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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

 

x      QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2009

 

OR

 

o         TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from              to              .

 

Commission file number 0-16244

 

 

VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (516) 677-0200

 

Website: www.veeco.com

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes x No o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).   Yes o No o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).   Yes o No x

 

32,777,024 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value per share, were outstanding as of the close of business on October 20, 2009.

 

 

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SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Report”) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Discussions containing such forward-looking statements may be found in Items 2 and 3 hereof, as well as within this Report generally. In addition, when used in this Report, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,” “plans,” “intends,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from projected results. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the following:

 

·                  Our failure to successfully implement outsourcing activities or failure of our outsourcing partners to perform as anticipated could adversely affect our results of operations and our ability to realize the benefits of the recent increase in MOCVD order volume.

 

·                   Negative worldwide economic conditions could result in a decrease in our net sales and an increase in our operating costs, which could adversely affect our business and operating results;

 

·                  Our sales to HB-LED and data storage manufacturers are highly dependent on these manufacturers’ sales for consumer electronics applications, which can experience significant volatility due to seasonal and other factors, which could materially adversely impact our future results of operations;

 

·                  We are exposed to risks associated with entering an emerging segment within the solar industry;

 

·                  We may be required to take additional impairment charges for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets or definite-lived intangible and long-lived assets;

 

·                  Any failure by us to execute our planned cost reductions successfully could result in total costs and expenses that are greater than expected;

 

·                  The cyclicality of the industries we serve directly affects our business;

 

·                  We operate in industries characterized by rapid technological change;

 

·                  We face significant competition;

 

·                  We depend on a limited number of customers that operate in highly concentrated industries;

 

·                  The timing of our orders, shipments, and revenue recognition may cause our quarterly operating results to fluctuate significantly;

 

·                  Changes in our product mix may cause our quarterly operating results to fluctuate significantly;

 

·                  Our backlog is subject to customer cancellation or modification and such cancellation could result in decreased sales and increased provisions for excess and obsolete inventory;

 

·                  Our sales cycle is long and unpredictable;

 

·                  Manufacturing interruptions or delays could affect our ability to meet customer demand, while the failure to estimate customer demand accurately could result in excess or obsolete inventory;

 

·                  We rely on a limited number of suppliers;

 

·                  Our inability to attract, retain, and motivate key employees could have a material adverse effect on our business;

 

·                  We are exposed to the risks of operating a global business;

 

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·                  We are subject to foreign currency exchange risks;

 

·                  The enforcement and protection of our intellectual property rights may be expensive and could divert our valuable resources;

 

·                  We may be subject to claims of intellectual property infringement by others;

 

·                  Our acquisition strategy subjects us to risks associated with evaluating and pursuing these opportunities and integrating these businesses;

 

·                  We are substantially leveraged, which could adversely affect our ability to adjust our business to respond to competitive pressures and to obtain sufficient funds to finance our future needs;

 

·                  Changes in accounting pronouncements or taxation rules or practices may adversely affect our financial results;

 

·                  The price of our common shares may be volatile and could decline significantly;

 

·                  We are subject to the internal control evaluations and attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

·                  We are subject to risks of non-compliance with environmental, health and safety regulations;

 

·                  We have significant operations in California and other locations which could be materially and adversely impacted, in the event of a natural disaster or other significant disruption;

 

·                  We have adopted certain measures that may have anti-takeover effects which may make an acquisition of our Company by another company more difficult; and

 

·                  The other matters discussed under the heading “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in this Report and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 of Veeco Instruments Inc. (“Veeco,” the “Company,” or “we”).

 

Consequently, such forward-looking statements should be regarded solely as our current plans, estimates and beliefs. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

 

Available Information

 

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, information statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The public may read and copy any materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. The SEC also maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The address of that site is http://www.sec.gov.

 

Internet Address

 

We maintain a website where additional information concerning our business and various upcoming events can be found. The address of our website is www.veeco.com. We provide a link on our website, under Investors — Financial Information — SEC Filings, through which investors can access our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to such reports. These filings are posted to our Internet site, as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with the SEC.

 

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VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.

 

INDEX

 

		Page
PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.	Financial Statements:
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Three Months and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 (Unaudited)	5
	Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2009 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2008	6
	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 (Unaudited)	7
	Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)	8
Item 2.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	20
Item 3.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	36
Item 4.	Controls and Procedures	36
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1.	Legal Proceedings	37
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	37
Item 6.	Exhibits	38
SIGNATURES		39

 

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements

 

Veeco Instruments Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)
(Unaudited)

 

		Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008			2009			2008
Net sales		$	98,913		$	115,709		$	233,782		$	332,465
Cost of sales		58,005			69,626			148,108			196,026
Gross profit		40,908			46,083			85,674			136,439
Operating expenses:
Selling, general, and administrative expense		21,042			23,589			59,471			70,528
Research and development expense		13,721			15,302			39,770			45,173
Amortization expense		1,777			3,148			5,437			7,530
Restructuring expense		1,192			4,120			7,567			6,995
Asset impairment charge		—			—			304			285
Other (income) expense, net		(312		)	(213		)	1,097			(591		)
Total operating expenses		37,420			45,946			113,646			129,920
Operating income (loss)		3,488			137			(27,972		)	6,519
Interest expense, net		1,656			1,792			5,063			5,097
Income (loss) before income taxes		1,832			(1,655		)	(33,035		)	1,422
Income tax provision		562			812			1,342			2,860
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest		1,270			(2,467		)	(34,377		)	(1,438		)
Net loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		—			(54		)	(65		)	(200		)
Net income (loss) attributable to Veeco		$	1,270		$	(2,413	)	$	(34,312	)	$	(1,238	)
Income (loss) per common share:
Net income (loss) attributable to Veeco		$	0.04		$	(0.08	)	$	(1.09	)	$	(0.04	)
Diluted net income (loss) attributable to Veeco		$	0.04		$	(0.08	)	$	(1.09	)	$	(0.04	)
Weighted average shares outstanding		31,608			31,458			31,540			31,293
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		32,375			31,458			31,540			31,293

 

See accompanying notes.

 

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Veeco Instruments Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)

 

		September 30,			December 31,
		2009			2008
		(Unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$	109,441		$	103,799
Accounts receivable, net		64,260			59,659
Inventories		74,999			94,930
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		8,059			6,425
Deferred income taxes		2,226			2,185
Total current assets		258,985			266,998
Property, plant, and equipment at cost, net		59,294			64,372
Goodwill		59,422			59,160
Intangible assets, net		32,116			38,818
Other assets		8			193
Total assets		$	409,825		$	429,541
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		$	28,521		$	29,610
Accrued expenses		73,445			66,964
Deferred profit		2,337			1,346
Current portion of long-term debt		208			196
Income taxes payable		23			354
Total current liabilities		104,534			98,470
Deferred income taxes		5,233			4,540
Long-term debt		100,286			98,330
Other non-current liabilities		1,652			2,391
Shareholders’ equity:
Shareholders’ equity attributable to Veeco		198,120			225,026
Noncontrolling interest		—			784
Total shareholders’ equity		198,120			225,810
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		$	409,825		$	429,541

 

See accompanying notes.

 

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Veeco Instruments Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
 (In thousands)
(Unaudited)

 

		Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008
Operating activities
Net loss attributable to Veeco		$	(34,312	)	$	(1,238	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		16,070			18,138
Deferred income taxes		683			1,260
Amortization of debt discount		2,114			2,184
Non-cash inventory write-off		1,526			—
Non-cash share-based compensation		5,953			5,671
Non-cash restructuring charge		—			3,018
Non-cash asset impairment charge		304			285
Other, net		13			(263		)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		(4,059		)	6,663
Inventories		19,540			(1,703		)
Accounts payable		(1,183		)	(4,168		)
Accrued expenses, deferred profit, and other current liabilities		14,930			(5,449		)
Other, net		(1,108		)	(1,978		)
Net cash provided by operating activities		20,471			22,420
Investing activities
Capital expenditures		(5,184		)	(10,430		)
Payments for net assets of businesses acquired, net of cash acquired		(2,413		)	(10,970		)
Payments for earn-outs of businesses acquired		(9,839		)	—
Other, net		352			104
Net cash used in investing activities		(17,084		)	(21,296		)
Financing activities
Proceeds from stock issuances		2,904			681
Repayments of long-term debt		(146		)	(270		)
Restricted stock tax withholdings		(495		)	(969		)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities		2,263			(558		)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(8		)	35
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		5,642			601
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		103,799			117,083
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		$	109,441		$	117,684
Non-cash investing and financing activities
Accrual of payments for net assets of businesses acquired		$	1,000		$	3,527
Transfers from property, plant, and equipment to inventory		$	1,159		$	404
Transfers from inventory to property, plant, and equipment		$	23		$	385

 

See accompanying notes.

 

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VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

Note 1—Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation (consisting of normal recurring accruals) have been included. Operating results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2009 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2009.  For further information, refer to the financial statements and footnotes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.

 

Consistent with prior years, we report interim quarters, other than fourth quarters which always end on December 31, on a 13-week basis ending on the last Sunday within such period.  The interim quarter ends are determined at the beginning of each year based on the 13-week quarters.  The 2009 interim quarter ends are March 29, June 28, and September 27.  The 2008 interim quarter ends were March 30, June 29, and September 28.  For ease of reference, we report these interim quarter ends as March 31, June 30, and September 30 in our interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share

 

The following table sets forth the reconciliation of weighted average shares outstanding and diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in thousands):

 

		Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
		2009		2008		2009		2008
Weighted average shares outstanding		31,608		31,458		31,540		31,293
Dilutive effect of stock options and restricted stock awards and units		767		—		—		—
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding		32,375		31,458		31,540		31,293

 

Net income (loss) per common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income (loss) per common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. The effect of approximately 308,000, 140,000 and 205,000 common equivalent shares for the nine—month period ended September 30, 2009 and the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2008, respectively, were excluded from the diluted weighted average shares outstanding due to the net loss sustained in the period.  During the three-month period ended September 30, 2009, options to purchase 1.6 million shares of common stock (at prices ranging from $18.31 to $72.00 per share) were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share due to exercise prices that exceeded the average market price of our common stock for the period.

 

During the second quarter of 2007, we exchanged $118.8 million of our 4.125% convertible subordinated notes due December 2008 (the “Old Notes”) for $117.8 million of a new series of 4.125% convertible subordinated notes due April 15, 2012 (the “Notes”), leaving $25.2 million of Old Notes outstanding.  During the fourth quarter of 2008, we repaid the remaining $25.2 million of Old Notes outstanding.

 

The Notes meet the criteria for determining the effect of the assumed conversion using the treasury stock method of accounting, as long as we have the ability and the intent to settle the principal amount of the Notes in cash.  Under the terms of the Notes, we may pay the principal amount of converted Notes in cash or in shares of common stock.  We have indicated that we intend to pay such amounts in cash.  Using the treasury stock method, the impact of the assumed conversion of the Notes was anti-dilutive for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and

 

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2008, as the average stock price for each period was below the conversion price of $27.23.  The maximum number of common equivalent shares issuable upon conversion at September 30, 2009 was approximately 5.4 million, after giving effect to the $12.2 million of Notes that we repurchased during the fourth quarter of 2008. See Note 8 for further details on our debt.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

We believe the carrying amounts of our financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued expenses, reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements approximate fair value due to their short-term maturities. The fair value of our debt, including current maturities, is estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on the estimated current incremental borrowing rates for similar types of securities, or based on market value for our publicly-traded debt (see Note 8).

 

Derivative Financial Instruments

 

We use derivative financial instruments to minimize the impact of foreign exchange rate changes on earnings and cash flows. In the normal course of business, our operations are exposed to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. In order to reduce the effect of fluctuating foreign currencies on short-term foreign currency-denominated intercompany transactions and other known foreign currency exposures, we enter into monthly forward contracts. We do not use derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. Our forward contracts are intended to offset exchange gains and losses on the underlying assets and liabilities; both the forward contracts and the underlying assets and liabilities are adjusted to current exchange rates through earnings. We conduct our derivative transactions with highly rated financial institutions in an effort to mitigate any material credit risk. The weighted average notional amount of derivative contracts outstanding during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 was approximately $1.3 million and $3.1 million, respectively.

 

The condensed consolidated results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 include aggregate foreign currency losses of approximately $0.1 million and $1.4 million, respectively. The loss of $1.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 was net of gains of approximately $0.2 million related to forward contracts.  The condensed consolidated results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008 include aggregate foreign currency gains of less than $0.1 million and approximately $0.1 million, respectively, which were net of losses of approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, related to forward contracts.  These amounts were recognized and included in other (income) expense, net in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

 

As of September 30, 2009, losses of $0.1 million related to forward contracts were included in accrued expenses and subsequently paid in October 2009. As of December 31, 2008, approximately $0.9 million of losses related to forward contracts were included in accrued expenses and subsequently paid in January 2009. Monthly forward contracts with a total notional amount of $3.1 million were entered into in September 2009 and will be settled in October 2009.  The fair value of these contracts at inception was zero, which did not significantly change at September 30, 2009.

 

Convertible Debt

 

In May 2008, new accounting guidance was issued that requires a portion of our convertible debt to be allocated to equity.  We implemented the new guidance as of January 1, 2009 and have applied it retrospectively to all periods presented, as required. See Note 8—Debt for a discussion of the impact of implementing the new guidance.

 

Subsequent Events

 

We have evaluated the condensed consolidated financial statements for subsequent events through the filing date of this Form 10-Q.

 

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Note 2—Acquisitions

 

Fluens Corporation

 

In 2006 we purchased 19.9% of the common stock of Fluens Corporation (“Fluens”).  Veeco and Fluens have jointly developed a next-generation process for high-rate deposition of aluminum oxide for data storage applications.   For accounting purposes we had consolidated Fluens into our financial results and financial position, and recorded the remaining 80.1% portion of its net loss and net assets as a noncontrolling interest.  On May 14, 2009, we acquired the remaining 80.1% of Fluens for $1.5 million plus an earn-out arrangement based on future performance.  Since we already were consolidating Fluens, the purchase of the remaining 80.1% was treated in accordance with the applicable accounting guidance as a transaction among shareholders and not as a new business acquisition.  Thus no gain or loss was recognized upon the purchase of the 80.1% portion, and the difference between the purchase price including the earn-out consideration and the amount by which noncontrolling interest was reduced on the balance sheet was attributed to equity of Veeco.  Such difference amounted to approximately $1.0 million, and was recorded as additional paid-in capital.

 

We paid $0.5 million of the $1.5 million purchase price of the 80.1% remaining portion of Fluens upon closing, as well as $0.2 million in respect of the earn-out arrangement. We paid a second installment of $0.5 million of the purchase price on September 30, 2009. We will pay the remaining $0.5 million of the $1.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2009, which is included in accrued expenses in the accompanying condensed Balance Sheet at September 30, 2009. Prior to our purchase of the remaining 80.1%, approximately 31% of Fluens was owned by an individual then serving as Senior Vice President of Veeco.

 

In July 2009, Veeco acquired certain assets from DayStar Technologies, Inc. (“DayStar”) in order to accelerate Veeco’s penetration of the rapidly growing copper, indium, gallium, selenium (CIGS) solar market.  Veeco purchased selected equipment, took over leased facilities and hired employees from DayStar’s R&D group in Clifton Park, New York.  In connection with these transactions, Veeco paid DayStar $1.9 million in cash.

 

Note 3—Share-Based Compensation

 

Share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as expense over the employee requisite service period.  The following compensation expense was included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 (in thousands):

 

		Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008			2009			2008
Share-based compensation expense		$	2,400		$	2,048		$	5,953		$	5,671

 

As of September 30, 2009, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock awards and stock option awards is $9.5 million and $10.2 million, respectively.  The related weighted-average period over which we expect that such unrecognized compensation costs will be recognized as expense is approximately 2.63 years for the nonvested restricted stock awards and 2.28 years for option awards.

 

A summary of our restricted stock awards including restricted stock units as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, is presented below:

 

		Shares (000s)		Weighted- Average Grant-Date Fair Value
Nonvested at beginning of year		679		$	17.76
Granted		501		9.28
Vested		(164	)	19.54
Forfeited (including cancelled awards)		(115	)	16.42
Nonvested at September 30, 2009		901		12.89

 

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A summary of our stock option plans as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, is presented below:

 

		Shares (000s)		Weighted- Average  Exercise Price			Aggregate Intrinsic Value (000s)			Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life (in years)
Outstanding at beginning of year		5,572		$	20.29
Granted		1,609		10.83
Exercised		(192	)	15.10
Forfeited (including cancelled options)		(1,858	)	22.85
Outstanding at September 30, 2009		5,131		16.59			$	30,127		4.4
Options exercisable at September 30, 2009		2,705		19.69			$	8,794		2.8

 

Note 4—Balance Sheet Information

 

Accounts Receivable, net

 

Accounts receivable are shown net of the allowance for doubtful accounts of $0.9 million as of September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008.

 

Inventories

 

Inventories have been determined by the lower of cost (principally first-in, first-out) or market.  Inventories consist of (in thousands):

 

		September 30,			December 31,
		2009			2008
Raw materials		$	47,117		$	57,815
Work in process		19,502			28,733
Finished goods		8,380			8,382
		$	74,999		$	94,930

 

Accrued Warranty

 

We estimate the costs that may be incurred under the warranty we provide and recognize a liability in the amount of such costs at the time the related revenue is recognized.  Factors that affect our warranty liability include product failure rates, material usage and labor costs incurred in correcting product failures during the warranty period.  We periodically assess the adequacy of our recognized warranty liability and adjust the amount as necessary.  Changes in our warranty liability during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 are as follows (in thousands):

 

		Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008
Balance at beginning of period		$	6,892		$	6,502
Warranties issued during the period		2,716			4,962
Settlements made during the period		(3,069		)	(4,096		)
Balance at end of period		$	6,539		$	7,368

 

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Note 5—Segment Information

 

We manage the business, review operating results and assess performance, as well as allocate resources, based upon three separate reporting segments that reflect the market focus of each business.  The Light Emitting Diode (“LED”) & Solar Process Equipment segment consists of metal organic chemical vapor deposition (“MOCVD”) systems, molecular beam epitaxy (“MBE”) systems, thermal deposition sources, and other types of deposition systems used to deposit materials on flexible and glass substrates.  These systems are primarily sold to customers in the high-brightness light emitting diode (“HB-LED”) and solar industries, as well as to scientific research customers. This segment has product development and marketing sites in Somerset, New Jersey, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Lowell, Massachusetts. The Data Storage Process Equipment segment consists of the ion beam etch, ion beam deposition, diamond-like carbon, physical vapor deposition, and dicing and slicing products sold primarily to customers in the data storage industry.  This segment has product development and marketing sites in Plainview, New York, Ft. Collins, Colorado and Santa Barbara, California.  In our Metrology segment, we design and manufacture atomic force microscopes, scanning probe microscopes, stylus profilers, and optical interferometers used to provide critical surface measurements in research and production environments. This broad line of products is used in universities, research facilities and scientific centers worldwide. In production environments such as semiconductor, data storage and other broad industries, our metrology instruments enable customers to monitor their products throughout the manufacturing process to improve yields, reduce costs, and improve product quality.  This segment has product development and marketing sites in Camarillo and Santa Barbara, California and Tucson, Arizona.

 

We evaluate the performance of our reportable segments based on income (loss) from operations before interest, income taxes, amortization and certain items (“segment profit (loss)”), which is the primary indicator used to plan and forecast future periods. The presentation of this financial measure facilitates meaningful comparison with prior periods, as management believes segment profit (loss) reports baseline performance and thus provides useful information. Certain items excluded from segment profit (loss) include restructuring expenses, asset impairment charges, inventory write-offs, and equity-based compensation expense. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in the summary of critical accounting policies.

 

The following tables present certain data pertaining to our reportable segments and a reconciliation of segment profit (loss) to  income (loss) before income taxes for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, and goodwill and total assets as of September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, respectively (in thousands):

 

		LED & Solar Process Equipment			Data Storage Process Equipment			Metrology			Unallocated Corporate Amount			Total
Three months ended September 30, 2009
Net sales		$	52,966		$	21,721		$	24,226		$	—		$	98,913
Segment profit (loss)		$	9,594		$	1,498		$	408		$	(2,643	)	$	8,857
Interest expense, net		—			—			—			1,656			1,656
Amortization expense		792			405			507			73			1,777
Equity-based compensation expense		245			303			290			1,562			2,400
Restructuring expense		200			224			411			357			1,192
Income (loss) before income taxes		$	8,357		$	566		$	(800	)	$	(6,291	)	$	1,832
Three months ended September 30, 2008
Net sales		$	40,983		$	43,256		$	31,470		$	—		$	115,709
Segment profit (loss)		$	5,630		$	7,044		$	297		$	(2,591	)	$	10,380
Interest expense, net		—			—			—			1,792			1,792
Amortization expense		1,587			952			495			114			3,148
Equity-based compensation expense		146			304			251			1,347			2,048
Restructuring expense		—			—			437			3,683			4,120
Purchase accounting adjustment (1)		927			—			—			—			927
Income (loss) before income taxes		$	2,970		$	5,788		$	(886	)	$	(9,527	)	$	(1,655	)

 

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		LED & Solar Process Equipment			Data Storage Process Equipment			Metrology			Unallocated Corporate Amount			Total
Nine months ended September 30, 2009
Net sales		$	107,050		$	56,219		$	70,513		$	—		$	233,782
Segment profit (loss)		$	5,410		$	(1,143	)	$	(5,309	)	$	(6,143	)	$	(7,185	)
Interest expense, net		—			—			—			5,063			5,063
Amortization expense		2,341			1,213			1,662			221			5,437
Equity-based compensation expense		619			892			847			3,595			5,953
Restructuring expense		1,129			3,054			2,797			587			7,567
Inventory write-off		—			1,526			—			—			1,526
Asset impairment charge		—			304			—			—			304
Income (loss) before income taxes		$	1,321		$	(8,132	)	$	(10,615	)	$	(15,609	)	$	(33,035	)
Nine months ended September 30, 2008
Net sales		$	128,205		$	104,096		$	100,164		$	—		$	332,465
Segment profit (loss)		$	23,130		$	11,139		$	1,215		$	(7,557	)	$	27,927
Interest expense, net		—			—			—			5,097			5,097
Amortization expense		3,040			2,856			1,295			339			7,530
Equity-based compensation expense		323			693			597			4,058			5,671
Restructuring expense		—			124			627			6,244			6,995
Asset impairment charge		—			—			—			285			285
Purchase accounting adjustment (1)		927			—			—			—			927
Income (loss) before income taxes		$	18,840		$	7,466		$	(1,304	)	$	(23,580	)	$	1,422
		LED & Solar Process Equipment			Data Storage Process Equipment			Metrology			Unallocated Corporate Amount			Total
As of September 30, 2009
Goodwill		$	51,989		$	—		$	7,433		$	—		$	59,422
Total assets		$	163,471		$	48,573		$	77,413		$	120,368		$	409,825
As of December 31, 2008
Goodwill		$	51,727		$	—		$	7,433		$	—		$	59,160
Total assets		$	137,037		$	84,335		$	85,390		$	122,779		$	429,541

 

(1) This adjustment relates to the required capitalization of profit in inventory associated with the acquisition of Mill Lane, which is included in cost of sales.

 

Corporate total assets are comprised principally of cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008.

 

Note 6—Income Taxes

 

We or one of our subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various state, local, and foreign jurisdictions. During the quarter ended September 30, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service concluded its examination of our 2006 income tax return with a minor adjustment to our credit carry forwards. All material federal income tax matters have been concluded for years through 2006 subject to subsequent utilization of net operating losses generated in such years. All material state and local income tax matters have been concluded for years through 2005. The majority of our foreign jurisdictions have been reviewed through 2007 with only a few jurisdictions having open tax years between 2004 and 2007. None of our tax returns are currently under examination in the federal and foreign tax jurisdictions. We are currently under examination in one state tax jurisdiction.

 

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Note 7—Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

Total comprehensive income (loss) for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 was as follows (in thousands):

 

		Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008			2009			2008
Net income (loss) including noncontrolling interest		$	1,270		$	(2,467	)	$	(34,377	)	$	(1,438	)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:
Foreign currency translation		966			(555		)	20			1,208
Comprehensive income (loss) including noncontrolling interest		2,236			(3,022		)	(34,357		)	(230		)
Comprehensive loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		—			(54		)	(65		)	(200		)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Veeco		$	2,236		$	(2,968	)	$	(34,292	)	$	(30	)

 

Note 8—Debt

 

Convertible Debt

 

During the second quarter of 2007, we exchanged $118.8 million of Old Notes for $117.8 million of Notes pursuant to privately negotiated exchange agreements with certain holders of the Old Notes.  During the fourth quarter of 2008, we repaid in full the $25.2 million of the Old Notes that remained outstanding after the exchange transactions.

 

The Notes are initially convertible into 36.7277 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes (equivalent to a conversion price of $27.23 per share or a premium of 38% over the closing market price for Veeco’s common stock on April 16, 2007). Holders may convert the Notes at any time during the period beginning on January 15, 2012 through the close of business on the second day prior to April 15, 2012 and earlier upon the occurrence of certain events including our common stock trading at prices equal to 130% over the conversion price for a specified period.  These Notes bear interest at 4.125% per annum and mature on April 15, 2012.  We pay interest on these Notes on April 15 and October 15 of each year.  The Notes are unsecured and are effectively subordinated to all of our senior and secured indebtedness, and to all indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries.

 

In May 2008, new accounting guidance was issued that requires a portion of convertible debt to be allocated to equity.  We implemented the new guidance as of January 1, 2009 and have applied it retrospectively to all periods presented, as required.  The new guidance requires issuers of convertible debt that can be settled in cash to separately account for (i.e., bifurcate) a portion of the debt associated with the conversion feature and reclassify this portion to stockholders’ equity.  The liability portion, which represents the fair value of the debt without the conversion feature, is accreted to its face value using the effective interest method by amortizing the discount between the face amount and the fair value.  The amortization is recorded as non-cash interest expense.  The Notes are subject to the new guidance since they may be settled in cash upon conversion.  Thus, as a result of the adoption of the new guidance, we reclassified approximately $16.3 million from long-term debt to additional paid-in capital effective as of the date of issuance of the Notes.  This reclassification created a $16.3 million discount on the debt that will be amortized over the remaining life of the Notes, which will be through April 15, 2012.  The reclassification generated a $6.7 million deferred tax liability, which we offset with a corresponding decrease of the valuation allowance by the same amount.  The new guidance requires that we present prior periods as if the guidance was in effect as of the date of issuance.  Thus, we have presented all financial data for prior periods as if we had reclassified this $16.3 million discount and began amortizing it in April 2007. The retrospective application of the new guidance described above to the results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008 increased the net loss attributable to Veeco in the three-month period from ($1,673) to ($2,413) and decreased the net income attributable to Veeco in the nine-month period from $946 to a net loss of ($1,238), and increased the loss per share attributable to Veeco in the three-month period

 

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from ($0.05) to ($0.08) and decreased the earnings per share in the nine-month period from $0.03 to a loss per share of ($0.04).

 

During the fourth quarter of 2008, we repurchased an aggregate principal amount of $12.2 million of the Notes for $7.2 million in cash, of which $7.1 million related to principal and $0.1 million related to accrued interest, reducing the amount outstanding from $117.8 million to $105.6 million.  A gross gain of approximately $5.1 million was recorded on these repurchases offset by the write-off of approximately $0.1 million of unamortized deferred financing costs associated with the Notes, for a net gain of approximately $5.0 million.  Such net gain was reduced to $3.8 million upon the adoption of the new guidance described above, which required that the gain be calculated based on the fair value of the portion repurchased as of the repurchase date. The fair value approximated the carrying value net of the unamortized discount on the portion repurchased. The difference of approximately $1.2 million was recorded as a reduction in the gain originally reported, and thus increased the accumulated deficit as of December 31, 2008 by such amount.

 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, respectively, we recorded approximately $2.1 million and $2.2 million, respectively, of additional interest expense in each period resulting from the amortization of the debt discount.  This additional interest expense did not require the use of cash.  The components of interest expense recorded on the Notes for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 were as follows (in thousands):

 

		Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008			2009			2008
Contractual interest		$	1,089		$	1,214		$	3,266		$	3,643
Amortization of the discount on the Notes		714			740			2,114			2,184
Total interest expense on the Notes		$	1,803		$	1,954		$	5,380		$	5,827
Effective interest rate		6.8		%	6.6		%	6.8		%	6.6		%

 

The carrying amounts of the liability and equity components of the Notes as of September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, respectively, were as follows (in thousands):

 

		September 30, 2009			December 31, 2008
Carrying amount of the equity component		$	16,318		$	16,318
Principal balance of the liability component		$	105,574		$	105,574
Less: unamortized discount		8,225			10,339
Net carrying value of the liability component		$	97,349		$	95,235

 

At September 30, 2009, $105.6 million of the Notes were outstanding with a fair value of approximately $109.8 million.

 

Mortgage Payable

 

We also have a mortgage note payable, with approximately $3.1 million outstanding at September 30, 2009.  The note accrues interest at an annual rate of 7.91%, and the final payment is due on January 1, 2020.  The fair value of this note at September 30, 2009 was approximately $3.4 million.

 

Credit Agreement

 

In February 2009, we entered into an amendment to our existing credit agreement with HSBC Bank USA, National Association (“HSBC”), as administrative agent, and the lenders named therein (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”).  As part of the amendment, we reduced the amount of the revolving credit facility, modified certain existing covenants and added certain new covenants.  As amended, the Credit Agreement provides for revolving credit borrowings of up to $30.0 million. The Credit Agreement was further amended effective March 27, 2009 to

 

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modify certain financial covenants, to provide for the cash collateralization of borrowings under the Credit Agreement, and to permit the acquisition of the 80.1% of Fluens’ outstanding stock which we did not yet own.  The annual interest rate under the Credit Agreement is a floating rate equal to the prime rate of the agent bank plus 2.0%.  A LIBOR-based interest rate option is also provided.  Borrowings may be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital requirements, as well as permitted acquisitions.  The Credit Agreement contains certain restrictive covenants which include the maintenance of minimum cash balances and limitations with respect to incurrence of indebtedness, the payment of dividends, long-term leases, investments, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations and sales of assets.  In addition, under the Credit Agreement, we are required to satisfy certain financial tests, including minimum profitability levels.  As of September 30, 2009, we were in compliance with all covenants of the Credit Agreement as amended.  Substantially all of our assets and those of our material domestic subsidiaries, other than real estate, have been pledged to secure our obligations under the Credit Agreement.  The revolving credit facility under the Credit Agreement expires on March 31, 2012.  In the first quarter of 2009, we recognized an expense of $0.2 million representing the amount of deferred financing fees equal to the portion of the revolving credit facility which was terminated in connection with the amendment, which is included in other expense, net. We capitalized $0.1 million in deferred financing fees that we incurred in connection with the amendment that was effective February 2009.  As of September 30, 2009 and December 31, 2008, there were no borrowings outstanding under the Credit Agreement and letters of credit outstanding were approximately $0.5 million and $0.4 million, respectively.  Interest expense associated with the Credit Agreement recorded during the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008, was approximately $0.2 million for each period.

 

Note 9— Fair Value Measurements

 

We implemented new accounting guidance for our non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities as of January 1, 2009. This new guidance defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and enhances fair value measurement disclosure. The accounts subject to the guidance are our long-lived assets, goodwill, and intangible assets. The implementation expanded our fair value disclosures but did not impact our condensed consolidated financial position or results of operations. However, applying the provisions of this new guidance may impact our periodic fair value measurements for long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets in the future, as fair values calculated under the new guidance may be different from the fair values that would have been calculated under previous guidance.

 

This new guidance requires that we disclose the type of inputs we use to value such assets, based on three categories of inputs as defined in such.  Level 1 inputs are quoted, unadjusted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the company has the ability to access at the measurement date.  Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities.  Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. Unobservable inputs are used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date.  We use Level 3 inputs to value all of our property, plant and equipment, goodwill, and intangible assets balances.  We value such assets on a non-recurring basis and did not perform a valuation during the first, second or third quarters of 2009, though the methodology we would use to value such assets has not changed since December 31, 2008.  We did not record any gain or loss in adjusting the carrying amounts to fair value in the three months or nine months ended September 30, 2009, since we made no such adjustment during that period.  The carrying amounts of property, plant and equipment, goodwill, and intangible assets as of September 30, 2009 were $59,294, $59,422, and $32,116, respectively.  The Company primarily applies the market approach for recurring fair value measurements.

 

Note 10 — Commitments, Contingencies and Other Matters

 

Restructuring Expenses

 

During 2008 and through the nine months ended September 30, 2009, we have continued our multi-quarter plan to improve profitability and reduce and contain spending. We have continued to make progress against the initiatives that management has set, continued our restructuring plan and executed activities with a focus on creating a more cost effective organization, with a greater percentage of variable costs. These activities have included downsizing and consolidating some locations, reducing our workforce, consultants and discretionary expenses and realigning our sales organization and engineering groups.

 

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Restructuring expenses for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2009 and 2008 are as follows (in thousands):

 

		Three months ended September 30,						Nine months ended September 30,
		2009			2008			2009			2008
Personnel severance costs		$	1,086		$	820		$	6,239		$	1,141
Lease-related costs		—			282			893			2,836
Modification of equity awards		—			3,018			—			3,018
Moving and consolidation activity costs		106			—			435			—
Total restructuring expense		$	1,192		$	4,120		$	7,567		$	6,995

 

2009 Restructuring and Other Charges

 

In conjunction with these activities, during the nine months ended September 30, 2009, we recognized restructuring charges of approximately $7.6 million, principally consisting of personnel severance costs resulting from a headcount reduction of 235 employees as well as the notification of other employees that will be transitioned out of the Company during 2009. This reduction in workforce included executives, management, administration, sales and service personnel and manufacturing employees companywide.

 

During the second quarter of 2009, we vacated our Data Storage Process Equipment facilities in Camarillo, CA.  As a result, we incurred an additional restructuring charge, representing the remaining lease payment obligations and estimated property taxes for the facility we vacated, offset by the estimated expected sublease income to be received.  We made certain assumptions in determining the charge, which included estimated sublease income and terms of the sublease as well as the estimated discount rate to be used in determining the fair value of the liability.  We developed these assumptions based on our understanding of the current real estate market as well as current market interest rates.  The assumptions are based on management’s best estimates, and will be adjusted periodically if better information is obtained.  We also incurred charges associated with moving and consolidation activities for both of these locations.  We relocated 27 employees from the Data Storage Process Equipment segment to Metrology’s Santa Barbara, CA facility.

 

We also recorded an inventory write-off of $1.5 million in our Data Storage Process Equipment segment associated with the discontinuance of certain products in connection with transitioning to outsourced manufacturing during the first quarter of 2009, which is included in cost of sales.

 

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