Exhibit 99.1
     
1Q09 Earnings Release    
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
     
CONTACT:
  Investor Relations
 
  John Eldridge
 
  (206) 272-6571
 
  j.eldridge@f5.com
 
   
 
  Public Relations
 
  Alane Moran
 
  (206) 272-6850
a.moran@f5.com
F5 Networks Announces First Quarter 2009 Results
SEATTLE, WA—January 21, 2009—F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) today announced revenue of $165.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2009, down 3.3 percent from $171.3 million in the prior quarter and up 7.4 percent from $154.2 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
GAAP net income for the first quarter was $21.4 million ($0.27 per diluted share) compared to $19.7 million ($0.24 per diluted share) in the fourth quarter of 2008 and $17.8 million ($0.21 per diluted share) in the first quarter a year ago.
Excluding the impact of stock-based compensation, non-GAAP net income for the first quarter was $32.3 million ($0.40 per diluted share), compared to $33.4 million ($0.41 per diluted share) in the prior quarter and $28.8 million ($0.33 per diluted share) in the first quarter of fiscal 2008.
A reconciliation of GAAP net income to non-GAAP net income is included on the attached Consolidated Statements of Operations.
“As we announced on January 6th, the primary reason for the revenue shortfall was a sudden fall-off in North American sales during the last week of December,” said John McAdam, F5 president and chief executive officer. “Our current analysis indicates that most of these deals were pushed into our second or third quarter of 2009 due to budget constraints. However, several were postponed indefinitely as customers evaluate their expense budgets in light of the continued recession.”
McAdam said he was pleased that during the quarter the company continued to maintain solid margins, achieved its earnings targets, and generated strong cash flow.
During the first quarter, cash flow from operations was $57.9 million. After repurchasing $20 million of F5 common stock, the company ended the year with $487.4 million in cash and investments.
Given the likelihood of continued uncertainty and further slowing in the overall economy, McAdam said management has lowered its expectations for the current quarter. For the second quarter of fiscal 2009, ending March 31st, the company has set a revenue target of $157 million to $164 million and a

 


 

     
1Q09 Earnings Release    
GAAP earnings target of $0.19 to $0.21 per diluted share. Management expects to record a $4.5 to $5.5 million (pre-tax) restructuring charge in the second quarter related to a loss on facility exit, workforce reduction and accelerated depreciation on tenant improvements. Excluding this charge and stock-based compensation expense, the company’s non-GAAP earnings target is $0.36 to $0.38 per diluted share. Both the GAAP and non-GAAP earnings targets for the second quarter reflect the anticipated return to a normalized effective tax rate, which was lower in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 due to the retroactive extension of the federal R&D tax credit. A reconciliation of the company’s expected GAAP and non-GAAP earnings is provided in the following table:
                 
    Three months ended  
    March 31, 2009  
Reconciliation of Expected Non-GAAP Second Quarter Earnings   Low     High  
 
Net income
  $ 15.2     $ 16.8  
Stock-based compensation expense, net of tax
    10.2       10.2  
Restructuring charge and accelerated depreciation on leasehold improvements, net of tax (mid range of estimate)
    3.2       3.2  
 
           
Non-GAAP net income
  $ 28.6     $ 30.2  
 
           
 
               
Net income per share — diluted
  $ 0.19     $ 0.21  
 
           
Non-GAAP net income per share — diluted
  $ 0.36     $ 0.38  
 
           
About F5 Networks
F5 Networks is the global leader in Application Delivery Networking. F5 provides solutions that make applications secure, fast, and available for everyone. By adding intelligence and manageability into the network to offload applications and optimize the data storage layer, F5 extends the power of intelligent networking to all levels of application delivery. F5’s extensible architecture optimizes applications, delivers application reliability and protects the application and network. Enterprise organizations, service providers and Web 2.0 content providers worldwide trust F5 to keep their applications running. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington with offices worldwide. For more information, go to www.f5.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release concerning the continuing strength of F5’s business, sequential growth, the target revenue and earnings range, share amount and share price assumptions, demand for application delivery networking and storage virtualization products and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions and other factors that, if they do not fully materialize or prove correct, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: customer acceptance of our new traffic management, security, application delivery, WAN optimization and

 


 

     
1Q09 Earnings Release    
storage virtualization offerings; the timely development, introduction and acceptance of additional new products and features by F5 or its competitors; competitive pricing pressures; increased sales discounts; uncertain global economic conditions which may result in reduced customer demand for our products and services and changes in customer payment patterns; F5’s ability to sustain, develop and effectively utilize distribution relationships; F5’s ability to attract, train and retain qualified product development, marketing, sales, professional services and customer support personnel; F5’s ability to expand in international markets; the unpredictability of F5’s sales cycle; the share repurchase program; future prices of F5’s common stock; and other risks and uncertainties described more fully in our documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available as of the date hereof and qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. F5 assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements.
GAAP to non-GAAP Reconciliation
F5’s management evaluates and makes operating decisions using various operating measures. These measures are generally based on the revenues of its products, services operations and certain costs of those operations, such as cost of revenues, research and development, sales and marketing and general and administrative expenses. One such measure is net income excluding stock-based compensation, which is a non-GAAP financial measure under Section 101 of Regulation G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This measure consists of GAAP net income excluding, as applicable, stock-based compensation. Net income excluding stock-based compensation (non-GAAP) is adjusted by the amount of additional taxes or tax benefit that the company would accrue if it used non-GAAP results instead of GAAP results to calculate the company’s tax liability. Stock-based compensation is a non-cash expense that F5 has accounted for since July 1, 2005 in accordance with the fair value recognition provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payment.”
Management believes that net income excluding stock-based compensation (non-GAAP) provides useful supplemental information to management and investors regarding the performance of the company’s business operations and facilitates comparisons to the company’s historical operating results. Although F5’s management finds this non-GAAP measure to be useful in evaluating the performance of the business, management’s reliance on this measure is limited because items excluded from such measures could have a material effect on F5’s earnings and earnings per share calculated in accordance with GAAP. Therefore, F5’s management will use its non-GAAP earnings and earnings per share measures, in conjunction with GAAP earnings and earnings per share measures, to address these limitations when evaluating the performance of the company’s business. Investors

 


 

     
1Q09 Earnings Release    
should consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, and not as a substitute for, financial performance measures in accordance with GAAP.
The reconciliation of the company’s expected GAAP and non-GAAP second quarter earnings also excludes a restructuring charge related to a loss on facility exit, workforce reduction and accelerated depreciation on tenant improvements. This restructuring charge will be incurred during the quarter ending March 31, 2009 in connection with a reduction in the company’s workforce and the consolidation of certain of the company’s office space.
F5 believes that presenting its non-GAAP measure of earnings and earnings per share provides investors with an additional tool for evaluating the performance of the company’s business, which management uses in its own evaluation of the company’s performance. Investors are encouraged to look at GAAP results as the best measure of financial performance. For example, stock-based compensation is an obligation of the Company that should be considered and each line item is important to financial performance generally. However, while the GAAP results are more complete, the company provides investors this supplemental measure since, with reconciliation to GAAP, it may provide additional insight into its operational performance and financial results.
# # # #

 


 

F5 Networks, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited, in thousands)
                 
    December 31,     September 30,  
    2008     2008  
 
               
Assets
               
Current assets
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 122,307     $ 78,303  
Short-term investments
    156,180       111,883  
Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $6,062 and $4,348
    100,472       97,057  
Inventories
    15,562       10,148  
Deferred tax assets
    5,843       5,910  
Other current assets
    22,835       20,068  
 
           
Total current assets
    423,199       323,369  
 
           
 
               
Restricted cash, long-term
    2,713       2,748  
Property and equipment, net
    46,596       47,557  
Long-term investments
    208,950       261,086  
Deferred tax assets
    43,373       46,917  
Goodwill
    231,892       231,892  
Other assets, net
    29,695       25,654  
 
           
Total assets
  $ 986,418     $ 939,223  
 
           
 
               
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
               
Current liabilities
               
Accounts payable
  $ 24,095     $ 13,092  
Accrued liabilities
    51,765       48,051  
Deferred revenue
    132,315       125,678  
 
           
Total current liabilities
    208,175       186,821  
 
           
 
               
Other long-term liabilities
    14,010       14,822  
Deferred revenue, long-term
    23,624       19,321  
 
           
Total long-term liabilities
    37,634       34,143  
 
           
 
               
Commitments and contingencies
               
 
               
Shareholders’ equity
               
Preferred stock, no par value; 10,000 shares authorized, no shares outstanding
           
Common stock, no par value; 200,000 shares authorized 79,011 and 79,094 shares issued and outstanding
    475,352       477,299  
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
    (3,202 )     (6,076 )
Retained earnings
    268,459       247,036  
 
           
Total shareholders’ equity
    740,609       718,259  
 
           
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 986,418     $ 939,223  
 
           

 


 

F5 Networks, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(unaudited, in thousands, except per share amounts)
                         
    Three months ended     Three months ended     Three months ended  
    December 31,     September 30,     December 31,  
    2008     2008     2007  
 
                       
Net revenues
                       
Products
  $ 107,895     $ 115,790     $ 110,205  
Services
    57,674       55,473       43,979  
 
                 
Total
    165,569       171,263       154,184  
 
                       
Cost of net revenues (1)
                       
Products
    23,923       26,584       24,689  
Services
    12,100       12,329       10,550  
 
                 
Total
    36,023       38,913       35,239  
 
                 
Gross Profit
    129,546       132,350       118,945  
 
                       
Operating expenses (1)
                       
Sales and marketing
    59,438       60,461       58,178  
Research and development
    27,102       26,367       24,332  
General and administrative
    15,805       14,632       13,426  
Loss on facility exit and sublease
          5,271        
 
                 
Total
    102,345       106,731       95,936  
 
                 
 
                       
Income from operations
    27,201       25,619       23,009  
Other income, net
    2,879       3,513       6,132  
 
                 
Income before income taxes
    30,080       29,132       29,141  
Provision for income taxes (1)
    8,657       9,431       11,390  
 
                 
Net Income
  $ 21,423     $ 19,701     $ 17,751  
 
                 
 
                       
Net income per share — basic
  $ 0.27     $ 0.25     $ 0.21  
 
                 
Weighted average shares — basic
    79,337       79,754       84,854  
 
                 
 
                       
Net income per share — diluted
  $ 0.27     $ 0.24     $ 0.21  
 
                 
Weighted average shares — diluted
    80,003       80,785       86,141  
 
                 
 
                       
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
                       
 
                       
Net income as reported
  $ 21,423     $ 19,701     $ 17,751  
Stock-based compensation expense, net of tax (3)
    10,907       10,328       11,075  
Loss on facility exit and sublease, net of tax (2)
          3,321        
 
                 
Net income excluding stock-based compensation and loss on facility exit and sublease (Non-GAAP)
  $ 32,330     $ 33,350     $ 28,826  
 
                 
 
                       
Net income per share excluding stock-based compensation and loss on facility exit and sublease (Non-GAAP) — diluted
  $ 0.40     $ 0.41     $ 0.33  
 
                 
 
                       
Weighted average shares — diluted
    80,003       80,785       86,141  
 
                 
 
                       
(1)    Includes stock-based compensation as follows:
                       
Cost of net revenues
  $ 1,219     $ 1,175     $ 1,054  
Sales and marketing
    5,967       5,623       6,431  
Research and development
    4,286       4,106       3,986  
General and administrative
    3,441       3,858       3,865  
Tax effect of stock based compensation
    (4,006 )     (4,434 )     (4,261 )
 
                 
 
  $ 10,907     $ 10,328     $ 11,075  
 
                 
 
                       
(2)    Includes loss on facility exit and sublease as follows:
                       
Loss on facility exit and sublease
        $ 5,271        
Tax effect of loss on facility exit and sublease
          (1,950 )      
 
                 
 
        $ 3,321        
 
                 
 
(3)   Stock-based compensation is accounted for in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 123(R), “Share-Based Payments” using the attribution method for recognizing compensation expense.

 


 

F5 Networks, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited, in thousands)
                 
    Three months ended  
    December 31,  
    2008     2007  
 
               
Operating activities
               
Net income
  $ 21,423     $ 17,751  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities
               
Realized gain on sale of investments
    (2 )     (15 )
Stock-based compensation
    14,913       15,336  
Provision for doubtful accounts and sale returns
    2,976       676  
Depreciation and amortization
    6,476       5,490  
Deferred income taxes
    1,903       206  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
               
Accounts receivable
    (6,391 )     (7,666 )
Inventories
    (5,414 )     483  
Other current assets
    (2,810 )     1,123  
Other assets
    (154 )     (898 )
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
    14,058       (128 )
Deferred revenue
    10,940       9,636  
 
           
Net cash provided by operating activities
    57,918       41,994  
 
           
 
               
Investing activities
               
Investment in restricted cash
    26       76  
Purchase of investments
    (83,199 )     (201,857 )
Sale of investments
    90,256       174,589  
Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired
          (990 )
Purchase of property and equipment
    (3,888 )     (4,875 )
 
           
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
    3,195       (33,057 )
 
           
 
               
Financing activities
               
Tax benefit from nonqualified stock options
    (2,300 )     923  
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and warrants
    5,440       5,918  
Stock Repurchase Program
    (20,000 )      
 
           
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
    (16,860 )     6,841  
 
           
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
    44,253       15,778  
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
    (249 )     (550 )
Cash and cash equivalents, at beginning of period
    78,303       54,296  
 
           
Cash and cash equivalents, at end of period
  $ 122,307     $ 69,524