AMSC Reports Net Loss of USD 186.3 Million (USA)

American Superconductor Corporation, a global power technologies company, reported financial results for fiscal year 2010 ended March 31, 2011, and the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 ended June 30, 2011.

The company’s fiscal 2010 results include previously announced restatements of results for the second and third quarters of fiscal 2010. The company has filed its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2011 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and, as a result, the company expects to regain compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rules.

Fiscal 2010 revenues were $286.6 million, which compares with $316.0 million for fiscal 2009. The company reported a net loss of $186.3 million, or $3.95 per diluted share, for fiscal 2010. Fiscal 2010 revenues include the impact of applying a cash basis of accounting to recognize revenue for shipments to certain customers in China as of September 1, 2010 and for shipments to Sinovel Wind Group Co., Ltd. (Sinovel) as of October 1, 2010. The company’s fiscal 2010 net loss includes $158.5 million in aggregate one-time asset write-downs, impairments and accrued charges recorded primarily in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 associated with the company’s accounting judgment that its relationship with Sinovel will not continue. This compares with net income of $16.2 million, or $0.36 per diluted share, for fiscal year 2009. The company’s non-GAAP net loss for fiscal 2010 was $12.8 million, or $0.27 per diluted share. This compares with non-GAAP net income of $31.7 million, or $0.70 per diluted share, for fiscal 2009. Please refer to the financial table included below for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results.

Revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $9.1 million. This compares with $97.2 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2010. The decline is due primarily to a lack of revenue from Sinovel. The company reported a net loss for the quarter of $37.7 million, $0.74 per diluted share. This compares with net income of $9.2 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2010. The company’s non-GAAP net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 was $30.8 million, or $0.61 per diluted share. This compares with non-GAAP net income of $13.0 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Please refer to the financial table included below for a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results.

Net of the advance payment of approximately $20.6 million for the company’s proposed acquisition of The Switch Engineering Oy, the company’s balance of cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and restricted cash on June 30, 2011 was $166.2 million. This compares with $245.5 million on March 31, 2011 and $120.7 million on June 30, 2010.

 “Our financial results for fiscal 2010 and the first quarter of fiscal 2011 are a reflection of our past,” said AMSC President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel McGahn. “Our efforts to build a better AMSC are now well underway. We have reduced our cost structure by more than $30 million annually and realigned our business into market-facing Wind and Grid segments. We also have won nearly $100 million in new contracts since the start of our fiscal year, which we believe will help expand our customer base, diversify our revenue streams and return the company to growth (see separate press release issued today).”

 Looking Forward

For the quarter ending September 30, 2011, AMSC currently expects that its revenues will exceed $18 million. Including charges for its litigation against Sinovel and its previously announced restructuring, among other charges, AMSC expects that its net loss for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 will be less than $38 million, or $0.75 per diluted share. AMSC expects that its non-GAAP net loss for the second fiscal quarter will be less than $27 million, or $0.53 per diluted share.

Despite the company’s expenses related to severance, litigation against Sinovel and supply-chain liabilities, AMSC expects to end the second quarter of fiscal year 2011 with more than $100 million in cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and restricted cash. Cash usage is expected to further slow in the second half of the year as savings from the company’s restructuring actions begin to be realized and as the use of cash for Sinovel-related litigation and supply chain liabilities decreases.

“We have taken decisive action to immediately lower our expenses, significantly reduce our cash burn in the second half of the fiscal year and put AMSC back on the path to profitability,” McGahn said. “We have a holistic set of Wind and Grid solutions that lower the cost of energy and make our power supplies cleaner, smarter and more reliable, positioning us well within addressable markets that approach $10 billion annually. We believe we have the right people, products and partners to capitalize on these opportunities and ultimately deliver sustainable profits.”

 About American Superconductor

AMSC offers an array of proprietary technologies and solutions spanning the electric power infrastructure – from generation to delivery to end use. The company is a leader in renewable energy, providing proven, megawatt-scale wind turbine designs and electrical control systems. The company also offers a host of Smart Grid technologies for power grid operators that enhance the reliability, efficiency and capacity of the grid, and seamlessly integrate renewable energy sources into the power infrastructure. These include superconductor power cable systems, grid-level surge protectors and power electronics-based voltage stabilization systems. AMSC’s technologies are protected by a broad and deep intellectual property portfolio consisting of hundreds of patents and licenses worldwide.

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Source: amsc, September 26, 2011