MRV Communications, Inc. : MRV Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Financial Results

CHATSWORTH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar. 15, 2012-- MRV Communications, Inc. (OTCQB: MRVC) ("MRV" or the "Company"), a leading provider of optical communications network infrastructure equipment and integration and managed services, today announced financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2011.

Commenting on the Company's financial results announced today, Barry Gorsun, MRV's chief executive officer, stated, "As the year progressed we experienced continued momentum, enabling us to report 19% sequential revenue growth in the fourth quarter. The strong end to the year resulted in another year of record revenue. While we are pleased with our top-line performance, we continue to implement initiatives designed to improve operating income, in part by removing costs, enhancing productivity and driving sales. We also focused on driving shareholder value in 2011, building off our efforts in 2010. As we enter 2012, we will continue to identify opportunities to enhance shareholder value while supporting our business units."

MRV reported fourth quarter 2011 revenue of $74.1 million, compared with revenue of $62.5 million in the third quarter and $73.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. The $11.6 million sequential increase is attributable to a $9.0 million increase in the Company's Network Integration group and, to a lesser degree, a $2.9 million increase at MRV's Network Equipment group, partially offset by an increase in intersegment sales between each of these two business units, which are eliminated in the Company's consolidated reporting. Both reporting segments benefited from a seasonally strong fourth quarter with the largest sequential increases in revenue coming from the French and Italian Network Integration subsidiaries, which had softer third quarters due to weak local telecom markets. The Company's Optical Communications Systems business unit saw a 12% sequential increase.

Gross margin for the fourth quarter of 2011 was 37.9%, down from 40.2% last quarter and 39.2% in the fourth quarter of 2010. The sequential decrease was due primarily to the Company's Italian business unit in the Network Integration group and a decrease in the proportion of revenue contributed by the Network Equipment group which has higher margins.

Operating expenses in the fourth quarter of $33.4 million included a $7.1 million goodwill impairment charge related to MRV's Scandinavian subsidiary. Excluding this charge, operating expenses in the fourth quarter were $26.3 million, or 35% of revenue, compared to $21.6 million, or 35% of revenue, in the third quarter and $25.8 million, or 35% of revenue, in the fourth quarter of the prior year. The $4.7 million sequential increase included several charges that impact comparability to prior periods including $1.4 million in payments to stock option and restricted stock holders to compensate them for the loss in value of their equity grants due to the $75 million special dividend paid in November 2011, $0.5 million in severance to our former CEO, and $0.2 million in a litigation settlement. The remaining increase was due primarily to higher sales and marketing costs due to normal seasonality. Operating loss for the quarter was $5.3 million, compared with operating income of $3.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2010. This was the result of a $7.1 million goodwill impairment charge in one of MRV's business units, and $2.1 million in other charges as described above.

On a full year basis, MRV reported revenues of $266.8 million, a $10.7 million, or 4%, increase compared to $256.0 million for 2010. Both operating segments contributed to a decline in gross margins from 43.2% last year to 40.3% in 2011.

A more detailed discussion of MRV's 2011 fourth quarter and full year financial results, including an analysis by business segment, is included in the Management Discussion and Analysis section of the Company's Form 10-K filed today.

About MRV Communications, Inc.

MRV Communications, Inc. is a leading global provider of carrier Ethernet, WDM optical transport, infrastructure management equipment and solutions, as well as network integration and managed services. MRV's solutions enable the delivery and provisioning of next-generation optical transport and carrier Ethernet services over any fiber infrastructure. MRV provides equipment and services worldwide to telecommunications service providers, enterprises, and governments, enabling network evolution and increasing efficiency, while reducing complexity and costs. Through its subsidiaries, MRV operates R&D centers in North America and Europe, along with support centers and sales offices around the world. For more information about MRV, visit http://www.mrv.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements regarding future financial and operating results of MRV, management's assessment of business trends, and other statements about management's future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects and those of the market segments in which MRV is engaged that are based on management's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about MRV and its consolidated businesses and the respective market segments in which MRV's businesses operate, in addition to management's assumptions. Statements in this press release regarding MRV's future financial and operating results, which are not statements of historical facts, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "envisions," "estimates," "targets," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should," "could," "forecasts," "projects," variations of such words and similar expressions, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements which are not statements of historical facts. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance nor guarantees that the events anticipated will occur or expected conditions will remain the same or improve. These statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the likelihood of which are difficult to assess and may not occur, including risks that each of its business segments may not make the expected progress in its respective market, or that management's long-term strategy may not achieve the expected results. Therefore, actual outcomes, performance and results may differ from what is expressed or forecast in such forward-looking statements, and such differences may vary materially from current expectations.

For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with MRV's businesses, please refer to the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition" and "Risk Factors" sections of MRV's SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, copies of which may be obtained by contacting MRV's investor relations department or by visiting MRV's website at http://www.mrv-corporate.com or the SEC's EDGAR website at http://www.sec.gov.

All information in this release is as of December 31, 2011 unless otherwise stated. MRV undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in MRV's expectations.

(Financial tables follow)

MRV Communications, Inc.
Statement of Operations
(In thousands, except per share data)
			Three Months Ended										Year To Date
			Dec 31,					Dec 31,					Dec 31,					Dec 31,
			2011					2010					2011					2010
			(Unaudited)
Revenue			$	74,138				$	73,522				$	266,753				$	256,032
Cost of goods sold				46,105					44,399					159,161					145,312
Gross profit				28,033					29,123					107,592					110,720
Gross margin				38	%				40	%				40	%				43	%
Operating costs and expenses:
Product development and engineering				6,259					6,018					24,318					21,788
Selling, general and administrative				20,002					19,696					72,855					74,592
Impairment of goodwill				7,095					-					7,095					-
Total operating expenses				33,356					25,714					104,268					96,380
Operating income (loss)				(5,323	)				3,409					3,324					14,340
Interest Expense				(243	)				(276	)				(930	)				(950	)
Other income, net				610					(1,240	)				(1,227	)				(2,056	)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes				(4,956	)				1,893					1,167					11,334
Provision (benefit) for income taxes				1,541					(1,907	)				4,579					2,660
Income (loss) of continuing operations				(6,497	)				3,800					(3,412	)				8,674
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net				-					35,697					(3,414	)				42,106
Net income (loss)				(6,497	)				39,497					(6,826	)				50,780
Less:
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests				-					273					-					2,089
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests				-					-					-					-
Net income (loss) attributable to MRV			$	(6,497	)			$	39,224				$	(6,826	)			$	48,691
Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to MRV			$	(6,497	)			$	3,527				$	(3,412	)			$	6,585
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to MRV			$	-				$	35,697				$	(3,414	)			$	42,106
Net income (loss) per share - basic:
From continuing operations:			$	(0.04	)			$	0.02				$	(0.02	)			$	0.04
From discontinued operations:			$	-				$	0.23				$	(0.02	)			$	0.27
Net income (loss) per share - basic			$	(0.04	)			$	0.25				$	(0.04	)			$	0.31
Net income (loss) per share - diluted:
From continuing operations:			$	(0.04	)			$	0.02				$	(0.02	)			$	0.04
From discontinued operations:			$	-				$	0.23				$	(0.02	)			$	0.27
Net income (loss) per share - diluted			$	(0.04	)			$	0.25				$	(0.04	)			$	0.31
Weighted average number of shares:
Basic				157,686					157,257					157,561					157,569
Diluted				157,686					158,068					157,561					158,423

MRV Communications, Inc.
Balance Sheet
(In thousands)
			December 31,				December 31,
			2011				2010
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			$	83,716			$	141,001
Short-term marketable securities				-				13,474
Restricted time deposits				1,661				1,709
Accounts receivable, net				60,964				61,455
Other receivables				11,604				15,294
Inventories				32,163				41,072
Deferred income taxes				2,062				2,511
Other current assets				6,592				9,838
Current assets from discontinued operations held for sale				-				2,774
Total current assets				198,762				289,128
Property and equipment, net				9,360				8,461
Goodwill				17,999				25,229
Deferred income taxes, net of current portion				3,702				2,125
Intangibles, net				325				-
Other assets				541				571
Noncurrent assets from discontinued operations held for sale				-				1,352
Total assets			$	230,689			$	326,866
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Short-term debt			$	8,987			$	18,036
Deferred consideration payable				4,615				4,615
Accounts payable				32,064				32,279
Accrued liabilities				22,726				23,714
Deferred revenue				10,985				14,186
Other current liabilities				2,422				2,166
Current liabilities from discontinued operations held for sale				-				1,376
Total current liabilities				81,799				96,372
Other long-term liabilities				6,676				8,931
Long-term liabilities from discontinued operations held for sale				-				462
Commitments and contingencies
Total MRV stockholders' equity				142,214				221,101
Non-controlling interests				-				-
Total Equity				142,214				221,101
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity			$	230,689			$	326,866

Source: MRV Communications, Inc.

Investor Relations:
MRV Communications, Inc.
818-886-MRVC (6782)
ir@mrv.com
or
CJP Communications for MRV
Thomas J. Rozycki, Jr.
212-279-3115 x208
trozycki@cjpcom.com
or
Media Relations:
MRV Communications, Inc.
pr@mrv.com

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