Airspan Networks Announces First Quarter 2008 Results

Financial Highlights

·  
$17.2 million in revenues for first quarter 2008 including $13.4 million of WiMAX
·  
WiMAX represents 78% of revenues
·  
Cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted cash amounted to $34.0 million at the end of the quarter
·  
Net cash use in the quarter $2.7 million
·  
Cost reduction plans initiated to streamline operating expenses by approximately 15% by the third quarter 2008

Business Highlights

·  
Fujitsu Partnership Award for Landmark Japan National Mobile WiMAX Project
·  
Twenty new customer wins since the start of 2008
·  
More than 90 WiMAX customers in the quarter
·  
Leadership in the 3.65 GHz US WiMAX Market
·  
Expanded Eastern Europe footprint: Comstar and Enforta

BOCA RATON, Fla. - May 7, 2008 - Airspan Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: AIRN), a leading provider of WiMAX based broadband wireless access networks, today announced results for the first quarter ending March 30, 2008. First quarter revenues decreased by 36% to $17.2 million, compared to $26.7 million in the first quarter of 2007, largely driven by the continuing decline in non-WiMAX business. The first quarter gross margin was 31%, the same level as in the comparable quarter last year. Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $10.1 million or $0.17 per share for the first quarter of 2008, compared with $5.1 million or $0.13 per share in the first quarter of 2007.

Key Figures
 
 
In $US thousands except for EPS
 
 
First Qtr
2008
 
 
First Qtr
2007
 
 
Fourth Qtr
2007
 
Total Revenue
17,159
26,660
23,767
 
WiMAX Revenue
13,356
14,680
19,331
 
Non-WiMAX Revenue
3,803
11,980
4,436
 
Gross profit
5,236
8,251
6,945
 
Operating Expenses
15,596
13,652
14,913
 
Net Loss before deemed dividend
(10,052)
(5,128)
(7,889)
 
Deemed dividend associated with preferred stock
NA
 
NA
(532)
 
Net loss attributable to common stockholders
(10,052)
 
(5,128)
(8,421)
 
Net loss per share (basic and diluted)
($0.17)
($0.13)
($0.14)
Weighted Average
Common Shares Outstanding (1)
58,599,702
40,528,097
58,294,901
(1)  
Excludes shares of common stock issuable on exercise of stock options and 21,630,856 shares of common stock issuable on conversion of the Company’s Series B preferred stock.
 
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“We continue to be optimistic about the WiMAX market and Airspan’s leading position despite a tough quarter” commented Eric Stonestrom, Airspan’s president and chief executive officer. “We are operating in a challenging environment where carriers are in a decision making process surrounding Mobile WiMAX. That said, WiMAX deployment in the developing world continues, where we recorded strong performance delivering equipment to fulfill the DSL experience for the underserved population. Our more challenging market was in Western Europe, as several operators delayed decisions.

One of the major highlights of the quarter was our recent selection for a national mobile project in Japan. We formalized a partnership for joint product development with Fujitsu, who announced earlier this year that they had been selected as a WiMAX supplier by KDDI in its UQ Communications project. This win validates our product relevance in a very sophisticated market and we believe this type of next generation WIMAX base station is exactly what carriers deploying national roll-outs will need. Benefits of the platform include what we believe are the lowest operational cost and smallest footprint in the industry.

We have ended the first quarter 2008 with a strong balance sheet and improved cash performance, with net cash used during the quarter at $2.7 million. Nevertheless, we are implementing a difficult but necessary cost and headcount reduction program to improve our results in the coming quarters, targeting 15% operating cost reduction by the end of the third quarter. We will continue to actively work to move the company towards operational profitability,” Mr. Stonestrom continued.

First Quarter Financial highlights
 
Total first quarter revenues decreased by 36% to $17.2 million compared to $26.7 million in the first quarter of 2007, largely driven by the continuing decline in non-WiMAX business. Gross margin was 31%. Total operating expenses for the first quarter of 2008 were $15.6 million, a 14% increase over the same period last year. This increase in operating expenses has resulted mainly from an increase in R&D spending as investment continues in mobile WiMAX technology and products, and an increase in sales and marketing, due, in part, to industry trade show expenses during the quarter.
 
The geographic breakdown of revenue for the quarter was as follows: 24% from Latin America and the Caribbean; 20% from Europe; 30% from Africa and the Middle East; 12% from Asia; and 14% from North America.

Cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments and restricted cash amounted to $34.0 million compared to 36.7 million at December 31, 2007, resulting in cash usage for the quarter of $2.7 million.

“We are committed to two primary objectives: Growing our revenues and, at the same time, reducing our costs to move the company towards profitability,” commented David Brant, Airspan’s chief financial officer.

Outlook

We continue to be cautiously optimistic for the year and believe the underserved market opportunities are large. In addition, we have intensified our focus on mobile network deployments with our strong product line up and expect that these new products will contribute revenues in the second half of 2008. We foresee revenues increasing in the second quarter 2008 to approximately $21 million.
 
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Conference Call
 
The Company has scheduled an investor conference call for 5 p.m. EST today. Please call the following dial-in number to participate in the call: US toll-free number is (888) 443-9987; the international access dial-in number is +1 (706) 634-0598. Please reference the Airspan Networks quarterly conference call, Conference ID 44220535. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours following the live session through June 6, 2008. The U.S. toll-free number for the replay is (800) 642-1687; international dial-in number for the replay is +1 (706) 645-9291. Please use access code 44220535.

Investors may also register for the audio webcast of the conference call under the ‘financial calendar’ tab of the Investor Relations section of the Airspan Web site at http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=48201.

About Airspan Networks Inc.
 
Airspan is the industry’s leading WiMAX pure player, ranked #1 for IEEE802.16-2004 WiMAX revenue in 2007 and has now been selected for some of the world’s largest mobile WiMAX deployments. With direct sales offices throughout Asia, EMEA and the Americas, a worldwide network of resellers and agents, and partnership alliances with major OEMs, Airspan boasts over 100 commercial WiMAX deployments worldwide. www.airspan.com.
 
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, financial position, future revenues, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. The words "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," "projects," "will," "would" and similar expressions or negative variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make. Investors and others are therefore cautioned that a variety of factors, including certain risks, may affect our business and cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for 2008. You should read those factors as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this press release. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

For Investor Relations and Media Inquiries, contact:

 
David Brant
Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Airspan Networks Inc.
Tel: +1 561 893-8650
Fax: +1 561 893-8681
 
Email: dbrant@airspan.com
Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane
Investor Relations
Email: clottomane@airspan.com
Tel. +561 395 4581
 

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Consolidated Statements of Operations
 
(in thousands except for share and per share data)
 
       
   
Three months and Year to
Date
 
   
March 30, 2008
 
April 1, 2007
 
   
(unaudited)
 
Revenue
 
$
17,159
 
$
26,660
 
Cost of revenue
   
(11,923
)
 
(18,409
)
               
Gross profit
   
5,236
   
8,251
 
               
Operating expenses:
             
Research and development
   
6,936
   
5,606
 
Sales and marketing
   
4,239
   
3,362
 
Bad debt provision
   
47
   
232
 
General and administrative
   
4,140
   
4,178
 
Amortization of intangibles
   
234
   
234
 
Restructuring
   
-
   
40
 
               
Total operating expenses
   
15,596
   
13,652
 
               
 
Loss from operations
   
(10,360
)
 
(5,401
)
               
Interest income, net
   
116
   
280
 
               
Other income, net
   
242
   
32
 
                 
Loss before income taxes
   
(10,002
)
 
(5,089
)
               
Income tax provision
   
(50
)
 
(39
)
                 
Net loss
 
$
(10,052
)
$
(5,128
)
               
Net loss per share - basic and diluted
 
$
(0.17
)
$
(0.13
)
               
Weighted average shares outstanding- basic and diluted
   
58,599,702
   
40,528,097
 
               
 
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Airspan Networks Inc.
 
           
Consolidated Balance Sheets
 
(in thousands)
 
   
March 30, 2008
 
December 31, 2007
 
   
Unaudited
 
Audited
 
ASSETS
         
Current Assets
         
 
Cash and cash equivalents
 
$
30,789
 
$
30,815
 
Restricted cash
   
525
   
393
 
Short-term investments
   
2,663
   
5,504
 
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts
   
23,654
   
33,853
 
Inventory
   
16,055
   
16,720
 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
   
4,607
   
5,338
 
   Total Current Assets
   
78,293
   
92,623
 
               
Property, plant and equipment, net
   
5,722
   
5,895
 
Goodwill
   
10,231
   
10,231
 
Intangible assets, net
   
1,636
   
1,870
 
Other non-current assets
   
3,309
   
3,402
 
                 
 
   Total Assets
 
$
99,191
 
$
114,021
 
               
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
     
Current Liabilities
             
 
Accounts payable
 
$
9,008
 
$
11,938
 
Deferred revenue
   
3,072
   
5,125
 
Customer advances
   
1,504
   
892
 
Other accrued expenses
   
11,796
   
13,063
 
Short-term debt
   
7,500
   
7,500
 
Total Current Liabilities
   
32,880
   
38,518
 
               
Non Current Liabilities
             
Long-term debt
   
1,787
   
1,787
 
Accrued interest on long term debt
   
229
   
191
 
Total Liabilities
   
34,896
   
40,496
 
               
Stockholders’ Equity
             
Common stock
   
17
   
17
 
Note receivable - stockholder
   
(87
)
 
(87
)
Additional paid in capital
   
350,540
   
349,718
 
Accumulated deficit
   
(286,175
)
 
(276,123
)
   Total Stockholders’ Equity
   
64,295
   
73,525
 
   Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
 
$
99,191
 
$
114,021
 

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