InterDigital Announces Financial Results for Second Quarter 2017

18% Year-Over-Year Increase in Recurring Revenue, Expenses Relatively Flat


WILMINGTON, Del., July 27, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDCC), a mobile technology research and development company, today announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017.

Second Quarter 2017 Financial Highlights

  • Second quarter 2017 total revenue was $135.8 million, compared to $75.9 million in second quarter 2016.  The increase in total revenue includes past patent royalties related to a settlement agreement and release of claims with Microsoft during second quarter 2017.
  • Recurring revenue grew 18% to $87.9 million, compared to $74.6 million in 2016, primarily driven by an increase in fixed-fee revenue due to new agreements entered into in second half 2016.  Recurring revenue consists of current patent royalties and current technology solutions revenue.
  • Second quarter 2017 operating expenses were $54.8 million, compared to $52.8 million in second quarter 2016.  The slight increase in operating expenses was driven by the operations of Hillcrest Labs, acquired during fourth quarter 2016.  
  • Net income1 was $52.5 million, or $1.46 per diluted share, compared to $40.0 million, or $1.14 per diluted share, in second quarter 2016. 

"The growth of our recurring revenue coupled with the careful management of our expenses, even including added costs related to Hillcrest Labs, underscores the strength of our business model,” said William J. Merritt, President and CEO of InterDigital. “With a strong revenue platform anchored in long-term agreements with key licensees, InterDigital is ideally positioned to increase our market share and drive additional shareholder value."

Additional Financial Highlights for Second Quarter 2017

  • The increase in operating expenses included a $2.1 million increase in costs associated with commercial initiatives, primarily Hillcrest Labs, as well as a $1.7 million increase in consulting services, primarily related to spending on development projects, as well as corporate initiatives including the implementation of a new enterprise resource planning system.  These increases were partially offset by a $2.5 million decrease in intellectual property enforcement and non-patent litigation.
  • The company's second quarter 2017 effective tax rate was a provision of 34.4% compared to a benefit of 74.4% during second quarter 2016.  The change in effective tax rate was primarily attributable to the discrete impact of refund claims made during second quarter 2016.
  • In second quarter 2017, the company recorded $19.4 million of cash provided by operating activities, compared to $191.4 million in second quarter 2016.  The company used $10.1 million of free cash flow2 in second quarter 2017, compared to $182.4 million of free cash flow generated in second quarter 2016.  These changes were primarily due to the timing of cash receipts under new fixed-fee agreements.  Ending cash and short-term investments totaled $885.4 million.

Conference Call Information

InterDigital will host a conference call on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its second quarter 2017 financial performance and other company matters. For a live Internet webcast of the conference call, visit www.interdigital.com and click on the link to the live webcast on the Investors page. The company encourages participants to take advantage of the Internet option.

For telephone access to the conference, call (888) 204-4610 within the United States or +1 (719) 325-2191 from outside the United States. Please call by 9:50 a.m. ET on July 27 and give the operator conference ID number 2029923.

An Internet replay of the conference call will be available on InterDigital's website in the Investors section. In addition, a telephone replay will be available from 1:00 p.m. ET July 27 through 1:00 p.m. ET August 1. To access the recorded replay, call (888) 203-1112 or +1 (719) 457-0820 and use the replay code 2029923.

About InterDigital®

InterDigital develops mobile technologies that are at the core of devices, networks, and services worldwide. We solve many of the industry's most critical and complex technical challenges, inventing solutions for more efficient broadband networks and a richer multimedia experience years ahead of market deployment. InterDigital has licenses and strategic relationships with many of the world's leading wireless companies. Founded in 1972, InterDigital is listed on NASDAQ and is included in the S&P MidCap 400® index.

InterDigital is a registered trademark of InterDigital, Inc.

For more information, visit the InterDigital website: www.interdigital.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Such statements include information regarding our current beliefs, plans and expectations, including, without limitation, our belief that we are ideally positioned to increase our market share and drive additional shareholder value.  Words such as "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "intend," "plan," "forecast," "goal," and variations of any such words or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties.  Actual outcomes could differ materially from those expressed in or anticipated by such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation, those identified in this press release, as well as the following: (i) unanticipated delays, difficulties or acceleration in the execution of patent license agreements; (ii) our ability to leverage our strategic relationships and secure new patent license agreements on acceptable terms; (iii) our ability to enter into sales and/or licensing partnering arrangements for certain of our patent assets; (iv) our ability to enter into partnerships with leading inventors and research organizations and identify and acquire technology and patent portfolios that align with InterDigital's roadmap; (v) our ability to commercialize the company's technologies and enter into customer agreements; (vi) the failure of the markets for the company's current or new technologies and products to materialize to the extent or at the rate that we expect; (vii) unexpected delays or difficulties related to the development of the company's technologies and products; (viii) changes in the market share and sales performance of our primary licensees, delays in product shipments of our licensees, delays in the timely receipt and final reviews of quarterly royalty reports from our licensees, delays in payments from our licensees and related matters; (ix) the resolution of current legal or regulatory proceedings, including any awards or judgments relating to such proceedings, additional legal or regulatory proceedings, changes in the schedules or costs associated with legal or regulatory proceedings or adverse rulings in such legal or regulatory proceedings; (x) changes or inaccuracies in market projections; and (xi) changes in the company's business strategy.

We undertake no duty to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law, regulation or other competent legal authority.

Footnotes

1  Throughout this press release, net income (loss) and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") are attributable to InterDigital, Inc. (e.g., after adjustments for noncontrolling interests), unless otherwise stated.

2  Free cash flow is a supplemental non-GAAP financial measure that InterDigital believes is helpful in evaluating the company's ability to invest in its business, make strategic acquisitions and fund share repurchases, among other things.  A limitation of the utility of free cash flow as a measure of financial performance is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in the company's cash balance for the period. InterDigital defines “free cash flow” as net cash provided by operating activities less purchases of property and equipment, technology licenses and investments in patents.  InterDigital's computation of free cash flow might not be comparable to free cash flow reported by other companies.  The presentation of this financial information, which is not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles, is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.  A detailed reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, is provided at the end of this press release.


SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(dollars in thousands except per share data)
(unaudited)
 
 For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
 For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2017 2016
REVENUES:       
Per-unit royalty revenue$11,398  $44,525  $27,257  $118,214 
Fixed fee amortized royalty revenue73,063  29,098  146,430  58,196 
Current patent royalties84,461  73,623  173,687  176,410 
Past patent royalties47,860  1,277  47,860  5,444 
Total patent licensing royalties132,321  74,900  221,547  181,854 
Current technology solutions revenue3,458  1,015  8,762  1,825 
 $135,779  $75,915  $230,309  $183,679 
        
OPERATING EXPENSES:       
Patent administration and licensing25,479  28,285  54,886  55,452 
Development17,783  14,609  36,304  34,878 
Selling, general and administrative11,569  9,938  24,203  21,910 
 54,831  52,832  115,393  112,240 
        
Income from operations80,948  23,083  114,916  71,439 
        
OTHER EXPENSE (NET)(2,330) (706) (5,144) (7,843)
Income before income taxes78,618  22,377  109,772  63,596 
INCOME TAX (PROVISION) BENEFIT(27,074) 16,652  (25,450) 2,584 
NET INCOME$51,544  $39,029  $84,322  $66,180 
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest(955) (965) (1,933) (1,885)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO INTERDIGITAL, INC.$52,499  $39,994  $86,255  $68,065 
NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE — BASIC$1.51  $1.16  $2.50  $1.96 
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING — BASIC34,686  34,499  34,528  34,772 
NET INCOME PER COMMON SHARE — DILUTED$1.46  $1.14  $2.39  $1.94 
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING — DILUTED35,902  34,945  36,103  35,161 
CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE$0.30  $0.20  $0.60  $0.40 


SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS
(dollars in thousands)
(unaudited)
 
 For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
 For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 2017 2016 2017 2016
Income before income taxes$78,618  $22,377  $109,772  $63,596 
Taxes paid(11,120) (37,862) (14,110) (52,285)
Non-cash expenses21,645  20,096  44,691  45,481 
Increase in deferred revenue2,777  201,730  187,777  282,170 
Deferred revenue recognized(76,816) (34,829) (155,737) (69,423)
Increase (decrease) in operating working capital, deferred charges and other4,343  19,842  (178,801) (58,547)
Capital spending and capitalized patent costs(9,321) (8,978) (17,376) (18,634)
FREE CASH FLOW10,126  182,376  (23,784) 192,358 
        
Payments on long-term debt      (230,000)
Long-term investments(200) (2,000) (701) (2,000)
Acquisition of patents      (4,500)
Dividends paid(10,402) (6,923) (20,694) (13,991)
Taxes withheld upon vesting of restricted stock units(235) 80  (22,190) (3,325)
Share repurchases  (18,596)   (58,995)
Net proceeds from exercise of stock options  228  82  228 
Unrealized (loss) gain on short-term investments(42) 39  (87) 415 
NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS$(753) $155,204  $(67,374) $(119,810)



CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(dollars in thousands)
(unaudited)
 
 JUNE 30,
2017
 DECEMBER 31,
2016
ASSETS   
Cash & short-term investments$885,387  $952,761 
Accounts receivable (net)399,044  228,464 
Other current assets51,590  39,894 
Property & equipment and patents (net)313,271  323,394 
Other long-term assets (net)189,607  183,340 
TOTAL ASSETS$1,838,899  $1,727,853 
    
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY   
Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, taxes payable & dividends payable$84,802  $65,288 
Current deferred revenue294,876  360,192 
Long-term deferred revenue358,369  261,013 
Long-term debt & other long-term liabilities295,196  286,992 
TOTAL LIABILITIES1,033,243  973,485 
TOTAL INTERDIGITAL, INC. SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY792,930  739,709 
Noncontrolling interest12,726  14,659 
TOTAL EQUITY805,656  754,368 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY$1,838,899  $1,727,853 


RECONCILIATION OF FREE CASH FLOW TO NET CASH
PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES

In the summary consolidated cash flows and throughout this release, the company refers to free cash flow.  The table below presents a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to net cash provided by operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

  For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
 For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
  2017 2016 2017 2016
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $19,447  $191,354  $(6,408) $210,992 
Purchases of property, equipment, & technology licenses (557) (672) (825) (2,266)
Capitalized patent costs (8,764) (8,306) (16,551) (16,368)
Free cash flow $10,126  $182,376  $(23,784) $192,358 


 


            

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