EXHIBIT 99.1

 

Contact:

 

Karen L. Dexter

   

Director, Investor Relations

   

Ampex Corporation

   

(650) 367-4111

 

AMPEX CORPORATION REPORTS

SECOND QUARTER 2004 FINANCIAL RESULTS

 

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., August 12, 2004 - Ampex Corporation (OTC BB:AEXCA.OB) reported a net loss of $3.9 million or $1.06 per diluted share on revenues of $8.9 million for the second quarter of 2004. In the second quarter of 2003, the Company reported net income of $2.3 million or $0.57 per diluted share1 on revenues of $13.9 million.

 

Licensing revenue was $1.4 million in the second quarter of 2004, down from $5.6 million in the second quarter of 2003, reflecting the absence of one-time royalty settlements in the current period. In June 2003, the Company concluded new license agreements with two manufacturers of digital camcorders that provide for running rate royalties calculated as a percentage of the sale price of products sold in future periods. At that date, the Company also received one-time payments of $5.4 million in settlement of royalties due on products sold in periods prior to the commencement of the licenses. The Company recently entered into its first license for the use of Ampex patents in DVD recorders with a large Japanese manufacturer of consumer electronic products which expects to begin production of DVD recorders later this year. It is anticipated that this agreement will begin to positively affect licensing revenue beginning in the second half of 2004.

 

During the second quarter of 2004, the Company incurred litigation costs of $1.9 million related to lawsuits that it initiated with the International Trade Commission and in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. and Sony Corporation for their unauthorized use of Ampex patents in digital still cameras and cellular phones equipped with digital image storage and retrieval capabilities. If granted, an ITC exclusion order would prohibit the importation and sale of such products in the United States throughout the duration of the life of the patents, and the U.S. District Court would determine monetary damages. Due to favorable progress subsequently achieved in negotiations with Sanyo Electric, Ampex has recently withdrawn the ITC complaint against Sanyo. Upon execution of a license agreement, Ampex will seek dismissal of the parallel lawsuit in the U.S. District Court. However, the Company may seek to enforce its patents by instituting additional litigation against other manufacturers of digital still cameras, digital video camcorders, DVD recorders and other products where it is believed Ampex technology is being used, if licensing agreements cannot be concluded on satisfactory terms. As a result of such increased costs, the corporate licensing segment contributed an operating loss of $0.7 million or $0.19 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2004 compared to an operating profit of $5.2 million or $1.64 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2003.

 

Product sales and service revenues from the Company’s Data Systems’ subsidiary totaled $7.5 million for the second quarter of 2004 compared to $8.3 million in the second quarter of 2003. The difference in sales is primarily attributed to items manufactured for and subsequently paid by


a customer that will not be recognized as revenue until later in 2004 when the product is shipped to the customer’s designated location. Data Systems’ operating income in the second quarter of 2004 amounted to $0.8 million or $0.23 per diluted share compared to $1.6 million or $0.49 per diluted share in the second quarter of 2003.

 

In the three months ended June 30, 2004, the Company recognized its pro-rata share of income totaling $0.3 million or $0.09 per diluted share from an investment partnership as well as $0.2 million or $0.06 per diluted share in fees earned on profits realized by other institutional investors. Interest expense and other financing costs, net, accounted for $0.57 loss per diluted share in the second quarter of 2004 compared to $0.72 loss per diluted share in the second quarter of 2003.

 

Ampex Corporation, www.Ampex.com, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is one of the world’s leading innovators and licensors of technologies for the visual information age.

 

This news release contains predictions, projections and other statements about the future that are intended to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of l995 (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements relate to various aspects of the Company’s operations and strategies, including but not limited to the effects of having experienced significant losses in the past and the risk that the Company may incur losses in the future; the Company’s limited liquidity and significant interest expense; its sales and royalty forecasts for future periods not being attained, and the risk that the Company will not conclude additional royalty-bearing license agreements covering its digital technologies; the Company’s marketing, product development, acquisition, investment, licensing and other strategies not being successful; possible future issuances of debt or equity securities; the possible incurrence of significant patent litigation expenses; new business development and industry trends; the possible need to raise additional capital in order to meet the Company’s obligations; reliance on a former affiliate to make pension contributions; and most other statements that are not historical in nature. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are described in cautionary statements included in this news release and/or in the Company’s 2003 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2004 filed with the SEC and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2004, expected to be filed with the SEC shortly. In assessing forward-looking statements, readers are urged to consider carefully these cautionary statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims any obligations to update such statements.

 

1 Restated to comply with EITF 03-6.


AMPEX CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

     For the Three Months Ended
June 30,


    For the Six Months Ended
June 30,


 
     2004

    2003

    2004

    2003

 
     (unaudited)  

Licensing revenue

   $ 1,441     $ 5,572     $ 3,102     $ 5,958  

Product revenue

     5,367       5,927       11,377       11,583  

Service revenue

     2,105       2,396       4,323       4,984  
    


 


 


 


Total revenue

     8,913       13,895       18,802       22,525  
    


 


 


 


Intellectual property costs

     2,139       346       2,942       591  

Cost of product sales and service

     4,497       4,276       8,540       8,492  

Research, development and engineering

     942       945       1,831       1,630  

Selling and administrative

     3,053       3,165       5,834       6,247  
    


 


 


 


Total costs and operating expenses

     10,631       8,732       19,147       16,960  
    


 


 


 


Operating income (loss)

     (1,718 )     5,163       (345 )     5,565  

Interest expense

     2,419       2,280       4,778       4,501  

Amortization of debt financing costs

     14       14       28       28  

Interest income

     (33 )     (16 )     (58 )     (29 )

Other (income) expense, net

     (2 )     23       4       33  
    


 


 


 


Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in net gain of limited partnership

     (4,116 )     2,862       (5,097 )     1,032  

Provision for income taxes

     81       573       248       675  

Equity in net gain of limited partnership

     (338 )     —         (1,558 )     —    
    


 


 


 


Net income (loss)

     (3,859 )     2,289       (3,787 )     357  

Benefit from extinguishment of mandatorily redeemable preferred stock

     —         1,031       —         2,067  
    


 


 


 


Net income (loss) applicable to common stockholders

     (3,859 )     3,320       (3,787 )     2,424  

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

                                

Foreign currency translation adjustments

     46       3       44       13  
    


 


 


 


Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (3,813 )   $ 3,323     $ (3,743 )   $ 2,437  
    


 


 


 


Basic and diluted income (loss) per share :

                                

Income (loss) per share

   $ (1.06 )   $ 0.57     $ (1.03 )   $ 0.00  

Income (loss) per share applicable to common stockholders

   $ (1.06 )   $ 0.89     $ (1.03 )   $ 0.46  
    


 


 


 


Weighted average number of basic common shares outstanding

     3,642,517       3,195,127       3,680,099       3,182,986  
    


 


 


 



AMPEX CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

    

June 30,

2004


    December 31,
2003


 
     (unaudited)        

ASSETS

                

Current assets:

                

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 6,907     $ 14,023  

Short-term investments

     7,487       —    

Accounts receivable (net of allowances of $116 in 2004 and $137 in 2003)

     3,645       4,513  

Inventories

     6,594       6,343  

Other current assets

     2,396       4,366  
    


 


Total current assets

     27,029       29,245  

Property, plant and equipment

     4,500       4,825  

Other assets

     956       1,127  
    


 


Total assets

   $ 32,485     $ 35,197  
    


 


LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT

                

Current liabilities:

                

Notes payable

   $ 137     $ 146  

Accounts payable

     2,750       1,511  

Net liabilities of discontinued operations

     1,102       1,076  

Accrued restructuring costs

     1,300       1,300  

Other accrued liabilities

     16,866       23,956  
    


 


Total current liabilities

     22,155       27,989  

Long-term debt

     79,641       74,022  

Other liabilities

     65,253       63,802  

Accrued restructuring costs

     2,785       3,450  

Net liabilities of discontinued operations

     1,661       2,071  
    


 


Total liabilities

     171,495       171,334  
    


 


Commitments and contingencies

                

Mandatorily redeemable nonconvertible preferred stock, $1,000 liquidation value:

Authorized: 69,970 shares in 2004 and in 2003

Issued and outstanding - none in 2004 and in 2003

     —         —    

Mandatorily redeemable preferred stock, $2,000 liquidation value:

Authorized: 21,859 shares in 2004 and in 2003

Issued and outstanding - none in 2004 and in 2003

     —         —    

Convertible preferred stock, $2,000 liquidation value:

Authorized: 10,000 shares in 2004 and in 2003

Issued and outstanding - none in 2004 and in 2003

     —         —    

Stockholders’ deficit:

                

Preferred stock, $1.00 par value:

Authorized: 898,171 shares in 2004 and in 2003

Issued and outstanding - none in 2004 and in 2003

     —         —    

Common stock, $.01 par value:

                

Class A:

Authorized: 175,000,000 shares in 2004 and in 2003

Issued and outstanding - 3,642,517 shares in 2004; 3,728,017 in 2003

     36       37  

Class C:

Authorized: 50,000,000 shares in 2004 and in 2003

Issued and outstanding - none in 2004 and in 2003

     —         —    

Other additional capital

     454,408       454,394  

Accumulated deficit

     (522,365 )     (518,578 )

Accumulated other comprehensive income

     (71,089 )     (71,990 )
    


 


Total stockholders’ deficit

     (139,010 )     (136,137 )
    


 


Total liabilities, redeemable preferred stock and stockholders’ deficit

   $ 32,485     $ 35,197