Rambus
RMBS
#1733
Rank
$12.24 B
Marketcap
$113.71
Share price
-0.11%
Change (1 day)
88.42%
Change (1 year)

Rambus - 10-Q quarterly report FY


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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: 000-22339

RAMBUS INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware 94-3112828
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization) Identification No.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDRESS
4440 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022
(Address of principal executive offices) (zip code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 947-5000

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 [_]

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant's Common Stock, par value
$.001 per share, was 98,160,709 as of December 31, 2000.
RAMBUS INC.
FORM 10-Q

INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PAGE
----
<S> <C>
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements:

Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets
as of December 31, 2000 and September 30, 2000........................................... 1

Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations
for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2000 and December 31, 1999....................... 2

Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
for the Three Months Ended December 31, 2000 and December 31, 1999....................... 3

Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements........................... 4

Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations.................................................................... 7

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk............................... 13

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings........................................................................ 14

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K......................................................... 15

Signature ......................................................................................... 16
</TABLE>
PART I -- FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements.

RAMBUS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
December 31, September 30,
------------ -------------
2000 2000
---- ----
(Unaudited)
ASSETS
<S> <C> <C>
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents..................................................... $ 71,212 $ 63,093
Marketable securities......................................................... 55,507 59,127
Accounts receivable........................................................... 1,788 68
Prepaid and deferred taxes.................................................... 21,220 17,661
Prepaids and other current assets............................................. 2,977 2,988
--------- ---------
Total current assets..................................................... 152,704 142,937
Property and equipment, net........................................................ 12,161 6,724
Marketable securities, long-term................................................... 14,599 7,548
Restricted cash.................................................................... 2,773 2,500
Deferred taxes, long-term.......................................................... 55,404 55,404
Other assets....................................................................... 4,071 4,518
--------- ---------
Total assets............................................................. $ 241,712 $ 219,631
========= =========
<CAPTION>
LIABILITIES

Current liabilities:
Accounts and taxes payable, accrued payroll and other liabilities............. $ 10,312 $ 9,032
Deferred revenue.............................................................. 21,719 24,155
--------- ---------
Total current liabilities................................................ 32,031 33,187
Deferred revenue, less current portion............................................. 24,498 24,122
--------- ---------
Total liabilities........................................................ 56,529 57,309
--------- ---------
<CAPTION>
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Convertible preferred stock, $.001 par value:
Authorized: 5,000,000 shares
Issued and outstanding: no shares............................................ -- --
Common stock, $.001 par value:
Authorized: 500,000,000 shares;
Issued and outstanding: 98,160,709 shares at December 31, 2000 and
97,490,774 shares at September 30, 2000...................................... 98 97
Additional paid-in capital......................................................... 295,596 285,885
Deferred stock-based compensation.................................................. (543) (571)
Accumulated deficit................................................................ (110,092) (123,132)
Accumulated other comprehensive gain............................................... 124 43
--------- ---------
Total stockholders' equity............................................... 185,183 162,322
--------- ---------
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity.......................... $ 241,712 $ 219,631
========= =========
</TABLE>

See Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.

1
RAMBUS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Three Months Ended
------------------
December 31,
------------
2000 1999
---- ----
<S> <C> <C>
Revenues:
Contract revenues.......................................................... $ 7,869 $ 9,319
Royalties.................................................................. 26,848 2,630
--------- ---------
Total revenues........................................................ 34,717 11,949
--------- ---------
Cost and expenses:
Cost of contract revenues.................................................. 2,220 3,531
Research and development................................................... 3,588 2,224
Marketing, general and administrative...................................... 9,247 3,399
--------- ---------
Total costs and expenses.............................................. 15,055 9,154
--------- ---------
Operating income...................................................... 19,662 2,795
Other income, net............................................................... 2,071 997
--------- ---------
Income before income taxes............................................ 21,733 3,792
Provision for income taxes...................................................... 8,693 1,327
--------- ---------
Net income............................................................ $ 13,040 $ 2,465
========= =========

Net income per share - basic.................................................... $ 0.13 $ 0.03
========= =========
Net income per share - diluted.................................................. $ 0.12 $ 0.02
========= =========

Number of shares used in per share calculations:
Basic...................................................................... 98,551 95,038
========= =========
Diluted.................................................................... 108,560 100,681
========= =========
</TABLE>


See Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.

2
RAMBUS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
(Unaudited)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Three Months Ended
December 31,
------------
2000 1999
----- ----
<S> <C> <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income................................................................... $ 13,040 $ 2,465
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation............................................................ 605 758
Amortization of deferred compensation................................... 154 99
Amortization of goodwill................................................ 67 44
Change in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable................................................ (1,720) (979)
Prepaids, deferred taxes and other assets.......................... (3,168) 1,219
Accounts and taxes payable, accrued payroll and other
liabilities...................................................... 7,813 (951)
Deferred revenue................................................... (2,060) (5,613)
--------- ---------
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities........... 14,731 (2,958)
--------- ---------
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment........................................... (6,042) (555)
Purchases of marketable securities........................................... (231,407) (350,253)
Maturities of marketable securities.......................................... 228,109 344,363
Acquired technology rights................................................... -- (1,334)
Increase in restricted cash.................................................. (273) --
--------- ---------
Net cash used in investing activities......................... (9,613) (7,779)
--------- ---------
Cash flows from financing activities:
Net proceeds from issuance of common stock................................... 3,053 1,260
--------- ---------
Net cash provided by financing activities..................... 3,053 1,260
--------- ---------
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents............................. (52) 39
--------- ---------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents.............................. 8,119 (9,438)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period.................................. 63,093 14,982
--------- ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period........................................ $ 71,212 $ 5,544
========= =========

Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Taxes paid................................................................... $ 3,559 $ 173
Tax benefit of stock option exercises........................................ $ 6,659 $ --
</TABLE>

See Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.

3
RAMBUS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated condensed financial statements include the
accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Rambus K.K., located in
Tokyo, Japan. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in
the accompanying consolidated condensed financial statements.

In the opinion of management, the consolidated condensed financial
statements include all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring items)
necessary to present fairly the financial position and results of operations for
each interim period shown. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of
results for a full year.

The consolidated condensed financial statements have been prepared in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) applicable to interim financial information. Certain
information and footnote disclosures included in financial statements prepared
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles have been omitted in
these interim statements pursuant to such SEC rules and regulations. The
information included in this Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the
consolidated financial statements and notes thereto, for the year ended
September 30, 2000, included in the Company's 2000 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

2. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In the first quarter of fiscal 2001, the Company adopted SFAS No. 133,
"Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities." The adoption of
SFAS No. 133 did not have a significant effect on the Company's financial
statements and related disclosures since the Company does not currently hold
derivative instruments or engage in hedging activities.

In December 1999, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued Staff
Accounting Bulletin No. 101 (SAB 101), "Revenue Recognition in Financial
Statements." SAB 101 provides guidance on applying accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States to revenue recognition in financial
statements and is effective in the fourth quarter of all fiscal years beginning
after December 15, 1999. The Company's accounting policies are consistent with
the requirements of SAB 101, so the implementation of SAB 101 in the fourth
quarter of fiscal year 2001 is not expected to have an impact on the Company's
operating results.

4
RAMBUS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--
(Continued)

3. Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is defined as the change in equity of a business
enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances
from non-owner sources, including foreign currency translation adjustments and
unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities.

Comprehensive income (loss) is as follows (in thousands; unaudited):

Three Months Ended
December 31,
------------
2000 1999
---- ----

Net income............................................ $13,040 $2,465
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments........... (52) 39
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities.... 133 (62)
------ -----
Other comprehensive income (loss)..................... 81 (23)

Total comprehensive income............................ $13,121 $2,442
====== =====


4. Contingent Warrants, Common Stock Equivalents, and Options

In November 1996, the Company entered into an agreement with Intel
Corporation for the development of high-speed semiconductor memory interface
technologies. In January 1997, as part of this agreement, the Company issued a
warrant to purchase 4,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company at a
purchase price of $2.50 per share (the "Intel warrant"). This warrant will
become exercisable only upon the achievement of certain milestones by Intel
relating to shipment volumes of RDRAM-based chipsets (the "Intel milestones").
The warrant will expire no later than the eighth (8th) anniversary of its
issuance. At the time that achievement of the milestones becomes probable, a
non-cash charge will be recorded in the statement of operations based on the
fair value of the warrant.

In October 1998, the Company's Board of Directors authorized an incentive
program in the form of warrants for a total of up to 1,600,000 shares of Rambus
common stock (the "DRAM incentive warrants") to be issued to various RDRAM
partners upon the achievement of certain product qualification and volume
production targets. The warrants, to be issued at the time the targets are met,
have an exercise price of $2.50 per share and a life of five years. They vest
and become exercisable on the same basis as the Intel warrant, which will result
in a non-cash charge to the statement of operations based on the fair value of
the warrants at the time the achievement of the Intel milestones becomes
probable. As of December 31, 2000, a total of 1,240,000 of these warrants had
been issued.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2000, the Company granted to its Chief
Executive Officer and to its President a combined total of 2,000,000 Common
Stock Equivalents (CSEs) and to its employees approximately 2,160,000 options to
purchase Rambus common stock for $2.50 per share. Vesting of these CSEs and
options was contingent upon the achievement of key indicators of success for
Rambus. Vesting for a portion of these CSEs and options was contingent on an
increase in the price of Rambus common stock to greater than $50 per share for
30 consecutive days. This target was achieved by the end of the second quarter
of fiscal 2000, and resulted in a $171.1 million employee

5
RAMBUS INC. AND SUBSIDIARY
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS--(Continued)


4. Contingent Warrants, Common Stock Equivalents, and Options (continued)

stock-related compensation charge taken in the same quarter. Except for a $1.2
million employer payroll tax liability, this was a non-cash charge. The
remaining CSEs and options will vest on the same basis as the Intel and DRAM
incentive warrants, which will result in another almost entirely non-cash charge
to the statement of operations based on the fair value of the CSEs and options
at the time achievement of the Intel milestones becomes probable.

5. Income Taxes

The Company recorded a provision for income taxes of $8.7 million and $1.3
million in the first quarters of fiscal 2001 and 2000, respectively. The
estimated federal and state combined rates on pretax income for the first
quarters of fiscal 2001 and 2000 were 40% and 35%, respectively. The Company's
effective tax rate differs from the statutory rate due to timing differences
related to the recognition of contract and royalty revenues and expenses for tax
and financial reporting purposes.

6. Net Income Per Share

Net income per share is computed in accordance with Financial Accounting
Standards Board Statement No. 128 (SFAS 128), "Earnings Per Share," which
requires the presentation of basic and diluted net income per share. Basic net
income per share is calculated using the weighted average number of common
shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is calculated
using the weighted average number of common shares and common stock equivalents,
if dilutive, outstanding during the period. Net income per share is calculated
as follows (in thousands, except per share data; unaudited):

Three Months Ended
December 31,
------------
2000 1999
---- ----

Net income............................................ $ 13,040 $ 2,465
======= =======
Weighted average common shares outstanding............ 98,551 95,038
Additional dilutive common stock equivalents.......... 10,009 5,643
------- -------

Diluted shares outstanding............................ 108,560 100,681
======= =======

Net income per share - basic.......................... $ 0.13 $ 0.03
======= =======

Net income per share - diluted........................ $ 0.12 $ 0.02
======= =======

6
Item 2.
MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

General

This Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements that have been made
pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations,
estimates and projections about the Company's industry, management's beliefs,
and certain assumptions made by the Company's management. These statements
include those concerning the following: the expectation that royalties will
represent the majority of the Company's total revenue in future periods; the
likelihood that the Company's RDRAM-compatible licensees will continue to
contract with the Company for implementation services; the expectation that
revenues derived from international licenses will continue to represent a
significant portion of the Company's total revenue and that the Company will
continue to experience significant revenue concentration; the belief that the
level of revenues, expenses and cash balances will fluctuate in the future; and
the intention to protect and vigorously defend the Company's patents in
connection with pending legal proceedings. These statements are not guarantees
of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and
assumptions that are difficult to predict; therefore, actual results may differ
materially from those expressed or forecasted in any such forward-looking
statements. Such risks include market acceptance of the Company's technologies;
systems companies' acceptance of RDRAM-compatible ICs produced by the Company's
licensees; market acceptance of the products of systems companies which have
adopted the Company's technologies; delays, lack of cost-competitiveness or
other problems in the introduction or performance of RDRAM-compatible ICs or
products which include RDRAM-compatible ICs including, but not limited to,
RDRAMs, RDRAM-compatible chipsets and the Sony PlayStation2; the introduction of
a competitive memory interface which is perceived to be more cost-effective,
such as DDR SDRAM; future dependence upon the PC main memory market and Intel;
the loss of any strategic relationships with systems companies or licensees;
announcements or introductions of new technologies or products by the Company or
the Company's competitors; delays, lack of cost-competitiveness or other
problems in the introduction or performance of enhancements or future
generations of the Company's current technologies or new products; fluctuations
in the market price and demand for DRAMs and logic ICs into which the Company's
technologies have been incorporated, especially a severe drop in the price of
SDRAMs; competitive pressures resulting in lower contract revenues or royalty
rates; changes in the Company's, licensees' and system companies' development
and product introduction schedules and levels of expenditure on research and
development and marketing; personnel changes, particularly those involving
engineering and technical personnel; potential adverse determinations in current
and potential additional litigation involving the Company's intellectual
property; costs associated with protecting the Company's intellectual property;
changes in Company strategies; foreign exchange rate fluctuations or other
changes in the international business climate; and general economic trends. A
more detailed discussion of risks faced by the Company is set forth in the
Company's 2000 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. The Company
assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or the discussion
of risks.

7
Results of Operations

The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the percentage
of total revenues represented by certain items reflected in the Company's
consolidated condensed statements of operations and the percentage change of
such items between periods:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Percent of Total Revenues, Percent
Three Months Ended Change,
December 31, 2000 v.
-----------
2000 1999 1999
---- ----- ----
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Revenues:
Contract revenues...................... 22.7% 78.0% (15.6%)
Royalties.............................. 77.3 22.0 920.8
----- -----
Total revenues....................... 100.0 % 100.0% 190.5
===== =====
Costs and expenses:
Cost of contract revenues.............. 6.4 29.6 (37.1)
Research and development............... 10.3 18.6 61.3
Marketing, general and administrative.. 26.7 28.4 172.1
----- -----
Total costs and expenses............. 43.4 76.6 64.5
----- -----
Operating income.......................... 56.6 23.4 603.5
Other income, net......................... 6.0 8.3 107.7
----- -----
Income before income taxes................ 62.6 31.7 473.1
Provision for income taxes................ 25.0 11.1 555.1
----- -----
Net income................................ 37.6% 20.6% 429.0%
===== =====
</TABLE>


Revenues. Total revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2000
increased 190.5% to $34.7 million from $11.9 million in the comparable three-
month period of the previous year. Contract revenues decreased 15.6% to $7.9
million (22.7% of total revenues) in the first quarter of fiscal 2001 from $9.3
million (78.0% of total revenues) in the comparable period of fiscal 2000 due to
the expiration of revenue recognition periods for several RDRAM contracts.
Contract revenues in the fiscal 2001 period include recognition of $1.5 million
of previously deferred revenue on an RDRAM contract for which all remaining
obligations were terminated by mutual consent due to the licensee's reduced
activities in the merchant DRAM market.

The Company anticipates continuing to book additional contracts, especially
contracts with existing licensees for newer versions of Rambus technologies.
However, it is anticipated that contract revenues will continue to decline over
time as the value of contracts for which the revenue recognition periods have
expired exceeds the value of new contracts. The Company's past success in
signing licenses has reduced the number of potential new licensees, which also
contributes to the anticipated continuing decline in contract revenues.

Royalties in the first quarter of fiscal 2001 were $26.8 million (77.3% of
total revenues), more than ten times the $2.6 million (22.0% of total revenues)
reported in the comparable period of fiscal 2000. Royalties in the fiscal 2001
period include increased royalties from licensees' shipments of RDRAMs and
controllers that connect to RDRAMs (RDRAM-compatible ICs) into the desktop PC,
workstation, and Sony PlayStation2 markets as well as royalties from licensees
for the use of Rambus intellectual property in SDRAMs, DDR SDRAMs and logic
products which directly control these memories (SDRAM-compatible ICs). The
Company recognized its first ever royalties from SDRAM-compatible ICs in the
fourth quarter of fiscal 2000.

8
The Company anticipates that its potential to generate RDRAM-compatible
royalties for the balance of fiscal 2001 will be largely dependent upon system
sales by PC and workstation manufacturers and Sony. The markets addressed by
systems companies using RDRAM-compatible ICs, including those in the PC and
video game console businesses, are characterized by extreme volatility, frequent
new product introductions and rapidly shifting consumer preferences, and there
can be no assurance as to the unit volumes of RDRAM-compatible ICs that will be
purchased in the future or the level of royalty-bearing revenues that the
Company will receive due to these applications. None of the systems companies
currently incorporating RDRAM-compatible technologies into their products is
contractually obligated to continue using RDRAM-compatible ICs. Royalties from
both RDRAMs and SDRAMs are subject to the extreme fluctuations in the market
price for DRAMs. Given the concentration of royalties from a limited number of
sources, it is likely that royalties will continue to vary greatly from period
to period.

As of December 31, 2000, the Company had 29 RDRAM-compatible licensees and
seven SDRAM-compatible licensees. Because all of the Company's revenues are
derived from its relatively small number of licensees, the Company's revenues
tend to be highly concentrated. In the first quarter of fiscal 2001 and 2000,
the Company's top five licensees accounted for 80% and 46% of total revenues,
respectively. In the first quarter of 2001, four customers accounted for 24%,
18%, 17%, and 14% of total revenues, respectively. In the first quarter of
fiscal 2000, one customer accounted for 15% of total revenues. The Company
expects that it will continue to experience significant revenue concentration
for the foreseeable future. However, the particular licensees which account for
revenue concentration may vary from period to period depending on the addition
of new contracts, the expiration of deferred revenue schedules under existing
contracts, and the volumes and prices at which the licensees sell
RDRAM-compatible and SDRAM-compatible ICs to systems companies in any given
period.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2001 and 2000, international revenues
constituted 87% and 69% of the Company's total revenues, respectively. The
Company expects that revenues derived from international licensees will continue
to represent a significant portion of its total revenues in the future. All of
the revenues from international licensees to date have been denominated in
United States dollars.

Substantially all of the RDRAM-compatible license fees, engineering service
fees and nonrefundable, prepaid royalties are bundled together as contract fees
because the Company generally does not provide or price these components
separately. Since these contracts cover complete technologies developed and
supported by the Company, they also generally include rights to upgrades and
enhancements. Accordingly, Rambus recognizes contract revenues ratably over the
period during which post-contract customer support is expected to be provided.
The excess of contract fees received over revenue recognized is shown on the
Company's balance sheet as deferred revenue.

SDRAM-compatible licenses also generally provide for the payment of license
fees as well as quarterly royalties. However, since these licenses are only for
use of the Company's patents, there are no upgrades, enhancements or other
customer support provided. The license fees, which generally are millions of
dollars, include compensation for use of Rambus patents from the time the
Company notifies the licensee of potential infringement. Accordingly, Rambus
classifies these fees as royalty revenues, which are recognized ratably over the
five-year contract period. The excess of SDRAM-compatible license fees received
over royalty revenue recognized is shown on the

9
Company's balance sheet as deferred revenue. As of December 31, 2000, the
Company's deferred revenue from both RDRAM-compatible and SDRAM-compatible
licenses was $46.2 million, substantially all of which is scheduled to be
recognized in varying amounts over the next five years.

Engineering Costs. Engineering costs, consisting of cost of contract
revenues and research and development expenses, were $5.8 million in both the
first quarter of fiscal 2001 and the first quarter of fiscal 2000. Engineering
costs decreased to 16.7% of total revenues in the first quarter of fiscal 2001
from 48.2% in the comparable three-month period of the previous year due to the
growth in royalty revenues.

Cost of Contract Revenues. Cost of contract revenues as a percentage of
total revenues decreased to 6.4% in the first quarter of fiscal 2001 from 29.6%
in the comparable period of fiscal 2000. Cost of revenues accounted for 38% of
total engineering costs in the first quarter of fiscal 2001, down from 61% in
the comparable period of fiscal 2000. The decrease in cost of contract revenues
as a percentage of total revenues and as a percentage of total engineering costs
is primarily due to the successful launch and ramp of RDRAM-compatible
technologies into the PC main memory market resulting in a reduction in
engineering support efforts, as well as the effect of the increase in royalty
revenues. The Company believes that the level of cost of contract revenues will
continue to fluctuate in the future, both in absolute dollars and as a
percentage of revenues, as new generations of RDRAM-compatible ICs go through
the normal development and implementation phases.

Research and Development. Research and development expenses as a percentage
of total revenues decreased to 10.3% in the first quarter of fiscal 2001 from
18.6% in the comparable period of fiscal 2000 due to the increase in the
Company's royalty revenues. Research and development expenses accounted for 62%
of total engineering costs in the first quarter of fiscal 2001, up from 39% in
the comparable period of fiscal 2000 as the Company was able to shift
engineering resources from support of the PC market ramp to development of
technology roadmap improvements as well as new chip connection activities. In
the first quarter of fiscal 2001 and 2000, research and development expenses
include approximately $221,000 and $143,000, respectively, of deferred
compensation costs and amortization related to the Company's fiscal 2000
purchase of the intellectual property assets of a small company responsible for
developing a SerDes cell for network applications. The acquisition was accounted
for as a purchase, which resulted in goodwill and deferred compensation costs
that are being amortized over periods ranging from 2 to 5 years. The Company
expects research and development expenses to increase over time as it enhances
and improves its technologies and applies them to new generations of ICs. The
rate of increase of, and the percentage of revenues represented by, research and
development expenses in the future will vary from period to period based on the
research and development projects underway and the change in engineering
headcount in any given period, as well as the rate of change in the Company's
total revenues.

Marketing, General and Administrative. Marketing, general and
administrative expenses increased 172.1% to $9.2 million in the first quarter of
fiscal 2001 from $3.4 million in the comparable period of fiscal 2000. The
increase in absolute dollars largely represents increased legal costs associated
with enforcing the Company's patents and other intellectual property rights. The
decrease as a percentage of revenues from 28.4% in the fiscal 2000 period to
26.7% in fiscal 2001 reflects the increased revenue base. The Company expects
marketing, general and administrative expenses to increase in the future as the
Company focuses additional resources upon protecting its intellectual property
rights through legal activities, marketing its technologies, and assisting
systems

10
companies with adapting these technologies to new generations of products. In
addition, the Company expects to incur increased costs in the future associated
with relocation of its corporate headquarters to a larger facility to
accommodate long-term growth. The rate of increase of, and the percentage of
revenues represented by, marketing, general and administrative expenses in the
future will vary from period to period based on the legal, advertising, trade
shows, and other marketing and administrative activities undertaken and the
change in sales, marketing and administrative headcount in any given period, as
well as the rate of change in the Company's total revenues.

Other Income, Net. Other income consists primarily of interest income from
the Company's cash investments. Other income was $2.1 million and $1.0 million
in the first quarter of fiscal 2001 and 2000. The increase in absolute dollars
was due to a combination of higher interest rates and higher invested balances.
The Company expects higher cash balances to generate increased interest income
in the future.

Provision for Income Taxes. The Company recorded a provision for income
taxes of $8.7 million and $1.3 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2001 and
2000, respectively. The estimated federal and state combined rates on pretax
income for the first quarter of fiscal 2001 and 2000 were 40% and 35%,
respectively. The Company's effective tax rate differs from the statutory rate
due to timing differences related to the recognition of contract and royalty
revenues and expenses for tax and financial reporting purposes.

Common Stock Split

In March 2000, the Company's board of directors approved a four-for-one
split of Rambus' common stock, subject to stockholder approval of an increase in
authorized common stock. On May 23, 2000, the Company's stockholders approved an
increase in the Company's authorized shares of common stock to 500 million
shares. The stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis on June 15, 2000. All
references in this Form 10-Q to earnings per share, the number of common shares,
contingent warrants, common stock equivalents, and options, and the share price
have been retroactively restated to reflect the common stock split and the
increase in authorized common stock.

Contingent Warrants, Common Stock Equivalents, and Options

In November 1996, the Company entered into an agreement with Intel
Corporation for the development of high-speed semiconductor memory interface
technologies. In January 1997, as part of this agreement, the Company issued a
warrant to purchase 4,000,000 shares of common stock of the Company at a
purchase price of $2.50 per share (the "Intel warrant"). This warrant will
become exercisable only upon the achievement of certain milestones by Intel
relating to shipment volumes of RDRAM-based chipsets (the "Intel milestones").
The warrant will expire no later than the eighth (8th) anniversary of its
issuance. At the time that achievement of the milestones becomes probable, a
non-cash charge will be recorded in the statement of operations based on the
fair value of the warrant.

In October 1998, the Company's Board of Directors authorized an incentive
program in the form of warrants for a total of up to 1,600,000 shares of Rambus
common stock (the "DRAM incentive warrants") to be issued to various RDRAM
partners upon the achievement of certain product qualification and volume
production targets. The warrants, to be issued at the time the targets are met,
have an exercise price of $2.50 per share and a life of five years. They vest
and become exercisable on the same basis as the Intel warrant, which will result
in a non-cash charge to

11
the statement of operations based on the fair value of the warrants at the time
the achievement of the Intel milestones becomes probable. As of December 31,
2000, a total of 1,240,000 of these warrants had been issued.

In the first quarter of fiscal 2000, the Company granted to its Chief
Executive Officer and to its President a combined total of 2,000,000 Common
Stock Equivalents (CSEs) and to its employees approximately 2,160,000 options to
purchase Rambus common stock for $2.50 per share. Vesting of these CSEs and
options was contingent upon the achievement of key indicators of success for
Rambus. Vesting for a portion of these CSEs and options was contingent on an
increase in the price of Rambus common stock to greater than $50 per share for
30 consecutive days. This target was achieved by the end of the second quarter
of fiscal 2000, and resulted in a $171.1 million employee stock-related
compensation charge taken in the same quarter. Except for a $1.2 million
employer payroll tax liability, this was a non-cash charge. The remaining CSEs
and options will vest on the same basis as the Intel and DRAM incentive
warrants, which will result in another almost entirely non-cash charge to the
statement of operations based on the fair value of the CSEs and options at the
time achievement of the Intel milestones becomes probable.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of December 31, 2000, the Company had cash and cash equivalents and
marketable securities of $144.1 million, including restricted cash of $2.8
million and a long-term marketable securities component of $14.6 million. As of
the same date, the Company had total working capital of $120.7 million,
including a short-term component of deferred revenue of $21.7 million. Deferred
revenue represents the excess of cash received from licensees over revenue
recognized on license contracts, and the short-term component represents the
amount of this deferred revenue the Company expects to recognize over the next
twelve months. Without the short-term component of deferred revenue, working
capital would have been $142.4 million as of December 31, 2000.

The Company's operating activities provided net cash of $14.7 million in
the first quarter of fiscal 2001 compared to net cash used of $3.0 million in
the comparable period of fiscal 2000. In the fiscal 2001 period, net cash
provided by operating activities consisted mainly of net income adjusted for
non-cash items and an increase in current liabilities, partially offset by a
decrease in deferred revenue and increases in accounts receivable and prepaid
taxes. The decrease in deferred revenue represents contract revenues recognized
in excess of new contract billings.

Net cash used in investing activities was $9.6 million in the first quarter
of fiscal 2001 compared to $7.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2000. Net
cash used in investing activities in the fiscal 2001 period consisted of
purchases of property and equipment and net purchases of marketable securities.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $3.1 million in the first
quarter of fiscal 2001 compared to $1.3 million in the comparable period of
fiscal 2000. Proceeds from the sale of common stock under the Company's employee
stock purchase and option plans are the primary source of net cash provided by
financing activities. The Company presently anticipates that existing cash
balances will be adequate to meet its cash needs for at least the next 12
months.

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Item 3.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

The Company's exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates
primarily to its investment portfolio. The Company places its investments with
high credit issuers and by policy limits the amount of credit exposure to any
one issuer. As stated in its policy, the Company will ensure the safety and
preservation of its invested funds by limiting default risk and market risk. The
Company has no investments denominated in foreign country currencies and
therefore is not subject to foreign exchange risk.

The Company mitigates default risk by investing in high credit quality
securities and by positioning its portfolio to respond appropriately to a
significant reduction in a credit rating of any investment issuer or guarantor.
The portfolio includes only marketable securities with active secondary or
resale markets to ensure portfolio liquidity.

The table below presents the carrying value and related weighted average
interest rates for the Company's investment portfolio. The carrying value
approximates fair value at December 31, 2000.

Average Rate
of Return at
Carrying December 31,
Value 2000
(in thousands) (annualized)
Investment portfolio:
Cash equivalents............................. $ 66,661 6.6%
United States government debt securities..... 29,606 6.6%
Corporate notes and bonds.................... 20,515 6.9%
Commercial paper............................. 12,945 6.6%
Foreign debt securities...................... 5,531 7.2%
Municipal notes and bonds.................... 1,509 4.1%
---------

Total investment portfolio................. $ 136,767
=========

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PART II -- OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

On August 8, 2000, the Company filed suit in the U.S. District Court for
the Eastern District of Virginia against Infineon Technologies AG ("Infineon")
and its North American subsidiary for infringement of two U.S. patents. In
addition, on August 7, 2000, the Company filed suit in Mannheim, Germany against
Infineon for infringement of one European patent. The suits seek injunctions to
halt the sale, manufacture and use of Infineon SDRAM and DDR SDRAM memory
devices that infringe the Rambus patents. On September 25, 2000, Infineon filed
counterclaims against the Company in the U.S. case (USDC Virginia Civil Action
No.: 3:00CV524) seeking a declaratory judgment that the two asserted patents are
invalid and not infringed and further claiming contributory infringement by the
Company of two Infineon U.S. patents. In addition, Infineon also asserts breach
of contract and fraud claims in connection with the Company's participation in
an industry standards-setting group known as JEDEC. The Infineon counterclaims
seek damages based on the alleged contributory infringement, injunctions to halt
future infringement, punitive damages based on the alleged fraud and the award
to Infineon of a royalty-free license to the Rambus patents. In October 2000,
the Company amended its complaint to assert infringement of two additional U.S.
patents. In January 2001, Infineon amended its answer and counterclaims to
include a request for a declaratory judgment that all four asserted Rambus
patents are invalid and not infringed. In addition, Infineon withdrew all
contributory patent infringement claims against the Company relating to
Infineon's U.S. patents. The Company disputes all of Infineon's remaining
counterclaims and intends to pursue its claims and defend against the
counterclaims vigorously. The U.S. case is nearing conclusion of the discovery
phase and trial has been scheduled to begin on March 13, 2001. In the German
case, trial is scheduled for May 18, 2001.

On August 28, 2000, Micron Technology, Inc. ("Micron") filed suit against
the Company in the U.S. District Court in Delaware (USDC Delaware Civil Action
No.: 00-792-RRM). The suit asserts violations of federal antitrust laws,
deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, fraud and negligent
misrepresentation in connection with the Company's participation in JEDEC. Based
on these allegations, the suit seeks a declaration of monopolization by the
Company, compensatory and punitive damages, a declaratory judgment that eight
Rambus patents are invalid and not infringed and the award to Micron of a
royalty-free license to the Rambus patents. The U.S. case is currently in the
discovery phase. The Company disputes all of Micron's claims and intends to
defend the lawsuit vigorously.

In September 2000, the Company filed suit against Micron in Germany,
France, Great Britain and Italy for infringement of a European patent. The
French and Italian actions included court-sanctioned seizure of documents,
samples and mask sets from Micron facilities. The German suit has been scheduled
for trial on February 16, 2001. The French suit is in an early phase. The
British suit has been temporarily stayed. In the Italian case, although the
items seized were ordered returned based on procedural grounds, the Italian
court's decision on Micron's liability under the European patent is likely in
April or May 2001.

On August 29, 2000, Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd. ("Hyundai")
and various subsidiaries filed suit against the Company in the U.S. District
Court for the Northern District of California (USDC Northern District of
California Case No.: 00-20905 PVT). The suit asserts breach of contract in
connection with the Company's participation in JEDEC and seeks a declaratory
judgment that eleven Rambus patents are invalid and not infringed by Hyundai. In
November 2000,

14
Hyundai amended its complaint to further assert violations of federal antitrust
laws, deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, fraud and negligent
misrepresentation in connection with the Company's participation in JEDEC. Based
on these allegations, the suit seeks a declaration of monopolization by the
Company as well as compensatory and punitive damages. The U.S. case is currently
in the discovery phase. The Company disputes Hyundai's claims and intends to
defend the lawsuit vigorously.

In September 2000, the Company filed suit against Hyundai in Germany,
France and Great Britain for infringement of a European patent. The French suit
included court-sanctioned seizure of documents and samples from a Hyundai
facility. The German suit has been scheduled for trial on February 16, 2001. The
French suit is in an early phase. The British suit has been temporarily stayed.

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a) Exhibits

None.

(b) Reports on Form 8-K

None.




Items 2, 3, 4 and 5 are not applicable and have been omitted.

15
SIGNATURE

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.

RAMBUS INC.



Date: February 5, 2001 By: /s/ Gary Harmon
-------------------------- ----------------------------------------
Bary Harmon,
Senior Vice President, Finance,
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer
and Duly Authorized Officer)

16