HANOVER, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ciena Corporation (NYSE: CIEN):

• Q1 Revenue: $646.1 million, increasing 4% year over year
• Q1 Net Income (Loss) per Share: $(3.29) GAAP; $0.15 adjusted (non-GAAP)
  • GAAP loss primarily due to significant non-cash charges related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which resulted in an estimated $476.9 million of additional tax expense
• Share Repurchase: Commenced repurchase activity on three-year, $300 million repurchase program during Q1

Ciena, a network strategy and technology company, today announced unaudited financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended January 31, 2018.

“We demonstrated a strong start toward achieving our long-term financial goals with our fiscal first quarter results, including year-over-year top-line growth, continued cash generation and a strengthening balance sheet,” said Gary B. Smith, president and CEO, Ciena. “We also are confident in our ability to continue driving market share gains across key geographies and customer segments by intersecting the industry’s demand drivers with leading innovation.”

For the fiscal first quarter 2018, Ciena reported revenue of $646.1 million as compared to $621.5 million for the fiscal first quarter 2017.

Ciena's fiscal first quarter 2018 GAAP results include a non-cash $476.9 million charge related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As a result, Ciena's GAAP net loss for the fiscal first quarter 2018 was $(473.4) million, or $(3.29) per diluted common share, which compares to a GAAP net income of $3.9 million, or $0.03 per diluted common share, for the fiscal first quarter 2017.

Ciena's adjusted (non-GAAP) net income for the fiscal first quarter 2018 was $21.9 million, or $0.15 per diluted common share, which compares to an adjusted (non-GAAP) net income of $24.6 million, or $0.17 per diluted common share, for the fiscal first quarter 2017.

Share Repurchase Program

On December 7, 2017, Ciena announced that its Board of Directors had authorized a program to repurchase up to $300 million of the Company’s common stock through the end of fiscal 2020. The Company commenced repurchases late in the fiscal first quarter 2018, and through March 5, 2018, has repurchased approximately 874,000 shares of its common stock, for an aggregate purchase price of $19.5 million at an average price of $22.34 per share.

Fiscal First Quarter 2018 Performance Summary

The tables below (in millions, except percentage data) provide comparisons of certain quarterly results to the prior year. Appendix A and B set forth reconciliations between the GAAP and adjusted (non-GAAP) measures contained in this release.

Additional Performance Metrics for Fiscal First Quarter 2018

• U.S. customers contributed 59.3% of total revenue
• Two customers each accounted for greater than 10% of revenue and in aggregate represented 25% of total revenue
• Cash and investments totaled $986.8 million
• Cash flow from operations totaled $35.7 million
• Free cash flow totaled $10.0 million
• Average days' sales outstanding (DSOs) were 77
• Accounts receivable balance was $553.7 million
• Inventories totaled $255.3 million, including:
  • Raw materials: $47.7 million
  • Work in process: $16.5 million
  • Finished goods: $176.5 million
  • Deferred cost of sales: $64.4 million
  • Reserve for excess and obsolescence: $(49.8) million
• Product inventory turns were 4.9
• Headcount totaled 5,712

Impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

The first fiscal quarter 2018 provision for income taxes includes the following significant non-cash charges related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:

• $431.3 million charge related to the remeasurement of U.S. net deferred tax assets at the lower statutory rate under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; and
• $45.6 million charge related to a transition tax on accumulated historical foreign earnings and its deemed repatriation to the U.S.

Ciena continues to evaluate the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. At this time, Ciena does not expect to pay substantial cash taxes for U.S. federal income tax for the foreseeable future primarily due to its deferred tax asset balance. As of January 31, 2018, Ciena has net deferred tax assets of approximately $739.4 million, and consequently, over the near term, Ciena's cash taxes will continue to be primarily related to the state taxes and tax expense of Ciena's foreign subsidiaries, which amounts have not historically been significant. Ciena's foreign and domestic income tax expense for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and 2017 expected to be paid using cash was $1.0 million and $0.4 million, respectively.

Supplemental Materials and Live Web Broadcast of Unaudited Fiscal First Quarter 2018 Results

Today, Tuesday, March 6, 2018, in conjunction with this announcement, Ciena has posted to the Quarterly Results page of the Investor Relations section of its website supporting materials for its unaudited fiscal first quarter 2018 results, including prepared remarks from management and a related investor presentation.

Ciena's management will also host a discussion today with investors and financial analysts that will include the Company's fiscal second quarter outlook. The live audio web broadcast beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern will be accessible via www.ciena.com. An archived replay of the live broadcast will be available shortly following its conclusion on the Investor Relations page of Ciena's website.

Non-GAAP Presentation of Quarterly and Annual Results. This release includes non-GAAP measures of Ciena's gross profit, operating expense, income from operations, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), Adjusted EBITDA, and measures of net income and net income per share. In evaluating the operating performance of Ciena's business, management excludes certain charges and credits that are required by GAAP. These items share one or more of the following characteristics: they are unusual and Ciena does not expect them to recur in the ordinary course of its business; they do not involve the expenditure of cash; they are unrelated to the ongoing operation of the business in the ordinary course; or their magnitude and timing is largely outside of Ciena's control. Management believes that the non-GAAP measures below provide management and investors useful information and meaningful insight to the operating performance of the business. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to Ciena's GAAP results and these measures are not intended to be a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Ciena's non-GAAP measures and the related adjustments may differ from non-GAAP measures used by other companies and should only be used to evaluate Ciena's results of operations in conjunction with our corresponding GAAP results. To the extent not previously disclosed in a prior Ciena financial results press release, Appendix A and B to this press release set forth a complete GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures contained in this release.

About Ciena. Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a network strategy and technology company. We translate best-in-class technology into value through a high-touch, consultative business model - with a relentless drive to create exceptional experiences measured by outcomes. For updates on Ciena, follow us on Twitter @Ciena, LinkedIn, the Ciena Insights blog, or visit www.ciena.com.