57633449. A play back of the conference call will be available on the ARM IR website at http://www.arm.com/ir.

    Highlights (US GAAP unless otherwise stated)

    - Q2 revenues at $128.1m, GBP65.0m
          - Normalised operating margin at 31.5% (US GAAP 18.3%)
          - Normalised PBT at GBP21.1m (US GAAP GBP12.6m)
          - Normalised EPS at 1.17p (US GAAP 0.71p)
          - Strong orders increase group backlog above previous quarter's
            record level

    - Reiterating FY 2008 guidance

    - Processor Division (PD): Strong licensing platform driving royalty
      momentum
          - Licensing revenues down sequentially and year-on-year
              - H2 licensing uplift expected due to strong opportunity
                pipeline
              - Architecture license signed for current and future ARM
                technology with strategic OEM
          - Royalty revenue up 27% year-on-year

    - Physical IP Division (PIPD): Second quarter of sequential growth for
      both licensing and royalty revenues
          - Total revenue at $22.3m, up 5% year-on-year
          - Licensing revenues increased 7% sequentially to $12.6m
          - Royalty revenue up 33% year-on-year

    - Business model yields increasing cash returns
          - Record generation of cash in the quarter at GBP26.5m
          - GBP30.7m returned to shareholders in Q2 2008, GBP15.3m by
            dividend and GBP15.4m by share buybacks
          - Net cash of GBP50.6m at the end of Q2
          - 2008 interim dividend announced at 0.88p per share, up 10%
            year-on-year

Outlook

We enter the second half of 2008 with a broad product portfolio for licensing into an increasingly diverse customer base; an opportunity pipeline expected to deliver near-term license revenue and good royalty momentum across the business.

We therefore reiterate the guidance for FY 2008 given in both February and April; assuming no further deterioration in the trading environment, we continue to expect to increase dollar revenues in FY 2008 by at least the growth rate achieved in FY 2007.

Commenting on the results, Warren East, Chief Executive Officer, said:

"ARM has made good progress in the first half of 2008 in challenging market conditions, further extending the group's backlog which was already at record levels. We see continued strong demand for ARM's technology including long-term commitments for our processor and physical IP technology by industry leaders.

Prospects for PD licensing in H2 2008 are promising notwithstanding the uncertain current trading environment. We have a broad product portfolio that our customers are designing into applications from mobile computers to microcontrollers. We are encouraged by our second successive quarter of sequential growth in PIPD as we build momentum in that business.

Growth of more than 25% year-on-year in underlying royalty revenues for both PD and PIPD provides further evidence of the increasing use of ARM's technology in a rapidly broadening range of consumer electronics products.

Whilst investing in future technology innovation, we continue to exercise financial restraint, reducing overall operating costs and headcount, thereby increasing margins sequentially; generating record levels of cash within the quarter; and increasing the interim dividend."

    Q2 2008 - Revenue Analysis

                            Revenue ($m)***           Revenue (GBPm)
                        Q2 2008 Q2 2007 % Change Q2 2008 Q2 2007 % Change
    PD
    Licensing            30.2    45.3     -33%    15.3    23.2     -34%
    Royalties            51.0    40.1      27%    26.0    20.2      29%
    Total PD             81.2    85.4      -5%    41.3    43.4      -5%
    PIPD
    Licensing            12.6    14.0     -10%     6.4     7.1     -10%
    Royalties(1)          9.7     7.3      33%     4.9     3.6      36%
    Total PIPD           22.3    21.3       5%    11.3    10.7       5%
    Development Systems  16.2    14.1      15%     8.2     7.1      15%
    Services              8.4     8.4              4.2     4.3      -2%
    Total Revenue       128.1   129.2      -1%    65.0    65.5      -1%

(1) Includes catch-up royalties in Q2 2008 of $1.1m (GBP0.6m) and in Q2 2007 of $0.6m (GBP0.3m).

    H1 2008 - Revenue Analysis

                              Revenue ($m)***           Revenue (GBPm)
                          H1 2008 H1 2007 % Change H1 2008 H1 2007 % Change
    PD
    Licensing              66.6     82.7     -20%    33.5    42.6     -21%
    Royalties             105.8     85.1      24%    53.9    43.2      25%
    Total PD              172.4    167.8       3%    87.4    85.8       2%
    PIPD
    Licensing              24.4     31.0     -21%    12.3    15.7     -22%
    Royalties(1)           18.8     15.6      20%     9.6     7.9      21%
    Total PIPD             43.2     46.6      -7%    21.9    23.6      -7%
    Development Systems    30.3     27.7       9%    15.3    14.1       9%
    Services               16.5     16.3       1%     8.3     8.5      -2%
    Total Revenue         262.4    258.4      2%    132.9   132.0       1%

(1) Includes catch-up royalties in H1 2008 of $2.1m (GBP1.1m) and in H1 2007 of $2.1m (GBP1.1m).

    Q2 2008 - Financial Summary

                                  US GAAP Normalised*          US GAAP

    GBPM
                               Q2 2008  Q2 2007  % Change Q2 2008  Q2 2007

    Revenue                      65.0     65.5     -1%      65.0     65.5
    Income before income tax     21.1     22.5     -6%      12.6     12.0
    Operating margin             31.5%    32.0%             18.3%    16.0%
    Earnings per share (pence)   1.17     1.18     -1%      0.71     0.64
    Net cash generation**        26.5     10.0
    Effective fx rate ($/GBP)    1.97     1.97


    H1 2008 - Financial Summary

                                  US GAAP Normalised*          US GAAP

    GBPM
                               H1 2008  H1 2007  % Change H1 2008  H1 2007

    Revenue                     132.9    132.0      1%     132.9    132.0
    Income before income tax     42.5     44.1     -4%      24.8     24.7
    Operating margin            31.0%    31.1%             17.7%    16.5%
    Earnings per share (pence)   2.33     2.32      1%      1.39     1.34
    Net cash generation**        40.2     25.5
    Effective fx rate ($/GBP)    1.97     1.96


    *   Normalised figures are based on US GAAP, adjusted for
        acquisition-related, share-based remuneration and restructuring
        charges.
    **  Before dividends and share buybacks, net cash flows from share option
        exercises and acquisition consideration.
    *** Dollar revenues are based on the group's actual dollar invoicing,
        where applicable, and using the rate of exchange applicable on the
        date of the transaction for invoicing in currencies other than
        dollars. Approximately 95% of invoicing is in dollars.


    Contacts:

    Fiona Laffan/Pavla Shaw                Tim Score/Ian Thornton
    Brunswick                              ARM Holdings plc
    +44(0)207-404-5959                     +44(0)1628-427800