Azenta
AZTA
#5927
Rank
$1.04 B
Marketcap
$22.59
Share price
-0.18%
Change (1 day)
-22.37%
Change (1 year)

Azenta - 10-Q quarterly report FY


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1

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

[X] Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934

For the quarterly period ended: December 31, 2000

OR

[ ] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934

For the transition period from _______ to _______


Commission File Number 0-25434


BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware 04-3040660
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)

15 Elizabeth Drive
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
(Address of principal executive offices)

01824
(Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (978) 262-2400

---------------------------------------------

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 X No
--- --

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant's classes of
common stock, as of the latest practical date (January 31, 2001):

Common stock, $0.01 par value 17,279,221 shares
2

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.

INDEX



PAGE NUMBER
-----------

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Consolidated Financial Statements

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2000
(unaudited) and September 30, 2000 3

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three
months ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 (unaudited) 4

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three
months ended December 31, 2000 and 1999 (unaudited) 5

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited) 6

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations 11

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk 23


PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K 24

Signatures 25
3

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(UNAUDITED)
December 31, September 30,
2000 2000
------------ -------------
<S> <C> <C>
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents $ 82,972 $ 131,203
Marketable securities 140,329 88,034
Accounts receivable, net, including related party
receivables of $7,000 and $6,820, respectively 106,303 92,779
Inventories 64,772 56,975
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 8,221 8,441
Deferred income taxes 18,912 17,952
--------- ---------
Total current assets 421,509 395,384

Fixed assets, net of accumulated depreciation of
$40,094 and $36,482, respectively 26,849 24,899
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization
of $29,093 and $21,926, respectively 55,094 60,263
Long-term marketable securities - 15,000
Deferred income taxes 15,476 13,361
Other assets 6,276 4,221
--------- ---------
Total assets $ 525,204 $ 513,128
========= =========

LIABILITIES, MINORITY INTERESTS AND
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities
Notes payable $ 16,000 $ 16,000
Current portion of long-term debt and capital
lease obligations 579 519
Accounts payable 23,981 20,874
Deferred revenue 16,030 17,018
Accrued compensation and benefits 12,511 14,407
Accrued acquisition-related and restructuring costs 510 538
Accrued income taxes payable 16,074 9,188
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 14,529 13,760
--------- ---------
Total current liabilities 100,214 92,304

Long-term debt and capital lease obligations 79 282
Deferred income taxes 4,666 5,064
Other long-term liabilities 456 438
--------- ---------
Total liabilities 105,415 98,088
--------- ---------

Contingencies (Note 9)

Minority interests 1,129 1,186
--------- ---------

Stockholders' equity
Preferred stock, $0.01, 1,000,000 shares authorized,
none issued and outstanding - -
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 43,000,000 shares
authorized, 17,227,059 and 17,218,484 shares
issued and outstanding, respectively 172 172
Additional paid-in capital 433,233 433,101
Deferred compensation (27) (35)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (3,255) (2,942)
Accumulated deficit (11,463) (16,442)
--------- ---------
Total stockholders' equity 418,660 413,854
--------- ---------

Total liabilities, minority interests and
stockholders' equity $ 525,204 $ 513,128
========= =========
</TABLE>

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.

3
4

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(UNAUDITED)

(In thousands, except per share data)

THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,
2000 1999(1)
--------- --------
Revenues
Product, including related party revenues
of $10,859 and $6,973, respectively $ 88,026 $ 47,185
Services 19,552 7,211
--------- --------
Total revenues 107,578 54,396
--------- --------

Cost of revenues
Product 45,915 24,396
Services 13,644 3,653
--------- --------
Total cost of revenues 59,559 28,049
--------- --------

Gross profit 48,019 26,347
--------- --------

Operating expenses
Research and development 13,273 7,738
Selling, general and administrative 21,878 13,330
Amortization of acquired intangible assets 5,693 849
--------- --------
Total operating expenses 40,844 21,917
--------- --------

Income from operations 7,175 4,430
Interest income 3,956 643
Interest expense (204) (313)
Other expense, net (841) (41)
--------- --------

Income before income taxes and
minority interests 10,086 4,719
Income tax provision 5,164 1,808
--------- --------

Income before minority interests 4,922 2,911
Minority interests in loss of consolidated
subsidiary (57) (93)
--------- --------

Net income $ 4,979 $ 3,004
========= ========

Earnings per share
Basic $ 0.29 $ 0.23
Diluted $ 0.28 $ 0.22

Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic 17,222 13,076
Diluted 17,598 13,718


(1) Amounts have been restated to reflect the acquisition of Irvine Optical
Company LLC in a pooling of interests transaction effective May 5, 2000.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.

4
5

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)


(In thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
THREE MONTHS ENDED
DECEMBER 31,
2000 1999(1)
--------- --------
<S> <C> <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income $ 4,979 $ 3,004
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 8,770 2,890
Compensation expense related to common stock options 8 7
Deferred income taxes (428) 524
Minority interests (57) (93)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable (13,446) (10,854)
Inventories (7,257) (4,178)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 249 (172)
Accounts payable 2,990 6,025
Deferred revenue (1,025) 398
Accrued acquisition-related and restructuring costs (28) (203)
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 2,433 924
--------- --------
Net cash used in operating activities (2,812) (1,728)
--------- --------

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchases of fixed assets (4,997) (3,534)
Purchase of businesses, net of cash acquired (1,244) (147)
Purchase of short-term marketable securities (37,295) -
Increase in other assets (2,611) (144)
--------- --------
Net cash used in investing activities (46,147) (3,825)
--------- --------

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Net borrowings under lines of credit - 651
Net decrease in short-term borrowings - (260)
Payments of long-term debt (143) (124)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock 1,047 155
--------- --------
Net cash provided by financing activities 904 422
--------- --------

Elimination of net cash activities of Irvine Optical for
the three months ended December 31, 1999 - 14
--------- --------

Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash
equivalents (176) (152)
--------- --------

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (48,231) (5,269)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 131,203 66,366
--------- --------

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 82,972 $ 61,097
========= ========

</TABLE>

(1) Amounts have been restated to reflect the acquisition of Irvine Optical
Company LLC in a pooling of interests transaction effective May 5, 2000.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial
statements.

5
6

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited)

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The unaudited consolidated financial statements of Brooks Automation, Inc.
and its subsidiaries (the "Company") included herein have been prepared in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In the opinion of
management, all material adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of
the results for the periods presented have been reflected.

The accompanying financial information should be read in conjunction with
the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended September 30, 2000.

On December 13, 2000, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets
of a scheduling and simulation software and services distributor in Japan.
The transaction was recorded using the purchase method of accounting in
accordance with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 16, "Business
Combinations" ("APB 16"). Accordingly, the Company's Consolidated
Statements of Operations and of Cash Flows for the three months ended
December 31, 2000, include the results of this acquired entity for the
period subsequent to its acquisition.

The Company made several acquisitions during fiscal year 2000 which were
accounted for using the purchase method of accounting in accordance with
APB 16: MiTeX Solutions ("MiTeX") on June 23, 2000 and Auto-Soft
Corporation ("ASC") and AutoSimulations, Inc. ("ASI") on January 6, 2000.
Accordingly, the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations and of
Cash Flows for the three months ended December 31, 2000, include the
results of these acquired entities.

The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the three
months ended December 31, 1999 have been restated to reflect the
acquisition of Irvine Optical Company LLC ("Irvine Optical") in a pooling
of interests transaction effective May 5, 2000.

Certain amounts in previously issued financial statements have been
reclassified to conform to current presentation.

In December 1999, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC")
issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101 ("SAB 101"), "Revenue Recognition
in Financial Statements". SAB 101 summarizes the SEC's views in applying
generally accepted accounting principles to selected revenue recognition
issues in financial statements. In June 2000, the SEC issued Staff
Accounting Bulletin No. 101B, an amendment to SAB 101, which delays the
implementation of SAB 101. The application of the guidance in SAB 101 will
now be required in the Company's fourth quarter of fiscal 2001. The Company
is currently determining the impact that SAB 101 may have on its financial
position and results of operations.


6
7

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) - Continued

2. BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS

On December 13, 2000, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets
of the business unit which acts as a distributor for ASI's software
products ("ASI-Japan"), from Daifuku Co., Ltd. of Japan ("Daifuku"). The
Company had acquired ASI from Daifuku America Corporation ("Daifuku
America"), a U.S. subsidiary of Daifuku, on January 6, 2000. Upon its
acquisition ASI-Japan was integrated into the Company's subsidiary in
Japan. The ASI-Japan business unit provides direct sales and support for
ASI's integrated factory automation solutions to simulation and scheduling
customers in Japan. In consideration, the Company paid $1.1 million cash.
The transaction was recorded using the purchase method of accounting in
accordance with APB 16. The excess of purchase price over net assets
acquired of $1.1 million will be amortized over three years using the
straight-line method.

3. EARNINGS PER SHARE

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted
earnings per share (in thousands except per share data):

Three months ended
December 31,
2000 1999
------- -------
Numerator:
Net income $ 4,979 $ 3,004
======= =======

Denominator:
Denominator for basic earnings per share - weighted
average shares 17,222 13,076
Effect of dilutive securities:
Common stock options and warrants 376 642
------- -------
Denominator for diluted earnings per share - adjusted
weighted average shares and assumed conversions 17,598 13,718
======= =======

Basic earnings per share $ 0.29 $ 0.23
Diluted earnings per share $ 0.28 $ 0.22


Options to purchase approximately 2,290,000 and 359,000 shares of common
stock were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for
the three months ended December 31, 2000 and 1999, respectively, as their
effect would be anti-dilutive. However, these options could become dilutive
in future periods.

7
8
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) - Continued

4. COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Comprehensive income for the Company is computed as the sum of net income
and the change in the cumulative translation adjustment. Comprehensive
income was $4,666,000 and $2,887,000 for the three month periods ended
December 31, 2000 and 1999, respectively.

5. SEGMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

The Company has three reportable segments: tool automation systems, factory
interface solutions and factory automation solutions. The tool automation
systems segment provides a full complement of semiconductor wafer and flat
panel display substrate handling systems and products for data storage. The
factory interface solutions segment provides hardware and software
solutions, including minienvironments and automated transfer mechanisms, to
isolate the semiconductor wafer from the production environment. The
factory automation segment provides software products for the semiconductor
manufacturing execution system ("MES") market, including consulting and
software customization.

The Company evaluates performance and allocates resources based on revenues
and operating income. Operating income for each segment includes selling,
general and administrative expenses directly attributable to the segment.
Amortization of acquired intangible assets is excluded from the segments'
operating income. The Company's non-allocable overhead costs, which include
corporate general and administrative expenses, are allocated between the
segments based upon segment revenues. The Company had two reportable
segments in the prior year. Accordingly, all prior year information has
been restated to conform to the present year presentation.

Financial information for the Company's business segments is as follows (in
thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Tool Factory Factory
Automation Interface Automation
Systems Solutions Solutions Total
---------- --------- ----------- --------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000
Revenues $53,752 $ 26,754 $27,072 $107,578
Gross margin $19,923 $ 10,013 $18,083 $ 48,019
Operating income $ 7,333 $ 3,410 $ 2,125 $ 12,868

THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999
Revenues $30,701 $ 10,937 $12,758 $ 54,396
Gross margin $12,419 $ 3,748 $10,180 $ 26,347
Operating income (loss) $ 3,167 $ (416) $ 2,528 $ 5,279

</TABLE>

A reconciliation of the Company's reportable segment operating income to
the corresponding consolidated amounts for the three month periods ended
December 31, 2000 and 1999 is as follows (in thousands):

Three months ended
December 31,
2000 1999
------- ------

Segment operating income $12,868 $5,279
Amortization of acquired intangible assets 5,693 849
------- ------
Total operating income $ 7,175 $4,430
======= ======

8
9
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) - Continued


Net revenues by geographic area are as follows (in thousands):

Three months ended
December 31,
2000 1999
-------- -------

North America $ 59,248 $26,291
Asia/Pacific 28,416 16,158
Europe 19,914 11,947
-------- -------
$107,578 $54,396
======== =======


6. SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS AND RELATED PARTY INFORMATION

One of the Company's directors is also a director of one of the Company's
customers. Net revenue recognized from this customer was $10.9 million and
$7.0 million, or 10.1% and 12.9% of revenues, in the three months ended
December 31, 2000 and 1999, respectively. Amounts due from this customer
included in accounts receivable at December 31, 2000 and September 30, 2000
were $7.0 million and $6.8 million, respectively. Related party amounts
included in accounts receivable are on standard terms and manner of
settlement. The Company had no other customer that accounted for more than
10% of revenues in the three month periods ended December 31, 2000 or 1999.

On January 23, 2001, one of the Company's directors resigned his position
as a director of one of the Company's customers. Accordingly, this customer
will not be considered a related party in subsequent reporting periods.

7. ACQUISITION-RELATED AND RESTRUCTURING LIABILITIES

The activity related to the Company's acquisition-related and restructuring
liabilities during the three months ended December 31, 2000 is below (in
thousands):


Balance Balance
September 30, December 31,
2000 Utilization 2000
------------- ----------- ------------

Facilities $ 507 $ (8) $499
Workforce-related 20 (20) -
Other 11 - 11
----- ----- ----
$ 538 $ (28) $510
===== ===== ====

9
10
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (unaudited) - Continued


8. OTHER BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION

Components of other selected captions in the Consolidated Balance Sheets
follow (in thousands):

December 31, September 30,
2000 2000
------------ -------------

Accounts receivable $109,546 $94,709
Less allowances 3,243 1,930
-------- -------
$106,303 $92,779
======== =======

Inventories
Raw materials and purchased parts $ 45,667 $33,827
Work-in-process 11,686 13,668
Finished goods 7,419 9,480
-------- -------
$ 64,772 $56,975
======== =======

9. CONTINGENCY

There has been substantial litigation regarding patent and other
intellectual property rights in the semiconductor and related industries.
In 1992, the Company received notice from a third party alleging
infringements of such party's patent rights by certain of the Company's
products. The Company believes the patents claimed may be invalid. In the
event of litigation with respect to this claim, the Company is prepared to
vigorously defend its position. However, because patent litigation can be
extremely expensive and time consuming, the Company may seek to obtain a
license to one or more of the disputed patents. Based upon currently
available information, the Company would only do so if such license fees
would not be material to the Company's consolidated financial statements.
Currently, the Company does not believe it is probable that the future
events related to this threatened matter would have an adverse effect on
the Company's business.


10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

The Company completed the purchase of its headquarters complex on January
29, 2001 for approximately $27 million in cash.

10
11
BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.

Item 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this quarterly report constitute "forward-looking
statements" which involve known risks, uncertainties, and other factors which
may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Brooks to be
materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include
the factors that may affect future results set forth in Management's Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, which is included
in this report. Precautionary statements made herein should be read as being
applicable to all related forward-looking statements whenever they appear in
this report.

OVERVIEW

Brooks Automation, Inc. ("Brooks" or the "Company") is a leading supplier of
integrated tool and factory automation solutions for the global semiconductor
and related industries such as the data storage and flat panel display
manufacturing industries. Brooks has distinguished itself as a technology and
market leader, particularly in the demanding cluster-tool vacuum-processing
environment and in integrated factory automation software applications. The
Company's offerings have grown from individual robots used to transfer
semiconductor wafers in advanced production equipment to fully integrated
automation solutions that control the flow of resources in the factory from
process tools to factory scheduling and dispatching. In 1998, the Company began
an aggressive program of investment and acquisition. By the close of fiscal
year 2000, Brooks had emerged as one of the leading suppliers of factory and
tool automation solutions for semiconductor and original equipment
manufacturers.

Many of the Company's customers purchase the Company's vacuum transfer robots
and other modules before purchasing the Company's vacuum central wafer handling
systems. The Company believes that once a customer has selected the Company's
products for a process tool, the customer is likely to rely on those products
for the life of that process tool model, which can be in excess of five years.
Conversely, losing a bid for a manufacturing execution system ("MES") does not
preclude the Company from securing optimization products to fit with a
competitor's MES.

A significant portion of the Company's revenues have been generated by sales to
customers in the United States, although the Company believes that a significant
portion of these customers incorporate the Company's products into equipment
sold to their foreign customers. The Company's foreign sales have occurred
principally in Asia and Europe. Sales in Asia have occurred primarily in Japan
and South Korea, and, to a lesser extent, in Taiwan and Singapore.

The Company's foreign revenues are generally denominated in United States
dollars. Accordingly, foreign currency fluctuations have not had a significant
impact on the comparison of the results of operations for the periods presented.
The costs and expenses of the Company's international subsidiaries are generally
denominated in currencies other than the United States dollar. However, since
the functional currency of the Company's international subsidiaries is the local
currency, foreign currency translation adjustments are reflected as a component
of stockholders' equity under the caption "Accumulated other comprehensive
income (loss)". To the extent that the Company expands its international
operations or changes its pricing practices to denominate prices in foreign
currencies, the Company will be exposed to increased risk of currency
fluctuation.

The Company's business is highly dependent upon the capital expenditures of
semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturers, which historically have been
cyclical, and the Company's ability to develop, manufacture and sell new
products and product enhancements. The Company's revenues grew substantially in
fiscal 2000 compared to fiscal 1999 due in large part to high levels of capital
expenditures of semiconductor manufacturers. The Company cannot guarantee that
these levels of expenditures will be sustained through fiscal 2001. The
Company's results are also effected, especially when measured on a quarterly
basis, by the volume, composition and timing of orders, conditions in industries
served by the Company, competition and general economic conditions.


11
12

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


BASIS OF PRESENTATION

On December 13, 2000, the Company acquired substantially all of the assets of a
scheduling and simulation software and services distributor in Japan. The
transaction was recorded using the purchase method of accounting in accordance
with Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 16, "Business Combinations" ("APB
16"). Accordingly, the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations and of
Cash Flows for the three months ended December 31, 2000, include the results of
this acquired entity for the period subsequent to its acquisition.

The Company made several acquisitions during fiscal year 2000 which were
accounted for using the purchase method of accounting in accordance with APB16:
MiTeX Solutions ("MiTeX") on June 23, 2000 and Auto-Soft Corporation ("ASC") and
AutoSimulations, Inc. ("ASI") on January 6, 2000. Accordingly, the Company's
Consolidated Statements of Operations and of Cash Flows for the three months
ended December 31, 2000, include the results of these acquired entities.

The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the three months
ended December 31, 1999 have been restated to reflect the acquisition of Irvine
Optical Company LLC ("Irvine Optical") in a pooling of interests transaction
effective May 5, 2000.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2000 COMPARED TO THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
1999

The Company reported net income of $5.0 million for the three months ended
December 31, 2000, compared to $3.0 million in the same prior year period. The
results for the three months ended December 31, 2000, include $5.7 million of
amortization of acquired intangible assets. The results for the three months
ended December 31, 1999, include $0.8 million of amortization of acquired
intangible assets. The Company did not record any acquisition-related charges in
either period.

REVENUES

The Company reported revenues of $107.6 million in the three months ended
December 31, 2000, compared to $54.4 million in the same prior year period, a
97.8% increase. The overall increase is principally attributable to incremental
revenue from acquisitions and the strength in both the original equipment
manufacturer ("OEM") and end user markets. The Company experienced growth in all
of the geographic regions in which it operates.

All of the Company's segments reported increases in revenues from the prior
year. The Company's tool automation systems segment reported revenues of $53.7
million in the three months ended December 31, 2000, an increase of 75.2% from
$30.7 million in the comparable prior year period. This increase is primarily
attributable to growth in the vacuum business area. Revenues for the Company's
factory interface solutions segment were $26.8 million in the three months ended
December 31, 2000, compared to $10.9 million in the same prior year period, an
increase of 145.9%. This increase is the result of strong growth in the
Company's sorter and SMIF product lines. The Company's factory automation
solutions segment reported revenues of $27.1 million in the three months ended
December 31, 2000, an increase of 111.7% from revenues of $12.8 million in the
same period of the prior year. This increase is principally due to the
acquisition of ASC and ASI on January 6, 2000.


12
13

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued

Product revenues increased $40.8 million, or 86.4%, to $88.0 million in the
three months ended December 31, 2000, from $47.2 million in the three months
ended December 31, 1999. This growth is primarily attributable to acquisitions
and the overall strength in the OEM and end user markets.

Service revenues increased $12.4 million, or 172.2%, to $19.6 million in the
three months ended December 31, 2000, compared to $7.2 million in the same prior
year period. This increase is primarily attributable to the Company's
acquisition and internal growth.

Foreign revenues were $48.7 million, or 45.2% of revenues, and $28.2 million, or
51.8% of revenues, in the three month periods ended December 31, 2000 and 1999,
respectively. The increase is primarily the result of the Company's expanded
global presence from its recent acquisitions and expanded sales and marketing
activities. The Company expects that foreign revenues will continue to account
for a significant portion of total revenues. However, the Company cannot
guarantee that foreign revenues achieved will remain a strong component of the
Company's total revenues.

GROSS MARGIN

Gross margin decreased to 44.6% for the three months ended December 31, 2000,
compared to 48.4% for the same prior year period. The Company's tool automation
systems segment gross margin decreased to 37.1% for the three months ended
December 31, 2000, from 40.5% for the comparable prior year period. This
decrease is primarily attributable to newer products in the atmospheric business
which have not yet achieved their optimal manufacturing volume. Gross margin for
the Company's factory interface solutions segment was 37.4% for the three months
ended December 31, 2000, an increase compared to 34.3% for the same prior year
period. This increase is primarily the result of product mix. The Company's
factory automation solutions gross margin decreased to 66.8% for the three
months ended December 31, 2000, from 79.8% for the same prior year period. The
decrease is primarily attributable to the acquired service business of ASC,
which has a historically lower margin structure than that of the segment.

Gross margin on product revenues was 47.8% for the three months ended December
31, 2000, a decrease from 48.3% for the same prior year period. The decrease is
primarily attributable to the higher level of end user hardware contribution in
the business mix combined with the increase of newer products which have not yet
achieved their optimal manufacturing volume.

Gross margin on service revenues decreased to 30.2% for the three months ended
December 31, 2000, from 49.3% for the comparable period of the prior year. The
decrease is primarily a result of business mix, combined with ASC's historically
lower margin structure.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research and development expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2000,
were $13.3 million, an increase of $5.6 million, compared to $7.7 million in the
three months ended December 31, 1999. However, research and development expenses
decreased as a percentage of revenues, to 12.3% in the three months ended
December 31, 2000, from 14.2% in the same prior year period. The increase in
absolute spending is the result of the research and development related to the
Company's recent acquisitions as well as incremental spending associated with
the launch of new atmospheric products and the transition to the next generation
vacuum wafer handling products, partially offset by the elimination of redundant
research and development programs. The Company plans to invest in research and
development to enhance existing and develop new tool and factory hardware and
software automation solutions for the semiconductor, data storage and flat panel
display manufacturing industries.

13
14

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $21.9 million for the three
months ended December 31, 2000, an increase of $8.6 million, compared to $13.3
million in the same prior year period. However, selling, general and
administrative expenses decreased as a percentage of revenues, to 20.3% in the
three months ended December 31, 2000, from 24.5% in the three months ended
December 31, 1999. The increase in absolute spending is the result of expanded
sales and marketing activities as well as completed acquisitions and
infrastructure improvements, while the improvement of these costs as a
percentage of revenues reflects the Company's efforts at expanding its product
offerings and customer base. The Company expects that future expenditure levels
will continue at or above current levels to support its worldwide sales and
administrative organizations.

AMORTIZATION OF ACQUIRED INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Amortization expense for acquired intangible assets totaled $5.7 million in the
three months ended December 31, 2000, and relates to the acquired intangible
assets of the ASC and ASI acquisition, which was consummated January 6, 2000,
the Infab, Domain and Hanyon acquisitions, all of which occurred during the
second half of fiscal 1999 and Irvine Optical's acquisition of a corporation in
March 1997. Amortization expense for acquired intangible assets was $0.8 million
in the three months ended December 31, 1999 and relates to the Infab, Domain and
Hanyon acquisitions and Irvine Optical's acquisition of a corporation in March
1997.

INTEREST INCOME AND EXPENSE

Interest income increased by $3.3 million, to $3.9 million, in the three months
ended December 31, 2000, due primarily to higher cash and investment asset
balances which resulted from the Company's public offering of shares of common
stock in March 2000. Interest income was $0.6 million in the three months ended
December 31, 1999. Interest expense of $0.2 million for the three months ended
December 31, 2000 is primarily related to the Company's note payable to Daifuku
America related to the acquisition of ASC and ASI. Interest expense of $0.3
million for the three months ended December 31, 1999 relates primarily to Irvine
Optical's debt, which was discharged in the third fiscal quarter of 2000.

INCOME TAX PROVISION

The Company recorded net income tax expense of $5.2 million and $1.8 million for
the three months ended December 31, 2000 and 1999, respectively. The tax
provision is attributable to federal, state, foreign and withholding taxes.
Federal and state taxes have been reduced for net operating losses, research and
development tax credits and a foreign sales corporation benefit.

14
15

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Cash and cash equivalents were $83.0 million at December 31, 2000, a decrease of
$48.2 million from September 30, 2000. This decrease in cash and cash
equivalents is primarily the result of the Company's purchase of marketable
securities. In connection with its acquisition of ASC and ASI on January 6,
2000, the Company has a note payable to Daifuku America in the amount of $16.0
million. This note was subsequently paid in full on January 5, 2001. In
addition, the Company completed the purchase of its headquarters complex on
January 29, 2001 for approximately $27 million in cash.

Cash used in operations was $2.8 million, and is primarily attributable to
increases in accounts receivable and inventories of $13.4 million and $7.3
million, respectively, partially offset by depreciation and amortization of $8.8
million, and increases of $3.0 million and $2.4 million in accounts payable and
accrued expenses and other current liabilities, respectively. The increase in
accounts receivable and inventories is primarily attributable to the Company's
recent rapid growth. The Company's increased sales, particularly in Asia,
combined with a greater number of long-term project contracts, have also
contributed to the increase in accounts receivable.

Cash used in investing activities was $46.1 million, and was principally
comprised of $37.3 million for the purchase of marketable securities, $5.0
million used for capital additions, primarily in telecommunications, systems
infrastructure and for computer requirements, $2.6 million used for the purchase
of other assets, and $1.2 million used for the purchase of businesses.

Cash provided by financing activities was $0.9 million, comprised of $1.0
million of proceeds from the issuance of common stock, resulting from issuance
of stock under the Company's employee stock purchase plan and the exercise of
stock options, partially offset by $0.1 million for the payment of prior
long-term debt of the Company.

While the Company has no significant capital commitments, as it expands its
product offerings, the Company anticipates that it will continue to make capital
expenditures to support its business. The Company may also use its resources to
acquire companies, technologies or products that complement the business of the
Company.

The Company terminated its $30.0 million unsecured revolving credit facility and
replaced it with a $10.0 million uncommitted demand promissory note facility
with ABN AMRO Bank N.V. ("ABN AMRO") on May 2, 2000. The Company transferred all
of its outstanding letters of credit, totaling approximately $1.1 million, to
the new facility. ABN AMRO is not obligated to extend loans or issue letters of
credit under this new facility. At December 31, 2000, $1.0 million of the
facility was in use, all of it for letters of credit.

The Company believes that its existing resources will be adequate to fund the
Company's currently planned working capital and capital expenditure requirements
for at least the next twelve months. The sufficiency of the Company's resources
to fund its needs for capital is subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors which may have a material adverse effect on the
Company's business, including, without limitation, the factors discussed under
"Factors That May Affect Future Results."


15
16

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


RECENTLY ENACTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In December 1999, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued
Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101 ("SAB 101"), "Revenue Recognition in Financial
Statements". SAB 101 summarizes the SEC's views in applying generally accepted
accounting principles to selected revenue recognition issues in financial
statements. In June 2000, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 101B, an
amendment to SAB 101, which delays the implementation of SAB 101. The
application of the guidance in SAB 101 will now be required in the Company's
fourth quarter of fiscal 2001. The Company is currently determining the impact
that SAB 101 will have on its financial position and results of operations.

In June 1998, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement No. 133,
"Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities" ("FAS 133").
This statement was amended by the issuance of Statement No. 137, "Deferral of
the Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 133", which changed the effective date
of FAS 133 to all fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2000 (fiscal 2001 for
the Company) and requires that all derivative instruments be recorded on the
balance sheet at their fair value. This statement was further amended by
Statement No. 138, "Accounting for Certain Derivative Instruments and Certain
Hedging Activities - an Amendment of FASB Statement No. 133". Changes in the
fair value of derivatives are recorded each period in current earnings or other
comprehensive income, depending on whether a derivative is designated as part of
a hedge transaction and, if it is, the type of hedge transaction. The adoption
of FAS 133 did not have a significant effect on the Company's results of
operations or financial position, as the Company currently does not utilize
derivative instruments.

FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT FUTURE RESULTS

You should carefully consider the risks described below and the other
information in this report before deciding to invest in shares of our common
stock. While these are the risks and uncertainties we believe are most important
for you to consider, you should know that they are not the only risks or
uncertainties facing us or which may adversely affect our business. If any of
the following risks or uncertainties actually occur, our business, financial
condition and operating results would likely suffer. In that event, the market
price of our common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of the
money you paid to buy our common stock.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR OPERATIONS

The Cyclical Demand of Semiconductor Manufacturers Affects our
Operating Results. Our business is significantly dependent on capital
expenditures by semiconductor manufacturers. The level of semiconductor
manufacturers' capital expenditures is dependent on the current and anticipated
market demand for semiconductors. Demand for semiconductors is cyclical and has
historically experienced periodic downturns. During these downturns, our
revenues have dropped, and we have incurred losses. We believe that downturns in
the semiconductor manufacturing industry will occur in the future and will
result in decreased demand for our products. Despite the addition of our factory
automation business in fiscal 1999, our financial results will continue to be
dependent on capital expenditures by semiconductor manufacturers. Downturns in
the semiconductor business, when fewer new facilities are being built, could
harm our financial results as have downturns in the past.

Our Sales Volume Depends on the Sales Volume of our Original Equipment
Manufacturer Customers. We sell a majority of our tool automation products to
original equipment manufacturers who incorporate our products into their
equipment. Therefore, our revenues are directly dependent on the ability of
these customers to develop and market their equipment in a timely,
cost-effective manner.

We Rely on a Small Number of Customers for a Large Portion of our
Revenues. We receive a significant portion of our revenues in each fiscal period
from a limited number of customers. The loss of one or more of these major
customers, or a decrease in orders by one or more customers, would adversely
affect our business. Sales to our ten largest customers accounted for
approximately 49% of total revenues in the three months ended December 31, 2000
and 43% of total revenues in fiscal 2000.

16
17

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


Delays in Shipment of a Few of our Large Orders Could Substantially
Decrease our Revenues. Historically, a substantial portion of our quarterly and
annual revenues came from sales of a small number of large orders. These orders
consist of products with high selling prices compared to our other products. As
a result, the timing of the recognition of revenue from one of these large
orders can have a significant impact on our total revenues and operating results
for a particular period. Our operating results could be harmed if orders for
even a small number of large orders are canceled or rescheduled by customers or
cannot be filled due to delays in manufacturing, testing, shipping or product
acceptance.

We Have Significant Fixed Costs Which Are Not Easily Reduced if Revenues
Fall Below Expectations. Our expense levels are based in part on our future
revenue expectations. Many of our expenses, particularly those relating to
capital equipment and manufacturing overhead, are relatively fixed. If we do not
meet our sales goals we may be unable to rapidly reduce these fixed costs. Our
ability to reduce expenses is further constrained because we must continue to
invest in research and development to maintain our competitive position to
maintain service and support for our existing global customer base. Accordingly,
if we suffer an unexpected downturn in revenue, our inability to reduce fixed
costs rapidly could increase the adverse impact on our results of operations.

Rising Energy Costs In California May Result in Increased Operating
Expenses and Reduced Net Income. California is currently experiencing an energy
crisis. As a result, energy costs in California, including natural gas and
electricity, may rise significantly over the next several months relative to the
rest of the United States. Because we maintain one of our manufacturing
facilities in Southern California, our operating expenses with respect to that
location may increase if this trend continues. If we cannot pass along these
costs to our customers, our margins will suffer and our net income could
decrease.

Our Lengthy Sales Cycle Requires Us to Incur Significant Expenses With No
Assurance That We Will Generate Revenue. Our tool automation products are
generally incorporated into original equipment manufacturer equipment at the
design stage. To obtain new business from our original equipment manufacturer
customers, we must develop products for selection by a potential customer at the
design stage. This often requires us to make significant expenditures, without
any assurance of success. The original equipment manufacturer's design decisions
often precede the generation of volume sales, if any, by a year or more. We also
must complete successfully a lengthy evaluation period before we can achieve
volume sales of our manufacturing execution system software and process
optimization software to our factory automation customers. We cannot guarantee
that we will continue to achieve design wins or satisfy evaluations by our
factory automation customers of our software. We cannot guarantee that the
equipment manufactured by our original equipment manufacturing customers will be
commercially successful. If we or our original equipment manufacturing customers
fail to develop and introduce new products successfully and in a timely manner,
our business and financial results will suffer.

Our International Business Operations Expose Us to a Number of Difficulties
in Coordinating Our Activities Abroad and in Dealing with Multiple Regulatory
Environments. Approximately 45% of our total revenues in the three months ended
December 31, 2000, and 49% of our total revenues in fiscal 2000, were derived
from customers located outside North America. We anticipate that international
sales will continue to account for a significant portion of our revenues. Our
vendors are located in several different foreign countries. As a result of our
international business operations, we are subject to various risks, including:

- difficulties in staffing and managing operations in multiple locations
in many countries;

- challenges presented by collecting trade accounts receivable in
foreign jurisdictions;

- possible adverse tax consequences;

- governmental currency controls;

- changes in various regulatory requirements;

- political and economic changes and disruptions; and

- export/import controls and tariff regulations.


17
18

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued

Although our international sales are primarily denominated in U.S. dollars,
changes in currency exchange rates can make it more difficult for us to compete
with foreign manufacturers on price. If our international sales increase
relative to our total revenues, these factors could have a more pronounced
effect on our operating results.

We Must Continually Improve Our Technology to Remain Competitive.
Technology changes rapidly in the semiconductor, data storage and flat panel
display manufacturing industries. We believe our success will depend upon our
ability to enhance our existing products and to develop and market new products
to meet customer needs. We cannot guarantee that we will identify and adjust to
changing market conditions or succeed in introducing commercially rewarding
products or product enhancements. The success of our product development and
introduction depends on a number of factors, including:

- accurately identifying and defining new products;

- completing and introducing new product designs in a timely manner;

- market acceptance of our products and our customers' products; and

- determining a comprehensive, integrated product strategy.

We Face Significant Competition Which Could Result in Decreased Demand For
Our Products or Services. The markets for our products are intensely competitive
and we may not be able to compete successfully. We believe that our primary
competition in the tool automation market is from integrated original equipment
manufacturers that satisfy their semiconductor and flat panel display handling
needs themselves rather than by purchasing systems or modules from an
independent supplier like us. Many of these original equipment manufacturers
have substantially greater resources than we do. Applied Materials, Inc., the
leading process equipment original equipment manufacturer, develops and
manufactures its own central wafer handling systems and modules. We may not be
successful in selling our products to original equipment manufacturers that
currently satisfy their wafer or substrate handling needs themselves, regardless
of the performance or the price of our products. Moreover, integrated original
equipment manufacturers may begin to commercialize their handling capabilities
and become our competitors.

We believe that the primary competitive factors in the end-user semiconductor
manufacturer market for factory automation software and process control software
are product functionality, price/performance, ease of use, hardware and software
platform compatibility, vendor reputation and financial stability. The relative
importance of these competitive factors may change over time. We directly
compete in this market with various competitors, including Applied
Materials-Consilium, PRI-Promis, IBM-Poseidon and numerous small, independent
software companies. We also compete with the in-house software staffs of
semiconductor manufacturers like NEC. Most of those manufacturers have
substantially greater resources than us.

We believe that the primary competitive factors in the factory interface market
are technical and technological capabilities, reliability, price/performance,
ease of integration and global sales and support capability. In this market, we
compete directly with Asyst, Fortrend, Kensington and Rorze. Some of these
competitors have substantial financial resources and extensive engineering,
manufacturing and marketing capabilities.


18
19

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


Much of Our Success and Value Lies in Our Ownership and Use of Intellectual
Property and Our Failure to Protect That Property Could Adversely Affect Our
Future Growth. Our ability to compete is heavily affected by our ability to
protect our intellectual property. We rely primarily on trade secret laws,
confidentiality procedures, patents, copyrights, trademarks and licensing
arrangements to protect our intellectual property. The steps we have taken to
protect our technology may be inadequate. Existing trade secret, trademark and
copyright laws offer only limited protection. Our patents could be invalidated
or circumvented. The laws of certain foreign countries in which our products are
or may be developed, manufactured or sold may not fully protect our products or
intellectual property rights. This may make the possibility of piracy of our
technology and products more likely. We cannot guarantee that the steps we have
taken to protect our intellectual property will be adequate to prevent
misappropriation of our technology. There has been substantial litigation
regarding patent and other intellectual property rights in semiconductor-related
industries. We may engage in litigation to:

- enforce our patents;

- protect our trade secrets or know-how;

- defend ourselves against claims we infringe on the rights of others;
or

- determine the scope and validity of the patents or intellectual
property rights of others.

Any litigation could result in substantial cost to us and divert the attention
of our management, which could harm our operating results.

Our Operations Could Infringe on the Intellectual Property Rights of
Others. Particular aspects of our technology could be found to infringe on the
intellectual property rights or patents of others. Other companies may hold or
obtain patents on inventions or may otherwise claim proprietary rights to
technology necessary to our business. We cannot predict the extent to which we
may be required to seek licenses or alter our products so that they no longer
infringe on the rights of others. We cannot guarantee that the terms of any
licenses we may be required to seek will be reasonable. Similarly, changing our
products or processes to avoid infringing on the rights of others may be costly
or impractical or could detract from the value of our products.

Our Business May Be Harmed by Infringement Claims of General Signal or
Applied Materials. We received notice from General Signal Corporation alleging
infringements of its patent rights by certain of our products. The notification
advised us that General Signal was attempting to enforce its rights to those
patents in litigation against Applied Materials, and that, at the conclusion of
that litigation, General Signal intended to enforce its rights against us and
others. According to a press release issued by Applied Materials in November
1997, Applied Materials settled its litigation with General Signal by acquiring
ownership of five General Signal patents. Although not verified by us, these
five patents would appear to be the patents referred to by General Signal in its
prior notice to us. Applied Materials has not contacted us regarding these
patents.

We Do Not Have Long-term Contracts With Our Customers and Our Customers May
Cease Purchasing Our Products at Any Time. We generally do not have long-term
contracts with our customers. As a result, our agreements with our customers do
not provide any assurance of future sales. Accordingly:

- our customers can cease purchasing our products at any time without
penalty;

- our customers are free to purchase products from our competitors;

- we are exposed to competitive price pressure on each order; and

- our customers are not required to make minimum purchases.


19
20

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


Our Future Growth Relies in Part on the Commercial Adoption of 300mm Wafer
Technology, Which is Progressing More Slowly Than Expected, and Competition for
300mm Orders May Be Intense. Our future growth relies in part on the adoption of
new systems and technologies to automate the processing of 300mm wafers.
However, the industry transition from the current, widely used 200mm
manufacturing technology to 300mm manufacturing technology is occurring more
slowly than expected. Any significant delay in the adoption of 300mm
manufacturing technology, or the failure of the industry to adopt 300mm
manufacturing technology, could significantly reduce our opportunities for
future growth. Moreover, continued delay in transition to 300mm technology could
permit our competitors to introduce competing or superior 300mm products.
Competition, including price competition, for such 300mm orders could be
vigorous and could harm our results of operations.


RISKS RELATING TO OUR GROWTH

Rapid Growth is Straining Our Operations and Requiring Us to Incur Costs to
Upgrade Our Infrastructure. During the last year, we have experienced extremely
rapid growth in our operations, the number of our employees, our product
offerings and the geographic area of our operations. Our growth places a
significant strain on our management, operations and financial systems. Our
future operating results will be dependent in part on our ability to continue to
implement and improve our operating and financial controls and management
information systems. If we fail to manage our growth effectively, our financial
condition, results of operations and business could be materially adversely
affected.

Our Operating Results Would Be Harmed If One of Our Key Suppliers Fails to
Deliver Components for Our Products. We currently procure many of our components
on an as needed, purchase order basis. We do not carry significant inventories
or have any long-term supply contracts with our vendors. With the recent
increased demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, our suppliers are
facing significant challenges in providing components on a timely basis. Our
inability to obtain components in required quantities or of acceptable quality
could result in significant delays or reductions in product shipments. This
would materially and adversely affect our operating results.

Our Business Could Be Harmed If We Fail to Adequately Integrate the
Operations of Our Acquisitions. Our management must devote substantial time and
resources to the integration of the operations of our acquired businesses with
our business and with each other. If we fail to accomplish this integration
efficiently, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions.
The process of integrating supply and distribution channels, research and
development initiatives, computer and accounting systems and other aspects of
the operation of our acquired businesses, presents a significant challenge to
our management. This is compounded by the challenge of simultaneously managing a
larger entity. We have completed a number of acquisitions in a short period of
time. These businesses have operations and personnel located in Asia, Europe and
the United States and present a number of additional difficulties of
integration, including:

- difficulties in the assimilation of products and designs into
integrated solutions;

- difficulties in informing customers, suppliers and distributors of the
effects of the acquisitions and integrating them into our overall
operations;

- difficulties integrating personnel with disparate business backgrounds
and cultures;

- difficulties in defining and executing a comprehensive product
strategy;

- difficulties in managing geographically remote units;

- difficulties associated with managing the risks of entering markets or
types of businesses in which we have limited or no direct experience;
and

- difficulties in minimizing the loss of key employees of the acquired
businesses.

If we delay integrating or fail to integrate an acquired business or experience
other unforeseen difficulties, the integration process may require a
disproportionate amount of our management's attention and financial and


20
21
other resources. Our failure to adequately address these difficulties could harm
our business and financial results.

Our Business May Be Harmed by Acquisitions We Complete in the Future. We
plan to continue to pursue additional acquisitions of related businesses. Our
identification of suitable acquisition candidates involves risks inherent in
assessing the values, strengths, weaknesses, risks and profitability of
acquisition candidates, including the effects of the possible acquisition on our
business, diversion of our management's attention and risks associated with
unanticipated problems or latent liabilities. If we are successful in pursuing
future acquisitions, we will be required to expend significant funds, incur
additional debt or issue additional securities, which may negatively affect our
results of operations and be dilutive to our stockholders. If we spend
significant funds or incur additional debt, our ability to obtain financing for
working capital or other purposes could decline and we may be more vulnerable to
economic downturns and competitive pressures. We cannot guarantee that we will
be able to finance additional acquisitions or that we will realize any
anticipated benefits from acquisitions that we complete. Should we successfully
acquire another business, the process of integrating acquired operations into
our existing operations may result in unforeseen operating difficulties and may
require significant financial resources that would otherwise be available for
the ongoing development or expansion of our existing business.

We May Not Be Able to Recruit and Retain Necessary Personnel Because of
Intense Competition for Highly Skilled Personnel. We need to hire and retain
substantial numbers of employees with technical backgrounds for both our
hardware and software engineering and support staffs. The market for these
employees is intensely competitive, and we have occasionally experienced delays
in hiring these personnel. Due to the cyclical nature of the demand for our
products, we have had to reduce our workforce and then rebuild our workforce as
our business has gone through downturns followed by upturns. We currently need
to hire a number of highly skilled employees, especially in manufacturing, to
meet customer demand. Due to the competitive nature of the labor markets in
which we operate, this type of employment cycle increases our risk of not being
able to retain and recruit key personnel. Our inability to recruit, retain and
train adequate numbers of qualified personnel on a timely basis could adversely
affect our ability to develop, manufacture, install and support our products.

RISKS RELATING TO OUR COMMON STOCK

Our Operating Results Fluctuate Significantly, Which Could Negatively
Impact Our Business and Our Stock Price. Our margins, revenues and other
operating results can fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter depending
upon a variety of factors, including:

- the level of demand for semiconductors in general;

- cycles in the market for semiconductor manufacturing equipment and
automation software;

- the timing and size of orders from our customer base;

- our ability to manufacture, test and deliver products in a timely and
cost-effective manner;

- our success in winning competitions for orders;

- the timing of our new product announcements and releases and those of
our competitors;

- the mix of products sold by us;

- competitive pricing pressures; and

- the level of automation required in fab extensions, upgrades and new
facilities.

We entered into the factory automation software business in fiscal 1999. We
believe a substantial portion of our revenues from this business will be
dependent on achieving project milestones. As a result, our revenue from this
business will be subject to fluctuations depending upon a number of factors,
including whether we can achieve project milestones on a timely basis, if at
all, as well as the timing and size of projects.


21
22

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS - Continued


The Volatility of Our Stock Price Could Adversely Affect an Investment in
Our Stock. The market price of our common stock has fluctuated widely. For
example, between April 14, 2000 and April 28, 2000, the price of our common
stock rose from approximately $62.38 to $89.69 per share. Between April 28, 2000
and May 31, 2000, the price of our common stock dropped from approximately
$89.69 to $39.75 per share. Consequently, the current market price of our common
stock may not be indicative of future market prices, and we may not be able to
sustain or increase the value of an investment in our common stock. Factors
affecting our stock price may include:

- variations in operating results from quarter to quarter;

- changes in earnings estimates by analysts or our failure to meet
analysts' expectations;

- changes in the market price per share of our public company customers;

- market conditions in the industry;

- general economic conditions;

- low trading volume of our common stock; and

- the number of firms making a market in our common stock.

In addition, the stock market has recently experienced extreme price and volume
fluctuations. These fluctuations have particularly affected the market prices of
the securities of high technology companies like us. These market fluctuations
could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

Provisions of Our Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws and Contracts May
Discourage Takeover Offers and May Limit the Price Investors Would Be Willing to
Pay for Our Common Stock. Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain
provisions that may make an acquisition of us more difficult and discourage
changes in our management. These provisions could limit the price that certain
investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of our common stock.
In addition, we have adopted a rights plan. In many potential takeover
situations, rights issued under the plan become exercisable to purchase our
common stock at a price substantially discounted from the then applicable market
price of our common stock. Because of its possible dilutive effect to a
potential acquirer, the rights plan would generally discourage third parties
from proposing a merger with or initiating a tender offer for us that is not
approved by our board of directors. Accordingly, the rights plan could have an
adverse impact on our stockholders who might want to vote in favor of the merger
or participate in the tender offer. In addition, shares of our preferred stock
may be issued upon terms the board of directors deems appropriate without
stockholder approval. Our ability to issue preferred stock in such a manner
could enable our board of directors to prevent changes in our management or
control.


22
23

BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.


Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURE ABOUT MARKET RISK

INTEREST RATE EXPOSURE

Based on Brooks' overall interest exposure at December 31, 2000, including all
interest rate-sensitive instruments, a near-term change in interest rates within
a 95% confidence level based on historical interest rate movements would not
materially affect the consolidated results of operations or financial position.

CURRENCY RATE EXPOSURE

Brooks' foreign revenues are generally denominated in United States dollars.
Accordingly, foreign currency fluctuations have not had a significant impact on
the comparison of the results of operations for the periods presented. The costs
and expenses of Brooks' international subsidiaries are generally denominated in
currencies other than the United States dollar. However, since the functional
currency of Brooks' international subsidiaries is the local currency, foreign
currency translation adjustments do not impact operating results, but instead
are reflected as a component of stockholders' equity under the caption
"Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)". To the extent Brooks expands
its international operations or changes its pricing practices to denominate
prices in foreign currencies, Brooks will be exposed to increased risk of
currency fluctuation.


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24

Item 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

(a) The following exhibits are included herein:

Exhibit No. Description
----------- -----------

10.43 Retention Agreement for J. Pelusi dated June 16, 2000.

(b) No reports on Form 8-K were filed during the quarterly period ended
December 31, 2000.


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25

SIGNATURES


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.


BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.



DATE: February 14, 2001 /s/ Robert J. Therrien
--------------------------------
Robert J. Therrien
Director and President
(Principal Executive Officer)



DATE: February 14, 2001 /s/ Ellen B. Richstone
--------------------------------
Ellen B. Richstone
Senior Vice President of Finance and
Administration and Chief Financial
Officer (Principal Financial Officer)


25
26


EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No. Description
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10.43 Retention Agreement for J. Pelusi dated June 16, 2000.