EcoSynthetix Reports 2012 Second Quarter Results

Share this article

EcoSynthetix Reports 2012 Second Quarter Results

August 13, 2012

BURLINGTON, ON, Aug. 13, 2012 /CNW/ – EcoSynthetix Inc. ("EcoSynthetix" or the "Company"), a renewable chemicals company that produces a family of commercially proven bio-based products, today announced its financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012. Financial references are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Second Quarter 2012 Highlights

  • Won one new customer during the quarter and three customers subsequent to the end of the period, bringing the total new customers won during 2012 to eight
  • New customers generated 20% of total sales during the quarter
  • Signed a three-year contract with FutureMark Paper Company for a minimum of 2.5 million dry pounds of EcoSphere®biolatex® binders annually concurrent with an agreement to install a dry-material handling solution at its mill in Alsip, Illinois, subsequent to the end of the period

"We continue to successfully convert mill trials to customers, winning four new customers since the end of the first quarter. While year-over-year net sales were impacted by a specific Asian account, net sales grew by 39% excluding that customer," said John van Leeuwen, Chief Executive Officer of EcoSynthetix. "This growth reflects our continued confidence in the value that our EcoSphere® biolatex® binders offer customers as an alternative to petroleum-based binders. The power of our production process technology is clear even in the face of a recent increase in corn prices, as we maintain our low-cost advantage compared with the volatility and high price of petroleum alternatives."

Financial Summary

Net Sales

Net sales for the three months ended June 30, 2012 (Q2 2012) were $3.7 million compared to $5.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011 (Q2 2011). The difference was primarily attributable to $2.9 million in lower sales to a major customer in the Asia Pacific region compared to the prior year. Net sales increased in Q2 2012 by $0.5 million in North America, $0.4 million in EMEA and a $0.1 million in Latin America compared with the same period last year. Excluding the impact of the sales to the major Asian customer, sales increased by 39.4% during Q2 2012 compared to the same period last year.

Net sales for the year-to-date (YTD) period were $7.7 million compared to $11.8 million in the same period last year. The difference was primarily attributable to lower sales in Asia Pacific of $5.9 million partially offset by an increase in sales of $0.9 million and $0.6 million in North America and EMEA respectively. Sales decreased in Asia Pacific principally due to lower purchases from a major customer. Excluding the impact of this customer, sales increased 58.0% for YTD period in 2012 compared to the same period last year. Sales from new customers accounted for 21.0% of total sales for the YTD period.

Gross Profit

Gross profit was $0.6 million or 16.7% of sales in Q2 2012 compared to $1.4 million or 24.1% in the same period last year. The change in gross profit was principally due to lower sales volume, increased raw material input costs related to corn starch, lower sales price and higher manufacturing depreciation.

For the YTD period, gross profit was $1.4 million or 18.0% of sales compared to $2.8 million or 24.2% in the same period last year. The change in gross profit was principally due to lower sales volume, increased raw material input costs related to corn starch and higher manufacturing depreciation partially offset by an increase in sales price.

Manufacturing depreciation in 2012 increased as a result of commissioning two 80 million pound production lines at the Tennessee and the Netherlands facilities. Gross profit as a percentage of sales, adjusted for manufacturing depreciation, was 22.9% and 23.6% for Q2 2012 and YTD, respectively, compared with 25.9% in each of the same two periods last year.

Selling, General and Administrative
(excludes share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization and foreign exchange loss or gain)

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs were $2.3 million in Q2 2012 compared to $2.0 million in the same period last year. For the YTD period, SG&A costs were $4.7 million compared to $3.0 million for the same period last year. The change was principally due to higher salaries and benefits and overhead costs associated with increased headcount.

Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) costs were $1.0 million in Q2 2012 compared to $0.3 million for the same period last year. For the YTD period, R&D costs were $2.0 million compared to $0.7 million for the same period last year. The Company continues to enhance its intellectual property base for new product development of its bio-based technology platforms to support market expansion. 

Adjusted EBITDA1

Adjusted EBITDA was ($2.4) million in Q2 2012, compared to $(0.8) million in the same period last year. For the YTD period, adjusted EBITDA was ($5.0) million compared to ($0.6) million in the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA was lower due to increased operating expenses and lower gross profit.

Net Loss

Net loss in Q2 2012 was $2.8 million, or $0.05 per common share (basic and fully diluted), compared to a net loss of $192.0 million, or $177.95 per common share (basic and fully diluted), for same period last year. For the YTD period, net loss was $5.7 million, or $0.10 per share (basic and fully diluted) compared to $248.1 million or $264.57 per share (basic and fully diluted) in the prior period.

The pro-forma (before fair value charges) net loss in Q2 2012 was $2.8 million or $0.05 per share (basic and fully diluted) compared with a pro-forma net loss of $1.1 million or $1.01 per share (basic and fully diluted) in the same period last year. For the YTD period, the pro-forma net loss was $5.7 million, or $0.10 per share (basic and fully diluted) compared to $1.2 million or $1.33 per share (basic and fully diluted) in the same period last year.

Liquidity

Working capital was $106.2 million at June 30, 2012 compared to working capital of $113.8 million at December 31, 2011.  The decrease was principally due to cash utilized in operating and investing activities. 

Notice of Conference Call

EcoSynthetix will host a conference call on Tuesday, August 14, 2012 at 8:30AM ET to discuss its financial results.  John van Leeuwen, CEO, and Robert Haire, CFO, will co-chair the call. All interested parties can join the call by dialing (647) 427-7450 or (888) 231-8191. Please dial in 15 minutes prior to the call to secure a line. A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available at www.ecosynthetix.com. The presentation will be accompanied by slides, which will be available via the Company's website. Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast.

1Non-IFRS Financial Measures

This press release makes reference to certain non-IFRS measures. These non-IFRS measures are not recognized measures under IFRS, do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement those IFRS measures by providing a further understanding of results of operations of EcoSynthetix from management's perspective. Accordingly, they should not be considered in isolation nor as a substitute for analysis of the financial information of EcoSynthetix reported under IFRS. The Company uses non-IFRS measures such as Adjusted EBITDA to provide investors with a supplemental measure of operating performance and thus highlight trends in its core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. Management also believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of issuers. Management also uses non-IFRS measures in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period, prepare annual operating budgets and assess the Company's ability to meet its capital expenditure and working capital requirements.

Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure recognized under IFRS and does not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. The Company presents Adjusted EBITDA because the Company believes it facilitates investors' use of operating performance comparisons from period to period and company to company by backing out potential differences caused by variations in capital structures (affecting relative interest expense), the book amortization of intangibles (affecting relative amortization expense) and the age and book value of property and equipment (affecting relative depreciation expense). The Company also presents Adjusted EBITDA because it believes it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties as a measure of financial performance. Adjusted EBITDA as presented herein is not a recognized measure under IFRS and should not be considered as an alternative to operating income or net income as a measure of operating results or an alternative to cash flows as a measure of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as consolidated net income (loss) before interest, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, other non-cash expenses and charges which include the movement in the unrealized gains and losses on the Company's redeemable preferred shares and warrants classified as financial liabilities prior to the initial public offering and share based compensation expense.

The following table reconciles net loss to Adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2012 and Q2 2011:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,
 2012

 

 

 

June 30,
2011

Net loss & comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2,772,608)

 

 

 

(192,018,852)

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

262,515

 

 

 

145,974

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

177,104

 

 

 

217,667

Change in value of warrants and preferred shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

190,925,114

Interest expense (income)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(95,655)

 

 

 

(27,941)

Adjusted EBITDA (1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2,428,644)

 

 

 

(758,038)

About EcoSynthetix Inc. (www.ecosynthetix.com)

EcoSynthetix Inc. is a renewable chemicals company specializing in bio-based products that can be used as inputs in industrial manufacturing for a wide range of consumer products. The Company's products offer a reduced carbon footprint and are marketed primarily on the basis of lower cost, stable pricing and equal or superior performance. EcoSynthetix's lead product, EcoSphere® biolatex® binders, is used commercially by a number of the global top 20 manufacturers in the coated paper and paperboard industry.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this Press Release constitute "forward looking" statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These statements reflect our current views regarding future events and operating performance and are based on information currently available to us, and speak only as of the date of this Press Release. These forward looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such performance or results will be achieved. Those assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, the fact that our results of operations and business outlook are subject to significant risk, volatility and uncertainty. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including the factors identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form dated March 30, 2012. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this Press Release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Unless required by applicable securities law, we do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward looking statements.

EcoSynthetix Inc. 
Interim Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

(expressed in US dollars)

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,
2012

 

December 31,
2011

 

 

 

 

 

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current assets

 

 

 

 

Cash

 

97,299,476

 

105,713,705

Accounts receivable

 

2,770,437

 

3,116,445

Inventory

 

8,602,245

 

10,243,410

Government grants receivable

 

626,796

 

639,685

Prepaid expenses

 

181,807

 

182,842

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

109,480,761

 

119,896,087

 

 

 

 

 

Non-current assets

 

 

 

 

Intangible asset

 

136,509

 

Property, plant and equipment

 

12,869,887

 

10,766,124

 

 

 

 

 

Total assets

 

122,487,157

 

130,662,211

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

3,244,289

 

6,142,668

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shareholders' Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common shares

 

492,382,972

 

492,353,321

 

 

 

 

 

Contributed surplus

 

6,478,854

 

6,073,080

 

 

 

 

 

Accumulated deficit

 

(379,618,958)

 

(373,906,858)

 

 

 

 

 

Total shareholders' equity

 

119,242,868

 

124,519,543

 

 

 

 

 

Total shareholders' equity and liabilities

 

122,487,157

 

130,662,211

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EcoSynthetix Inc.
Interim Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(expressed in US dollars, unless otherwise noted)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six months ended
 June 30,

 

 

  Three months ended 
June 30,

 

 

2012

2011

 

 

2012

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net sales

 

7,713,113

11,768,227

 

 

3,734,766

5,609,095

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of sales

 

6,328,535

8,923,008

 

 

3,110,002

4,254,502

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross profit on sales

 

1,384,578

2,845,219

 

 

624,764

1,354,593

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

5,254,457

3,401,885

 

 

2,538,024

2,162,594

Research and development

 

2,031,497

733,285

 

 

955,003

313,678

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7,285,954

4,135,170

 

 

3,493,027

2,476,272

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loss from operations

 

(5,901,376)

(1,289,951)

 

 

(2,868,263)

(1,121,679)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

189,276

45,889

 

 

95,655

27,941

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loss related to change in value of warrants and redeemable preferred shares

 

(246,829,537)

 

 

(190,925,114)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss and comprehensive loss

 

(5,712,100)

(248,073,599)

 

 

(2,772,608)

(192,018,852)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted loss per common share

 

        (0.10)

(264.57)

 

 

(0.05)

(177.95)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average number of common shares outstanding

 

55,248,568

937,657

 

 

55,248,933

1,079,036

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EcoSynthetix Inc.
Interim Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Deficiency)
(Unaudited)

(expressed in US dollars)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common
shares

 

Equity
component
of
redeemable
preferred
shares

 

Contributed
surplus

 

Accumulated
deficit

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance – January 1, 2011

 

143,213

 

19,793,287

 

2,180,570

 

(121,198,710)

 

(99,081,640)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of shares

 

67,369

 

 

(21,812)

 

 

45,557

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

411,335

 

 

411,335

Net loss and comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

(248,073,599)

 

(248,073,599)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance – June 30, 2011

 

210,582

 

19,793,287

 

2,570,093

 

(369,272,309)

 

(346,698,347)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance – January 1, 2012

 

492,353,321

 

 

6,073,080

 

(373,906,858)

 

124,519,543

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common share options exercised

 

29,651

 

 

(11,330)

 

 

18,321

Share-based compensation

 

 

 

417,104

 

 

417,104

Net loss and comprehensive loss

 

 

 

 

(5,712,100)

 

(5,712,100)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance – June 30, 2012

 

   492,382,972

 

 

6,478,854

 

(379,618,958)

 

119,242,868

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EcoSynthetix Inc.
Interim Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)

 

 

 

(expressed in US dollars)

 

 

 

 

    Six months ended
    June 30,

 

Three months ended
June 30,

 

2012

2011

 

2012

2011

Cash provided by (used in)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating activities

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss and comprehensive loss

(5,712,100)

(248,073,599)

 

   (2,772,608)

(192,018,852)

Items not affecting cash

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

501,932

292,034

 

         262,515

         145,974

 

Share-based compensation

417,104

411,335

 

        177,104

         217,667

 

Change in value of warrants and
redeemable preferred shares

246,829,537

 

                     –

  190,925,114

Changes in non-cash working capital

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

346,008

(341,309)

 

      (140,693)

         502,835

 

Inventory

1,841,523

(4,150,389)

 

      1,057,335

    (3,710,579)

 

Government grants receivable

12,889

(190,197)

 

      (104,460)

       (254,595)

 

Prepaid expenses

1,035

(98,405)

 

         (63,901)

         (90,799)

 

Deferred share issuance costs

(1,626,682)

 

                     –

    (1,626,682)

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

(1,122,947)

4,723,626

 

         390,202

      2,734,218

 

Accrued compensation

(1,005,371)

 

                     –

    (1,029,000)

 

Deferred government assistance

(486,961)

 

                     –

                     –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3,714,556)

(3,716,381)

 

    (1,194,506)

    (4,204,699)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investing activities

 

 

 

 

 

Cash used for purchase of intangible asset,
        property, plant and equipment 

(4,717,994)

(5,472,114)

 

    (1,407,095)

    (2,494,011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Financing activities

 

 

 

 

 

Share issuance costs

(604,571)

 

                     –

       (604,571)

Exercise of share options

18,321

45,557

 

             2,174

           45,557

Increase in government grants

                        –

2,302,904

 

                 –

  1,099,422

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18,321

1,743,890

 

             2,174

         540,408

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decrease in cash during the period

(8,414,229)

(7,444,605)

 

   (2,599,427)

    (6,158,302)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash – Beginning of period

105,713,705

35,193,037

 

   99,898,903

   33,906,734

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash – End of period

97,299,476

27,748,432

 

   97,299,476

    27,748,432

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOURCE: EcoSynthetix Inc.

EcoSynthetix Inc.
John van Leeuwen
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (289) 288-5010
E-mail: jvanleeuwen@ecosynthetix.com

Investor Relations
Ross Marshall
TMX Equicom
Phone: (416) 815-0700 (Ext.238)
E-mail: rmarshall@equicomgroup.com

 

Source: Canada Newswire (August 13, 2012 – 5:47 PM EDT) 

News by QuoteMedia
www.quotemedia.com