MaxLinear, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2012 Financial Results

$24.8 Million Fourth Quarter Revenue Grows 29 Percent Year-over-Year

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 5, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE:MXL),a provider of integrated, radio-frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications applications, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2012.

Management Commentary

"We are pleased to announce that in the fourth quarter, we realized revenue of $24.8 million, which represents growth of 29 percent year-over-year, and brings to close a successful year, one in which we delivered annual revenue growth of 36 percent and positive cash flow from operations," commented Kishore Seendripu, Ph.D., Chairman and CEO. "Our revenue growth in 2012 reflected strong momentum in Cable combined with stabilization of our terrestrial revenues as we brought to market new offerings across a range of television and hybrid set-top applications. Not only were we able to deliver this strong revenue growth in 2012, but we continue to execute admirably on new and exciting product development initiatives that will further expand our addressable market opportunity."

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Results

Net revenue for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $24.8 million, a decrease of 11 percent compared to the third quarter of 2012 and an increase of 29 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. Gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2012 was 63 percent of revenue, compared to 63 percent in the third quarter of 2012 and 61 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Net loss for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $4.6 million, or $0.14 per share (diluted), compared with net income of $0.5 million, or $0.01 per share (diluted), for the third quarter of 2012 and net loss of $4.7 million, or $0.14 per share (diluted), for the fourth quarter of 2011. The primary drivers of the $5.0 million change in profitability relative to the third quarter of 2012 include; $3 million less revenue which was influenced by customers desire to reduce their year-end inventories, approximately $1.3 million in incremental expenses related to a 40 nanometer R&D tape-out, and approximately $0.7 million increase in net professional fees related to our ongoing IP litigation with Silicon Laboratories, and the impact of net headcount additions in the quarter.

Positive cash flow provided by operations for the fourth quarter of 2012 totaled $1.4 million, compared with $6.3 million for the third quarter of 2012, and negative cash flow used in operations of $1.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $77.3 million at December 31, 2012, compared to $80.0 million at September 30, 2012, and $85.7 million at December 31, 2011. These decreases were primarily attributable to stock repurchases from our remaining venture capital investor, which was partially offset by operating cash flow generation.

For the fiscal year 2012, net revenue was $97.7 million, representing an increase of 36 percent compared to $71.9 million in fiscal 2011. Gross profit was 62 percent of revenue for fiscal 2012, compared to 63 percent for fiscal 2011. Net loss for fiscal 2012 was $13.3 million, or $0.40 per share (diluted), compared with net loss of $22.0 million, or $0.68 per share (diluted), in fiscal 2011. Positive cash flow provided by operations for fiscal 2012 totaled $7.5 million, compared with negative cash flow used in operations of $7.1 million in fiscal 2011.

Non-GAAP Results

Non-GAAP gross profit in the fourth quarter of 2012 was 63 percent of revenue, compared to 63 percent in the third quarter of 2012 and 61 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2012 was $0.7 million, or $0.02 per share (diluted), compared with $4.3 million, or $0.13 per share (diluted), for the third quarter of 2012, and non-GAAP net loss of $1.5 million, or $0.05 per share (diluted), for the fourth quarter of 2011.

For the fiscal year 2012, non-GAAP gross profit was 62 percent of revenue, compared to 63 percent for fiscal 2011. Non-GAAP net income for fiscal 2012 was $4.8 million, or $0.14 per share (diluted), compared with non-GAAP net loss of $3.7 million, or $0.11 per share (diluted), in fiscal 2011.

First Quarter 2013 Revenue Guidance

We expect revenue in the first quarter of 2013 to increase approximately 5% to 10% sequentially to $26 to $27 million.

Conference Call Details

MaxLinear will host its fourth quarter 2012 financial results conference call today, February 5, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (4:30 p.m. Eastern Time). To access this call, dial US toll free: 1-877-941-2068 / International: 1-480-629-9712 with conference ID: 4588060. A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible from the investor relations section of the MaxLinear website at www.maxlinear.com, and will be archived and available after the call at http://investors.maxlinear.com until February 19, 2013. A replay of the conference call will also be available until February 19, 2013 by dialing US toll free: 1-800-406-7325 / International: 1-303-590-3030 and referencing passcode: 4588060.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning our future financial performance, trends and growth opportunities in specific product markets such as cable and terrestrial applications, and opportunities associated with new product offerings and our strategy to expand our addressable market. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties affecting our business and operating results, include, among others, intense competition in our industry; our dependence on a limited number of customers for a substantial portion of our revenues; uncertainties concerning how end user markets for our products will develop, including end user markets for the cable and terrestrial applications of our products as well as end user markets for products currently in development; our ability to develop and introduce new and enhanced products on a timely basis and achieve market acceptance of those products, particularly as we seek to expand outside of our historic markets; potential decreases in average selling prices for our products; the timing and development of the global transition from analog to digital television; intellectual property risks, including risks arising from our continuing intellectual property litigation with Silicon Laboratories; our reliance on a limited number of third party manufacturers; and our lack of long-term supply contracts and dependence on limited sources of supply. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which MaxLinear expects to file with the SEC in February 2013.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our unaudited consolidated financial statements presented on a basis consistent with GAAP, we disclose certain non-GAAP financial measures, including non-GAAP net income (loss), income (loss) from operations, gross profit, and earnings (loss) per share. These supplemental measures exclude the effects of (i) stock-based compensation expense and its related tax effect, if any; (ii) an accrual related to our performance based bonus plan for 2012, which will be settled in stock in 2013; (iii) expenses associated with our acquisition of certain new market related technology licenses; (iv) estimated fines and penalties and professional fees related to our previously disclosed export compliance and IP litigation matters; and (v) the valuation allowance on federal deferred tax assets. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with and do not serve as an alternative for GAAP. We believe that these non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with our GAAP results of operations. These non-GAAP measures should only be viewed in conjunction with corresponding GAAP measures. We compensate for the limitations of non-GAAP financial measures by relying upon GAAP results to gain a complete picture of our performance.

We believe that non-GAAP financial measures can provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain non-cash and other one-time expenses that are not indicative of our core operating results. Among other uses, our management uses non-GAAP measures to compare our performance relative to forecasts and strategic plans and to benchmark our performance externally against competitors. In addition, management's incentive compensation will be determined in part using these non-GAAP measures because we believe non-GAAP measures better reflect our core operating performance.

The following are explanations of each type of adjustment that we incorporate into non-GAAP financial measures:

Stock-based compensation expense relates to equity incentive awards granted to our employees, directors, and consultants. Our equity incentive plans are important components of our employee incentive compensation arrangements and are reflected as expenses in our GAAP results. Stock-based compensation expense has been and will continue to be a significant recurring expense for MaxLinear. In addition, we exclude the related tax effect of stock-based compensation expense, if any, from non-GAAP net income.

Any bonus payments excluded from our non-GAAP net income under our 2012 bonus plans will be settled through the issuance of shares of Class A common stock under our equity incentive plans. While we include the dilutive impact of equity awards in weighted average shares outstanding, the expense associated with stock-based awards reflects a non-cash charge that we exclude from non-GAAP net income.

Expenses incurred in relation to the purchase of certain new market related technology licenses, intellectual property litigation and estimated fines and penalties and professional fees related to export compliance matters are unrelated to our underlying business. Therefore, we do not believe these are indicative of our core operating performance and exclude these expenses in management evaluations of our business.

Expenses incurred in relation to our export compliance review include (i) charges relating to estimates of potential export compliance fines and penalties, and (ii) professional fees incurred as a result of our audit committee's review and the final voluntary disclosures submitted to governmental agencies. 

Expenses incurred in relation to our intellectual property litigation with Silicon Laboratories include professional fees incurred. MaxLinear believes the lawsuit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself.

The provision for income taxes for the twelve months ended December 31, 2011 includes a valuation allowance related to federal deferred tax assets. We do not believe the recording of the valuation allowance is indicative of our core operating performance.

Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures disclosed in this press release appear below.

About MaxLinear, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc. is a provider of integrated, radio-frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications applications. MaxLinear is located in Carlsbad, California, and its address on the Internet is www.maxlinear.com.

MXL is MaxLinear's registered trademark. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: MaxLinear, Inc. Investor Relations Contacts:
         Nick Kormeluk
         IR Sense
         Tel: 949-415-7745
         nick@irsense.com

         MaxLinear, Inc. Corporate Contact:
         Adam Spice
         Chief Financial Officer
         Tel: 760-692-0711, Extension 196

Released February 5, 2013