ROCKVILLE, Md., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies and integrated IP solutions, today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022.

Total revenue for the first quarter of 2022 was $34.4 million, a record high and a 35% increase compared to the first quarter of 2021. First quarter 2022 licensing, non-recurring engineering (NRE) and related revenue was $22.4 million, an increase of 56% when compared to $14.4 million reported for the same quarter a year ago. Royalty revenue for the first quarter of 2022 was $12 million, an increase of 9% when compared to $11 million reported for the first quarter of 2021.

During the quarter, fourteen IP license and NRE agreements were concluded, targeting a wide variety of smart and connected markets, including smartphones, smart home, PCs, ADAS, and 5G Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communication. Three agreements were with first-time customers. Geographically, five of the deals signed were in China, four in the U.S., three in APAC, and two in Europe.

Gideon Wertheizer, CEO of CEVA, stated: "Our strong first quarter results and performance affirms our dominance in the ubiquitous wireless IP space and is the result of our excellence in execution and market reach. Our leading portfolio of wireless and Edge AI technologies provide huge market opportunities to scale our business, as illustrated by our record licensing, NRE and related revenue that grew 56% year-over-year. Our strong fundamentals are also evident through the progress of our royalty business that, despite the China COVID lockdowns which affected many of our customers, reached a new record of 531 million CEVA-powered unit shipments, including share gains in the smartphone space."

GAAP operating income for the first quarter was $0.5 million, as compared to a GAAP operating loss of $1.3 million for the same period in 2021. GAAP net loss for the first quarter of 2022 was $1.7 million, as compared to a GAAP net loss of $3.6 million reported for the same period in 2021. GAAP diluted loss per share for the first quarter of 2022 was $0.07, as compared to a GAAP diluted loss per share of $0.16 for the same period in 2021.

Non-GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2022 more than doubled to $5.5 million from $2.6 million reported for the first quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2022 are $4.2 million and $0.18, respectively, compared with $0.3 million and $0.01 reported for the first quarter of 2021.

Non-GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2022 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.4 million, (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $1.3 million associated with the acquisition of the Intrinsix and Hillcrest Labs businesses and investments in NB-IoT and Immervision technologies and (c) $0.3 million of costs associated with the Intrinsix acquisition. Non-GAAP operating income for the first quarter of 2021 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.2 million and (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $0.7 million associated with the acquisition of the Hillcrest Labs business and investments in NB-IoT and Immervision technologies.

Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2022 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.4 million, (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles of $1.3 million associated with the acquisition of the Intrinsix and Hillcrest Labs businesses and investments in NB-IoT and Immervision technologies, (c) $0.3 million of costs associated with the Intrinsix acquisition and (d) $0.9 million loss, net of taxes, associated with the remeasurement of marketable equity securities. Non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share for the first quarter of 2021 excluded: (a) equity-based compensation expenses of $3.2 million and (b) the impact of the amortization of acquired intangibles in the amount of $0.7 million associated with the acquisition of the Hillcrest Labs business and investments in NB-IoT and Immervision technologies.

Yaniv Arieli, Chief Financial Officer of CEVA, stated: "We are pleased with our strong financial performance in the first quarter, which produced record total revenue of $34.4 million and non-GAAP operating income more than doubled year-over-year to $5.5 million, boosted by operating efficiency initiatives. At the end of the quarter, our cash and cash equivalent balances, marketable securities and bank deposits were approximately $162 million."

CEVA Conference Call

On May 10, 2022, CEVA management will conduct a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the operating performance for the quarter.

The conference call will be available via the following dial in numbers:

• U.S. Participants: Dial 1-844-435-0316 (Access Code: CEVA)
• International Participants: Dial +1-412-317-6365 (Access Code: CEVA)

The conference call will also be available live via webcast at the following link: https://app.webinar.net/Jz4NXQP1d0o. Please go to the web site at least fifteen minutes prior to the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

For those who cannot access the live broadcast, a replay will be available by dialing +1-877-344-7529 or +1-412-317-0088 (access code: 8707737) from one hour after the end of the call until 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on May 17, 2022. The replay will also be available at CEVA's web site ceva-dsp.com.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that if they materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the results of CEVA to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. Forward-looking statements include Mr. Wertheizer's statements about market opportunities to scale CEVA's business provided by CEVA's wireless and Edge AI technologies.  The risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause differing CEVA results include: the scope and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic; the extent and length of the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on customers, consumer demand and the global economy generally; the ability of the CEVA DSP cores and other technologies to continue to be strong growth drivers for us; our continued success in penetrating new markets and maintaining our market position in existing markets; our ability to diversify the company's royalty streams, the ability of products incorporating our technologies to achieve market acceptance, the effect of intense industry competition and consolidation, global chip market trends, the possibility that markets for CEVA's technologies may not develop as expected or that products incorporating our technologies do not achieve market acceptance; our ability to timely and successfully develop and introduce new technologies; and general market conditions and other risks relating to our business, including, but not limited to, those that are described from time to time in our SEC filings. CEVA assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.

About CEVA, Inc.

CEVA is the leading licensor of wireless connectivity and smart sensing technologies and integrated IP solutions for a smarter, safer, connected world. We provide Digital Signal Processors, AI engines, wireless platforms, cryptography cores and complementary software for sensor fusion, image enhancement, computer vision, voice input and artificial intelligence. These technologies are offered in combination with our Intrinsix IP integration services, helping our customers address their most complex and time-critical integrated circuit design projects. Leveraging our technologies and chip design skills, many of the world's leading semiconductors, system companies and OEMs create power-efficient, intelligent, secure and connected devices for a range of end markets, including mobile, consumer, automotive, robotics, industrial, aerospace & defense and IoT.

Our DSP-based solutions include platforms for 5G baseband processing in mobile, IoT and infrastructure, advanced imaging and computer vision for any camera-enabled device, audio/voice/speech and ultra-low-power always-on/sensing applications for multiple IoT markets. For sensor fusion, our Hillcrest Labs sensor processing technologies provide a broad range of sensor fusion software and inertial measurement unit ("IMU") solutions for markets including hearables, wearables, AR/VR, PC, robotics, remote controls and IoT. For wireless IoT, our platforms for Bluetooth (low energy and dual mode), Wi-Fi 4/5/6/6E (802.11n/ac/ax), Ultra-wideband (UWB) and NB-IoT are the most broadly licensed connectivity platforms in the industry.

CEVA is a sustainable and environmentally conscious company, adhering to our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. As such, we emphasize and focus on environmental preservation, recycling, the welfare of our employees and privacy – which we promote on a corporate level. At CEVA, we are committed to social responsibility, values of preservation and consciousness towards these purposes.

Visit us at ceva-dsp.com and follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

(*) Derived from audited financial statements

SOURCE CEVA, Inc.