Cohu completes acquisition of Xcerra

POWAY, CA—Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ: COHU) on Monday announced the completion of its acquisition of Xcerra Corporation. The combination creates a global leader in back-end semiconductor equipment and services, and printed circuit board test with a breadth of products that are unmatched in the industry.

“The acquisition of Xcerra accelerates our strategy to diversify our product offerings and customer base, expanding Cohu’s addressable market to approximately $5 billion across semiconductor test and handling equipment, thermal subsystems, test contacting, vision inspection, MEMS and PCB test. This combination also further strengthens our ability to fully capitalize on the growth opportunities in our key target markets of automotive, industrial, IoT and communications,” said Luis Müller, Cohu’s President and CEO. “Although softening in the mobility market combined with current geopolitical uncertainty are creating near-term headwinds, we remain confident about the long-term growth opportunities in these markets as well as our ability to deliver on our synergy goals and to profitably grow Cohu in the years ahead,” added Müller.

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share and generate over $20 million of annual run-rate cost synergies within 2 years of closing, excluding stock-based compensation and other charges. Cohu expects to achieve an additional $20 million of annual run-rate synergies over the three to five-year mid-term from products and facilities consolidation.

A conference call to discuss Cohu’s third quarter financial results, the go-forward strategy and fourth quarter guidance for the combined company will be held in early November.

Appointment of Two New Directors to Cohu’s Board of Directors

Cohu also announced that David G. Tacelli and Jorge L. Titinger have been appointed to the Cohu Board of Directors, with Mr. Tacelli to serve as a Class III Director and Mr. Titinger to serve as a Class II Director, effective immediately in conjunction with the completed acquisition.

“We are pleased to welcome Dave Tacelli and Jorge Titinger to our Board,” said James Donahue, Cohu’s Chairman of the Board. “Their extensive semiconductor equipment expertise will add significant value to our Board of Directors.”

Mr. Tacelli served as Chief Executive Officer and as a director of Xcerra since November 2005. He also served as President of Xcerra sinceMay 2002 and served as Chief Operating Officer from May 2002 to November 2005. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President from December 1999 to May 2002. Prior to that, from 1990 to 2002, Mr. Tacelli served in various management positions with Xcerra. Prior to joining Xcerra, Mr. Tacelli was employed by Texas Instruments for seven years in various management positions.

Mr. Titinger served as a director of Xcerra since August 2012. Mr. Titinger currently serves as a director of CalAmp Corp, a position he has held since June 2015; and as a director of Hercules Capital, Inc., a position he has held since October 2017. From February 2012 to November 2016, he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Graphics International Corp. After SGI was acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Mr. Titinger founded Titinger Consulting, a firm focused on providing strategy, corporate transformation, and culture advice to its clients. Mr. Titinger also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Verigy Ltd. from January 2011 until October 2011, as its President and Chief Operating Officer from July 2010 to January 2011, and as its Chief Operating Officer from June 2008 to July 2010. Prior to his service at Verigy, Mr. Titinger held executive positions with FormFactor, Inc. from November 2007 to June 2008, and KLA-Tencor Corporation from December 2002 to November 2007.

With the addition of Tacelli and Titinger, the Cohu Board of Directors expands to eight members.