ACLS Axcelis Technologies Inc - 10-K

Item  1A. Risk Factors.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Set forth below and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other documents we file with the SEC are risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risk factors. Consequently, the following is not a complete discussion of all potential risks or uncertainties.

If semiconductor chip manufacturers do not make sufficient capital expenditures, our sales and profitability will be harmed.

New systems orders and used tool sales depend upon demand from semiconductor chip manufacturers who build or expand fabrication facilities. When the rate of construction or expansion of fabrication facilities declines, demand for our systems will decline, reducing our revenue. In addition, all or a portion of the demand for increased capacity may be satisfied by a semiconductor chip manufacturer’s ability to reconfigure and re-use equipment they already own. Revenue decline also hurts our profitability because our established cost structure and our continued investments in engineering, research and development, and marketing necessary to develop new products and to maintain extensive customer service and support capabilities, limit our ability to reduce expenses in proportion to declining sales.

If we fail to develop and introduce reliable new or enhanced products and services that meet the needs of semiconductor chip manufacturers, our results will suffer.

Rapid technological changes in semiconductor chip manufacturing processes require us to respond quickly to changing customer requirements. Our future success will depend in part upon our ability to develop, manufacture and successfully introduce new systems and product lines with improved capabilities. This will depend upon a variety of factors, including new product selection, timely and efficient completion of product design and development as well as manufacturing and assembly processes, product performance in the field and effective sales and marketing. In particular:

We must continue to develop competitive technical specifications for new systems, or enhancements to our existing systems, and manufacture and ship these systems or enhancements in volume in a timely manner.

We will need to accurately predict the schedule on which our customers will be ready to transition to new products, in order to accurately forecast demand for new products while managing the transition from older products.

We will need to effectively manage product reliability or quality problems that often exist with new systems, in order to avoid higher manufacturing costs, delays in acceptance and payment and additional service and warranty expenses, and ultimately, a lack of repeat orders.

Our new products must be accepted in the marketplace.

Our failure to meet any of these requirements will have a material adverse effect on our operating results and profitability.

Axcelis is subject to the risks of operating internationally: we derive a substantial portion of our revenue from outside the United States, especially from Asia.

We are substantially dependent on sales of our products and services to customers outside the United States. International sales, including export sales from our U.S. manufacturing facilities to non-U.S. customers and sales by our non-U.S. subsidiaries, accounted for 83.7% of total revenue in 2025. Customers based in Asia dominate our international sales. Ion implanter system shipments to customers in Asia represented 76.0% of total system revenue in 2025. We anticipate that international sales will continue to account for a significant portion of our revenue. In particular, we expect

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that sales to Chinese customers (both global and domestic Chinese chip manufacturers) will continue to represent a significant portion of our total sales, creating both risk and opportunity.

U.S. export controls on shipments to Chinese customers have been notably increasing since 2020. Since the placement of SMIC on the U.S. Entity List in 2020, we are required to obtain export control licenses to ship to mature process SMIC fabs, which to date, we have been able to obtain. Other chipmakers have been placed on the Entity List, some with, and some without, a similar policy allowing licensed shipments on specified conditions. An export controls regulatory framework issued by the U.S. in October 2022 and supplemented in 2023, prohibits all semiconductor equipment shipments to Chinese customers (other than certain multi-nationals) who are producing or developing logic, DRAM and NAND chips meeting specific advanced parameters. While these regulations have further excluded exports to certain Chinese customers, we currently are able to continue to ship to the majority of our Chinese customers. In general, however, continuing revenue from Chinese customers is at higher risk than continuing revenue from customers in other international locations because of trade tensions between the United States government and the Chinese government, and other challenges reflecting China’s stage of development and rapid growth.

Increased U.S. export controls and other political and trade tensions exacerbate the risk that Chinese customers will change suppliers to non-U.S. vendors, such as Advanced Ion Beam Technology, Inc., Nissin Ion Equipment Co.,  Ltd. and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd. In addition, two Chinese entities, known as Kingstone Semiconductor and CETC Electronics Equipment Group Co., Ltd., continue to develop ion implanters for the Chinese domestic market. The loss of a significant customer or any reduction or delays in our ability to ship to any significant customer will adversely affect us.

We source a substantial portion of our materials from outside of the United States. Because of our dependence upon international sales and our global supply chain, our results and prospects may be adversely affected by a number of factors, including:

changes in laws or regulations resulting in more burdensome governmental controls, tariffs, restrictions, embargoes or export license requirements;

volatility in currency exchange rates;

political and economic instability;

global health emergencies, such as pandemics have the potential to disrupt our manufacturing operations and those of our supply chain, as well as cause our customers to delay or cancel shipments;

difficulties in accounts receivable collections;

extended payment terms beyond those customarily offered in the United States;

difficulties in managing suppliers, service providers or representatives outside of the United States;

difficulties in staffing and managing foreign subsidiary operations; and

potential adverse tax consequences.

The impact of tariffs on our business is difficult to predict, and may change substantially and without notice .

The U.S. government has proposed or enacted tariffs and substantial changes to trade policies, which could adversely affect our business. In August 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that the tariffs imposed by the current Federal administration exceed presidential authority and therefore are invalid, and in February 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed such decision. Following the ruling, the current Federal administration signed an executive order imposing a 10% “global tariff” and later indicated an intention to increase such “global tariff” to 15%, effective immediately, using presidential powers under certain U.S. trade laws. If implemented, such tariffs can remain in effect for up to 150 days, which may be extended by the U.S. Congress. The current Federal administration may continue to impose additional tariffs under other U.S. trade laws. The Company cannot predict what additional changes to trade policy will be made by the current Federal administration or Congress, including whether existing tariff policies will be maintained or modified, what materials or products may be subject to such policies or whether the entry into new bilateral or multilateral trade agreements, or the amendment or termination of existing trade agreements, will occur, nor can we predict the effects that any such changes would have on our business.

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Our dependence upon suppliers for many components and sub-assemblies could result in increased costs or delays in the manufacture and sale of our products.

We rely to a substantial extent on outside vendors to manufacture many of the components and sub-assemblies of our products. We obtain many of these components and sub-assemblies from a limited group of suppliers. Accordingly, based on situations outside of our control, we may be unable to obtain an adequate supply of required components on a timely basis, on price and other terms acceptable to us, or at all. In addition, we often quote prices to our customers and accept customer orders for our products before purchasing components and sub-assemblies from our suppliers. If our suppliers increase the cost of components or sub-assemblies, we may not have alternative sources of supply and may not be able to raise the price of our products to cover all or part of the increased cost of components, negatively impacting our gross margin.

The manufacture of some of these components and sub-assemblies is an extremely complex process and requires long lead times. As a result, we could experience delays or shortages. If we are unable to obtain adequate and timely deliveries of our required components or sub-assemblies, we may have to seek alternative sources of supply or manufacture these components internally. This could delay our ability to manufacture or to ship our systems on a timely basis, causing us to lose sales, incur additional costs, delay new product introductions, and suffer harm to our reputation.

Moreover, if actual demand for Axcelis’ products is different than expected, Axcelis may purchase more or fewer parts than necessary or incur costs for canceling, postponing, or expediting delivery of parts. If Axcelis purchases inventory in anticipation of customer demand that does not materialize, or if customers reduce or delay orders, Axcelis may incur excess inventory charges.

A significant portion of our revenue depends on customers electing to buy aftermarket products and services from Axcelis.

Historically, a significant portion of our product revenue and all of our service revenue relates to our sale of “aftermarket” products and services, which include parts, consumables, upgrades, service contracts, and time and materials billings. Some of our customers purchase fewer aftermarket products and services, often training their own staff to maintain and service semiconductor capital equipment rather than relying on the equipment manufacturer for these services. In addition, we compete against third-party parts suppliers for the sale of parts and consumables that are not protected by patents or otherwise proprietary. To the extent our customers purchase parts and services from other vendors or provide their own system maintenance labor, our revenue and profitability will be reduced.

If we fail to compete successfully in the highly competitive semiconductor capital equipment industry, our sales and profitability will decline.

The ion implant segment is highly competitive and includes one company with substantially greater financial, engineering, manufacturing, marketing and customer service and support resources that may better position it to compete successfully than we can, as well as several smaller companies that could provide innovative systems with technology that may have performance advantages. We expect our competitors to continue to improve the design and performance of their existing products and processes and to introduce new products and processes with improved price and performance characteristics. If we are unable to improve or introduce competing products when demanded by the markets, our business will be harmed. Finally, if we must lower prices to remain competitive without commensurate cost of goods savings, our gross margin and profitability will be adversely affected.

We are dependent on sales to a limited number of large customers; the loss of a significant customer or any reduction in orders from them could materially affect our sales.

Historically, we have sold a significant portion of our products and services to a limited number of semiconductor chip manufacturers. In 2025, our top ten customers accounted for 55.2% of our net sales, in comparison to 45.9% and 51.7% in 2024 and 2023, respectively. None of our customers have entered into a long-term agreement requiring it to purchase our products. Our customers located in China represent a significant portion of our revenue, and are subject to

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U.S. export controls restrictions, as discussed above. Although the composition of the group comprising our largest customers has varied from year to year, the loss of a significant customer or any reduction or delays in orders from any significant customer will adversely affect us. Consolidation of semiconductor chip manufacturers may result in the loss of a customer.

Our international operations involve currency risk.

Substantially all of our system sales are billed in U.S. dollars. We also pay almost all non-U.S. vendors providing materials, components, and subassemblies to our U.S. factory in U.S. dollars. Aftermarket revenues of our non-U.S. subsidiaries are denominated in both local currency and U.S. dollars. The majority of operating expenses of these non-U.S. subsidiaries, are received and incurred in local currencies. The establishment of the Axcelis Asia Operations Center in South Korea has increased the volume of our transactions in non-U.S. dollar currencies and increased the impact of foreign exchange gain / loss on the Company’s financial results. The Company experiences translation adjustments when local currency accounts payable on non-U.S. subsidiary books are re-measured for consolidated financial reporting. Similarly, the translation of long-term asset and liability values to U.S. dollars are recorded in stockholders’ equity as an element of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The value of the asset or liability in U.S. dollars will increase or decrease relative to the local currency based on changes in the exchange rate between the two currencies over the period. As a result, any unplanned non-cash gains or losses are recorded in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, fluctuations in exchange rates can impact reported revenues, expense, and profitability and asset values in our Consolidated Financial Statements. During the year ended December 31, 2025, approximately 11.4% of our revenue was derived in local currencies from foreign operations with this inherent risk. In addition, at December 31, 2025, our operations outside of the United States accounted for approximately 11.9% of our total assets, the majority of which was denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.

We may not be able to maintain and expand our business if we are not able to hire, retain and integrate qualified personnel.

Our business depends on our ability to attract and retain qualified, experienced employees. There is substantial competition for experienced engineering, technical, financial, sales and marketing personnel in our industry. In particular, we must attract and retain highly skilled design and process engineers. Competition for such personnel is intense, both in the Boston metropolitan area and in other locations around the world. If we are unable to retain our existing key personnel, or attract and retain additional qualified personnel, we may experience insufficient levels of staffing to fully develop, manufacture and market our products and perform services for our customers. As a result, our growth could be limited or we could fail to meet our delivery commitments or experience deterioration in service levels or decreased customer satisfaction, all of which could adversely affect our financial results.

Our financial results may fluctuate significantly.

We derive our new systems revenue from the sale of a small number of expensive products to a relatively small number of customers. The selling prices on our ion implant systems range from approximately $2.6 million to $12.0 million. We also sell used equipment in our aftermarket business. Each sale, or failure to make a sale, may have a significant effect on us in a particular quarter. In a given quarter, a number of factors can adversely affect our revenue and results, including changes in our product mix, increased fixed expenses per unit due to reductions in the number of products manufactured, and higher fixed costs due to increased levels of research and development and expansion of our worldwide sales and marketing organization. Our financial results also fluctuate based on gross profit realized on sales. A variety of factors may cause gross profit as a percentage of revenue to vary, including the mix and average selling prices of products sold, costs to manufacture and customize systems, warranty costs and the impact of changes to inventory reserves. New product introductions may also affect our gross margin. Fluctuations in our financial results may have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

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Our financial results may fall short of anticipated levels because forecasting revenue and profitability is complex and may be inaccurate.

Management may from time to time provide financial forecasts to investors. These forecasts are based on assumptions, which are believed to be reasonable when made, of the timing of system orders, system shipments, system acceptance and aftermarket revenue. Any of these assumptions can prove erroneous and the level of revenue recognizable in a particular quarter may vary from the forecast. Our lengthy sales cycle, coupled with customers’ competing capital budget considerations, make revenue difficult to predict. In addition, our backlog at the beginning of a quarter typically does not include all orders required to achieve our sales objectives for that quarter and is not a reliable indicator of our future sales. As a result, our revenue and operating results for a quarter depend on our shipping systems on previous orders as scheduled during that quarter, receiving customer acceptance of previously shipped products, and obtaining new orders for products and services to be provided within that same quarter. Any delay in, or cancellation of, scheduled shipments and customer acceptances or in revenue from new orders, including aftermarket revenue, could materially affect our financial results.

Accounting rules addressing revenue recognition add more complexity in forecasting quarterly revenue and profitability. Orders for our products usually contain multiple performance obligations that result in revenue deferral under generally accepted accounting principles. Due to the foregoing factors, investors should understand that our actual financial results for a quarter may vary significantly from our forecasts of financial performance for that quarter. Failure to meet forecasted financial performance may have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

The semiconductor equipment industry is cyclical, and we expect that demand for our products will increase and decrease, making it difficult to manage the business and potentially causing harm to our sales and profitability.

The semiconductor industry is cyclical, experiencing upturns when the demand for our products is high and downturns when our customers are not investing in new or expanded fabrication facilities. From time to time, inventory buildups in the semiconductor device industry produce an oversupply of semiconductors. This can cause a reduced demand for capital equipment such as our products, negatively impacting our sales and level of profitability. Our revenue can vary significantly from one point in the cycle to another, making it difficult to manage the business, both when revenue is increasing and when it is decreasing. In addition, a substantial portion of our operating expenses do not fluctuate with changes in volume. Significant decreases in revenue can therefore have a disproportionate effect on profitability. In addition, reduced demand for our products and services may require Axcelis to implement cost reduction efforts, including restructuring activities, which may adversely affect Axcelis’ ability to capitalize on opportunities that arise in the future.

Axcelis is exposed to risks related to cybersecurity threats and incidents.

In the conduct of our business, Axcelis collects, uses, transmits, and stores data on information technology systems. This data includes confidential information belonging to Axcelis, our employees or our customers or other business partners, some of which is personally-identifiable information of individuals. As reported in the 2025 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report, cyber-attacks in the manufacturing industries are mostly financially motivated with another major motive being espionage. Axcelis has been and expects to continue to be subject to cybersecurity threats and incidents, including through employee error or misuse; individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to information systems; and sophisticated and targeted measures known as advanced persistent threats, none of which have had a material impact on the Company to date.

Axcelis implements a “Layered Security Strategy” that aligns with National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework. To do so, we devote resources to network security, data encryption, employee training and other measures to protect our systems and data from unauthorized access or misuse. This includes continuously monitoring and reacting to the cybersecurity environment, by implementing best-in-class solutions from several vendors. On an on-going basis, we engage a cybersecurity consultant to validate and advise on the Company’s cyber landscape and to drive employee vigilance through employee cyber training and messaging. We continually replace less secure legacy systems to improve internal and external cyber defenses and maintain a cyber incident response plan including reporting and recovery processes. See Item 1C “Cybersecurity” below. In addition, as discussed in our proxy statement, the Audit Committee and

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the full Board of Directors receive quarterly reports on cybersecurity risks and annual reports on management initiatives to promote cybersecurity.

However, depending on their nature and scope, cybersecurity incidents could result in business disruption; the misappropriation, corruption or loss of confidential information and critical data (Axcelis’ and that of third parties); reputational damage; unnecessary expense; litigation with third parties; diminution in the value of Axcelis’ investment in research, development, and engineering; data privacy issues; and increased cybersecurity protection and remediation costs. These adverse outcomes could negatively impact our revenues, expenses, profitability, and asset values.

Axcelis is subject to risks associated with compliance with environmental, health and safety regulations.

Axcelis is subject to environmental, health and safety regulations in connection with its global business operations, including but not limited to: regulations related to the development, manufacture, shipping, and use of its products; handling, discharge, recycling and disposal of hazardous materials used in its products or in producing its products; the operation of its facilities; and the use of its real property. The failure or inability to comply with existing or future environmental and safety regulations could result in: significant remediation or other legal liabilities; the imposition of penalties and fines; restrictions on the development, manufacture, sale, shipment or use of certain of its products; limitations on the operation of its facilities or ability to use its real property; and a decrease in the value of its real property. Axcelis could be required to alter its manufacturing and operations and incur substantial expense in order to comply with environmental, health and safety regulations. Any failure to comply with these regulations could subject Axcelis to significant costs and liabilities that could adversely affect Axcelis’ business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by global pandemics.

Global pandemics have in the past and may again in the future cause disruptions and restrictions on our operations and ability to travel, and similar disruptions and restrictions impacting our suppliers or customers could adversely affect our sales and operating results. Axcelis’ products rely on an extensive global supply chain, and shortages of certain parts could impact our ability to meet customers’ shipment expectations, negatively affecting our revenues. Such pandemics may drive changes in the demand for certain of our customers’ products, resulting in their delay or cancelation of purchases from us. The extent to which pandemics may impact our results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.

Our proprietary technology may be vulnerable to efforts by competitors to challenge or design around, potentially reducing our market share.

We rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademark and trade secret laws, non-disclosure agreements and other intellectual property protection methods to protect our proprietary technology. Despite our efforts to protect our intellectual property, our competitors may be able to challenge, design around or legitimately use the proprietary technology embedded in our systems or other technology or information used in our business. If this occurs, the value of our proprietary technology will be diminished. Our means of protecting our proprietary rights may not be adequate and our patents may not be sufficient to prevent others from using technology that is similar to or the same as our technology. Patents issued to us may be challenged and might be invalidated or circumvented and any rights granted under our patents may not provide adequate protection to us. Our competitors may independently develop similar technology, duplicate features of our products or design around patents that may be issued to us. As a result of these threats to our proprietary technology, we may have to resort to costly litigation to enforce or defend our intellectual property rights. Finally, all patents expire after a period of time (in the U.S., patents expire 20 years from the date of filing of the patent application). Our market share could be negatively impacted by the invalidation or expiration of a patent which had created a barrier for our competitors.

Axcelis also has agreements with third parties for licensing of patented or proprietary technology with Axcelis as the licensor or the licensee. Termination of license agreements or claims of infringement with respect to such technology could have an adverse impact on our financial performance or ability to ship products with existing configurations.

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We (or customers that we indemnify) might face intellectual property infringement claims or patent disputes that may be costly to resolve and, if resolved against us, could be very costly to us and prevent us from making and selling our systems.

From time to time, claims and proceedings may be asserted against us relative to patent validity or infringement matters. We typically agree to indemnify our customers from liability to third parties for intellectual property infringement arising from the use of our products in their intended manner. Therefore, we may receive notification from customers who believe that we owe them indemnification or other obligations related to infringement claims made against the customers by third parties. Our involvement in any patent dispute or other intellectual property dispute or action to protect trade secrets, even if the claims are without merit, could be very expensive and could divert the attention of our management. Adverse determinations in any litigation could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, require us to remove certain features from our products or seek costly licenses from third parties or prevent us from manufacturing and selling our systems. In addition, infringement indemnification clauses in system sale agreements may require us to take other actions or require us to provide certain remedies to customers who are exposed to indemnified liabilities. Any of these situations could have a material adverse effect on our business results.

If operations were to be disrupted at Axcelis’ manufacturing facilities, it would have a negative impact on our business.

Our primary manufacturing facility is located in Massachusetts, with a smaller facility located in South Korea. Our operations could be subject to disruption for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to severe weather events, other effects of climate change, natural disasters, work stoppages, operational facility constraints and terrorism. Such disruption could cause delays in shipments of products to our customers and could result in cancellation of orders or loss of customers, which could seriously harm our business.

If we do not have access to capital on favorable terms, on the timeline we anticipate, or at all, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

We require a substantial amount of capital to meet our operating requirements and remain competitive. We routinely incur significant costs to purchase inventory to meet expected system sales, to develop and introduce new products, and to place evaluation systems at new customer sites. There can be no assurance that we will realize a return on the capital expended. Although our current cash levels and borrowing capacity are expected to be adequate for our foreseeable cash requirements, if our operating results falter, or our cash flow or capital resources prove inadequate, we may incur debt to fund these requirements. Significant volatility or disruption in the global financial markets may result in us not being able to obtain additional financing on favorable terms, on the timeline we anticipate, or at all, and we may not be able to refinance, if necessary, any outstanding debt when due, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. Any inability to obtain financing on favorable terms, on the timeline we anticipate, or at all, may cause us to curtail our operations significantly, reduce planned capital expenditures and research and development, or obtain funds through arrangements that management does not currently anticipate, including disposing of our assets and relinquishing rights to certain technologies, the occurrence of any of which may significantly impair our ability to remain competitive, and materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

The market price of our common stock may be volatile, which could result in substantial losses for investors.

The stock markets in general, and the markets for semiconductor equipment stocks in particular, have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock. The market price of the common stock may also fluctuate significantly in response to the following factors, among others, some of which are beyond our control:

variations in our quarterly results;

the issuance or repurchase of shares of our common stock;

changes in securities analysts’ estimates of our financial performance;

changes in market valuations of similar companies;

announcements by us or our competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint

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ventures, capital commitments, new products or product enhancements;

loss of a major customer or failure to complete significant transactions;

additions or departures of key personnel; and

new positions adopted by investor stewardship groups and proxy advisory firms regarding desired environmental, social and governance disclosures, policies, ranking systems, and other initiatives.

The trading price of our common stock in the past has been significantly volatile, and we cannot accurately predict every potential risk that may materially and adversely affect our stock price.

We operate in jurisdictions with complex and changing tax laws.

We are also subject to laws and regulations in various jurisdictions that determine how much profit has been earned and when it is subject to taxation in that jurisdiction. In the United States, for example, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OB3”) was enacted in the third quarter of 2025. For the year ended December 31, 2025, the OB3 did not have a material impact on our effective tax rate or tax expense.

Corporate tax reform, anti-base-erosion rules and tax transparency continue to be high legislative and regulatory priorities in many jurisdictions. Changes in laws and regulations regarding these matters could impact us in the jurisdictions where we are deemed to earn income, which could in turn adversely affect our tax liability and results of operations.

Risks Related to the Merger

The exchange ratio is fixed and will not be adjusted in the event of any change in either Axcelis’ or Veeco’s stock price.

Upon completion of the merger, each share of Veeco common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Merger will be converted into and become exchangeable for 0.3575 shares of Axcelis common stock. This exchange ratio is fixed in the Merger Agreement and will not be adjusted for changes in the market price of either Axcelis common stock or Veeco common stock. The market prices of Axcelis common stock and Veeco common stock have fluctuated prior to and after the date of the announcement of the Merger Agreement and may continue to fluctuate from the date hereof to the date the Merger is consummated.

Stock price changes may result from a variety of factors, including, among others, general market and economic conditions, changes in Axcelis’ or Veeco’s respective businesses, operations and prospects, short-selling activity, changes in and speculation regarding Axcelis’ and Veeco’s respective businesses, operations and prospects, reductions or changes in U.S. government spending or budgetary policies, market assessments of the likelihood that the merger will be completed and/or expectations regarding the timing thereof, interest rates, general market, industry and economic conditions, including the impact of continued inflation and associated changes in monetary policy, and other factors generally affecting the respective prices of Axcelis’ or Veeco’s common stock, federal, state and local legislation, governmental regulation and legal developments in the industry segments in which Axcelis or Veeco operate, and the timing of the Merger.

Many of these factors are beyond Axcelis’ and Veeco’s control, and neither Axcelis nor Veeco are permitted to terminate the Merger Agreement solely due to a decline in the market price of the common stock of the other party.

The Merger may be delayed or may not be completed and the Merger Agreement may be terminated in accordance with its terms, which could materially and adversely effect Axcelis and/or Veeco.

The Merger is subject to a number of conditions that must be satisfied, some of which are beyond the control of Axcelis and Veeco, may not be satisfied or waived in a timely manner or at all, and, accordingly, the merger may be delayed or not completed. These conditions include: approval for listing on Nasdaq of the shares of Axcelis common stock to be issued in connection with the merger (subject to official notice of issuance), the absence of governmental restraints or prohibitions preventing the consummation of the Merger and the approval of the Merger by the State

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Administration for Market Regulation in the People’s Republic of China. The obligation of each of Axcelis and Veeco to consummate the merger is also conditioned on, among other things, the absence of a material adverse effect on the other party, the truth and correctness of the representations and warranties made by the other party on the date of the merger agreement and on the closing date (subject to certain materiality qualifiers), and the performance by the other party in all material respects of its obligations under the merger agreement. No assurance can be given that the required consents and approvals will be obtained or that the required conditions to closing will be satisfied, and, if all required consents and approvals are obtained and the conditions are satisfied, no assurance can be given as to the terms, conditions and timing of such consents and approvals. Any delay in completing the Merger could cause the combined company not to realize, or to be delayed in realizing, some or all of the benefits that Axcelis and Veeco expect to achieve if the Merger is successfully completed within its expected time frame. Additionally, Axcelis and Veeco may incur significant additional costs in connection with any delay in completing the merger or termination of the Merger Agreement, in addition to significant transaction costs, including legal, financial advisory, accounting and other costs Axcelis and Veeco have already incurred.

If the Merger is not completed for any reason, the ongoing businesses of Axcelis and Veeco may be adversely affected and, without realizing any of the benefits of having completed the Merger, Axcelis and Veeco would be subject to a number of risks, including the following:

each company may experience negative reactions from the financial markets, including negative impacts on its stock price;

each company may experience negative reactions from its suppliers, customers and employees;

each company will be required to pay their respective costs relating to the Merger, such as financial advisory, legal and accounting costs and associated fees and expenses, including, if applicable, a termination fee (with certain exceptions), whether or not the Merger is completed;

matters relating to the Merger (including integration planning) will require substantial commitments of time and resources by Axcelis management and Veeco management, which could otherwise have been devoted to day-to-day operations, other strategic opportunities or to other opportunities that may have been beneficial to Axcelis or Veeco, as applicable, as an independent company.

Uncertainty regarding completion of the Merger may also cause customers, suppliers, vendors, strategic partners or others that deal with Axcelis or Veeco to delay or defer entering into contracts with Axcelis or Veeco or making other decisions concerning Axcelis or Veeco or could cause such customers, suppliers, vendors, strategic partners or others to seek to change or cancel existing business relationships with Axcelis or Veeco, which could negatively affect their respective businesses. Any delay or deferral of those decisions or changes in existing agreements could have a material adverse impact on the respective businesses of Axcelis and Veeco, regardless of whether the Merger is ultimately completed.

The market price for shares of common stock of the combined company following the completion of the merger may be affected by factors different from, or in addition to, those that historically have affected or currently affect the market prices of shares of Axcelis common stock and Veeco common stock.

Upon consummation of the Merger, Axcelis stockholders and Veeco stockholders will both hold shares of common stock in the combined company. The businesses of Axcelis and Veeco differ from each other, and, accordingly, the results of operations of the combined company will be affected by some factors that are different from those currently or historically affecting the separate results of operations, as well as the market price of the common stock, of Axcelis and Veeco. Additionally, the market price of the combined company’s common stock may fluctuate significantly following completion of the Merger.

Regulatory approvals may not be received, may take longer than expected or may impose conditions that are not presently anticipated or that cannot be met.

Consummation of the Merger is conditioned upon, among other things, the approval of the Merger by the State Administration for Market Regulation in the People’s Republic of China. Any such requirements or restrictions may

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prevent or delay completion of the Merger or may reduce the anticipated benefits of the Merger, which could also have a material adverse effect on the combined company’s business and cash flows, financial condition and results of operations.

Axcelis stockholders and Veeco stockholders will each have reduced ownership and voting interest in the combined company as compared to ownership and voting interest in each of Axcelis and Veeco on a standalone basis.

Upon consummation of the Merger, each Axcelis stockholder and each Veeco stockholder will become a stockholder of the combined company with a percentage ownership of the combined company that is smaller than such stockholder’s percentage ownership of Axcelis or Veeco, as applicable, immediately prior to the effective time of the Merger.

Because of this, each share of Axcelis common stock and each share of Veeco common stock will represent a smaller percentage ownership of the combined company than it represented in Axcelis or Veeco, respectively. Accordingly, Axcelis stockholders and Veeco stockholders will have less voting power in the combined company than they now have in Axcelis or Veeco and will be able to exercise less influence over the management and policies of the combined company following the consummation of the Merger than they are able to exercise over Axcelis or Veeco, as applicable, immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger.

The Merger Agreement may prevent Axcelis and Veeco from entering into certain transactions and taking certain actions that might otherwise be beneficial to Axcelis or Veeco and their respective stockholders

Until the completion of the Merger or the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with its terms, Axcelis and Veeco are each prohibited from entering into certain transactions and taking certain actions that might otherwise be beneficial to Axcelis or Veeco and their respective stockholders.

From and after the date of the Merger Agreement and prior to completion of the Merger, the Merger Agreement restricts Axcelis and Veeco from taking specified actions without the consent of the other party and requires that the business of each company and its respective subsidiaries be conducted in all material respects in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. These restrictions, which could be in place for an extended period of time if the completion of the Merger is delayed, may prevent Axcelis or Veeco from making appropriate changes to their respective businesses or organizational structures or from pursuing attractive business opportunities that may arise prior to the completion of the Merger, and could have the effect of delaying or preventing other strategic transactions. Adverse effects arising from the pendency of the Merger could be exacerbated by any delays in consummation of the Merger or termination of the Merger Agreement.

Litigation against Axcelis and Veeco could prevent or delay the completion of the Merger or result in the payment of damages following completion of the Merger.

Axcelis stockholders and Veeco stockholders may file lawsuits challenging the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, which may name Axcelis, Veeco and/or members of their respective boards of directors as defendants. The results of any such potential legal proceedings are difficult to predict, and could delay or prevent the Merger from becoming effective in a timely manner. The existence of litigation related to the Merger could affect the likelihood of obtaining the required approval from Axcelis stockholders or Veeco stockholders. Further, one of the conditions to the completion of the Merger is that no law or order by any governmental entity of competent jurisdiction, such as a court, is in effect that prohibits, restrains or makes illegal the consummation of the Merger. As such, if any future legal actions result in a law or order prohibiting the consummation of the Merger, then such law or order may prevent the consummation of the Merger on the agreed terms, within the expected timeframe or at all, any of which could substantially harm Axcelis’ and Veeco’s respective businesses. Moreover, any litigation could be time consuming and expensive, could divert Axcelis and Veeco’s management’s attention away from their regular business and, if any lawsuit is adversely resolved against either Axcelis, Veeco, or members of their respective boards of directors (each of whom Axcelis and Veeco is required to indemnify pursuant to indemnification agreements), could have a material adverse effect on Axcelis or Veeco’s financial condition.

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Failure to attract, motivate and retain executives and other key employees could diminish the anticipated benefits of the Merger.

The success of the Merger will depend in part on the retention of personnel critical to the business and operations of the combined company due to, for example, their technical skills or management expertise. Current and prospective employees of Axcelis and Veeco may experience uncertainty about their future role with Axcelis and Veeco until strategies with regard to these employees’ roles in the combined company are announced or executed, which may impair Axcelis’ and Veeco’s ability to attract, retain and motivate key management, sales, marketing, technical and other personnel prior to and following the Merger. If Axcelis and Veeco are unable to retain personnel, including Axcelis’ and Veeco’s key management, who are critical to the successful integration and future operations of the companies, Axcelis and Veeco could face disruptions in their respective operations, loss of existing customers or loss of sales to existing customers, loss of key information, expertise or know-how, and unanticipated additional recruitment and training costs. In addition, the loss of key personnel could diminish the anticipated benefits of the Merger.

If key employees of Axcelis or Veeco depart, the integration of the companies may be more difficult and the combined company’s business following the Merger may be harmed. Furthermore, the combined company may have to incur significant costs in identifying, hiring and retaining replacements for departing employees and may lose significant expertise and talent relating to the business of each of Axcelis or Veeco, and the combined company’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Merger may be adversely affected. In addition, there could be disruptions to or distractions for the workforce and management associated with activities of labor unions or integrating employees into the combined company. No assurance can be given that the combined company will be able to attract or retain key employees of Axcelis and Veeco to the same extent that those companies have been able to attract or retain their own employees in the past.

Whether or not the Merger is completed, the announcement and pendency of the Merger will divert significant management resources to complete the Merger, which could have a material adverse effect on Axcelis’ and Veeco’s respective businesses, financial results, and/or market prices.

Whether or not the Merger is completed, the announcement and pendency of the Merger could cause disruptions in the businesses of Axcelis and Veeco by directing the attention of management of each of Axcelis and Veeco toward the completion of the Merger. Axcelis and Veeco have each diverted significant management resources in an effort to complete the Merger and are each subject to restrictions contained in the Merger Agreement on the conduct of their respective businesses in the period prior to the completion of the Merger. If the Merger is not completed, Axcelis and Veeco will have incurred significant costs, including the diversion of management resources, for which they will have received little or no benefit.

The market price of the combined company’s common stock may be volatile, and holders of the combined company’s common stock could lose a significant portion of their investment due to decreases in the market price of the combined company’s common stock following completion of the Merger.

The market price of the combined company’s common stock may be volatile, and following completion of the Merger, stockholders may not be able to resell their Axcelis common stock at or above the price at which they acquired the common stock pursuant to the merger agreement or otherwise due to fluctuations in its market price, including changes in price caused by factors unrelated to the combined company’s operating performance or prospects.

Specific factors that may have a significant effect on the market price for the combined company’s common stock include, among others, the following:

changes in stock market analyst recommendations or earnings estimates regarding the combined company’s common stock, other companies comparable to it or companies in the industries they serve;

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actual or anticipated fluctuations in the combined company’s operating results or future prospects;

reaction to public announcements by the combined company;

strategic actions taken by the combined company or its competitors, such as any contemplated business separation, acquisitions or restructurings;

failure of the combined company to achieve the perceived benefits of the transactions, including financial results and anticipated cost synergies, as rapidly as or to the extent anticipated by financial or industry analysts;

adverse conditions in the financial market or general U.S. or international economic conditions, including those resulting from war, incidents of terrorism and responses to such events; and

sales of common stock by the combined company, members of its management team or significant stockholders.

Each of Axcelis and Veeco will incur significant transaction, merger-related and restructuring costs in connection with the Merger.

Axcelis and Veeco have each incurred and expect to incur a number of non-recurring costs associated with combining the operations of the two companies, as well as transaction fees and other costs related to the Merger. These costs and expenses include fees paid to financial, legal and accounting advisors, facilities and systems consolidation costs, severance and other potential employment-related costs, including retention and severance payments that may be made to certain Axcelis employees and Veeco employees, filing fees, printing expenses and other related charges. Some of these costs are payable by Axcelis or Veeco regardless of whether the Merger is completed.

The combined company will also incur restructuring and integration costs in connection with the Merger. The costs related to restructuring will be expensed as a cost of the ongoing results of operations of either Axcelis or Veeco or the combined company. There are a large number of processes, policies, procedures, operations, technologies and systems that must be integrated in connection with the Merger and the integration of the two companies’ businesses. Although Axcelis and Veeco expect that the elimination of duplicative costs, strategic benefits, additional income and the realization of other efficiencies related to the integration of the businesses may offset incremental transaction, merger-related and restructuring costs over time, any net benefit may not be achieved in the near term or at all. While both Axcelis and Veeco have assumed that certain expenses would be incurred in connection with the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, there are many factors beyond their control that could affect the total amount or the timing of the integration and implementation expenses.

Axcelis stockholders and Veeco stockholders will not be entitled to appraisal rights in the Merger.

Appraisal rights are statutory rights that, if applicable under law, enable stockholders of a corporation to dissent from an extraordinary transaction, such as a merger, and to demand that such corporation pay the fair value for their shares as determined by a court in a judicial proceeding instead of receiving the consideration offered to such stockholders in connection with the transaction. Under the DGCL, stockholders do not have appraisal rights if the shares of stock they hold are either listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, appraisal rights are available if stockholders are required by the terms of the Merger Agreement to accept for their shares anything other than (i) shares of stock of the surviving corporation, (ii) shares of stock of another corporation that will either be listed on a national securities exchange or held of record by more than 2,000 holders, (iii) cash in lieu of fractional shares or (iv) any combination of the foregoing.

Because the Merger is of Merger Sub with and into Veeco and holders of Axcelis common stock may continue to hold their shares following completion of the Merger, holders of Axcelis common stock are not entitled to appraisal rights in the Merger.

Because shares of Axcelis common stock are listed on Nasdaq, a national securities exchange, and because Veeco stockholders are not required by the terms of the Merger Agreement to accept for their shares anything other

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than shares of Axcelis common stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares, holders of Veeco common stock will not be entitled to appraisal rights in the Merger.

Item  7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Certain statements in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Words such as may, will, should, would, anticipates, expects, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, among other things, those set forth under “Liquidity and Capital Resources” and “Risk Factors” and others discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s analysis only as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in factors or assumptions affecting forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law.

Overview

The semiconductor capital equipment industry is subject to cyclical swings in capital spending by semiconductor chip manufacturers. Capital spending is influenced by demand for semiconductors and the products using them, the utilization rate and capacity of existing semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities and changes in semiconductor technology, all of which are outside of our control. As a result, our revenue may fluctuate from year to year and period to period. Our established cost structure does not vary significantly with changes in volume. We may also experience fluctuations in operating results and cash flows depending on our revenue level.

Revenue for 2025 was $839.0 million, compared to $1,017.9 million in 2024. Systems revenue for 2025 was $571.0 million, compared to $782.6 million in 2024. Gross margin percent for the year was 44.9% compared to 44.7% in 2024. Operating profit was $119.3 million in 2025, compared to $210.8 million in 2024. Net income for the year was $120.2 million, compared to $201.0 million in 2024.

The Company is in a strong competitive position. A focused strategy on ion implant, combined with the hard work and dedication of our employees and the encouragement and support of our customers and suppliers, enabled us to achieve numerous critical milestones in our drive to market leadership. Important accomplishments in 2025 included:

We delivered revenue of $839.0 million in 2025 and earnings per share of $3.80.

We remained a technology leader and supplier of choice in the implant-intensive power device segment, which accounted for 55% of the value of our 2025 system shipments.

We continued working to expand our footprint with existing and new customers and currently have four Purion evaluation systems in the field at strategic customer sites in key market segments.

We continued our investment in our Customer Solutions & Innovation (“CS&I”) aftermarket business to drive financial growth and increased customer satisfaction levels, including the “Digital Tool Box,” an innovative service offering with online training, remote diagnosis and install, and automated troubleshooting guide.

We received 16 customer satisfaction awards in 2025. In addition, Axcelis was named to the 2024 editions of Forbes’ List of America’s Best Mid-Cap Companies and to Fortune Magazine’s 2024 lists of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies.

We continue to work diligently to ensure that manufacturing and operating expense levels remain well aligned to business conditions.

The market for our systems and aftermarket products and services is represented by a relatively small number of companies. In 2025, the top 20 semiconductor chip manufacturers accounted for approximately 86.4% of total semiconductor capital equipment spending, down from 87.6% in 2024. Our net revenue from our ten largest customers accounted for 55.2% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to 45.9% and 51.7% of revenue for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2025, one customer represented 11.0% percent of total revenue.

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Critical Accounting Estimates

Management’s discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon Axcelis’ consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates and assumptions. Management’s estimates are based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

We believe the following accounting policies are critical in the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations and require management’s most significant judgments and estimates in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. For additional accounting policies, see Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025 included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Revenue Recognition

Our accounting policies relating to the recognition of revenue require management to make estimates, determinations and judgments based on historical experience and on various other assumptions, which include (i) the existence of a contract with the customer, (ii) the identification of the performance obligations in the contract, (iii) the value of any variable consideration in the contract, (iv) the standalone selling price of multiple obligations in the contract, for the purpose of allocating the consideration in the contract, and (v) determining when a performance obligation has been met. Our revenue recognition policies are set forth in section (k) of Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025 included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Recognition of revenue based on incorrect judgments, including an erroneous allocation of the estimated sales price between the units of accounting, could result in inappropriate recognition of revenue, or incorrect timing of revenue recognition, which could have a material effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Inventory—Provision for Excess and Obsolescence and Lower of Cost or Net Realizable Value

We record a provision for estimated excess and obsolete inventory and lower of cost or net realizable value. The provision is determined using management’s assumptions of materials usage, based on estimates of forecasted and historical demand and market conditions. Specifically, our assumptions of forecasted system sales and the size and utilization of the installed base of systems may have a significant effect on estimated materials usage. If actual market conditions become less favorable than those projected by management, additional inventory write-downs may be required.

Although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our forecasts or product demand and pricing assumptions, any significant unanticipated changes in demand, pricing, or technical developments would significantly impact the value of our inventory and our reported operating results. In the future, if we determine that inventory needs to be written down, we will recognize such costs in our cost of revenue at the time of such determination. If we subsequently sell product that has previously been written down, our gross margin in that period will be favorably impacted.

Product Warranty

We generally offer a one-year warranty for all of our systems, the terms and conditions of which vary depending upon the product sold. For all systems sold, we accrue a liability for the estimated cost of standard warranty at the time of system shipment and defer the portion of systems revenue attributable to the relative fair value of non-standard warranty. Costs for non-standard warranty are expensed as incurred. Factors that affect our warranty liability include the number of installed units, historical and anticipated product failure rates, material usage and service labor costs. We periodically assess the adequacy of our recorded liability and adjust the amount as necessary.

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Income Taxes

We record income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective income tax basis, and net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards.

We establish a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Significant management judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, the deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance recorded against those net deferred tax assets.

We evaluate the weight of all available evidence such as historical losses, the expected timing of the reversals of existing temporary differences and projected future taxable income to determine whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred income tax assets will not be realized.

Our income tax expense includes the largest amount of tax benefit for an uncertain tax position that is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit based on the technical merits of the tax position. Settlements with tax authorities, the expiration of statutes of limitations for particular tax positions or obtaining new information on particular tax positions may cause a change to the effective tax rate. We recognize accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits as interest expense and penalties as operating expense.

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Results of Operations

The following year-to-year comparative statements include the 2025 and 2024 year periods. For comparative statements for the 2024 and 2023 periods, please refer to our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 28, 2025.

The following table sets forth our results of operations as a percentage of total revenue:

Year ended

December 31,

Revenue:

Product

Services

Total revenue

Cost of revenue:

Product

Services

Total cost of revenue

Gross profit

Operating expenses:

Research and development

Sales and marketing

General and administrative

Total operating expenses

Income from operations

Other income (expense):

Interest income

Interest expense

Other, net

Total other income

Income before income taxes

Income tax provision

Net income

Revenue

The following table sets forth our revenue:

Year ended

Period-to-Period

December 31,

Change

(dollars in thousands)

Revenue:

Product

Percentage of revenue

Services

Percentage of revenue

Total revenue

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Product

Product revenue, which includes new system sales, sales of spare parts, product upgrades and used system sales was $792.0 million or 94.4% of revenue in 2025, compared with $976.9 million or 96.0% of revenue in 2024. The decrease in product revenue in 2025 was primarily driven by a decrease in the number of Purion systems sold.

A portion of our revenue from system sales is deferred until installation and other services related to future deliverables are performed. The total amount of deferred revenue at December 31, 2025 and 2024 was $108.9 million and $138.2 million, respectively. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in system prepayments.

Services

Services revenue, which includes the labor component of maintenance and service contracts and fees for service hours provided by on-site service personnel, was $47.0 million, or 5.6% of revenue for 2025, compared with $41.0 million, or 4.0% of revenue for 2024. Although services revenue typically increases with the expansion of the installed base of systems, it can fluctuate from period to period based on capacity utilization at customers’ manufacturing facilities, which affects the need for equipment service.

Revenue Categories used by Management

In addition to the line-item revenue categories discussed above, management also uses revenue categorizations which break down revenue into other groupings. Management regularly disaggregates revenue in the following categories, which it finds relevant and useful:

Systems and Customer Solutions and Innovation (“CS&I”, or “aftermarket”) revenue is

The portion of Product revenue relating to spare parts, product upgrades and used systems combined with;

Service revenue, which is the labor component of aftermarket revenues

Aftermarket revenue reflects current fab utilization as opposed to System revenue, which reflects capital investment decisions by our customers, which have differing economic drivers;

Revenue by geographic regions, since economic factors impacting customer purchasing decisions may vary by geographic region; and

Revenue by our customers’ end markets, since they tend to be subject to different economic environments at different periods of time, impacting a customer’s likelihood of purchasing capital equipment during any particular period; currently, management uses three end market categories: Memory, mature process technology and leading edge foundry and logic.

The CS&I/aftermarket revenue categories for the twelve month periods ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 are discussed below.

CS&I/Aftermarket

Revenue from our aftermarket business was $268.0 million in 2025, compared to $235.3 million for 2024. Aftermarket revenue generally increases with the expansion of the installed base of systems but can fluctuate from period to period based on capacity utilization at customers’ manufacturing facilities which affects the sale of spare parts and demand for equipment service.

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Gross Profit / Gross Margin

The following table sets forth our gross profit (dollars in thousands):

Year ended

Period-to-Period

December 31,

Change

(dollars in thousands)

Gross Profit:

Product

Product gross margin

Services

Services gross margin

Total gross profit

Gross margin

Product

Gross margin from product revenue was 47.9% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, compared to 46.3% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The increase in gross margin resulted from an increased mix of higher margin parts and upgrades .

Services

Gross margin from services revenue was (5.1)% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025, compared to 5.4% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024. The decrease in gross margin is attributable to changes in the mix of service contracts and fluctuations of service expenses. Occasionally, we experience negative gross margin on service revenue as contract costs can vary significantly from one period to another based on customer demand.

Operating Expenses

The following table sets forth our operating expenses:

Year ended

Period-to-Period

December 31,

Change

(dollars in thousands)

Research and development

Percentage of revenue

Sales and marketing

Percentage of revenue

General and administrative

Percentage of revenue

Total operating expenses

Percentage of revenue

Our operating expenses consist primarily of personnel costs, including salaries, commissions, bonuses, stock-based compensation and related benefits and taxes; project material costs related to the design and development of new products and enhancement of existing products; and professional fees, facilities and amortization and depreciation expenses. Personnel costs are our largest expense, representing $146.1 million, or 56.7% of our total operating expenses, for the year ended December 31, 2025; and $144.2 million, or 59.1% of our total operating expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024.

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Research and Development

Year ended

Period-to-Period

December 31,

Change

Research and development

Percentage of revenue

Our ability to remain competitive depends largely on continuously developing innovative technology, with new and enhanced features and systems and introducing them at competitive prices on a timely basis. Accordingly, based on our strategic plan, we establish annual research and development budgets to fund programs that we expect will drive competitive advantages.

Research and development (“R&D”) expense was $109.0 million in 2025, an increase of $3.5 million, or 3.3%, compared with $105.5 million in 2024. The increase was primarily due to higher variable compensation, stock compensation and expense related to early retirement programs and severance costs associated with global cost-saving initiatives.

Sales and Marketing

Year ended

Period-to-Period

December 31,

Change

(dollars in thousands)

Sales and marketing

Percentage of revenue

Our sales and marketing expenses result primarily from the sale of our equipment and services through our direct sales force.

Sales and marketing expense was $65.4 million in 2025, a decrease of $2.7 million, or 3.9%, compared with $68.0 million in 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease in the labor expenses related to evaluation systems.

General and Administrative

Year ended

Period-to-Period

December 31,

Change

(dollars in thousands)

General and administrative

Percentage of revenue

Our general and administrative expenses result primarily from the costs associated with our executive, finance, information technology, legal and human resource functions.

General and administrative expense was $83.2 million in 2025, an increase of $12.9 million, or 18.3%, compared with $70.3 million in 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in merger-related professional and filing fees of $16.3, partially offset by a decrease in bad debt expense $3.0.

Other Income (Expense)

Other income (expense) consists of interest earned and accretion on our invested cash balances, interest expense relating to the finance lease obligation we incurred in connection with the 2015 sale of our headquarters facility (“sale

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leaseback”) as well as foreign exchange gains and losses attributable to both fluctuations of the U.S. dollar against the local currencies of certain of the countries in which we operate and forward currency exchange contracts.

Year ended

Period-to-period

December 31,

change

Other income (expense):

Percentage of revenue

Other income for the year ended December 31, 2025 was $18.9 million, which includes $21.5 million of interest income on our investments, partially offset by $5.4 million of interest expense related to our sale leaseback obligation and $4.5 million of foreign exchange gains, partially offset by $2.1 million of foreign exchange losses from forward exchange contracts. Other expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $19.5 million, which includes $24.4 million of interest income on our investments, partially offset by $5.5 million of interest expense related to our sale leaseback obligation and $9.1 million of foreign exchange losses, offset by $9.1 million of foreign exchange gains from forward exchange contracts.

Income Taxes

Year ended

Period-to-period

December 31,

change

Income tax provision

Percentage of revenue

Income tax expense was $18.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $29.3 million in 2024. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2025 was 13.0% compared to 12.7% for year the ended December 31, 2024.  The increase in the effective tax rate in 2025 is primarily due to a decrease in the deduction related to stock-based compensation.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Our liquidity is affected by many factors. Some of these relate specifically to the operations of our business. For example, our sales and other factors are influenced by the uncertainties of global economies, including the availability of credit and the condition of the overall semiconductor capital equipment industry. Our industry requires ongoing investments in operations and research and development that are not easily adjusted to reflect changes in revenue. As a result, profitability and cash flows can fluctuate more widely than revenue.

In 2025, $118.3 million of cash was provided by operating activities. This compares to $140.8 million of cash provided by operations in 2024. Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2025 was $145.5 million, compared to $123.5 million at December 31, 2024. Approximately $51.8 million of cash was located in foreign jurisdictions as of December 31, 2025. In addition to the cash and cash equivalent balance at December 31, 2025, we had $10.6 million in restricted cash which relates to a $5.9 million cash collateral relating to our lease for our headquarters in Beverly, Massachusetts, a $3.9 million letter of credit for customs purposes, a $0.7 million letter of credit relating to workers’ compensation insurance and a $0.1 million deposit relating to customs activity. Working capital at December 31, 2025 was $745.5 million. At December 31, 2025, we had no bank debt.

In 2025, $29.9 million of cash was used in investing activities, $11.3 million of which was used for capital expenditures. We used $646.0 million of cash for purchases of short-term and long-term investments, offset by maturities of short-term investment of $687.2 million. We held $228.8 million of short-term investments and $182.4 million of long-term investments at December 31, 2025. These short-term and long-term investments consist of U.S. Government securities and agency investments. In 2024, $108.7 million of cash was used in investing activities, $12.2 million of which was used for capital expenditures. We used $539.1 million of cash for purchases of short-term investments, partially offset by maturities of short-term investments of $442.6 million. Total capital expenditures for 2026 are projected to be

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approximately $18 million. Future capital expenditures beyond 2026 will depend on a number of factors, including the timing and rate of expansion of our business and our ability to generate cash to fund them.

Cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 was $124.5 million, which consisted of $121.1 million related to our stock repurchase program, $4.5 million related to net settlement of restricted stock issuances and $1.4 million related to principal reduction on our finance lease. These amounts were partially offset by $2.5 million in proceeds from our employee stock purchase plan. Cash used in financing activities was $71.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which consisted of $60.5 million related to our stock repurchase program, $11.6 million related to net settlement of restricted stock issuances, and $1.5 million of principal reduction on our finance lease. These amounts were partially offset by $2.4 million in proceeds from our employee stock purchase plan.

We have outstanding letters of credit, surety bonds and deposits in the amount of $25.3 million to cover the security deposit under the lease of our headquarters, our workers’ compensation insurance program, customs and bank deposits and certain value added tax claims in Europe.

The following represents our commercial commitments as of December 31, 2025 (in thousands):

Amount of

Commitment

Expiration by Period

Other Commercial Commitments

Total

Surety bonds

Standby letters of credit and deposits

Total

The following represents our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2025 (in thousands):

Payments Due by Period

Contractual Obligations

Total

2031-Beyond

Sale leaseback obligation

Purchase order commitments

Operating leases

Total

We have no off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2025. See Note 18 – Income Taxes in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements for information related to our unrecognized tax benefits and Note 19 – Merger for contractual termination fees associated with our pending acquisition.

We consider the undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries as of December 31, 2025 to be indefinitely reinvested and, accordingly, no U.S. income taxes have been provided thereon. As of December 31, 2025, there was no cash associated with indefinitely reinvested foreign earnings. We have not, nor do we anticipate the need to, repatriate funds to the United States to satisfy domestic liquidity needs arising in the ordinary course of business. Upon repatriation of those earnings, in the form of dividends or otherwise, we could be subject to withholding taxes payable to the various foreign tax jurisdictions.

Under the rules of the SEC, we qualify as a “well-known seasoned issuer,” which allows us to file shelf registration statements to register an unspecified amount of securities that are effective upon filing. On August 3, 2023, we filed such a shelf registration statement with the SEC for the issuance of an unspecified amount of common stock, preferred stock, various series of debt securities and/or warrants to purchase any of such securities, either individually or in units, from time to time at prices and on terms to be determined at the time of any such offering. This registration statement was effective upon filing and will expire in August 2026. We may file another shelf registration statement to maintain the availability of this financing option.

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We have a cash collateralized letter of credit of $5.9 million, which is classified as long-term restricted cash on our balance sheet at December 31, 2025.

We believe that based on our current market, revenue, expense and cash flow forecasts, our existing cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments will be sufficient to satisfy our anticipated cash requirements for the short and long-term.

Related-Party Transactions

There are no significant related-party transactions that require disclosure in the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, or in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

A discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, the impact of some of which may be material, is included in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025 included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.