EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure), which represents earnings before net interest expense, income tax, depreciation and amortization, in the fourth quarter 2018 was $70.5 million, or 22.4 percent of revenue, compared to $47.0 million, or 17.5 percent of revenue, in the fourth quarter 2017 and $72.0 million, or 22.4 percent of revenue in the third quarter 2018. For a reconciliation of GAAP net income to EBITDA, see the table near the end of this release for further details.
For fourth quarter 2018, net cash provided by operating activities was $61.6 million. Net cash flow was a positive $90.7 million, including $47.4 million of additional long-term debt to fund a previously committed shareholder equity increase in the Company's Chengdu corporate entity. Free cash flow (a non-GAAP measure) was $46.3 million, which includes $15.3 million of capital expenditures.
Balance Sheet
As of December 31, 2018, the Company had approximately $249 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, long-term debt (including the current portion) totaled approximately $214 million, and working capital was approximately $481 million.
The results announced today are preliminary and unaudited, as they are subject to the Company finalizing its closing procedures and customary quarterly and year-end review by the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. As such, these results are subject to revision until the Company files its Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2018.
Business Outlook
Dr. Lu further commented, “We expect revenue in the first quarter of 2019 to be approximately $302 million, plus or minus 2.5 percent. At the mid-point, this represents growth of 10 percent over the prior year period and down approximately 4 percent sequentially, which is slightly better than typical seasonality. We expect GAAP gross margin to be 36.0 percent, plus or minus 1 percent. Non-GAAP operating expenses, which are GAAP operating expenses adjusted for amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, are expected to be approximately 21.5 percent of revenue, plus or minus 1 percent. We expect net interest expense to be approximately $2.0 million. Our income tax rate is expected to be 25.0 percent, plus or minus 3 percent, and shares used to calculate diluted EPS for the first quarter are anticipated to be approximately 51.2 million.”
Purchase accounting adjustments related to amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets of $3.7 million, after tax, for Pericom and previous acquisitions are not included in these non-GAAP estimates.
Conference Call
Diodes will host a conference call on Wednesday, February 13, 2019, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss its fourth quarter 2018 financial results. Investors and analysts may join the conference call by dialing 1-855-232-8957 and providing the confirmation code 9939905. International callers may join the teleconference by dialing 1-315-625-6979 and entering the same confirmation code at the prompt. A telephone replay of the call will be made available approximately two hours after the call and will remain available until February 20, 2019 at midnight Central Time. The replay number is 1-855-859-2056 with a pass code of 9939905. International callers should dial 1-404-537-3406 and enter the same pass code at the prompt. Additionally, this conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by all interested parties on the Investors’ section of Diodes' website at http://www.diodes.com. To listen to the live call, please go to the investors’ section of Diodes’ website and click on the conference call link at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. For those unable to participate during the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call on Diodes' website for approximately 90 days.
About Diodes Incorporated
Diodes Incorporated (Nasdaq: DIOD), a Standard and Poor’s SmallCap 600 and Russell 3000 Index company, is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality application-specific standard products within the broad discrete, logic, analog, and mixed-signal semiconductor markets. Diodes serves the consumer electronics, computing, communications, industrial, and automotive markets. Diodes’ products include diodes, rectifiers, transistors, MOSFETs, protection devices, function-specific arrays, single gate logic, amplifiers and comparators, Hall-effect and temperature sensors, power management devices, including LED drivers, AC-DC converters and controllers, DC-DC switching and linear voltage regulators, and voltage references along with special function devices, such as USB power switches, load switches, voltage supervisors, and motor controllers. Diodes also has timing, connectivity, switching, and signal integrity solutions for high-speed signals. Diodes’ corporate headquarters and Americas’ sales office are located in Plano, Texas and Milpitas, California. Design, marketing, and engineering centers are located in Plano; Milpitas; Taipei, Taiwan; Taoyuan City, Taiwan; Zhubei City, Taiwan; Manchester, England; and Neuhaus, Germany. Diodes’ wafer fabrication facility is located in Manchester, with an additional facility located in Shanghai, China. Diodes has assembly and test facilities located in Shanghai, Jinan, Chengdu, and Yangzhou, China, as well as in Hong Kong, Neuhaus, and Taipei. Additional engineering, sales, warehouse, and logistics offices are located in Taipei; Hong Kong; Manchester; Shanghai; Shenzhen, China; Seongnam-si, South Korea; Munich, Germany; and Tokyo, Japan, with support offices throughout the world.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Any statements set forth above that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements include statements containing forward-looking words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” and variations thereof, including without limitation statements, whether direct or implied, regarding expectations of revenue growth, market share gains, increase in gross margin and increase in gross profits in 2019 and beyond; that for the first quarter of 2019, we expect revenue to be approximately $302 million plus or minus 2.5 percent, which at the mid-point, is slightly better than typical seasonality; we expect GAAP gross margin to be 36.0 percent, plus or minus 1 percent; non-GAAP operating expenses, which are GAAP operating expenses adjusted for amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, are expected to be approximately 21.5 percent of revenue, plus or minus 1 percent; we expect net interest expense to be approximately $2 million; we expect tax rate to be 25.0 percent, plus or minus 3 percent; shares used to calculate diluted EPS for the first quarter are anticipated to be approximately 51.2 million; purchase accounting adjustments for Pericom and previous acquisitions of $3.7 million after tax are not included in these non-GAAP estimates; we expect GFAB to not only add to our existing global footprint, but also provide expanded wafer capacity to support our product group, in particular for the automotive market; and other statements identified by words such as “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “plans,” “will,” and similar expressions. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as: the risk that such expectations may not be met; the risk that the expected benefits of acquisitions may not be realized or that integration of acquired businesses may not continue as rapidly as we anticipate; the risk that the pending acquisition of GFAB will not close successfully (due to failure to obtain any required approvals or other reasons); the risk that we may not be able to maintain our current growth strategy or continue to maintain our current performance, costs, and loadings in our manufacturing facilities; the risk that we may not be able to increase our automotive, industrial, or other revenue and market share; risks of domestic and foreign operations, including excessive operating costs, labor shortages, higher tax rates, and our joint venture prospects; the risk that we may not continue our share repurchase program; the risks of cyclical downturns in the semiconductor industry and of changes in end-market demand or product mix that may affect gross margin or render inventory obsolete; the risk of unfavorable currency exchange rates; the risk that our future outlook or guidance may be incorrect; the risks of global economic weakness or instability in global financial markets; the risks of trade restrictions, tariffs, or embargoes; the risk of breaches of our information technology systems; and other information, including the “Risk Factors” detailed from time to time in Diodes’ filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
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