Comtech Group, Inc. Reports 2008 First Quarter Results

  • Q1 Net Revenue: $60.2 million (a year-on-year increase of 35.1%)
  • Q1 Net Income: $5.3 million GAAP and $7.7 million Non-GAAP with a year-on-year increase of 49.5%
  • Q1 EPS Diluted: $0.13 GAAP and $0.19 Non-GAAP with a year-on-year increase of 18.2%
  • Company increases full year guidance to $290 million in revenue and Non-GAAP EPS of $0.92
  • SHENZHEN, China, May 7, 2008-- Comtech Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:COGO), a China-based provider of customized module design solutions as well as engineering and technology services to domestic and international technology product companies, today announced unaudited financial results for its first quarter 2008. The Company reported quarterly revenue of $60.2 million, up 35.1% year-over-year, compared to $44.6 million reported in the first quarter of 2007. The Company experienced growth across all end markets -- mobile handset, telecommunication equipment, and digital media, which it believes are among the fastest growing markets in China.

    Net income for the first quarter of 2008 was $5.3 million, up 43.0% from $3.7 million in the same period last year, with Non-GAAP net income up 49.5% over the same period last year. Earnings per common share ("EPS") Diluted on a U.S. GAAP basis was $0.13, and Non-GAAP EPS Diluted (which excludes share- based compensation expense and acquisition related costs including amortization of intangible assets and recognized deferred taxation) was $0.19, up 26.7% from the first quarter of 2007.

      Key Financial Indicators
      (all numbers in USD thousands, except share data)
    
                                     Q1 2008(1)     Q1 2007(1)    Percent Change
      Consolidated Revenue            $60,189         $44,560         35.1%
      Cost of Revenue                 $48,439         $36,038         34.4%
      Gross Profit                    $11,750          $8,522         37.9%
      Net Operating Expenses           $7,052          $4,495         56.9%
      Income from Operations           $4,698          $4,027         16.7%
      Net Income(2)                    $5,281          $3,693         43.0%
      EPS Diluted                       $0.13           $0.11         18.2%
      Non-GAAP EPS Diluted              $0.19           $0.15         26.7%
    
      (1) The US dollar amounts are calculated based on the conversion rate of
          US $1 to RMB 7.012 as of March 31, 2008 and US $ 1 to RMB 7.7232 as of
          March 31, 2007.
      (2) Included in the Q1 2008 net income was an amount of $1.6 million for
          share-based compensation expense in accordance with Statement of
          Financial Accounting Standards of No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based
          Payment ("SFAS 123R") and $0.8 million acquisition related costs
          including amortization of purchased intangible assets and recognized
          deferred taxation. Non-GAAP net income excluding the effects of
          share-based compensation expense and acquisition related costs was
          $7.7 million or a $0.19 Non-GAAP EPS Diluted in Q1 2008.
    
    
    Recent Developments

    First quarter highlights and recent updates:

  • Plan to change the Company name to Cogo Group, Inc.
  • Board approved Yi Yuan as President.
  • Signed $10 million telecommunications module solutions contract with ZTE to secure sustainable revenue growth in the telecommunications market.
  • Partnered with Freescale Semiconductor to design automotive solutions in China.
  • The Board of Directors is planning to change the Company's name from Comtech Group, Inc. to Cogo Group, Inc., and which, subject to formal approval, is expected to be effective by the end of May 2008. The Company's COGO trading symbol is expected to remain unchanged on the NASDAQ Global Market, and the Company's operating subsidiaries in China bearing the Comtech brand will continue to use Comtech as their trade name.

    Jeffrey Kang, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Comtech Group said, "The Company continued to experience solid revenue growth across its key business areas during the first quarter. Results are in line with our projections and reflect better-than-normal seasonality. A strong rebound of the handset business since March has helped to lift our business outlook, and the introduction of new solutions, such as the mobile TV solution, should continue to drive our business in the second half of the year. Finally, we are seeing robust revenue growth in 2008 attributed mostly to organic growth and accretive acquisitions in 2007 such as Keen Awards."

    "The new company name will better reflect COGO's corporate strategy and positioning. In addition to the organic growth from our traditional businesses, such as the Comtech branded operations in China, the Company's accretive acquisitions which bear other brands, such as Keen Awards, will also play an increasingly important role in the Company's future expansion. Management expects more acquisitions down the road, similar to our acquisition of Keen Awards in 2007, to boost growth outlook in the near future."

    Financial Results

    Revenue for the first quarter was $60.2 million, an increase of 35.1% compared to $44.6 million reported for the first quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown is as follows: $24.5 million, or 40.7% of total sales for mobile handsets, representing a 37.0% increase year-over-year; $16.0 million, or 26.7% of total sales for telecommunications equipment, representing a 12.8% increase year-over-year, and $17.4 million, or 28.9% of total sales for digital media products, representing a significant increase of 57.3% year-over-year. The Company's service business contributed $1.9 million in revenues for the first quarter and accounted for approximately 3.1% of total sales, representing a 31.5% increase year-over-year. Also during the quarter, the Company generated revenue from component sales relating to Industrial Business which includes industrial solutions targeted at the Green Energy and Auto-electronics sectors.

    Cost of revenues, which includes the aggregate purchase of components from suppliers and the direct cost of services, was $48.4 million compared to $36.0 million, representing an increase of 34.4% year-over-year. Gross profit for the first quarter was $11.8 million, up 37.9% compared to the $8.5 million during the first quarter of last year. Gross margin for the first quarter increased to 19.5% compared to 19.1% reported during the first quarter of 2007 due to a more favorable product mix reflecting growth in higher margin end markets such as the digital media and service business during the first quarter.

    Selling, general and administrative expenses totaled $5.7 million, up 67.1%, compared to $3.4 million reported for the first quarter of last year. The increase was attributable to higher staff costs due to an increase in share-based compensation expense, an additional bad debt provision, amortization of intangible assets and other sales related expenses that support our ongoing business. Research and development (R&D) expenses increased by 24.0% to $1.4 million compared to $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2007. The increase was attributable to a rise in R&D personnel related costs and additional expenditures for new market development. Capital Expenditure was $0.4 million compared to $0.1 million during the same quarter in prior year. The increase was attributable to an increase in purchase of properties and equipments. Depreciation was $0.3 million compared to $0.1 million reported in the first quarter of 2007.

    Income from operations was $4.7 million, up 16.7% as compared to $4.0 million for the first quarter of 2007. Operating margin for the first quarter was 7.8% versus 9.0% for the first quarter of 2007. Excluding the effects of share-based compensation and acquisition related costs including amortization of purchased intangible assets, operating margin would have been 12.0% for the first quarter of 2008, compared to 12.3% for the same period in 2007. The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2008 was 8.2%, compared to 9.3% for the same period in 2007. No minority interests' share of income was reported as compared to a minority interests' share of income of $0.07 million over the same period in 2007.

    Net income for the first quarter was $5.3 million or EPS Diluted of $0.13 on a U.S. GAAP basis, compared to net income of $3.7 million, or EPS Diluted of $0.11 in the first quarter of 2007. Included in the first quarter 2007 net income was an amount of $1.6 million for share-based compensation expense and $0.8 million for acquisition related costs including amortization of purchased intangible assets and recognized deferred taxation. Excluding the stock-based compensation expense and acquisition related costs including amortization of purchased intangible assets and recognized deferred taxation, the Company would have reported net income of $7.7 million or $0.19 Non-GAAP EPS Diluted for the first quarter. The weighted average number of shares used in the calculation of diluted EPS was 40.0 million compared to 34.3 million in the first quarter of 2007.

    Balance Sheet

    As of March 31, 2008, the Company completed the quarter with cash of $123.0 million, down slightly from $126.1 million at the fiscal year end 2007, attributable to the payment of acquisition consideration. Inventory decreased from $17.8 at the end of 2007 to $14.3 million as of March 31, 2008. The decrease in inventory was attributable to better inventory control. The Company continues to be in a strong financial position with a current ratio of 4.9 to 1. Inventory turnover has shortened to 27 days. Receivables were collected in an average of 99 days. Operating Cash flows was positive at $1.3 million. Intangible assets decreased slightly from $20.3 million at the end of March 31, 2008 as compared to $20.4 million as of December 31, 2007. Goodwill remained $14.2 million as of March 31, 2008. Shareholders' equity was $210.4 million as of March 31, 2008, a slight increase from $199.3 million as of December 31, 2007.

    Business Outlook

    Based on current visibility and new business in the pipeline, management is increasing 2008 full year guidance to $290 million in revenue and Non-GAAP EPS Diluted of $0.92. The Company expects to be able to achieve this aggressive goal despite a downturn in the US economy because its business mainly targets the Chinese domestic and newly emerging markets, which are on track to continue their robust upward trajectory and offset any negative news from the US.

    Mr. Kang remarked, "The outlook for our business remains strong. COGO has a twelve-year history in which we have weathered many tough situations such as what we are seeing today with the US economy. Despite minor setbacks, the Company has always achieved strong growth. We expect to continue last year's strong performance with robust growth of approximately 30% in both revenue and Non-GAAP EPS Diluted this year. I am confident that our strategies for sustained growth are working, and based on the company's organic expansion and strategic new business and acquisitions in the pipeline, COGO is well-positioned for continued strong results in 2008."

    2008 Q1 Earnings Conference Call Conference Call:
       US/ Canada Toll-Free: 1-800-762-8779
       International: +1 (480) 629 9041
    Replay:
       US/ Canada Toll-Free: 1-800-406-7325 (Passcode: 3868113)
       International: +1 (480) 590 3030 (Passcode: 3868113)

    About Comtech Group, Inc.:
    Comtech Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:COGO) is a leading provider of customized module and subsystem design solutions in China. The Company believes it acts as a proxy to China's technology industry as it works with virtually all the major ODMs and OEMs in China. Comtech leverages these relationships and combines their IP to create designs that Comtech then sells to electronic manufacturers. These designs allow manufacturers to reduce their time to market for new products and ultimately increase sales. Comtech Group focuses on the mobile handset, telecom equipment and digital media end-markets for their customized design modules while also offering business and engineering services to their large telecom equipment vendor customers. Over the last twelve years, Comtech has grown its customer list to include more than 200 of the largest and most well known manufacturers across the mobile handset, telecom equipment and consumer markets in China, covering both multinational Chinese subsidiaries and Chinese domestic companies.

    For further information contact:
    Investor Relations
    www.comtech.com.cn/investorinfo.html
    communications@comtech.com.cn
    H.K.: +852 2730 1518
    U.S.: +1 (646) 291 8998
    Fax: +86 (755) 2674 3522

    Safe Harbor Statement:

    This press release includes certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts, but are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include statements about our proposed discussions related to our business such as business with Freescale Semiconductor, Huawei and ZTE or growth strategy such as growth in digital media, mobile handset and telecom businesses, as well as our potential acquisitions which are subject to change. Such information is based upon expectations of our management that were reasonable when made but may prove to be incorrect. All such assumptions are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies beyond our control and upon assumptions with respect to future business decisions, which are subject to change. For a further descriptions of other risks and uncertainties, see our most recent Annual Report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Form 10-K, and our subsequent SEC filings, including our most recent Forms S-1 and/or S-3. Copies of filings made with the SEC are available through the SEC's electronic data gathering analysis retrieval system (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov.

    About Non-GAAP Financial Measures:
    To supplement Comtech's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, Comtech uses the following measures defined as Non-GAAP financial measures by the SEC: 1) Non-GAAP net income, which is net income excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition related costs such as amortization of purchased intangible assets, 2) Non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per share, which is basic and diluted earnings per share excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition related costs such as amortization of purchased intangible assets, 3) Non-GAAP income from operation, which is income from operation excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition related costs such as amortization of purchased intangible assets and 4) Non-GAAP operating margin, which is operating margin excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition related costs such as amortization of purchased intangible assets. The presentation of these Non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these Non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of Non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures" set forth at the end of this release.

    Comtech believes that these Non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding share-based expenses and acquisition related costs such as amortization of purchased intangible assets that may not be indicative of its operating performance from a cash perspective. Comtech believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these Non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These Non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to Comtech's historical performance and liquidity. Comtech computes its Non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter. Comtech believes these non- GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of using Non-GAAP net income, Non-GAAP basic and diluted earnings per share, Non-GAAP income from operation and Non-GAAP operating margin is that these Non-GAAP measures exclude share-based compensation charge and acquisition related costs such as amortization of purchased intangible assets that have been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a recurring expense in our business. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each Non-GAAP measure. The accompanying tables have more details on the reconciliations between GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to Non-GAAP financial measures.

      Tables Attached
    
    
      COMTECH GROUP, INC. and SUBSIDIARIES
      UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
      FOR THE QUARTERS ENDED MARCH 31, 2008 AND 2007
      (in thousands, except share data)
    
    
                                    Three Months    Three Months   Three Months
                                      Ended            Ended          Ended
                                  March 31, 2008  March 31, 2008  March 31, 2007
                                      $'000           RMB'000        RMB'000
    
      Net Revenue
       Product sales                    58,305         408,835       333,077
       Services revenue                  1,884          13,210        11,066
                                        60,189         422,045       344,143
      Cost of sales
       Cost of goods sold              (47,325)       (331,842)     (270,599)
       Cost of services                 (1,114)         (7,814)       (7,730)
                                       (48,439)       (339,656)     (278,329)
    
      Gross profit                      11,750          82,389        65,814
      Selling, general and
       administrative Expenses          (5,673)        (39,778)      (26,219)
      Research and development
       expenses                         (1,374)         (9,633)       (8,557)
      Other operating (expenses)
       /income, net                         (5)            (38)           60
      Income from operations             4,698          32,940        31,098
      Interest expense                     (34)           (240)         (769)
      Interest income                    1,086           7,618         1,700
      Income before income taxes and
       minority interests                5,750          40,318        32,029
      Income tax expense                  (469)         (3,291)       (2,964)
      Income before minority interests   5,281          37,027        29,065
      Minority interests                    -               -          (544)
      Net income                         5,281          37,027        28,521
    
                                           $              RMB           RMB
      Earnings per share
      - Basic                             0.14            0.95          0.86
      - Diluted                           0.13            0.93          0.83
    
      Weighted average number of common
       shares outstanding
      - Basic                                       39,056,811    33,057,444
      - Diluted                                     39,961,321    34,317,751
    
    
      COMTECH GROUP, INC. and SUBSIDIARIES
      UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
      AS OF MARCH 31, 2008 AND DECEMBER 31, 2007
      (in thousands, except share data)
    
                                  March 31, 2008   March 31, 2008   Dec 31, 2007
                                      $'000            RMB'000         RMB'000
      Assets
      Current assets:
       Cash                            122,981         862,342       919,650
       Pledged bank deposits             7,128          49,979        51,603
       Accounts receivable, net
        of allowance for doubtful
        accounts                        65,573         459,796       418,329
       Bills receivable                  7,525          52,762        35,300
       Inventories                      14,335         100,520       129,892
       Prepaid expenses and
        other receivables                2,963          20,779        18,306
      Total current assets             220,505       1,546,178     1,573,080
    
      Property and equipment, net        2,845          19,951        17,848
      Intangible assets, net            20,280         142,206       148,659
      Investment in an affiliated
       company                              59             416           416
      Goodwill                          14,186          99,474        99,474
      Other assets                         134             938         1,063
      Total Assets                     258,009       1,809,163     1,840,540
    
      Liabilities and stockholders' equity
      Current liabilities:
       Trade accounts payable           25,359         177,816       174,628
       Bank borrowings                       -               -         9,080
       Amounts due to related parties        -               -         1,403
       Income taxes payable              1,480          10,379         6,957
       Accrued expenses and other
        liabilities                     17,291         121,241       169,046
       Deferred income taxes               587           4,116         4,071
      Total current liabilities         44,717         313,552       365,185
      Deferred income taxes              2,913          20,425        21,487
      Total liabilities                 47,630         333,977       386,672
    
      Stockholders' equity
       Common stock Par value: USD 0.01
       Authorized: 200,000,000 Shares;
       Issued and outstanding:
         38,498,769 shares in 2008 and
         38,496,167 shares in 2007         449           3,150         3,150
       Additional paid-in capital      156,417       1,096,798     1,085,459
       Retained earnings                66,366         465,360       428,333
       Accumulated other comprehensive
        loss                           (12,853)        (90,122)      (63,074)
      Total stockholders' equity       210,379       1,475,186     1,453,868
    
      Total liabilities and
       stockholders' equity            258,009       1,809,163     1,840,540
    
    
      COMTECH GROUP, INC. and SUBSIDIARIES
      RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP MEASURES TO THE MOST COMPARABLE GAAP MEASURES
      FOR THE QUARTERS ENDED MARCH 31, 2008 AND 2007
      (in thousands, except share data)
    
                                                     Three Months Ended March 31
                                                           2008           2007
                                                          $'000          $'000
      Net Income
        GAAP net income                                   5,281          3,693
        Share-based compensation expense                  1,617          1,208
        Acquisition related costs
        - amortization of purchased intangible
          assets and recognized deferred
          taxation                                          775            230
        Non-GAAP net income                               7,673          5,131
    
      Income from operation
        GAAP income from operations                       4,698          4,027
        Share-based compensation expense                  1,617          1,208
        Acquisition related costs
        - amortization of purchased intangible
          assets                                            920            230
        Non-GAAP income from operation                    7,235          5,465
    
      Operating Margin
        GAAP operating margin                               9.7%           9.0%
        Non-GAAP operating margin                          14.9%          12.2%
    
      Earnings per share                                     $              $
        GAAP net income per common share- Basic            0.14           0.11
        GAAP net income per common share- Diluted          0.13           0.11
    
        Non-GAAP net income per common share- Basic        0.20           0.16
        Non-GAAP net income per common share- Diluted      0.19           0.15
    
    
      Weighted average number of common shares outstanding
        Non-GAAP net income per common
         share- Basic                                39,056,811     33,057,444
        Non-GAAP net income per common
         share- Diluted                              39,961,321     34,317,751
    

     

    Disclaimer | Copyright © Comtech Group, Inc. All rights reserved.