Qualcomm Announces Record Third Quarter Fiscal 2014 Results

SAN DIEGO, July 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies, products and services, today announced results for the third quarter of fiscal 2014 ended June 29, 2014.

"We are pleased to report another record quarter with revenues, earnings per share and chip shipments reaching all-time highs, driven by broad-based demand for our industry-leading 3G/4G chipset solutions," said Steve Mollenkopf, CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated. "Looking forward, although we have lowered our near-term financial outlook for the licensing business, we are pleased to be raising our fiscal year earnings per share guidance on better than expected performance in our semiconductor business."

Third Quarter Results (GAAP)*

• Revenues: ¹ $6.81 billion, up 9 percent year-over-year (y-o-y) and 7 percent sequentially.
• Operating income: ¹ $2.08 billion, up 24 percent y-o-y and 4 percent sequentially.
• Net income: ² $2.24 billion, up 42 percent y-o-y and 14 percent sequentially.
• Diluted earnings per share: ² $1.31, up 46 percent y-o-y and 15 percent sequentially.
• Effective tax rate: ¹ 10 percent.
• Operating cash flow: $2.67 billion, up 29 percent y-o-y; 39 percent of revenues.
• Return of capital to stockholders: $2.06 billion, including $1.35 billion through repurchases of 17.0 million shares of common stock and $706 million, or $0.42 per share, of cash dividends paid.

Non-GAAP Third Quarter Results*

Non-GAAP results exclude the QSI (Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives) segment and certain share-based compensation, acquisition-related items and tax items.

• Revenues: $6.81 billion, up 9 percent y-o-y and 7 percent sequentially.
• Operating income: $2.43 billion, up 19 percent y-o-y and 4 percent sequentially.
• Net income: $2.47 billion, up 35 percent y-o-y and 10 percent sequentially.
• Diluted earnings per share: $1.44, up 40 percent y-o-y and 10 percent sequentially.
• Effective tax rate: 13 percent.

Detailed reconciliations between GAAP and Non-GAAP results are included within this news release.

* The following should be considered in regards to the year-over-year and sequential comparisons:

• The third quarter of fiscal 2014 results included:
  • $208 million of income, or $0.12 per share, of which $184 million was recorded in other income, due to the reversal of accruals related to our litigation with ParkerVision; and
  • $164 million of charges, or $0.08 per share, that resulted from an impairment on goodwill and long-lived assets related to our QMT (Qualcomm MEMS Technologies) division.
• The third quarter of fiscal 2013 results included:
  • $158 million charge, or $0.06 per share, that resulted from an impairment on long-lived assets related to our QMT division.

Third Quarter Key Business Metrics

• MSM™ chip shipments: 225 million units, up 31 percent y-o-y and 20 percent sequentially.
• March quarter total reported device sales: approximately $58.1 billion, up 3 percent y-o-y and down 13 percent sequentially.
  • March quarter estimated 3G/4G device shipments: approximately 250 to 254 million units, at an estimated average selling price of approximately $228 to $234 per unit.

Cash and Marketable Securities

Our cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities totaled $32.7 billion at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to $30.4 billion a year ago and $32.1 billion at the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2014. On July 18, 2014, we announced a cash dividend of $0.42 per share payable on September 24, 2014 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 3, 2014.

Research and Development 

Non-GAAP research and development (R&D) expenses increased 11 percent y-o-y primarily due to an increase in costs to develop CDMA-based 3G, OFDMA-based 4G LTE and other technologies for integrated circuit and related software products and to expand our intellectual property portfolio.

Selling, General and Administrative

Non-GAAP selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses decreased 4 percent y-o-y primarily due to a decrease in selling and marketing expenses.

Effective Income Tax Rates

Our fiscal 2014 annual effective income tax rates are estimated to be 14 percent for GAAP and 15 percent for Non-GAAP, both of which include the United States federal R&D tax credit generated through December 31, 2013, the date on which the credit expired. During the third quarter of fiscal 2014, we recorded a $66 million tax benefit as a result of an agreement reached with the Internal Revenue Service related to transfer pricing on our fiscal 2013 tax return, which was excluded from Non-GAAP results.

Business Outlook

The following statements are forward looking, and actual results may differ materially. The "Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in this news release provides a description of certain risks that we face, and our most recent quarterly report on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) provide a more complete description of risks.

Our outlook does not include provisions for future asset impairments or for pending legal matters, other than future legal amounts that are probable and estimable. Further, due to their nature, certain income and expense items, such as realized investment and certain derivative gains or losses, cannot be accurately forecast. Accordingly, we only include such items in our financial outlook to the extent they are reasonably certain; however, actual results may differ materially from the outlook.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, we expect to complete a minimum of $1 billion in stock repurchases under our current stock repurchase program. Our outlook for fiscal 2014 diluted earnings per share includes an estimate of the benefit related to stock repurchases.

China continues to present significant opportunities for us, particularly with the rollout of 4G LTE, but also presents significant challenges, as our business practices continue to be the subject of an investigation by the China National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Please refer to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended June 29, 2014 filed with the SEC for our most recent disclosures regarding the NDRC investigation.

We also believe that certain licensees in China currently are not fully complying with their contractual obligations to report their sales of licensed products to us (which includes certain licensees underreporting a portion of their 3G/4G device sales and a dispute with a licensee) and that unlicensed companies may seek to delay execution of new licenses while the NDRC investigation is ongoing. We expect calendar year 2014 3G/4G device shipments to be approximately 1.3 billion globally. However, our estimate of calendar year 2014 3G/4G device shipments that we currently expect to be reported to us is approximately 1.04 billion to 1.13 billion, which is adjusted for units that we believe may not be reported to us, are in dispute or are currently unlicensed. We are taking steps to address these issues, although the timing of any resolution is uncertain.

The following table summarizes GAAP and Non-GAAP guidance based on the current outlook. The Non-GAAP outlook presented below is consistent with the presentation of Non-GAAP results included elsewhere herein.

Results of Business Segments

Conference Call

Qualcomm's third quarter fiscal 2014 earnings conference call will be broadcast live on July 23, 2014, beginning at 2:45 p.m. Pacific Time (PT) at http://investor.qualcomm.com/events.cfm. This conference call will include a discussion of "Non-GAAP financial measures" as defined in Regulation G. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measures and information reconciling these Non-GAAP financial measures to the Company's financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, as well as other financial and statistical information to be discussed on the conference call, will be posted at www.qualcomm.com/investor immediately prior to commencement of the call. An audio replay will be available at http://investor.qualcomm.com/events.cfm and via telephone following the live call for 30 days thereafter. To listen to the replay via telephone, U.S. callers may dial (855) 859-2056 and international callers may dial (404) 537-3406. Callers should use reservation number 63935250.

Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Non-GAAP financial information presented herein should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. In addition, "Non-GAAP" is not a term defined by GAAP, and as a result, the Company's measure of Non-GAAP results might be different than similarly titled measures used by other companies. Reconciliations between GAAP and Non-GAAP results are presented herein.

The Company uses Non-GAAP financial information (i) to evaluate, assess and benchmark the Company's operating results on a consistent and comparable basis; (ii) to measure the performance and efficiency of the Company's ongoing core operating businesses, including the QCT (Qualcomm CDMA Technologies) and QTL (Qualcomm Technology Licensing) segments; and (iii) to compare the performance and efficiency of these segments against each other and against competitors. Non-GAAP measurements used by the Company include revenues, cost of equipment and services revenues, R&D expenses, SG&A expenses, operating income, net investment income, income or earnings before income taxes, effective tax rate, net income and diluted earnings per share. The Company is able to assess what it believes is a more meaningful and comparable set of financial performance measures for the Company and its business segments by using Non-GAAP information. As a result, management compensation decisions and the review of executive compensation by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors focus primarily on Non-GAAP financial measures applicable to the Company and its business segments. The Company presents Non-GAAP financial information to provide greater transparency to investors with respect to its use of such information in financial and operational decision-making.

Non-GAAP information used by management excludes QSI and certain share-based compensation, acquisition-related items and tax items.

• QSI is excluded because the Company expects to exit its strategic investments at various times, and the effects of fluctuations in the value of such investments and realized gains or losses are viewed by management as unrelated to the Company's operational performance.
• Share-based compensation expense primarily relates to restricted stock units. Non-cash share-based compensation is excluded because management views such expenses as unrelated to the operating activities of the Company's ongoing core businesses.
• Acquisition-related items include amortization and impairment of certain intangible assets, recognition of the step-up of inventories to fair value and the related tax effects of these items starting with acquisitions completed in the third quarter of fiscal 2011, as well as any tax effects from restructuring the ownership of such acquired assets. Additionally, the Company excludes expenses related to the termination of contracts that limit the use of the acquired intellectual property. These acquisition-related items are excluded and are not allocated to the Company's segments because management views such expenses as unrelated to the operating activities of the Company's ongoing core businesses. In addition, these charges are impacted by the size and timing of acquisitions, potentially obscuring period-to-period comparisons of the Company's operating businesses.
• Certain tax items that are unrelated to the fiscal year in which they are recorded are excluded in order to provide a clearer understanding of the Company's ongoing Non-GAAP tax rate and after tax earnings.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm's licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm's engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit www.qualcomm.com.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

In addition to the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: statements regarding our near-term financial outlook for the licensing business; better than expected performance in our semiconductor business; stock repurchases that we plan to complete during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 under our current stock repurchase program; challenges to our business in China; our business outlook; and our estimates and guidance related to revenues, our fiscal 2014 annual effective tax rates, GAAP and Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, MSM chip shipments, total reported device sales, 3G/4G device average selling price ranges and 3G/4G device shipments and ranges. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by words such as "estimates," "guidance," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks" and similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, including but not limited to: risks associated with the commercial deployment of CDMA, OFDMA and other communications technologies; continuing growth in our customers' and licensees' sales of products and services based on these technologies and our ability to continue to drive customer demand for our products and services based on these technologies; competition; our dependence on a small number of customers and licensees; the continued and future success of our licensing programs; attacks on our licensing business model, including current and future legal proceedings or actions of governmental or quasi-governmental bodies or standards or industry organizations; the enforcement and protection of our intellectual property rights; the commercial success of our new technologies, products and services; claims by third parties that we infringe their intellectual property; our dependence on a limited number of third-party suppliers; our stock price and earnings volatility; government regulations and policies; acquisitions, strategic transactions and investments; global economic conditions that impact the mobile communications industry; foreign currency fluctuations; and failures in our products or services or in the products of our customers, including those resulting from security vulnerabilities, defects or errors. These and other risks are set forth in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the third quarter ended June 29, 2014 filed with the SEC. Our reports filed with the SEC are available on our website at www.qualcomm.com. We undertake no obligation to update, or continue to provide information with respect to, any forward-looking statement or risk factor, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Qualcomm and MSM are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Qualcomm Contact:
Warren Kneeshaw
Vice President, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
e-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated