Table of Contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
☒
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020
OR
☐
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Commission file number 0-16244
VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Delaware
11-2989601
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
Terminal DrivePlainview, New York
11803
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(516) 677-0200
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
VECO
The NASDAQ Global Select Market
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).Yes ☒ No ◻
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☒
Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☐
Smaller reporting company ☐
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
As of May 1, 2020, there were 49,428,391 shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding.
INDEX
Safe Harbor Statement
1
PART I—FINANCIAL INFORMATION
4
Item 1. Financial Statements
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
24
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
30
Item 4. Controls and Procedures
31
PART II—OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
Item 1A. Risk Factors
32
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
33
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Item 5. Other Information
Item 6. Exhibits
34
SIGNATURES
This quarterly report on Form 10-Q (the “Report”) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Discussions containing such forward-looking statements may be found in Part I - Items 1, 2, and 3 hereof, as well as within this Report generally. In addition, when used in this Report, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “targets,” “plans,” “intends,” “will,” and similar expressions related to the future are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results.
In addition, the preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Although these estimates and assumptions are based on knowledge of current events, including the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, and planned actions to be undertaken in the future, they may ultimately differ from actual results. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020. All estimates and assumptions are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from these estimates and assumptions.
The risks and uncertainties of Veeco Instruments Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “Veeco,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our,” unless the context indicates otherwise) include, without limitation, those set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” Part 1, Item 1A in our 2019 Form 10-K and Part 2, Item 1A in this quarterly report, and the following:
2
Consequently, such forward looking statements and estimates should be regarded solely as the current plans and beliefs of Veeco. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements.
3
Veeco Instruments Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share amounts)
March 31,
December 31,
2020
2019
(unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$
162,325
129,294
Restricted cash
652
657
Short-term investments
79,429
115,252
Accounts receivable, net
84,251
45,666
Contract assets
14,612
25,351
Inventories
129,611
133,067
Deferred cost of sales
1,981
445
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
16,446
14,966
Assets held for sale
11,183
11,180
Total current assets
500,490
475,878
Property, plant, and equipment, net
72,291
75,711
Operating lease right-of-use assets
13,159
14,453
Intangible assets, net
57,680
61,518
Goodwill
181,943
Deferred income taxes
1,549
Other assets
5,774
7,036
Total assets
832,886
818,088
Liabilities and stockholders' equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
36,359
21,281
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
41,568
41,243
Customer deposits and deferred revenue
49,628
54,870
Income taxes payable
954
830
Total current liabilities
128,509
118,224
5,763
5,648
Long-term debt
303,388
300,068
Operating lease long-term liabilities
9,294
10,300
Other liabilities
8,868
9,336
Total liabilities
455,822
443,576
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 500,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding.
—
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 120,000,000 shares authorized; 49,428,391 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2020 and 48,994,346 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2019
494
490
Additional paid-in capital
1,074,020
1,071,058
Accumulated deficit
(699,497)
(698,930)
Accumulated other comprehensive income
2,047
1,894
Total stockholders' equity
377,064
374,512
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
See accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
Three months ended March 31,
Net sales
104,502
99,371
Cost of sales
58,083
64,655
Gross profit
46,419
34,716
Operating expenses, net:
Research and development
19,195
23,340
Selling, general, and administrative
18,304
19,902
Amortization of intangible assets
3,837
4,218
Restructuring
625
1,430
Other operating expense (income), net
(109)
(34)
Total operating expenses, net
41,852
48,856
Operating income (loss)
4,567
(14,140)
Interest income
800
1,245
Interest expense
(5,666)
(5,445)
Income (loss) before income taxes
(299)
(18,340)
Income tax expense (benefit)
268
190
Net income (loss)
(567)
(18,530)
Income (loss) per common share:
Basic
(0.01)
(0.40)
Diluted
Weighted average number of shares:
47,811
46,848
5
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(in thousands)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities
201
27
Foreign currency translation
(48)
11
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
153
38
Total comprehensive income (loss)
(414)
(18,492)
6
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization
7,724
8,796
Non-cash interest expense
3,320
3,081
115
(15)
Share-based compensation expense
3,646
3,157
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable and contract assets
(27,846)
(8,134)
Inventories and deferred cost of sales
2,446
8,489
(1,480)
(2,457)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
14,459
(12,260)
(5,242)
(3,855)
Income taxes receivable and payable, net
124
(463)
Other, net
905
(100)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
(2,396)
(22,291)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
Capital expenditures
(1,070)
(2,180)
Proceeds from the sale of investments
71,130
22,500
Payments for purchases of investments
(34,866)
(41,258)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
35,194
(20,938)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Proceeds (net of tax withholdings) from option exercises and employee stock purchase plan
956
1,021
Restricted stock tax withholdings
(680)
(642)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
276
379
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash
33,026
(42,839)
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash - beginning of period
129,951
213,082
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash - end of period
162,977
170,243
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information
Interest paid
4,681
4,693
Income taxes paid
293
2,341
Non-cash operating and financing activities
Net transfer of property, plant and equipment to inventory
526
130
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations
238
7
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1 — Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements of Veeco have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP as defined in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification 270 for interim financial information and with the instructions to Rule 10-01 of Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements as the interim information is an update of the information that was presented in Veeco’s most recent annual financial statements. For further information, refer to Veeco’s Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 (“2019 Form 10-K”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature.
Veeco reports interim quarters on a 13-week basis ending on the last Sunday of each quarter. The fourth quarter always ends on the last day of the calendar year, December 31. The 2020 interim quarters end on March 29, June 28, and September 27, and the 2019 interim quarters ended on March 31, June 30, and September 29. These interim quarters are reported as March 31, June 30, and September 30 in Veeco’s interim consolidated financial statements.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Although these estimates are based on management’s knowledge of current events and actions it may undertake in the future, actual results may differ from these estimates. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted and is likely to further adversely impact the Company’s business and markets, including the Company’s workforce and operations and the operations of the Company’s customers, suppliers, and business partners. The full extent to which the pandemic will directly or indirectly impact the Company's business, results of operations and financial condition, including sales, expenses, manufacturing, research and development costs, reserves and allowances, fair value measurements, and asset impairment charges, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and difficult to predict. These developments include, but are not limited to, the duration and spread of the outbreak, its severity, the actions to contain the virus or address its impact, governmental actions to contain the spread of the pandemic and respond to the reduction in global economic activity, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is recognized upon the transfer of control of the promised product or service to the customer in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for such product or service. The Company’s contracts with customers generally do not contain variable consideration. In the rare instances where variable consideration is included, the Company estimates the amount of variable consideration and determines what portion of that, if any, has a high probability of significant subsequent revenue reversal, and if so, that amount is excluded from the transaction price. The Company’s contracts with customers frequently contain multiple deliverables, such as systems, upgrades, components, spare parts, installation, maintenance, and service plans. Judgment is required to properly identify the performance obligations within a contract and to determine how the revenue should be allocated among the performance obligations. The Company also evaluates whether multiple transactions with the same customer or related parties should be considered part of a single contract based on an assessment of whether the contracts or agreements are negotiated or executed within a short time frame of each other or if there are indicators that the contracts are negotiated in contemplation of one another.
When there are separate units of accounting, the Company allocates revenue to each performance obligation on a relative stand-alone selling price basis. The stand-alone selling prices are determined based on the prices at which the Company separately sells the systems, upgrades, components, spare parts, installation, maintenance, and service plans. For items
8
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements - continued
that are not sold separately, the Company estimates stand-alone selling prices generally using an expected cost plus margin approach.
Most of the Company’s revenue is recognized at a point in time when the performance obligation is satisfied. The Company considers many facts when evaluating each of its sales arrangements to determine the timing of revenue recognition, including its contractual obligations and the nature of the customer’s post-delivery acceptance provisions. The Company’s system sales arrangements, including certain upgrades, generally include field acceptance provisions that may include functional or mechanical test procedures. For many of these arrangements, a customer source inspection of the system is performed in the Company’s facility, test data is sent to the customer documenting that the system is functioning to the agreed upon specifications prior to delivery, or other quality assurance testing is performed internally to ensure system functionality prior to shipment. Historically, such source inspection or test data replicates the field acceptance provisions that are performed at the customer’s site prior to final acceptance of the system. When the Company objectively demonstrates that the criteria specified in the contractual acceptance provisions are achieved prior to delivery either through customer testing or the Company’s historical experience of its tools meeting specifications, transfer of control of the product to the customer is considered to have occurred and revenue is recognized upon system delivery since there is no substantive contingency remaining related to the acceptance provisions at that date. For new products, new applications of existing products, or for products with substantive customer acceptance provisions where the Company cannot objectively demonstrate that the criteria specified in the contractual acceptance provisions have been achieved prior to delivery, revenue and the associated costs are deferred. The Company recognizes such revenue and costs upon obtaining objective evidence that the acceptance provisions can be achieved, assuming all other revenue recognition criteria have been met.
In certain cases the Company’s contracts with customers contain a billing retention, typically 10% of the sales price, which is billed by the Company and payable by the customer when field acceptance provisions are completed. Revenue recognized in advance of the amount that has been billed is recorded as a contract asset on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
The Company recognizes revenue related to maintenance and service contracts over time based upon the respective contract term. Installation revenue is recognized over time as the installation services are performed. The Company recognizes revenue from the sales of components, spare parts, and specified service engagements at a point in time, which is typically consistent with the time of delivery in accordance with the terms of the applicable sales arrangement.
The Company may receive customer deposits on system transactions. The timing of the transfer of goods or services related to the deposits is either at the discretion of the customer or expected to be within one year from the deposit receipt. As such, the Company does not adjust transaction prices for the time value of money. Incremental direct costs incurred related to the acquisition of a customer contract, such as sales commissions, are expensed as incurred since the expected amortization period is one year or less.
The Company has elected to treat shipping and handling costs as a fulfillment activity, and the Company includes such costs in cost of services when the Company recognizes revenue for the related goods. Taxes assessed by governmental authorities that are collected by the Company from a customer are excluded from revenue.
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis. Each quarter the Company assesses the valuation and recoverability of all inventories: materials (raw materials, spare parts, and service inventory); work-in-process; and finished goods. Obsolete inventory or inventory in excess of management’s estimated usage requirement is written down to its estimated net realizable value if less than cost. The Company evaluates usage requirements by analyzing historical usage, anticipated demand, alternative uses of materials, and other qualitative factors. Unanticipated changes in demand for the Company’s products may require a write down of
9
inventory, which would be reflected in cost of sales in the period the revision is made. Inventory acquired as part of a business combination is recorded at fair value on the date of acquisition.
Note 2 — Income (Loss) Per Common Share
Basic income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the period. Diluted income per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares used to calculate basic income (loss) per share plus the weighted average number of common share equivalents outstanding during the period. The dilutive effect of outstanding options to purchase common stock and share-based awards is considered in diluted income per share by application of the treasury stock method. The dilutive effect of performance share units is included in diluted income per common share if the performance targets have been achieved, or would have been achieved if the reporting date was the end of the contingency period. The computations of basic and diluted income (loss) per share for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 are as follows:
Net income (loss) per common share:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
Effect of potentially dilutive share-based awards
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
Common share equivalents excluded from the diluted weighted average shares outstanding since the Company incurred a net loss and their effect would be antidilutive
627
320
Potentially dilutive shares excluded from the diluted calculation as their effect would be antidilutive
1,485
2,426
Maximum potential shares to be issued for settlement of the Convertible Senior Notes excluded from the diluted calculation as their effect would be antidilutive
8,618
Note 3 — Assets
Investments
Short-term investments are generally classified as available-for-sale and reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, presented as a separate component of stockholders’ equity under the caption “Accumulated other comprehensive income” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. These securities may include U.S. treasuries, government agency securities, corporate debt, and commercial paper, all with maturities of greater than three months when purchased. All realized gains and losses and unrealized losses resulting from declines in fair value that are other than temporary are included in “Other, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Fair value is the price that would be received for an asset or the amount paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. Veeco classifies certain assets based on the following fair value hierarchy:
Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets that are unadjusted and accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;
10
Level 2: Quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or financial instruments for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly; and
Level 3: Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.
A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Veeco has evaluated the estimated fair value of financial instruments using available market information and valuations as provided by third-party sources. The use of different market assumptions or estimation methodologies could have a significant effect on the estimated fair value amounts.
The following table presents the portion of Veeco’s assets that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Total
March 31, 2020
Cash equivalents
Certificate of deposits and time deposits
81,796
Government money market fund
47,500
Commercial paper
9,498
129,296
138,794
U.S. treasuries
52,507
Government agency securities
5,976
Corporate debt
7,015
13,931
26,922
December 31, 2019
67,009
10,484
1,000
11,484
78,493
105,130
1,139
6,002
2,981
10,122
There were no transfers between fair value measurement levels during the three months ended March 31, 2020.
At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the amortized cost and fair value of available-for-sale securities consist of:
Gross
Amortized
Unrealized
Estimated
Cost
Gains
Losses
Fair Value
52,285
222
5,947
29
7,032
(17)
13,930
79,194
252
105,096
(4)
6,003
(1)
115,219
(5)
Available-for-sale securities in a loss position at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consist of:
22,943
28,945
At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, there were no short-term investments that had been in a continuous loss position for more than 12 months.
The maturities of securities classified as available-for-sale at March 31, 2020 were all due in one year or less, and an allowance for credit loss is considered unnecessary. Actual maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. There were no realized gains or losses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable is presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.6 million at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The Company considered its current expectations of future economic conditions, including the impact of COVID-19, when estimating its allowance for doubtful accounts. As a result of this assessment, no increase to the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts was deemed necessary as a result of the Company’s current estimate of the impact COVID-19 will have on the collectability of the Company’s accounts receivable.
12
Inventories at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consist of the following:
Materials
81,684
82,155
Work-in-process
41,706
42,575
Finished goods
6,221
8,337
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets primarily consist of supplier deposits, prepaid value-added tax, lease deposits, prepaid insurance, and prepaid licenses. Veeco had deposits with its suppliers of $5.4 million and $5.9 million at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.
Assets Held for Sale (including subsequent event)
In the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company determined that one of its non-core product lines (the “disposal group”) met the held for sale criteria, and as such, the related assets are presented as “Assets held for sale” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Subsequent to March 31, 2020, the Company completed the sale of this product line for approximately $11.4 million, with approximately 85% of the transaction price due upon closing, and 15% held in escrow for a period of 18 months. Long-lived assets and definite-lived intangible assets were not depreciated or amortized while classified as held for sale. The sale of this disposal group does not represent a strategic shift that will have a material effect on the Company’s operations and financial results, nor is it considered a component of the Company, and as such it did not meet the criteria to be reported as discontinued operations.
For the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recorded a non-cash impairment charge on these assets held for sale of $4.0 million in order to measure the disposal group at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less costs to sell, which resulted in a corresponding held for sale valuation allowance on its assets held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The major classes of assets that were classified as held for sale as of March 31, 2020 are as follows:
Assets held for sale:
5,988
310
6,546
2,359
Impairment
(4,020)
Total Assets held for sale
13
Property, Plant, and Equipment
Property, plant, and equipment at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consist of the following:
Land
5,061
Building and improvements
62,631
61,884
Machinery and equipment (1)
136,625
137,692
Leasehold improvements
6,770
6,703
Gross property, plant, and equipment
211,087
211,340
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization
138,796
135,629
Net property, plant, and equipment
For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, depreciation expense was $3.9 million and $4.6 million, respectively.
Goodwill represents the future economic benefits arising from assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. The Company continues to assess the COVID-19 pandemic as a potential triggering event related to the value of its goodwill and concluded that there were no indicators of impairment during the three months ended March 31, 2020.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets consist of purchased technology, customer relationships, patents, trademarks and tradenames, and backlog, and are initially recorded at fair value. Long-lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives in a method reflecting the pattern in which the economic benefits are consumed or amortized on a straight-line basis if such pattern cannot be reliably determined. The Company continues to assess the COVID-19 pandemic as a potential triggering event related to the value of its intangible assets and concluded that there were no indicators of impairment during the three months ended March 31, 2020.
The components of purchased intangible assets were as follows:
Accumulated
Amortization
Carrying
and
Net
Amount
Technology
327,908
294,414
33,494
291,766
36,142
Customer relationships
146,465
127,606
18,859
126,764
19,701
Trademarks and tradenames
30,910
25,596
5,314
25,256
5,654
Other
3,686
3,673
3,665
21
508,969
451,289
447,451
Other intangible assets primarily consist of patents, licenses, and backlog.
14
Note 4 — Liabilities
Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities
The components of accrued expenses and other current liabilities at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consist of:
Payroll and related benefits
18,909
15,174
Warranty
5,968
7,067
Operating lease liabilities
4,286
4,196
Interest
1,992
4,321
Professional fees
1,936
2,443
Sales, use, and other taxes
2,644
811
Restructuring liability
2,074
2,841
3,759
4,390
Warranties are typically valid for one year from the date of system final acceptance, and Veeco estimates the costs that may be incurred under the warranty. Estimated warranty costs are determined by analyzing specific product and historical configuration statistics and regional warranty support costs and are affected by product failure rates, material usage, and labor costs incurred in correcting product failures during the warranty period. Unforeseen component failures or exceptional component performance can also result in changes to warranty costs. Changes in product warranty reserves for the three months ended March 31, 2020 include:
Balance - December 31, 2019
Warranties issued
645
Consumption of reserves
(1,708)
Changes in estimate
(36)
Balance - March 31, 2020
Restructuring Accruals
The Company continued to record restructuring charges during the year ended December 31, 2019 as a result of its efforts to further streamline operations, enhance efficiencies, and reduce costs. In the second half of 2019, the Company executed an initiative to reorganize various functions along product lines and created a central research and development organization to better allocate its resources to the Company’s highest priority projects. In addition, the Company delayered the organization. Collectively, these actions impacted approximately 60 employees. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, additional accruals were recognized and payments were made related to these restructuring initiatives.
The following table shows the amounts incurred and paid for restructuring activities during the three months ended March 31, 2020, and the remaining accrued balance of restructuring costs at March 31, 2020, which is included in
15
“Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and principally consists of personnel severance and related costs:
Provision
Payments
(1,392)
Customer Deposits and Deferred Revenue
Customer deposits totaled $24.9 million and $26.6 million at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. Deferred revenue represents amounts billed, other than deposits, in excess of the revenue that can be recognized on a particular contract at the balance sheet date. Changes in deferred revenue were as follows:
28,249
Deferral of revenue
5,089
Recognition of previously deferred revenue
(8,607)
24,731
As of March 31, 2020, the Company has approximately $32.2 million of remaining performance obligations on contracts with an original estimated duration of one year or more, of which approximately 88% is expected to be recognized within one year, with the remaining amounts expected to be recognized between one to three years. The Company has elected to exclude disclosures regarding remaining performance obligations that have an original expected duration of one year or less.
Convertible Senior Notes
On January 10, 2017, the Company issued $345.0 million of 2.70% convertible senior unsecured notes (the “Convertible Senior Notes”). The Company received net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and fees and expenses payable by the Company, of approximately $335.8 million. The Convertible Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 2.70% per year, payable semiannually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing on July 15, 2017. The Convertible Senior Notes mature on January 15, 2023 (the “Maturity Date”), unless earlier purchased by the Company, redeemed, or converted.
The carrying value of the Convertible Senior Notes is as follows:
Principal amount
345,000
Unamortized debt discount
(37,804)
(40,820)
Unamortized transaction costs
(3,808)
(4,112)
Net carrying value
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Total interest expense related to the Convertible Senior Notes is as follows:
Cash Interest Expense
Coupon interest expense
2,329
Non-Cash Interest Expense
Amortization of debt discount
3,016
2,799
Amortization of transaction costs
304
282
Total Interest Expense
5,649
5,410
The Company determined the Convertible Senior Notes is a Level 2 liability in the fair value hierarchy and estimated its fair value as $283.8 million at March 31, 2020.
Other Liabilities
As part of the acquisition of Ultratech, the Company assumed an executive non-qualified deferred compensation plan that allowed qualifying executives to defer cash compensation. The plan was frozen at the time of acquisition and no further contributions have been made. At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, plan assets approximated $1.9 million and $2.7 million, respectively, representing the cash surrender value of life insurance policies and is included within “Other assets” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, while plan liabilities approximated $2.3 million and $3.1 million, respectively, and is included within “Other liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Other liabilities at both March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 also included medical and dental benefits for former executives of $2.0 million, asset retirement obligations of $3.2 million, and income tax payables of $1.0 million.
Note 5 — Commitments and Contingencies
Leases
The Company’s operating leases primarily include real estate leases for properties used for manufacturing, R&D activities, sales and service, and administration, as well as certain equipment leases. Some leases may include options to renew for a period of up to 5 years, while others may include options to terminate the lease. The weighted average
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remaining lease term of the Company’s operating leases as of March 31, 2020 was 3 years, and the weighted average discount rate used in determining the present value of future lease payments was 6.0%.
The following table provides the maturities of lease liabilities at March 31, 2020:
Operating
Payments due by period:
3,898
2021
4,970
2022
4,387
2023
1,112
2024
551
Thereafter
Total future minimum lease payments
14,918
Less: Imputed interest
(1,338)
13,580
Reported as of March 31, 2020
Operating lease cost for both the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $1.4 million. Variable lease cost for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $0.5 million and $0.6 million, respectively. Additionally, the Company has an immaterial amount of short term leases. Operating cash outflows from operating leases for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were $1.3 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
Purchase Commitments
Veeco has purchase commitments of $76.2 million at March 31, 2020, substantially all of which become due within one year.
Bank Guarantees
Veeco has bank guarantees and letters of credit issued by a financial institution on its behalf as needed. At March 31, 2020, outstanding bank guarantees and letters of credit totaled $5.8 million, and unused bank guarantees and letters of credit of $25.8 million were available to be drawn upon.
Legal Proceedings
On June 8, 2018, an Ultratech shareholder who received Veeco stock as part of the consideration for the Ultratech acquisition filed a purported class action complaint in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, captioned Wolther v. Maheshwari et al., Case No. 18CV329690, on behalf of himself and others who purchased or acquired shares of Veeco pursuant to the registration statement and prospectus which Veeco filed with the SEC in connection with the Ultratech acquisition (the “Wolther Action”). On August 2 and August 8, 2018, two purported class action complaints substantially similar to the Wolther Action were filed on behalf of different plaintiffs in the same court as the Wolther Action. These cases have been consolidated with the Wolther Action, and a consolidated complaint was filed on December 11, 2018. The consolidated complaint seeks to recover damages and fees under Sections 11, 12, and
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15 of the Securities Act of 1933 for, among other things, alleged false/misleading statements in the registration statement and prospectus relating to the Ultratech acquisition, relating primarily to the alleged failure to disclose delays in the advanced packaging business, increased MOCVD competition in China, and an intellectual property dispute. Veeco is defending this matter vigorously.
On December 21, 2018, a purported Veeco stockholder filed a derivative action in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, captioned Vladimir Gusinsky Revocable Trust v. Peeler, et al., Case No. 18CV339925, on behalf of nominal defendant Veeco. The complaint seeks to assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment against current and former Veeco directors premised on purported misstatements and omissions in the registration statement relating to the Ultratech acquisition. Veeco is defending this matter vigorously.
The Company is involved in various other legal proceedings arising in the normal course of business. The Company does not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.
Note 6 — Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company is exposed to financial market risks arising from changes in currency exchange rates. Changes in currency exchange rates could affect the Company’s foreign currency denominated monetary assets and liabilities and forecasted cash flows. The Company enters into monthly forward derivative contracts with the intent of mitigating a portion of this risk. The Company only uses derivative financial instruments in the context of hedging and not for speculative purposes and had not designated its foreign exchange derivatives as hedges. Accordingly, changes in fair value from these contracts are recorded as “Other operating expense (income), net” in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company executes derivative transactions with highly rated financial institutions to mitigate counterparty risk.
The Company did not have any outstanding derivative contracts at March 31, 2020 or December 31, 2019. Additionally, the Company did not have any gains or losses from currency exchange derivatives during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
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Note 7 — Equity
Statement of Stockholders’ Equity
The following tables present the changes in Stockholders’ Equity:
Additional
Common Stock
Paid-in
Comprehensive
Shares
Capital
Deficit
Income
Balance at December 31, 2019
48,994
Net loss
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
Net issuance under employee stock plans
434
(684)
Balance at March 31, 2020
49,428
Treasury Stock
Balance at December 31, 2018
48,547
485
523
(5,872)
1,061,325
(619,983)
1,820
437,775
128
(523)
5,872
(6,303)
(213)
Balance at March 31, 2019
48,675
487
1,058,179
(638,726)
1,858
421,798
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”)
The following table presents the changes in the balances of each component of AOCI, net of tax:
Gains (Losses)
Foreign
on Available
Currency
for Sale
Translation
Securities
1,861
Other comprehensive income (loss)
1,813
234
There were minimal reclassifications from AOCI into net income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
Note 8 — Share-Based Compensation
Restricted share awards are issued to employees that are subject to specified restrictions and a risk of forfeiture. The restrictions typically lapse over one to five years and may entitle holders to dividends and voting rights. Other types of share-based compensation include performance share awards, performance share units, and restricted share units (collectively with restricted share awards, “restricted shares”), as well as options to purchase common stock.
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Share-based compensation expense was recognized in the following line items in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:
521
470
874
792
2,251
1,895
For the three months ended March 31, 2020, equity activity related to stock options was as follows:
Weighted
Number of
Average
Exercise Price
1,119
34.88
Expired or forfeited
(40)
34.19
1,079
34.90
For the three months ended March 31, 2020, equity activity related to non-vested restricted shares and performance shares was as follows:
Grant Date
2,257
16.20
Granted
840
8.99
Performance award adjustments
(45)
31.34
Vested
(190)
12.68
Forfeited
(233)
16.35
2,629
13.88
Note 9 — Income Taxes
Income taxes are estimated for each of the jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes, as well as the tax effect of carryforwards. Realization of net deferred tax assets is dependent on future taxable income. At March 31, 2020, the Company’s U.S. deferred tax assets are fully offset by a valuation allowance since the Company cannot conclude that it is more likely than not that these future benefits will be realized.
At the end of each interim reporting period, the effective tax rate is aligned with expectations for the full year. This estimate is used to determine the income tax provision on a year-to-date basis and may change in subsequent interim periods. If necessary, the year-to-date tax benefit for interim period losses is limited to the amount that could be recognizable at the end of the fiscal year.
Loss before income taxes and income tax expense (benefit) for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
Loss before income taxes
The Company’s tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $0.3 million, compared to $0.2 million for the comparable prior period. The 2020 tax expense included a $0.1 million expense related to the Company’s domestic operations and $0.2 million related to the Company’s non-U.S. operations, compared to 2019 when the expense included a $0.1 million expense related to the Company’s domestic operations and $0.1 million related to the Company’s non-U.S. operations. Although there was a domestic pre-tax loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company did not provide a current tax benefit on domestic pre-tax losses, as the amounts are not realizable on a more-likely-than-not basis. The domestic tax expense for the current period is primarily attributable to the tax amortization of indefinite-lived intangible assets that is not available to offset U.S. deferred tax assets.
Note 10 — Segment Reporting and Geographic Information
Veeco operates and measures its results in one operating segment and therefore has one reportable segment: the design, development, manufacture, and support of thin film process equipment primarily sold to make electronic devices.
Veeco categorizes its sales into the following four end-markets:
Front-End Semiconductor
Front-End Semiconductor refers to the early steps in the process of integrated circuit fabrication where the microchips are created but still remain on the silicon wafer. This category includes Laser Spike Anneal, Ion Beam etch for front-end semiconductor applications, and Ion Beam deposition for EUV mask blanks.
Advanced Packaging, MEMS & RF Filters
Advanced Packaging includes a portfolio of wafer-level assembly technologies that enable improved performance of electronic products, such as smartphones, high-end servers, and graphical processors. Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (“MEMS”) includes tiny mechanical devices such as sensors, switches, mirrors, and actuators embedded in semiconductor chips used in vehicles, smartphones, tablets, and games. RF Filters refers to RF filters used in smartphones, tablets, and mobile devices.
LED Lighting, Display & Compound Semiconductor
LED Lighting refers to Light Emitting Diode (“LED”) and semiconductor illumination sources used in various applications including, but not limited to, displays such as backlights, general lighting, automotive running lights, and headlamps. Display refers to LEDs used for displays and Organic Light Emitting Diode (“OLED”) displays found in outdoor display/signage applications, TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, and tablets. Compound Semiconductor includes Photonics, Power Electronics, and Radio Frequency (“RF”) Devices. Photonics refers to laser diodes, Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (“VCSEL”) in 3D sensing and communications, and various other optical devices. Power Electronics refers to semiconductor devices such as rectifiers, inverters, and converters for the control and conversion of electric power. RF devices refers to radio frequency emitting and receiving devices that enable wireless communications. Such devices include power amplifiers, switches, and transceivers for applications such as mobile (including handsets and base stations), defense, automobile, and the Internet of Things.
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Scientific & Industrial
Scientific refers to advanced materials research at university research institutions, industry research institutions, industry consortiums, and government research agencies. Industrial refers to large-scale product manufacturing applications including data storage and optical coatings: thin layers of material deposited on a lens or mirror that alters how light reflects and transmits.
Sales by end-market and geographic region for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:
Sales by end-market
31,366
22,617
8,588
23,127
15,402
13,550
49,146
40,077
Sales by geographic region
United States
39,635
32,315
China
10,472
10,159
EMEA(1)
16,150
17,827
Rest of World
38,245
39,070
For geographic reporting, sales are attributed to the location in which the customer facility is located.
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Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Our discussion below constitutes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this Report, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “targets,” “plans,” “intends,” “will,” and similar expressions related to the future are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates they are made.
Executive Summary
We are an innovative manufacturer of semiconductor process equipment. Our proven ion beam, laser annealing, lithography, MOCVD and single wafer etch & clean technologies play an integral role in the fabrication and packaging of advanced semiconductor devices. With equipment designed to optimize performance, yield and cost of ownership, Veeco holds leading technology positions in the markets we serve. To learn more about Veeco’s systems and service offerings, visit www.veeco.com.
COVID-19 Update
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, governmental authorities have implemented and are continuing to implement numerous and constantly evolving measures to try to contain the virus, such as travel bans and restrictions, limits on gatherings, quarantines, shelter-in-place orders, and business shutdowns. We have important manufacturing operations in the U.S. and sales and support operations in China, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, all of which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measures providing for business shutdowns generally exclude certain essential services, and those essential services include critical infrastructure and the businesses that support that critical infrastructure. Our operations are considered part of the critical and essential infrastructure defined by applicable government authorities, and, although governmental measures to contain the pandemic may be modified or extended, our manufacturing facilities remain open and operating largely at or near full capacity. We believe our diverse product offerings and the critical nature of certain of our products for infrastructure insulate us, to some extent, from the adverse effects of the pandemic; however, a prolonged economic downturn will adversely affect our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our revenues, particularly if customers from whom we derive a significant amount of revenue reduce or delay purchases to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic or fail to make payments to us on time or at all.
We serve a global and highly interconnected customer base across the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, and North America. Our net sales to customers located outside of the United States represented approximately 70%, 77%, and 80% of our total net sales in 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively, and we expect that net sales to customers outside the United States will continue to represent a significant percentage of our total net sales. As a result, our business will be adversely impacted by further detoriation in global economic conditions, particularly in markets in Asia and Europe. Markets in China have recently begun to indicate signs of recovery, but European and North American markets continue to remain challenged given ongoing restrictions on business and travel.
To date, we have not yet experienced any significant interruptions to our supply chain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to monitor our global supply chain and may experience disruptions in future periods, primarily as a result of financial challenges confronting companies in our supply chain and restrictions or disruptions of transportation, such as reduced availability of air transport, port closures and increased border controls or closures, any of which could cause a disruption in our ability to obtain raw materials or components required to manufacture our products.
Like many in our industry, we are managing through the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the full extent of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on our business, results of operations, supply chains and growth can not be predicted
or quantified, we proactively identified potential challenges to our business and have been executing business continuity activities to manage disruptions in our business and continue to provide critical infrastructure to our customers. In response to the pandemic, we have taken, or intend to take, the following steps, among others, to keep our employees safe and minimize the spread of the virus, while continuing to serve our customers:
While these steps have been effective so far, there could be additional challenges ahead that may impact either our operations or those of our customers, which could have a negative effect on our financial performance, including productivity and capacity impacts as a result of the ongoing pandemic. We expect to continue to implement these measures until we determine that the COVID-19 pandemic is adequately contained for purposes of our business, and we may take further actions as government authorities require or recommend or as we determine to be in the best interests of our employees, customers and suppliers. As a result, we may incur additional expenses in future periods in response to the pandemic, which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In addition, we may revise our approach to these initiatives or take additional actions to meet the needs of our employees and customers, and mitigate the impact of the pandemic on our business.
Business Update
We categorize our revenue by the key market segments into which we sell. Our four key markets are: Front-End Semiconductor; Advanced Packaging, MEMS & RF Filters; LED Lighting, Display & Compound Semiconductor; and Scientific & Industrial.
Sales in the Front-End Semiconductor market were driven by shipments of our laser annealing systems, as well as our Low-Defect-Density Ion Beam Deposition (“LDD-IBD”) system for Extreme Ultraviolet (“EUV”) Mask Blank production. Customers appear to be ramping production at their current nodes, such as 7nm and 5nm. Looking ahead, we continue to work with our customers with our laser annealing technology, as they develop their “next nodes”. In the EUV market, customers appear to be moving ahead with their leading node EUV lithography plans, continuing to drive requirements for our mask blank systems. We believe demand for these two product lines, driven by the development and release of advanced node semiconductors, will continue to provide future growth opportunities for us.
Sales in the Advanced Packaging, MEMS and RF Filter market remained weak in the first quarter, and the timing of a recovery is uncertain given recent softness in the smartphone industry. Nevertheless, we are encouraged by interaction
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with our advanced packaging and RF customers for applications such as High-Performance Computing and 5G. We believe the performance of our advanced packaging lithography systems and our wet etch and clean systems is an ideal fit for our customers’ current and future requirements.
Sales in the LED Lighting, Display & Compound Semiconductor market also remained soft in the first quarter. Our broad portfolio of MOCVD and PSP technologies have been developed to support emerging applications such as 5G driven RF device manufacturing, 3D sensing VCSELs and laser diodes, and GaN-based power electronics.
Sales in the Scientific & Industrial market were primarily driven by shipments of Ion Beam systems for data storage applications. Demand for our Ion Beam products for Data Storage is being driven by big data and cloud-based storage growth. In order to be successful, hard disk drive manufacturers are required to improve areal density of magnetic heads for hard disk drives and are manufacturing drives with an increasing number of thin film magnetic heads. These two factors taken together along, with new innovations by HDD manufacturers such as heat assisted magnetic recording (“HAMR”) and microwave assisted magnetic recording (“MAMR”), are driving additional capacity and equipment upgrades. Given recent trends, the importance of cloud computing and work from home environment are also providing tailwinds to this market.
Results of Operations
For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019
The following table presents revenue and expense line items reported in our Consolidated Statements of Operations for 2020 and 2019 and the period-over-period dollar and percentage changes for those line items. Our results of operations are reported as one business segment, represented by our single operating segment.
Three Months Ended March 31,
Change
Period to Period
(dollars in thousands)
100%
5,131
5%
56%
65%
(6,572)
(10)%
44%
35%
11,703
34%
18%
23%
(4,145)
(18)%
20%
(1,598)
(8)%
4%
(381)
(9)%
1%
(805)
(56)%
-
(75)
*
40%
49%
(7,004)
(14)%
18,707
Interest income (expense), net
(4,866)
(5)%
(4,200)
(4)%
(666)
16%
18,041
(98)%
78
41%
(19)%
17,963
(97)%
Not meaningful
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Net Sales
The following is an analysis of sales by market and by region:
Sales by market
30%
8,749
39%
8%
(14,539)
(63)%
15%
14%
1,852
47%
9,069
38%
33%
7,320
10%
313
3%
EMEA
(1,677)
37%
(825)
(2)%
Sales increased for the three months ended March 31, 2020 against the comparable prior year period principally in the Scientific & Industrial and Front-End Semiconductor markets, partially offset by a decrease in the Advanced Packaging, MEMS & RF Filters market. Sales in the Scientific & Industrial market were primarily driven by shipments of Ion Beam systems for data storage applications, while sales in the Front-End Semiconductor market were driven by shipments of our laser annealing systems, as well as our LDD-IBD system for EUV Mask Blank production. Pricing was not a significant driver of the change in total sales. By geography, sales increased in the United States principally for data storage applications, partially offset by a decrease in the EMEA and Rest of World regions. We expect there will continue to be year-to-year variations in our future sales distribution across markets and geographies. In light of the global nature of our business, we are impacted by conditions in the various countries in which we and our customers operate. Several markets continue to remain challenged in light of ongoing restrictions on business and travel, and decreased business and consumer spending generally, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gross Profit
In the first quarter of 2020, gross profit increased compared to the first quarter of 2019 due to an increase in sales volume and increased gross margins. Gross margins increased principally due to product and region mix of sales in the periods, as well as reductions in inventory reserves and manufacturing expenses. We expect our gross margins to fluctuate each period due to product mix and other factors, and we do not expect future margins in the coming quarters to be as high as the current period.
Research and Development
The markets we serve are characterized by continuous technological development and product innovation, and we invest in various research and development initiatives to maintain our competitive advantage and achieve our growth objectives. Research and development expenses decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2020 against the comparable prior period primarily related to personnel-related expenses and professional fees as a result of our continued initiative to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs. In the second half of 2019, we executed an initiative to reorganize various functions along product lines and created a central research and development organization to better allocate our resources to our highest priority projects.
Selling, General, and Administrative
Selling, general, and administrative expenses decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2020 against the comparable prior period primarily related to personnel-related expenses as a result of our continued initiative to
streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs. Given the the uncertainty regarding the impacts on our business resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are focused on the proactive management of expenses. In future periods, we may incur additional selling, general and administrative expenses to support our responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amortization Expense
Amortization expense remained consistent with the comparable prior year period.
Restructuring Expense
We continued to record restructuring charges during the year ended December 31, 2019 as a result of our efforts to further streamline operations, enhance efficiencies, and reduce costs. In the second half of 2019, we executed an initiative to reorganize various functions along product lines and created a central research and development organization to better allocate our resources to our highest priority projects. In addition, we delayered the organization. Collectively, these actions impacted approximately 60 employees. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, additional accruals were recognized and payments were made related to these restructuring initiatives.
Interest Income (Expense)
We recorded net interest expense of $4.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to $4.2 million for the comparable prior year period. Included in interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were non-cash charges of $3.3 million and $3.1 million, respectively, related to the amortization of debt discount and transaction costs of the Convertible Senior Notes. Additionally, interest income decreased approximately $0.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the prior period, primarily as a result of lower interest rates, and we expect interest income to remain depressed as a result.
Income Taxes
At the end of each interim reporting period, we estimate the effective income tax rate expected to be applicable for the full year. This estimate is used to determine the income tax provision or benefit on a year-to-date basis and may change in subsequent interim periods.
Our tax expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $0.3 million compared to $0.2 million for the comparable prior period. The 2020 tax expense included an expense of $0.1 million related to our domestic operations and $0.2 million related to our non-U.S. operations, compared to 2019 when the expense included a $0.1 million expense related to our domestic operations and $0.1 million related to our non-U.S. operations. Although there was a domestic pre-tax loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, we did not provide a current tax benefit on domestic pre-tax losses as the amounts are not realizable on a more-likely-than-not basis. The domestic tax expense for the current period is primarily attributable to the tax amortization of indefinite-lived intangible assets that is not available to offset U.S. deferred tax assets.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments are as follows:
242,406
245,203
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At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, cash and cash equivalents of $52.8 million and $73.0 million, respectively, were held outside the United States. As of March 31, 2020, we had $10.4 million of accumulated undistributed earnings generated by our non-U.S. subsidiaries for which the U.S. repatriation tax has been provided and did not require the use of cash due to the use of net operating loss carryforwards. Approximately $5.3 million of undistributed earnings will be subject to foreign withholding taxes if distributed back to the United States.
We believe that our projected cash flow from operations, combined with our cash and short-term investments, will be sufficient to meet our projected working capital requirements, contractual obligations, and other cash flow needs for the next twelve months, including scheduled interest payments on our Convertible Senior Notes due 2023, purchase commitments and payments in respect of operating leases. However, the COVID-19 pandemic, together with other dynamics in the marketplace, has resulted in wider credit spreads and significantly increased borrowing costs and, in certain cases, limited the ability of companies to access the capital markets and other sources of financing on attractive terms or at all.
Although there is uncertainty related to the anticipated impact of the recent COVID-19 outbreak on our future results, we believe our business model, our current cash and short-term investments and the recent steps we have taken to rationalize expenses, leave us well-positioned to manage our business through this crisis as it continues to unfold.
A summary of the cash flow activity for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 is as follows:
Non-cash items:
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(16,634)
(18,680)
Net cash used in operating activities was $2.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and was due to the net loss of $0.6 million plus a decrease in cash flow from changes in operating assets and liabilities of $16.6 million, offset by adjustments for non-cash items of $14.8 million. The changes in operating assets and liabilities were largely attributable to an increase in accounts receivable and a decrease in deferred revenue, partially offset by an increase in accounts payable and a decrease in contract assets.
Changes in investments, net
36,264
(18,758)
The cash provided by investing activities during the three months ended March 31, 2020 was primarily attributable to net changes in investments, partially offset by capital expenditures.
Settlement of equity awards, net of withholding taxes
The cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was related to cash received under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, partially offset by cash used to settle taxes related to employee equity programs.
On January 10, 2017, we issued $345.0 million of 2.70% convertible senior unsecured notes (the “Convertible Senior Notes”). We received net proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts and fees and expenses payable by us, of approximately $335.8 million. The Convertible Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 2.70% per year, payable semiannually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year, commencing on July 15, 2017. The Convertible Senior Notes mature on January 15, 2023, unless earlier purchased by the Company, redeemed, or converted. We believe that we have sufficient capital resources and cash flows from operations to support scheduled interest payments on this debt.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
We have commitments under certain contractual arrangements to make future payments for goods and services. These contractual arrangements secure the rights to various assets and services to be used in the future in the normal course of business. We expect to fund these contractual arrangements with cash generated from operations in the normal course of business.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have, or are reasonably likely to have, a current or future material effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, expenses, and results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources other than bank guarantees and purchase commitments disclosed in the preceding footnotes.
Interest Rate Risk
Our exposure to market rate risk for changes in interest rates primarily relates to our investment portfolio. We centrally manage our investment portfolios considering investment opportunities and risks, tax consequences, and overall financing strategies. Our investment portfolio includes fixed-income securities with a fair value of approximately $79.4 million at March 31, 2020. These securities are subject to interest rate risk and, based on our investment portfolio at March 31, 2020, a 100 basis point increase in interest rates would result in a decrease in the fair value of the portfolio of $0.3 million. While an increase in interest rates may reduce the fair value of the investment portfolio, we will not realize the losses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations unless the individual fixed-income securities are sold prior to recovery or the loss is determined to be other-than-temporary.
Currency Exchange Risk
We conduct business on a worldwide basis and, as such, a portion of our revenues, earnings, and net investments in foreign affiliates is exposed to changes in currency exchange rates. The economic impact of currency exchange rate movements is complex because such changes are often linked to variability in real growth, inflation, interest rates, governmental actions, and other factors. These changes, if material, could cause us to adjust our financing and operating strategies. Consequently, isolating the effect of changes in currency does not incorporate these other important economic factors.
Changes in currency exchange rates could affect our foreign currency denominated monetary assets and liabilities and forecasted cash flows. We enter into monthly forward derivative contracts with the intent of mitigating a portion of this risk. We only use derivative financial instruments in the context of hedging and not for speculative purposes and had not designated our foreign exchange derivatives as hedges. Accordingly, changes in fair value from these contracts are recorded as “Other, net” in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We execute derivative transactions with highly rated financial institutions to mitigate counterparty risk.
Our net sales to customers located outside of the United States represented approximately 62% of our total net sales for the three months ended March 31, 2020, and 67% for the comparable 2019 period. We expect that net sales to customers outside the United States will continue to represent a large percentage of our total net sales. Our sales denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar represented 3% of total net sales in the three months ended March 31, 2020, and 6% for the comparable 2019 period.
A 10% change in foreign exchange rates would have an immaterial impact on the consolidated results of operations since most of our sales outside the United States are denominated in U.S. dollars.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our principal executive and financial officers have evaluated and concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective as of March 31, 2020. The disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that the information required to be disclosed in this report filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms and is accumulated and communicated to our principal executive and financial officers as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, certain of our employees began working remotely in March 2020 but these remote working arrangements did not have a material effect on our internal control over financial reporting. During the quarter ended March 31, 2020, there were no changes in internal control that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect internal control over financial reporting.
On June 8, 2018, an Ultratech shareholder who received Veeco stock as part of the consideration for the Ultratech acquisition filed a purported class action complaint in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, captioned Wolther v. Maheshwari et al., Case No. 18CV329690, on behalf of himself and others who purchased or acquired shares of Veeco pursuant to the registration statement and prospectus which Veeco filed with the SEC in connection with the Ultratech acquisition (the “Wolther Action”). On August 2 and August 8, 2018, two purported class action complaints substantially similar to the Wolther Action were filed on behalf of different plaintiffs in the same court as the Wolther Action. These cases have been consolidated with the Wolther Action, and a consolidated complaint was filed on December 11, 2018. The consolidated complaint seeks to recover damages and fees under Sections 11, 12, and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 for, among other things, alleged false/misleading statements in the registration statement and prospectus relating to the Ultratech acquisition, relating primarily to the alleged failure to disclose delays in the advanced packaging business, increased MOCVD competition in China, and an intellectual property dispute. Veeco is defending this matter vigorously.
On December 21, 2018, a purported Veeco stockholder filed a derivative action in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, captioned Vladimir Gusinsky Revocable Trust v. Peeler, et al., Case No.
18CV339925, on behalf of nominal defendant Veeco. The complaint seeks to assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment against current and former Veeco directors premised on purported misstatements and omissions in the registration statement relating to the Ultratech acquisition. Veeco is defending this matter vigorously.
Information regarding risk factors appears in the Safe Harbor Statement at the beginning of this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, in Part I — Item 1A of our 2019 Form 10-K. There have been no material changes from the risk factors previously disclosed in our 2019 Form 10-K, except for the following.
The following risk factor is added:
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have strained and have threatened to negatively impact our businesses and operations, and the duration and extent to which COVID-19 may impact our future results of operations and overall financial performance remains uncertain.
The outbreak and continuing spread of a novel strain of the coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in a substantial curtailment of business activities worldwide and is causing weakened economic conditions, both in the United States and many countries abroad, including in markets in Asia and Europe from which we derive the majority of our revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes to, and significant and rapid reductions in, household and business activity and consumer and business spending, as well as economic contraction and a record rise in unemployment in many markets around the world. In addition, as part of intensifying efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, a growing number of state, local and foreign governments have imposed various restrictions on the conduct of business and travel. Government restrictions (such as stay-at-home orders), quarantines and worker absenteeism as a result of COVID-19 have led to a significant number of business closures and other slowdowns. These slowdowns have adversely impacted and will likely continue to adversely impact Veeco directly, as well as our customers, suppliers and other partners.
We have determined that our operations are considered part of the critical and essential infrastructure defined by applicable government agencies. Consequently, as of the date of filing this report, we are currently permitted and are endeavoring to maintain manufacturing and supply chain operations. However, the conditions caused by COVID-19 could adversely affect our customers’ ability or willingness to purchase our products or services, delay prospective customers’ purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to deliver products and provide on-site services to our customers, delay the provisioning of our offerings, or lengthen payment terms, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. In addition, adverse impacts on the creditworthiness of our customers and other counterparties and their ability to pay amounts owed to us and our ability to collect such amounts may be adversely affect, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our operations have also been negatively affected by a range of external factors related to COVID-19 that are not within our control. For example, many state, local and foreign governments have imposed, or may impose, a wide range of restrictions on the physical movement of individuals, designed to limit the spread of COVID-19. These restrictions have presented significant challenges for us and have had, and may continue to have, a negative impact on the productivity or our employees, suppliers and partners, which may significantly harm our results of operations and overall financial performance. Furthermore, increased spending on our business continuity efforts in future periods and our readiness efforts to enable an eventual return to on-site work in all of our offices, may cause us to incur additional expenses that may outpace revenues or require that we cut costs and investments in other areas.
In addition, as a result of remote working arrangements we implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we may be subject to increased risk of an information or cyber-security incident, fraud, or a failure to maintain the uninterrupted operation of our information systems.
While the potential economic impact associated with COVID-19 may be difficult to assess or predict, the pandemic has resulted in significant disruption of global financial markets, and a recession or long-term market correction resulting from the spread of COVID-19 could materially impact the value of our common stock, impact our access to capital, and affect our business in the near and long-term. The extent to which the pandemic will affect our business and results of operations will depend on numerous factors that we are not able to predict, including the duration, spread and severity of the outbreak; the nature, extent and effectiveness of containment measures; the extent and duration of the effect on the economy, unemployment, consumer confidence and consumer and business spending; and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume.
The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic will affect our business and results of operations will depend on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, such as the duration, severity and transmission rate of the virus, the extent and effectiveness of containment actions, the extent and duration of the effect on the global economy, including: unemployment levels; consumer confidence; consumer and business spending; and the impact of these and other factors on our employees, customers, suppliers and other partners. If we are not able to respond to and manage the impact of such events effectively, our business will be harmed.
None.
Not Applicable.
Unless otherwise indicated, each of the following exhibits has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Veeco under File No. 0-16244.
Exhibit
Incorporated by Reference
Filed orFurnished
Number
Exhibit Description
Form
Filing Date
Herewith
10.1
Agreement and General Release dated March 18, 2020 between Veeco and Shubham Maheshwari
31.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a—14(a) or Rule 15d—14(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
31.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a—14(a) or Rule 15d—14(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
32.1
Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2
Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act of 2002.
101.INS
XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
**
101.XSD
XBRL Schema.
101.PRE
XBRL Presentation.
101.CAL
XBRL Calculation.
101.DEF
XBRL Definition.
101.LAB
XBRL Label.
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101).
* Filed herewith
** Filed herewith electronically
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on May 7, 2020.
Veeco Instruments Inc.
By:
/S/ WILLIAM J. MILLER, Ph.D.
William J. Miller, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
/s/ JOHN P. KIERNAN
John P. Kiernan
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer