1 EXHIBIT 99.1 THURSDAY JULY 20, 4:30 PM EASTERN TIME COMPANY PRESS RELEASE SOURCE: Molecular Devices Corporation MOLECULAR DEVICES REPORTS RECORD REVENUES AND EARNINGS FOR SECOND QUARTER AND FIRST HALF OF 2000 SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Molecular Devices Corporation (Nasdaq: MDCC) today announced record revenues and earnings for the second quarter and first half of 2000. Revenues for the second quarter were $20,307,000, higher than any previous quarter in the Company's history and a 37% increase over sales reported in the same period last year. Revenues for the first six months of the year were $37,375,000, or an increase of 32% compared to the same period of 1999. Operating income increased 38% in the second quarter and first six months of the year as compared to operating income in the same periods last year (excluding the effect of a $2,037,000 write-off of acquired in-process research and development recorded in the second quarter of 1999). Diluted earnings per share increased to $0.31 and $0.56 for the second quarter and first six months of 2000, respectively, compared to $0.24 and $0.44 recorded in the same periods last year (excluding the effect of a $2,037,000, or $0.13 per share net of tax, write-off of acquired in-process research and development recorded in the second quarter of 1999). Commenting on the financial results, Joseph D. Keegan, Ph.D., Molecular Devices' President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "This was the best quarter in Company history from both a financial and strategic point of view. Our fluorescence-based screening products, FLIPR384 and SPECTRAmax Gemini XS, along with our recently introduced SPECTRAmax PLUS384, continued to drive our top line growth. Strategically, during the quarter we successfully completed a follow-on equity offering and announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement with LJL BioSystems, Inc. We believe these two significant transactions better position the Company to meet our strategic goal of becoming the leading supplier of drug discovery solutions to the life sciences industry." Molecular Devices Corporation is a leading developer of high-performance, bioanalytical measurement systems that accelerate and improve drug discovery and other life sciences research. The Company's systems enable pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to leverage advances in genomics and combinatorial chemistry by facilitating the high throughput and cost effective identification and evaluation 1 of 3 2 of drug candidates. The Company's instrument systems are based on its advanced core technologies which integrate its expertise in engineering, molecular and cell biology and chemistry and are fundamental tools for drug discovery and life sciences research. This press release contains "forward-looking" statements. For this purpose, any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of Molecular Devices Corporation to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10K for the year ended December 31, 1999 and its Registration Statement on Form S-4, as amended, as of July 17, 2000, and definitive proxy statement filed in connection with the proposed acquisition of LJL BioSystems, Inc. MOLECULAR DEVICES CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands) June 30, December 31, 2000 1999 ---------- ------------ (unaudited) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 73,392 $ 28,192 Short-term investments 17,591 -- Accounts receivable, net 19,842 17,416 Inventories 9,998 7,918 Deferred tax asset 2,465 2,465 Other current assets 1,229 721 ---------- --------- Total current assets 124,517 56,712 Equipment and leasehold improvements, net 6,332 2,776 Other assets 6,351 5,263 ---------- --------- $ 137,200 $ 64,751 ========== ========= LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 4,566 $ 2,624 Accrued liabilities 7,356 5,343 ---------- --------- Total current liabilities 11,922 7,967 Stockholders' equity: 125,278 56,784 ---------- --------- $ 137,200 $ 64,751 ========== ========= MOLECULAR DEVICES CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended, June 30, June 30, 2000 1999 2000 1999 --------- --------- --------- --------- TOTAL REVENUES $ 20,307 $ 14,801 $ 37,375 $ 28,308 TOTAL COST OF REVENUES 7,703 5,283 13,953 10,547 --------- --------- --------- --------- GROSS MARGIN 12,604 9,518 23,422 17,761 --------- --------- --------- --------- OPERATING EXPENSES: Research and development 2,165 1,780 4,052 3,369 Write-off of acquired 3 in-process research & development -- 2,037 -- 2,037 Selling, general and administrative 5,601 4,225 10,685 8,091 -------- -------- -------- -------- Total operating expenses 7,766 8,042 14,737 13,497 -------- -------- -------- -------- INCOME FROM OPERATIONS 4,838 1,476 8,685 4,264 Other income, net 736 347 1,123 768 -------- -------- -------- -------- INCOME BEFORE TAXES 5,574 1,823 9,808 5,032 Income tax provision (2,146) (702) (3,776) (1,938) -------- -------- -------- -------- NET INCOME $ 3,428 $ 1,121 $ 6,032 $ 3,094 ======== ======== ======== ======== BASIC NET INCOME PER SHARE $ 0.33 $ 0.12 $ 0.60 $ 0.32 ======== ======== ======== ======== DILUTED NET INCOME PER SHARE $ 0.31 $ 0.11 $ 0.56 $ 0.31 ======== ======== ======== ======== SHARES USED IN COMPUTING BASIC NET INCOME PER SHARE 10,344 9,566 10,023 9,549 ======== ======== ======== ======== SHARES USED IN COMPUTING DILUTED NET INCOME PER SHARE 11,118 10,013 10,859 9,990 ======== ======== ======== ======== SOURCE: Molecular Devices Corporation