GT Solar International, Inc. Reports Results for Fiscal Year 2009 Second Quarter

Thursday November 6, 4:15 pm ET

Highlights:
— Revenue of $140 million, up 71% year-over-year
— Backlog grows to $1.4 billion with new customer and installed base expansion
— Gross margin of 43.8%; operating margin at 31%
— Net income $27.9 million or EPS of $0.19

MERRIMACK, N.H.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GT Solar International, Inc. (SOLR) (“GT Solar”), a global provider of specialized equipment and technology for the solar power industry, today reported results for its fiscal year 2009 second quarter, which ended September 27, 2008.

Revenues for the quarter increased 71 percent to $140.2 million, up from $81.8 million during the same quarter of fiscal year 2008. All revenues for the quarter related to the photovoltaic (“PV”) segment of the business, which consists of DSS (directional solidification system) furnaces and related products.

Gross profit increased to $61.4 million, or 43.8 percent of revenues, compared to $29.6 million, or 36.2 percent of revenues in the second quarter of fiscal year 2008. Operating margin was 31 percent, compared to 23 percent in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. GT Solar had net income of $27.9 million in the second quarter versus $17.1 million for the same quarter of fiscal 2008. Earnings per share on a fully diluted basis were $0.19 versus $0.12 for the same quarter last year.

The company increased its backlog in the second quarter, with bookings of $292 million. At quarter’s end, backlog exceeded $1.4 billion, up from $1.26 billion at the end of the first quarter.

“Our second quarter results represented strong revenue performance, excellent operating and gross margins, and solid profitability” said Tom Zarrella, president and chief executive officer. “Our significant and healthy backlog — much of which is supported by cash deposits and letters of credit — is evidence of the solid demand for GT Solar DSS furnaces and polysilicon reactors. Our operating cash flow, balance sheet and cash position are all strong, providing us with ample sources to fund our operations and growth initiatives.

“We remain confident in our future as a leading equipment and technology supplier for the global solar power industry. We continue to believe that the photovoltaic industry is making progress in bringing solar power closer to parity with conventional energy sources and GT Solar is playing a critical role in that effort through our technology innovation and field-performance excellence.”

Zarrella also noted several second quarter highlights that reflect the company’s solid execution:

* GT Solar completed the 50,000 square foot expansion of its Merrimack, New Hampshire, DSS furnace manufacturing facility thus increasing production capacity by 40 percent. This capacity expansion meets the company’s DSS furnace manufacturing requirements for the foreseeable future.
* In its PV segment, GT Solar shipped more than 200 DSS furnaces, including many that were delivered in advance of original schedule to meet customer requests. The company also indicated it is beginning to assemble its next-generation DSS furnace prototypes.
* In its polysilicon segment, the company announced it has begun development of its next generation, 400 metric ton reactor, which is expected to allow GT Solar customers to produce silicon faster and at a dramatically reduced cost, including up to a 30 percent reduction in energy usage.

GT Solar also announced that since the end of the quarter it has booked additional orders in both segments of the business including its sixth agreement for DSS furnaces with Sino American Silicon (SAS), a Taiwan-based wafer supplier to the solar industry, a polysilicon agreement with China-based KMYY, and a previously announced $46.8 million polysilicon agreement with Top Green Energy Technologies.

Business Outlook

The company provided guidance on financial performance for the third quarter of fiscal 2009 ending December 27, 2008, for revenues in the range of $190 – $200 million, with earnings per share of between $0.23 and $0.25 fully diluted. The company also updated its annual revenue guidance for the fiscal year ending March 28, 2009 to a range of $575 million to $650 million, while maintaining its previous EPS guidance of $0.70 to $0.75. Previously, the company had guided to revenue of $600 million to $650 million for the fiscal year and is changing the low end of its revenue guidance range in light of macro-economic uncertainty. The company now expects operating margins for the fiscal year of between 27 percent and 30 percent versus previous guidance of 25 percent to 28 percent, due to stronger gross and operating margins and controls on spending.

Conference Call, Webcast

The company will host a live conference call and web cast at 5:00 PM EST today. Tom Zarrella, president and chief executive officer, and Bob Woodbury, chief financial officer, will host the call.

To listen to the conference call, callers in the United States and Canada may dial 888-504-7695. International callers may dial 1-719-325-2305. A link to the live audio web cast of the Company’s earnings conference call may be found on the Company’s investor website under events and presentations at http://investor.gtsolar.com/. A telephone replay will be available beginning at 8:00 pm EST. To listen to the replay callers in the United States and Canada may dial 888-203-1112. International callers may dial 1-719-457-0820. The replay passcode is 2209490. Replay will be available through Midnight, Thursday November 20, 2008.

GT Solar International, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
		September 27, 2008		March 31, 2008
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$6,444		$54,839
Restricted cash and cash equivalents		103,292		164,028
Accounts receivable, net		45,968		62,407
Inventories		88,031		37,518
Deferred costs		162,701		105,154
Advances on inventory purchases		154,808		77,635
Deferred income taxes		61,595		29,684
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		4,894		6,625
Total current assets		627,733		537,890
Property, plant and equipment, net		15,960		10,433
Other assets		1,060		74
Intangible assets, net		7,471		9,024
Goodwill		42,600		43,190
Total assets		$694,824		$600,611
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		$41,458		$37,992
Accrued expenses		20,563		16,725
Customer deposits		310,490		263,628
Deferred revenue		274,770		164,190
Accrued income taxes		11,015		22,316
Total current liabilities		658,296		504,851
Deferred income taxes		3,087		3,380
Other non-current liabilities		1,004		739
Total liabilities		662,387		508,970
Commitments and contingencies		—		—
Stockholders’ equity:
Common stock, $0.01 par value, 500,000 shares authorized; 143,033 and 142,375 shares issued and outstanding as of September 27, 2008 and March 31, 2008, respectively		1,430		1,424
Additional paid-in capital		77,690		73,817
Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income		(593)		5,584
Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)		(46,090)		10,816
Total stockholders’ equity		32,437		91,641
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity		$694,824		$600,611

GT Solar International, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)
		Three Months Ended September 27, 2008		Three Months Ended September 30, 2007		Six Months Ended September 27, 2008		Six Months Ended September 30, 2007
Revenue		$140,192		$81,774		$197,274		$97,130
Cost of revenue		78,821		52,190		111,606		62,224
Gross profit		61,371		29,584		85,668		34,906
Operating expenses:
Research and development		4,049		1,846		7,865		2,929
Selling and marketing		5,044		3,347		8,828		6,264
General and administrative		8,348		4,447		16,124		8,870
Amortization of intangible assets		762		750		1,553		1,452
Total operating expenses		18,203		10,390		34,370		19,515
Income from operations		43,168		19,194		51,298		15,391
Other income (expense):
Interest income		2,495		1,915		3,970		3,358
Interest expense		(125)		(667)		228		(1,068)
Other expense, net		(1,657)		(168)		(3,099)		(1,251)
Income before income taxes		43,881		20,274		52,397		16,430
Provision for income taxes		15,939		3,198		19,312		4,382
Net income		$27,942		$17,076		$33,085		$12,048
Income per share
Basic		$0.20		$0.12		$0.23		$0.08
Diluted		$0.19		$0.12		$0.23		$0.08
Dividend paid per common share		$0.632		—		$0.632		—
Average number of common shares outstanding used for basic earnings per share		142,398		142,290		142,344		142,290
Dilutive common stock options and awards		2,677		1,625		2,775		1,579
Average number of common shares outstanding plus dilutive common stock options and awards		145,075		143,915		145,119		143,869
Outstanding common stock options and awards having no dilutive effect		409		—		395		—

Contact:

Press
Hill & Knowlton
Jessica Anderson, 212-885-0492
jessica.anderson@hillandknowlton.com
or
Investors/Analysts
GT Solar
Bob Blair, 603-681-3869
bob.blair@gtsolar.com

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Source: GT Solar International, Inc.