NVIDIA releases fiscal Q1 2012 results

NVIDIA published its fiscal Q1 2012 financial results.

NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) today reported revenue of $962.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 ended May 1, 2011, up 8.5 percent from the prior quarter, and down 4.0 percent from $1.0 billion from the same period a year earlier.

On a GAAP basis, the company recorded net income of $135.2 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2012. That compares with net income of $171.7 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, in the previous quarter, which included a $57.0 million credit to operating expenses related to the legal settlement in connection with a new Intel licensing agreement. In the same period a year earlier, the company had net income of $137.6 million, or $0.23 per diluted share.

On a non-GAAP basis, net income was $165.7 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2012. That compares with non-GAAP net income of $142.4 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, in the prior quarter, and $169.0 million, $0.29 per diluted share, in the same period a year earlier.

GAAP gross margin was 50.4 percent, a third consecutive record, compared with 48.1 percent in the previous quarter and 45.6 percent in the same period a year earlier. Non-GAAP gross margin was 50.6 percent, compared with 48.3 percent in the prior quarter and 45.7 percent in the same period a year earlier.

"Our core GPU businesses are solid, with expanding revenues and margins. And this quarter, our Tegra mobile business took off," said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA president and chief executive officer. "With the Tegra super chip and the Icera wireless communication processor, we will offer our customers the two most important processors of the mobile computing revolution. We look forward to completing the Icera acquisition shortly."

Excluding the Icera acquisition, the outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 is as follows:

• Revenue is expected to be up 4 to 6 percent from the first quarter.
• GAAP gross margin is expected to be 50.5 to 51.5 percent.
• GAAP operating expenses are expected to be between $332 and $336 million. 
• GAAP tax rate is expected to be 14 to 16 percent.