Axcelis Announces Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023

Record Revenue for 2023, Achieving Year-Over-Year Growth of 23%

BEVERLY, Mass., Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACLS) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

Highlights include:

    --  Record full year revenue, operating profit and EPS, enabling the Company
        to surpass its $1.1 billion revenue model.
    --  Continued strong growth from the Purion Power Series(TM) product line.
    --  Significant increase in Purion(TM) installed base drove record CS&I
        revenue.
    --  Year-end systems backlog of $1.2 billion.

For the full year 2023, the Company reported revenue of $1.13 billion, compared with $920 million for the full year 2022, an increase of 23% and a company record. Systems revenue for the year was $883.6 million, compared to $692.1 million in 2022, an increase of 28%, also a company record. Operating profit was $265.8 million in 2023, compared to $212.4 million in 2022, a 25% increase and a company record. Net income for the year was $246.3 million with diluted earnings per share of $7.43, compared to net income of $183.1 million and diluted earnings per share of $5.46 in 2022, resulting in a 35% net income year over year increase. Gross margin for the year was 43.5%, compared to 43.7% in 2022.

The Company reported fourth quarter revenue of $310.3 million, compared to $292.3 million for the third quarter of 2023. Operating profit for the quarter was $79.1 million, compared to $71.7 million for the third quarter. Net income for the quarter was $71.1 million, or $2.15 per diluted share, compared to $65.9 million, or $1.99 per diluted share in the third quarter. Gross margin for the quarter was 44.4%, unchanged from the third quarter. The fourth quarter ended with bookings of $235.5 million and a systems backlog of $1.2 billion.

President and CEO Russell Low commented, "2023 was another outstanding year for Axcelis. As a result of strong execution by the Axcelis team and robust demand for the Purion Power Series product family, we achieved 23% year-over-year revenue growth during an industry downturn. We have developed a large and diverse customer base in the power market, and we continue to win business from new customers as well as expand our product footprint with existing customers. We believe that the mature process technology and memory segments, two markets in which Axcelis is well-positioned, will recover in the second half of the year, enabling strong growth in 2025."

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jamie Coogan said, "We are extremely pleased with our 2023 results, and excited about our future growth. Our revenue and earnings per share finished above our revised guidance, and we ended the quarter with robust cash flow and a strong balance sheet. As we look to 2024, we will continue to make investments in R&D while managing expenses, setting us up to achieve our $1.3 billion revenue model in 2025."

Business Outlook
For the first quarter ending March 31, 2024, Axcelis expects revenues of approximately $242 million. First quarter operating profit is forecast to be approximately $45 million with earnings per diluted share of around $1.22. Gross margin in the first quarter is expected to be approximately 43.5%, and for the full year we expect it to improve year over year but could fluctuate quarter to quarter. We expect full year 2024 revenue to be similar to 2023, with revenue weighted toward the second half.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Conference Call
The Company will release financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023 on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The Company will host a call to discuss the results for the fourth quarter and full year 2023 on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. ET. The call will be available to interested listeners via an audio webcast that can be accessed through the Investors page of Axcelis' website at www.axcelis.com, or by registering as a Participant here https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/su3u4oev. Webcast replays will be available for 30 days following the call.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release and the conference call contain forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act safe harbor provisions. These statements, which include our expectations for spending in our industry and guidance for future financial performance, are based on management's current expectations and should be viewed with caution. They are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, many of which are outside the control of the Company, including that customer decisions to place orders or our product shipments may not occur when we expect, that orders may not be converted to revenue in any particular quarter, or at all, whether demand will continue for the semiconductor equipment we produce or, if not, whether we can successfully meet changing market requirements, and whether we will be able to maintain continuity of business relationships with and purchases by major customers. Increased competitive pressure on sales and pricing, increases in material and other production costs that cannot be recouped in product pricing and instability caused by changing global economic, political or financial conditions could also cause actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements. These risks and other risk factors relating to Axcelis are described more fully in the most recent Form 10-K filed by Axcelis and in other documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Axcelis:
Axcelis (Nasdaq: ACLS), headquartered in Beverly, Mass., has been providing innovative, high-productivity solutions for the semiconductor industry for over 45 years. Axcelis is dedicated to developing enabling process applications through the design, manufacture and complete life cycle support of ion implantation systems, one of the most critical and enabling steps in the IC manufacturing process. Learn more about Axcelis at www.axcelis.com.

Company Contacts

Investor Relations:
Doug Lawson
978.787.9552

Editorial/Media:
Maureen Hart
978.787.4266


                                                         
      
              Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
                                                        
        Consolidated Statements of Operations
                                                      
        (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                                               
              (Unaudited)




                                                                                                            Three months ended                  Twelve months ended


                                                                                                                  December 31,                        December 31,


                                                                                                     2023                      2022              2023                    2022



     Revenue:



     Product                                                                              $
           300,603             $
          258,584 $
            1,095,650         $
            890,582



     Services                                                                                        9,685                       7,467              34,954                    29,416



     Total revenue                                                                                 310,288                     266,051           1,130,604                   919,998



     Cost of revenue:



     Product                                                                                       163,801                     149,717             608,112                   492,104



     Services                                                                                        8,591                       6,813              31,191                    26,104



     Total cost of revenue                                                                         172,392                     156,530             639,303                   518,208



     Gross profit                                                                                  137,896                     109,521             491,301                   401,790



     Operating expenses:



     Research and development                                                                       24,911                      22,089              96,907                    78,356



     Sales and marketing                                                                            16,659                      15,032              62,805                    53,599



     General and administrative                                                                     17,275                      16,311              65,794                    57,474



     Total operating expenses                                                                       58,845                      53,432             225,506                   189,429



     Income from operations                                                                         79,051                      56,089             265,795                   212,361



     Other income (expense):



     Interest income                                                                                 5,375                       2,993              18,199                     4,551



     Interest expense                                                                              (1,320)                    (1,475)            (5,347)                  (5,576)



     Other, net                                                                                      4,300                       8,189                (48)                  (6,451)



     Total other income (expense)                                                                    8,355                       9,707              12,804                   (7,476)



     Income before income taxes                                                                     87,406                      65,796             278,599                   204,885



     Income tax provision                                                                           16,350                       8,804              32,336                    21,806



     Net income                                                                            $
           71,056              $
          56,992   $
            246,263         $
            183,079



     Net income per share:



     Basic                                                                                   $
           2.17                $
          1.74      $
            7.52            $
            5.54



     Diluted                                                                                 $
           2.15                $
          1.71      $
            7.43            $
            5.46



     Shares used in computing net income per share:



     Basic weighted average shares of common stock                                                  32,708                      32,823              32,758                    33,043



     Diluted weighted average shares of common stock                                                33,031                      33,262              33,165                    33,542


                                                                                                       
         
                Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
                                                                                                         
              Consolidated Balance Sheets
                                                                                                      
           (In thousands, except per share amounts)




                                                                                                                                                                       December 31,                 December 31,


                                                                                                                                                                   2023                    2022


                                                                                                            
              
                ASSETS



              Current assets:



              Cash and cash equivalents                                                                                                                    $
        167,297             $
        185,595



              Short-term investments                                                                                                                             338,851                   246,571



              Accounts receivable, net                                                                                                                           217,964                   169,773



              Inventories, net                                                                                                                                   306,482                   242,406



              Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                                                                           49,397                    33,300



              Total current assets                                                                                                                             1,079,991                   877,645



              Property, plant and equipment, net                                                                                                                  53,971                    39,664



              Operating lease assets                                                                                                                              30,716                    12,146



              Finance lease assets, net                                                                                                                           16,632                    17,942



              Long-term restricted cash                                                                                                                            6,654                       752



              Deferred income taxes                                                                                                                               53,428                    31,701



              Other assets                                                                                                                                        40,575                    33,791



              Total assets                                                                                                                               $
        1,281,967           $
        1,013,641


                                                                                                    
         
              LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY



              Current liabilities:



              Accounts payable                                                                                                                              $
        54,400              $
        62,346



              Accrued compensation                                                                                                                                31,445                    35,540



              Warranty                                                                                                                                            14,098                     8,299



              Income taxes                                                                                                                                         6,164                     4,304



              Deferred revenue                                                                                                                                   164,677                   123,471



              Current portion of finance lease obligation                                                                                                          1,511                     1,229



              Other current liabilities                                                                                                                           12,834                    12,943



              Total current liabilities                                                                                                                          285,129                   248,132



              Long-term finance lease obligation                                                                                                                  43,674                    45,185



              Long-term deferred revenue                                                                                                                          46,208                    31,306



              Other long-term liabilities                                                                                                                         42,074                    21,762



              Total liabilities                                                                                                                                  417,085                   346,385





              Stockholders' equity:



              Common stock, $0.001 par value, 75,000 shares authorized; 32,685 shares issued                                                                          33                        33
    and outstanding at December 31, 2023; 32,775 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2022



              Additional paid-in capital                                                                                                                         547,189                   550,299



              Retained earnings                                                                                                                                  319,506                   118,892



              Accumulated other comprehensive loss                                                                                                               (1,846)                  (1,968)



              Total stockholders' equity                                                                                                                         864,882                   667,256



              Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                                                                                                 $
        1,281,967           $
        1,013,641

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SOURCE Axcelis Technologies, Inc.