Novatel Wireless Reports First Quarter 2008 Results

SAN DIEGO, May 01, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq: NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008. Revenues for the first quarter of 2008 were $91.3 million compared to $109.8 million in the prior year period. Net income on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis was $4.4 million or $0.14 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $10.1 million or $0.34 per diluted share in the prior year period. GAAP net income includes $1.2 million in stock-based compensation expenses, net of income tax. Excluding these charges, non-GAAP net income was $5.6 million or $0.17 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $12.1 million or $0.40 per diluted share for the prior year period.

"The first three months of 2008 were challenging on the heels of a year where revenues grew 97% and we delivered non-GAAP diluted EPS of $1.43 to the bottom line," said Peter V. Leparulo, chairman and CEO, Novatel Wireless. "We believe that the overall market is experiencing considerable growth and we remain intensely focused on accelerating development of our next generation products, which we believe will position us with the best-in-class, highest performing products with the most differentiated features in the market. By focusing on what we do best - bringing innovative broadband internet access products to market well ahead of our competitors - we believe we can quickly regain our leadership position."

"Further, we remain confident in our market opportunity, despite macro-economic peaks and valleys, because the products we deliver enhance productivity and make information access ubiquitous and affordable," Leparulo continued. "We also remain enthusiastic that our continued business development execution will lead to channel expansion and drive additional growth opportunities beyond our core product lines."

Second Quarter 2008 Outlook

The following statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Please see the section titled, "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" at the end of this press release for a description of risks. Please see the Company's quarterly and annual reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a more detailed description of risk factors.

The following table summarizes the Company's financial guidance for the second quarter of 2008, which is based on the Company's current business outlook as of the date of this press release. Non-GAAP earnings per diluted share are based on a projected tax rate of 39% and exclude FAS 123R share-based compensation expenses.

                                                            Second
                                                            Quarter
                                                              2008
                                                         -------------
Revenue (in millions)                                    $85-90

GAAP Earnings Per Share, Diluted                         $0.10 - $0.13

Adjustment:
  Share-based compensation expense, net of income taxes  $0.03
                                                         -------------
Non-GAAP Earnings Per Share, Diluted                     $0.13 - $0.16
                                                         =============

Conference Call Information

Novatel Wireless will host a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its preliminary first quarter results today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time). For parties in the United States and Canada, call (800) 257-7087 to access the conference call. International parties can access the call at (303) 228-2961. A live webcast of the conference call, which will include forward-looking information, will also be accessible from the "Investor Relations" section of the company's website at www.novatelwireless.com. Following the webcast, an archived version will be available on the website for 15 days. A telephonic replay of the conference call will also be available two hours after the call and will run for two days. To hear the replay, parties in the United States and Canada should call (800) 405-2236 and enter passcode 11113334. International parties can access the replay at 303-590-3000 and should enter passcode 11113334.

About Novatel Wireless

Novatel Wireless, Inc. is revolutionizing wireless communications. The Company is a leader in the design and development of innovative wireless broadband access solutions based on 3G WCDMA (HSDPA & UMTS), CDMA and GSM technologies. Novatel Wireless' Merlin(TM) PC Cards and ExpressCards, Expedite(R) Embedded Modules, MobiLink(TM) Communications Software Suite, Ovation(TM) Fixed Mobile Convergence Products and Conversa(TM) Software Suite enable high-speed wireless Internet access. The company delivers innovative 3G solutions to operators, distributors and vertical markets worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novatel Wireless is listed on NASDAQ: NVTL. For more information please visit www.novatelwireless.com. (NVTLG)

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information presented in this release constitutes forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and often contain words such as "may," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "project," "will" and similar words and phrases indicating future results. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company therefore cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Novatel Wireless' expectations are set forth as risk factors in the Company's SEC reports and filings and include, without limitation, (1) the future demand for wireless broadband access to data, (2) the future growth of wireless wide-area networking, (3) changes in commercially adopted wireless transmission standards and technologies, (4) continued acceptance of the Company's current products and market demand for the Company's anticipated new product offerings in 2008, (5) increased competition and pricing pressure from current or new wireless market participants, (6) dependence on third party manufacturers in Asia and key component suppliers worldwide, (7) unexpected liabilities or expenses, (8) the Company's ability to introduce new products in a timely manner, (9) litigation, regulatory and IP developments related to our products or component parts of our products, (10) dependence on a small number of customers, (11) the effect of changes in accounting standards and in aspects of our critical accounting policies and (12) the Company's plans and expectations relating to strategic relationships, international expansion, software and hardware developments, personnel matters and cost containment initiatives.

These factors, as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports and filings (available at www.sec.gov), could cause actual results to differ materially. Novatel Wireless assumes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available or other events occur in the future, except as otherwise required pursuant to applicable law and our on-going reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures; GAAP EPS

Novatel Wireless has provided in this release financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share exclude share-based compensation expenses, net of income taxes. Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share assume a tax rate which management believes reflects its long-term effective tax rate. Novatel Wireless uses these non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its financial results and making operating decisions and believes they are useful to investors, as a supplement to GAAP measures, in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing its financial measures with other companies in Novatel Wireless' industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors.

Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share are supplemental measures of our performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures are not intended to be used in isolation and, moreover, they should not be considered as a substitute for net income and diluted earnings per share or any other performance measure determined in accordance with GAAP. We present non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share because we consider each to be an important supplemental measure of our performance.

Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to make operational decisions, evaluate the Company's performance, prepare forecasts and determine compensation. Further, management believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing the Company's performance when planning, forecasting and analyzing future periods. The share-based compensation expenses are expected to vary depending on the number of new grants issued to both current and new employees, and changes in the Company's stock price, stock market volatility, expected option life and risk-free interest rates, all of which are difficult to estimate. In calculating non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share, management excludes share-based compensation expenses to facilitate its review of the comparability of the Company's operating performance on a period-to-period basis because such expenses are not, in management's review, related to the Company's ongoing operating performance. Management uses this view of its operating performance for purposes of comparison with its business plan and individual operating budgets and allocation of resources.

We further believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in providing greater transparency to the information used by management in its operational decision making. We believe that the use of non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share also facilitates a comparison of Novatel Wireless's underlying operating performance with that of other companies in our industry, which use similar non-GAAP financial measures to supplement their GAAP results.

Calculating non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share have limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider these measures in isolation or as substitutes for GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share. In the future, we expect to continue to incur expenses similar to the non-GAAP adjustments described above, and exclusion of these items in the presentation of our non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed as an inference that these costs are unusual, infrequent or non-recurring. Investors and potential investors are cautioned that there are material limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures as an analytical tool. Some of the limitations in relying on non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share are:

-- Other companies, including other companies in our industry, may calculate non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as a comparative tool.

-- The Company's income tax expense will be ultimately based on its GAAP taxable income and actual tax rates in effect, which may differ significantly from the effective tax rate used in our non-GAAP financial measures.

In addition, the adjustments to our GAAP financial measures reflect the exclusion of share-based compensation expenses that are recurring and will be reflected in the Company's financial results for the foreseeable future. The Company compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amount excluded from the non-GAAP financial measures. The Company further compensates for the limitations of our use of non-GAAP financial measures by presenting comparable GAAP measures more prominently. The Company evaluates the non-GAAP financial measures together with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Investors and potential investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures contained within this press release with our GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share. For more information, see the consolidated statements of income and the "Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income to Non-GAAP Net Income" contained in this press release.

(C)2008 Novatel Wireless. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless logo, Merlin, Expedite, MobiLink, Ovation and Conversa are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

                        NOVATEL WIRELESS, INC.
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                (in thousands, except per share data)
                             (unaudited)

                                                  Three Months Ended
                                                 ---------------------
                                                       March 31,
                                                 ---------------------
                                                    2008       2007
                                                 ---------- ----------

Revenue                                          $   91,331 $  109,848
Cost of revenue                                      66,008     75,854
                                                 ---------- ----------
  Gross margin                                       25,323     33,994
                                                 ---------- ----------

Operating costs and expenses:
  Research and development                            9,185      8,983
  Sales and marketing                                 5,426      5,359
  General and administrative                          4,502      4,387
                                                 ---------- ----------
   Total operating costs and expenses                19,113     18,729
                                                 ---------- ----------

Operating income (loss)                               6,210     15,265

Other income (expense):
  Interest income and expense, net                    1,430      1,029
  Other income (expense), net                           546        201
                                                 ---------- ----------

Income (loss) before income taxes                     8,186     16,495

Provision (benefit) for income taxes                  3,745      6,389

                                                 ---------- ----------
Net income                                       $    4,441 $   10,106
                                                 ========== ==========

Per share data:

Net income per share:
    Basic                                        $     0.14 $     0.34
    Diluted                                      $     0.14 $     0.34


Weighted average shares used in computation of
  Net income per share:
    Basic                                            32,541     29,918
    Diluted                                          32,680     30,094

                        NOVATEL WIRELESS, INC.
                     CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                            (in thousands)
                             (unaudited)
                                                       As of
                                              March 31,   December 31,
                                                 2008         2007
                                             ------------ ------------
                   ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents                    $    99,116  $    84,600
Marketable securities                             41,672       68,412
Accounts receivable, net                          72,126       71,943
Inventories                                       31,155       25,876
Deferred tax assets, net                           8,905        8,717
Prepaid expenses and other                         3,709        4,461
                                             ------------ ------------
 Total current assets                            256,683      264,009

Property and equipment, net                       22,337       22,151

Marketable securities                              5,097            -

Intangible assets, net                             1,418        1,535

Deferred tax assets, net                           8,247        8,619

Other assets                                         352          315
                                             ------------ ------------
                                             $   294,134  $   296,629
                                             ============ ============
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:

Accounts payable                             $    38,354  $    38,547
Accrued expenses                                  20,630       24,475
Accrued income taxes                               1,643          296
                                             ------------ ------------
 Total current liabilities                        60,627       63,318

Capital lease obligations, long-term                 339          362
Other long-term liabilities                       15,951       15,204
                                             ------------ ------------

 Total liabilities                                76,917       78,884
                                             ------------ ------------

Stockholders' equity:

Common stock                                          33           33
Additional paid-in capital                       402,770      400,786
Accumulated other comprehensive loss                 112           65
Accumulated deficit                             (178,698)    (183,139)
                                             ------------ ------------
                                                 224,217      217,745
Less cost of common stock in treasury             (7,000)           -
                                             ------------ ------------
 Total stockholders' equity                      217,217      217,745
                                             ------------ ------------

                                             $   294,134  $   296,629
                                             ============ ============

SOURCE: Novatel Wireless, Inc.

Novatel Wireless, Inc.
Julie Cunningham
Vice President, IR & Communications
858-431-3711
[email protected]
or
The Blueshirt Group
Mike Bishop
415-217-4968
[email protected]

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