(Source: Business Wire)Micron Technology, Inc., (NYSE:MU) today announced results of operations for its fourth quarter and 2009 fiscal year, which ended September 3, 2009. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009, the company posted a net loss of $88 million, or $0.10 per diluted share, on net sales of $1.3 billion. For the 2009 fiscal year, the company posted a net loss of $1.8 billion, or $2.29 per diluted share, on net sales of $4.8 billion. In the fourth quarter and for the 2009 fiscal year, the company generated $357 million and $1.2 billion, respectively, in cash flows from operations. The company ended the year with $1.5 billion in cash and investments.

"The market, while still challenging, is beginning to improve. Micron has been one of the only companies in the industry able to generate positive operating cash flow every quarter during this downturn. Our operating performance and ongoing cost improvements put Micron in a great competitive position going forward," said Steve Appleton, Micron Chairman and CEO.

Revenue from sales of DRAM products increased 28 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter due to a 19 percent increase in sales volumes and an 8 percent increase in average selling prices. Revenue from sales of NAND Flash products increased 10 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter due to a 23 percent increase in sales volumes. This was partially offset by an 11 percent decrease in average selling prices resulting primarily from reduced manufacturing costs associated with products sold to Intel Corporation, the company's NAND Flash manufacturing partner. Prices for NAND Flash products sold to Intel approximate cost, which decreased significantly in the fourth quarter compared to the third quarter as the transition to the company's 34 nanometer (nm) NAND process technology was substantially completed. Average selling prices for NAND Flash sales excluding those to Intel were relatively stable in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter.

The company's gross margin on sales of memory products continued to improve from 11 percent in the third quarter of fiscal 2009 to 12 percent in the fourth quarter. Cost of goods sold in the fourth quarter includes approximately $37 million of charges for unused production capacity at the company's Inotera and IM Flash joint ventures. There was no lower of cost or market write-down of memory inventories during the third or fourth quarters. When adjusted to exclude the effects of selling products subject to previous lower of cost or market write-downs and the idle capacity costs from Inotera and IM Flash, gross margins on sales of memory products improved to positive 8 percent in the fourth quarter compared to negative 12 percent in the third quarter as a result of significant decreases in per gigabit manufacturing costs.

Unit sales from the company's imaging segment were approximately 30 percent higher in the fourth quarter as compared to the preceding quarter, the effect of which was essentially offset by a decline in the average selling price resulting from the transition during the quarter to wafer foundry sales of products. Gross margin on sales of imaging products however improved to 20 percent in the fourth quarter as compared to 2 percent in the third quarter primarily as a result of increased utilization of dedicated 200 millimeter (mm) manufacturing capacity.

The company will host a conference call today at 2:30 p.m. MDT to discuss its financial results. The call, audio and slides will be available online at www.micron.com. A webcast replay will be available on the company's Web site until Sept. 29, 2010. A taped audio replay of the conference call will also be available at 706-645-9291 (conference number: 30898947) beginning at 5:30 p.m. MDT today and continuing until 5:30 p.m. MDT on Oct. 6, 2009.

Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAM, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.

 MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL SUMMARY (in millions except per share amounts)                                   
                                                                                                                                 
                                                          4th Qtr.      3rd Qtr.       4th Qtr.      Year Ended                  
                                                          Sep. 3,       Jun. 4,        Aug. 28,      Sep. 3,        Aug.