SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : Glenayre Technologies(GEMS)- a pure cellular PCS play?

 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Frank Fontaine who wrote (2448)1/12/1998 6:17:00 PM
From: van wang  Read Replies (1) of 3431
 
ok...like clockwork, MOT underperforms and lets GEMS have it...pls pay attention to paging infrastructure section...North America still lukewarm and maybe rebounding...Asia in the toilets with increasing pricing pressures...black cloud til GEMS reports IMO...Tim, you prob dont believe this but I did listen to you...I let go quite abit of GEMS at the close...MOT is so dependable...we go through this every quarter it seems...cheers

Motorola Reports Higher Sales and Earnings

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 12, 1998--Motorola, Inc. today reported
higher sales and earnings for both the full year and fourth quarter of 1997.

Sales for the full year rose 7 percent to $29.8 billion from $28.0 billion in 1996.
Earnings were $1.18 billion, up from $1.15 billion a year ago. Earnings per share
(diluted) were $1.94, compared with $1.90 per share in 1996.

The 1997 earnings include special charges of $306 million before taxes, equivalent to
32 cents per share after taxes, resulting primarily from restructuring decisions to
exit several unprofitable businesses that no longer had long-term strategic value to
the corporation. Special charges in the previous year, 1996, totaled $136 million
before taxes, equivalent to 15 cents per share after taxes. Excluding special charges
in both years, 1997 earnings would have been $1.38 billion, or $2.26 per share,
compared with $1.24 billion, or $2.05 per share in 1996.

Fourth quarter sales were $8.3 billion, up 8 percent from $7.7 billion in the fourth
quarter of 1996. Earnings, including the special charges, were $321 million, compared
with $238 million a year earlier. Earnings per share (diluted) were 53 cents,
compared with 39 cents a year ago. The 1997 earnings include special charges of $110
million before taxes, equivalent to 12 cents per share after taxes. Special charges
in 1996 totaled $183 million before taxes, equivalent to 20 cents per share after
taxes. Excluding these charges, fourth-quarter earnings would have been $393 million,
or 65 cents per share, compared with $357 million, or 59 cents per share in the
fourth quarter of 1996.

Net margin on sales was 4.0 percent in 1997, compared with 4.1 percent in 1996, while
in the fourth quarter, net margin was 3.9 percent compared with 3.1 percent a year
earlier. Excluding special charges, these margins for the full year would have been
4.6 percent versus 4.4 percent in 1996, and 4.8 percent for the fourth quarter of
1997 compared with 4.7 percent a year ago.

Robert L. Growney, president and chief operating officer, said, ''At the end of 1996
we initiated a process of discontinuing programs that had not lived up to their
promise and exiting non-strategic businesses. We have now completed that process. A
number of important strategic decisions have been implemented which should have
positive impact on the corporation's long-term profitability. In the short term
however, these decisions necessitated special charges which resulted in minimal
earnings growth in 1997. Excluding these charges, earnings grew at over one and one
half times the rate of sales growth for the full year. During the fourth quarter, the
deterioration of economic conditions in certain Asian markets had an impact in terms
of slowing the growth of sales, orders and profits, as well as putting pressure on
pricing,'' he said.

Growney reviewed the following results of Motorola's major operations compared with
1996:

Cellular Products Segment

For the year, segment sales increased 10 percent to $11.9 billion, orders increased 9
percent and segment operating profits were higher.

For the fourth quarter, sales increased 18 percent to $3.6 billion, orders were flat,
and operating profits were higher.

Cellular Subscriber Sector (CSS) sales increased in the fourth quarter in Europe and
Pan America, while they declined in Asia. Orders also increased, led by Europe and
Asia, while they were unchanged in Pan America.

Motorola's MicroDigital M75 cellular telephone for Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA) systems became commercially available. The phone weighs as little as six
ounces. In Japan, Motorola announced availability of the world's smallest Personal
Handyphone Systems (PHS) phone. Using digital microcellular technology, the phone can
switch automatically from being a home cordless phone to a mobile phone within the
PHS public network. CSS also announced that it would be the first company in the
industry to offer its visually impaired customers Braille manuals, large print
manuals and audiotape manuals.

Cellular Infrastructure Group (CIG) sales were higher, led by significant increases
in Japan and in the Pan American region. Sales also were higher in the rest of Asia,
but were significantly lower in Europe. Orders declined, as higher orders in the Pan
American region were offset by lower orders in Europe and Japan and significantly
lower orders in the rest of Asia.

CIG was awarded a $260 million contract to deploy a Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA) system throughout Israel, and received a contract for a $30 million CDMA
system in the U.S. Installation of China's first CDMA system in Beijing was
completed. CDMA-based wireless local loop, or WiLL(r), system contracts were received
in Indonesia and Kuwait.

CIG won contracts to expand existing Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
networks in China, Sweden and Turkey, and received contracts worth more than $160
million to expand analog systems in three Chinese provinces.

Semiconductor Products Segment

For the year, segment sales increased 2 percent to $8.0 billion, orders were up 17
percent and segment operating profits were lower, due to a special charge taken in
the second quarter related to the decision to phase out of participation in the
Dynamic Random Access Memory market. Excluding this charge, operating profits
increased.

For the fourth quarter, sales were up 11 percent to $2.1 billion, orders rose 10
percent, and the segment had an operating profit compared with a loss a year ago.

Order growth in the quarter was highest in Europe, followed by the Americas, Japan
and the rest of Asia. Among major market segments, orders were higher in
communications, industrial, automotive, consumer and distribution. Computer orders
were lower.

The sector announced an agreement with Sarnoff Corp. under which Motorola will
produce chips for high-definition television (HDTV) and other consumer entertainment
products. With NDS Broadcast Systems and Alps Electric (UK) Ltd., the sector
completed development of a chip set for the European Digital Terrestrial Television
market.

The sector introduced the M-CORE(tm) microRISC 32-bit reduced instruction set
computer architecture tailored for cost-effective, ultra low-power consumer,
transportation and industrial products. Motorola and Mitsubishi finalized an
agreement that will allow both companies to market system solutions with Motorola's
ColdFire(tm) embedded microprocessor and memory functions on a single chip.

Land Mobile Products Segment

Segment sales for the year rose 23 percent to $4.9 billion, orders increased 27
percent, and operating profits were higher.

Fourth-quarter sales rose 16 percent to $1.5 billion, orders were 36 percent higher,
and operating profits declined.

Orders in the quarter for iDEN(r) subscriber and infrastructure radio equipment were
higher, primarily due to orders received from Nextel Communications, Inc. as it
continues the rollout of its nationwide integrated digital enhanced network in the
U.S. and from Nextel International, Inc. for various markets abroad. A contract
valued at more than $40 million was received from J-Com Company, Ltd., to expand the
iDEN system it operates in Japan.

Orders in the rest of the sector also increased. Major awards for new ASTRO(r)
digital systems and system expansions were received in the District of Columbia,
Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mexico and the Province of Manitoba in Canada.
Other key system orders were received from public safety and utility customers in
Illinois, Louisiana, Utah, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, while major radio equipment
orders were received in China, Indonesia, and the Netherlands.

Motorola's TalkAbout(tm) and Spirit(tm) series of consumer two-way radios now can be
purchased in the U.S. at more than 13,000 retail locations as well as through
catalogs. The sector launched the TalkAbout radio in Taiwan, representing Asia's
first Family Radio Service (FRS) two-way radio.

The Smartcard Systems Business announced its initial M-Smart(tm) series of products
including a combination contacted/contactless smartcard and two new families of
terminals developed for public transit and campus/ID markets. The business also
announced a letter of intent to enter a global marketing alliance with ERG Ltd., a
transit fare collection provider based in Australia.

Messaging, Information and Media Segment

Segment sales for the full year declined 4 percent to $3.8 billion, orders declined
12 percent and operating profits were lower as a result of a greater level of special
charges related to business restructuring.

Fourth-quarter sales declined 3 percent to $848 million, orders were up 1 percent,
and the segment had a larger operating loss than a year ago, due to a restructuring
charge related to the planned exit from the retail analog modem business.

Orders in the quarter increased in the Messaging Systems Products Group (MSPG) and in
the Multimedia Group (MMG), while they declined in the Information Systems Group
(ISG) because of weakness in the low-end modem market.

MSPG sales and orders in the quarter were higher in the North American Paging
Subscriber Division versus depressed levels a year ago. Management believes North
American paging operators are continuing to monitor inventory levels closely in order
to improve their financial positions and cash flow. Management also believes that
sales by operators to consumers in North America continued to grow.

MSPG sales and orders in Asia were significantly lower than a year ago and pricing
pressures increased. These conditions are expected to continue into the first quarter
of 1998.

In the U.S., CONXUS Communications deployed an advanced voice paging service in
Washington, D.C. and South Florida. It uses Motorola's voice pagers and InFLEXion(r)
protocol-based infrastructure. Carriers in China and Taiwan signed contracts for
infrastructure using Motorola's FLEX(tm) one-way messaging protocol.

ISG announced a 56 kilobit host-based software modem that enables manufacturers and
users to keep pace with the latest communications technology. Sales increased
significantly for frame relay, as well as cable-based voice and data products. MMG
introduced the CyberSURFR(r) Wave second-generation cable modem that will double the
throughput of upstream channels to 1.5 megabits from the current 768 kilobits. The
group also announced an agreement with Lyonnaise Cable for the use of CyberSURFR
modems in its Paris system.

Automotive, Energy and Components Sector

For the year, sector sales increased 12 percent, orders were 12 percent higher, and
operating profits were higher. The sector's results are reported as part of the
''Other Products'' segment.

In the fourth quarter, sales rose 17 percent and orders were 13 percent higher and
operating profits increased.

In its automotive business, the sector was awarded an engine control module program
by a German car manufacturer, which also awarded its North American Telematics
business to the sector. Telematics includes products for remote security and
information services.

The power electronics business introduced a battery charger for Motorola two-way
pagers.

Space and Systems Technology Group

Group sales for the year declined 2 percent, orders were 21 percent higher than a
year ago and operating profits were lower, as anticipated due to planned Iridium
activity. Results are reported as part of the ''Other Products'' segment.

In the fourth quarter, sales decreased 36 percent and the group recorded an operating
loss compared to a profit last year. Orders were up 120 percent versus the year ago
quarter due to the timing of recording orders from the Iridium program.

The group successfully launched 12 IRIDIUM(r) satellites in the fourth quarter,
bringing the total number of satellites in low earth orbit to 46 and setting an
industry record for the number of satellites deployed in an eight-month period.
Additional testing of paging and telephony functions through orbiting satellites
continued successfully. System testing will continue until the start of commercial
service, expected at the end of September 1998. As previously reported, Iridium LLC
may require additional financing, possibly by the second quarter of 1998, to continue
to make contractual payments to Motorola.

The group also designed and developed the tracking, telemetry and control deep space
transponder for the Cassini mission to Saturn.

Motorola Computer Group

Group sales for the year declined 1 percent and orders were 1 percent higher. The
operating loss was larger than in 1996 largely because of special charges, which in
the third quarter related to the decision to exit the MacOS(r)-compatible computer
systems business. Results are reported as part of the ''Other Products'' segment.

In the fourth quarter, sales declined 27 percent and orders were down 16 percent, as
last year's results included significant shipments of MacOS-compatible computers. The
ongoing embedded computer product business had a 26 percent increase in sales and a
30 percent increase in orders. The group had an operating profit compared with a loss
in the year-ago quarter.

As a result of the acquisition of Pro-Log Corp., the group now offers single board
embedded computers based on CompactPCI(r) bus architecture and Intel's Pentium(r)
processor, in addition to its PowerPC(tm) product line. The group announced two new
Pentium(r) processor-based motherboards for use in embedded computing applications.

General Corporate

Manufacturing and other costs of sales were 67.8 percent of sales in the fourth
quarter, versus 67.6 percent in the year-earlier period. For the full year,
manufacturing and other costs of sales declined to 67.1 percent of sales versus 67.9
percent in 1996.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were 18.6 percent of sales in the fourth
quarter, versus 19.2 percent in the year-earlier period. For the full year, selling,
general and administrative expenses were 18.5 percent of sales, compared with 16.9
percent in 1996, with the increased percentage primarily attributable to the higher
level of special charges and greater investment in strategic programs.

Depreciation expense and interest expense each declined as a percent of sales, both
for the fourth quarter and full year.

The tax rate for the year ended 1997 was 35 percent, compared with 35 percent in the
prior year.

Review and Outlook

Christopher Galvin, chief executive officer, said 1997 was ''a year of significant
renewal for Motorola that included management changes, discontinuing programs that
did not live up to their promise, exiting non-strategic businesses and beginning a
new low earth orbit satellite industry. We believe these actions set the stage for
long-term growth.''

Galvin said, ''We are still facing challenges in the near term, as we expect the
economic conditions in certain markets in Asia that affected fourth-quarter results
to continue for at least the first half of 1998. We are assuming the cooperative
efforts of many nations and the International Monetary Fund will help to stabilize
the Asian situation. Largely for this reason, sales growth in both the first and
second quarters of 1998 is estimated to be in the range of 10 percent compared with
the year-ago quarters. We will continue to control costs, but we will also continue
our investments in Asia where appropriate, as well as our strategic investments in
technology. Moreover, Motorola's manufacturing presence in Asia should help lessen
the impact of expected lower economic growth and greater pricing pressures from the
region.

''Despite the current conditions in Asia,'' Galvin said, ''the region continues to
represent a solid long-term growth opportunity for Motorola. The economic
restructuring that is occurring in countries such as Korea should help to promote
sustained growth in the future. Growth in Latin America remains very strong. We see
continued steady expansion in the United States. Growth in Europe is accelerating. We
remain confident that Motorola is building the foundation for profitable growth in
the years to come,'' he said.

Business Risks:

The statements contained in the ''Review and Outlook'' section and about the
continuation of sales and order weakness and increased pricing pressure for products,
the planned exit from the retail analog modem business, deployment and
commercialization of IRIDIUM(r) products and services, Iridium LLC financing
requirements and any other statements that are not historical facts are
forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. The outcome of various efforts
to stabilize economic conditions in Asia; the potential that the weak economic
conditions in Southeast Asia could spread to countries where Motorola does a sizable
amount of business, including China and Japan; unforeseen expenses in connection with
Motorola's decision to depart from various businesses; pricing pressures or a change
in the demand for products; product and technology development and commercialization
risks and uncertainties; unforeseen expenses relating to the development and
commercialization of IRIDIUM products and services; availability of financing for
Iridium LLC; the success of strategic decisions to improve performance; the ability
of Motorola to contain costs and charges against earnings as a result of any actions
taken to improve performance; steady growth in emerging markets; and the factors in
Motorola's 1996 Form 10/K-A on pages 14 and 15 of Item 7 and in other SEC filings
could cause Motorola's actual results to differ materially from those stated in this
announcement.

CompactPCI(r) is a registered trademark of the PCI Industrial Computers Manufacturers
Group.

IRIDIUM(r) is a registered trademark and service mark of Iridium LLC.

MacOS(r) is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

Pentium(r) is a registered trademark of Intel Corp.

PowerPC(tm) is a trademark of IBM Corporation.

Motorola, Inc. and Consolidated Subsidiaries Statements of Consolidated Earnings

-0-

(In millions, except per share amounts)
Fourth Quarter Full Year
Dec. 31, Dec. 31, Dec. 31, Dec. 31,
1997 1996 1997 1996
_______ _______ _______ ________

Net sales $8,278 $7,685 $29,794 $27,973
_______ _______ _______ ________

Manufacturing and
other costs of sales 5,614 5,198 20,003 18,990

Selling, general and
admin. expenses 1,538 1,476 5,513 4,715

Depreciation expense 597 600 2,329 2,308

Interest expense, net 35 45 133 185
_______ _______ _______ _______

Total costs and expenses 7,784 7,319 27,978 26,198
_______ _______ _______ _______
Earnings before
income taxes 494 366 1,816 1,775

Income taxes provided
on earnings 173 128 636 621
_______ _______ _______ _______
Net earnings $ 321 $ 238 $ 1,180 $1,154
_______ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______ _______

Net earnings per share
______________________
Basic $ .54 $ .40 $ 1.98 $ 1.95
_______ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______ _______
Diluted $ .53 $ .39 $ 1.94 $ 1.90
_______ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______ _______
Avg. common shares
outstanding
___________
Basic (in millions) 597.2 593.1 595.5 592.5
_______ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______ _______

Diluted (in millions) 612.5 608.7 612.2 609.0
_______ _______ _______ _______
_______ _______ _______ _______
Earnings adjustment
In dilution
calculation (1) $ 1 $ 1 $ 5 $ 4

Dividends paid per share $.12 $ .12 $ .48 $ .44

Net margin on sales 3.9% 3.1% 4.0% 4.1%

Return on average
invested capital(2) 8.4% 8.4% ---- ----

R&D expenditures $761 $596 $2,748 $2,394
-0-

(1) Total amount added to earnings in the earnings dilution calculation. Included are
amounts representing interest expense which would not have been incurred if certain
convertible debt securities had been converted to common shares.

(2) Based on the performance of the four preceding quarters ending with December 31,
1997 and 1996.

The sales and earnings results reported herein include, in the opinion of management,
all adjustments (consisting of reclassifications and normal recurring adjustments)
necessary for a fair statement of income.

-0-

Motorola, Inc. and Consolidated Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In millions)

ASSETS Dec. 31, Dec. 31,
1997 1996
_______ _________
Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,445 $ 1,513

Short-term investments 335 298

Accounts receivable, less allowance for
doubtful accounts (1997,$173; 1996,$137) 4,847 4,035

Inventories 4,096 3,220

Other current assets 2,513 2,253
_______ _________
Total current assets 13,236 11,319
_______ _________
Property, plant and equipment, less
accumulated depreciation
(1997, $11,524; 1996, $9,830) 9,856 9,768

Other assets (1) 4,186 2,989
_______ _________
Total assets $27,278 $24,076
_______ _________
_______ _________
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Notes payable and current portion of
long-term debt $ 1,282 $ 1,382

Accounts payable 2,297 2,050

Accrued liabilities 5,349 4,563
_______ _________

Total current liabilities 8,928 7,995
_______ _________
Long-term debt 2,144 1,931

Other liabilities (1) 2,934 2,355

Stockholders' equity (1) 13,272 11,795
_______ _________
Total liabilities, stockholders' equity $27,278 $24,076
_______ _________
_______ _________

(1) SFAS No. 115 ''Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities''
requires the carrying value of certain investments to be adjusted to fair value. The
Company recorded an increase to stockholders' equity, other assets and deferred taxes
of $533 million, $881 million and $348 million as of December 31, 1997; and a
decrease to stockholders' equity, other assets and deferred taxes of $26 million, $43
million and $17 million as of December 31, 1996.

Motorola, Inc. Information by Industry Segment

Summarized below are the Company's segment sales and operating profits as defined by
industry segment for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996:

-0-

Segment Sales
(Dollars in millions)
1997 1996(1) %Change
______ ______ _______

Cellular Products $11,934 $10,804 10

Semiconductor Products 8,003 7,858 2

Land Mobile Products 4,926 4,008 23

Messaging, Information
and Media Products 3,793 3,958 (4)

Other Products 4,316 4,058 6

Adjustments & eliminations (3,178) (2,713) 17
______ ______

Industry segment totals $29,794 $27,973 7
______ ______
______ ______

Operating Profit
(Dollars in millions) % of % of
1997 sales 1996(1) sales
_____ _____ _____ _____

Cellular Products $1,398 11.7 $1,288 11.9

Semiconductor Products 332 4.2 382 4.9

Land Mobile Products 588 11.9 498 12.4

Messaging, Information
and Media Products 80 2.1 90 2.3

Other Products (41) (0.9) 80 2.0

Adjustments & eliminations (43) -- (29) --
_____ _____
Industry segment totals $2,314 7.8 $2,309 8.3

General corporate expense (367) (349)
Interest expense, net (131) (185)
_____ _____
Earnings before income taxes $1,816 6.1 $1,775 6.3
_____ _____ _____ _____
_____ _____ _____ _____

(1) Information for 1996 has been reclassified to reflect the realignment of various
business units. Cellular Products Segment includes the Cellular Subscriber Sector,
the Cellular Infrastructure Group, and the Network Management Group (formerly
included in the General Systems segment).

Results of the Motorola Computer Group (formerly included in the General Systems
segment) are now included in the Other Products segment. The results of Indala Corp.,
formerly in the Other Products segment, have been moved to the Land Mobile Products
segment.

Contact:

Motorola Inc.
George Grimsrud, 847/576-2346
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext