First year-over-year reduction in inventory since fiscal 2017, reflecting management’s efforts to improve working capital levels

 Fourth quarter gross margin improved 320 basis points year-over-year

Generated $7.2 million in operating cash flow during the fourth quarter, helping the Company end the year with $24.3 million in cash and cash equivalents and no debt

Management expects to return to year-over-year sales growth and higher profitability in fiscal 2025

LAFOX, Ill., July 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Richardson Electronics, Ltd. (NASDAQ: RELL) today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 1, 2024. The Company also announced that its Board of Directors declared a $0.06 per share quarterly cash dividend.

“Fiscal 2024 was a difficult year for Richardson Electronics, as a result of challenging conditions within our semiconductor wafer fab market and program delays across several of our emerging GES opportunities. While these trends impacted sales and profitability during the year, our teams focused on maintaining gross margins, reducing inventory levels, strengthening our strong balance sheet, and investing in our long-term strategic growth opportunities. In fact, the fourth quarter marked the second consecutive quarter we experienced a decline in inventory and the first year-over-year decline in inventory since fiscal 2017. In addition, the Company generated $7.2 million in operating cash flow during the fourth quarter and we ended the year with no debt and $24.3 million in cash and cash equivalents,” said Edward J. Richardson, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President.

 “As we look to fiscal 2025, we remain focused on pursuing significant long-term growth opportunities within our global GES markets. In addition, we are starting to see early indications of improving demand within our semiconductor wafer fab markets. As a result, we believe we will return to year-over-year sales growth and higher profitability in fiscal 2025,” concluded Mr. Richardson.  

Fourth Quarter Results

Net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 was $47.4 million, compared to net sales of $58.8 million in the prior year’s fourth quarter. The 19.5% year-over-year decline in net sales was due to lower sales in PMT, GES and Canvys. PMT sales decreased $1.0 million from last year’s fourth quarter primarily due to lower sales of RF and Microwave products. GES sales decreased $10.6 million from last year’s fourth quarter, which included a large sale of EV locomotive battery modules that did not recur in fiscal 2024. Canvys sales decreased by $0.5 million, primarily due to economic conditions impacting medical OEM sales in North America. Richardson Healthcare sales increased $0.7 million from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 as a result of higher systems, CT tube and parts demand.

Backlog totaled $147.8 million at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 versus $147.7 million at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2024. The sequential increase was in GES, partially offset by decreases primarily in PMT and Canvys, which remain healthy. GES backlog of $42.3 million increased by $5.5 million from the third quarter of fiscal 2024.

Gross margin was 31.1% of net sales during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, compared to 27.9% during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. PMT gross margin increased to 31.1% from 29.0% due to a favorable product mix. GES gross margin increased to 25.5% from 23.4% due to product mix. Healthcare gross margin increased to 32.5% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to 23.7% in the prior year’s fourth quarter as a result of an improved product mix and lower scrap costs. Canvys’ gross margin increased to 33.5% from 32.9% primarily because of product mix.

Operating expenses were $14.8 million, compared to $15.0 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. The decrease in operating expenses resulted from lower incentives expense, partially offset by higher R&D expense.

The Company reported an operating loss of $0.1 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, compared to operating income of $1.4 million in the prior year’s fourth quarter. Other expense for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, including interest income and foreign exchange, was less than $0.1 million, compared to other income of $0.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023.

Income tax benefit was less than $0.1 million and non-GAAP income tax benefit* was $0.4 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, versus an income tax benefit of $2.6 million and non-GAAP income tax benefit* of $0.2 million in the prior year’s fourth quarter. The fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 included $0.4 million for an R&D tax credit for the current fiscal year and a one-time total credit of $0.5 million for fiscal years 2020 through 2023. In addition, the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 included $0.9 million in income tax expense for the establishment of an Illinois state tax valuation allowance related to the limitation of NOLs.

Net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 was $0.1 million and non-GAAP net income* was $0.3 million, compared to net income of $4.1 million and non-GAAP net income* of $1.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023. Loss per common share (diluted) was $0.01 and non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)* were $0.02 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 compared to earnings per common share (diluted) of $0.27 and non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)* of $0.11 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023.

Cash and investments were $24.3 million as of June 1, 2024, versus $18.9 million on March 2, 2024, and $25.0 million on May 27, 2023. The generation of cash during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024 related to lower inventory and accounts receivable, partially offset by lower accounts payable. The Company invested $1.0 million during the quarter in capital expenditures primarily related to its facilities and IT systems and $4.0 million for fiscal 2024, versus $2.4 million during last year’s fourth quarter and $7.4 million for fiscal 2023.

Fiscal 2024 Results

Net sales for fiscal 2024 were $196.5 million, a decrease of 25.2%, compared to net sales of $262.7 million during fiscal 2023. Sales decreased by $35.6 million or 21.7% for PMT, $24.4 million or 51.2% for GES and $6.9 million or 17.5% for Canvys. Sales increased by $0.7 million, or 5.7% for Richardson Healthcare.

Gross margin was 30.5% of net sales during fiscal 2024, compared to 31.9% during fiscal 2023 primarily because of product mix and manufacturing under absorption in PMT, product mix in GES, as well as increased manufacturing under absorption in Healthcare, partially offset by a favorable product mix and lower freight costs in Canvys.

Operating expenses increased to $59.5 million for fiscal 2024, compared to $58.7 million for fiscal 2023. The increase in operating expenses resulted from higher R&D and salaries expenses, partially offset by lower incentives expenses.

Operating income during fiscal 2024 was $0.3 million, compared to an operating income of $25.0 million during fiscal 2023.

Other expenses for fiscal 2024, including interest income and foreign exchange, were $0.2 million, as compared to other income of less than $0.1 million in fiscal 2023.

Income tax expense was $0.1 million and non-GAAP income tax benefit* was $0.3 million for fiscal 2024. The income tax expense of $0.1 million for fiscal 2024 resulted from the $0.9 million establishment of an Illinois state tax valuation allowance, offset by both current year R&D tax credit of $0.4 million and prior years’ R&D tax credits of $0.5 million. The income tax expense was $2.7 million and non-GAAP income tax expense* was $5.0 million for fiscal 2023.

Net income for fiscal 2024 was $0.1 million and non-GAAP net income* was $0.5 million, versus net income of $22.3 million and non-GAAP net income* of $20.0 million during fiscal 2023.

 Earnings per common share (diluted) were $0.00 and non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)* were $0.03 for fiscal 2024, compared to earnings per common share (diluted) of $1.55 and non-GAAP earnings per common share (diluted)* of $1.39 for fiscal 2023.

*Please refer to Unaudited Reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP Financial Measures below for a reconciliation of non-GAAP items to the comparable GAAP measures.

CASH DIVIDEND DECLARED