Brooks Automation Announces Fiscal 2000 First Quarter; Record Core Business Results and Acquisitions Set New Sales High.

Business/Technology Editors

CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 26, 2000

Brooks Automation, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRKS) today reported results for the first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 1999. The results include a full quarter of operations of Infab which was acquired on September 30, 1999. All FY99 results have been restated to reflect the acquisition of Smart Machines Inc. in a pooling of interests transaction.

Sales for the quarter were $50,280,000 up 151% from Q1 FY99 sales of $20,052,000. Net income (before amortization of acquired intangible assets) was $3,342,000, or $0.25 per share diluted compared to a net loss one year ago of $1,756,000 or $0.16 per share diluted on the same basis.

New orders totaled $58,577,000, up 65% from orders of $35,467,000 in the quarter ended September 30, 1999, and more than triple the $19,179,000 booked in the same quarter one year ago.

&uot;The results of the acquisition strategy are becoming evident with each passing quarter,&uot; said Robert J. Therrien, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brooks Automation, Inc. &uot;We have assembled a group of business units that we believe are market leaders or technology leaders in the areas of tool automation and factory automation. The integration of our new companies is on plan and on schedule, with our two major divisions both delivering above original expectations for the first fiscal quarter. The combination of strong growth in robotic modules and systems sales, better than expected results from Infab, as well as the addition of a major new software customer, gave the Company a strong start for fiscal 2000.&uot;

Q1 FY00 Major Accomplishments

--Record core business sales and total company sales

--Revenues up 48% sequentially; 151% year over year

--EPS (before amortization of acquired intangible assets) of $0.25, compared to a loss a year earlier of $0.16

--Shipped first MX700 cluster tool from our new engineering and manufacturing center in Korea

--Landed new foundry customer for complete Brooks fab software solution

--Letter of intent signed for largest sales win in Company history

--300mm product shipments totaled $4.6 million and new orders exceeded $9.0 million

--Received first order for Phase IV FPD cluster tool platform with our own atmospheric loader

Brooks Automation, Inc.

Brooks Automation, Inc. is a leading supplier of integrated automation solutions for the global semiconductor, data storage and flat panel display manufacturing industries. As an established market leader in hardware and software automation, Brooks continues to pioneer &uot;Best-in-Class&uot; technologies that outperform their competitors from vacuum and atmospheric robots, cluster tool platforms and modules, ultra-clean minienvironments for isolating processing equipment and wafers - to factory and tool automation software and integration services. Both OEM and fab customers leverage Brooks Automation's products and services to optimize total fab performance in dynamic manufacturing environments. The Company has ISO 9001 certification, is headquartered in Chelmsford, MA and has direct operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore. Brooks' web-site is www.brooks.com.

&uot;Safe Harbor&uot; Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The foregoing discussion contains forward-looking statements related to future financial results. These statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks relating to the Company's dependence on the cyclical semiconductor industry, the Company's dependence on relatively few customers for a significant portion of its revenues, the Company's reliance on sales to OEM customers and the lengthy sales cycles of those customers, the ability of the Company to continue to successfully develop and market new products and product enhancements on a timely basis, the ability to integrate recent acquisitions into the Company, the highly competitive nature and rapid technological change that characterize the industries in which the Company competes, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Company's future results will not be materially different than those projected. The Company also operates in an industry sector where securities' values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond the Company's control. The forward-looking statements contained herein speak only of the Company's expectations as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

                        Brooks Automation, Inc.
            Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations
                 (in thousands, except per share data)
                              (unaudited)


                                                Three Months Ended
                                                   December 31,
                                                 1999      1998 (1)

Revenues                                      $ 50,280   $ 20,052
Cost of revenues                                25,828     11,487

Gross profit                                    24,452      8,565

Operating expenses:
  Research and development                       7,140      4,930
  Selling, general and administrative           12,501      6,041
                                                19,641     10,971

Income (loss) from operations
 before amortization of
 acquired intangible assets                      4,811     (2,406)

Amortization of acquired intangible assets         795          -

Income (loss) from operations                    4,016     (2,406)

Interest (income) expense, net                    (605)      (696)
Other (income) expense, net                         41         18

Income (loss) before income taxes
 and minority interests                          4,580     (1,728)

Income tax provision (benefit)                   1,808       (197)

Income (loss) before minority interests          2,772     (1,531)

Minority interests in earnings
 (loss) of consolidated
 subsidiaries                                     (93)         -

Net income (loss)                                2,865     (1,531)

Accretion and dividends on
 preferred stock                                     -       (225)

Net income (loss) attributable
 to common stockholders                        $ 2,865   $ (1,756)

Earnings (loss) per share attributable
 to common stockholders:

      Basic                                     $ 0.22    $ (0.16)
      Diluted                                   $ 0.21    $ (0.16)


Net income (loss) attributable to
 common stockholders before amortization
 of acquired intangible assets, net
 of taxes                                      $ 3,342   $ (1,756)

Earnings (loss) per share attributable
 to common stockholders before amortization
 of acquired intangible assets:

      Basic                                     $ 0.26    $ (0.16)
      Diluted                                   $ 0.25    $ (0.16)

Basic weighted average common shares
 outstanding                                    12,769     11,087

Diluted weighted average common and common
  equivalent shares outstanding                 13,411     11,087



(1) Amounts have been restated to reflect the acquisition of Smart
    Machines Inc. in a pooling of interests transaction effective
    August 31, 1999.


                        Brooks Automation, Inc.
                 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet
                            (in thousands)

                                                  (unaudited)
                                                    December September
                                                       31,       30,
                                                      1999      1999


Cash and cash equivalents                          $ 61,097   $ 66,366
Accounts receivable, net                             43,912     32,904
Inventories                                          29,997     28,917
Other current assets                                  7,608      9,541

     Total current assets                           142,614    137,728

Fixed assets, net                                    18,897     17,434
Intangible assets, net                               13,065     13,719
Other assets                                          9,218      8,264

     Total assets                                 $ 183,794  $ 177,145


Current liabilities                                $ 35,993   $ 31,932
Long-term liabilities                                 1,378      1,607

     Total liabilities                               37,371     33,539

Minority interests                                    1,368      1,460

Stockholders' equity                                145,055    142,146

     Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   $ 183,794  $ 177,145