Business and Financial Highlights:

• Generated quarterly revenue of $73.8 million
• Introduced R+ DDR4 server memory chipset, RB26, for RDIMMs and LRDIMMs
• Cryptography Research Division has been selected by the Secure Content Storage Association (SCSA) to run and manage the VIDITY™ Key Issuance Center
• GAAP diluted net income per share of $1.52; non-GAAP diluted net income per share of $0.14

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 19, 2015 — Rambus Inc. (NASDAQ: RMBS) today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2015.

GAAP Financial Results:

Revenue for the third quarter of 2015 was $73.8 million, which was up 1% over the second quarter of 2015 primarily due to higher royalty revenue offset by lower sales of security products. As compared to the third quarter of 2014, revenue was up 6% primarily due to higher royalty revenue due to the extension of the license agreement with SK hynix in the second quarter of 2015 and higher revenue from a new license agreement signed with IBM during the first quarter of 2015, offset by lower royalty revenue from ST Microelectronics.

Revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was $219.5 million, which was down 2% over the prior year period, primarily due to lower royalty revenue from ST Microelectronics and NVIDIA Corporation, offset by higher revenue from a new license agreement signed with IBM during the first quarter of 2015 as well as higher sales of security and lighting products.

Total operating costs and expenses for the third quarter of 2015 were $56.1 million, 2% lower than the previous quarter and 2% higher than the third quarter of 2014. Third quarter operating costs and expenses of $56.1 million included $3.6 million of stock-based compensation expenses and $6.3 million of amortization expenses. In comparison, total operating costs and expenses for the second quarter of 2015 of $57.3 million included $4.4 million of stock-based compensation expenses and $6.3 million of amortization expenses. Total operating costs and expenses for the third quarter of 2014 were $55.2 million, which included $3.4 million of stock-based compensation expenses and $6.7 million of amortization expenses. The change in total operating costs and expenses in the third quarter of 2015 as compared to the second quarter of 2015 was primarily due to lower prototyping costs, lower costs of sales due to lower sales of security and lighting products and lower stock-based compensation costs partially offset by lower gain from sale of intellectual property. The change in total operating costs and expenses in the third quarter of 2015 as compared to the third quarter of 2014 was primarily attributed to higher expenses related to software design tools, higher headcount related costs and higher cost of sales due to higher sales of security and lighting products offset by lower consulting costs.

Total operating costs and expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 were $168.4 million, 1% higher than the nine months ended September 30, 2014. The operating costs and expenses for the first nine months of 2015 of $168.4 million included $11.7 million of stock-based compensation expenses and $18.9 million of amortization expenses. This is compared to total operating costs and expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 of $166.8 million, which included $11.2 million of stock-based compensation expenses, $20.3 million of amortization expenses and $2.5 million of retention bonus expense from acquisitions. The change in total operating costs and expenses was primarily attributable to higher headcount related costs, higher expenses related to software design tools, higher cost of sales due to higher sales of security and lighting products and higher prototyping costs offset by higher gain from sale of intellectual property, lower retention bonus expense from acquisitions and lower consulting costs.

Net income for the third quarter of 2015 was $182.0 million as compared to net income of $6.9 million in the second quarter of 2015 and net income of $5.5 million in the third quarter of 2014. Diluted net income per share for the third quarter of 2015 was $1.52 as compared to diluted net income per share of $0.06 in the second quarter of 2015 and diluted net income per share of $0.05 in the third quarter of 2014, respectively. The change in net income for the third quarter of 2015 as compared to the prior quarter and the third quarter of 2014 included a tax benefit of $174 million related to the release of the Company's deferred tax asset valuation allowance against its U.S. deferred tax assets.

Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was $198.4 million as compared to a net income of $18.4 million for the same period of 2014. Diluted net income per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 was $1.67 as compared to a diluted net income per share of $0.16 for the same period of 2014. The change in net income is due to the same reason as indicated above.