Earnings Labs

Photronics, Inc. (PLAB)

Q3 2009 Earnings Call· Wed, Aug 19, 2009

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by. Welcome to the Photronics third quarter earnings call. (Operator Instructions). As a reminder, this conference is being recorded Wednesday, August 19, 2009. I would now like to turn the conference over to Scott Gish, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications of Photronics. Please go ahead, sir.

Scott Gish

Management

': ': ':

Constantine Macricostas

Management

Thank you, Scott, and good morning everyone. Before turning the call over to Sean, I would like to take a few minutes to review our accomplishments from Q3 as we discuss our served markets and strategic direction. During our second quarter conference call, we stated that order activity had bottomed in March and gradually improved thereafter. ': Our key initiatives entering the quarter were, number one, continuing to lower our cost structure and improve our balance sheet. Number two, further penetrate the high-end flat panel display and IC markets, while continuing to ramp NanoFab. I am pleased to announce that significant progress has been achieved in both areas. First, in July, we announced the closure of our Shanghai facility. The IC photomask market in China is competitive. It remains relatively small, and is mostly comprised of mature applications. These factors left little opportunity to establish a profitable operation. Closing the facility will enable us to realize savings of $45 million annually with low revenue impact. Secondly, our strategy to penetrate and win tapeouts of advanced IC photomasks gained considerable traction during the quarter. Sales of photomask, at and below 65 nanometers increased 23% sequentially. Success in this area was driven in large part by gains within memory-based markets, including Taiwan. High-end IC sales expanded in all regions, and volume commitment was secured from two major customers. At NanoFab, our newest and most advanced facility, sales again improved sequentially as we continued to ramp production. Qualification in a first production order was achieved with an additional Taiwanese DRAM manufacturer. Three previously qualified customers progressed to volume manufacturing, and five of our top 20 customers are now sourcing photomasks from NanoFab. ': Capital spending, especially for technology and related equipment is increasing. In addition, photomask technology has been established as a key component, enabling smaller transistors. Device scaling in both NAND flash and DRAM has been accelerating, driving additional demand for leading-edge photomasks. In the remaining of calendar 2009, we will stay intensely focused on cost control and advancing improvements. Simultaneously, we will aggressively pursue new technology node qualification and market share gains with the objective to outgrow the markets during the recovery. Thank you. Sean?

Sean Smith

Management

': During the quarter, as Deno alluded to, we announced the closure of our manufacturing facility in Shanghai. In connection therewith, including residual costs associated with our previously announced Manchester site closure, we recorded an aggregate charge of $10.7 million in the third quarter. The total Shanghai site closure is projected to be in the range of $11 million to $13 million, with approximately 85% of it being non-cash. On May 15, 2009, we also issued 2.1 million warrants in connection with our amended credit agreement. For the quarter, we recorded a mark-to-market, non-cash charge of $6.8 million related to the appreciation in value in our stock price since the issuance. For purposes of our discussions on operations for the third quarter, I will be primarily referring to our operating results, excluding the impact of these items. Net sales in the third quarter amounted to $95.4 million. Revenues for IC and FPD photomasks were $71.7 million, and $23.7 million respectively. Sequentially, total sales increased by 14.6%, or $12.2 million, with IC and FPD sales increasing by 12.4% and 22% respectively. The increase in sales was by and large attributable to increased high-end demand for IC and FPD photomasks. However, both IC and FPD photomasks for mainstream products improved sequentially as well. The quarterly revenue of $95.4 million was also enhanced by the early arrival of a few high-end photomask sets during the last few weeks of the quarter. These sets were previously expected to be taped out during the fourth quarter. Sales of advanced IC and FPD photomasks were 8% and 15% respectively of total sales for the quarter. Included in these percentages are mask sets for semiconductor designs at and below 65 nanometers, and FPD sets used to fabricate flat panel products using G7 and higher technology. Although not…

Operator

Operator

': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: ':

Sean Smith

Management

Matt, I think you are correct with the short lead times, but what we had anticipated when we guided for Q3, based upon our qualification processes at the NanoFab and some new customer engagements that Deno alluded to in his opening remarks, we had planned for some of those orders to come-in in Q4. The process for regular transfers of high-end orders were pulled in, so we were able to capitalize on that. However, we generally believe that we will continue to see modest improvement as we move forward. Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: Okay. The next question I had again was kind of on the NanoFab. You are now only counting 65 nanometers or below versus a year ago. Those numbers included 90 nanometers. So, clearly, you are seeing improvement, but it sounds like you have had a lot of incremental customer traction. When can we see the numbers for the NanoFab start to improve on a year-over-year basis? I mean, the October quarter last year was over $10 million. Should we start to see double digit types of numbers from the leading edge?

Sean Smith

Management

': ': ': ': ': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: ':

Sean Smith

Management

': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: Sean, did you share depreciation and amortization on the quarter?

Sean Smith

Management

Depreciation and amortization in the quarter was; $19 million for depreciation and then about $2.4 million of amortization.

Operator

Operator

':

Krish Sankar - Bank of America-Merrill Lynch

Management

Sean, how do we think of the interest expense in Q4?

Sean Smith

Management

The interest expense is certainly one of the areas we need to take a hard look at. We have an effective yield if you look at Q3 of about 11.4% all-in, including cash and non-cash. So, it would probably be about the same amount, 11.5% all-in of our outstanding debt. So, that is why we are incented to try to use some of our cash on the balance sheet, and our operating cash flow and the sale of certain assets taken out of service to pay down our debt to improve the bottom line.

Krish Sankar - Bank of America-Merrill Lynch

Management

In terms of the high-end IC, do you think you have any terms of segmentation by customer or region for the IC photomask in the July quarter?

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Krish Sankar - Bank of America-Merrill Lynch

Management

Along the same lines of the FPD, the high-end grew quite a lot, almost over 40%. Was this strength coming from Taiwan or was it Korea or both the regions?

Sean Smith

Management

Primarily Korea.

Krish Sankar - Bank of America-Merrill Lynch

Management

Primarily Korea. Then, did you guys see any new customer qualify in the NanoFab for July?

Scott Gish

Management

We said that we qualified three additional customers in the NanoFab, and we also moved three customers who were already qualified to volume production.

Operator

Operator

':

Patrick Ho - Stifel Nicolaus

Management

Thanks a lot, guys. I understand it is prudent to be cautiously optimistic at this time, but what is your take or what is your color in terms of the sustainability of business trends on a going-forward basis? Do you feel much better that the worst is over and at the very least, we are at an inflection point of a recovery?

Constantine Macricostas

Management

': ':

Patrick Ho - Stifel Nicolaus

Management

Right. I think you guys have done a really good job at least on the cost cutting front over the last few quarters and taken some major moves along the way. Maybe this is more for you, Sean. Would it be fair to say that a lot of the major moves are out of the way and from here on out, they are kind of tweaking moves? Or are you guys still evaluating like the overall structural basis of the company, and there could still be additional sizable moves ahead?

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Patrick Ho - Stifel Nicolaus

Management

Great. A final question from me, along with these cost cutting moves and aligning your manufacturing cost structure to the next recovery scenario, how have your suppliers or how do you feel the supply base is for you guys on a potential recovery scenario? Do you feel confident that they will be ready to ramp up whenever things really start picking up steam?

Peter Kirlin

Management

I think our supply chain is duly exercised and they are an active participant in our cost reduction. As Sean mentioned, we will be relentless day in and day out continuing to drive down our operating costs. However, they are largely intact. So, they are well-positioned to ramp with us.

Scott Gish

Management

':

Peter Kirlin

Management

Definitely not.

Operator

Operator

':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

Nice quarter, guys. Two questions for you. First, can you just give us an update on the total numbers for the NanoFab between the total numbers of customers qualified, and then total numbers of volume customers?

Sean Smith

Management

':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

Next, can you talk a little bit about the general sentiment among your customers? Your results here and just the general tone seemed much better. So what is kind of the sentiment out there?

Scott Gish

Management

': ':

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Christopher Progler

Management

': ': ':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

Okay, that is all pretty solid. Last question is just on margins. Sean, you talked about the drop-through, and I think you might have said the drop-through on gross margin is about the same as on the operating line. You can correct me on that, but any chance that that number can actually go a little bit higher than what you did, and then how would mix impact that?

Sean Smith

Management

':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

Was drop-through still around 60% there? Was that the number you gave?

Sean Smith

Management

This quarter we did 62% I believe as I quoted, but depending upon the mix, it could be anywhere from 50% to 60%. We have seen some quarters where it is 70% and some quarters where it is 48%, but around 60% is a good benchmark.

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

':

Sean Smith

Management

':

Operator

Operator

':

Brett Hodess - Merrill Lynch

Management

': ': ':

Christopher Progler

Management

': ':

Brett Hodess - Merrill Lynch

Management

The second question I had was really for Sean. You mentioned on the interest expense front, trying to be opportunistic to get down the debt levels and the interest expense. When you are talking about being opportunistic, I know there is lot of different opportunities, but are you focusing mainly on taking out new debt as the credit markets continue to loosen up or would you actually consider an equity offering as well, you think, to improve that issue?

Sean Smith

Management

': ': ': ':

Brett Hodess - Merrill Lynch

Management

':

Sean Smith

Management

': ': ':

Constantine Macricostas

Management

We do have a lot of capacity in the high-end and the low-end, definitely. We have a lot of capacity, even north of first quarter, couple of years or year and a half ago.

Peter Kirlin

Management

That was how I was going to answer the question. We can achieve peak revenue levels historically with the installed base as it sits now without any doubt.

Brett Hodess - Merrill Lynch

Management

Can you exceed those levels given the higher ASP mix of the leading edge?

Constantine Macricostas

Management

Yes, we can exceed them.

Operator

Operator

': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: ':

Sean Smith

Management

': ': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: How should we be thinking about Micron? I know primarily their volumes go through MP Mask, but I guess my understanding is that any overflow could go through the NanoFab. Is that correct?

Christopher Progler

Management

': ': ': ': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: Chris, it was my understanding that during the downturn, just given lower volumes at MP Mask, the intent is just to keep that shop busy first. Is that correct?

Christopher Progler

Management

': ': Matt Petkun - D.A. Davidson & Co.: You did comment a little bit about just the technology partners that Micron has now. I assume you have an opportunity to serve some of the guys in Taiwan who will be accessing the Micron technology. Where will you be serving them from? I assume in Asia.

Christopher Progler

Management

':

Operator

Operator

':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

':

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Constantine Macricostas

Management

':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

':

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

Sean, on the breakeven, the number you just threw out includes the Shanghai closing?

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

Is it going to kind of stay around that level or do you anticipate that going any lower?

Sean Smith

Management

We will work to try to get that lower, barring any other significant move. I think we referred to it earlier on the call as tweaking, but we are going to continue to try to extract fixed costs out of our system.

Chip Bonnett - FM Global

Management

':

Sean Smith

Management

': ':

Operator

Operator

(Operator Instructions). We have no further questions in the queue. I would like to turn the call back over to our presenters for any additional or closing remarks.

Constantine Macricostas

Management

':

Operator

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the conference call for today. We thank you for your participation and ask that you please disconnect your line.