Fourth Quarter 2018 Highlights
- Revenue was $787.6 million in 4Q18, compared to $850.7 million in 3Q18 and $787.2 million in 4Q17.
- Gross profit was $134.1 million in 4Q18, compared to $174.5 million in 3Q18 and $148.5 million in 4Q17.
- Gross margin was 17.0% in 4Q18, compared to 20.5% in 3Q18 and 18.9% in 4Q17.
First Quarter 2019 Guidance
The following statements are forward looking statements based on current expectations and involved risks and uncertainties, some of which are set forth under "Safe Harbor Statements" below. The Company expects:
- Revenue to decrease by 16% to 18% QoQ.
- Gross margin to range from 20% to 22%.
- Non-GAAP operating expenses, excluding the effect of employee bonus accrual, government funding, impairment loss of tangible and intangible assets, gain or loss on the disposal of machinery and equipment and gain from the disposal of living quarters, to range from $250 million to $255 million.
- Non-controlling interests of our majority-owned subsidiaries to range from positive $10 million to positive $12 million (losses to be borne by non-controlling interests).
Dr. Zhao Haijun and Dr. Liang Mong Song, SMIC's Co-Chief Executive Officers commented, "With the support of our customers and colleagues, 2018 annual revenue grew 8.3%, which was the fourth consecutive year of growth, and represents a record high. Q4 2018 revenue was flat year over year; meanwhile, China revenue grew 12% YoY. Looking into 2019, our full year core business revenue growth target is in line with the foundry industry growth rate; however, based on current visibility, Q1 revenue is guided to fall 16%~18% QoQ, estimated as the trough of this year."
Dr. Zhao said, "The 2019 macro environment has a lot of uncertainties, and we are actively seeking growth opportunities through steady progress in expanding our customer base, enriching mature and specialty technology product mix and applications, and exploring value added opportunities."
Dr. Liang said, "We are working hard to establish advanced technology total solutions, with particular focus on the fundamentals of FinFET technology, platform development, and customer engagement. At present, SMIC's first generation of 14nm FinFET technology has already entered customer product verification; product reliability and yields have readily improved. Meanwhile, 12nm process development achieved breakthrough. Through our research and development's continuous innovation, optimized production, strengthening design, and pursuit of potential markets, we are confident in our future opportunities."
To see the complete results including financial tables, please click here:
http://www.smics.com/uploads/2018%20Q4%20Earnings%20Release_ENG_News%20Release.pdf
Conference Call / Webcast Announcement
Date: February 15, 2019
Time: 8:30 a.m. Beijing time
Dial-in numbers:
China +86 400-620-8038
Hong Kong +852 3018-6771
Taiwan +886 2-5572-3895
United States +1 845-675-0437
The call will be webcast live with audio at:
http://www.smics.com/en/site/company_activity or https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/pg6k2hsu.
An archived version of the webcast, along with an electronic copy of this news release will be available on the SMIC website for a period of 12 months following the webcast.
About SMIC
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"; NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981), one of the leading foundries in the world, is Mainland China's largest foundry in scale, broadest in technology coverage, and most comprehensive in semiconductor manufacturing services. SMIC provides integrated circuit (IC) foundry and technology services on process nodes from 0.35 micron to 28 nanometer. Headquartered in Shanghai, China, SMIC has an international manufacturing and service base. In China, SMIC has a 300mm wafer fabrication facility (fab) and a 200mm fab in Shanghai; a 300mm fab and a majority-owned 300mm fab for advanced nodes in Beijing; 200mm fabs in Tianjin and Shenzhen; and a majority-owned joint-venture 300mm bumping facility in Jiangyin; additionally, in Italy SMIC has a majority-owned 200mm fab. SMIC also has marketing and customer service offices in the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Taiwan, and a representative office in Hong Kong.
For more information, please visit www.smics.com.
Safe Harbor Statements
(Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995)
This press release contains, in addition to historical information, "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including statements under "First Quarter 2019 Guidance", "Capex Summary" and the statements contained in the quotes of our Co-Chief Executive Officers are based on SMIC's current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events. SMIC uses words like "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "target" and similar expressions to identify forward looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of SMIC's senior management and involve significant risks, both known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors that may cause SMIC's actual performance, financial condition or results of operations to be materially different from those suggested by the forward-looking statements including, among others, risks associated with cyclicality and market conditions in the semiconductor industry, intense competition in the semiconductor industry, SMIC's reliance on a small number of customers, timely wafer acceptance by SMIC's customers, timely introduction of new technologies, SMIC's ability to ramp new products into volume, supply and demand for semiconductor foundry services, industry overcapacity, shortages in equipment, components and raw materials, availability of manufacturing capacity, financial stability in end markets, orders or judgments from pending litigation, intensive intellectual property litigation in semiconductor industry, general economic conditions and fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
In addition to the information contained in this press release, you should also consider the information contained in our other filings with the SEC, including our annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on April 27, 2018, especially in the "Risk Factors" section and such other documents that we may file with the SEC or The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Limited ("SEHK") from time to time, including current reports on Form 6-K. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on our future results, performance or achievements. In light of these risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors, the forward-looking events discussed in this press release may not occur. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated or, if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, SMIC undertakes no obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("non-GAAP") Financial Measures
To supplement SMIC's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with IFRS, SMIC uses in this press release non-GAAP measures of operating results that are adjusted to exclude finance cost, depreciation and amortization, income tax benefits and expenses, the effect of employee bonus accrual, government funding, impairment loss of tangible and intangible assets, gain or loss on the disposal of machinery and equipment and gain from the disposal of living quarters. This earnings release also includes first quarter 2019 guidance for non-GAAP operating expenses. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS. This earnings release includes EBITDA, EBITDA margin and non-GAAP operating expenses which consist of total operating expenses as adjusted to exclude the effect of employee bonus accrual, government funding, impairment loss of tangible and intangible assets, gain or loss on the disposal of machinery and equipment and gain from the disposal of living quarters. These non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated or presented in accordance with, and are not alternatives or substitutes for financial measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, and should be read only in conjunction with the Group's financial measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. The Group's non-GAAP financial measures may be different from similarly-titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.
