ST. PETERS, Mo., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc. (NYSE: WFR) today reported financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2008.

Summary of fourth quarter results:

    --  Net sales of $425.7 million
    --  Gross profit of $193.0 million (45.3% of net sales)
    --  Operating income of $169.3 million (39.8% of net sales)
    --  Cash and investment balances of $1.4 billion

The company reported fourth quarter 2008 net sales of $425.7 million, which represents a decrease of 22.0% from third quarter 2008 net sales of $546.0 million, and a decrease of 20.6% from fourth quarter 2007 net sales of $535.9 million. The sequential and year-over-year decrease in sales was primarily the result of lower wafer volumes for semiconductor applications and lower prices associated with short-term sales of solar products, partially offset by higher volumes of wafers for solar applications.

Gross profit in the quarter was $193.0 million, or 45.3% of net sales, compared to $269.7 million, or 49.4% of net sales, in the 2008 third quarter and $293.6 million, or 54.8% of net sales, in the 2007 fourth quarter. The decline in gross profit was primarily the result of the lower prices, reduced semiconductor product volumes and partial offset from solar product volumes mentioned above.

The company reported operating income during the quarter of $169.3 million, or 39.8% of net sales. This compares to $227.5 million, or 41.7% of net sales, for the 2008 third quarter and $254.8 million, or 47.5% of net sales, for the 2007 fourth quarter. Operating expenses were $23.7 million, or 5.6% of sales, compared to $42.2 million, or 7.7% of sales, in the 2008 third quarter, and $38.8 million, or 7.2% of sales, in the 2007 fourth quarter. The sequential decrease in operating expenses was primarily due to the decrease in stock compensation expense resulting from the resignation of our former CEO.

Using an estimated effective cash tax rate of 15%, non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2008, excluding the non-cash effects of the quarterly valuation of the Suntech warrants, was $145.9 million and non-GAAP diluted EPS, excluding warrants, was $0.65 per share. See non-GAAP reconciliation information at the end of this press release following the financial statement tables. GAAP net income for the fourth quarter, using a GAAP tax rate of 33.9%, was $73.2 million or $0.33 per share, and includes a $61.2 million charge relating to the decrease in the value of the Suntech warrants. The decrease in the estimated value of the Suntech warrants had a $0.23 per share negative impact at the estimated effective cash tax rate of 15%. Both GAAP and non-GAAP EPS figures include $8.6 million of other than temporary impairments ($0.04 per share) associated with the decline in fair value of certain investments driven by the current credit environment.

During the fourth quarter, the company generated operating cash flow of $123.0 million, or 28.9% of sales, compared to $115.3 million, or 21.1% of sales, in the 2008 third quarter. Capital expenditures for the fourth quarter totaled $60.9 million, or 14.3% of sales. Free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capital expenditures) was $62.1 million or 14.6% of sales. MEMC ended the fourth quarter with cash and investments of $1.4 billion, consistent with the third quarter. The company did not maintain any significant debt in either period.

For the full year ended December 31, 2008, the company's net sales increased by 4.3% to $2.00 billion, compared to $1.92 billion in 2007. Gross profit increased by 0.4% to $1.0 billion, or 50.1% of net sales in 2008, and operating income increased by 0.9% to $857.7 million, or 42.8% of sales.

MEMC generated operating cash flow of $640.5 million in 2008, or 32.0% of net sales, and free cash flow of $337.3 million, or 16.8% of net sales. This enabled the company to grow cash and investment balances by $92.3 million to over $1.4 billion. Capital expenditures in 2008 totaled $303.2 million, or 15.1% of net sales, compared to $276.4 million, or 14.4% of sales in 2007.

"The fourth quarter of 2008 saw deteriorating semiconductor and solar market conditions, amid the rapidly weakening global macroeconomic environment," said Marshall Turner, MEMC's Interim Chief Executive Officer. "While this led to one of the steepest declines of semiconductor industry unit sales on record, and a significant reduction in our quarterly sales, MEMC was able to continue to achieve very strong profitability with gross and operating margins of approximately 45% and 40%, respectively, and continue its consistently high levels of free cash flow generation, at approximately 15% of sales. In addition, the company continued its focus on wafers, with 90% of the company's fourth quarter revenue coming from wafer sales, and 10% from sales of polysilicon and other products. MEMC's cost-efficient structure should continue to differentiate MEMC and our results from that of our competition."

First Quarter 2009 Outlook

"End market weakness and low order visibility across both semiconductor and solar applications continues in the first quarter, as reduced consumer spending, limited access to credit and other results of the macroeconomic environment weigh on both markets," continued Turner. "This environment is exacerbated by continued inventory reductions at semiconductor customers, the combination of which is resulting in a significant sequential reduction in semiconductor wafer demand which is, in turn, leading to the diversion of some polysilicon output from semiconductor to solar markets. This is having the effect of reducing pricing for polysilicon and wafers in the solar market. The unusually low levels of visibility that many of our customers have in the current environment reduces our ability to provide meaningful quarterly, annual or long term guidance at this time. Our current view of the markets we serve indicates that first quarter 2009 revenue could decline by as much as 50% from the fourth quarter of 2008. The reduced pricing and significantly lower factory utilization assumed in this view, the latter of which would result in significant underutilization charges, could result in gross margins declining to the 20 percent range."

Conference Call

MEMC will host a conference call today, January 22, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss the company's fourth quarter results and related business matters. A live webcast will be available on the company's web site at www.memc.com. Please go to the web site at least fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

A replay of the conference call will be available from 7:00 p.m. ET on January 22, 2009, until 11:59 p.m. ET on January 29, 2009. To access the replay, please dial (320) 365-3844 at any time during that period, using passcode 981111. A replay will also be available until 11:59 p.m. ET on January 29, 2009 on the company's web site at www.memc.com.

About MEMC

MEMC is a global leader in the manufacture and sale of wafers and related intermediate products to the semiconductor and solar industries. MEMC has been a pioneer in the design and development of wafer technologies over the past fifty years. With R&D and manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia, MEMC enables the next generation of high performance semiconductor devices and solar cells. MEMC's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol 'WFR' and is included in the S&P 500 Index.

Certain matters discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements, including that first quarter 2009 revenue could decline by as much as 50% from the 2008 fourth quarter, with gross margins declining to the 20 percent range. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include market demand for semiconductors and silicon wafers, as well as polysilicon; changes in the pricing environment for both silicon wafers and polysilicon; general economic conditions; inventory levels of our customers; utilization of our manufacturing capacity and any charges we might incur to reduce manufacturing capacity or headcount; supply chain difficulties or problems; interruption of production; good working order of our manufacturing facilities; our ability to reduce manufacturing and operating costs; delays in capacity expansion; customer acceptance of our new products; assumptions underlying management's financial estimates; actions by competitors, customers and suppliers; changes in product specifications and manufacturing processes; changes in financial market conditions; changes in the composition of worldwide taxable income; the impact of competitive products and technologies; changes in interest and currency exchange rates and other risks described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the company's judgment as of the date of this release. The company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.


                             -tables to follow-



    MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Unaudited; In millions, except per share data)

                              Three Months Ended       Twelve Months Ended
                              ------------------       -------------------
                          Dec. 31,  Sept. 30,  Dec. 31,  Dec. 31,  Dec. 31,
                            2008       2008      2007      2008      2007
                            ----       ----      ----      ----      ----

    Net sales             $425.7     $546.0    $535.9  $2,004.5  $1,921.8
    Cost of goods sold     232.7      276.3     242.3     999.7     921.3
                           -----      -----     -----     -----     -----
        Gross profit       193.0      269.7     293.6   1,004.8   1,000.5

    Operating
     expenses:
      Marketing and
       administration       13.5       31.9      28.3     106.3     111.3
      Research and
       development          10.2       10.3      10.5      40.8      39.3
                            ----       ----      ----      ----      ----
        Operating
         income            169.3      227.5     254.8     857.7     849.9

    Nonoperating
     (income) expense:
      Interest expense       0.4        0.8       0.3       1.8       1.4
      Interest income      (11.1)     (11.2)    (14.0)    (46.4)    (45.0)
      Loss (gain) on
       fair
       value of warrant     61.2        9.6    (204.7)    292.5    (220.8)
      Other, net             9.7        6.6       1.0      20.3       2.5
                             ---        ---       ---      ----       ---
        Total
         nonoperating
         (income)
         expense            60.2        5.8    (217.4)    268.2    (261.9)
                            ----        ---    ------     -----    ------
      Income before
       income tax
       expense
       and minority
       interests           109.1      221.7     472.2     589.5   1,111.8
    Income tax
     expense                37.0       38.1      94.8     197.0     282.2
                            ----       ----      ----     -----     -----
        Income before
         minority
         interests          72.1      183.6     377.4     392.5     829.6
    Minority interests       1.1       (0.8)     (1.0)     (2.2)     (3.4)
                             ---       ----      ----      ----      ----
    Net income             $73.2     $182.8    $376.4    $390.3    $826.2
                           -----     ------    ------    ------    ------

    Basic income per
     share                 $0.33      $0.81     $1.65     $1.72     $3.66
    Diluted income per
     share                 $0.33      $0.80     $1.62     $1.71     $3.56

    Weighted-average
     shares used in
     computing basic
     income per share      224.5      226.3     228.2     226.9     225.6
    Weighted-average
     shares used in
     computing diluted
     income per share      225.1      227.6     232.5     228.6     232.3



    MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Unaudited; In millions)
                                    Dec. 31,  Dec. 31,
                                      2008      2007
                                      ----      ----
    ASSETS
    Current assets:
      Cash and cash equivalents     $988.3    $859.3
      Short-term investments         148.4     457.1
      Accounts receivable, net       201.8     197.9
      Inventories                     81.3      36.4
      Prepaid and other current
       assets                         38.9      38.8
                                      ----      ----
        Total current assets       1,458.7   1,589.5

    Investments                      284.7      12.7
    Property, plant and
     equipment, net                1,041.2     834.0
    Deferred tax assets, net          68.1      89.3
    Other assets                      86.9     361.7
                                      ----     -----
        Total assets              $2,939.6  $2,887.2
                                  --------  --------

    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
    Current liabilities:
      Current portion of long-
       term debt                      $6.1      $5.3
      Accounts payable               162.4     168.3
      Accrued liabilities             67.5      40.8
      Accrued wages and salaries      31.7      31.9
      Customer deposits              187.0     122.0
      Income taxes payable            17.9      75.9
                                      ----      ----
        Total current liabilities    472.6     444.2

    Long-term debt, less current
     portion                          26.1      25.6
    Pension and post-employment
     liabilities                      46.3      60.6
    Deferred revenue                  88.8      81.4
    Other liabilities                186.1     204.6
                                     -----     -----
        Total liabilities            819.9     816.4
                                     -----     -----
    Minority interests                34.8      35.8
    Commitments and contingencies
    Stockholders' equity:
      Preferred stock                    -         -
      Common stock                     2.3       2.3
      Additional paid-in capital     425.6     358.0
      Retained earnings            2,150.0   1,760.5
      Accumulated other
       comprehensive (loss)
       income                        (55.6)     29.8
      Treasury stock                (437.4)   (115.6)
                                    ------    ------
        Total stockholders'
         equity                    2,084.9   2,035.0
                                   -------   -------
        Total liabilities and
         stockholders' equity     $2,939.6  $2,887.2
                                  --------  --------



    MEMC ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (Unaudited; In millions)
                              Three Months Ended       Twelve Months Ended
                              ------------------       -------------------
                         Dec. 31,  Sept. 30,  Dec. 31,  Dec. 31,  Dec. 31,
                           2008       2008      2007      2008      2007
                           ----       ----      ----      ----      ----

    Cash flows
     from operating
     activities:
    Net income             $73.2     $182.8    $376.4    $390.3    $826.2
    Adjustments to
     reconcile net
     income to net cash
     provided by
     operating
     activities:
      Depreciation and
       amortization         28.4       27.3      20.8     104.0      80.7
      Stock-based
       compensation         (5.6)      11.9       7.4      28.5      31.1
      Loss
       (gain)
       on fair
       value of
       warrant              61.2        9.6    (204.7)    292.5    (220.8)
      Pension and post-
       employment
       liabilities          (4.3)     (64.2)     (0.2)    (72.4)     (9.9)
      Working
       capital and
       other               (29.9)     (52.1)     38.8    (102.4)    209.9
                           -----      -----      ----    ------     -----
        Net cash
         provided by
         operating
         activities        123.0      115.3     238.5     640.5     917.2
                           -----      -----     -----     -----     -----

    Cash flows
     from investing
     activities:
    Proceeds
     from sales and
     maturities of
     investments           107.9       64.7      46.8     485.5      93.2
    Purchases of
     investments           (68.4)    (208.7)   (348.8)   (517.3)   (506.4)
    Capital
     expenditures          (60.9)     (73.1)   (103.3)   (303.2)   (276.4)
    Other                      -          -       0.2         -       0.7
                               -          -       ---         -       ---
        Net cash used
         in investing
         activities        (21.4)    (217.1)   (405.1)   (335.0)   (688.9)
                           -----     ------    ------    ------    ------

    Cash flows
     from financing
     activities:
    Net proceeds
     from customer
     deposits
     related to
     long-term
      supply agreements        -       89.5       3.5     138.0     115.3
    Principal
     payments on
     long-term debt         (3.1)         -      (2.7)     (6.0)     (5.2)
    Dividend to
     minority
     interest                  -          -         -      (3.2)     (6.2)
    Excess tax
     benefits from
     stock-based
     payment
     arrangements              -        0.4       7.5      19.0      40.0
    Common stock
     repurchased           (35.5)    (130.6)    (62.9)   (321.0)   (111.2)
    Proceeds
     from
     issuance
     of common
     stock                   0.1        1.2      17.4      19.9      44.2
                             ---        ---      ----      ----      ----
        Net cash
         (used in)
         provided by
         financing
         activities        (38.5)     (39.5)    (37.2)   (153.3)     76.9
                           -----      -----     -----    ------      ----

    Effect of
     exchange rate
     changes on
     cash and cash
     equivalents            (7.1)     (37.3)     10.8     (23.2)     26.6

                            ----     ------    ------     -----     -----
    Net increase
     (decrease)
     in cash and
     cash
     equivalents            56.0     (178.6)   (193.0)    129.0     331.8
    Cash and
     cash
     equivalents
     at
     beginning
     of period             932.3    1,110.9   1,052.3     859.3     527.5
                           -----    -------   -------     -----     -----
    Cash and cash
     equivalents
     at end of
     period               $988.3     $932.3    $859.3    $988.3    $859.3
                          ------     ------    ------    ------    ------



              Reconciliation of GAAP Net Income and Diluted EPS
                      to non-GAAP Net Income and Diluted EPS
               (Unaudited; In millions, except per share data)

                                  Twelve Months Ended    Three Months Ended
                                 Dec. 31,       Dec. 31,       Dec. 31,
                                   2008           2007          2008
                              Net            Net             Net
                             Income   EPS   Income   EPS    Income   EPS
                            -------   ---  -------   ---   -------   ---
    GAAP Net Income          $390.3  $1.71  $826.2  $3.56    $73.2  $0.33
    Cash Tax Difference*      108.6   0.47   115.4   0.49     20.6   0.09
                              -----   ----   -----   ----     ----   ----
    Non-GAAP                  498.9   2.18   941.6   4.05     93.8   0.42
    Loss (Gain) on
     Warrants at Cash
     Tax Rate**               248.6   1.09  (187.7) (0.80)    52.1   0.23
                              -----   ----  ------  -----     ----   ----
    Non-GAAP
     Income Excluding
     Warrants                $747.5  $3.27  $753.9  $3.25   $145.9  $0.65
                             ======  =====  ======  =====   ======  =====

    Estimated annual
    book tax rate               33%             25%            34%
    Estimated cash tax rate     15%             15%            15%



                                          Three Months Ended
                                          ------------------

                                       Sept. 30,       Dec. 31,
                                         2008            2007
                                      Net            Net
                                     Income   EPS   Income   EPS
                                    -------   ---  -------   ---
    GAAP Net Income                  $182.8  $0.80  $376.4  $1.62
    Cash Tax Difference*                4.8   0.02    24.0   0.10
                                        ---   ----    ----   ----
    Non-GAAP                          187.6   0.82   400.4   1.72
    Loss (Gain) on Warrants at Cash
     Tax Rate**                         8.2   0.04  (174.0) (0.75)
                                        ---   ----  ------  -----
    Non-GAAP Income Excluding
     Warrants                        $195.8  $0.86  $226.4  $0.97
                                     ======  =====  ======  =====

    Estimated annual book tax rate      23%             20%
    Estimated cash tax rate             15%             15%

*Our estimated cash tax rate is the estimated tax payable on our tax returns as a percentage of estimated annual pre-tax book income. The annual cash tax rate is estimated quarterly by reference to book taxable income and then taking into account temporary book/tax differences and any tax basis items reflected on our annual tax returns. The company uses an estimated cash tax rate to adjust for the historical variation in the effective book tax rate associated with the reversal of valuation allowances, foreign tax credits and loss carry-forwards that are not tied to actual operating results, because the company believes that the cash tax rate provides a more transparent view of the company's operating results. Please note that the actual book rate used for the purposes of calculating actual book net income for the 2008 fourth quarter was 33.9%.

**Because the value of the Suntech warrant may vary significantly from quarter to quarter, the company believes excluding its effect for non-GAAP EPS comparisons provides a more transparent view of the company's operating results.

SOURCE MEMC Electronic Materials, Inc.