LINEAR TECHNOLOGY REPORTS SEQUENTIAL AND YEAR OVER YEAR QUARTERLY INCREASES IN REVENUES AND NET INCOME.

News Release

Contact:

Paul Coghlan

5:00 EDT

Vice President, Finance, Chief Financial Officer

April 14, 2015

(408) 432-1900

NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

LINEAR TECHNOLOGY REPORTS SEQUENTIAL AND YEAR OVER YEAR QUARTERLY INCREASES IN REVENUES AND NET INCOME.
Milpitas, California, April 14, 2015, Linear Technology Corporation (NASDAQ:LLTC), a leading, independent manufacturer of high performance linear integrated circuits, today reported financial results for the fiscal quarter ended March
29, 2015. Quarterly revenues of $372.0 million for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 increased $24.0 million or 6.9% over the
$348.0 million reported in the third quarter of fiscal year 2014 and increased $19.4 million or 5.5% over the previous quarter's revenue of $352.6 million. Net income of $135.2 million increased $17.6 million or 15.0% over the third quarter of fiscal year
2014 and increased $11.6 million or 9.4% over the second quarter of fiscal year 2015. The Company had no interest expense compared with $12.4 million of interest expense in the third quarter of the prior fiscal year as a result of the extinguishment of the Convertible Senior Notes at the end of fiscal 2014. Diluted earnings per share of $0.55 per share in the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 increased $0.07 per share or 15% over the third quarter of fiscal year 2014 and increased $.04 per share or 8% over the second quarter of fiscal year 2015.
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities increased by $62.4 million over the second quarter of fiscal year 2015 to $1,135 million. A cash dividend of $0.30 per share will be paid on May 27, 2015 to stockholders of record on May 15, 2015. During the third quarter the Company generated positive cash flows from operations of $153.2 million or 41% of total revenues. The Company has historically generated strong cash flows from its operations. During the third quarter of fiscal year 2015 the Company returned $96.6 million to shareholders in the form of dividends of $73.4 million, representing $0.30 per share and stock purchases of $23.2 million.
According to Lothar Maier, CEO, "The March quarter is historically a growth quarter for us and this year we continued that trend with another successful quarter. Revenue grew 5.5% sequentially and operating income grew 9.7%. Our operating margin as a percent of sales was 46.7% up from 44.9% reported last quarter. Compared with the similar quarter in the prior year, sales grew 7% and operating income grew 8%. The book to bill ratio was positive for the quarter and bookings increased sequentially in all of our major end markets with our largest end markets, industrial and automotive, showing the most gains. Looking forward we expect growth to continue in the June quarter although moderately tempered by worldwide macroeconomic conditions. Accordingly, we are currently estimating sequential revenue growth of 2% to 5% for our fiscal fourth quarter."

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking statements. In particular, the statements regarding the demand for our products, our customers' ordering patterns and the anticipated trends in our sales and profits are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are dependent on certain risks and uncertainties, including such factors, among others, as the timing, volume and pricing of new orders received and shipped, the timely introduction of new processes and products, general and country specific conditions in the world economy and financial markets and other factors described in our 10-K for the year ended June 29, 2014.

LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417 (408) 432-1900 FAX: (408) 434-6441

www.linear.com
Company officials will be discussing these results in greater detail in a conference call tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15,
2015 at 8:30 a.m. Pacific Coast Time. Those investors wishing to listen in may call 719-457-2634, or toll free 800-967-7185 before 8:15 a.m. to be included in the audience. There will be a live webcast of this conference call that can be accessed through www.linear.com or www.streetevents.com. A replay of the conference call will be available from April 15, 2015 through April
22, 2015. You may access the archive by calling (719) 457-0820 or toll free (888) 203-1112 and entering reservation #7771582. An archive of the webcast will also be available at www.linear.com and www.streetevents.com as of April 22, 2015 until the third quarter earnings release next year.
Linear Technology Corporation, a member of the S&P 500, has been designing, manufacturing and marketing a broad line of high performance analog integrated circuits for major companies worldwide for over three decades. The Company's products provide an essential bridge between our analog world and the digital electronics in communications, networking, industrial, automotive, computer, medical, instrumentation, consumer, and military and aerospace systems. Linear Technology produces power management, data conversion, signal conditioning, RF and interface ICs, µModule® subsystems, and wireless sensor network products. For more information, visit www.linear.com
For further information contact Paul Coghlan at Linear Technology Corporation, 1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, California
95035-7417, (408) 432-1900.
LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (In thousands, except per share amounts)
U.S. GAAP (unaudited)

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
March 29, December 28, March 30, March 29, March 30,

2015 2014 2014 2015 2014

Revenues

$ 372,021 $ 352,575 $ 348,006 $ 1,095,656 $ 1,022,958

Cost of sales(1)

89,147 86,726 84,479 264,880 251,001

Gross profit

282,874 265,849 263,527 830,776 771,957

Expenses:

Research and development (1)

67,100 65,101 62,129 197,801 185,649

Selling, general and administrative(1)

42,221 42,537 40,693 126,847 118,223

Total operating expenses

109,321 107,638 102,822 324,648 303,872

Operating income

173,553 158,211 160,705 506,128 468,085

Interest expense

Amortization of debt discount(2)

- - (6,813) - (20,439)

- - (5,603) - (16,573)

Interest income and other income

881 253 581 1,715 2,254

Income before income taxes

174,434 158,464 148,870 507,843 433,327

Provision for income taxes

39,247 34,862 31,263 119,595 103,101

Net income

$ 135,187 $ 123,602 $ 117,607 $ 388,248 $ 330,226



Earnings per share:

Basic $ 0.55 $ 0.51 $ 0.49 $ 1.59 $ 1.38

Diluted $ 0.55 $ 0.51 $ 0.48 $ 1.58 $ 1.37
Shares used in determining earnings per share:

Basic 244,286 244,033 240,669 244,181 239,592

Diluted 245,084 244,591 243,992 245,117 241,724
Includes the following non-cash charges:

(1) Stock-based compensation

Cost of sales $ 2,240 $ 2,223 $ 1,961 $ 6,563 $ 6,031
Research and development 10,447 10,350 9,133 30,588 28,111
Selling, general and administrative 5,394 5,346 4,718 15,796 14,517

(2) Amortization of debt discount

(non-cash interest expense) - - 5,603 - 16,573
LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands)
U.S. GAAP (unaudited)
ASSETS:
Current assets:

March 29, 2015 June 29, 2014
Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities $ 1,135,284 $ 1,012,787
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful
accounts of $1,651 ($1,653 at June 29, 2014) 159,964 173,340
Inventories 102,640 91,310
Deferred tax assets and other current assets 94,130 87,276

Total current assets 1,492,018 1,364,713

Property, plant & equipment, net 292,533 277,080

Other noncurrent assets 12,135 13,785 Total assets $ 1,796,686 $ 1,655,578

LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:

Current liabilities: Accounts payable

$ 19,408

$ 28,221

Accrued income taxes, payroll & other accrued liabilities

98,480

141,275

Deferred income on shipments to distributors

47,560

45,619

Total current liabilities

165,448

215,115

Deferred tax and other noncurrent liabilities

119,808

109,094

Stockholders' equity:

Common stock

2,018,654

1,948,006

Accumulated deficit

(508,023)

(616,992)

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

799

355

Total stockholders' equity

1,511,430

1,331,369

$ 1,796,686

$ 1,655,578

LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
(unaudited)
Cash flow from operating activities:

Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended
March 29, December 28, March 30, March 29, March 30,

2015 2014 2014 2015 2014
Net income $ 135,187 $ 123,602 $ 117,607 $ 388,248 $ 330,226
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization 13,592 13,555 12,777 40,361 38,404
Stock-based compensation 18,081 17,919 15,812 52,947 48,659
Amortization of convertible senior
notes discount - - 5,603 - 16,573
Excess tax benefit from stock-based
compensation (4,223) (2,548) (5,108) (8,973) (6,937) Change in operating assets and liabilities: (9,416) (4,571) (44,948) (35,029) (34,240)

Cash provided by operating activities 153,221 147,957 101,743 437,554 392,685
Cash flow from investing activities:

Net (purchases) and proceeds from sale

and maturities of available-for-sale

securities

8,990

(55,632)

347,928

(73,068)

440,946

Purchase of property, plant and

equipment

(11,046)

(16,201)

(8,739)

(54,164)

(16,636)



Cash (used in) provided by investing
activities (2,056) (71,833) 339,189 (127,232) 424,310
Cash flow from financing activities: Excess tax benefit from stock-based

compensation

4,223

2,548

5,108

8,973

6,937

Issuance of common stock under employee stock plans

10,998

12,092

31,065

26,413

90,581

Purchase of common stock

(23,202)

(34,709)

(18,731)

(91,997)

(45,584)

Payment of cash dividends

(73,406)

(65,822)

(65,128)

(204,967)

(189,210)



Cash used in financing activities (81,387) (85,891) (47,686) (261,578) (137,276)

(Decrease) increase in cash and cash
equivalents 69,778 (9,767) 393,246 48,744 679,719
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of

period 136,289 146,056 413,123 157,323 126,650 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 206,067 $ 136,289 $ 806,369 $ 206,067 $ 806,369

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