10-QPeriod: Q2 FY2012

NVIDIA CORP Quarterly Report for Q2 Ended Jul 31, 2011

Filed August 25, 2011For Securities:NVDA

Summary

NVIDIA Corporation reported strong financial results for the second quarter ended July 31, 2011, demonstrating significant year-over-year revenue growth and a return to profitability. Revenue increased by approximately 25% to $1.02 billion, driven by robust performance in the GPU and Consumer Products businesses. The company successfully transitioned from a net loss in the prior year's comparable quarter to a net income of $151.6 million, with earnings per share of $0.25. This turnaround was largely influenced by a substantial reduction in the cost of revenue, notably the absence of a large warranty charge that impacted the prior year's results, and improved gross margins. The acquisition of Icera Inc. for $352.2 million is expected to bolster NVIDIA's mobile computing offerings. Operationally, NVIDIA continues to invest in its core GPU business with new product introductions like the GeForce 560 GPU. The Professional Solutions Business saw a slight decline, while the Consumer Products Business experienced substantial growth, primarily due to the increasing adoption of its Tegra 2 chip in Android-based smartphones and tablets. The company maintains a strong liquidity position with over $2.4 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, providing flexibility for continued investment and strategic initiatives. NVIDIA expects continued revenue growth in the upcoming quarter.

Key Highlights

  • 1Revenue increased by approximately 25% year-over-year to $1.02 billion for the second quarter.
  • 2NVIDIA returned to profitability, reporting a net income of $151.6 million compared to a net loss in the prior year's quarter.
  • 3Gross margin significantly improved to 51.7% from 16.6% in the prior year, largely due to the absence of a significant warranty charge.
  • 4The Consumer Products Business (CPB) revenue grew by 267% year-over-year, driven by the success of the Tegra 2 chip in mobile devices.
  • 5The company completed the acquisition of Icera, Inc. for $352.2 million to strengthen its mobile computing segment.
  • 6NVIDIA ended the quarter with a strong liquidity position of $2.47 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities.
  • 7The company announced new GPU products, including the GeForce 560 and Tesla M2090, indicating continued innovation in core markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

NVIDIA's revenue growth was primarily driven by a 16% increase in the GPU business, supported by improved demand for desktop and notebook GPUs, as well as license revenue from the Intel agreement. Additionally, the Consumer Products Business (CPB) saw a substantial 267% increase, largely due to higher unit shipments of Tegra 2 products for smartphones and tablets.

The significant improvement in gross margin to 51.7% was mainly due to the absence of a large warranty charge of $181.2 million that was recorded in the prior year's second quarter related to a weak die/packaging material set. Additionally, inventory reserve charges were more typical in the current quarter compared to the prior year, which experienced excess inventory due to PC market weakness.

The acquisition of Icera, Inc. for $352.2 million is strategic for NVIDIA as Icera develops baseband processors for 3G and 4G cellular phones and tablets. This acquisition aims to accelerate and enhance NVIDIA's ability to combine its application processors with Icera's baseband processors, strengthening its position in the mobile device market.

NVIDIA maintains a strong liquidity position with $2.47 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of July 31, 2011. The company expects to spend approximately $50 million to $75 million for capital expenditures in the remainder of fiscal year 2012, primarily for leasehold improvements, software licenses, and engineering equipment.