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International Rectifier Reports December-Quarter Results

    EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--Jan. 24, 2002--International Rectifier Corporation today reported net income of $10.8 million (or $0.17 per share) on revenues of $172.1 million for the quarter ended December, compared to net income of $46.5 million (or $0.71 per share) on revenues of $268.1 million in the comparable prior-year quarter. In the immediately-preceding quarter, the company posted revenue of $168.5 million and income of $9.6 million (or $0.15 per share).
    Revenues from proprietary products (analog ICs, advanced-circuit devices, and power systems) rose sequentially by 5 percent. These products now comprise over half of total revenues, compared to 31 percent in the prior-year quarter. Orders for proprietary products grew sequentially by 7 percent and, for the fourth consecutive quarter, represented more than half of total bookings. Distributor orders grew sequentially by 12 percent last quarter, the strongest growth since the quarter ended March 2000. Overall orders grew sequentially by 3 percent.
    December-quarter gross margin was 35.2 percent, compared to 35.6 percent in the immediately-preceding quarter. In the year-ago quarter, gross margin was 40.7 percent. Strength in higher-margin proprietary products helped to counter the impact of lower production volumes for components and a decline in component prices.
    Shipments to the PC, automotive, and consumer products segments helped to offset continued weakness in the telecom and industrial markets.
    Chief Executive Officer Alex Lidow noted, "Even during the worst downturn in semiconductor history, execution of our business model has made IR inherently more profitable. At what we believe to be the bottom of this industry cycle, our gross margins remain 8 percentage points above our trough in the previous cycle."
    During the quarter, IR continued to win significant new business that demonstrates the advantages of its proprietary technology and the strength of its franchise in target markets.

-- In the information technology market, analog ICs and advanced-circuit devices from IR won designs in Intel's most advanced desktop platforms, Dell's leading-edge mobile and desktop boxes, and new graphics processors from Nvidia and ATI.
-- In the automotive market, power systems from IR won designs with two industry leaders for variable-speed motor controls.
-- In the defense and aerospace arena, Lockheed Martin won one of the largest contracts in industry history with a prototype Joint Strike Fighter containing about $200,000 of IR content. Plans call for more than 3,000 aircraft over the life of the program.
-- In other defense and aerospace programs, IR's proprietary technology secured more than a dozen new contracts during the December quarter with customers including Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.

    Alex Lidow noted, "IR continues to leverage proprietary products to increase our content in target applications and expand our market opportunities. A pick-up in the PC market, increased funding for defense and security programs, and greater penetration in the automotive market position IR for significant growth in the second half of this calendar year. We are generating cash from operations, and a cash balance of more than $800 million gives us considerable flexibility to pursue long-term strategic goals."
    For the six months ended December, net income of $20.4 million (or $0.31 per share) on revenues of $340.6 million compared to prior-year net income of $88.6 million (or $1.34 per share) on revenues of $517.5 million.
    The company expects March-quarter revenues to be flat-to-up $10 million sequentially and June-quarter revenues to increase by $10 million to $20 million sequentially.
    International Rectifier is a world leader in power management technology that improves functionality, speed, compactness, and portability in information technology and other end products. IR's analog ICs, advanced-circuit devices, power systems, and components enable Internet hardware to gain speed and reliability, allow portable electronics to run longer off a single charge, improve automotive fuel efficiency, and cut energy consumption in home appliances and industrial motors. The company is the pioneer and market leader in the $4 billion power MOSFET industry, and over 20 companies are licensed under its power MOSFET patents. IR serves market leaders around the world, and more than half its revenue comes from outside the United States.

    The foregoing material includes some forward-looking statements made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution that such statements are subject to a number of uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. Factors that could affect the company's actual results include the failure of market demand to materialize as anticipated; greater-than-expected weakness or program or order postponements in the information technology segments of our business; the effectiveness of cost controls and cost reductions; litigation and other unexpected costs associated with cost-reduction efforts, including reductions in force and the transfer and consolidation of product lines; the effectiveness of integration of acquisitions into our operations and the transfer and consolidation of product lines; the ability or the timing of the company to achieve strategic acquisitions and the effect of associated costs; the accuracy of customers' forecasts; push-out of delivery dates; product returns; market and sector conditions that affect our customers, licensees, and suppliers; introduction, acceptance, availability, and continued demand and growth of new and high-performance products; delays in transferring and ramping production lines or completing customer qualifications; company and market impact due to the cancellation of customer and/or industry programs; the company's mix of product shipments; availability of adequate capacity and unanticipated costs of refurbishment or replacement of equipment; pricing pressures; failure of suppliers and subcontractors to meet their delivery commitments; unfavorable changes in industry and competitive conditions; impact of any disruption in, or increased cost of, electricity and/or other critical supplies; economic conditions in the company's markets around the world and the timing of changes in market conditions; changes in interest and investment rates; impacts on our business or financial condition due to changes in currency valuation or to the euro conversion; impact of changes in accounting methods; the impact of changes in laws and regulations, including tax, trade, and export regulations and policies; the actual results of any outstanding litigation; and other uncertainties disclosed in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent report on form 10-K. To the foregoing factors should be added the financial and other ramifications of terrorist actions.

    NOTE: A conference call will begin today at 5:15 p.m. Eastern standard time (2:15 p.m. Pacific standard time). Participants can join the call by dialing 212/896-6153 or by logging on to the Internet at http://www.irf.com, http://www.vcall.com, or http://www.streetevents.com at least 15 minutes ahead of the start time. A replay of the call will be available through 4:15 p.m. Pacific standard time (7:15 PM Eastern standard time) on Tuesday, January 29. To hear the replay, phone 800/633-8284 (for international callers 858/812-6440) and use reservation No. 2016-3182 or use the websites listed above.



         International Rectifier Corporation and Subsidiaries
              Unaudited Consolidated Statement of Income
               (In thousands except per share amounts)

                            Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended
                               December 31           December 31
                            2001        2000        2001       2000

Revenues                  $172,090    $268,069    $340,579   $517,504
Cost of sales              111,509     158,963     220,085    309,695
  Gross profit              60,581     109,106     120,494    207,809

Selling & administrative
 expense                    30,274      34,704      61,272     68,491
Research & development
 expense                    16,979      16,685      33,877     31,636
Amortization of acquisition-
 related intangibles           971         450       1,936        691
 Operating profit           12,357      57,267      23,409    106,991

Other income (expense)       
 Interest, net               2,053       5,890       4,253     11,781
 Other, net                    147         474        (131)       975

Income before income taxes  14,557      63,631      27,531    119,747

Provision for income taxes   3,785      17,105       7,158     31,134
Net income                $ 10,772    $ 46,526    $ 20,373   $ 88,613

Net income per common share
 Basic                    $   0.17    $   0.75    $   0.32   $   1.43
 Diluted                  $   0.17    $   0.71    $   0.31   $   1.34

Average common shares 
 outstanding - Basic        63,296      62,004      63,274     61,918
Average common shares and
 potentially dilutive 
  securities outstanding
   - Diluted                64,970      65,497      64,954     66,079


         International Rectifier Corporation and Subsidiaries
                 Unaudited Consolidated Balance Sheet
                            (In thousands)
 
                                       December 31      June 30
                                          2001            2001
                                                        (Audited)
Assets                                      
 Current assets:
  Cash, cash equivalents and 
   short-term investments             $  537,491      $  851,361
  Trade accounts receivable, net         132,037         138,595
  Inventories                            179,207         149,375
  Deferred income taxes                   26,027          31,339
  Prepaid expenses and other 
   receivables                            30,956          38,511
 
   Total current assets                  905,718       1,209,181

  Long-term cash investments             297,256              --

  Property, plant and equipment, net     393,217         381,916

  Other assets                           164,760         155,365

   Total assets                       $1,760,951      $1,746,462

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
 Current liabilities:
  Bank loans                          $   18,516      $   13,343
  Long-term debt, due within 
   one year                                1,179           1,363
  Accounts payable                        63,935          87,130
  Accrued salaries, wages and
   commissions                            16,575          20,414
  Other accrued expenses                  67,083          73,725

   Total current liabilities             167,288         195,975

 Long-term debt, less current 
  maturities                             551,071         552,751
 Other long-term liabilities              17,546           6,300
 Deferred income taxes                    17,498          11,779

Stockholders' equity:
 Common stock                             63,313          63,132
 Capital contributed in excess of 
  par value of shares                    680,710         676,783
 Retained earnings                       269,227         248,854
 Accumulated other comprehensive
  loss                                    (5,702)         (9,112)
 Total stockholders' equity            1,007,548         979,657

  Total liabilities and stockholders'
   equity                             $1,760,951      $1,746,462