AIXTRON SE: Slower Than Expected Recovery of Demand leads to EUR 51.5m Inventory Write-Downs / The Company will not Return to Profitability within the Current Year

AIXTRON SE  / Key word(s): Profit Warning/Forecast

24.10.2012 00:46

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AIXTRON: Slower Than Expected Recovery of Demand leads to EUR 51.5m
Inventory Write-Downs
The Company will not Return to Profitability within the Current Year

Aachen, Germany, October 23, 2012 - AIXTRON SE (ISIN DE000A0WMPJ6), a
leading provider of deposition equipment to the global semiconductor
industry, wrote down EUR 51.5m of inventory due to a significantly slower
than expected recovery of demand for MOCVD equipment.

The devaluation followed a comprehensive review of Inventory held, which
concluded that despite the positive long-term outlook for the LED industry,
the existing stock held was inappropriately high in comparison to the
current subdued level of demand in the market.

These non-cash effects will lead to a negative operating result of ca. EUR
78m in Q3/2012 or ca. EUR 113m for the first nine months of 2012.

However for fiscal year 2012, AIXTRON expects sequentially stronger fourth
quarter revenues, albeit considerably less than previously expected. As a
result of the unexpected slower demand recovery, the Company will not
report a profit in fiscal year 2012.

AIXTRON anticipates for fiscal year 2012, that the Company will achieve
full year total revenues of ca. EUR 220m and principally because of the
previously described write-offs, the expected negative operating result
will be ca. EUR 125m.

For fiscal year 2013, Management expects an increase of demand for LED
manufacturing equipment driven by stronger projected demand in the LED
lighting market and expects to return to profitability during the year.

Details to AIXTRON's third quarter and first nine months 2012 financials
will be published as part of the AIXTRON Nine Months Group Financial Report
on October 24, 2012 before market opening in Germany.

Contact:
Guido Pickert
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications      
T: +49-241-8909-444   
F: +49-241-8909-445   
invest@aixtron.com   
 
For further information on AIXTRON (FSE: AIXA, ISIN DE000A0WMPJ6; NASDAQ:
AIXG, ISIN US0096061041) please consult our website at: www.aixtron.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements about the
business, financial condition, results of operations and earnings outlook
of AIXTRON within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as
'may', 'will', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'contemplate', 'intend', 'plan',
'believe', 'continue' and 'estimate', and variations of these words and
similar expressions, identify these forward-looking statements. The
forward-looking statements reflect our current views and assumptions and
are subject to risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance
on the forward-looking statements. The following factors, and others which
are discussed in AIXTRON's public filings and submissions with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, are among those that may cause actual
and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking
statements: actual customer orders received by AIXTRON; the extent to which
chemical vapor deposition, or CVD, technology is demanded by the market
place; the timing of final acceptance of products by customers; the
financial climate and accessibility of financing; general conditions in the
thin film equipment market and in the macro-economy; cancellations,
rescheduling or delays in product shipments; manufacturing capacity
constraints; lengthy sales and qualification cycles; difficulties in the
production process; changes in semiconductor industry growth; increased
competition; exchange rate fluctuations; availability of government
funding; variability and availability of interest rates; delays in
developing and commercializing new products; general economic conditions
being less favorable than expected; and other factors. The forward-looking
statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof
and AIXTRON does not assume any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, unless required by law.

Contact:
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
AIXTRON SE, Kaiserstr. 98, 52134 Herzogenrath, Germany
Phone: +49 241 8909 444, Fax: +49 241 8909 445, invest@aixtron.com
www.aixtron.com


24.10.2012 DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
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Language:     English
Company:      AIXTRON SE
              Kaiserstr. 98
              52134 Herzogenrath
              Germany
Phone:        +49 (241) 8909-444
Fax:          +49 (241) 8909-445
E-mail:       invest@aixtron.com
Internet:     www.aixtron.com
ISIN:         DE000A0WMPJ6, US0096061041
WKN:          A0WMPJ
Indices:      TecDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart; Terminbörse EUREX
 
End of Announcement                             DGAP News-Service
 
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