EnWave Announces 2018 First Quarter Consolidated Interim Financial Results
Vancouver, B.C.
EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (“EnWave”, or the “Company”) today reported the Company’s consolidated financial results for the first quarter ended December 31, 2017.
During the first quarter of 2018, EnWave made significant progress in the commercialization and deployment of its Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV™) dehydration technology. The superior product quality and economic advantages of using REV™ technology as an alternative to conventional options is being proven in several market verticals on a global basis. The first quarter of fiscal year 2018 marked the commercial launch of REV™ in to the rapidly growing medical cannabis sector. EnWave signed a royalty-bearing commercial license agreement with Tilray®, a major licensed producer in Canada, and received purchase orders for 10kW REV™ and 60kW REV™ machinery. EnWave delivered the 10kW REV™ machine to Tilray® in February 2018 and has commenced construction of the 60kW commercial processing REV™ unit. The Company, in partnership with Tilray®, will pursue additional commercial opportunities for REV™ within the Canadian cannabis sector through a sub-licensing structure outlined in the current agreement.
In addition to the Tilray® license, EnWave also signed royalty-bearing commercial license agreements with Howe Foods, the second largest banana producer in Australia, and AvoLov LLC, a U.S. based snack food company. Both companies purchased 10kW REV™ machines to commence commercial royalty-bearing production. EnWave’s technology continues to capture and increase market share in the food, cannabis and pharmaceutical drying industries. EnWave anticipates continued commercial success and growth in the worldwide deployment of REV™ technology.
EnWave also continued to expand its royalty partnership and machine sales pipeline through joint produce development projects under technology evaluation and license option agreements (“TELOAs”) with prospective partner companies. Since the start of fiscal year 2018, EnWave has entered into three new TELOAs with prospective royalty partners to evaluate the business case for the adoption of REV™. Currently, the Company has 13 companies actively engaged in TELOA projects and 2 companies with advanced R&D agreements. EnWave’s strategy under these projects is to demonstrate the product innovation made possible and attractive processing economics available through the use of REV™ technology.
Further details include: ·
Signed a royalty-bearing license agreement with Tilray®, a major Canadian medical cannabis Licensed Producer. Tilray® has the exclusive right to use and sub-license the Company’s dehydration technology for cannabis processing in Canada. Tilray® also purchased a large-scale 60kW commercial REV™ machine to initiate commercial production and a small-scale 10kW commercial REV™ unit to enable advanced product development. ·
Signed a royalty-bearing license with Howe Foods, the second largest producer of bananas in Australia. Howe Foods purchased a small-scale 10kW REV™ machine to initiate commercial production.
Received an equipment purchase order from Bare Foods Co. (“Bare Foods”) for a 10kW REV™ machine to initiate commercial production of healthy fruit snack products. Bare Foods’ products are available in the U.S. market in natural and grocery retailers including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Safeway and Publix as well as national retailers such as Target and Amazon.
Signed a royalty-bearing license with AvoLov, LLC (“AvoLov”, formerly “AvoChips”), a U.S. based snack company to produce a new, and innovative avocado snack product. AvoLov purchased a 10kW REV™ machine to initiate commercial production.
Achieved a series of positive product development results in partnership with the US Army Natick Soldier R&D Center as part of an ongoing project to create superior, phytonutrient-rich field rations for soldiers in the field.
Signed a TELOA with Hampton Farms, a major American peanut and tree nut processor and manufacturer.
Signed a TELOA with Seven Seas Fish Company Limited, a leading Canadian seafood manufacturer and international distributor.
Signed a TELOA with Calbee Incorporated (“Calbee”), the largest snack food manufacturer in Japan. Calbee will evaluate the use of EnWave’s technology at its facilities in Japan using lab-scale REV™ machinery.
Secured a trial rotation of Moon Cheese® in the Midwest division of Costco Wholesale Corporation (“Costco”). This trial launch represents the Company’s first sale of club format product and the Company plans to target additional future club format distribution opportunities.
Acquisition of Remaining 49% of NutraDried
On February 21, 2018, EnWave completed the acquisition of the 49% non-controlling interest in NutraDried LLP, bringing the Company’s ownership to 100% of the equity interest in NutraDried LLP (“NutraDried”). NutraDried is a wholly owned subsidiary in the business of manufacturing and distributing Moon Cheese®, an all-natural crunchy snack food made using the EnWave’s REV™ technology. The acquisition of the non-controlling interest in NutraDried will allow the Company to pursue additional commercial opportunities using the installed 100kW nutraREV® processing line, as well as enhance the ability for EnWave to use NutraDried’s processing capabilities as a showcase to prospective royalty partner companies. NutraDried is a profitable business segment of the Company, reporting $716,000 in net income for fiscal year 2017, and $416,000 for Q1 2018.
Key Financial Highlights for Q1 2018 (expressed in $ ‘000s):
Increasing consolidated revenues with Q1 2018 revenue of $4,519 compared to $3,467 for Q1 of 2017, an increase of 30%. Royalty revenues for Q1 2018 increased to $203, compared with $122 for Q1 of 2017 and $77 for Q4 2017.
Continuing to be cash flow positive with cash flow from operations prior to changes in non-cash working capital(*) of $315 for Q1 2018 compared to negative $112 for Q1 2017, showing positive cash flows from operations before taking to account changes in working capital.
Building sales pipeline by way of increased S&M expense to $590 compared to $305 for 2017, an increase of $205. EnWave Canada maintained consistent S&M expenses and plans to increase investment into S&M activities to drive revenue growth.
Containing G&A expense with G&A for Q1 2018 being consistent with Q1 2017, with an increase of $58. G&A expense as a percentage of revenue for Q1 2018 was 13%, which improved over the 15% for Q1 2017.
Decreasing R&D expenses with R&D expense for Q1 2018 of $272, compared to $291 for Q1 of 2017, a decrease of $19. The Company continues to invest strategically to strengthen its patent portfolio and to develop new product innovations with commercial potential.
Increasing revenues for NutraDried with Q1 2018 revenues of $2,398 compared to Q1 2017 revenues of $1,322, an increase of $1,076 or 81%. NutraDried continues to increase points of distribution for its all-natural, crunchy Moon Cheese® snack.
Reporting net income at NutraDried of $416 for Q1 2018 compared to $126 for Q1 2017, an increase of 230%. NutraDried continued to contribute to the growth of the Company. NutraDried’s success solidifies the business case for using REV™ for creating profitable consumer products and new brands for our royalty partners.
Strengthening the balance sheet by completing a prospectus offering and concurrent private placement of 9,530,000 Units of the Company at $1.05 each for combined gross proceeds of $10 million on November 15, 2017. Each Unit consisted of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a “Warrant”). The Warrants were accepted for listing by the TSX Venture Exchange and commenced trading under the symbol ENW.WT at the open of the market on November 22, 2017.
À propos d'EnWave
EnWave Corporation, une société de technologie avancée basée à Vancouver, a développé Radiant Energy Vacuum ("REV™") - une méthode innovante et exclusive pour la déshydratation précise des matières organiques. La viabilité commerciale de la technologie REV™ a été démontrée et connaît une croissance rapide sur plusieurs marchés verticaux dans les secteurs de l'alimentation, du cannabis légal et des produits pharmaceutiques. La stratégie d'EnWave consiste à signer des licences commerciales assorties de redevances avec des leaders de l'industrie dans de multiples secteurs verticaux pour l'utilisation de la technologie REV™. La société a signé plus de vingt licences génératrices de redevances à ce jour, ouvrant huit secteurs de marché distincts pour la commercialisation de produits nouveaux et innovants. En plus de ces licences, EnWave a formé une société à responsabilité limitée, NutraDried LLP, pour développer, fabriquer, commercialiser et vendre des produits de grignotage au fromage entièrement naturels aux États-Unis sous la marque Moon Cheese®.
EnWave a présenté REV™ comme la nouvelle norme de déshydratation dans les secteurs de l'alimentation et des matériaux biologiques : plus rapide et moins cher que la lyophilisation, avec une meilleure qualité de produit final que le séchage à l'air ou le séchage par pulvérisation. EnWave possède actuellement trois plateformes commerciales REV™ :
1. nutraREV®qui est utilisé dans l'industrie alimentaire pour sécher les produits alimentaires rapidement et à faible coût, tout en maintenant des niveaux élevés de nutrition, de goût, de texture et de couleur ;
2. powderREV®qui est utilisé pour la déshydratation en vrac des cultures alimentaires, des probiotiques et des produits biochimiques fins tels que les enzymes en dessous du point de congélation, et
3. quantaREV®qui est utilisé pour le séchage à basse température en continu et en grand volume.
Une plateforme supplémentaire, freezeREV®, est en cours de développement comme nouvelle méthode pour stabiliser et déshydrater les produits biopharmaceutiques tels que les vaccins et les anticorps. De plus amples informations sur EnWave sont disponibles sur le site www.enwave.net.
EnWave Corporation
Dr. Tim Durance
Président-directeur général
Pour de plus amples informations :
John Budreski, président exécutif, +1 (416) 930-0914
E-mail : jbudreski@enwave.net
Brent Charleton, Senior Vice President, Sales and Business Development at +1 (778) 378-9616
E-mail : bcharleton@enwave.net
Deborah Honig, Corporate Development, Adelaide Capital Markets au + 1 (647) 203-8793
E-mail : dhonig@enwave.net
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