REDMOND, Wa. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — October 31, 2019 — Data I/O Corporation (NASDAQ: DAIO), the leading global provider of advanced data and security deployment solutions for flash, flash-memory based intelligent devices and microcontrollers, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.

Third Quarter 2019 Highlights

• Net sales of $3.8 million; bookings of $4.3 million
• Gross margin as a percentage of sales of over 52%
• Net loss of $(844,000) or $(0.10) per share
• Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA)*, excluding equity compensation, of $(306,000)
• Cash & Equivalents of $15.2 million; no debt
• Repurchased 56,000 shares to complete $2 million buyback authorized in October 2018
• Automotive electronics, advanced programming and secure provisioning leadership
  • Automotive represented 57% of bookings year to date through 3Q19
  • Announced the new PSV2800 system with performance up to 3000 parts per hour for dedicated high-volume programming applications
  • Growth in SentriX® devices provisioned, device types supported, design wins, and sales funnel
  • Received 2019 Mexico Technology Award in the category of Device Programming for the new Job Composer Software Application
  • Key speaking engagements and presentations planned for productronica, the major biennial electronics manufacturing innovations trade show in Munich, Germany

Management Comments

Commenting on the third quarter ended September 30, 2019, Anthony Ambrose, President and CEO of Data I/O Corporation, said, “Our financial results for the period reflect the market challenges we had experienced throughout the first half of the year, which deteriorated as we entered the third quarter. The down cycle for semiconductor programming capital equipment that began last year was exacerbated this year by geopolitical issues and international trade challenges, which has wreaked havoc on the electronics supply chain, and softened demand for automobiles. In turn, this has reduced near term capital expenditure purchases by OEMs and programming centers, with particular impact on our primary vertical market of automotive electronics.

“In the second quarter, we adjusted our planned 2019 spending and targets. With minimal backlog coming into the third quarter, weak July and August bookings led to an expected reduction in third quarter revenue. Demand picked up in September and remained at that improved level through October. Backlog at the end of the third quarter increased, due to these September orders, by approximately 20% to $1.7 million from June 30, 2019. The balance of our financial performance in the quarter reflects the revenue in the period and steadfast execution of our business strategies that include investing in our future and continued focus on managing our costs, improving manufacturing efficiencies, and prudent allocation of capital and human resources.

“We remain committed to our core strategy of investing in our technology platforms which target two long-term growth markets in automotive electronics and IoT security. Earlier this week, we announced the PSV2800 platform with up to 3000 parts per hour handling performance. This product is our first entry into the ultra-fast segment of the handling market, and opens new markets to Data I/O. We see potential applications across a broad spectrum of end markets, and can make inroads into programming applications that are traditionally done at the end of the line.

“We continue to make great strides with our SentriX security deployment platform. Key performance metrics increasing in Q3 include number of customers, design wins, device types supported and sales funnel. Our customer engagements in 2019 have doubled from the same period last year. We also have been awarded numerous patents to protect our unique intellectual property, and have additional filings pending. Based upon our encouraging results to date, we will be increasing our SentriX platform investment even as we manage spending elsewhere.

“Despite weakness in the core business, continued R&D to support new products and initiatives, and completion of the $2 million share buyback, we are pleased to have maintained a very strong balance sheet. Cash of $15.2 million at the end of the third quarter was marginally higher from the end of the second quarter.”

Financial Results

Net sales in the third quarter of 2019 were $3.8 million, as compared with $6.5 million in the third quarter of 2018. The year-over-year decline in sales was a result of a cyclical downtrend in the industry that began at the end of 2017 and demand impacted by international trade and geopolitical issues in 2019.

For the 2019 third quarter, gross margin as a percentage of sales was 52.6%, as compared to 63.0% in the third quarter of 2018. The third quarter gross margin was primarily impacted by fixed costs being spread over lower revenue.

Total operating expenses in the third quarter of 2019 were $3.0 million, down from $3.7 million in the 2018 period. Spending declined across the board with the most significant reductions due to lower variable incentive compensation accrual and stock compensation. Most discretionary and variable expenses declined compared to the prior year period. Data I/O continues to support its industry leading platform of programming and provisioning solutions while emphasizing ongoing expense management practices. Research and development expenses of $1.5 million declined from $1.8 million in the prior year period but represented 40% of sales as compared with 28% of sales in the third quarter of 2018.

An operating loss of $(1.0) million for the third quarter of 2019 compares to operating income of $404,000 for the third quarter of 2018. Net loss in the third quarter of 2019 was $(844,000), or $(0.10) per share, compared with net income of $342,000, or $0.04 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2018. Included in net income is foreign currency transaction gains of $226,000 for the third quarter of 2019 and $108,000 for the same period of the prior year.

Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”) was $(566,000) in the third quarter of 2019, compared to EBITDA of $742,000 in the third quarter of 2018. Adjusted EBITDA, excluding equity compensation, was $(306,000) in the third quarter of 2019, compared to adjusted EBITDA of $1.0 million in the third quarter of 2018.

Bookings in the third quarter of 2019 were $4.3 million, compared to $7.0 million in the third quarter of 2018 and $5.1 million in the second quarter of 2019. Backlog at September 30, 2019 was $1.7 million, as compared with $1.4 million at June 30, 2019.

Data I/O’s financial condition remains strong with cash of $15.2 million at September 30, 2019, marginally higher from $15.2 million at June 30, 2019. During the third quarter, approximately $244,000 was used to buyback common stock. The $2.0 million buyback program which commenced in October 2018 has been fulfilled with a total of 404,000 shares purchased at an average cost of $4.95. The Company had net working capital of $18.4 million at September 30, 2019, down from $19.5 million at June 30, 2019, which reflects accounts receivables collections more than offsetting the reduction in accounts payables and the cash spent on the share repurchase. The Company continues to have no debt.

Conference Call Information

A conference call discussing the third quarter ended September 30, 2019, financial results will follow this release today at 2 p.m. Pacific Time/5 p.m. Eastern Time. To listen to the conference call, please dial 412-902-6510. A replay will be made available approximately one hour after the conclusion of the call. To access the replay, please dial 412-317-0088, access code 10135554. The conference call will also be simultaneously webcast over the Internet; visit the Webcasts and Presentations area within the Investor Relations section of the Data I/O Corporation website at www.dataio.com to access the call from the site. This webcast will be recorded and available for replay on the Data I/O Corporation website approximately one hour after the conclusion of the conference call.