Akoustis Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKTS) Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

We announced this morning a first massive MIMO design win in infrastructure that has, you’re talking about in that particular design win, 128 filters in that with significant content in that. And the defense and others segment, which is core and key to us, continued strength there. We have new programs that we’ve been bidding. We did announce a second — support of a second DARPA program there as well as some ramp in the automotive. We’ve been active in the automotive not only in the battery management, but also in the C-V2X, we’ve been very active marketing that product as well. You asked about 5G mobile. Our activity there is primarily in the tier 2 market. I think it’s well documented, the headwinds that have been in the China segment. But our activity there that’s supporting this is primarily in the tier 2 market.

Anything else you want to add?

Dave Aichele: No, I was just going to comment, we’re still very excited about the mobile market. We’ve got a handful of customers that are active. It’s just certain dynamics that we’re encountering right now. So I agree with Jeff’s comment, as most of the revenue increase we’ll see in the second half of 2024 is going to be with the tier 2 market. We hope with the activity that we’ll see opportunities, back in with the tier 1 in 2025, 2026. But that’s, something that we’ve got to continue to push with our tier 1 customers that we’re engaged with.

Craig Ellis: That’s really helpful, guys. And then lastly for me before I get back in the queue. Ken, my connection was breaking up as you talked about the timing of what I believe was a $4 million ITC refund. When do you expect to realize that?

Ken Boller: Hey, Craig. So, yeah, so we — that’s actually over an 18 month period, $3.5 million to $4 million, that will be filed with our tax return this year and our tax return next year. And then, it’s a projection of when we expect to get a refund from the IRS, how long that may take. But we would expect the first tranche of that to be roughly about half of that, a little over $1.5 million to $2 million for this upcoming time period and we expect that to occur in the March quarter, March of 2024.

Craig Ellis: Got it. Thanks, Ken.

Jeff Shealy: Thanks, Craig.

Operator: Thank you. Our final question is from the line of Suji Desilva with ROTH MKM. Please proceed with your questions.

Suji Desilva: Hi, Jeff, Dave, and Ken. The product cost improvements you talked about in terms of improving the margins and the laminate and so forth, what mix of the products as we go six months to 12 months out will be at that improved cost structure to target getting to break even?

Jeff Shealy: Good morning, Suji. We’ll get both Dave and Ken on that. One from the product and obviously one from the numbers on financial.

Dave Aichele: Good morning, Suji. So, yeah, there’s — I would say that the mix right now for the next quarter, and quarter and a half is going to be more of the older products. But as we get the new products profiles ramping, you’ll see that transition point probably three quarters out that you will start to see it move through, that the new products will take a higher percentage. And then by the, I guess, 12-month period, I would expect a majority of the products that we’re shipping are a good chunk of it. It’s going to be the new platform, the smaller form factor. A lot of the 6E and even the 6 programs are getting replaced, with the 7 at least with the customers that we’re targeting. We’ll have some legacy products that continue to ship. Some of the enterprise customers, they’ll be utilizing these older generation products for two to three years out. So it’s a transition period. It’s picked into Ken’s models too, as well, that you can touch on.