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spk00: Welcome everyone to today's webinar, entitled, VICOR Earnings Result for the Fourth Quarter in December 31st, 2023. My name is Jano, and I'm your producer for today. I would like to advise all parties, this conference is being recorded. And now, I'd like to hand it over to Jim Smith, Chief Financial Officer. Please go ahead.
spk09: Thank you. Good afternoon, and welcome to VICOR Corporation's earnings call for the fourth quarter and year-ended December 31, 2023. I'm Jim Schmidt, Chief Financial Officer, and I'm in Andover with Patrizio Vinciarelli, Chief Executive Officer and Phil Davies, Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing. After the markets closed today, we issued a press release summarizing our financial results for the three months and year ending December 31st. This press release has been posted on the investor relations page of our website, www.vicorpower.com. We also filed a Form 8-K today relating to the issuance of this press release. I remind listeners this conference call is being recorded and is the copyrighted property of Vicor Corporation. I also remind you various remarks we make during this call may constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Except for historical information contained in this call, the matters discussed on this call, including any statements regarding current and planned products, current and potential customers, potential market opportunities, expected events and announcements, and our capacity expansion, as well as management's expectations for sales growth, spending, and profitability, are forward-looking statements involving risk and uncertainties. In light of these risks and uncertainties, we can offer no assurance that any forward-looking statement will, in fact, prove to be correct. Actual results may differ materially from those explicitly set forth in or implied by any of our remarks today. The risks and uncertainties we face are discussed in Item 1A of our 2022 Form 10-K, which we filed with the SEC on February 28, 2023. This document is available via the EDGAR system on the SEC's website. Please note the information provided during this conference call is accurate only as of today, Thursday, February 22, 2024. DICOR undertakes no obligation to update any statements, including forward-looking statements made during this call, and you should not rely upon such statements after the conclusion of this call. A webcast replay of today's call will be available shortly on the investor relations page of our website. And now I'll turn to a review of our Q4 and full-year financial performance after which Phil will review recent market developments, and Patricio, Phil, and I will take your questions. In my remarks, I will focus mostly on the sequential quarterly change for P&L and balance sheet items, as well as full year-on-year changes, and refer you to our press release or our upcoming Form 10-K for additional information. As stated in today's press release, FICOR recorded total revenue for the fourth quarter of 92.7 million, down 12.2% from the third quarter total of 107.8 million, and down 12.2% from the fourth quarter 22 total of 105.5 million. Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased 1.5% to 405.1 million, from 399.1 million for the prior year Advanced products revenue declined 20.1% sequentially, while brick products revenue declined 7% from the third quarter. Revenues for advanced products for the year ending 2023 decreased 8% to $223.9 million from $243.3 million the year before. Revenues for brick products for the year ending 2023 increased 16.3% to $181.2 million from $155.8 million the year before. Shipments to stocking distributors decreased 23.5% sequentially, but increased 46.9% year-over-year. Exports for the fourth quarter decreased sequentially as a percentage of total revenue to approximately 56.5% from the prior quarter, 62.8%. On a year-over-year basis, exports decreased as a percentage of total revenue to approximately 63.1% from the prior year, 67.6%. For Q4, advanced product share of total revenue decreased to 50.4%, compared to 54.2% for the third quarter, with brick product share correspondingly increasing to 49.6% of total revenue. Turning to Q4 gross margin, we recorded a consolidated gross profit margin of 51.1%, approximately 0.7% less than the prior quarter. For the full year 2023, gross margin rose by 5.4% to 50.6%, from 45.2% in the prior year. A number of factors contributed to the year on year increase in gross margin percentage, including improved sales mix, increased royalty income, reductions in supply chain costs, and lower freight and tariff costs. I'll now turn to Q4 operating expenses. Total operating expense, including litigation expenses, decreased 0.4% from the third quarter. For the full year 2023, total operating expenses of percent of revenues decreased to 37.9% from 38.4% in the prior year. The amounts of total equity-based compensation expense for Q4 included in cost of goods, SG&A, and R&D was 680,000, 1,895,000, and 1,007,000, respectively, totaling approximately 3.6 million. For Q4, we recorded operating income of 7.3 million representing an operating margin of 7.9%. For the full year 2023, operating income totaled 51.4 million or 12.7% of revenue compared to 27.2 million or 6.8% of revenue in the prior year. Turning to income taxes, we recorded a tax provision for Q4 of approximately 1.9 million representing an effective tax rate for the quarter of 18.2%. The tax provision for the full year 2023 was approximately 6.6 million, representing an effective tax rate for the year of 11%. Net income for Q4 totaled 8.7 million. GAAP diluted earnings per share was 19 cents, based on a fully diluted share count of 45,017,000. For the full year 2023, that income increased 53.6 million from 25.5 million in the prior year. In 2023, fully diluted earnings per share rose from the prior year, increasing to $1.19 from 57 cents. Turning to our cash flow and balance sheet, cash and cash equivalents totaled 242.2 million at Q4. Accounts receivable net of reserves totaled 52.6 million at quarter end. With DSOs for trade receivables at 40 days, inventories' net reserves increased 1.9% sequentially to $106.6 million. Annualized inventory turns were approximately flat sequentially at 1.92. Operating cash flow totaled approximately $22.1 million for the quarter. Capital expenditures for Q4 totaled $7.7 million. We ended the quarter with a construction and progress balance primarily for manufacturing equipment of approximately $17.7 million, with approximately $17.3 million remaining to be spent. It's worth noting that in Q4 we accrued approximately $13 million as an investment tax credit related to the CHIPS Act for equipment installed in our vertically integrated chip fab. I'll now address bookings and backlog. Q4 booked a bill, while improving sequentially, came in below one and with one year backlog decreasing 8% from the prior quarter, closing at 160.8 million. Turning to the first quarter and the full year, 2024 is a year of uncertainty and opportunity. As of today, the year's outcome, in terms of top line and bottom line, is subject to a relatively wide range of scenarios. Given the wide range of possible outcomes, We are unable to provide quarterly guidance until we are further along resolving uncertainties and capitalizing on opportunities. With that, Phil will provide an overview of recent market developments, and then Patricio, Phil, and I will take your questions. I ask that you limit yourselves to one question and a related follow-up so that we can respond to as many of you as we can in the limited time available. If you have more than one topic to address, please get back in the queue. Phil? Thank you, Jim.
spk10: As Jim covered in his update, our book-to-bill ratio was still below 1 in Q4, mainly due to low booking levels in our HPC business and the automatic test equipment segment of our industrial business. In HPC, Q4 bookings were lower than expected as we turned down deals inconsistent with our long-term OEM licensing strategy. The license gives OEMs access to alternate sources of supply for products covered by VICOR-IP from otherwise infringing suppliers, enabling current and future gen AI processors to achieve higher performance. The OEM license provides access to game-changing technology from a single source innovator through multi-source supply chains. The OEM license avoids the risk of exclusion orders, and the OEM license respects the IP of American innovators and manufacturers. In anticipation of market needs, Veikel was the first to develop key technologies, control systems, topologies, components, and packaging for 48-volt high-current processor power delivery networks. Those market needs are clearly with us now in the advent of Gen AI, machine learning, 48-volt rack power systems, and vertical power delivery. As evidenced by progress already made in forcing RIP to MBMs, our message to the market is clear. The OEM license gives you open-ended access to superior power system technology. It provides continuity of supply for otherwise infringing servers and AI processors. Additional customer engagements in Q4 confirm that GenAI and network processor platforms will require significantly higher current density and vertical power delivery. Our investment in the world's first chip foundry and our 5G product line once again anticipated these future AI power system requirements, uniquely positioning us to expand our share of the AI power system market. We are getting ready to deliver evaluation systems, models, tools, and samples to lead AI processor customers. On other market and customer fronts, our new product and applications pipeline continues to grow, creating both near-term and future demand to fill our vertically integrated foundry. In our automotive business, collaborations that were initiated with OEMs in 2021 have started to move into production with low volume platforms as we ramp our automotive qualification, manufacturing, and OEM relationships through early learning cycles. Momentum is picking up in both the mild hybrid and BEV market from Vico's technology in response to the 48-volt zonal architecture first conceived and patented by Vico and recently promoted by Tesla. Collaborations with larger OEMs on higher volume platforms are gaining momentum, with visibility to production dates in coming years. We will be participating at WCX in Detroit once again this year with four technology papers that will showcase our technology and power system value propositions for 800-volt and 48-volt power modules. In our other business units, we continue to see stronger demand in our broad industrial, aerospace, and defense markets for both large OEMs and smaller customers who purchase through our channel partners. Customer visits from our top 100 accounts have also continued to view and audit our new chip fab, as we now ramp production of advanced products. Thank you. And with that, we will now take your questions.
spk00: Tony, everyone, your question and answer session will begin. If you wish to ask a question, simply please click on the right-hand icon next to your name. In case you joined over the phone, Please press star and free. And the first question is coming from . Please go ahead. Your line is unmuted now.
spk09: Hello, John?
spk03: Hello?
spk07: Yes, go ahead, John. Oh, great. Thanks for taking my question. So to clarify, You turned down data center or HPC deals, are you saying for XPU power due to NBM licensing issues or were they just pure NBM deals? And kind of help me understand, you know, what the concerns were surrounding the technology. Was it economic or purely surrounding the IP?
spk05: Yeah, so you're not going to have an opportunity to analyze it because we're not going to get into specific details. I think it's important to understand that we have a clear vision of where we're going and we're sticking to that vision as events unfold on a variety of fronts relating to asserting our patterns with respect to the NBM and other developments. So the marketplace, it needs to say, is driven by a complex set of forces On the one hand, there is a drive to multi-sourcing, particularly for very high volume applications. But at the end of the day, there is also an overwhelming need for higher current density solutions, vertical power delivery. And these areas where Vigor, as a pioneer, has established a strong beachhead of IP and opportunity that we're going to seek to realize through the right mix of licensing to facilitate the multi-sourcing as needed, what needed, and participation directly with modular solutions from new .
spk07: Okay, fair enough, and I understand. Is this something that can be resolved? in the near term as you negotiate more, or is this something that will take the assertion of your litigation strategy and the completion of that to complete?
spk05: Well, so as implied by Jim's point in his remarks regarding the uncertainty and opportunity that characterizes the national quarters, we can't make that prediction. And we don't want to make that prediction because we want to retain the flexibility needed to implement our long-term strategy. So we're not going to go out on a limb in terms of predicting when things will happen. I can tell you that my expectation is that we're going to be successful, we're going to be successful with our first litigation with respect to asserting the MBM patents. We're doing very well in that regard, and we're far along with respect to that process. And we're also going to fill the factory in due course. So we're very confident of our strategy, very determined to enable it, and patient as need be in order to bring it about. Understood. Thank you. I'll jump back in queue.
spk00: The next question is coming from Quinn Bolton. Please go ahead. Your line is open now.
spk09: Hello? Yes. Go ahead, Quinn.
spk03: Okay, great. I guess I understand you don't want to provide a lot of detail, but I just wanted to try to make sure I understand sort of that the range of alternatives. You said you're turning down deals for MBMs. It sounds like from your opinion or perspective, many of the competing MBMs may infringe your patents. And so if you turn down the deal, what's the alternative for the customer? They just use infringing MBMs until you have asserted those patents or competitors license your patents?
spk05: So we have existing proof of a business model that works quite well. We have a significant licensee that has been sourcing NBMs from an otherwise infringing source by virtue of an OEM license with us. And that's, again, part of our overall strategy with respect to you know, balancing a variety of needs and opportunities for our customers, the market at large, and ourselves with due respect for intellectual property, as well as the needs of the customers that in some relevant instances do have an overwhelming need for a multiplicity of sources.
spk03: I guess a second question just sort of around the IP front. I know we've got the APEX show next week. A lot of papers at that conference will be talking about vertical power delivery. I think monolithic power, analog devices, and Infineon have all talked about vertical power delivery from the multi-phase perspective. Can you give us your latest thoughts, Patricio? Just where do you feel the industry is in terms of adopting vertical power delivery and, you know, to the extent that multi-phase competitors are moving in that direction, is that an area where you, you know, may have to assert your patents on that front? Because I know you've been talking about vertical power delivery now for probably three plus years. Thank you.
spk05: Yes. So, vertical power delivery means certain specific things. One of them with what we call first-gen VPD, you know, the stacking of what we call a multi-cell converter. The multi-cell converter can be a vagal curve multiplier. It can also be a multi-phase solution. It doesn't matter. It falls within our IP in the context of a stacked solution with certain attributes. So we pioneered that concept. It's been implemented to a limited extent by competitors whose solutions lack robustness, lack scalability, lack cost-effectiveness. They suffer from all the traits of first-generation technology that, in many respects, is immature and not scalable. Without question, it's going to become somewhat more mature, and somewhat more scalable, as initially conceived by Vigor, but still handicapped in a variety of fronts, including the intellectual property front. With our 5G technology, we are on what we call a second generation of VPD, which is much more scalable, much more cost-effective, much lower profile, much more efficient, and which we believe, before too long, will enable much more advanced solutions.
spk03: Understood. Thank you.
spk00: I think it's coming from John Dillon. Go ahead, John. Hello? Can you hear me?
spk05: It's pretty faint, John. Yeah, I don't think we can hear you.
spk08: Okay. Bill, in your prepared remarks, you were talking about some IP that you have in the automotive. And then right after that, you said it was promoted by Tesla. Can we infer from that that Tesla might be a customer of yours soon?
spk05: So I heard the word Tesla and 48 Volzono and IP. Is Tesla going to be a customer soon, I think is what John was asking. Yeah, so we're not going to make comments about specific companies or potential customers. But I will mention that, as in other fronts, you know, Vico was a pioneer with respect to the concept of using bus converters within automotive power distribution. So, that's an area of intellectual property that may come to fruition at some point in time. As you can imagine, or as implied by earlier comments, there's no shortage of opportunity. As of now, we're very focused on bringing to fruition our NBM initiative, but it is part of a very broad campaign, which again is part of a very comprehensive strategy. to enable a more efficient, scalable, and fair market when it comes to advanced power system technology.
spk08: Great. The other thing I wanted to congratulate you on the bookings. It looks like from the press release it's headed up, and it looks like your bookings are up about 13.5 million from the previous quarter. So I'm just wondering, Bill, do you expect this trend to continue? I don't want any specifics, but can we expect the trend to continue throughout the year?
spk05: Yeah, so I don't think that the word trend applies or linear separation, whatever you want to call it, to... you know, events unfolding over the next few quarters because, as discussed earlier, I think we should all be clear with respect to this. There is a wide range of scenarios, and because of that, individual events could impact bookings, top line, bottom line, from one quarter to the next in ways that are frankly unpredictable. Needless to say, There is a book stop at the low end, but we're not going to quantify what that is. There is limited outside, I would say. There is quite a bit of upside, but that upside is hard to predict in terms of the time to fruition.
spk08: I get that. I understand that. So this is the last quarter you alluded to, the last conference call you alluded to, a sizable upside. It sounds like that sizable upside is still out there, but it's not predictable at this time.
spk05: That's right. I will say that the cumulative impact over time is more predictable than instant contribution that may happen sooner or later. So fundamentally, a strategy, as it has always been, is to take a very long-term view. You know, we're not, I know we're in the context of reporting to the financial markets, but we're not, to be perfectly honest with you, making decisions based on what may look particularly good in any one quarter. We are making decisions based on what we think is in the long-term interest of the shareholders, again, balancing the various factors at play in a comprehensive strategy.
spk08: Got it. I'll get back in the queue. Thank you. Thank you very much.
spk00: The next question is coming from Kim Walton. Please go ahead. Your line is open.
spk03: I guess I wanted to follow up on John's question. There are obviously a range of scenarios you're talking about, but to the extent the upside scenario plays out, I assume that those are likely either MBM or fourth generation or more hopefully fifth generation design wins. How quickly could you ramp that business? I mean, I think in past quarters, you've talked about manufacturing lead times that are about six months. And so, you know, would it take a couple of quarters to sort of start to realize some of those upside opportunities? Is that the right, you know, kind of way to think about the timing to the extent the upside case begins to play out? And then I've got to follow up.
spk05: So we have capacity in place now. We could, in the next quarter, the quarter after that, manufacture more subject to, obviously, material procurement lead time than we would based on where we stand currently in terms of the bookings and backlog situation. Just as a reminder, The issues and challenges of yesteryears, when we didn't have a vertical integrated factory, were dependent on outside sources of supply for critical process steps, are gone. Those are no longer challenges. Now we face a different type of challenge that again is resulting from sticking to a strategy that has us balance a variety of considerations. But as I think back about historic challenges, I feel that with the establishment of our first cheap foundry, we are in a position we've never been in, in answer to your question regarding scalability. We have a level of scalability that Viagra never had. We manufacture advanced products in panels which are akin to wafers. In our chip foundry, we can make a very, very large quantity of panels. We have a lot of capacity. Needless to say, there's still going to be a lead time. There's no set function to be had. But demand can be addressed with supply within a relatively short cycle time.
spk03: Thank you. Patricia, the follow-up question is, you know, in the current, you know, latest generation GPU market, one of the multi-phase vendors that has pretty high share recently had some testing issues. And I'm wondering if you've had any discussions sort of since that event that might lead you to believe that, you know, any of the large AI processor or GPU vendors one, are now more open to having multiple sources of supply? And particularly, has this event potentially raised some concerns about the multi-phase approach in general, given that you've got, you know, one or more controllers that may have to control 20, 30, 40 phases? You know, have you seen anything, you know, coming out of that event that may benefit BICOR either in the near term or the longer term? Thank you.
spk05: So, multi-phase systems, you know, have challenges, and those challenges get compounded in a VPD type of solution. So, the underlying primary challenge of multi-phase is that it is a lower current density type of solution. the averaging down of a voltage to step up the current through switching elements that need to support a much higher voltage withstand and do so reliably and without a safe operating area than with a vehicle current multiplier, which can in effect multiply current and do so much more efficiently lower voltage semiconductors without commensurate safe operating area challenges. There are other benefits that have to do, in particular, just to give you some examples, with the fact that with our proprietary approach, there is no multi-VCR phases, each one of which should it fail, could take a GPU or the AI processor with it, as it can fail with a top switch short, which could happen with any of a larger multiplicity of phases. So we have many, many advantages in terms of the power distribution architecture, the topology, the type of components that these solutions require, which are fundamentally different. But then getting back to the VPD side of things, with a multi-cell approach involving a multiplicity of phases as opposed to a multiplicity of current multipliers as we have, you have, in effect, the compounded challenge of a power conversion topology, the back converter, which is inherently low current density. compounded by the mechanical challenges with first-generation VPD of stacking this multi-cell topology with gearboxes or capacitive layers that are required in order to provide filtering and dynamic response. And I don't mean to get too technical with this, Getting to the punchline, VPD, first-generation VPD implemented with multi-cell solutions in the form of multi-phase is very, very challenging, costly, not truly scalable, inherently handicapped, and in need of an overall. And we're not seeing based on our visibility, it being scaled up with the level of low defect rates and manufacturability that larger EMs would expect to have. Got it.
spk03: Thank you.
spk00: The next question is coming from Ellen Hicks. Please go ahead. Your line is open.
spk06: Can you hear me?
spk01: Yes.
spk06: Okay. It sounds like the factory is virtually complete, although I know you have some more build-out. Can you confirm that?
spk05: Yes. We have a bar graph that we review every week. It used to be yellow and red. It's now all green, in the sense that the green The green sourcing of yesterday, which was yellow-red, has become a green source as made in Andover in a vertical integrated facility. And those bars are rising, you know, from week to week. So we are doing well in that regard. So that challenge is essentially behind us. You know, we're not toying down with bringing in equipment. There's still some additional equipment that is equipment we committed to that is going to add some additional capacity and process capability. It's due in in the next several months, but the core capability of, in effect, building up the other layers of our unique converter housing package type of technology through panels. Again, the weather analogy when it comes to identity of our converter modules, that capability is in place, and we're using it, and we're setting it up.
spk06: Okay, so you would say your lead times are coming down?
spk05: Well, so what is going on in, what has been going on in particular within the last quarter is that the mix has changed, right? With the different backlog situation and the need to utilize capacity to address some of the backlog that have been overdue. You know, our mix has changed, and that places its own constraint on top capacity. And that's frankly the reason why, you know, we fell short somewhat of our internal target in terms of top line within the water. It wasn't that we didn't have enough backlog. It's just that there was a bit of a mix challenge because, you know, instead of making lots of modules of a certain kind, we had to make somewhat smaller quantity or a variety of different things, right? So that's a factor with respect to tall capacity, and it was a factor in particular with respect to the top line in the last quarter.
spk06: Then going forward, you're capable of building the 4G products, lateral, vertical, and what's the interest in 4G?
spk05: I'm sorry, what is what interest in 4G? Yeah. So, I think, frankly, our focus right now, we do have, Phil, do you want to answer that question? Well, we have some 4G design wins.
spk10: Yeah, absolutely. So, that will play out as we move through the year. But the real focus, and I think that's where Patricio is going, is really establishing the 5G technology because it's 3X the power density of 4G, which is a major factor. value proposition to vertical power delivery and other lower current lateral applications too. So it opens up new markets for us, bigger markets. So I think it's an exciting time. Yes.
spk05: I mean, frankly, I'm not thinking about 4G. I'm thinking, and the excitement theme is very much focused on making sure that we bring 5G to completion and get demo system boards out to customers, tools, and begin that scale-up.
spk06: Okay, thank you very much.
spk00: The next question is coming from John. Please go ahead. Your line is open.
spk07: Hi, thanks for the follow-up. I was wondering if your expectations for the automotive applications have changed at all, just given the shift in automotive sentiment, where maybe hybrids are, you know, a little bit more back in fashion versus pure EVs and how that plays out to your 48-volt technology.
spk10: No, John, it's Phil. So, no, the market is sizable for us as a new entrant, of course. I mean, there's still millions of BEVs and, you know, mild hybrids out there for us to go after with their applications. you know, 800-volt or 400-volt battery technology. And what we're seeing at the moment that's actually quite interesting is that we have powertrain solutions, you know, that go from 800 to 48 or 800 to 12. We have an onboard charger platform that is incredibly power-dense and is getting a lot of interest in the market with 800, 400-volt bidirectional conversion. And so what we're seeing recently, actually, different applications, like, for example, converting a condenser or an active suspension system or a seat heater from an 800- or 400-volt battery down to 48 volts as 48 volts starts to take a hold in some of these electromechanical applications. So we've seen a lot more of that in the last, I would say, the last two quarters. And that's exciting for us because those are relatively high volume applications. Like the active suspension, for example, is two to four modules per vehicle. So we're encouraged about the continued progress in automotive. And the application spread is actually increasing for us.
spk07: Understood. Thank you. And then second, I just wanted to go back to the issues with the IBM and the IP. As you assert your intellectual property there. Is there a risk that it deters you or potential customers from pursuing designs or closing deals on fifth generation VPT technology, or do you view them as, you know, mostly ring-fenced here? You know, I'm just thinking that, you know, maybe if you're pursuing this path and the demand is out there for all these AI processors, maybe the customers might settle for something that's less than perfect just to meet the demand that they see.
spk05: So I guess the way I would view this is that in terms of encouraging or discouraging OEMs doing business with us, I would expect that OEMs make these decisions based on their considered interest, right, which involves access to competitive technology because, needless to say, if they are foreclosed from a power system technology that their competitors have, they are in a challenging competitive position of their own. And so to the extent that Vigor provides access to enabling power system technology, whether it's VPDs, particularly second-gen VPD, or high-condensity solutions. Customers come to us because they realize we have those capabilities which the commodity pack of multi-phase does not have. Now the enforcement of the IP is a necessity. IP needs to be respected. We can't have a market in which OEMs, particularly large OEMs, you know, wish to commoditize a proprietary product covered by a lot of innovation and patents, as is the case for the NBM and other unique vital capabilities. So we need to make the investment necessary in getting the respect that the intellectual property deserves. And a first action in this regard is an action of the International Trade Commission. We're now more than halfway through that process. We are going to be at trial at the end of April, and thus far we're winning on just about every key decision that's been made to date. So I'm very encouraged with respect to the outcome, and we're very focused on bringing that to a successful conclusion later this year.
spk07: Got it. When do you expect the final decisions to be made there, and what are you expecting the legal costs to be just on a run rate basis as we get there?
spk05: So the LJ will render his decision by, I think, the very beginning of October. The trial is at the end of April, beginning of May. Cherry brought some time in Washington, D.C. Good time to be in Washington.
spk07: Got it. And the cost, the legal expenses associated with that?
spk05: It's significant, but not nearly as significant for our opponents because of how we structured our deal with law firms that work with us as partners. So we have a common goal and a common set of interests. Got it.
spk07: Okay, thank you.
spk00: The next question is coming from John Dillon. Please go ahead. Your line is open.
spk08: Hi, guys. Thanks for the follow-up. Patricio, your cash keeps increasing even after investing in building a new factory. So I'm wondering, are you saving the cash for building a multiplicity of chip pads, or are you considering stock buybacks for that cash?
spk09: building more FABs or stock buyback?
spk05: Yeah, so I'm sorry, I couldn't understand all of what you said. But regarding more FABs, we first have to fill the existing one, right? And the existing one, which we represented to have a capability of nearly $1 billion, you know, based on some of the advances we made with FIG technology, it's not expected to be able to support considerably more than that level of yearly revenues. So we got a while to go before having to invest in a second Fed.
spk08: What about stock buybacks?
spk05: Well, we're focused on a variety of uh opportunities at this point in time and you know frankly uh that's not being on my radar screen but uh it may get on a regular screen and if and when that happens we'll all find out when it happens what do you what are you saving your cash for then what's you've got a huge dashboard that keeps growing
spk09: Yeah, so what are we using the cash for it for? Well, I think at this point, you know, it is the case, John, that one very favorable thing that occurred in the last couple quarters is a couple quarters of greater than 20 million per quarter of operating cash flow. So there is a sense now that with royalties and other you know, parts of the P&L and the factory internalized and no more spend outside, that we can be pretty efficient and very efficient, in fact, in generating cash. So, but let's let the cash pile grow a bit and then, you know, we'll decide, as Patricio said, you know, look at it.
spk01: Yeah.
spk05: So, we need to say we, particularly in the early stage of our IP campaign, want to be in a very strong financial position, right? And they are the side conservatives with respect to being able to invest in the campaign to the extent necessary for as long as it takes to achieve the goals. And that's our top priority. That's most important strategically. Going back to your question, let's say we could buy back 5% or 10% of our float that opportunity, relatively speaking, pales relative to the opportunity to double the value or do more than that by succeeding at the strategy and the mission. And that's our focus.
spk08: Gotcha. And, Bill, can you just give us a brief update on your design, which how they're going? What do you see coming up?
spk10: Sorry, John, I couldn't make out that question from you.
spk05: Yeah, so very, very hard. Speak louder or... Yeah, sorry.
spk08: Anyway, Phil, can you just give us an update on the design wins, a quick update on the design wins?
spk10: As I mentioned in my remarks, John, the pipeline is continuing to grow. I mean, as I talked about, we're focused as a strategy on 100 customers. We've identified those 100 customers with about a $6 billion SAM for VICO. We're very focused on those top 100. with account managers on every single one of them, and every single one of them is targeted for a set of new products that will start to release in Q4, and we'll have more in Q1 and Q2. So the pipeline is growing. We've got a very healthy, growing pipeline. I'm quite confident in all four business units achieving their goals over the next three to four years by 2027.
spk05: Yeah, it's important to note that this is a diversified model, right? We're not, even though there's been a lot of talk, a lot of focus, particularly from the investors community on AI for obvious reasons that sent opportunities. That is one of the primary markets. It's not the only market. You heard us talk about That's an important market as well, obviously an emerging market for us. But we have two other end markets that, in their own right, represent the opportunity. Our space and defense, industrial market, you know, our products have all the right traits for those applications in those end markets. And those in their own right represent the opportunity for us. And the efficiency action and the business model is obviously key to the overall strategy in terms of market transaction.
spk08: Great. Thank you guys very much. I really appreciate it.
spk00: The next question is coming from the attendee who joined the webinar. So I will unmute you now. But I would like to ask you to introduce yourself before you take a question. Hello? Yes, we can hear you.
spk09: You might want to go to the next question, operator.
spk00: Sure. The next questioner also joined over the phone. So I will unmute you now. And as I asked earlier, please introduce yourself before you ask a question. Please go ahead.
spk02: OK. Hi. This is Don McKenna.
spk09: Hi, Don.
spk05: Please go ahead.
spk02: All right. Can you guys hear me?
spk05: Yeah, very well.
spk02: Yeah. OK. Then I was following up on John Dillon's earlier question relative to bookings, and I know you said you didn't want to project any kind of trends, but can you give a rough idea how they're running so far? You're halfway through the quarter. How they're running compared to last quarter?
spk05: Again, setting expectations with respect to what is going to happen this quarter or next quarter, is not something we're going to do because it could be misleading one way or the other and we don't want to do that. So we want to be very honest in effect sharing what we characterize as challenges and opportunities that on balance could lead to a variety of outcomes. Given that setting any kind of specific expectation could be potentially misleading one way or the other, and we don't want to do that.
spk02: All right, thanks.
spk00: And we have one more question from an attendee who also joined over the phone. So I will unmute you now, but please introduce yourself before you take a question. You're muted now. Yes?
spk06: We can hear you. Hello?
spk10: Yep, we can hear you.
spk01: Hello? Go ahead. Hello, this is Neil Gore. General Motors announced that they're building a big plant domestically for EVs. Do you expect that you'll be selling your products to GM for this?
spk10: So we, not again, not talking about any specific customers, but we have really covered most of the OEMs globally with our technology. It's been part of our strategy to get the OEMs excited about VICOR technology and what it can do in their BEV platforms or mild hybrid platforms, and for them to really start collaborations with us and to then bring in Tier 1s. And as our strategy for 2024 evolves, we're starting to work with more tier ones on those types of collaborations. So rather than get specific about one customer, I can say that generally and on a global footprint, we're doing very well with those collaborations and moving forward with our automotive strategy. But it's good to see the GM investment. That really is good to see.
spk01: Thank you.
spk05: If there is one more question before we close.
spk00: All right. The last questioner also joined over the phone. So I will unmute you now. Please introduce yourself before you take a question. Please go ahead. Your line is open now.
spk04: Can you guys hear me? Yes.
spk00: You can hear me? Yes.
spk04: Okay, great. This is Richard Chan with the Craig Allen. I'm not sure what's wrong with this service, but I've been trying to get on for 45 minutes. We can hear you now. Great. So I guess maybe a kind of a multi-parter, you know, as we look at your 5G technology. I think in your last call you talked about wanting to deliver models and tools sometime this quarter. I think I got in early enough to hear the prepared remarks and didn't hear anything regarding that. I'd love to get an update on whether those have been delivered yet here. And then as we think about your getting to volume production with this, and I think you alluded to maybe by the end of this year, early next year, What needs to happen between now and then, and how do you exercise the new facility here to give confidence to large customers that you have the ability to ramp with high yields, high quality, and low lead times?
spk05: So customers have come to visit the facility, kicked the tires, as it were, and generally speaking, They've been very impressed. You know, we had, as an example, a couple weeks ago, the VP of operations for a company with a very unique product in the realm of AI capabilities. And he commented, having visited the factory, that he'd never seen anything like that in terms of capabilities instead of the art facilities. So the customer visits and customers being exposed to the equipment, the processes, the systems that our team has put in place, It speaks volumes to, you know, the scalability, the methodology of making panels of chips as if they were wafers of semiconductor devices. Regarding 5G, we are engaged with some lead customers, including one I was referencing a moment ago and another notable one that came to mind that is particularly keen on our technology, and we have a schedule that has us deliver them functional samples, tools, and demo systems as we progress through Q2 and Q3 of this year. Regarding getting into production, we're going to have production for 5G in the second half of the year. In terms of revenue opportunity, this is a Q1 2025 type of event. It's not in terms of contribution to revenue in any meaningful way a 2024 event, just to be clear.
spk04: Okay, perfect. Wanted to get that confirmation. I appreciate that one. My last quick question here is there was a statement made by a camera was either Patricia or Phil in the last call here about expecting a dominant share of AI power systems. I think referring to, you know, with 5G and over a period of time, I just wanted to, especially given the, you know, step down in revenues that people might have concerned people, wanted you to reiterate, if you still believe that to be the case, reiterate that that's what you think is going to happen.
spk05: It is, and it's not a dream. It's a vision that is rooted in hard numbers. The current density, the amps per square millimeter, so to speak, the efficiency, the scalability, vertical power delivery capabilities, the key attributes that we know of data center AI and customers need, and with respect to which they are really today severely handicapped. The multi-phase approach, particularly with VPD, but even without VPD, is very, very challenged. And it's been the de facto standard for obvious reasons, because it is multi-source and historically it has had scalability of its own through the ecosystem of a large multiplicity of suppliers around the globe. But technically, it's very severely handicapped. And it's that visibility that I have, which again, comes down to numbers like amps per square millimeter and other attributes, the ability to provide a VPD solution in one and a half millimeter thin column multiplier that line up with what the AI processors We're looking at applications with 2,000, 4,000 amp requirements. In other cases, we're looking at web-scale applications at the 50,000 amp level. You can't do that with multi-phase. You can only do it with our enabling technology. And that's what we're set to enable directly with our FAB. and to some degree indirectly through our licensee model. Okay.
spk04: Appreciate those thoughts, Prachicha. That's all for me.
spk09: Thank you. And with that, we'll have to wrap it up. So, operator, if you could close the call. Thank you.
spk00: Sure. Thank you, everyone. That marks the end of your webinar. Thank you for joining, and have a nice day.
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