MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, May 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ: TSEM & TASE: TSEM) reports today its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021.

First Quarter of 2021 Highlights

• Revenues of $347 million, reflecting year over year 21% organic growth and 16% total growth.
• Significant year over year increases in gross profit, operating profit and net profit.
• Guides mid-range revenue for the second quarter of 2021 of $360 million, which represents a company record quarterly revenue, demonstrating 26% year over year organic growth and 16% total growth.
• Standard & Poor’s Ma’alot reaffirmed company’s rating of "ilAA-", with a stable horizon.
• As previously announced, $150 million of purchase orders have been issued for 200mm and 300mm manufacturing tools and related facilities, spoken for by customer demand forecast. Capacity increase will begin in the second half of 2021, targeting full qualification within the first quarter of 2022.

First Quarter of 2021 Results Overview

Revenues for the first quarter of 2021 were $347 million, as compared to $300 million in the first quarter of 2020, reflecting 16% year over year growth. Organic revenue, defined as total revenue excluding revenues from Nuvoton Japan (previously named Panasonic Semiconductor Solutions) and from Maxim in the San Antonio fab, grew by 21% year over year.

Gross profit for the first quarter of 2021 was $70 million, 33% higher than $53 million in the first quarter of 2020.

Operating profit for the first quarter of 2021 was $32 million, 2X of the $16 million in the first quarter of 2020.

Net profit for the first quarter of 2021 was $28 million, or $0.26 basic and diluted earnings per share, as compared to net profit of $17 million or $0.16 basic and diluted earnings per share in the first quarter of 2020.

Cash flow generated from operating activities in the first quarter of 2021 was $87 million with investment in fixed assets of $49 million, net. In addition, in the first quarter of 2021, the company repaid $29 million of its debt. 

Manufacturing Expansion and Capabilities
The Company is continuing to execute its capacity expansion plan, as announced in February 2021, driven by very high confidence in customers’ demand which exceeds current 200mm and 300mm capacity. Company has issued purchase orders of $150 million in order to increase its wafer capacity. This equipment will begin to provide incremental capacity during the second half of 2021, targeted to be fully qualified during the first quarter of 2022.

Corporate Credit Rating
In May 2021, Standard & Poor’s Ma’alot (an Israeli rating company that is fully owned by S&P Global Ratings) completed its annual rating review for the Company and reaffirmed a corporate credit rating and bonds series G rating of "ilAA-", with a stable horizon.

Business Outlook
Tower Semiconductor guides revenue for the second quarter of 2021 to be $360 million, the highest quarterly revenue in the Company’s history, with an upward or downward range of 5%. Mid-range guidance represents year over year 26% organic revenue growth and 16% total growth.

Mr. Russell Ellwanger, Chief Executive Officer of Tower Semiconductor, commented: “With remarkable first quarter 2021 performance as a base, we are thrilled with the business and operational capabilities, enabling a second quarter mid-range record revenue guidance. Our comprehensive foundry platforms are replete with advanced analog technology differentiation, the source of our customer partnerships with analog industry leaders. We are excited with the prospect of continued leadership expansion throughout the year.”

Teleconference and Webcast

Tower Semiconductor will host an investor conference call today, Wednesday, May 12, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time (9:00 a.m. Central time, 8:00 a.m. Mountain time, 7:00 a.m. Pacific time and 5:00 p.m. Israel time) to discuss the company’s financial results for the first quarter of 2021 and its outlook.

This call will be webcast and can be accessed via Tower Semiconductor’s website at www.towersemi.com or by calling 1-888-642-5032 (U.S. Toll-Free), 03-918-0609 (Israel), +972-3-918-0609 (International).  For those who are not available to listen to the live broadcast, the call will be archived on Tower Semiconductor’s website for 90 days.

The Company presents its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.  The financial information included in the tables below includes unaudited condensed financial data. Some of the financial information in this release and/ or in related public disclosures or filings with respect to the financial statements and/ or results of the Company, which we describe in this release as “adjusted” financial measures, are non-GAAP financial measures as defined in Regulation G and related reporting requirements promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as they apply to our Company. These adjusted financial measures are calculated excluding one or both of the following: (1) amortization of acquired intangible assets and (2) compensation expenses in respect of equity grants to directors, officers, and employees. These adjusted financial measures should be evaluated in conjunction with, and are not a substitute for, GAAP financial measures. The tables also present the GAAP financial measures, which are most comparable to the adjusted financial measures, as well as a reconciliation between the adjusted financial measures and the comparable GAAP financial measures. As used and/ or presented in this release and/ or in related public disclosures or filings with respect to the financial statements and/ or results of the Company, as well as calculated in the tables herein, the term Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) consists of net profit in accordance with GAAP, excluding financing and other income (expense), net, taxes, non-controlling interest, depreciation and amortization expense and stock-based compensation expense. EBITDA is reconciled in the tables below from GAAP operating profit. EBITDA is not a required GAAP financial measure and may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure employed by other companies. EBITDA and the adjusted financial information presented herein and/ or in related public disclosures or filings with respect to the financial statements and/ or results of the Company, should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for operating profit, net profit or loss, cash flows provided by operating, investing and financing activities, per share data or other profit or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP. The term Net Cash, as used and/ or presented in this release and/ or in related public disclosures or filings with respect to the financial statements and/ or results of the Company, is comprised of cash, cash equivalents, short-term deposits and marketable securities less debt amounts as presented in the balance sheets included herein. The term Net Cash is not a required GAAP financial measure, may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure employed by other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for cash, debt, operating profit, net profit or loss, cash flows provided by operating, investing and financing activities, per share data or other profit or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP. The term Free Cash Flow, as used and/ or presented in this release and/ or in related public disclosures or filings with respect to the financial statements and/ or results of the Company, is calculated to be net cash provided by operating activities (in the amounts of $87 million, $73 million and $68 million for the three months periods ended March 31, 2021, December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2020, respectively) less cash used for investments in property and equipment, net (in the amounts of $49 million, $64 million and $63 million for the three months periods ended March 31, 2021, December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2020, respectively).  The term Free Cash Flow is not a required GAAP financial measure, may not be comparable to a similarly titled measure employed by other companies and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for operating profit, net profit or loss, cash flows provided by operating, investing and financing activities, per share data or other profit or cash flow statement data prepared in accordance with GAAP.

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