-- In power discretes, ST announced a performance breakthrough for power MOSFETs by achieving the best on-resistance per die area with its MDmesh(TM) V technology. ST also introduced a series of 30V power transistors, based on its STripFET(TM) VI DeepGATE(TM) process, achieving an increase in energy efficiency in applications such as computers and telecom and networking equipment. ST also gained numerous power MOSFET design wins, largely in LCD TV applications, in particular from a major Korean TV maker, but also with leading automotive and computer customers.
-- In protection devices, ST introduced various innovative ultra-low-capacitance ESD (electro-static discharge) protection and signal-booster devices dedicated to HDMI transmitters, mobile phones, digital cameras and PVRs (Personal Video Recorders). In the power management area, ST gained market success with avalanche-rated Power Schottky devices for adapters and desktop power supplies. And in power conversion, ST gained design wins for voltage regulator and power-controller devices in computer and industrial-lighting applications.
-- In advanced analog, ST gained design wins in temperature sensors and smart reset ICs and also sampled clock-distribution ICs to numerous world-leading mobile phone makers. In analog linear ICs, ST launched new devices including: a two-channel 2.8W class-D stereo audio amplifier IC featuring 3D effects to improve sound in portable equipment; a new broadband signal amplifier IC for multimedia networking applications; and a single-chip video filter/buffer for consumer products. ST also achieved multiple design wins for linear devices with world-leading consumer and mobile phone makers.
Technology Highlights
-- ST entered into a strategic cooperation with Paratek to supply radio-frequency (RF) tunable products for mobile phones using STs' IPAD (Integrated Passives and Active Devices) technology. The two companies will advance the next generation of Paratek's ParaScan materials technology for high-volume manufacturing, and will develop RF tunable products to improve 'total radiated power' for mobile phones, leading to longer battery life and fewer dropped calls.
ST-Ericsson Highlights
-- On February 12, 2009, ST-Ericsson was formally launched revealing its name, management team and positioning.
-- In February, the company announced its cooperation with Nokia to provide a next-generation smart phone platform for Symbian Foundation, with a reference platform based on ST-Ericsson's U8500 single chip.
-- Also in February the company announced its collaboration with ARM to demonstrate the world's first Symmetric Multi Processing mobile platform technology running on Symbian OS.
-- In March, the company launched fully integrated single-chip solutions for feature-rich, low-cost handsets. ST-Ericsson's 4910 and 4908 EDGE platforms combine the industry's highest level of integration and cost-efficiency, with both digital and analog basebands, RF transceiver and power management unit (PMU) in a single chip.
-- A next-generation mobile audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for the mobile music market was also launched. ST-Ericsson's STw5211 further extends the company's wide portfolio of audio solutions with enhanced performance.
All of STMicroelectronics' press releases (including all releases in Q1) are available at www.st.com/stonline/press/news/latest.htm. All of ST-Ericsson's press releases (including all releases in Q1) are available at http://www.stericsson.com/press/press_releases.jsp
DeepGATE, MDmesh, STripFET and VIPower are trademarks of STMicroelectronics. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Use of Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information
This press release contains supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information, including adjusted gross profit (margin) or operating income, adjusted net earnings/loss per share, net operating cash flow and net financial position.
Readers are cautioned that these measures are unaudited and not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financial measures. In addition, such non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled information by other companies.
See Attachment A of this press release for a reconciliation of the Company's non-U.S. GAAP financial measures to their corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Forward-looking information
Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended) that are based on management's current views and assumptions, and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those in such statements due to, among other factors:
-- Effect of the current economic downturn on demand in the key application markets and from key customers served by our products, and changes in customer order patterns, including order cancellations, all of which generate uncertainties and make it extremely difficult to accurately forecast and plan our future business activities; -- our ability to adequately utilize and operate our manufacturing facilities at sufficient levels to cover fixed operating costs particularly at a time of decreasing demand for our products as well as the financial impact of obsolete or excess inventories if actual demand differs from our anticipations; -- the impact of intellectual property claims by our competitors or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses on reasonable terms and conditions; -- the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as any new litigation to which we may become a defendant; -- our ability to successfully integrate the acquisitions we pursue, in particular the merger of ST-NXP Wireless with Ericsson Mobile Platforms ("EMP") to form ST-Ericsson in the current difficult economic environment; -- we hold significant non-marketable equity investments in Numonyx , our joint venture in the flash memory market segment, and in ST-Ericsson, our joint venture in the wireless segment. Additionally, we are a guarantor for certain Numonyx debts. Therefore, declines in these market segments could result in significant impairment charges, restructuring charges and gains/losses on equity investments; -- our ability to manage in an intensely competitive and cyclical industry, where a high percentage of our costs are fixed and are incurred in currencies other than U.S. dollars as well as our ability to execute our restructuring initiatives in accordance with our plans if unforeseen events require adjustments or delays in implementation; -- our ability in an intensively competitive environment to secure customer acceptance and to achieve our pricing expectations for high-volume supplies of new products in whose development we have been, or are currently, investing; -- the ability to maintain solid, viable relationships with our suppliers and customers in the event they are unable to maintain a competitive market presence due, in particular, to the effects of the current economic environment; -- changes in the political, social or economic environment, including as a result of military conflict, social unrest and/or terrorist activities ,economic turmoil as well as natural events such as severe weather, health risks, epidemics or earthquakes in the countries in which we, our key customers or our suppliers, operate; and