u-blox on Track With New u-blox 5 Technology - 32% Volume Growth in the First Half...

u-blox on Track With New u-blox 5 Technology - 32% Volume Growth in the First
Half of 2008, Sales and Net Profit Impacted by Weak US Dollar

THALWIL, Switzerland, September 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- u-blox
(SWX:UBXN), the leading Swiss provider of GPS receiver technology, today
announced sales for the first half year of 2008 of CHF 40.3 million. This
constitutes a 2.3% growth over the first half year of 2007. Without the
negative impact of the weak US dollar, growth would have been 11.9%. Net
profit of CHF 3.7 million remained unchanged in comparison to the same period
in 2007.
Operational Highlights

- u-blox 5, the latest GPS receiver technology, was
successfully introduced to the markets and has found widespread
acceptance. In Asia a large percentage of u-blox customers have already
migrated to the new platform.
- Total volume sales of modules of all product generations
increased by 32%.
- Sales growth has not been as strong due to the weakness of the US
dollar against the Swiss franc. This had a negative impact limiting net
profit to the same amount as in the first half year 2007.
- Sales were further limited by capacity constraints on the part of
the subcontractor for ANTARIS 4 chipsets.
- The number of new business opportunities for u-blox 5 based
products has been growing in all business areas. Accounts with industry
leaders have been added in the automotive and mobile terminal sectors.
- u-blox expects a stronger second half of 2008 with sales growth
over the first half year in the range of 10% to 20% and an adjusted EBIT
margin of 16% to 20%, based on actual exchange rates for the Swiss franc.

Sales in the first half of the year 2008 saw a total growth of 2.3% over
the first six months of 2007 to CHF 40.3 million. Adjusted for exchange rate
effects, growth would have been 11.9%. In terms of units sold u-blox has
increased output by a strong 32%. Sales growth, however, has not been as
robust because of the weakness of the US dollar against the Swiss franc. In
general, market prices for our mainstream products decreased at a similar
rate as in the same period in 2007. In addition, production problems with the
manufacturing partner of ANTARIS 4 chipsets have resulted in constraints on
our deliveries and thus unexpectedly limited our growth capabilities.
Sales in the Americas declined by 13% due to increasing shift of
customers' production to Asia and due to the weak US dollar. In Europe, the
Middle East and Africa an increase of 17% could be realized, thanks to strong
business activity. In Asia, numbers fell by 1%, also due to the weak US
dollar and some significant business in the first half of 2007, which could
not be repeated. In all areas volume grew vigorously.
Despite the challenges, gross margin increased from 35.7% in the first
half of 2007 to 39.8% in the first half of 2008. This is thanks to u-blox 5
products, which in the first six months of this year already represented 25%
of the shipped volume. Profit from operations (EBIT) grew slightly to CHF 4.5
million, and net profit remained constant at CHF 3.7 million, impacted by the
weak US dollar. Adjusted EBITDA reached CHF 6.7 million for the period (CHF
7.4 million for first half 2007). Operational costs were higher than in the
previous year, with increased expenditures over the period of CHF 1 million
for R&D and CHF 0.5 million for marketing and sales. This was in accordance
with expectations.
Cash flow from operations provided CHF 3.8 million (CHF 7.3 million in
the first half of 2007) and was impacted by one-time payments for outlays in
the context of u-blox' recent IPO.
Strong Market Demand
The markets served by u-blox have seen steady expansion with many new
applications and products launched for consumer and industrial use. The
demand for positioning solutions has been growing continuously and u-blox was
able to ship record volumes of products. The new GPS receiver platform has
found very high interest in the market and has been rated by design engineers
as a leading product in the industry. The launch of u-blox 5 allows u-blox to
compete very successfully, also in light of the ongoing market consolidation
into fewer players. u-blox believes that its market position could be
substantially strengthened, which is clearly visible by the very large number
of new business opportunities that have developed during this time frame. The
sales organization was heavily engaged in supporting customers with
implementing u-blox 5 technology into many new applications. Consequently
u-blox sold its entire production of u-blox 5 products to the market.
Operations expanded, and capacity constraints overcome
On the operational side u-blox has ramped up production volumes for
u-blox 5 chipsets and modules and added extra manufacturing and testing
capacity for them. Additional semiconductor specialists for R&D were
recruited in order to expand product development capabilities. The marketing
and sales teams were enlarged to deal with the growing demand, and u-blox has
increased its presence, primarily in Japan and in the Americas.
Important gains in market position
u-blox has won significant new accounts with industry leaders in the
automotive market and in consumer applications. Important new customers are
involved in tracking and fleet management solutions, navigation devices and
handheld communication devices. Microsoft, for example, has launched the
latest version of their MapPoint software package incorporating a u-blox 5
based GPS stick that fits every USB port of a PC. The entire New York taxi
fleet was outfitted with tracking units including GPS receiver technology
from u-blox, and the new Peugeot 107 benefits from a portable navigation
device with u-blox 5 inside. Two new u-blox 5 based golf tracking products
were rolled out by SkyGolf and uPlay, and Openmoko introduced an interesting
open source platform for mobile terminals incorporating u-blox 5 technology.
The product range was completed with a full range of u-blox 5 products,
both chipsets and modules. In addition, specialty products were launched, for
example for timing applications, which have created new demand.
Outlook
New products are under development that will complement the product line
in the future. A new technology platform will be added in 2009 with the aim
of deepening and expanding the response to market needs through application
and sector specific solutions. Later this year u-blox plans to launch
significant additions to the product line, including a new module form
factor. In the market u-blox anticipates additional business from both
automotive and mobile terminal applications. u-blox 5 technology will clearly
take the lead in shipments over ANTARIS 4.
u-blox is confident that the second half of 2008 will show stronger sales
than the first half and product capacity has been expanded accordingly. New
customer projects will go into production phase and will generate additional
demand. u-blox expects a sales growth over the first half year in the range
of 10% to 20%, with an adjusted EBIT margin of 16% to 20%, based on actual
exchange rates for the Swiss franc.
About u-blox
u-blox is a fabless semiconductor positioning solutions provider for the
automotive, mobile communications and infrastructure markets. u-blox develops
chips and complete modules based on the Global Navigation Satellite Systems
(GNSS) including GPS and GALILEO. Founded in 1997 and headquartered in
Switzerland, the u-blox group is listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and has
offices in the USA, in Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.
For more information, please visit http://www.u-blox.com.
Disclaimer
This release contains certain forward-looking statements. Such statements
reflect the current views of management and are subject to known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results,
performance or achievements of the u-blox Group to differ materially from
those expressed or implied. These include risks related to the success of and
demand for the Group's products, the potential for the Group's products to
become obsolete, the Group's ability to defend its intellectual property, the
Group's ability to develop and commercialize new products in a timely manner,
the dynamic and competitive environment in which the Group operates, the
regulatory environment, changes in currency exchange rates, the Group's
ability to generate revenues and profits, and the Group's ability to realize
its expansion projects in a timely manner. Should one or more of these risks
or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this
report. u-blox provides the information in this release as of this date and
does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements
contained in it as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The media release on the Half Year Report 2008 is published in German and
English. Should the German translation differ from the English original, the
English version is binding.
Contact persons

Thomas Seiler, Chief Executive Officer
Phone: +41(44)722-74-22

Jean-Pierre Wyss, Chief Financial Officer
Phone: +41(44)722-74-20

SOURCE u-blox AG

Contact persons: Thomas Seiler, Chief Executive Officer, Phone:
+41(44)722-74-22; Jean-Pierre Wyss, Chief Financial Officer, Phone:
+41(44)722-74-20