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ESS Technology Reports Fourth Quarter Results

Revenue of $83.3 Million and Net Income of $16.3 Million Fourth Quarter Diluted EPS of $0.35 Reports Strong Growth in DVD Chip Sales

FREMONT, Calif., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ESS Technology (Nasdaq: ESST) today reported fourth quarter 2001 revenues of $83.3 million and net income of $16.3 million, or $0.35 per diluted share. Pro forma net income for the fourth quarter was $0.37 per diluted share which compares to $0.07 in the fourth quarter of 2000 and $0.20 in the third quarter of 2001. Pro forma net income excludes the results of discontinued operations, acquisition-related costs, and investment gains or losses.

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2001 totaled $271.4 million, a decrease of 11% from fiscal year 2000 revenues of $303.4 million. Net loss for the year was $1.8 million, or a $0.04 loss per diluted share, compared to net income of $48.3 million, or $1.05 per diluted share, for the year ended December 31, 2000. Pro forma net income for the year was $28.9 million, or $0.63 per diluted share, compared to $47.8 million, or $1.04 per diluted share for 2000.

Robert Blair, president and chief executive officer of ESS Technology commented, ``I am extremely pleased with the results of the fourth quarter. Once again, we had record DVD shipments with over 5 million units shipped during the quarter. This represents sequential growth in unit shipments of over 40% from our record third quarter of 3.5 million, and we believe that we continue to be the market leader for both DVD chips and overall digital video player chips. Including our VCD chips, we shipped over 11 million digital video units in total during this quarter.''

Mr. Blair continued, ``Our gross margins increased from 37% in the third quarter to 41% in the recent quarter, fueled by the higher gross margins from our DVD products, and we further strengthened our balance sheet. Our cash increased by $29 million during the quarter to end the year with $129 million in cash and short-term investments.''

``2001 was a very successful year for ESS. We transitioned our company to a DVD and digital entertainment chip supplier as we grew our DVD and video CD revenues from $171 million to $210 million, a growth of 23%. During 2001, ESS more than doubled cash and short-term investments, reduced its inventories and repurchased 1.6 million shares of its stock. As we look to the future, we believe the trend of more and more entertainment technologies becoming digitized will continue. With our leading market position in the digital video market, we believe that ESS is well positioned to be a leading player in the emerging digital entertainment market in the coming years,'' Mr. Blair concluded.

About ESS Technology

ESS Technology, Inc., is a leading supplier of high-performance feature-packed chips for the rapidly expanding DVD and digital entertainment markets. The company is also a leading provider of solutions for applications in the growing consumer entertainment market. ESS provides advanced products that enable the emergence of digital home systems that deliver and manage entertainment and information in the home.

ESS, headquartered in Fremont, California, has R&D, sales, and technical support offices worldwide. ESS Technology's common stock is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol ESST. ESS Technology's web site address is: http://www.esstech.com.

The matters discussed in this news release include certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the timely availability and acceptance of the company's new products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, including unanticipated declines in average selling price for the company's products, the dependence on continued growth in demand for PC and consumer multimedia products, the possible disruption in consumer demand occasioned by terrorist activity and armed conflict, the effect of quarter to quarter variations in revenue and earnings, the effect of general economic conditions both domestically and internationally on the demand for the company's products, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the SEC reports of ESS, including the reports on Form 10-K, Form 8K and Form 10Q. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

                               ESS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
                      CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                                   (unaudited)
                                  (in thousands)

                                                 Dec 31         Dec 31
                                                  2001           2000
    ASSETS

    Current Assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents                 $96,995        $25,715
      Short-term investments                     32,039         33,123
      Accounts receivable, net                   42,642         51,884
      Inventories, net                           37,452         98,940
      Prepaid expenses and other assets           1,894          2,780
      Net assets of discontinued operation           --         46,131

        Total current assets                    211,022        258,573

    Property, plant and equipment, net           22,438         31,081
    Other assets, net                             4,505          4,737

        Total Assets                           $237,965       $294,391

    LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

    Current liabilities:
      Accounts payable and
       accrued expenses                         $49,173        $70,300
      Income taxes payable and
       deferred income taxes                      4,883          3,601

        Total current liabilities                54,056         73,901

    Non-current deferred tax liability            6,931          9,061

    Shareholders' equity:
      Common stock                              153,678        149,197
      Other comprehensive loss                  (1,374)        (7,378)
      Retained earnings                          24,674         69,610

        Total shareholders' equity              176,978        211,429

        Total Liabilities and
         Shareholders' Equity                  $237,965       $294,391


                               ESS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
            PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (unaudited)
                      (in thousands, except per share data)

                             Three months ended    Twelve months ended (A)
                             Dec 31      Dec 31      Dec 31       Dec 31
                              2001        2000        2001         2000

    Net revenues            $83,266     $52,538     $271,380    $303,436
    Cost of revenues         48,725      37,521      180,231     192,452

      Gross profit           34,541      15,017       91,149     110,984

    Operating expenses:
      Research and
       development            5,934       6,258       22,490      21,818
      Selling,
       general and
       administrative        11,420       7,049       40,689      36,225

    Operating income         17,187       1,710       27,970      52,941

    Nonoperating
     income, net                701       1,977        2,407       4,954

    Income before
     provision for
     income taxes            17,888       3,687       30,377      57,895
    Provision for
     income taxes               899         492        1,486      10,089

    Net income              $16,989      $3,195      $28,891     $47,806

    Net income per share
      Basic                   $0.40       $0.07        $0.68       $1.12
      Diluted                 $0.37       $0.07        $0.63       $1.04
    Weighted average
     common shares:
      Basic                  41,976      42,699       42,274      42,548
      Diluted                45,867      44,704       45,536      45,943


     (A) Pro forma adjustments are detailed within the schedule entitled
         "Reconciliation of GAAP Basis Net Income to Pro Forma Net Income."


                               ESS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
         RECONCILIATION OF GAAP BASIS NET INCOME TO PRO FORMA NET INCOME
                                   (unaudited)
                                  (in thousands)

                             Three months ended      Twelve months ended
                             Dec 31      Dec 31      Dec 31       Dec 31
                             2001         2000        2001         2000

    Net income (loss)
     - GAAP basis           $16,279    $(1,595)     $(1,817)     $48,306

    Pro Forma Adjustments
      In process research
       and development,
       net of tax (A)            --          --           --       2,625
      Acquisition
       amortization,
       net of tax (B)           747       1,281        5,467       6,015
      Sale of land,
       net of tax (C)            --     (1,811)           --     (1,811)
      Cisco stock
       sale (D)                  --          --       21,187    (35,045)
      Cisco stock
       sale tax
       effect                    37          90      (8,748)      12,856
      Discontinued
       operation,
       net of tax (E)            --       5,230       12,802      14,860

    Net income (loss)
     - Pro forma            $16,989      $3,195      $28,891     $47,806


     (A) Pro forma amounts for all periods presented exclude the effect of
         in-process research and development related to the acquisition of
         Netridium in Q1 2000, amounting to $0, and $2,625  for the twelve
         months ended December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000, respectively.
     (B) Pro forma amounts for all periods presented exclude the effect of
         acquisition amortization, amounting to $747 and $1,281 for the three
         months ended December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000, respectively,
         and $5,467 and $6,015 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2001
         and December 31, 2000, respectively.
     (C) Pro forma amounts for all periods presented exclude the effects of
         the sale of land, amounting to $0 and $1,811 for the three months
         ended December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000, respectively, and
         $0 and $1,811 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2001 and
         December 31, 2000, respectively.
     (D) Pro forma amounts for all periods presented exclude the effect of the
         Cisco stock related transactions, amounting to ($21,187) and $35,045
         for the twelve months ended December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000,
         respectively.
     (E) Pro forma amounts for all periods presented exclude the effects of
         the discontinued operation, amounting to $0 and ($5,230) for the
         three months ended December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000,
         respectively, and ($12,802) and ($14,860) for the twelve months ended
         December 31, 2001 and December 31, 2000, respectively.


                               ESS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
            CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS-GAAP BASIS
                                   (unaudited)
                      (in thousands, except per share data)

                           Three months ended (A)  Twelve months ended (A)
                             Dec 31      Dec 31      Dec 31      Dec 31
                              2001        2000        2001        2000

    Net revenues            $83,266     $52,538     $271,380    $303,436
    Cost of revenues         48,725      37,521      180,231     192,452

      Gross profit           34,541      15,017       91,149     110,984

    Operating expenses:
      Research and
       development            6,681       7,539       27,957      27,832
      In-process
       research and
       development               --          --           --       2,625
      Selling,
       general and
       administrative        11,420       7,049       40,689      36,225

    Operating income         16,440         429       22,503      44,302

    Nonoperating
     income (loss),
     net                        701       3,788     (18,780)      41,810

    Income before
     provision for
     income taxes            17,141       4,217        3,723      86,112
    Provision for
     (benefit from)
     income taxes               862         582      (7,262)      22,946

    Net income from
     continuing
     operations              16,279       3,635       10,985      63,166

    Net loss from
     discontinued
     operation                   --     (5,230)      (4,205)    (14,860)
    Loss from
     disposal of
     discontinued
     operation                   --          --      (8,597)          --

    Net income (loss)       $16,279    $(1,595)     $(1,817)     $48,306

    Net income (loss)
     per share:
      Basic
        Continuing
         operations           $0.39       $0.08        $0.26       $1.49
        Discontinued
         operation              $--     $(0.12)      $(0.30)     $(0.35)
                              $0.39     $(0.04)      $(0.04)       $1.14
      Diluted
        Continuing
         operations           $0.35       $0.08        $0.26       $1.37
        Discontinued
         operation              $--     $(0.12)      $(0.30)     $(0.32)
                              $0.35     $(0.04)      $(0.04)       $1.05

    Weighted average
     common shares:
      Basic                  41,976      42,699       42,274      42,548
      Diluted                45,867      42,699       42,274      45,943


     (A) Amounts in previous periods have been reclassified to take into
         account the effects of discontinued operation.

SOURCE: ESS Technology, Inc.

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