BNET Industries

Market Cap:$5.3B
Last Fiscal Year Sales:$493.2M
  • Public
  • US
Dow Jones Description

Cree, Inc. (Cree, we, our, us, or the Company) develops and manufactures semiconductor materials and devices primarily based on silicon carbide (SiC), gallium nitride (GaN) and related compounds. The physical and electronic properties of SiC and GaN offer technical advantages over traditional silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs), sapphire and other materials used for certain electronic applications. We currently focus our expertise in SiC and GaN on light emitting diode (LED) products, which consist of LED chips, LED components and LED lighting products. We also develop power and radio frequency (RF) products, including power switching and RF devices. We have products commercially available in each of these categories.

Chairman, President & CEO
Charles M. Swoboda
Number of Employees 3,168
Contact Information

4600 Silicon Dr

Durham, North Carolina 27703-8475

cree.com

(919) 313-5300

NAICS Code Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing: 334413

Recent Events

  • Market Pulse Announces Its AM Stock Picks for Monday, December 14, 2009: CREE, RMCP, AMR,...

    12/14/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Cree Releases Line of LEDs for Outdoor Applications

    12/11/09 - Product Announcement - View Story

  • UBS Initiates Coverage on Cree, Inc. CREE with a Neutral

    12/10/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Stock Smackdown: Cramer vs. CAPS

    12/07/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Morgan Keegan Downgrades Cree, Inc. CREE to Market Perform

    12/07/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Bright Outlook For LEDs Boosts Some Tech Outfits

    12/01/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Cree to Form LED Chip Production Base in China

    11/10/09 - Joint Venture / Alliance - View Story

  • Cree opens first production plant in China

    11/11/09 - Buildings Purchased - View Story

  • LEDs boost Cree's profit

    10/30/09 - Financial Announcement - View Story

  • Cree stock soars on profit report

    10/24/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Canaccord Adams Maintains a 'Hold' Rating on Cree, Inc CREE; Raises Price Target

    10/21/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Morgan Joseph Upgrades Cree, Inc CREE to Buy; Significantly Raises Estimates

    10/21/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Cree CREE Started at Outperform by SunTrust

    10/14/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Analyst Upgrades for October 9th

    10/09/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • SanDisk, SLM, US Bancorp, Yahoo Up

    10/23/09 - Financial Announcement - View Story

  • Cree pledges 575 new, 'green' jobs in Durham

    10/08/09 - New Investment - View Story

  • LED lighting company Cree bucks economic downturn with record quarterly earnings

    8/25/09 - Financial Announcement - View Story

  • STOCKS NEWS US-Staffing companies up on results, sector upgrade

    7/23/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

  • Morgan Joseph Initiates Coverage on Cree, Inc. CREE with a Hold; Looking for More Attractive...

    7/14/09 - Bond / Stock Rating - View Story

News & Analysis

cree and seeking alpha - All News and Analysis

Decision Makers

Name (plus bio) Position
Frank Plastina President, CEO and Director of Tekelec
John T. Kurtzweil Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
John W. Palmour Cree Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Michael E. McDevitt Cfo, Chief Accounting Officer & Treasurer
Stephen Douglas Kelley Executive Vice President, Coo
Rob Glass Executive Vice President, Matls & Optoelectronics
Robert Pollock Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Cengiz Balkas Cree Vice President and General Manager for Materials
Chris James Vice President, Corporate Marketing
Mark Despotes Cree Vice President of Global Channels
Norbert Hiller Cree Vice President
Wayne K Nesbit Vice President, World-Wide Manufacturing
Scott Schwab Cree General Manager, Led
Gregory Merritt Director of Marketing
John Edmond Cree Co-Founder and Director
Mark McClear Director of Marketing, Lighting Leds
Mark McClear Director of Business Development, Solid State Lighting
Dave Henshall Operations Manager
Deb Lovig Marketing Communications Manager, Cree, Inc.
Simon Wood Manager
Adam Breome General Counsel
Debra Giles Small Business Liaison Officer
Ken Allen
Michelle Murray
Veronica Johnny

Board of Directors

Name (plus bio) Position
Charles M. Swoboda Chairman, President & CEO
Chuck Swoboda Chairman, President and CEO
Neal Hunter Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Llf and Cree Co-Founder
Harvey A. Wagner Chairman
Clyde R. Hosein Board of Directors
Dolph W. Von Arx Board of Directors
Franco Plastina Board of Directors
James E. Dykes Board of Directors
Raiford Garrabrant Board of Directors
Robert A Ingram Vice Chairman
Robert J. Potter Board of Directors
Thomas H. Werner Board of Directors

Mr. Swoboda has served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer since June 2001, as President since January 1999, as a member of the Board of Directors since October 2000 and as chairman since April 2005. He was Chief Operating Officer of the Company from 1997 to June 2001 and Vice President for Operations from 1997 to 1999. Prior to his appointment as Vice President for Operations, Mr. Swoboda served as Operations Manager from 1996 to 1997, as General Manager of the Company’s former subsidiary, Real Color Displays, Incorporated, from 1994 to 1996 and as LED Product Manager from 1993 to 1994. He was previously employed by Hewlett-Packard Company.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Chairman, President & CEO Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Current

Mr. Plastina joined the Board of Directors in December 2007. Since February 2006, he has served as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as a board member, of Tekelec, a publicly traded provider of telecommunications network systems and software applications. Before joining Tekelec, Mr. Plastina served as Executive in Residence at Warburg Pincus LLC, a private equity firm, where he was responsible for evaluating potential investments and providing executive support to portfolio companies. From 2003 to 2005, he held various executive positions with Proxim Corporation, a provider of Wi-Fi and broadband wireless access products, including Executive Chairman, President and CEO. In June 2005, Proxim Corporation filed a voluntary petition for relief under the reorganization provisions of Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. From 1987 until 2002, Mr. Plastina served in a series of management and executive positions with Nortel Networks Corporation, a multi-national telecommunications equipment provider.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. President, CEO and Director of Tekelec Current
North Carolina Technology Association, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Petroliance LLC Board of Directors Current
University of Toronto Degree In Commerce Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Llf and Cree Co-Founder Current
Cree, Inc. Cree President Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Current
ON Semiconductor Corporation CFO Former
Quepasa Corp CFO Former
Cirrus Logic, Inc. Chief Financial Officer Former
ON Semiconductor Corporation Senior Vice President Former
Cirrus Logic, Inc. Senior Vice President Former

Dr. Palmour, one of the Company's founders, has been a member of the Board of Directors since October 1995 and has served as the Company's Director of Advanced Devices since 1995 and as an Executive Vice President since August 2002. As Executive Vice President for Advanced Devices, Dr. Palmour is responsible for all aspects of the Company's wide bandgap RF, microwave and power switching device businesses and also manages the Company's contract research programs. He previously served on the Board of Directors from 1992 to 1993.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cree Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Cree, Inc. Executive Vice President Former
Cree, Inc. Director, Advanced Devices Former
Cree, Inc. Manager, Transistor Products Former
Cree, Inc. Senior Scientist Former
North Carolina State University Ph.D. In Materials Science and Engineering Former
North Carolina State University Bachelors Degree Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cfo, Chief Accounting Officer & Treasurer Current
Cree, Inc. Controller Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Executive Vice President, Coo Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Executive Vice President, Matls & Optoelectronics Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cree Vice President and General Manager for Materials Current

s Vice President - Marketing, Chris is responsible for the development of corporate brand and business strategies, as well as for execution of those strategies through proactive outbound marketing, business development, and customer service activities at the corporate level. He joined Cree in December 2004 as Marketing and Sales Manager for Cree Lighting. Prior to joining Cree, Chris served as vice president of Research Memberships and Publishing at the benchmarking firm Best Practices. Chris has also been vice president of marketing and business development for three high-tech start-ups, led Ernst & Young's High-Growth Consulting Supply Chain Practice, and held a number of management positions with the Components Group at Hewlett-Packard Company. Chris holds undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and German studies, and a master's degree in business administration from Stanford University.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Vice President, Corporate Marketing Current
Best Practices, LLC Vice President Former
Cree, Inc. Marketing and Sales Manager Former
Stanford University MBA Former
Stanford University Undergraduate Degrees In Electrical Engineering Former
Stanford University Degrees In Electrical Engineering Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cree Vice President of Global Channels Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cree Vice President Current

Organization Position Status
Mindspeed Technologies, Inc. Senior Vice President, Operations Current
Cree, Inc. Vice President, World-Wide Manufacturing Current
Motorola, Inc. vice president Former
Motorola, Inc. Director Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cree General Manager, Led Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Director of Marketing Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Cree Co-Founder and Director Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Director of Marketing, Lighting Leds Current

Organization Position Status
Solid State Lighting Director, Business Development Current
Cree, Inc. Director of Business Development, Solid State Lighting Current
The Dow Chemical Company General Manager Former
Texas Instruments Incorporated Business Development Director Former
Babson College MBA Former
Michigan State B.S. Degree In Electrical Engineering Former

Array

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Operations Manager Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Marketing Communications Manager, Cree, Inc. Current

Simon Wood has a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Bradford, UK. He started his career in electronics at Marconi Instruments, Ltd. in Stevenage, UK, where he designed front end modules for RF test equipment. In 1998, he ventured over to the States to work at Raytheon Microelectronics in Andover, Massachusetts. While there, he was involved in the design of MMIC power amplifiers for cell phone applications. Since joining Cree Inc. in 2000, he has designed amplifiers using Sic MESFET, Si LDMOS, and more recently GaN HEMT devices. He has been Manager of Product Development at Cree since January 2006. In his professional activities, he has written numerous magazine articles and has presented papers and led workshops at international conferences. He served as secretary on the steering committee for IMS2006 in San Francisco and is currently acting on the RWS Technical Paper Committee. He holds five United States patents in amplifier design.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Manager Current
Wamicon Current
University of Bradford Bachelor of Engineering Degree Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. General Counsel Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Small Business Liaison Officer Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Current

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Current

Organization Position Status
The Johnnys Current
Cree, Inc. Current

Mr. Wagner was appointed as a director in May 2008. He is currently President and CEO of Caregiver Services, Inc., a provider of in-home care and staffing services based in Miami, Florida, a position he has held since April 2008. He served as the Managing Principal of the H.A. Wagner Group, LLC, an investment and consulting firm from August 2007 to March 2008. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Quovadx, Inc., a global software and services company, from October 2004 to July 2007, and as a member of its board of directors from April 2004 to July 2007. He served as its Acting President and Chief Executive Officer from May 2004 to October 2004. Prior to joining Quovadx, Mr. Wagner served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Mirant Corporation, an independent energy company, from January 2003 to April 2004. Before his service at Mirant, Mr. Wagner was Executive Vice President of Finance, Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Optio Software, Inc., a software provider, from February 2002 to December 2002. From May 2001 to January 2002, he performed independent consulting services for various corporations. He was Chief Financial Officer, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer for PaySys International, Inc., a provider of financial payment processing applications, from December 1999 to April 2001. He also served as Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer for Premiere Technologies, Inc. from April 1998 to September 1999. He is currently a director of FormFactor, Inc., Cree, Inc. and Caregiver Services, Inc (a privately held company).

Organization Position Status
Caregiver Services, Inc. CEO Current
Caregiver Services, Inc. President Current
Cree, Inc. Chairman Current
FormFactor, Inc. Chairman Current
StarTek, Inc. Chairman Current
Proficient Systems, Inc. Chairman Current
Quovadx, Inc. Director Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
UNICCO Service Company Board of Directors Current
University of Miami Advisory Board Current
Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania Advisory Board Current
Caregiver Services, Inc. Board Member Current
FormFactor, Inc. Director Current
Cree, Inc. Member Current
Institute of Management Accountants Member Current
FormFactor, Inc. Member Current
National Association of Corporate Directors Member Current
Quovadx, Inc. CEO Former
Quovadx, Inc. President Former
Mirant Corporation Chief Financial Officer Former
Optio Software Inc. Chief Financial Officer Former
Computervision Corporation Cfo Former
NYSE Group, Inc. CFO Former
Computer Vision CFO Former
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. Cfo Former
Computer Vision executive vice president Former
Mirant Corporation Executive Vice President Former
Optio Software Inc. Executive Vice President of Finance Former
Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. Senior Vice President of Finance Former
American Microsystems, Inc. Senior Financial Positions Former
The Fairchild Corporation Senior Financial Positions Former
GTE Senior Financial Positions Former
Luxcore Networks, Inc. Former
Targus Group International, Inc. Former
Optio Software Inc. Treasurer Former
University of Miami Bba In Accounting Former

Mr. Clyde R. Hosein brings to Marvell more than 25 years of experience in finance and operations in high technology industries. Prior to joining Marvell, Mr. Hosein was chief financial officer for Integrated Device Technologies and held the same position at Advanced Interconnect Technologies. Prior to joining Advanced Interconnect Technologies, Mr. Hosein was the chief financial officer and senior director of corporate planning of Candescent Technologies Corporation. Previous to Candescent, Mr. Hosein spent over 14 years with IBM Corporation, where he held several engineering and financial positions within their storage, microelectronics, data systems and corporate divisions.

Organization Position Status
Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Chief Financial Officer Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Candescent Technologies Corporation CFO Former
Integrated Device Technology, Inc. Cfo Former
Integrated Device Technology, Inc. Vice President Former
International Business Machines Corporation Former
New York University master's degree in business administration in finance and international business Former
Polytechnic University bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering Former

Mr. von Arx has been a member of the Board of Directors since October 1991 and has served as Lead Independent Director since April 2005. He is the former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Planters Lifesavers Company, an affiliate of RJR Nabisco, Inc. Since his retirement from Planters Lifesavers Company in 1991, Mr. von Arx served as non-executive Chairman of Morrison Restaurants Inc., a publicly held family dining business, from 1996 to 1998 and is currently a director of Northern Trust of Florida and Aqua-Scent, Inc.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Sanibel Captiva Trust Company Director Current
Kraft Foods Inc. Former
Cree, Inc. Chairman, Governance and Nominations Committee. Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Mr. Dykes has served on the Board of Directors since January 1992. He was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of Signetics Company, a semiconductor manufacturer and wholly-owned subsidiary of North American Philips Corporation, from 1989 until his retirement in 1993, and from 1987 to 1988 served as the first President and Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd., a semiconductor foundry.

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. CEO Former
Signetics, Inc CEO Former
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. President Former
Signetics, Inc President Former
Cree, Inc. Chairman, Compensation Committee Former

Organization Position Status
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current

Organization Position Status
Hatteras Venture Partners General Partner Current
OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Chairman of the Board Current
CEO Roundtable, LLC Chairman Current
Cree, Inc. Vice Chairman Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Board of Directors Current
Jennerex Biotherapeutics, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Nortel Networks Corporation Board of Directors Current
Hatteras Venture Partners Board of Directors Current
Allergan, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation Board of Directors Current
GlaxoSmithKline Plc President Former
GlaxoSmithKline Plc Chief Operating Officer Former
Merck & Co. Inc. Vice President of Public Affairs Former
Corporate Governance Chairman Former
OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Director Former
Eastern Illinois University B.S. Degree In Business Administration Former

Array

Organization Position Status
Northern Telecom Group Vice President Current
Zebra Technologies Corporation Board of Directors Current
Molex Incorporated Board of Directors Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
R&J Inc. Chief Executive Officer Former
Datapoint (U.K.) Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Former
Datapoint (U.K.) Ltd. Potter was President Former
Datapoint (U.K.) Ltd. Group Vice President of Northern Telecom Former
Optical Society of America, Inc. fellow Former
R&J Inc. Potter is the principal Former
University of Rochester Ph.D. Former
Lafayette College Graduate, Physics Former

Organization Position Status
Sramana Mitra CEO Current
Three-Five Systems Inc. Board of Directors Current
Cree, Inc. Board of Directors Current
Silicon Light Machines Board Member Current
Silicon Light Machines Chief Executive Officer Former

Executive News

  • Marvell shares spike on forecast

    Reuters - 8/27/09 - View Story

  • LED lighting company Cree bucks economic downturn with record quarterly earnings

    Laser Focus World - 8/25/09 - View Story

  • LED light bulbs yield big energy savings

    Philadelphia Inquirer - 8/13/09 - View Story

  • Cree shares hit 18-month high on strong earnings

    Twin Cities Business Journal - 8/12/09 - View Story

  • Cree shares hit 18-month high on strong earnings

    Triangle Business Journal - 8/12/09 - View Story

  • Shining in the gloom, Cree posts a profit

    Raleigh News & Observer - 8/12/09 - View Story

  • Cree Q4 Profit Rises

    RTTNews.com - 8/11/09 - View Story

  • Cree Q4 Profit Rises, Guides Q1 - Update

    TradingMarkets - 8/11/09 - View Story

  • UPDATE 1-Cree qtly profit, outlook top Street view

    Reuters - 8/11/09 - View Story

  • Cree Reports Record Revenue for the Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009

    Yahoo! Canada - 8/11/09 - View Story

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     CREE $52.05 +0.15 (0.29% )
Average Volume 1,760,890
Shares Outstanding 103.63M
Market Cap 5.4B
Year High 53.46
Year Low 14.585
Earnings Per Share 0.51
P/E Ratio 102.06
Dividend N/A
Yield N/A
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