OTTAWA, CANADA--(Marketwire - June 4, 2008) - Wi-LAN Inc. ("Wi-LAN" or the "Company") (TSX:WIN), a leading technology innovation and licensing company, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended April 30, 2008. All financial amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars.
Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal year 2008 was $3.2 million. Operating expenses in the second quarter were $4.6 million. Total expenses were $9.1 million, which included $0.5 million of stock-based compensation expense and $4.1 million of depreciation and amortization expense, both non-cash charges. Interest income amounted to $0.8 million during the quarter. Net earnings amounted to a loss of $4.1 million or $0.04 per basic and diluted share. Pro forma earnings(i) amounted to a loss of $0.5 million or $0.01 per diluted share.
Revenues for the six months ended April 30, 2008 were $8.0 million. Operating expenses for the first half of the year were $8.3 million. Total expenses were $17.5 million including $1.0 million of stock-based compensation expense and $8.2 million of depreciation and amortization expense, both non-cash charges. Interest income amounted to $1.8 million during the six months ended April 30, 2008. Net earnings amounted to a loss of $6.0 million or $0.06 per share for the six months ended April 30, 2008. Pro forma earnings for the same period were $1.5 million or $0.02 per share.
In the second quarter of fiscal year 2008, cash and cash equivalents decreased by $0.6 million to $91.8 million at April 30, 2008. Over the six month period ended April 30, 2008, the Company generated positive cash flow of $0.3 million. The Company's cash equivalents include T-Bills, term deposits and GICs.
Second Quarter 2008 Highlights:
- Added 10 wireless licensees;
- Added 7 V-chip licensees; and
- Patent licensing industry veteran Robert Bramson elected to Wi-LAN's board of directors.
"I am pleased with the progress that our business has continued to make this quarter," said Jim Skippen, President & CEO. "The number and variety of signings to date has established a solid recurring revenue base and reinforces our overall strategy. Our business has now reached a maturity level that permits us to be more confident in our licensing program."
"The confidence that we have in our business is demonstrated, in part, by our decision to provide more fulsome financial disclosure, including our first ever release of annual revenue and pro forma earnings guidance as well as our current backlog position."
2008 Financial Guidance
The following statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. The "Forward-looking Information" section at the end of this news release provides information on various risks and uncertainties that the Company faces. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Wi-LAN's current Annual Information Form and its other filings with the various Canadian securities regulators which are available online at www.sedar.com. Annual financial guidance for fiscal 2008 is provided to assist investors and other interested parties in understanding Wi-LAN's performance. The reader is cautioned that using this information for any other purpose may be inappropriate.
The Company's estimated revenue backlog represents its estimates of revenues yet to be recorded from signed license agreements. These estimates consider the market forecasts for the technologies covered within the Company's patent portfolio, publicly available and, in certain cases, privately provided forecasts for existing licensees' product sales, and the relevant license rates in effect in these signed agreements. The timing of license agreement closings, breadth and depth of product portfolios licensed and other external market forces may cause the Company's estimated revenue backlog to vary from one quarter to the next. As at April 30, 2008, the Company's estimated revenue backlog position was approximately $140 million. The Company expects this estimated revenue backlog will be recognized over the remaining terms of the license agreements which range from four to eight years.
The Company's revenues result from the licensing of intellectual property which, by its very nature, is directly affected by the timing of the closure of license agreements, the nature and extent of specific licenses including actual rates, product sales by licensees which can be subject to seasonality and overall market demands as well as the timeliness of the receipt of licensee royalty reports. Thus, quarter-to-quarter fluctuations in revenue are normal and should be expected. Management believes that the strength of its business should be measured by annual revenues and growth in estimated revenue backlog.
The following guidance for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2008 reflects our current business indicators and expectations. Due to their nature, certain income and expense items, such as significant settlements from companies involved in current enforcement actions, new significant litigation or defense actions that could arise during the course of the year, losses on asset impairments or realized foreign exchange losses cannot be accurately forecast. Accordingly, we exclude forecasts of such items from our guidance. Additionally, the Company's revenues result from the licensing of intellectual property which, by its very nature, is directly affected by the timing of the closure of license agreements, the nature and extent of the license including actual rates, the product sales by licensees which can be subject to seasonality and overall market demands as well as the timeliness of the receipt of licensee royalty reports. Wi-LAN's imperative is to negotiate the best possible license as measured over the long-term and accordingly, the timing of actual license signings may vary from that forecasted. Actual results may vary materially from the guidance provided as a consequence of the above noted factors.
Revenues for the fiscal year are expected to be within the range of $15 million to $20 million. Operating expenses, excluding stock based compensation, are expected to be in the range of $16 million to $19 million. Pro-forma earnings are expected to be within the range of $2 million to $5 million.
Conference Call Information - June 4, 2008 - 10 AM EDT
Wi-LAN will conduct a conference call to discuss its financial results today at 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Wi-LAN President & CEO Jim Skippen and CFO Shaun McEwan will be on the call.
Calling Information
- To join by webcast: http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=129792
- Callers from Canada or the United States, dial 1.866.585.6398 (Toll Free)
- Callers from other locations, dial 416.849.9626 (International)
Replay Information
The call will be available at http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=129792 and accessible by telephone until 11:59 PM on June 11, 2008.
- Replay Number (Toll Free): 1.866.245.6755
- Replay Number (International): 416.915.1035
- Passcode: 419243
About Wi-LAN
Wi-LAN, founded in 1992, is a leading technology innovation and licensing company. Our portfolio of patented inventions applies to a wide range of electronics and communications products. Some of the fundamental technologies covered by Wi-LAN's patents include: CDMA, DOCSIS, DSL, GSM/EDGE, V-chip, Wi-Fi and WiMAX. Wi-LAN has licensed its intellectual property to over 100 companies. For more information: www.wi-lan.com.
Note
(i) Wi-LAN follows Canadian generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in preparing its interim and annual financial statements. To assist readers in further understanding its operating performance, Wi-LAN is reporting "pro forma earnings" which is a non-GAAP financial term. Wi-LAN's pro forma earnings represents earnings/(loss) from continuing operations before stock-based compensation, depreciation & amortization and provision for income taxes.
Forward-looking Information
Certain statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, may include forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties that face the Company; such statements may contain such words as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, and may be based on management's current assumptions and expectations related to all aspects of the wireless and wireline telecommunications industries and the global economy. Risks and uncertainties that may face the Company include, but are not restricted to: licensing of the Company's patents can take an extremely long time and may be subject to variable cycles; the Company is currently almost exclusively reliant on additional licensing of its patent portfolio to generate future revenues and cash flows; the Company may be required to establish the enforceability of its patents in court in order to obtain material licensing revenues; changes in patent laws or in the interpretation or application of patent laws could materially adversely affect the Company; a court may determine that certain of the Company's patents are not infringed by certain standards or products or may disagree with management with respect to whether one or more of the Company's patents apply to certain standards or products, which could adversely affect the Company; the Company will need to acquire or develop new patents to continue and grow its business; the Company has made and may make acquisitions of technologies or businesses which could materially adversely affect the Company; the Company may require investment to translate its intellectual property position into sustainable profit in the market; the viability of the Company's V-chip technology may be subject to continued government support; the Company is dependent on its key officers and employees; and the price of the Company's common shares is volatile and subject to market fluctuation. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained in this release, when estimates and assumptions have been used to measure and report results. There can be no assurance that any statements of forward-looking information contained in this release will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
These and all subsequent written and oral statements containing forward-looking information are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any statements of forward-looking information that speak only as of the date of this release. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's business are contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in Wi-LAN's current Annual Information Form and its other filings with the various Canadian securities regulators which are available online at www.sedar.com.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States.
All trademarks and brands mentioned in this release are the property of their respective owners.
Wi-LAN Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Deficit
(Unaudited)
(in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
April 30, April 30,
2008 2007 2008 2007
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Revenues $3,245 $75 $7,986 $49,340
Income/(expenses) from
the following
Operating expenses
Stock-based compensation (450) (135) (1,017) (278)
Other operating expenses (4,574) (2,063) (8,299) (5,310)
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Total operating expenses (5,024) (2,198) (9,316) (5,588)
Depreciation & amortization (4,061) (1,056) (8,204) (1,802)
Interest income, net 789 904 1,780 1,071
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Earnings/(loss) before
income taxes (5,051) (2,275) (7,754) 43,021
Provision for income tax
recovery/(expense)
Current (184) - (542) -
Future 1,146 - 2,292 (16,726)
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962 - 1,750 (16,726)
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Net and comprehensive
earnings/(loss) (4,089) (2,275) (6,004) 26,295
Deficit, beginning of
period (139,890) (137,022) (137,975) (165,592)
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Deficit, end of period $(143,979) $(139,297) $(143,979) $(139,297)
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Earnings/(loss) per share
basic and diluted
Basic $(0.04) $(0.03) $(0.06) $0.39
Diluted $(0.04) $(0.03) $(0.06) $0.37
Weighted average number of
common shares
Basic 93,502,574 72,346,139 93,486,496 68,038,657
Diluted 93,502,574 72,346,139 93,486,496 70,854,046
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Wi-LAN Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands of Canadian dollars)
As at April 30, 2008 October 31, 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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(Unaudited) (Audited)
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents $91,835 $91,542
Accounts receivable 2,327 2,916
Prepaid expenses and deposits 47 211
Assets held for sale 2,228 3,696
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Current assets 96,437 98,365
Furniture and equipment, net 804 785
Patents and other intangibles, net 140,224 146,955
Goodwill 16,400 16,400
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Assets $253,865 $262,505
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Liabilities and Shareholders' equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $3,456 $4,371
Mortgage payable related to assets
held for sale - 518
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Current liabilities 3,456 4,889
Future income tax liability 22,283 24,575
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Liabilities 25,739 29,464
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Shareholders' equity
Common shares 362,202 362,094
Contributed surplus 9,903 8,922
Deficit (143,979) (137,975)
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Shareholders' equity 228,126 233,041
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Liabilities and Shareholders' equity $253,865 $262,505
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Wi-LAN Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
(in thousands of Canadian dollars)
Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
April 30, April 30,
2008 2007 2008 2007
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Cash provided by/(used in)
Operations
Net earnings/(loss) $(4,089) $(2,275) $(6,004) $26,295
Non-cash items
License revenue settled
by receipt of patents - - - (34,000)
Stock-based compensation 450 135 1,017 278
Depreciation & amortization 4,061 1,056 8,204 1,802
Future income taxes (1,146) - (2,292) 16,726
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(724) (1,084) 925 11,101
Change in non-cash
working capital balances
Accounts receivable (140) 2 589 (1,711)
Prepaid expenses and deposits 113 (189) 164 (89)
Net assets held for sale - - 1,468 -
Accounts payable and
accrued liabilities 98 797 (915) 1,773
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Cash generated from /(used in)
continuing operations (653) (474) 2,231 11,074
Cash used in discontinued
operations - - - (66)
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Cash generated from
/(used in) operations (653) (474) 2,231 11,008
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Financing
Mortgage repayment - - (518) -
Proceeds on sale of common
shares, net of share issuance
costs totalling $2,378
and $4,086 - 37,622 - 65,914
Common shares issued for cash
on the exercise of options 69 51 72 1,114
Common shares issued for cash
on the exercise of warrants - 361 - 625
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Cash generated from
/(used in) financing 69 38,034 (446) 67,653
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Investing
Purchase of furniture
and equipment (48) (51) (129) (76)
Purchase of patents for cash - (298) (1,363) (298)
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Cash used in investing (48) (349) (1,492) (374)
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Net cash and cash equivalents
generated/(used) in the period (632) 37,211 293 78,287
Cash and cash equivalents,
beginning of period 92,467 57,756 91,542 16,680
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Cash and cash equivalents,
end of period $91,835 $94,967 $91,835 $94,967
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Wi-LAN Inc.
Shaun McEwan
CFO
1-613-688-4898
C: 1-613-697-7159
smcewan@wi-lan.com
Wi-LAN Inc.
Tyler Burns
Director, Investor Relations & Communications
1-613-688-4330
C: 1-613-697-0367
tburns@wi-lan.com
