- Company Announces First Half Cash Dividend of 0.09 Per Share -

MACAO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Deswell Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: DSWL) today announced its unaudited financial results for the first six months of fiscal 2021, ended September 30, 2020.

Net sales for the six months ended September 30, 2020 were $27.7 million, a decrease of 26.6% compared to net sales of $37.7 million for the six months ended September 30, 2019. Net sales decreased by 40.4% to $8.7 million in the plastic segment and decreased by 17.8% to $18.9 million in the Company�s electronic segment.

Total gross margin increased to 20.2% of net sales during the six months ended September 30, 2020, as compared to 17.4% of net sales in the same period last year. Gross profit margin in the plastic segment decreased slightly to 20.4% of net sales for the first half of fiscal 2021, compared to 21.0% of net sales for the corresponding period of last fiscal year. The slight decrease in gross profit and margin in the plastic segment was mainly due to an increase in factory overheads as a percentage of net sales, offsetting decreases in raw materials cost and subcontracting charges. Gross profit margin in the electronic segment increased to 20.1% of net sales for the first half of fiscal 2021, compared to 15.0% of net sales for the corresponding period of last fiscal year. The increase in gross profit and margin in the electronic segment was mainly attributable to decreases in raw materials cost, as a result of cost control measures in the first six months of fiscal 2021. Operating income in the first half of fiscal 2021 was $1.0 million, compared to operating income of $1.2 million for the same period of fiscal 2020.

The Company reported net income of $1.5 million for the six months ended September 30, 2020, compared to net income of $1.2 million for the six months ended September 30, 2019. This was primarily due to an increase in gross profit margin and non-operating income, as a percentage of sales, for the six months ended September 30, 2020. Deswell reported basic and diluted income per share of $0.10 for the first half of fiscal 2021 (based on 15,915,000 and 15,959,000 weighted average shares outstanding), compared to basic and diluted income per share of $0.08 for the first half of fiscal 2021 (based on 15,912,000 and 15,973,000 weighted average shares outstanding) respectively, for the six months ended September 30, 2019.

The Company's financial position remained strong, with $19.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and working capital totaled $53.5 million as of September 30, 2020. Furthermore, the Company has no long-term or short-term borrowings as of September 30, 2020.

Mr. Edward So, Chief Executive Officer, commented, �The worldwide Covid epidemic significantly impacted our business during the six month period limiting support from company employees and consultants overseas, disrupting our supply chain and delaying product delivery to customers. We did see revenue improve a bit in the back half of the six month period and are confident that revenue will improve as the pandemic subsides.

�In spite of the significant revenue decrease, I am very pleased with our ability to improve gross margin to 20 percent from 17 percent of sales and minimized the decrease in operating income primarily by aggressively improving our labor efficiency and reducing overhead.

�Finally, the Hong Kong stock market was less volatile in the first 6 months of current fiscal year resulting in a reduced unrealized loss on marketable securities by $725,000 which helped us report an increase in net income for the six month period.�

First Half Dividend

The Company also announces that its board of directors today declared a cash dividend of $0.09 per share for the first half of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. The dividend will be payable on December 10, 2020 to shareholders of record as of November 23, 2020.

About Deswell

Deswell manufactures injection-molded plastic parts and components, electronic products and subassemblies, and metallic molds and accessory parts for original equipment manufacturers (�OEMs�) and contract manufacturers at its factories in the People�s Republic of China. The Company produces a wide variety of plastic parts and components used in the manufacture of consumer and industrial products; printed circuit board assemblies using surface mount (�SMT�) and finished products such as telephones, telephone answering machines, sophisticated studio-quality audio equipment and computer peripherals.

To learn more about Deswell Industries, Inc., please visit the Company�s website at www.deswell.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are "forward-looking statements" are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. For example, our statements regarding our expected growth in sales from the electronic division in the coming year and our efforts to reduce overhead costs in our plastic division are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially because of the following factors, among others, which may cause revenues and income to fall short of anticipated levels or our overhead expenses to increase: our dependence on a few major customers; vigorous competition forcing product price reductions or discounts; the timing and amount of significant orders from our relatively few significant customers; continuing increases in resin prices that cannot be passed on to customers; unexpected production delays; obsolete inventory or product returns; losses resulting from fraudulent activity of our customers or employees; labor shortages that increase labor and costs; changes in the mix of product products we manufacture and sell; adverse currency fluctuations in the renminbi and Hong Kong dollar when translated to US dollars; potential new accounting pronouncements; and the effects of travel restrictions and quarantines associated with major health problems, such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, on general economic activity.

For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with the Company�s business, please refer to the �Risk Factors� section of Company�s Annual Report on Form 20-F, copies of which may be obtained from the Website maintained by the Securities and Exchange Commission at http://www.sec.gov.

All information in this release is made as of the date of this press release. Deswell undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in Deswell�s expectations.

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Contacts

Investor Relations Contact:
John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau

IMS Investor Relations

203.972.9200