AEHR Aehr Test Systems

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

California		94-2424084
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)		(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)

 

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

	February 29,	May 31,
	2020	2019
		(1)
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$5,058	$5,428
Accounts receivable, net	3,511	4,859
Inventories	9,330	9,061
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	586	686
Total current assets	18,485	20,034
Property and equipment, net	783	1,045
Operating lease right-of-use assets	2,260	--
Other assets	160	228
Total assets	$21,688	$21,307
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	$925	$1,933
Accrued expenses	1,373	2,034
Operating lease liabilities, short-term	644	--
Customer deposits and deferred revenue, short-term	385	1,545
Total current liabilities	3,327	5,512
Operating lease liabilities, long-term	1,772	--
Deferred rent	--	153
Deferred revenue, long-term	34	189
Total liabilities	5,133	5,854
Aehr Test Systems shareholders' equity:
Common stock, $0.01 par value:     Authorized: 75,000 shares;     Issued and outstanding: 23,015 shares and 22,669 shares at February 29, 2020 and May 31, 2019, respectively	230	227
Additional paid-in capital	85,530	84,499
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,216	2,230
Accumulated deficit	(71,401)	(71,484)
Total Aehr Test Systems shareholders' equity	16,575	15,472
Noncontrolling interest	(20)	(19)
Total shareholders' equity	16,555	15,453
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$21,688	$21,307

 

(1)

The condensed consolidated balance sheet at May 31, 2019 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these

condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

4

 

 

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Net sales	$6,111	$3,163	$18,518	$13,814
Cost of sales	3,120	2,891	10,054	9,591
Gross profit	2,991	272	8,464	4,223
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative	1,891	1,850	5,856	5,706
Research and development	845	931	2,532	3,033
Restructuring	--	607	--	607
Total operating expenses	2,736	3,388	8,388	9,346
Income (loss) from operations	255	(3,116)	76	(5,123)
Interest income (expense), net	13	(76)	27	(228)
Other (expense) income, net	(9)	(11)	6	27
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit	259	(3,203)	109	(5,324)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(14)	2	(26)	(21)
Net income (loss)	245	(3,201)	83	(5,345)
Less: Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest	--	--	--	--
Net income (loss) attributable to Aehr Test Systems common shareholders	$245	$(3,201)	$83	$(5,345)
Net income (loss) per share
Basic	$0.01	$(0.14)	$0.00	$(0.24)
Diluted	$0.01	$(0.14)	$0.00	$(0.24)
Shares used in per share calculations:
Basic	22,937	22,459	22,823	22,314
Diluted	23,130	22,459	22,940	22,314

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these

condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

5

 

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(in thousands, unaudited)

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Net income (loss)	$245	$(3,201)	$83	$(5,345)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:     Net change in cumulative translation adjustments	5	10	(15)	(39)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	250	(3,191)	68	(5,384)
Less: Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	--	(1)	(1)	1
Comprehensive income (loss), attributable to Aehr Test Systems	$250	$(3,190)	$69	$(5,385)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these

condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

6

 

  AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

						Total Aehr
				Accumulated		Test
			Additional	Other		Systems		Total
	Common Stock		Paid-in	Comprehensive	Accumulated	Shareholders’	Noncontrolling	Shareholders'
Three Months Ended February 29, 2020	Shares	Amount	Capital	Income	Deficit	Equity	Interest	Equity
Balances, November 30, 2019	22,914	$229	$85,194	$2,211	$(71,646)	$15,988	$(20)	$15,968
Issuance of common stock under employee plans	101	1	129	--	--	130	--	130
Stock-based compensation	--	--	207	--	--	207	--	207
Net income	--	--	--	--	245	245	--	245
Foreign currency translation adjustment	--	--	--	5	--	5	--	5
Balances, February 29, 2020	23,015	$230	$85,530	$2,216	$(71,401)	$16,575	$(20)	$16,555

 

						Total Aehr
				Accumulated		Test
			Additional	Other		Systems		Total
	Common Stock		Paid-in	Comprehensive	Accumulated	Shareholders’	Noncontrolling	Shareholders'
Nine Months Ended February 29, 2020	Shares	Amount	Capital	Income	Deficit	Equity	Interest	Equity
Balances, May 31, 2019	22,669	$227	$84,499	$2,230	$(71,484)	$15,472	$(19)	$15,453
Issuance of common stock under employee plans	346	3	420	--	--	423	--	423
Stock-based compensation	--	--	611	--	--	611	--	611
Net income	--	--	--	--	83	83	--	83
Foreign currency translation adjustment	--	--	--	(14)	--	(14)	(1)	(15)
Balances, February 29, 2020	23,015	$230	$85,530	$2,216	$(71,401)	$16,575	$(20)	$16,555

 

						Total Aehr
				Accumulated		Test
			Additional	Other		Systems		Total
	Common Stock		Paid-in	Comprehensive	Accumulated	Shareholders’	Noncontrolling	Shareholders'
Three Months Ended February 28, 2019	Shares	Amount	Capital	Income	Deficit	Equity	Interest	Equity
Balances, November 30, 2018	22,356	$224	$83,830	$2,241	$(68,393)	$17,902	$(18)	$17,884
Issuance of common stock under employee plans	206	2	121	--	--	123	--	123
Stock-based compensation	--	--	225	--	--	225	--	225
Net loss	--	--	--	--	(3,201)	(3,201)	--	(3,201)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	--	--	--	11	--	11	(1)	10
Balances, February 28, 2019	22,562	$226	$84,176	$2,252	$(71,594)	$15,060	$(19)	$15,041

 

						Total Aehr
				Accumulated		Test
			Additional	Other		Systems		Total
	Common Stock		Paid-in	Comprehensive	Accumulated	Shareholders’	Noncontrolling	Shareholders'
Nine Months Ended February 28, 2019	Shares	Amount	Capital	Income	Deficit	Equity	Interest	Equity
Balances, May 31, 2018	22,143	$221	$83,041	$2,292	$(66,249)	$19,305	$(20)	$19,285
Issuance of common stock under employee plans	419	5	430	--	--	435	--	435
Stock-based compensation	--	--	705	--	--	705	--	705
Net loss	--	--	--	--	(5,345)	(5,345)	--	(5,345)
Net unrealized loss on investments	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Foreign currency translation adjustment	--	--	--	(40)	--	(40)	1	(39)
Balances, February 28, 2019	22,562	$226	$84,176	$2,252	$(71,594)	$15,060	$(19)	$15,041

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these

condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

	Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$83	$(5,345)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:
Stock-based compensation expense	611	705
Recovery of doubtful accounts	--	(3)
Depreciation and amortization	298	333
Gain on disposal of fixed asset	(2)	--
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	1,360	871
Inventories	(157)	(121)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	170	(47)
Accounts payable	(1,033)	(1,132)
Accrued expenses	(674)	431
Customer deposits and deferred revenue	(1,315)	(582)
Deferred rent	--	88
Income taxes payable	19	9
Net cash used in operating activities	(640)	(4,793)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(151)	(124)
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment	2	--
Net cash used in investing activities	(149)	(124)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee plans, net of taxes paid related to share settlement of equity awards	423	435
Net cash provided by financing activities	423	435
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	(4)	(66)
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash	(370)	(4,548)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period	5,508	16,848
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period	$5,138	$12,300

 

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash flow information:
Transfers of property and equipment to inventories	$112	$20

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these

condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

8

 

AEHR TEST SYSTEMS

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(UNAUDITED)

 

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCCOUNTING POLICIES

 

    The accompanying financial information has been prepared by Aehr Test Systems, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations.

 

    In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods presented have been prepared on a basis consistent with the May 31, 2019 audited consolidated financial statements and reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated financial position and results of operations as of and for such periods indicated. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2019. Results for the interim periods presented herein are not necessarily indicative of results which may be reported for any other interim period or for the entire fiscal year.

 

    PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Aehr Test Systems and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company"). All significant intercompany balances have been eliminated in consolidation. For the Company’s majority owned subsidiary, Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K., the noncontrolling interest of the portion the Company does not own was reflected on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in Shareholders’ Equity and in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

 

    ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates are used to account for sales and revenue allowances, the allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory valuations, income taxes, stock-based compensation expenses, and product warranties, among others. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

 

    SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES. The Company’s significant accounting policies are disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2019. There have been no significant changes in the Company’s significant accounting policies during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020, except for the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Update No. 2016-02, Leases, as discussed in Note “2. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS.”

 

 

9

 

 

2. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

 

Accounting Standards Adopted

 

    Financial Instruments

    In January 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update related to the recognition and measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities. This standard changes accounting for equity investments and financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. In addition, this standard clarifies guidance related to the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. The Company adopted this new standard in fiscal year 2020. The adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

 

    Leases

    In February 2016, the FASB issued ASC Update No. 2016-02, Leases (FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases). The Company adopted the standard as of June 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach and the transition method provided by ASC Update No. 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements. Under this method, the Company applied the new leasing rules on the date of adoption and recognized the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard as an adjustment to its opening balance sheet, rather than at the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. Prior periods presented are in accordance with the previous lease guidance under FASB ASC Topic 840, Leases.

 

    In addition, the Company applied the package of practical expedients permitted under FASB ASC Topic 842 transition guidance to its entire lease portfolio at June 1, 2019. As a result, the Company was not required to reassess (i) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (ii) the classification of any expired or existing leases or (iii) the treatment of initial direct costs for any existing leases. Furthermore, the Company elected not to separate lease and non-lease components for the majority of its leases. Instead, for all applicable classes of underlying assets, the Company accounted for each separate lease component and the non-lease components associated with that lease component as a single lease component.

 

    As a result of adopting FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases, on June 1, 2019, the Company recognized right-of-use assets of $2.7 million and corresponding liabilities of $2.8 million for its existing operating lease portfolio on its unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet. Operating lease right-of-use assets are presented within Operating lease right-of-use assets and corresponding liabilities are presented within Operating lease liabilities, short-term and Operating lease liabilities, long-term on the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet. There was no material impact to the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations or unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows as a result of FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases. Please refer to Note “11. LEASES” for information regarding the Company’s lease portfolio as of February 29, 2020 as accounted for under FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases.

 

Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

 

    Financial Instruments

    In June 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update (“ASU”) that requires measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. Due to a subsequent ASU in November 2019, the accounting standard will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2024 on a modified retrospective basis, and early adoption in fiscal 2020 is permitted. The Company does not expect a material impact of this accounting standard on its consolidated financial statements.

 

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3. REVENUE

 

Revenue recognition

 

    The Company recognizes revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services by following a five-step process: (1) identify the contract with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price, and (5) recognize revenue when or as the Company satisfies a performance obligation, as further described below.

 

    Performance obligations include sales of systems, contactors, spare parts, and services, as well as installation and training services included in customer contracts.

 

    A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation. In determining the transaction price, the Company evaluates whether the price is subject to refund or adjustment to determine the net consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled. The Company generally does not grant return privileges, except for defective products during the warranty period.

 

    For contracts that contain multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price to the performance obligations on a relative standalone selling price basis. Standalone selling prices are based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, historical discounting trends for products and services and pricing practices in different geographies.

 

    Revenue for systems and spares are recognized at a point in time, which is generally upon shipment or delivery. Revenue from services is recognized over time as services are completed or ratably over the contractual period of generally one year or less.

 

    The Company has elected the practical expedient to not assess whether a contract has a significant financing component as the Company’s standard payment terms are less than one year.

 

Disaggregation of revenue

 

    The following tables show revenues by major product categories. Within each product category, contract terms, conditions and economic factors affecting the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty around revenue recognition and cash flow are substantially similar.

 

 

11

 

 

    The Company’s revenues by product category are as follows (in thousands):

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Type of good / service:
Systems	$2,138	$404	$8,099	$5,922
Contactors	3,094	1,445	7,790	3,541
Services	879	1,314	2,629	4,351
	$6,111	$3,163	$18,518	$13,814
Product lines:
Wafer-level	$5,408	$2,046	$16,570	$8,240
Test During Burn-In	703	1,117	1,948	5,574
	$6,111	$3,163	$18,518	$13,814

 

    The following presents information about the Company’s operations in different geographic areas. Net sales are based upon ship-to location (in thousands):

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Geographic region:
United States	$5,014	$2,203	$12,698	$9,407
Asia	891	746	4,758	3,814
Europe	206	214	1,062	593
	$6,111	$3,163	$18,518	$13,814

    

     With the exception of the amount of service contracts and extended warranties, the Company’s product category revenues are recognized at a point in time when control transfers to customers. The following presents revenue based on timing of recognition (in thousands):

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Timing of revenue recognition:
Products and services transferred at a point in time	$5,485	$2,507	$16,666	$11,897
Services transferred over time	626	656	1,852	1,917
	$6,111	$3,163	$18,518	$13,814

 

 

12

 

 

Contract balances

 

    A receivable is recognized in the period the Company delivers goods or provides services or when the Company’s right to consideration is unconditional. The Company usually does not record contract assets because the Company has an unconditional right to payment upon satisfaction of the performance obligation, and therefore, a receivable is more commonly recorded than a contract asset.

 

    Contract liabilities include payments received in advance of performance under a contract and are satisfied as the associated revenue is recognized. Contract liabilities are reported on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at the end of each reporting period as a component of deferred revenue. Contract liabilities as of February 29, 2020 and May 31, 2019 were $419,000 and $1,734,000, respectively. During the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020, the Company recognized $135,000 and $1,316,000 respectively, of revenues that were included in contract liabilities as of May 31, 2019.

 

Remaining performance obligations

 

    On February 29, 2020, the Company had $284,000 of remaining performance obligations, which were comprised of deferred service contracts and extended warranty contracts not yet delivered. The Company expects to recognize approximately 33% of its remaining performance obligations as revenue in fiscal 2020, and an additional 67% in fiscal 2021 and thereafter. The foregoing excludes the value of other remaining performance obligations as they have original durations of one year or less, and also excludes information about variable consideration allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied performance obligation.

 

Costs to obtain or fulfill a contract

 

    The Company generally expenses sales commissions when incurred as a component of selling, general and administrative expense as the amortization period is typically less than one year. Additionally, the majority of the Company’s cost of fulfillment as a manufacturer of products is classified as inventory and fixed assets, which are accounted for under the respective guidance for those asset types. Other costs of contract fulfillment are immaterial due to the nature of the Company’s products and their respective manufacturing process.

 

4. EARNINGS PER SHARE

 

    Basic earnings per share is determined using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is determined using the weighted average number of common shares and potential common shares (representing the dilutive effect of stock options, RSUs and Amended and Restated 2006 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“ESPP”) shares) outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method.

 

    The following table presents the computation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Aehr Test Systems common shareholders (in thousands, except per share data):

 

 

 

13

 

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Numerator: Net income (loss)	$245	$(3,201)	$83	$(5,345)
Denominator for basic net income (loss) per share:
Weighted average shares outstanding	22,937	22,459	22,823	22,314
Shares used in basic net income (loss) per share calculation	22,937	22,459	22,823	22,314
Effect of dilutive securities	193	--	117	--
Denominator for diluted net income (loss) per share	23,130	22,459	22,940	22,314
Basic net income (loss) per share	$0.01	$(0.14)	$0.00	$(0.24)
Diluted net income (loss) per share	$0.01	$(0.14)	$0.00	$(0.24)

 

    For the purpose of computing diluted earnings per share, the weighted average number of potential common shares does not include stock options with an exercise price greater than the average fair value of the Company’s common stock for the periods presented, as the effect would be anti-dilutive. Stock options to purchase 2,505,000 shares of common stock were outstanding as of February 29, 2020 but were not included in the computation of diluted net income per share for the periods, because the inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive. In the three and nine months ended February 28, 2019, potential common shares have not been included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share as the effect would be anti-dilutive. As such, the numerator and the denominator used in computing both basic and diluted net loss per share for these periods are the same. Stock options to purchase 3,220,000 shares of common stock, and 34,000 RSUs under the Company’s 2016 Equity Incentive Plan (“2016 Plan”) and rights to purchase 327,000 ESPP shares were outstanding as of February 28, 2019 but were not included in the computation of diluted net loss per share for the periods, because the inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive. The 2,657,000 shares convertible under the convertible notes outstanding at February 28, 2019 were not included in the computation of diluted net income (loss) per share for the periods presented, because the inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive.

 

5. FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 

    The Company’s financial instruments are measured at fair value consistent with authoritative guidance. This authoritative guidance defines fair value, establishes a framework for using fair value to measure assets and liabilities, and disclosures required related to fair value measurements.

 

    The guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy based on inputs to valuation techniques that are used to measure fair value that are either observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability based on market data obtained from independent sources while unobservable inputs reflect a reporting entity’s pricing based upon their own market assumptions. The fair value hierarchy consists of the following three levels:

 

14

 

 

Level 1 - instrument valuations are obtained from real-time quotes for transactions in active exchange markets involving identical assets.

 

Level 2 - instrument valuations are obtained from readily-available pricing sources for comparable instruments.

 

Level 3 - instrument valuations are obtained without observable market values and require a high level of judgment to determine the fair value.

 

    The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of February 29, 2020 (in thousands):

 

	Balance as of
	February 29, 2020	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Money market funds	$80	$80	$--	$--
Assets	$80	$80	$--	$--

 

    The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of May 31, 2019 (in thousands):

 

	Balance as of May 31, 2019	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Money market funds	$3,017	$3,017	$--	$--
Assets	$3,017	$3,017	$--	$--

 

    Included in Money market funds as of February 29, 2020 and May 31, 2019 is $80,000 restricted cash representing a security deposit for the Company’s United States manufacturing and office space lease.

 

    There were no financial liabilities measured at fair value as of February 29, 2020 and May 31, 2019.

 

    There were no transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020.

 

    The carrying amounts of financial instruments including cash, cash equivalents, receivables, accounts payable and certain other accrued liabilities, approximate fair value due to their short maturities.

 

6. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET

 

    Accounts receivable represent customer trade receivables. As of February 29, 2020 and May 31, 2019, there were no allowances for doubtful accounts. Accounts receivable are derived from the sale of products throughout the world to semiconductor manufacturers, semiconductor contract assemblers, electronics manufacturers and burn-in and test service companies. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts is based upon historical experience and review of trade receivables by aging category to identify specific customers with known disputes or collection issues. Uncollectible receivables are recorded as bad debt expense when all efforts to collect have been exhausted and recoveries are recognized when they are received.

 

 

15

 

 

7. INVENTORIES

 

    Inventories are comprised of the following (in thousands):

 

	February 29,	May 31,
	2020	2019
Raw materials and sub-assemblies	$6,449	$5,471
Work in process	2,875	3,580
Finished goods	6	10
	$9,330	$9,061

 

8. PRODUCT WARRANTIES

 

    The Company provides for the estimated cost of product warranties at the time revenues are recognized on the products shipped. While the Company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of its component suppliers, the Company’s warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage and service delivery costs incurred in correcting a product failure. Should actual product failure rates, material usage or service delivery costs differ from the Company’s estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability would be required.

 

    The standard warranty period is one year for systems and ninety days for parts and service.

 

    The following is a summary of changes in the Company's liability for product warranties during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019 (in thousands):

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Balance at the beginning of the period	$190	$163	$154	$135
Accruals for warranties issued during the period	26	30	167	176
Consumption of reserves	(30)	(30)	(135)	(148)
Balance at the end of the period	$186	$163	$186	$163

 

    The accrued warranty balance is included in accrued expenses on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

 

9. CUSTOMER DEPOSITS AND DEFERRED REVENUE, SHORT-TERM

 

    Customer deposits and deferred revenue, short-term (in thousands):

 

	February 29,	May 31,
	2020	2019
Customer deposits	$135	$1,003
Deferred revenue	250	542
	$385	$1,545

 

 

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10. INCOME TAXES

 

    Income taxes have been provided using the liability method whereby deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse or the carryforwards are utilized. Valuation allowances are established when it is determined that it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized.

 

    Since fiscal 2009, a full valuation allowance was established against all deferred tax assets as management determined that it is more likely than not that certain deferred tax assets will not be realized.

 

    The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions consistent with authoritative guidance. The guidance prescribes a “more likely than not” recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company does not expect any material change in its unrecognized tax benefits over the next twelve months. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income taxes.

 

    On March 27, 2020, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act” was signed into law. The Act includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of the employer portion of certain payroll taxes, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. The Company is currently analyzing the impact of these changes and therefore an estimate of the impact to income taxes is not yet available.

 

11. LEASES

 

    The Company has only operating leases for real estate including corporate offices, warehouse space and certain equipment. A lease with an initial term of 12 months or less is generally not recorded on the condensed consolidated balance sheet, unless the arrangement includes an option to purchase the underlying asset, or renew the arrangement that the Company is reasonably certain to exercise (short-term leases). The Company recognizes lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term for short-term leases that the Company does not record on its balance sheet. The Company’s operating leases have remaining lease terms of 1 to 3 years.

 

    The Company determines whether an arrangement is or contains a lease based on the unique facts and circumstances present at the inception of the arrangement. Operating lease liabilities and their corresponding right-of-use assets are recorded based on the present value of lease payments over the expected lease term. The interest rate implicit in lease contracts is typically not readily determinable.

 

    As such, the Company utilizes the appropriate incremental borrowing rate, which is the rate incurred to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term at an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. Certain adjustments to the right-of-use asset may be required for items such as initial direct costs paid or incentives received.

 

    The weighted-average remaining lease term for the Company’s operating leases was 3.4 years at February 29, 2020 and the weighted-average discount rate was 5.5%.

 

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    The Company’s operating lease cost was $183,000 and $548,000 for the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020, respectively.

 

    The following table presents supplemental cash flow information related to the Company’s operating leases (in thousands):

 

	Three Months Ended February 29, 2020	Nine Months Ended February 29, 2020
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$184	$550

 

    The following table presents the maturities of the Company’s operating lease liabilities as of February 29, 2020 (in thousands):

 

Fiscal year	Operating Leases
2020 (excluding the first nine months of 2020)	$187
2021	765
2022	779
2023	795
2024	132
Thereafter	--
Total future minimum operating lease payments	$2,658
Less: imputed interest	242
Present value of operating lease liabilities	$2,416

 

12. BORROWING AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS

 

    On January 16, 2020, the Company entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) with Silicon Valley Bank (the “Bank”). Pursuant to the Loan Agreement, the Company may borrow up to (a) the lesser of (i) the revolving line of $4.0 million or (ii) the amount available under the borrowing base minus (b) the outstanding principal balance of any advances, under a revolving line of credit. The borrowing base is 80% of eligible accounts, as determined by the Bank from the Company’s most recent borrowing base statement; provided, however, the Bank has the right to decrease the foregoing percentage in its good faith business judgment to mitigate the impact of certain events or conditions, which may adversely affect the collateral or its value. Subject to an event of default, the principal amount outstanding under the revolving line of credit will accrue interest at a floating per annum rate equal to the greater of (a) the prime rate plus an additional percentage of up to 1%, which additional percentage depends on the Company’s adjusted quick ratio, and (b) 4.75%. Interest is payable monthly on the last calendar day of each month and the outstanding principal amount, the unpaid interest and all other obligations are due on the maturity date, which is 364 days from the effective date of January 13, 2020. At February 29, 2020, the Company had not drawn against the credit facility and was in compliance with all covenants related to obligations to meet reporting requirements. There are no financial covenants in the agreement.

 

 

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13. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

 

    Stock-based compensation expense consists of expenses for stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and ESPP purchase rights. Stock-based compensation expense for stock options and ESPP purchase rights is measured at each grant date, based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes option valuation model, and is recognized as expense over the employee’s requisite service period. This model was developed for use in estimating the value of publicly traded options that have no vesting restrictions and are fully transferable. The Company’s employee stock options have characteristics significantly different from those of publicly traded options. For RSUs, stock-based compensation cost is based on the fair value of the Company’s common stock at the grant date. All of the Company’s stock-based compensation is accounted for as an equity instrument. See Note 10 in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2019 filed on August 28, 2019 for further information regarding the 2016 Plan and the ESPP.

 

    The following table summarizes the stock-based compensation expense for the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019 (in thousands):

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Stock-based compensation in the form of employee stock options, RSUs and ESPP purchase rights, included in:
Cost of sales	$19	$24	$58	$83
Selling, general and administrative	137	137	401	421
Research and development	51	64	152	201
Total stock-based compensation	$207	$225	$611	$705

 

    As of February 29,2020 and February 28, 2019, there were no stock-based compensation expenses capitalized as part of inventory.

 

    During the three months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense related to stock options and RSUs under 2016 Plan of $166,000 and $166,000, respectively. During the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense related to stock options and RSUs of $480,000 and $505,000, respectively.

 

    As of February 29, 2020, the total compensation expense related to unvested stock-based awards under the 2016 Plan, but not yet recognized, was approximately $1,244,000, which is net of estimated forfeitures of $3,000. This expense will be amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of approximately 2.7 years.

 

    During the three months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense related to the ESPP of $41,000 and $59,000, respectively. During the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, the Company recorded stock-based compensation expense related to the ESPP of $131,000 and $200,000, respectively.

 

    As of February 29, 2020, the total compensation expense related to purchase rights under the ESPP but not yet recognized was approximately $77,000. This expense will be amortized on a straight-line basis over a weighted average period of approximately 0.8 years.

 

Valuation Assumptions

 

    Valuation and Amortization Method. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options granted using the Black-Scholes option valuation model and a single option award approach. The fair value under the single option approach is amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods of the awards, which is generally the vesting period.

 

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    Expected Term. The Company’s expected term represents the period that the Company’s stock-based awards are expected to be outstanding and was determined based on historical experience, giving consideration to the contractual terms of the stock-based awards, vesting schedules and expectations of future employee behavior as evidenced by changes to the terms of its stock-based awards.

 

    Volatility. Volatility is a measure of the amounts by which a financial variable such as stock price has fluctuated (historical volatility) or is expected to fluctuate (expected volatility) during a period. The Company uses the historical volatility for the past four or five years based on weighted average of the expected term of option grants, to estimate expected volatility. Volatility for each of the ESPP’s four time periods of six months, twelve months, eighteen months, and twenty-four months is calculated separately and included in the overall stock-based compensation expense recorded.

 

    Risk-Free Interest Rate. The Company bases the risk-free interest rate used in the Black-Scholes option valuation model on the implied yield in effect at the time of option grant on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with a remaining term equivalent to the expected term of the stock awards including the ESPP.

 

    Fair Value. The fair value of the Company’s stock options granted to employees for the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, were estimated using the following weighted average assumptions in the Black-Scholes option valuation model:

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Expected term (in years)	5	5	5	5
Volatility	0.72	0.69	0.71	0.72
Risk-free interest rate	1.57%	2.77%	1.85%	2.83%
Weighted average grant date fair value	$1.37	$1.01	$0.98	$1.34

 

    The fair values of the ESPP purchase rights granted for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 were estimated using the following weighted-average assumptions:

 

	Nine Months Ended
	February 29, 2020
Expected term (in years)	0.5-2.0
Volatility	0.62-0.71
Expected dividend	$0.00
Risk-free interest rates	1.56%-1.81%
Estimated forfeiture rate	0%
Weighted average grant date fair value	$0.80

 

    There were no ESPP purchase rights granted to employees for the three months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019. During the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, ESPP purchase rights of 38,000 and 327,000 were granted, respectively. Total ESPP shares issued during the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019 were 71,000 and 64,000 shares, respectively. As of February 29, 2020, there were 299,000 ESPP shares available for issuance.

 

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    The following tables summarize the Company’s stock option and RSU transactions during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 (in thousands):

 

	Available
	Shares
Balance, May 31, 2019	1,147
Options granted	(527)
Options cancelled	151
Options expired	(119)
Balance, August 31, 2019	652
Options reserved	1,196
Options granted	(58)
Options cancelled	280
Options expired	(256)
Balance, November 30, 2019	1,814
Options granted	(6)
Options cancelled	11
Options expired	(8)
Balance, February 29, 2020	1,811

 

    The following table summarizes the stock option transactions during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 (in thousands, except per share data):

 

	Outstanding Options
		Weighted
	Number	Average	Aggregate
	of	Exercise	Intrinsic
	Shares	Price	Value
Balances, May 31, 2019	3,107	$2.20	$282
Options granted	527	$1.64
Options cancelled	(151)	$1.50
Options exercised	(49)	$1.27
Balances, August 31, 2019	3,434	$2.16	$41
Options granted	58	$1.77
Options cancelled	(280)	$2.19
Options exercised	(85)	$1.06
Balances, November 30, 2019	3,127	$2.18	$358
Options granted	6	$2.30
Options cancelled	(11)	$2.42
Options exercised	(98)	$1.34
Balances, February 29, 2020	3,024	$2.21	$544
Options fully vested and expected to vest at February 29, 2020	2,989	$2.21	$536

 

 

 

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    The options outstanding and exercisable at February 29, 2020 were in the following exercise price ranges (in thousands, except per share data):

 

 

	Options Outstanding			Options Exercisable
	at February 29, 2020			at February 29, 2020
Range of Exercise Prices	Number Outstanding Shares	Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)	Weighted Average Exercise Price	Number Exercisable Shares	Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)	Weighted Average Exercise Price	Aggregate Intrinsic Value
$1.09-$1.28	177	0.32	$1.28	177	0.32	$1.28
$1.64-$2.06	1,183	5.30	$1.76	520	4.28	$1.80
$2.10-$2.81	1,436	2.90	$2.43	1,166	2.31	$2.43
$3.46-$3.93	228	4.41	$3.85	162	4.44	$3.81
$1.09-$3.93	3,024	3.80	$2.21	2,025	2.81	$2.28	$301

 

    The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 was $92,000 and $159,000, respectively. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during the three and nine months ended February 28, 2019 was $160,000 and $322,000, respectively. The weighted average remaining contractual life of the options exercisable and expected to be exercisable at February 29, 2020 was 3.78 years.

 

    There were no RSUs granted to employees during the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019. During the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020, 3,000 and 10,000 RSUs became fully vested, respectively. During the three and nine months ended February 28, 2019, 4,000 and 13,000 RSUs became fully vested, respectively. As of February 29, 2020, 13,000 RSUs remain unvested which had an intrinsic value of $27,000. As of February 28, 2019, 34,000 RSUs remain unvested which had an intrinsic value of $50,000.

 

14. SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

    The Company has only one reportable segment. The information for revenue category by type, product line, geography and timing of revenue recognition, is summarized in Note “3. REVENUE.”

 

    Property and equipment information is based on the physical location of the assets. The following table presents property and equipment information for geographic areas (in thousands):

 

	February 29,	May 31,
	2020	2019
United States	$744	$1,005
Asia	39	40
Europe	--	--
	$783	$1,045

 

    As of February 29, 2020, the operating lease right-of-use assets of $2,260,000 were allocated in the United States.

 

    There were no revenues through distributors for the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019.

 

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    The Company’s Japanese and German subsidiaries primarily comprise the foreign operations. Substantially all of the sales by the Company’s subsidiaries are made to unaffiliated Japanese or European customers. Net sales from outside the United States include those of Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K. and Aehr Test Systems GmbH.

 

    Sales to the Company’s five largest customers accounted for approximately 94% and 89% of its net sales in the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020, respectively. One customer accounted for approximately 71% of the Company’s net sales in the three months ended February 29, 2020. Two customers accounted for approximately 51% and 18% of the Company’s net sales in the nine months ended February 29, 2020. Sales to the Company’s five largest customers accounted for approximately 90% and 81% of its net sales in the three and nine months ended February 28, 2019, respectively. Four customers accounted for approximately 27%, 25%, 22% and 13%, respectively, of the Company’s net sales in the three months ended February 28, 2019. Four customers accounted for approximately 31%, 18%, 16% and 12%, respectively, of the Company’s net sales in the nine months ended February 28, 2019. No other customers represented more than 10% of the Company’s net sales in the three and nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019.

 

15. SUBSEQUENT EVENT

 

    On March 19, 2020, the Company approved the dissolution of Aehr Test Systems Japan K.K (“ATS-Japan”), a majority owned subsidiary. In connection with the dissolution plan, the Company expects to incur charges of approximately $150,000 related to severance payments for individuals impacted in this reduction and legal fees associated with the dissolution process in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company expects the dissolution of ATS-Japan will result in a cost saving of approximately $90,000 each quarter beginning in fiscal 2021.

 

Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

    The following discussion of the financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and the related notes that appear elsewhere in this report and with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2019 and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.

 

    In addition to historical information, this report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements in this report, including those made by our management, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These statements typically may be identified by the use of forward-looking words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "should," "planned," "estimated," and "potential," among others and include, but are not limited to, statements concerning our expectations regarding our operations, business, strategies, prospects, revenues, expenses, costs and resources. These forward-looking statements include management’s judgments, estimates and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from anticipated results or other expectations reflected in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed in this report and other factors beyond our control, and in particular, the risks discussed in “Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors” and those discussed in other documents we file with the SEC. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on our current expectations, and we undertake no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

 

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    Investors and others should note that we announce material financial information to our investors using our investor relations website (https://www.aehr.com/investor-relations/), SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. We use these channels to communicate with our investors and the public about our company, our products and services and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on our investor relations website could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on our investor relations website.

 

OVERVIEW

 

    We were founded in 1977 to develop and manufacture burn-in and test equipment for the semiconductor industry. Since our inception, we have sold more than 2,500 systems to semiconductor manufacturers, semiconductor contract assemblers and burn-in and test service companies worldwide. Our principal products currently are the FOX full wafer contact parallel test and burn-in system, WaferPak contactors, the DiePak carrier, test fixtures and the Advanced Burn-in and Test System, or ABTS.

 

    Our net sales consist primarily of sales of systems, WaferPak contactors, DiePak carriers, test fixtures, upgrades and spare parts, revenues from service contracts, and engineering development charges. Our selling arrangements may include contractual customer acceptance provisions, which are mostly deemed perfunctory or inconsequential, and installation of the product occurs after shipment and transfer of title.

 

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

 

    Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these condensed consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, assumptions and judgements, including those related to customer programs and incentives, product returns, bad debts, inventories, income taxes, financing operations, warranty obligations, and long-term service contracts. Our estimates are derived from historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Those results form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. For a discussion of the critical accounting policies, see “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2019.

 

    There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates during the nine months ended February 29, 2020 compared to those discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2019, except for the adoption of FASB ASC Topic 842, Leases, as discussed in Note “2. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS.”

 

 

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

    The following table sets forth items in our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations as a percentage of net sales for the periods indicated.

 

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	February 29,	February 28,	February 29,	February 28,
	2020	2019	2020	2019
Net sales	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%	100.0%
Cost of sales	51.1	91.4	54.3	69.4
Gross profit	48.9	8.6	45.7	30.6
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative	30.9	58.5	31.6	41.3
Research and development	13.8	29.4	13.7	22.0
Restructuring	--	19.2	--	4.4
Total operating expenses	44.7	107.1	45.3	67.7
Income (loss) from operations	4.2	(98.5)	0.4	(37.1)
Interest income (expense), net	0.2	(2.4)	0.2	(1.7)
Other (expense) income, net	(0.2)	(0.4)	--	0.3
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit	4.2	(101.3)	0.6	(38.5)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(0.2)	0.1	(0.2)	(0.2)
Net income (loss)	4.0	(101.2)	0.4	(38.7)
Less: Net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest	--	--	--	--
Net income (loss) attributable to Aehr Test Systems common shareholders	4.0%	(101.2)%	0.4%	(38.7)%

 

THREE MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 29, 2020 COMPARED TO THREE MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 2019

 

    NET SALES. Net sales increased to $6.1 million for the three months ended February 29, 2020 from $3.2 million for the three months ended February 28, 2019, an increase of 93.2%. The increase in net sales for the three months ended February 29, 2020 was primarily due to the increase in net sales of our wafer-level products, partially offset by the decrease in net sales of our Test During Burn-in (TDBI) products. Net sales of the wafer-level products for the three months ended February 29, 2020 were $5.4 million, and increased approximately $3.4 million from the three months ended February 28, 2019. Net sales of the TDBI products for the three months ended February 29, 2020 were $703,000, and decreased approximately $414,000 from the three months ended February 28, 2019.

 

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    GROSS PROFIT. Gross profit increased to $3.0 million for the three months ended February 29, 2020 from $272,000 for the three months ended February 28, 2019. Gross profit margin increased to 48.9% for the three months ended February 29, 2020 from 8.6% for the three months ended February 28, 2019. The lower gross profit margin for the three months ended February 28, 2019 was primarily due to a higher level of inventory write-downs recorded and higher unabsorbed overhead charged to cost of goods sold due to lower manufacturing and revenue levels in that quarter.

 

    SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE. SG&A expenses were flat at $1.9 million for the three months ended February 29, 2020 compared to the three months ended February 28, 2019.

 

    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. R&D expenses decreased to $845,000 for the three months ended February 29, 2020 from $931,000 for the three months ended February 28, 2019, a decrease of 9.2%. The decrease in R&D expenses was primarily due to the decrease in employment related expenses.

 

    RESTRUCTURING. There were no restructuring charges incurred for the three months ended February 29, 2020. Restructuring charges for the three months ended February 28, 2019 were related to a restructuring plan implemented in February 2019 in order to streamline our operations and better align our structure with our objectives going forward. As part of this plan, we recognized $607,000 of employee termination expenses for the three months ended February 28, 2019.

 

    INTEREST INCOME (EXPENSE), NET. Interest income, net for the three months ended February 29, 2020 was $13,000 compared with interest expense, net of $76,000 for the three months ended February 28, 2019. The decrease in interest expense for the three months ended February 29, 2020 was primarily due to the repayment of the convertible notes on the maturity date of April 10, 2019.

 

    OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME, NET. Other expense, net was $9,000 and $11,000 for the three months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively. The change in other expense, net was primarily due to losses realized in connection with the fluctuation in the value of the dollar compared to foreign currencies during the referenced periods.

 

    INCOME TAX (EXPENSE) BENEFIT. Income tax expense was $14,000 for the three months ended February 29, 2020 compared with income tax benefit of $2,000 for the three months ended February 28, 2019.

 

NINE MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 29, 2020 COMPARED TO NINE MONTHS ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 2019

 

    NET SALES. Net sales increased to $18.5 million for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 from $13.8 million for the nine months ended February 28, 2019, an increase of 34.1%. The increase in net sales for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 was primarily due to the increase in net sales of our wafer-level products, partially offset by the decrease in net sales of our TDBI products. Net sales of the wafer-level products for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 were $16.6 million, and increased approximately $8.3 million from the nine months ended February 28, 2019. Net sales of the TDBI products for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 were $1.9 million, and decreased approximately $3.6 million from the nine months ended February 28, 2019.

 

    GROSS PROFIT. Gross profit increased to $8.5 million for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 from $4.2 million for the nine months ended February 28, 2019, an increase of 100.4%. Gross profit margin increased to 45.7% for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 from 30.6% for the nine months ended February 28, 2019. The lower gross profit margin for the nine months ended February 28, 2019 was primarily a result of the higher level of inventory write-downs recorded and manufacturing inefficiencies due to a lower level of net sales in the nine months ended February 28, 2019.

 

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    SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE. SG&A expenses increased to $5.9 million for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 from $5.7 million for the nine months ended February 28, 2019, an increase of 2.6%. The increase in SG&A expenses was primarily due to an increase in outside services expenses.

 

    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. R&D expenses decreased to $2.5 million for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 from $3.0 million for the nine months ended February 28, 2019, a decrease of 16.5%. The decrease in R&D expenses was primarily due to a decrease in project expenses.

 

    RESTRUCTURING. There were no restructuring charges incurred for the nine months ended February 29, 2020. Restructuring charges for the nine months ended February 28, 2019 were related to a restructuring plan implemented in February 2019 in order to streamline our operations and better align our structure with our objectives going forward. As part of this plan, we recognized $607,000 of employee termination expenses for the nine months ended February 28, 2019.

 

    INTEREST INCOME (EXPENSE), NET. Interest income, net for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 was $27,000 compared with interest expense, net of $228,000 for the nine months ended February 28, 2019. The decrease in interest expense for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 was primarily due to the repayment of the convertible notes on the maturity date of April 10, 2019.

 

    OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE), NET. Other income, net was $6,000 and $27,000 for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively. The change in other income, net was primarily due to gains realized in connection with the fluctuation in the value of the dollar compared to foreign currencies during the referenced periods.

 

    INCOME TAX BENEFIT (EXPENSE). Income tax expense was $26,000 and $21,000 for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively.

 

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

 

    Net cash used in operating activities was $640,000 and $4.8 million for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively. For the nine months ended February 29, 2020, net cash used in operating activities was primarily the result of net income of $83,000, as adjusted to exclude the effect of non-cash charges of stock-based compensation expense of $611,000 and depreciation and amortization expenses of $298,000. Net cash used in operations was also impacted by a decrease in accounts receivable of $1.4 million, partially offset by a decrease in customer deposits and deferred revenue of $1.3 million and a decrease in accounts payable of $1.0 million. The decrease in accounts receivable was primarily due to improvements in customer payment terms. The decrease in customer deposits and deferred revenue was primarily due to the decrease in backlog of customer orders with down payments. The decrease in accounts payable was primarily due to lower inventory purchases. For the nine months ended February 28, 2019, net cash used in operating activities was primarily the result of net loss of $5.3 million, as adjusted to exclude the effect of non-cash charges of stock-based compensation expense of $705,000 and depreciation and amortization expenses of $333,000. Net cash used in operations was also impacted by a decrease in accounts payable of $1.1 million, partially offset by a decrease in accounts receivable of $871,000. The decrease in accounts payable was primarily due to lower expenditures associated with lower revenue. The decrease in accounts receivable was primarily due to a decrease in sales.

 

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    Net cash used in investing activities was $149,000 and $124,000 for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively. Net cash used in investing activities during the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019 was primarily due to purchases of property and equipment.

 

    Financing activities provided cash of $423,000 and $435,000 for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively. Net cash provided by financing activities during the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019 was due to the proceeds from the issuance of common stock under employee plans.

 

    The effect of fluctuation in exchange rates decreased cash by $4,000 and $66,000 for the nine months ended February 29, 2020 and February 28, 2019, respectively. The changes were due to the fluctuation in the value of the dollar compared to foreign currencies.

 

    As of February 29, 2020 and May 31, 2019, we had working capital of $15.2 million and $14.5 million, respectively.

 

    We lease our manufacturing and office space under operating leases. We entered into a non-cancelable operating lease agreement for our United States manufacturing and office facilities, which was renewed in February 2018 and expires in July 2023. Under the lease agreement, we are responsible for payments of utilities, taxes and insurance.

 

    From time to time, we evaluate potential acquisitions of businesses, products or technologies that complement our business. If consummated, any such transactions may use a portion of our working capital or require the issuance of equity. We have no present understandings, commitments or agreements with respect to any material acquisitions.

 

    We anticipate that the existing cash balance together with income from operations, collections of existing accounts receivable, revenue from our existing backlog of products, the sale of inventory on hand, and deposits and down payments against significant orders will be adequate to meet our liquidity requirements for the next 12 months.

 

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

 

    We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements and have not established any variable interest entities.

 

OVERVIEW OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

 

    There have been no material changes in the composition, magnitude or other key characteristics of our contractual obligations or other commitments as disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2019 except for the Loan and Security Agreement with Silicon Valley Bank discussed in Note 12.

 

Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISKS

 

    We had no holdings of derivative financial or commodity instruments as of February 29, 2020 or May 31, 2019.

 

    We are exposed to financial market risks, including changes in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates. We only invest our short-term excess cash in government-backed securities with maturities of 18 months or less. We do not use any financial instruments for speculative or trading purposes. Fluctuations in interest rates would not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

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    A majority of our revenue and capital spending is transacted in U.S. Dollars. We, however, enter into transactions in other currencies, primarily Euros and Japanese Yen. Since the price is determined at the time a purchase order is accepted, we are exposed to the risks of fluctuations in the foreign currency-U.S. Dollar exchange rates during the lengthy period from purchase order to ultimate payment. This exchange rate risk is partially offset to the extent that our subsidiaries incur expenses payable in their local currency. To date, we have not invested in instruments designed to hedge currency risks. In addition, our subsidiaries typically carry debt or other obligations due to us that may be denominated in either their local currency or U.S. Dollars. Since our subsidiaries’ financial statements are based in their local currency and our condensed consolidated financial statements are based in U.S. Dollars, we and our subsidiaries recognize foreign exchange gains or losses in any period in which the value of the local currency rises or falls in relation to the U.S. Dollar. A 10% decrease in the value of the subsidiaries’ local currency as compared with the U.S. Dollar would not be expected to result in a significant change to our net income or loss. There have been no material changes in our risk exposure since the end of the last fiscal year, nor are any material changes to our risk exposure anticipated.

 

Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

 

    EVALUATION OF DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Based on this evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective to ensure that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management as appropriate to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

 

    CHANGES IN INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING. There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act, that occurred during the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

    INHERENT LIMITATIONS OF INTERNAL CONTROLS. Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, does not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal controls will prevent all error and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within us have been detected. These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of a simple error or mistake. Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by management override of the control. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving our stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Because of the inherent limitations in a cost-effective control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.

 

 

 

 

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PART II - OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

 

    None.

 

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

 

    Please refer to the description of the risk factors associated with our business previously disclosed in Part I, Item 1A - "Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended May 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 28, 2019 and the following additional risk factor.

 

We face risks related to health pandemics, particularly the recent outbreak of COVID-19, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

     Our business could be materially adversely affected by a widespread outbreak of contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, which has spread to many countries throughout the world. The effects of this outbreak on our business has included and could continue to include disruptions or restrictions on our employees’ ability to travel in affected regions, as well as temporary closures of the facilities of our suppliers, customers, or other vendors in our supply chain, which could impact our business, interactions and relationships with our customers, third-party suppliers and contractors, and results of operations. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious disease in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could reduce the demand for our products and likely impact our results of operations. The extent to which COVID-19 outbreak will impact business and the economy is highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. Accordingly, we cannot predict the extent to which our financial condition and results of operations will be affected.

 

Item 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

 

    None.

 

Item 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

 

    None.

 

Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

 

    Not Applicable

 

Item 5. OTHER INFORMATION

 

    None.

 

 

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Item 6. EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit No.		Description
10.1		Loan and Security Agreement, effective on January 13, 2020, by and between Silicon Valley Bank and Aehr Test Systems (incorporated by reference herein from the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 000-22893) filed on January 21, 2020).
31.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2		Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as adopted pursuant to Section 302(a) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1		Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.*
101.INS		XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE		XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

 

*This exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any filings.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

	Aehr Test Systems
	(Registrant)
Date: April 14, 2020	By:	/s/ GAYN ERICKSON
		Gayn Erickson
		President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Date: April 14, 2020	By:	/s/ KENNETH B. SPINK
		Kenneth B. Spink
		Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

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