Seagate: Fiscal 4Q13 Financial Results

Seagate Technology plc reported financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended June 28, 2013.

During the fourth quarter, the company reported revenue of approximately $3.4 billion, gross margin of 27.4%, net income of $348 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.94. On a non-GAAP basis, which excludes the net impact of certain items, Seagate reported gross margin of 28.0%, net income of $447 million and diluted earnings per share of $1.20.

During the fourth quarter, the company generated approximately $394 million in operating cash flow, paid cash dividends of $137 million and repurchased 1 million of ordinary shares for approximately $42 million. The company issued long-term debt of approximately $1 billion, and repurchased approximately $700 million total par value of its 2016 Notes and 2018 Notes.

For the fiscal year ended June 28, 2013, on a GAAP basis the company reported revenue of $14.4 billion, gross margin of 27.5%, net income of $1.8 billion and diluted earnings per share of $4.81. On a non-GAAP basis, the company reported gross margin of 28.0% and diluted earnings per share of $5.31. In fiscal year 2013, the company returned 71% of its operating cash flow, or 96% of free cash flow, to shareholders in dividends and share redemptions. Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and short-term investments totaled approximately $2.3 billion at the end of the fiscal year.

"Seagate’s financial results reflect strong execution in a time of change, uncertainty and opportunity," said Steve Luczo, Seagate’s chairman, president and CEO. "Looking ahead, we believe the market trends of data growth driven by cloud, mobile and open source advancement will present new and significant opportunities for Seagate. We will continue to balance near-term financial performance and long term strategic development while maximizing shareholder value."

The board of directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per share, which will be payable on August 21, 2013 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 7, 2013. The payment of any future quarterly dividends will be at the discretion of the Board and will be dependent upon Seagate’s financial position, results of operations, available cash, cash flow, capital requirements and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

The board of directors has authorized the company to repurchase up to $2.5 billion of its outstanding ordinary shares. Seagate, as a result of the July 2013 Authorization and other current repurchase authorizations, currently has a total authorized unutilized capacity for repurchases of approximately $3.3 billion under these authorizations.