Exhibit 99.1

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News Release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For additional information, contact:

Investors / Trade / Media

Brian Cooper

Chief Financial Officer

Westell Technologies, Inc.

630.375.4740

BCooper@westell.com

Westell Technologies Fiscal 2011 First Quarter Highlights

 

   

Fiscal first quarter net income was $4.6 million, compared with $2.0 million in the prior-year quarter – a 133% improvement.

 

   

Earnings per share jumped to $0.07 per share for the quarter, compared with $0.03 per share in the same quarter of the prior year.

 

   

Fiscal first quarter revenue was $41.3 million, compared with $53.5 million in the same quarter of the prior year and $37.8 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

 

   

Gross margin improved to 37.8% in the quarter, compared with 28.4% in the same quarter of the prior year.

 

   

Cash and cash equivalents increased by $0.5 million during the quarter, to $61.8 million.

Westell Technologies Reports Profit of $0.07 per Share

AURORA, IL, July 21, 2010 – Westell Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSTL), a leading provider of broadband products, outside plant telecommunications equipment and conferencing services, today announced results for its fiscal 2011 first quarter ended June 30, 2010. Total revenue for the quarter was $41.3 million, down 23% from $53.5 million in the fiscal first quarter of the prior year. Net income during


the quarter was $4.6 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, compared to net income of $2.0 million, or $0.03 per diluted share, in the same quarter of the prior year. Total cash and cash equivalents were $61.8 million at June 30, 2010, up $0.5 million during the quarter. Share repurchases during the quarter totaled approximately 247,000 shares at a cost of $0.4 million.

“Although total revenues declined year-over-year, they increased on a sequential basis, and we experienced strength in the more profitable areas of the business,” said Chairman and CEO Rick Gilbert. “Gross margins were strong, and we maintained stringent cost control, even while we modestly increased product development efforts in Outside Plant Systems and Customer Networking Solutions.”

Fiscal First Quarter Segment and Consolidated Results

The Customer Networking Solutions (CNS) segment reported revenue of $15.0 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, down 48% compared to $28.6 million in the same quarter of the prior year. The largest impact on revenue came from lower sales of the Company’s UltraLine Series3 gateway product, which were $1.9 million in the quarter, compared with $13.4 million in the same quarter of the prior year. In spite of the significantly lower revenue, CNS gross profit was down only $0.2 million, with gross margin rising to 23.9%, compared with 13.1% in the prior-year quarter. CNS gross margin benefited from a more profitable product mix, including $0.9 million of higher-margin software revenue related to customer projects. Operating expenses dropped by $1.3 million, compared with the prior-year quarter. As a result, the CNS operating results improved to a loss of $0.4 million for the quarter, compared with a loss of $1.5 million in the same quarter of the prior year.

Revenue in the Outside Plant Systems (OSP) segment was $15.7 million in the quarter, up 14% compared to $13.8 million in the same quarter of the prior year. OSP revenue benefited from strong demand for its products that service the wireless backhaul market. Fiscal 2011 first quarter gross profit increased $0.9 million as a result of increased sales and stable gross margins, and operating expenses increased $0.6 million, to produce operating income for OSP of $3.7 million, up $0.3 million versus the same quarter of the prior year.

Conference Plus (CP) revenue was $10.5 million in the quarter, down 5% compared to $11.1 million in the same quarter of the prior year. Gross profit decreased by $0.3 million on stable gross margins, and operating expenses were $0.8 million lower, resulting in operating income of $1.4 million, up $0.5 million versus the same quarter of the prior year.


On a consolidated basis, fiscal first quarter revenue of $41.3 million was $12.3 million lower than in the same quarter of the prior year. Gross profit increased $0.4 million, and gross margins were 37.8%, compared with 28.4% in the same quarter of the prior year. Operating expenses decreased $1.6 million, compared with the same quarter of the prior year. Income taxes provided a benefit of $0.5 million in the quarter, compared to an expense of $0.2 million in the prior-year quarter. These changes drove a $2.6 million improvement in consolidated net income, which was $4.6 million, compared with $2.0 million in the same quarter of the prior year.

“This is our fifth consecutive profitable quarter – and our highest quarterly operating income since September 2006,” continued Gilbert. “It gives us a great start to our fiscal year.”

Conference Call Information

Management will address financial and business results during Westell’s fiscal first quarter 2011 earnings conference call on Thursday, July 22, at 9:30 AM Eastern Time. Conference Plus, Inc. (ConferencePlus®), a Westell subsidiary, will manage Westell’s earnings conference call using its EventManager™ Service.

Participants can register for the Westell conference by going to the URL: http://www.conferenceplus.com/westell.

With EventManager, participants can quickly register online in advance of the conference through a customizable web page that can be used to gather multiple pieces of information from each participant, as specified by the event arranger. After registering, participants receive dial-in numbers, a passcode, and a personal identification number (PIN) that is used to uniquely identify their presence and automatically join them into the audio conference. If a participant experiences any technical difficulties after joining the conference call on July 22, he or she can press *0 for support.

If a participant does not wish to register, he or she can participate in the call on July 22, by dialing ConferencePlus at 1-888-206-4073 no later than 9:15 AM, Eastern Time and using confirmation number 27335989. International participants may dial 1-847-413-9014. Westell’s press release on earnings and related information that may be discussed on the earnings conference will be posted on the Investor Relations’ section of Westell’s website, http://www.westell.com. An archive of the entire conference will be available on Westell’s website or via Digital Audio Replay following the conclusion of the conference until the fiscal second quarter results are released. The replay of the conference can be accessed by dialing 1-888-843-8996 or 1-630-652-3044 and entering 8946898.

About Westell

Westell Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, is a holding company for Westell, Inc. and Conference Plus, Inc. Westell, Inc. designs, distributes, markets and services a broad range of broadband customer-premises equipment, digital transmission, remote monitoring, power distribution and demarcation products used by telephone companies and other telecommunications service providers. Conference Plus, Inc. is a leading global provider of audio, web, video and IP conferencing services. Additional information can be obtained by visiting http://www.westell.com and http://www.conferenceplus.com.


“Safe Harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

Certain statements contained herein that are not historical facts or that contain the words “believe”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “plan”, “should”, or derivatives thereof and other words of similar meaning are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, product demand and market acceptance risks, need for financing, economic weakness in the United States economy and telecommunications market, the impact of competitive products or technologies, competitive pricing pressures, product cost increases, component supply shortages, new product development, excess and obsolete inventory, commercialization and technological delays or difficulties (including delays or difficulties in developing, producing, testing and selling new products and technologies), the effect of Westell’s accounting policies, the need for additional capital, the effect of economic conditions and trade, legal, social and economic risks (such as import, licensing and trade restrictions), retention of key personnel and other risks more fully described in the Company’s SEC filings, including the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 under the section entitled Risk Factors. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect current events or circumstances after the date hereof, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

Financial Tables to Follow:


Westell Technologies, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations

(Amounts in thousands, except per share amounts)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months ended June 30,  
     2010     2009  

Revenue

   $ 41,258      $ 53,513   

Gross profit

     15,615        15,207   

Gross margin

     37.8     28.4

Operating expenses:

    

Sales & marketing

     4,488        4,938   

Research & development

     3,538        3,687   

General & administrative

     3,349        3,772   

Restructuring

     —          609   

Intangibles amortization

     163        157   
                

Total operating expenses

     11,538        13,163   
                

Operating income

     4,077        2,044   

Other income

     53        91   

Interest (expense)

     (1     (2
                

Income before taxes

     4,129        2,133   
                

Income taxes

     473        (155
                

Net income

   $ 4,602      $ 1,978   
                

Net income per common share:

    

Basic

   $ 0.07      $ 0.03   

Diluted

   $ 0.07      $ 0.03   

Average number of common shares outstanding:

    

Basic

     67,367        68,356   

Diluted

     68,070        68,442   


Westell Technologies, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

(Dollars in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

     June 30,
2010
   March 31,
2010

Assets:

     

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 61,771    $ 61,315

Accounts receivable, net

     17,726      17,683

Inventories

     21,448      21,258

Prepaids and other current assets

     3,546      4,276
             

Total current assets

     104,491      104,532

Property and equipment, net

     4,084      4,665

Goodwill

     2,129      2,162

Intangibles, net

     3,830      4,063

Deferred income taxes and other assets

     6,258      6,412
             

Total assets

   $ 120,792    $ 121,834
             

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity:

     

Accounts payable

   $ 13,420    $ 15,195

Accrued liabilities

     6,063      9,203

Deferred revenue

     912      860
             

Total current liabilities

     20,395      25,258

Deferred revenue, long-term

     145      174

Other long-term liabilities

     8,068      8,671
             

Total liabilities

     28,608      34,103

Total stockholders’ equity

     92,184      87,731
             

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 120,792    $ 121,834
             


Westell Technologies, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

(Dollars in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three Months ended June 30,  
     2010     2009  

Cash flows from operating activities:

    

Net income

   $ 4,602      $ 1,978   

Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:

    

Depreciation and amortization

     782        978   

Stock-based compensation

     268        189   

Restructuring

     —          609   

Other, net

     24        (100

Changes in assets and liabilities:

    

Accounts receivable

     (200     (1,372

Inventory

     (249     3,321   

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

     (5,166     (4,164

Deferred revenue

     22        312   

Prepaid and other current assets

     712        1,562   

Other

     212        119   
                

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     1,007        3,432   
                

Cash flows from investing activities:

    

Purchases of property and equipment

     (142     (331
                

Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities

     (142     (331
                

Cash flows from financing activities:

    

Borrowing (repayment) of debt and leases payable

     —          (14

Proceeds from stock options exercised

     48        —     

Purchase of treasury stock

     (370     —     
                

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

     (322     (14
                

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash

     (87     93   
                

Net increase in cash

     456        3,180   

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     61,315        46,058   
                

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 61,771      $ 49,238   
                


Westell Technologies, Inc.

Segment Statement of Operations

(Amounts in thousands)

(Unaudited)

 

     Three months ended June 30, 2010  
     CNS     OSP     CP     Unallocated     Total  

Revenue

   $ 15,022      $ 15,724      $ 10,512      $ —        $ 41,258   

Gross profit

     3,590        6,911        5,114        —          15,615   

Gross margin

     23.9     44.0     48.6       37.8

Operating expenses:

          

Sales & marketing

     1,312        1,441        1,735        —          4,488   

Research & development

     1,974        981        583        —          3,538   

General & administrative

     740        638        1,359        612        3,349   

Restructuring

     —          —          —            —     

Intangibles amortization

     1        134        28        —          163   
                                        

Operating expenses (1)

     4,027        3,194        3,705        612        11,538   
                                        

Operating income (loss)

     (437     3,717        1,409        (612     4,077   

Other income

     —          —          —          53        53   

Interest (expense)

     —          —          —          (1     (1

Income taxes

     —          —          —          473        473   
                                        

Net income (loss)

   $ (437   $ 3,717      $ 1,409      $ (87   $ 4,602   
                                        
     Three months ended June 30, 2009  
     CNS     OSP     CP     Unallocated     Total  

Revenue

   $ 28,624      $ 13,776      $ 11,113      $ —        $ 53,513   

Gross profit

     3,764        5,994        5,449        —          15,207   

Gross margin

     13.1     43.5     49.0       28.4

Operating expenses:

          

Sales & marketing

     1,552        1,276        2,110        —          4,938   

Research & development

     2,528        590        569        —          3,687   

General & administrative

     819        535        1,657        761        3,772   

Restructuring

     414        46        149        —          609   

Intangibles amortization

     —          129        28        —          157   
                                        

Operating expenses (2)

     5,313        2,576        4,513        761        13,163   
                                        

Operating income (loss)

     (1,549     3,418        936        (761     2,044   

Other income

     —          —          —          91        91   

Interest (expense)

     —          —          —          (2     (2

Income taxes

     —          —          —          (155     (155
                                        

Net income (loss)

   $ (1,549   $ 3,418      $ 936      $ (827   $ 1,978   
                                        

 

(1) Includes $0.2 million, $0.2 million and $0.4 million of depreciation and amortization expense in the CNS, OSP and CP segments, respectively.
(2) Includes $0.3 million, $0.4 million and $0.3 million of depreciation and amortization expense in the CNS, OSP and CP segments, respectively.