Amtech Systems, Inc. ("Amtech") (NASDAQ: ASYS), a manufacturer of capital equipment, including thermal processing and wafer polishing, and related consumables used in fabricating semiconductor devices, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon power devices, analog and discrete devices, electronic assemblies and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), today reported results for its third quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Third Quarter Fiscal 2022 Financial and Operational Highlights:

• Net revenue of $20.0 million
• Shanghai facility fully reopened on June 1, 2022
• Customer orders of $30.1 million
• Book to bill ratio of 1.5:1
• Completed sale-leaseback of Billerica, MA facility, with pretax gain of $12.5 million and cash inflow of $14.9 million
• Operating income of $9.6 million
• Net income of $10.2 million
• Net income per diluted share of $0.73
• Unrestricted cash of $47.7 million
• June 30, 2022 backlog of $62.7 million

Mr. Michael Whang, Chief Executive Officer of Amtech, commented, “The robust demand for our products continued in the third quarter with bookings of $30.1 million, representing our sixth straight quarter of bookings over $30 million. While we experienced revenue headwinds in the third quarter due to the Shanghai COVID lockdown, we successfully re-opened our facility in early June. Our confidence around the long-awaited silicon carbide wafer ramp is building, with revenue for these applications more than doubling over the last two quarters. Given our established market leading position in consumables, we remain excited as the mid to long-term opportunities in front of us come into focus.”

Net revenues decreased 28% sequentially and 14% from the third quarter of fiscal 2021, primarily attributable to lower shipments of our advanced packaging equipment due to our Shanghai facility closure, partially offset by increased shipments of our consumables products. The decrease in production from the Shanghai facility was caused by the government-mandated closure relating to its COVID policies, which closed the Company’s facility on March 28, 2022. The facility was allowed to partially reopen in May 2022 and fully reopened on June 1, 2022.

Gross margin decreased sequentially and compared to the same period last year primarily due to the above-mentioned closure of the Shanghai manufacturing facility. This closure resulted in decreased utilization during the period as the Company continued to pay employees while ceasing production entirely.

Selling, General & Administrative (“SG&A”) expenses increased $0.4 million on a sequential basis, with higher legal expenses related to the sale-leaseback transaction and increased consulting expenses offset by lower commission on lower sales. SG&A decreased slightly compared to the prior year period primarily due to a reduction in commissions due to lower sales in fiscal 2022 partially offset by an increase in employee-related expenses and consulting.

On June 23, 2022, the Company’s subsidiary, BTU International, Inc. ("BTU"), completed the sale and leaseback of BTU's building in Billerica, Massachusetts (the "Property"). The sale price was $20.6 million. Simultaneously with the sale closing, BTU entered into a two-year leaseback of the Property. The lease terms include base rent of $1.5 million per year in an absolute triple net lease. In connection with the sale, BTU recognized a pretax gain of $12.5 million. This sale-leaseback transaction resulted in a net cash inflow of approximately $14.9 million, after repayment of the existing mortgage and settlement of related sale expenses.

Research, Development and Engineering decreased $0.2 million sequentially and increased $0.1 million compared to the same prior year period.

Operating income was $9.6 million, compared to operating income of $2.6 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2022 and operating income of $1.2 million in the same prior year period.

Income tax provision was $20,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2022, compared to a provision of $0.7 million in both the preceding quarter and the same prior year period.

Net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 was $10.2 million, or 73 cents per diluted share. This compares to net income of $2.0 million, or 14 cents per diluted share, for the preceding quarter and net income of $0.4 million, or 3 cents per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2021.

Outlook

The Company’s outlook reflects the ongoing logistical impacts and the related delays for goods shipped to and from China. Actual results may differ materially in the weeks and months ahead. Additionally, the semiconductor equipment industries can be cyclical and inherently impacted by changes in market demand. Operating results can be significantly impacted, positively or negatively, by the timing of orders, system shipments, and the financial results of semiconductor manufacturers.

For the fourth fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2022, revenues are expected to be in the range of $30 to $32 million with operating margin in the low double-digits.

A portion of Amtech's results is denominated in Renminbis, a Chinese currency. The outlook provided in this press release is based on an assumed exchange rate between the United States Dollar and the Renminbi. Changes in the value of the Renminbi in relation to the United States Dollar could cause actual results to differ from expectations.

Conference Call

Amtech Systems will host a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss our fiscal third quarter financial results. The call will be available to interested parties by dialing 1-313-209-6672. For international callers, please dial +1 800-458-4121. The confirmation code is 2312671. A live webcast of the conference call will be available in the Investor Relations section of Amtech’s website at: https://www.amtechsystems.com/investors/events.

A replay of the webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the company’s web site at http://www.amtechsystems.com/conference.htm shortly after the conclusion of the call and will remain available for approximately 30 calendar days.

About Amtech Systems, Inc.

Amtech Systems, Inc. is a leading, global manufacturer of capital equipment, including thermal processing and wafer polishing, and related consumables used in fabricating semiconductor devices, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and silicon power devices, analog and discrete devices, electronic assemblies and light-emitting diodes (LEDs). We sell these products to semiconductor device and module manufacturers worldwide, particularly in Asia, North America and Europe. Our strategic focus is on semiconductor growth opportunities in power electronics, sensors and analog devices leveraging our strength in our core competencies in thermal and substrate processing. We are a market leader in the high-end power chip market (SiC substrates, 300mm horizontal thermal reactor, and electronic assemblies used in power, RF, and other advanced applications), developing and supplying essential equipment and consumables used in the semiconductor industry. Amtech's products are recognized under the leading brand names BTU International, Bruce Technologies^™, PR Hoffman^™ and Intersurface Dynamics, Inc.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release is forward-looking in nature. All statements in this press release, or made by management of Amtech Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Amtech"), other than statements of historical fact, are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements" (as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). The forward-looking statements in this press release relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this press release. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements regarding Amtech's future financial results, operating results, business strategies, projected costs, products under development, competitive positions, plans and objectives of Amtech and its management for future operations, efforts to improve operational efficiencies and effectiveness and profitably grow our revenue, and enhancements to our technologies and expansion of our product portfolio. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "plan," "anticipate," "seek," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "believe," "continue," "predict," "potential," "project," "should," "would," "could", "likely," "future," "target," "forecast," "goal," "observe," and "strategy" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology used in this press release or by our management, which are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. The Form 10-K that Amtech filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the year-ended September 30, 2021, listed various important factors that could affect the Company's future operating results and financial condition and could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results and expectations based on forward-looking statements made in this document or elsewhere by Amtech or on its behalf. These factors can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Form 10-K and in our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Qs, and investors should refer to them. Because it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, any such list cannot be considered a complete set of all potential risks or uncertainties. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.