UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

——————
FORM 10-Q
——————

(Mark   One)

[X] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended December 31, 2005

or

[   ] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number: 0-26824

TEGAL CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
68-0370244
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

2201 South McDowell Blvd.
Petaluma, California 94954

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Telephone Number (707) 763-5600
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

_________________

        Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes [X] No [   ]

        Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of "accelerated filer and large accelerated filer" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check One):
Large accelerated filer [   ]     Accelerated filer [   ]      Non-accelerated filer [X]

        As of February 9, 2006 there were 83,973,854 shares of our common stock outstanding.


TEGAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

INDEX

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION Page
ITEM 1. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2005 and March 31, 2005 3
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations-- for the three months ended and nine months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 4
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows-- for the nine months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 5
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements 7
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS 12
ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK 21
ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES 22
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS 23
ITEM 6. EXHIBITS 23
SIGNATURES 24

PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

TEGAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except share data)

December 31,
2005
     
March 31,
2005
     
ASSETS
Current assets:            
  Cash and cash equivalents   $ 15,111   $ 7,093  
  Accounts receivable, net of allowances for sales returns and doubtful accounts of $219 and $533 at  
   December 31, and March 31, 2005 respectively    6,031    1,897  
  Inventories    7,370    5,140  
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets    2,626    641  


     Total current assets    31,138    14,771  
Property and equipment, net    1,994    3,342  
Intangible assets, net    1,553    1,796  
Other assets    189    183  


     Total assets   $ 34,874   $ 20,092  


LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:            
  Notes payable and bank lines of credit   $ 31   $ 159  
  Accounts payable    3,474    3,607  
  Accrued product warranty    425    252  
  Deferred revenue    827    122  
  Accrued expenses and other current liabilities    2,357    2,575  


     Total current liabilities    7,114    6,715  
Long-term portion of capital lease obligations    5    13  
Other long term obligations    25    64  


     Total long term liabilities    30    77  


Total liabilities    7,144    6,792  


Stockholders' equity:  
  Preferred stock; $0.01 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding          
  Common stock; $0.01 par value; 200,000,000 shares authorized; 83,973,854 and 52,843,520 shares  
   issued and outstanding at December 31, 2005 and March 31, 2005 respectively    840    528  
   Restricted Share Units    1,280      
   Deferred Compensation    (276 )    
  Additional paid-in capital    118,741    99,156  
  Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)    512    (110 )
  Accumulated deficit    (93,367 )  (86,274 )


     Total stockholders' equity    27,730    13,300  


     Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   $ 34,874   $ 20,092  


See accompanying notes.


TEGAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share data)

Three Months Ended
December 31,
Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Revenue     $ 6,246   $ 2,903   $ 15,704   $ 11,332  
Cost of sales    4,565    2,377    10,905    8,105  




   Gross profit (loss)    1,681    526    4,799    3,227  




Operating expenses:  
   Research and development    1,039    1,578    3,426    4,243  
   Sales and marketing    694    704    2,095    2,230  
   General and administrative    1,128    1,178    5,766    4,771  
  In-process research and development                1,653  




      Total operating expenses    2,861    3,460    11,287    12,897  




      Operating loss    (1,180 )  (2,934 )  (6,488 )  (9,670 )
Other income (expense), net  
  Interest income (expense), net    142    (2 )  166    (2,065 )
  Other income (expense)    (866 )  248    (770 )  221  




     Total other income (expense), net    (724 )  246    (604 )  (1,844 )




         Net loss   $ (1,904 ) $ (2,688 ) $ (7,092 ) $ (11,514 )




Net loss per share, basic and diluted   $ (0.02 ) $ (0.06 ) $ (0.11 ) $ (0.26 )




Shares used in per share computation:  
   Basic    83,945    47,733    63,137    45,135  
   Diluted    83,945    47,733    63,137    45,135  

See accompanying notes.


TEGAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
(In thousands)

Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004
Cash flows from operating activities:            
   Net loss   $ (7,092 ) $ (11,514 )
   Adjustments to reconcile net loss to cash used in operating activities:  
    Non cash in-process research & development charge        1,653  
    Depreciation and amortization    950    1,081  
    Non cash interest expense - accretion of debt discount and amortization of debt  
issuance costs        2,019  
    Non-cash valuation of marked to market investor warrants    436      
      Fair value of warrants issued for services rendered    1,837    292  
      Provision for doubtful accounts and sales return allowances    (323 )  (138 )
    Excess and obsolete inventory provision          
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:  
         Receivables    (3,506 )  (1,513 )
         Inventories    (1,384 )  (1,457 )
         Prepaid expenses and other assets    (1,834 )  (388 )
         Accounts payable    (145 )  1,508  
         Accrued expenses and other liabilities    (269 )  92  
      Accrued product warranty    159    (138 )
         Deferred revenue    706    (120 )


            Net cash used in operating activities    (10,465 )  (8,623 )


Cash flows used in investing activities:  
      Purchases of property and equipment    (211 )  (314 )
      Loss on disposal of property and equipment    128      


            Net cash used in investing activities:    (83 )  (314 )


Cash flows provided by financing activities:  
    Net proceeds from issuance of common stock    18,627    8,595  
    Borrowings under lines of credit    53    1,136  
    Repayment of borrowings under lines of credit    (181 )  (2,465 )
    Proceeds from and (payments on) capital lease financing    (9 )  (8 )


      Net cash provided by financing activities    18,490    7,258  


Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents    76    (26 )


Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents    8,018    (1,705 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period    7,093    7,049  


Cash and cash equivalents at end of period   $ 15,111   $ 5,344  


Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities  
  Transfer of demo lab equipment between inventory and fixed assets   $ 725      

See accompanying notes.


Supplemental Schedule of Non Cash Investing Activities (in thousands, except share data):

        On May 28, 2004, Tegal Corporation (the “Company”) purchased substantially all of the assets and assumed certain liabilities of First Derivative Systems, Inc. (“FDSI”), a development stage company for 1,410,632 shares of common stock, $150 in debt forgiveness, approximately $50 in assumed liabilities, and $158 in acquisition costs. The purchase price was allocated as follows:

Fair value fixed assets acquired     $ 111  
Non compete agreements    203  
Patents    733  
In-process research and development    1,653  
Debt forgiveness    (150 )
Assumed liabilities    (50 )

    $ 2,500  

See accompanying notes.


TEGAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited)
(All amounts in thousands, except share data)

1. Basis of Presentation:

        In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared on the same basis as the March 31, 2005 audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state the information set forth herein. The statements have been prepared in accordance with the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), but omit certain information and footnote disclosures necessary to present the statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire year.

        The consolidated financial statements contemplate the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The Company incurred net losses of $7,092 and $11,514 for the nine months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The Company generated negative cash flows from operations of $10,909 and $8,623 for the period ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. During the current Fiscal Year 2006 the Company raised a net of $18,161 through a private investment placement of equity. Management believes that these proceeds, combined with projected sales, consolidation of certain operations and continued cost containment will be adequate to fund operations through fiscal 2007. However, projected sales may not materialize and unforeseen costs may be incurred. If the projected sales do not materialize, the Company’s ability to achieve its intended business objectives may be adversely affected. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded assets or the amount or classification of liabilities or any other adjustments that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

Concentration of Credit Risk

        Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of temporary cash investments and accounts receivable. Substantially all of the Company’s temporary investments are invested in highly liquid money market funds. The Company’s accounts receivables are derived primarily from sales to customers located in the United States, Europe and Asia. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally requires no collateral. The Company maintains reserves for potential credit losses. Write-offs during the periods presented have been insignificant. As of December 31, 2005, two customers accounted for approximately 76% of the accounts receivables balance. As of December 31, 2004, one customers accounted for approximately 49% of the accounts receivable balance.

        During the three months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, two customers accounted for 70% and 28% of total revenues, respectively. During the nine months ended December 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004, one customer accounted for 55% and 23% of total revenues, respectively.

Stock Based Compensation

        The Company accounts for stock-based employee compensation under the recognition and measurement principles of Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, (APB No. 25) and related interpretations. Under APB No. 25, compensation cost is equal to the difference, if any, on the date of grant between the fair value of the Company’s stock and the amount an employee must pay to acquire the stock. SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-based Compensation, established accounting and disclosure requirements using a fair value based method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation plans. As allowed by SFAS No. 123, the Company has elected to continue to apply the intrinsic value based method of accounting described above, and has adopted the disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 123 and related SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation – Transition and Disclosure.

        The following assumptions are included in the estimated grant date fair value calculations for the Company’s stock option awards and Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan (“Employee Stock Purchase Plan”):

Three Months Ended
December 31, 2005
Nine Months Ended
December 31, 2005
Three Months Ended
December 31, 2004
Nine Months Ended
December 31, 2004
Expected life (years):                    
  Stock options    4 .0  4 .0  4 .0  4 .0
  Employee plan    4 .0  4 .0  4 .0  4 .0
Volatility:  
  Stock options    84 %  68 %  88 %  89 %
  Employee plan    84 %  68 %  88 %  89 %
Risk-free interest rate    3 .905  3 .905  2 .25%  2 .25%
Dividend yield    0 %  0 %  0 %  0 %

        The weighted average estimated grant date fair value, as defined by SFAS No. 123, for stock option awards granted during three months ended December 31, 2005 was $0.57 per option.

        The following table illustrates the effect on net income (loss) and net income (loss) per share if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 to stock-based compensation (in thousands, except per share data):

Three Months Ended
December 31,
Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Net loss as reported     $ (1,904 ) $ (2,688 ) $ (7,092 ) $ (11,514 )
Add: Stock-based employee compensation expense included in reported  
net loss                  
Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined  
under fair value method for all awards    (367 )  (396 )  (1,447 )  (1,037 )




Proforma net loss   $ (2,271 ) $ (3,084 ) $ (8,539 ) $ (12,551 )




Basic net loss per share:  
As reported   $ (0.02 ) $ (0.06 ) $ (0.11 ) $ (0.26 )




Proforma   $ (0.03 ) $ (0.07 ) $ (0.14 ) $ (0.28 )




        During the nine months ended September 30, 2005, the Company awarded 1,000,000 restricted stock units to Brad Mattson, the Company’s Chairman, and 150,000 restricted stock units to Thomas Mika, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer at the close of the 2005 PIPE, see note 6. These restricted stock units were accounted for as compensation expense of $1,004.

        During the nine months ended September 30, 2005, the Company awarded five employees 400,000 restricted shares. These shares were valued at $276, are not vested, and were accounted for as Restricted Share Units and Deferred Compensation in the equity section of the balance sheet.

        During the previous fiscal year, the Company entered into a contract with certain consultants of the Company pursuant to which the Company will issue warrants on a monthly basis in lieu of cash payments for two years, dependant upon the continuation of the contract and the achievement of certain performance goals. These warrants are valued and expensed on a monthly basis upon issuance. During the three and nine months ending December 31, 2005, the Company issued warrants to purchase 84,999 and 254,997 shares, respectively, of the Company’s common stock to service providers for services rendered. During the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005, the warrants were valued at $42 and $179 respectively, using the Black-Scholes model with an exercise price at the market value on the day of the grant and an average interest rate of 3.99% and 3.11% respectively. The life of the warrants is five and seven years with the volatility of 115% and 118%, respectively.

        On September 13, 2005 the Company issued 500,000 warrants at $0.69 as consideration for an amendment to the current lease of the Company’s headquarters to reduce the termination fee. The value of the warrants of $655 was based on the fair value of the termination penalty reduction offset by the exercise price of the warrant and recorded as rent expense.

        The disclosure provisions of SFAS No. 123 and SFAS No. 148 require judgments by management as to the estimated lives of the outstanding options. Management has based the estimated life of the options on historical option exercise patterns. If the estimated life of the options increases, the valuation of the options will increase as well.

2. Inventories:

        Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, reduced by provisions for excess and obsolescence. Cost is computed using standard cost, which approximates actual cost on a first-in, first-out basis and includes material, labor and manufacturing overhead costs. We estimate the effects of excess and obsolescence on the carrying values of our inventories based upon estimates of future demand and market conditions. We establish provisions for related inventories in excess of production demand. Should actual production demand differ from our estimates, additional inventory write-downs may be required, as was the case in the forth quarter of fiscal 2005. Any excess and obsolete provision is released only if and when the related inventories is sold or scrapped. During the three and nine months ending December 31, 2005, the Company sold previously reserved inventory of $131 and $440, respectively.

        Inventories for the periods presented consisted of:

December 31,
2005
March 31,
2005
Raw materials     $ 1,574   $ 1,044  
Work in progress    4,046    2,976  
Finished goods and spares    1,750    1,120  


    $ 7,370   $ 5,140  


        We periodically analyze any systems that are in finished goods inventory to determine if they are suitable for current customer requirements. At the present time, our policy is that, if after approximately 18 months, we determine that a sale will not take place within the next 12 months and the system would be useable for customer demonstrations or training, it is transferred to fixed assets. Otherwise, it is expensed.

3. Product Warranty:

        The Company provides warranty on all system sales based on the estimated cost of product warranties at the time revenue is recognized. The warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage rates, and the efficiency by which the product failure is corrected. Should actual product failure rates, material usage rates and labor efficiencies differ from estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability may be required.

        Warranty activity for the three-month and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 was:

Warranty Activity for the
Three Months Ended
December 31,
Warranty Activity for the
Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Balance at the beginning of the period     $ 315   $ 251   $ 252   $ 366  
Additional warranty accruals for warranties issued during the period    234    68    445    298  
Accruals related to pre-existing warranties                  
Less settlements made during the period    (124 )  (63 )  (272 )  (408 )




Balance at the end of the period   $ 425   $ 256   $ 425   $ 256  




        Certain of the Company’s sales contracts include provisions under which customers would be indemnified by the Company in the event of, among other things, a third-party claim against the customer for intellectual property rights infringement related to the Company’s products. There are no limitations on the maximum potential future payments under these guarantees. The Company has accrued no amounts in relation to these provisions as no such claims have been made and the Company believes it has valid, enforceable rights to the intellectual property embedded in its products.

4. Accounting for Restructure Expenses:

        During the three months ended December 31, 2005, the Company recorded no severance charges. During the nine months ended December 31, 2005, the Company recorded a severance charge of approximately $117 related to staff reductions of 5 employees, of which approximately $24 was classified as cost of sales, $85 as research and development and $8 as sales, marketing and general and administrative expenses. The Company had an outstanding severance liability of approximately $23 as of December 31, 2005. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005, the Company recorded a severance charge of approximately $129 related to staff reductions of 19 employees, of which approximately $19 was classified as cost of sales, $18 as research and development and $92 as sales, marketing and general and administrative expenses.

5. Net Loss Per Common Share:

        Basic net loss per common share is computed using the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding.

        The following table represents the calculation of basic and diluted net loss per common share (in thousands, except per share data):

Three Months Ended
December 31,
Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Net loss applicable to common stockholders     $ (1,904 ) $ (2,688 ) $ (7,092 ) $ (11,514 )




Basic and diluted:  
   Weighted-average common shares outstanding    83,945    47,733    63,137    45,135  
   Less weighted-average common shares subject to repurchase                  




   Weighted-average common shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per common share    83,945    47,733    63,137    45,135  




Basic and diluted net loss per common share   $ (0.02 ) $ (0.06 ) $ (0.11 ) $ (0.26 )




        Outstanding options, warrants and restricted stock equivalent to 30,004,852 and 12,699,823 shares of common stock at a weighted-average exercise price of $1.27 and $2.22 per share on December 31, 2005 and 2004, were not included in the computation of diluted net loss per common share for the periods presented as a result of their anti-dilutive effect. Such securities could potentially dilute earnings per share in future periods.

6. Stock-Based Transactions:

        Effective July 6, 2005, the Company entered into a Purchase Agreement with certain accredited investors pursuant to which it sold to them an aggregate of 30,840,000 shares of our common stock at a purchase price of $0.65 per share and warrants to purchase an aggregate of 15,420,001 shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $1.00 per share. All of these securities were sold in a private placement pursuant to Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, solely to accredited investors, as defined in Rule 501 of the Act. This financing transaction is referred to herein as the “2005 PIPE”.

        In the initial closing of the 2005 PIPE on July 12, 2005, the Company sold 6,300,000 shares at a purchase price of $0.65 per share and five-year warrants to purchase an aggregate of 3,150,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.00 per share to the investors at an aggregate purchase price of $4,095. In connection with the 2005 PIPE, the Company granted to the investors registration rights. The effective date of the Form S-3 registration statement registering the shares issued in the initial closing was August 25, 2005.

        In the second closing of the 2005 PIPE on September 19, 2005, the Company sold 24,540,000 shares at a purchase price of $.65 per share and five-year warrants to purchase an aggregate of 12,270,001 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $1.00 per share to the investors at an aggregate purchase price of $15,951. The effective date of the Form S-3 registration statement registering the shares issued in the second closing was October 24, 2005.

        In accordance with EITF 00-19, “Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments Indexed To, and Potentially Settled In a Company’s Own Stock,” the fair value of the warrants in the second closing of the 2005 PIPE on the date of grant was estimated to be $6,621 using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions: no dividends; risk-free interest rate of 3.5%, the contractual life of 5 years and volatility of 115%. The warrants’ fair value was reported as a liability at the time of grant, with a corresponding charge to common stock. At September 30, 2005, the fair value of the warrants was estimated to be $6,295 using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the same assumptions. The $326 decrease in the liability has been reported as other income. The fair value of the warrants was reclassified to common stock when the applicable Form S-3 registration statement became effective on October 24, 2005, with the difference in the fair value of the warrants between September 30, 2005, and the effective date reflected in the statement of operations as other expense of $762. As of December 31, 2005, there is no longer a contingent liablility.

        The Company paid a placement fee of $1,453 (equal to 7% of the Company’s gross proceeds for both transactions) to Dahlman Rose & Company LLC, the Company’s financial advisor for the 2005 PIPE.

Issuance of Warrants to Consultants

        The Company is party to a contract with certain consultants pursuant to which the Company will issue warrants on a monthly basis in lieu of cash payments through August 2006, depending upon the continuation of the contract and the achievement of certain performance goals. The maximum number of warrants to be issued under these agreements is 990,000 shares. During the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005, the warrants were valued at $42 and $179 respectively, using the Black-Scholes model with an exercise price at the market value on the day of the grant and an average interest rate of 3.99% and 3.11%, respectively. The life of the warrants is five and seven years with the volatility of 115% and 118%, respectively.

        On September 13, 2005 the Company issued 500,000 warrants with an exercise price of $0.69 per share as consideration for an amendment to the current lease of the Company’s headquarters to reduce the termination fee. The value of the warrants of $655 was based on the fair value of the termination penalty reduction offset by the exercise price of the warrant and recorded as rent expense.

7. Lines of Credit:

        As of December 31, 2005, the Company’s Japanese subsidiary had borrowed 0.1 million yen (approximately $8 at exchange rates prevailing on December 31, 2005) under its Japanese bank line of credit. The credit line has a total borrowing capacity of 150,000 yen (approximately $1,271 at exchange rates prevailing on December 31, 2005), which is secured by Japanese customer promissory notes held by such subsidiary in advance of payment on customers’ accounts receivable. The Japanese bank line bears interest at Japanese prime (1.375% as of December 31, 2005) plus 1.0%.

        Notes payable as of December 31, 2005 consisted primarily of one outstanding note to the California Trade and Commerce Agency for $22. The unsecured note from the California Trade and Commerce Agency carries an annual interest rate of 5.75% with monthly payments of approximately $5.5 per month. Although the payment deadlines are being met, the note is currently in technical default due to the merger of Sputtered Films and Tegal Corporation.

8. Geographical Information

        Tegal operates in one segment for the manufacture, marketing and servicing of integrated circuit fabrication equipment. In accordance with SFAS No. 131 (SFAS 131) “Disclosures About Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information,” Tegal’s chief operating decision-maker has been identified as the President and Chief Executive Officer, who reviews operating results to make decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance for the entire company. All material operating units qualify for aggregation under SFAS 131 due to their identical customer base and similarities in: economic characteristics; nature of products and services; and procurement, manufacturing and distribution processes. Since Tegal operates in one segment and in one group of similar products and services, all financial segment and product line information required by SFAS 131 can be found in the consolidated financial statements.

        For geographical reporting, revenues are attributed to the geographic location in which the customers’ facilities are located. Long-lived assets consist primarily of property, plant and equipment, and are attributed to the geographic location in which they are located. Net sales and long-lived assets by geographic region were as follows:

Revenue for the
Three Months Ended
December 31,
Revenue for the
Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Sales to customers located in:                    
    United States   $ 2,047   $ 808   $ 3,790   $ 2,555  
    Asia, excluding Japan    2,431    428    2,770    1,231  
    Japan    768    625    1,846    5,354  
   Europe    1,000    1,042    7,298    2,192  




               Total sales   $ 6,246   $ 2,903   $ 15,704   $ 11,332  






December 31,
2005
March 31,
2005
Long-lived assets at period-end:            
  United States   $ 5,217   $ 5,112  
  Europe    17    7  
  Japan    8    16  
  Asia, excluding Japan    4    3  


          Total long-lived assets   $ 5,246   $ 5,138  


9. Comprehensive Income (Loss):

        The components of comprehensive loss for the three and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2005 and 2004 are as follows:

Three Months
Ended
December 31,
Nine Months
Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Net loss     $ (1,904 ) $ (2,688 ) $ (7,092 ) $ (11,514 )
Foreign currency translation adjustment    228    (277 )  621    (192 )




    $ (1,676 ) $ (2,965 ) $ (6,471 ) $ (11,706 )




Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Special Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

        Information herein contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” or “continue” or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology or which constitute projected financial information. The forward-looking statements relate to the near-term semiconductor capital equipment industry outlook, demand for our products, our quarterly revenue and earnings prospects for the near-term future and other matters contained herein. Such statements are based on current expectations and beliefs and involve a number of uncertainties and risks that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, cyclicality of the semiconductor industry, impediments to customer acceptance of our products, fluctuations in quarterly operating results, competitive pricing pressures, the introduction of competitor products having technological and/or pricing advantages, product volume and mix and other risks detailed from time to time in our SEC reports, including in the section entitled “Risk Factors” below. For further information, refer to the business description and risk factors described below. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in this paragraph.

        Tegal designs, manufactures, markets and services plasma etch and deposition systems that enable the production of integrated circuits (“ICs”), memory and related microelectronics devices used in personal computers, wireless voice and data telecommunications, contact-less transaction devices, radio frequency identification devices (“RFID’s”), smart cards, data storage and micro-level actuators. Etching and deposition constitute two of the principal IC and related device production process steps and each must be performed numerous times in the production of such devices.

Critical Accounting Policies

        Our discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to inventory, warranty obligations, purchase order commitments, bad debts, income taxes, intangible assets, restructuring and contingencies and litigation. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe 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 critical accounting policies affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements:

Revenue Recognition

        Each sale of our equipment is evaluated on an individual basis in regard to revenue recognition. We have integrated in our evaluation the related interpretative guidance included in Topic 13 of the codification of staff accounting bulletins, and recognize the role of the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) consensus on Issue 00-21. We first refer to EITF 00-21 in order to determine if there is more than one unit of accounting and then we refer to SAB104 for revenue recognition topics for the unit of accounting. We recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the seller’s price is fixed or determinable and collectibility is reasonably assured.

        For products produced according to our published specifications, where no installation is required or installation is deemed perfunctory and no substantive customer acceptance provisions exist, revenue is recognized when title passes to the customer, generally upon shipment. Installation is not deemed to be essential to the functionality of the equipment since installation does not involve significant changes to the features or capabilities of the equipment or building complex interfaces and connections. In addition, the equipment could be installed by the customer or other vendors and generally the cost of installation approximates only 1% of the sales value of the related equipment.

        For products produced according to a particular customer’s specifications, revenue is recognized when the product has been tested and it has been demonstrated that it meets the customer’s specifications and title passes to the customer. The amount of revenue recorded is reduced by the amount (generally 10%), which is not payable by the customer until installation is completed and final customer acceptance is achieved.

        For new products, new applications of existing products, or for products with substantive customer acceptance provisions where performance cannot be fully assessed prior to meeting customer specifications at the customer site, 100% of revenue is recognized upon completion of installation and receipt of final customer acceptance. Since title to goods generally passes to the customer upon shipment and 90% of the contract amount becomes payable at that time, inventory is relieved and accounts receivable is recorded for the entire contract amount. The revenue on these transactions is deferred and recorded as deferred revenue. We reserve for warranty costs at the time the related revenue is recognized.

        Revenue related to sales of spare parts is recognized upon shipment. Revenue related to maintenance and service contracts is recognized ratably over the duration of the contracts. Unearned maintenance and service revenue is included in other accrued liabilities.

Accounts Receivable – Allowance for Sales Returns and Doubtful Accounts

        We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable for estimated losses resulting from the inability of our customers to make required payments. If the financial condition of our customers were to deteriorate, or even a single customer was otherwise unable to make payments, additional allowances may be required.

        Our return policy is for spare parts and components only. Customers are allowed to return spare parts if they are defective upon receipt, in accordance with SFAS 48. The potential returns are offset against gross revenue on a monthly basis. Management reviews outstanding requests for returns on a quarterly basis to determine that the reserves are adequate.

Inventories

        Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, reduced by provisions for excess and obsolescence. Cost is computed using standard cost, which approximates actual cost on a first-in, first-out basis and includes material, labor and manufacturing overhead costs. We estimate the effects of excess and obsolescence on the carrying values of our inventories based upon estimates of future demand and market conditions. We establish provisions for related inventories in excess of production demand. Should actual production demand differ from our estimates, additional inventory write-downs may be required, as was the case in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005. Any excess and obsolete provision is released only if and when the related inventories is sold or scrapped.

        We periodically analyze any systems that are in finished goods inventory to determine if they are suitable for current customer requirements. At the present time, our policy is that if after approximately 18 months we determine that a sale will not take place within the next 12 months, and the system would be useable for customer demonstrations or training, it is transferred to fixed assets. Otherwise, it is expensed.

        The carrying value of systems used for demonstrations or training is determined by assessing the cost of the components that are suitable for sale. Any parts that may be rendered unsaleable as a result of such use are removed from the system and are not included in finished goods inventory. The remaining saleable parts are valued at the lower of cost or market, representing the system’s net realizable value. The depreciation period for systems that are transferred to fixed assets is determined based on the age of the system and its remaining useful life (typically five to eight years).

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

        Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. If undiscounted expected future cash flows are less than the carrying value of the assets, an impairment loss is recognized based on the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the assets.

Warranty Obligations

        We provide for the estimated cost of our product warranties at the time revenue is recognized. Our warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage rates and the efficiency by which the product failure is corrected. Should actual product failure rates, material usage rates and labor efficiencies differ from our estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability may be required.

Deferred Taxes

        We record a valuation allowance to reduce our deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. Based on the uncertainty of future taxable income, we have fully reserved our deferred tax assets. In the event we were to determine that we would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future, an adjustment to the deferred tax asset would increase income in the period such determination was made.

Results of Operations

        The following table sets forth certain financial items for the three and nine month periods ended December 31, 2005 and 2004:

Three Months Ended
December 31,
Nine Months Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Revenue     $ 6,246   $ 2,903   $ 15,704   $ 11,332  
Cost of sales    4,565    2,377    10,905    8,105  




   Gross profit (loss)    1,681    526    4,799    3,227  




Operating expenses:  
   Research and development    1,039    1,578    3,426    4,243  
   Sales and marketing    694    704    2,095    2,230  
   General and administrative    1,128    1,178    5,766    4,771  
  In-process research and development                1,653  




      Total operating expenses    2,861    3,460    11,287    12,897  




      Operating loss    (1,180 )  (2,934 )  (6,488 )  (9,670 )
Other income (expense), net  
  Interest income (expense), net    142    (2 )  166    (2,065 )
  Other income (expense)    (866 )  248    (770 )  221  




     Total other income (expense), net    (724 )  246    (604 )  (1,844 )




         Net loss   $ (1,904 ) $ (2,688 ) $ (7,092 ) $ (11,514 )




        The following table sets forth certain financial items as a percentage of revenue for the three and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2005 and 2004:

Three Months
Ended
December 31,
Nine Months
Ended
December 31,
2005 2004 2005 2004
Revenue      100 .0%  100 .0%  100 .0%  100 .0%
Cost of sales    73 .1  81 .9  69 .5  71 .5




   Gross profit (loss)    26 .9  18 .1  30 .5  28 .5
Operating expenses:  
   Research and development    16 .6  54 .4  21 .8  37 .4
   Sales and marketing    11 .1  24 .3  13 .3  19 .7
   General and administrative    18 .1  40 .5  36 .8  42 .1
   In-process research and development                14 .6




      Total operating expenses    45 .8  119 .2  71 .9  113 .8




         Operating loss    (18 .9)  (101 .1)  (41 .4)  (85 .3)
Other income, net:  
   Interest expense, net    2 .3  (0 .1)  1 .1  (18 .2)
   Other income (expense), net    (13 .9)  8 .6  (4 .9)  1 .9




Other income (expense), net    (11 .6)  8 .5  (3 .8)  (16 .3)




   Net loss    (30 .5%)  (92 .6%)  (45 .2)%  (101 .6%)




        Revenue. The increase in revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2005 was principally due to the sale of two additional 6500 series systems over the same period of the previous year. The increase in revenue for the nine months ended December 31, 2005 was principally due to the sale of four additional 6500 series systems over the same period of the previous year, offset by the lower revenue associated with a recertified Endeavor compared to a new Endeavor sold in the previous year, and reduced service and spare parts sales. We believe the reduction of service and spare parts sales is a result of reduced usage of our non-critical etch systems by our customers.

        International sales as a percentage of the Company’s revenue for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005 were approximately 67% and 76%, respectively, and for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2004 were approximately 72.2% and 77.5%, respectively. We believe that international sales will continue to represent a significant portion of our revenue.

        Gross profit (loss). Gross profit as a percentage to revenue for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005 increased by 8.8% and 2.0%, respectively over the comparable periods in 2004. The increase in gross profit as a percentage to revenue, was principally attributable to fixed cost allocated over a larger revenue base.

        Research and development. Research and development expenses consist primarily of salaries, prototype material and other costs associated with our ongoing systems and process technology development, applications and field process support efforts. The decrease in research and development spending for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005 resulted from lower license fees, consulting, employee travel, and recruiting expenses as compared to the prior year.

        Sales and marketing. Sales and marketing expenses consist primarily of salaries, commissions, trade show promotion and travel and living expenses associated with those functions. The decrease in sales and marketing spending for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2005 was primarily due to temporary reduction of personnel which the Company believes will return to previous run rates within the next three to six months, partially offset by commissions paid on sales, as compared to the prior year.

        General and administrative. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of compensation for general management, accounting and finance, human resources, information systems and investor relations functions and for legal, consulting and accounting fees of the Company. The increase in spending for the nine months ended December 31, 2005 was primarily due to non cash restricted stock units granted and recorded as compensation expense and warrants issued to the landlord of our principal executive offices as compensation for the lease termination fee reduction in addition to $500 paid as an advance on the termination penalty, offset in part by reduced legal and consulting fees that were associated with the defense of patents and the integration of the acquired companies in the previous period.

        Other income (expense), net. Other income (expense), net consists principally of, interest income, interest expense, other income, (expense), gains and losses on the disposal of fixed assets, and gains and losses on foreign exchange. We recorded net non-operating expense of $724 and $604 during the three-month and nine-month period ended December 31, 2005 respectively. Other expense was principally due to the net mark to market valuation of the investor warrants of $436 and $116 loss on the disposal of a fixed asset.

        Contractual obligations. The following summarizes our contractual obligations at December 31, 2005, and the effect such obligations are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flows in future periods.

Contractual obligations: Total Less than
1 Year
1-3 Years 3-5 Years After
5 Years
Non-cancelable capital lease obligations     $ 17   $ 12   $ 5          
Non-cancelable operating lease obligations    4,477    1,328    2,128    1,021     
Notes payable and bank lines of credit    26    26             





Total contractual cash obligations   $ 4,520   $ 1,366   $ 2,133   $ 1,021     





        Certain sales contracts of the Company include provisions under which customers would be indemnified by the Company in the event of, among other things, a third-party claim against the customer for intellectual property rights infringement related to the Company’s products. There are no limitations on the maximum potential future payments under these guarantees. The Company has accrued no amounts in relation to these provisions as no such claims have been made and the Company believes it has valid, enforceable rights to the intellectual property embedded in its products.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

        For the nine-month period ended December 31, 2005, we financed our operations through the use of outstanding cash balances, borrowings against our credit facilities in Japan and net proceeds from the 2005 PIPE.

        As of December 31, 2005, our Japanese subsidiary had borrowed 1,000 yen (approximately $8 at exchange rates prevailing on December 31, 2005) under its Japanese bank line of credit. The credit line has a total borrowing capacity of 150,000 yen (approximately $1,271 at exchange rates prevailing on December 31, 2005), which is secured by Japanese customer promissory notes held by such subsidiary in advance of payment on customers’ accounts receivable. The Japanese bank line bears interest at Japanese prime (1.375% as of December 31, 2005) plus 1.0%.

        Notes payable as of December 31, 2005 consisted primarily of one outstanding note to the California Trade and Commerce Agency for $22. The unsecured note from the California Trade and Commerce Agency carries an annual interest rate of 5.75% with monthly payments of approximately $5.5 per month. Although the payment deadlines are being met, the note is currently in technical default due to the merger of Sputtered Films and Tegal Corporation.

        The consolidated financial statements contemplate the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. We incurred net losses of $7,092 and $11,514 for the nine months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. We generated negative cash flows from operations of $10,909 and $8,623 for the period ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. During the current Fiscal Year 2006, we raised a net of $18,161 through the 2005 PIPE. Management believes that these proceeds, combined with projected sales, consolidation of certain operations and continued cost containment will be adequate to fund operations through fiscal 2007. However, projected sales may not materialize and unforeseen costs may be incurred. If the projected sales do not materialize, our ability to achieve our intended business objectives may be adversely affected. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded assets or the amount or classification of liabilities or any other adjustments that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

Risk Factors

We have incurred operating losses and may not be profitable in the future; Our plans to maintain and increase liquidity may not be successful; The report of the independent registered public accounting firm includes a going concern uncertainty explanatory paragraph.

        We incurred net losses of $15.4 million, $12.6 million and $12.6 million for the years ended March 31, 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively, and generated negative cash flows from operations of $7.5 million, $3.2 million and $6.0 million in these respective years. Those factors raised substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern, and our independent registered public accounting firm included a going concern uncertainty explanatory paragraph in their report dated May 27, 2005 filed with our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended March 31, 2005. We have raised approximately $18.2 million from the sale of stock and warrants in the 2005 PIPE. During fiscal year 2005, we raised approximately $10.4 million from stock issued to Kingsbridge. Management believes that these proceeds, combined with a projected increase in sales, consolidation of certain operations and continued cost containment will be adequate to fund operations through Fiscal Year 2007. If the projected sales do not materialize, we will need to reduce expenses further and raise additional capital through the issuance of debt or equity securities. If additional funds are raised through the issuance of preferred stock or debt, these securities could have rights, privileges or preferences senior to those of our common stock, and debt covenants could impose restrictions on our operations. Moreover, such financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, if at all. Failure to raise additional funds may adversely affect our ability to achieve our intended business objectives. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of recorded assets or the amount or classification of liabilities or any other adjustments that might be necessary should we be unable to continue as a going concern.

The exercise of outstanding warrants, options and other rights to obtain additional shares will dilute the value of our shares of common stock and could cause the price of our shares of common stock to decline.

        As of December 31, 2005, there were 83,973,854 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding and there were 24,984,318 shares of common stock reserved for issuance under our equity incentive and stock purchase plans.

        As of December 31, 2005, there were warrants, stock options and restricted stock units outstanding for approximately 30,004,852, shares of our common stock.

        The exercise of these warrants and options and the issuance of the common stock pursuant to our equity incentive plans will result in dilution in the value of the shares of our outstanding common stock and the voting power represented thereby. In addition, the exercise price of the warrants may be lowered under the price adjustment provisions in the event of a “dilutive issuance,” that is, if we issue common stock at any time prior to their maturity at a per share price below such conversion or exercise price, either directly or in connection with the issuance of securities that are convertible into, or exercisable for, shares of our common stock. A reduction in the exercise price may result in the issuance of a significant number of additional shares upon the exercise of the warrants.

        The warrants do not establish a “floor” that would limit reductions in such conversion price or exercise price. The downward adjustment of the exercise price of these warrants could result in further dilution in the value of the shares of our outstanding common stock and the voting power represented thereby.

        No prediction can be made as to the effect, if any, that future sales of shares of our common stock, or the availability of shares for future sale, will have on the market price of our common stock prevailing from time to time. Sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and may make it more difficult for us to sell our equity securities in the future at a time and price which we deem appropriate.

        To the extent our stockholders and the other holders of our warrants and options exercise such securities and then sell the shares of our common stock they receive upon exercise, our stock price may decrease due to the additional amount of shares available in the market. The subsequent sales of these shares could encourage short sales by our securityholders and others, which could place further downward pressure on our stock price. Moreover, holders of these warrants and options may hedge their positions in our common stock by shorting our common stock, which could further adversely affect our stock price.

If we fail to meet the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market, our stock could be delisted.

        Our stock is currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. The Nasdaq Stock Market’s Marketplace Rules impose certain minimum financial requirements on us for the continued listing of our stock. One such requirement is the minimum bid price on our stock of $1.00 per share. Beginning in 2002, there have been periods of time during which we have been out of compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market.

        On August 18, 2005, we were notified by the Nasdaq that the bid price of our common stock closed below the minimum $1.00 per share requirement for continued inclusion under the Nasdaq’s Marketplace rules. We have 180 calendar days, or until February 13, 2006, to regain compliance. If, at anytime before February 13, 2006, the bid price of our common stock closes at or above $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, we will regain compliance with the Nasdaq’s Marketplace rules. If we do not regain compliance by February 13, 2006, an additional 180 days will be granted to regain compliance, so long as we meet the Nasdaq Capital Market initial listing criteria (except for the bid price requirement).

        If we are unable to regain compliance or fall out of compliance in the future with Nasdaq listing requirements, we may take actions in order to achieve compliance, which actions may include a reverse split of our common stock. If an initial delisting decision is made by the Nasdaq’s staff, we may appeal the decision as permitted by Nasdaq rules. If we are delisted and cannot obtain listing on another major market or exchange, our stock’s liquidity would suffer, and we would likely experience reduced investor interest. Such factors may result in a decrease in our stock’s trading price. Delisting also may restrict us from issuing additional securities or securing additional financing.

The semiconductor industry is cyclical and may experience periodic downturns that may negatively affect customer demand for our products and result in losses such as those experienced in the past.

        Our business depends upon the capital expenditures of semiconductor manufacturers, which in turn depend on the current and anticipated market demand for integrated circuits. The semiconductor industry is highly cyclical and historically has experienced periodic downturns, which often have had a detrimental effect on the semiconductor industry’s demand for semiconductor capital equipment, including etch and deposition systems manufactured by us. In response to the current prolonged industry slow-down, we have initiated a substantial cost containment program and completed a corporate-wide restructuring to preserve our cash. However, the need for continued investment in research and development, possible capital equipment requirements and extensive ongoing customer service and support requirements worldwide will continue to limit our ability to reduce expenses in response to these downturns. As a result, we may continue to experience operating losses such as those we have experienced in the past, which could materially adversely affect us.

Our competitors have greater financial resources and greater name recognition than we do and therefore may compete more successfully in the semiconductor capital equipment industry than we can.

        We believe that to be competitive, we will require significant financial resources in order to offer a broad range of systems, to maintain customer service and support centers worldwide and to invest in research and development. Many of our existing and potential competitors, including, among others, Applied Materials, Inc., Lam Research Corporation, Novellus and Tokyo Electron Limited, have substantially greater financial resources, more extensive engineering, manufacturing, marketing and customer service and support capabilities, larger installed bases of current generation etch, deposition and other production equipment and broader process equipment offerings, as well as greater name recognition than we do. We cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully against these companies in the United States or worldwide.

We depend on sales of our advanced products to customers that may not fully adopt our product for production use.

        We have designed our advanced etch and deposition products for customer applications in emerging new films, polysilicon and metal which we believe to be the leading edge of critical applications for the production of advanced semiconductor and other microelectronic devices. Revenues from the sale of our advanced etch and deposition systems accounted for 30%, 40% and 25% of total revenues in fiscal 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively. Our advanced systems are currently being used primarily for research and development activities or low volume production. For our advanced systems to achieve full market adoption, our customers must utilize these systems for volume production. We cannot assure you that the market for devices incorporating emerging films, polysilicon or metal will develop as quickly or to the degree we expect. If our advanced systems do not achieve significant sales or volume production due to a lack of full customer adoption, our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows will be materially adversely affected.

Our potential customers may not adopt our products because of their significant cost or because our potential customers are already using a competitor’s tool.

        A substantial investment is required to install and integrate capital equipment into a semiconductor production line. Additionally, we believe that once a device manufacturer has selected a particular vendor’s capital equipment, that manufacturer generally relies upon that vendor’s equipment for that specific production line application and, to the extent possible, subsequent generations of that vendor’s systems. Accordingly, it may be extremely difficult to achieve significant sales to a particular customer once that customer has selected another vendor’s capital equipment unless there are compelling reasons to do so, such as significant performance or cost advantages. Any failure to gain access and achieve sales to new customers will adversely affect the successful commercial adoption of our products and could have a detrimental effect on us.

Our quarterly operating results may continue to fluctuate.

        Our revenue and operating results have fluctuated and are likely to continue to fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter, and we cannot assure you that we will achieve profitability in the future.

        Our 900 series etch systems typically sell for prices ranging between $250,000 and $600,000, while prices of our 6500 series critical etch systems and our Endeavor deposition system typically range between $1.8 million and $3.0 million. To the extent we are successful in selling our 6500 and Endeavor series systems, the sale of a small number of these systems will probably account for a substantial portion of revenue in future quarters, and a transaction for a single system could have a substantial impact on revenue and gross margin for a given quarter.

        Other factors that could affect our quarterly operating results include:

our timing of new systems and technology announcements and releases and ability to transition between product versions;
seasonal fluctuations in sales;
changes in the mix of our revenues represented by our various products and customers;
adverse changes in the level of economic activity in the United States or other major economies in which we do business;
foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations;
expenses related to, and the financial impact of, possible acquisitions of other businesses; and
changes in the timing of product orders due to unexpected delays in the introduction of our customers' products, due to lifecycles of our customers' products ending earlier than expected or due to market acceptance of our customers' products.

Some of our sales cycles are lengthy, exposing us to the risks of inventory obsolescence and fluctuations in operating results.

        Sales of our systems depend, in significant part, upon the decision of a prospective customer to add new manufacturing capacity or to expand existing manufacturing capacity, both of which typically involve a significant capital commitment. We often experience delays in finalizing system sales following initial system qualification while the customer evaluates and receives approvals for the purchase of our systems and completes a new or expanded facility. Due to these and other factors, our systems typically have a lengthy sales cycle (often 12 to 18 months in the case of critical etch and deposition systems) during which we may expend substantial funds and management effort. Lengthy sales cycles subject us to a number of significant risks, including inventory obsolescence and fluctuations in operating results over which we have little or no control.

Because technology changes rapidly, we may not be able to introduce our products in a timely enough fashion.

        The semiconductor manufacturing industry is subject to rapid technological change and new system introductions and enhancements. We believe that our future success depends on our ability to continue to enhance our existing systems and their process capabilities, and to develop and manufacture in a timely manner new systems with improved process capabilities. We may incur substantial unanticipated costs to ensure product functionality and reliability early in our products’ life cycles. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in the introduction and volume manufacture of new systems or that we will be able to develop and introduce, in a timely manner, new systems or enhancements to our existing systems and processes which satisfy customer needs or achieve market adoption.

Our financial performance may adversely affect the morale and performance of our personnel and our ability to hire new personnel.

        Our common stock has declined in value below the exercise price of many options granted to employees pursuant to our stock option plans. Thus, the intended benefits of the stock options granted to our employees, the creation of performance and retention incentives, may not be realized. As a result, we may lose employees whom we would prefer to retain. As a result of these factors, our remaining personnel may seek employment with larger, more established companies or companies perceived as having less volatile stock prices.

Provisions in our agreements, charter documents, stockholder rights plan and Delaware law may deter takeover attempts, which could decrease the value of your shares.

        Our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law contain provisions that could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us without the consent of our board of directors. Our board of directors has the right to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval, which could be used to dilute the stock ownership of a potential hostile acquirer. Delaware law imposes some restrictions on mergers and other business combinations between us and any holder of 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. In addition, we have adopted a stockholder rights plan that makes it more difficult for a third party to acquire us without the approval of our board of directors. These provisions apply even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some of our stockholders.

We may not be able to protect our intellectual property or obtain licenses for third parties’ intellectual property and therefore we may be exposed to liability for infringement or the risk that our operations may be adversely affected.

        Although we attempt to protect our intellectual property rights through patents, copyrights, trade secrets and other measures, we may not be able to protect our technology adequately and competitors may be able to develop similar technology independently. Additionally, patent applications that we may file may not be issued and foreign intellectual property laws may not protect our intellectual property rights. There is also a risk that patents licensed by or issued to us will be challenged, invalidated or circumvented and that the rights granted thereunder will not provide competitive advantages to us. Furthermore, others may independently develop similar systems, duplicate our systems or design around the patents licensed by or issued to us.

        Litigation could result in substantial cost and diversion of effort by us, which by itself could have a detrimental effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Further, adverse determinations in such litigation could result in our loss of proprietary rights, subject us to significant liabilities to third parties, require us to seek licenses from third parties or prevent us from manufacturing or selling our systems. In addition, licenses under third parties’ intellectual property rights may not be available on reasonable terms, if at all.

Our customers are concentrated and therefore the loss of a significant customer may harm our business.

        Our top five customers accounted for 80.0%, 84.8% and 88.2% of our total revenues in fiscal 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively. Three customers each accounted for more than 10% of total revenues in fiscal 2005. During the three months ended December 31, 2005, two customers accounted for 70% of total revenues. During the nine months ended December 31, 2005, one customer accounted for 55% of total revenues. Although the composition of the group comprising our largest customers may vary from year to year, the loss of a significant customer or any reduction in orders by any significant customer, including reductions due to market, economic or competitive conditions in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, may have a detrimental effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. Our ability to increase our sales in the future will depend, in part, upon our ability to obtain orders from new customers, as well as the financial condition and success of our existing customers and the general economy, which is largely beyond our ability to control.

We are exposed to additional risks associated with international sales and operations.

        International sales accounted for 70%, 67% and 66% of total revenue for fiscal 2005, 2004 and 2003, respectively. International sales are subject to certain risks, including the imposition of government controls, fluctuations in the U.S. dollar (which could increase the sales price in local currencies of our systems in foreign markets), changes in export license and other regulatory requirements, tariffs and other market barriers, political and economic instability, potential hostilities, restrictions on the export or import of technology, difficulties in accounts receivable collection, difficulties in managing representatives, difficulties in staffing and managing international operations and potentially adverse tax consequences. We cannot assure you that any of these factors will not have a detrimental effect on our operations, financial results and cash flows.

        We generally attempt to offset a portion of our U.S. dollar denominated balance sheet exposures subject to foreign exchange rate remeasurement by purchasing forward currency contracts for future delivery. We cannot assure you that our future results of operations and cash flows will not be adversely affected by foreign currency fluctuations. In addition, the laws of certain countries in which our products are sold may not provide our products and intellectual property rights with the same degree of protection as the laws of the United States.

Evolving regulation of corporate governance and public disclosure may result in additional expenses and continuing uncertainty.

        Changing laws, regulations and standard relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, new SEC regulations and Nasdaq Market rules are creating uncertainty for public companies. We continually evaluate and monitor developments with respect to new and proposed rules and cannot predict or estimate the amount of the additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs. These new or changed laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We are committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance and public disclosure. As a result, we have invested resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new or changed laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and we may be harmed.

Our stock price is volatile and could result in a material decline in the value of your investment in Tegal.

        We believe that factors such as announcements of developments related to our business, fluctuations in our operating results, sales of our common stock into the marketplace, failure to meet or changes in analysts’ expectations, general conditions in the semiconductor industry or the worldwide economy, announcements of technological innovations or new products or enhancements by us or our competitors, developments in patents or other intellectual property rights, developments in our relationships with our customers and suppliers, natural disasters and outbreaks of hostilities could cause the price of our common stock to fluctuate substantially. In addition, in recent years the stock market in general, and the market for shares of small capitalization stocks in particular, have experienced extreme price fluctuations, which have often been unrelated to the operating performance of affected companies. We cannot assure you that the market price of our common stock will not experience significant fluctuations in the future, including fluctuations that are unrelated to our performance.

Potential disruption of our supply of materials required to build our systems could have a negative effect on our operations and damage our customer relationships.

        Materials delays have not been significant in recent years. Nevertheless, we procure certain components and sub-assemblies included in our systems from a limited group of suppliers, and occasionally from a single source supplier. For example, we depend on MECS Corporation, a robotic equipment supplier, as the sole source for the robotic arm used in all of our 6500 series systems. We currently have no existing supply contract with MECS Corporation, and we currently purchase all robotic assemblies from MECS Corporation on a purchase order basis. Disruption or termination of certain of these sources, including our robotic sub-assembly source, could have an adverse effect on our operations and damage our relationship with our customers.

Any failure by us to comply with environmental regulations imposed on us could subject us to future liabilities.

        We are subject to a variety of governmental regulations related to the use, storage, handling, discharge or disposal of toxic, volatile or otherwise hazardous chemicals used in our manufacturing process. We believe that we are currently in compliance in all material respects with these regulations and that we have obtained all necessary environmental permits generally relating to the discharge of hazardous wastes to conduct our business. Nevertheless, our failure to comply with present or future regulations could result in additional or corrective operating costs, suspension of production, alteration of our manufacturing processes or cessation of our operations.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

        Our cash equivalents are principally comprised of money market accounts. As of December 31, 2005, we had cash and cash equivalents of $15,111. These accounts are subject to interest rate risk and may fall in value if market interest rates increase. We attempt to limit this exposure by investing primarily in short-term securities having a maturity of three months or less. Due to the nature of our cash and cash equivalents, we have concluded that there is no material market risk exposure.

        We have foreign subsidiaries that operate and sell our products in various global markets. As a result, our cash flow and earnings are exposed to fluctuations in interest and foreign currency exchange rates. We attempt to limit these exposures through the use of various hedge instruments, primarily forward exchange contracts and currency option contracts (with maturities of less than three months) to manage our exposure associated with firm commitments and net asset and liability positions denominated in non-functional currencies. There have been no material changes regarding market risk since the disclosures made in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2005.

        At December 31, 2005, the Company had forward exchange contracts maturing at various dates to exchange 296,000 yen into $2,488.


Item 4. Controls and Procedures

        We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating our disclosure controls and procedures, our management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and our management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

    (a)        Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures. Based on their evaluation as of a date at the end of the quarter covered by this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) are effective at the reasonable assurance level.

    (b)        Changes in Internal Controls. There has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2005 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting


PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

Sputtered Films, Inc. v. Advanced Modular Sputtering, et al., filed in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.

        On December 22, 2003, Sputtered Films, Inc. (“SFI”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, filed an action against two former employees, Sergey Mishin and Rose Stuart-Curran, and a company they formed after leaving their employment with SFI named Advanced Modular Sputtering, Inc. (“AMS”). Sergey Mishin and Rose Stuart-Curran had each signed confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements regarding information obtained while employed by SFI. The action contains causes of action for specific performance, breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, unfair business practices, interference with prospective economic advantage, conversion, unjust enrichment, and declaratory relief. These claims arise out of information SFI received evidencing that AMS possessed and used SFI’s confidential, proprietary and trade secret drawings, specifications and technology to manufacture the sputtering tool marketed by AMS.

        The case is now in the discovery phase, and a trial date has been set for September 5, 2006. On November 18, 2005, SFI requested leave to add Agilent Technologies, Inc. (“Agilent”) as a defendant based on evidence that Agilent and AMS co-developed the machines which SFI contends were built using SFI proprietary information. The Court granted SFI’s request and Agilent was served as a Doe defendant on December 12, 2005. SFI has learned that Agilent transferred its Semiconductor Products Group to Avago effective December 1, 2005, and as such SFI will seek to add certain Avago entities as defendant in this action.

Item 6. Exhibits

         (a) Exhibits

10.1 Lease between Registrant and BRE/PCCP Orchard, LLC, dated December 21, 2005
10.2 Sublease between Registrant and Silicon Genesis Corporation, dated December 30, 2005
31.1 Certifications of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2 Certifications of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32 Certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.


SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

TEGAL CORPORATION
(Registrant)



/s/ CHRISTINE HERGENROTHER
——————————————
Christine Hergenrother
Chief Financial Officer

Dated: February 10, 2006