Q3 Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue increased 18% quarter-over-quarter to $22.3 million, 170% year-over-year – Company became cash flow positive from operations in August
Company sale leaseback transaction with Innovative Industrial Properties scheduled to close within two weeks. As a result of close, together with proceeds from the recently closed bought deal financing, the Company will have $16 million of cash and $43 million in long-term debt
Company is in the process of acquiring acreage to construct up to 210,000 square feet of flowering canopy and supporting manufacturing facility in Cook County, Illinois to exponentially increase capacity in state
Initial guidance for 2021 with Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue of $170-180 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $40-50 million
The Company’s existing projects at maturity represent a long-term revenue and EBITDA opportunity upwards of $650 million and $250 million
PHOENIX, Nov. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ – 4Front Ventures Corp. (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) (“4Front” or the “Company“) today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2020. All financial information is presented in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results Highlights
Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue for the third quarter 2020 increased 18% quarter-over-quarter to $22.3 million
IFRS Sales for the third quarter of 2020 increased by 25% quarter-over-quarter to $12.4 million
Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter was $3.7 million
Business Updates and Developments
Q3 2020 Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue increased 18% quarter over quarter to $22.3 million. Robust revenue trends continued across the portfolio led by the launch of recreational sales in Massachusetts in the quarter and the re-opening of Mission South Chicago in late July. Washington state experienced record sales in the quarter while increasing prices. The Company achieved positive operating cash flow beginning in the month of August 2020 and is poised to show significant operating leverage in 2021.
Strong balance sheet supports continued growth in 2020 through 2021. As of September 30, 2020, 4Front’s balance sheet had cash and equivalents of $8.5 million with total debt of $76.5 million (excluding in-the-money convertible debt of $5.8 million). On November 23, 2020, the Company closed an oversubscribed bought deal led by Beacon Securities for US$13.2 million. The Company also announced it entered into definitive purchase and sale agreements with an affiliate of Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc., providing for the sale and leaseback of 4Front’s cultivation and production facilities in Tumwater, Washington and Georgetown, Massachusetts. The all-cash sale price of $30 million is on-track to close by mid-December and will be used by the Company to pay down the outstanding senior secured debt obligation to affiliates of Gotham Green Partners. As of November 30, 2020, pro forma for the close of the pending sale-leaseback transaction and including proceeds from the recently closed bought deal financing, the Company will have approximately $16 million of cash and $43 million of long-term debt due May 2024.
Company is finalizing plans to exponentially expand its cultivation and manufacturing presence in Illinois. The Company has one of 20 cultivation licenses in Illinois that allows for 210,000 square feet of flowering canopy and is currently acquiring acreage for construction of a cultivation facility and state of the art manufacturing facility, adding significant blue sky to its already established presence in Illinois
Final stages in construction of 185,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Commerce, California underway with completion scheduled for Q2 2021. The Company’s fully funded state of the art 185,000 square foot manufacturing only facility in Commerce, California is nearing completion and should be ready to serve the $3 billionCalifornia cannabis market in Q2 2021. The project is on target to be completed in April 2021 with the Company planning for the first of its full line of edibles, tinctures and vape products to be on California retail shelves by May 2021.
Cultivation facility expansion completed in Illinois. Massachusetts facility retrofitting enters final phased approach. The Company’s expansion at its Elk Grove, Illinois cultivation facility, which will increase the flowering canopy from 3,000 to 9,072 square feet, is substantially completed on time and under budget. The retrofitting of the Company’s Georgetown facility is complete and ready for the phased installation of LED lights, which are expected to increase yields by 35 – 50%. In the quarter, weighted average annualized yields from flowering canopy across the portfolio was 319 grams per square foot.
Q4 opening of second Illinois retail location in Calumet City remains on schedule. Construction of the dispensary is substantially completed as the Company is set to open its second Illinois retail location in Calumet City (approximately one mile from the Indiana border) in December 2020. Final inspection is scheduled for December 8 with a Grand Opening currently anticipated on December 15, 2020.
Initial guidance for 2021 with Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue of $170-180 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $40-50 million. This guidance is fully funded and contemplates only current operations including December opening of the Calumet City retail location plus the opening of a Brookline, Massachusetts dispensary and the Commerce production facility in May 2021. This guidance includes facilities scheduled to open in 2021. If such openings are delayed due to Covid-19, guidance could be negatively affected.
Management Commentary
Leo Gontmakher, CEO of 4Front, said, “We are incredibly pleased with our third quarter 2020 results that reflect the Company’s laser focus on execution. We have big plans for our platform, but it all starts with operational excellence and delivering to shareholders what we say we are going to deliver. While we have much more to accomplish, the hard work of our team has set the table for what I expect to be an exciting year for our company in 2021. With 4Front’s constant operational improvements and an expected strong year for the cannabis industry overall, we are pleased to provide Covid-qualified initial 2021 guidance of $170–$180 million in Pro Forma Systemwide Revenue and $40–$50 million in Adjusted EBITDA, with the longer-term opportunity in our current geographical footprint upwards of $650 million in revenue and $250 million in EBITDA.
Mr. Gontmakher added, “In addition to the strong fundamentals across our legacy markets, plus an encouraging regulatory environment, we are excited to announce the timing of our entry into California and will soon provide details about our aggressive expansion plans in Illinois, projected to be a multi-billion, medical and adult-use market.
“In summary,” said Gontmakher, “achieving robust expansion and sustained profitability through our low-cost production model has proven to be both replicable and scalable across key US cannabis markets positioning 4Front as a major MSO player. With the completion of our bought deal financing, as well as the sale-leaseback transaction, 4Front will end the year with a strong balance sheet providing the financial stability to expand the business in our key target states.”
(Please see Note Regarding Non-IFRS Measures, Reconciliation, and Discussion below.) (*Please see the Financial Statement section below, and the Company’s Third Quarter 2020 Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Management Discussion and GFN (“MD&A”), available under the Company’s SEDAR profile, for more information.)
Additional Details
As of the date of the MD&A, there were the equivalent of 534,177,375 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares outstanding when calculated as if all share classes were converted to Subordinate Voting Shares. For further details regarding 4Front’s share structure, please see its profile at www.thecse.com.
Conference Call
The Company will also host a conference call and webcast on Monday, November 30, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. ET to review its operational and financial results and provide an update on current business trends.
To join the call, dial 1-877-407-0792 toll free from the United States or Canada or 1-201-689-8263 if dialing from outside those countries. The webcast can be accessed at this link.
The call will be available for replay until Monday, December 7, 2020. To access the telephone replay, dial 1-844-512-2921 toll free from the United States and Canada, or 1-412-317-6671 if dialing from outside those countries, and use this replay pin number: 13712867.
Financial Statements
The condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 – Interim Financial Reporting. These statements have not been reviewed by an auditor.
4FRONT VENTURES CORP.
Formerly 4Front Holdings, LLC
Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Financial Position
As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 (unaudited)
Amounts expressed in thousands United States dollars unless otherwise stated
September 30,
December 31,
2020
2019
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash
$ 8,499
$ 5,789
Accounts receivable
677
677
Other receivables
–
325
Lease receivables
11,626
9,556
Inventory
15,666
9,138
Biological assets
2,233
2,187
Notes receivable
4,138
1,871
Prepaid expenses
1,668
2,198
Total current assets
44,507
31,741
Restricted cash
–
2,352
Property and equipment, net
45,565
41,822
Notes receivable
414
1,049
Lease receivables
22,186
23,944
Intangible assets
39,197
41,442
Goodwill
28,854
33,988
Right-of-use assets
25,286
20,476
Investments
759
759
Deposits
3,135
6,346
TOTAL ASSETS
$ 209,903
$ 203,919
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
LIABILITIES
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
$ 5,304
$ 8,138
Taxes payable
7,332
1,609
Lease liability
1,499
972
Contingent consideraton payable
2,100
750
Notes payable and accrued interest
8,026
7,382
Total current liabilities
24,261
18,851
Convertible notes
43,279
35,607
Notes payable and accrued interest
45,027
44,289
Long term notes payable
1,857
1,903
Long term accounts payable
1,600
1,600
Contingent consideration payable
3,122
4,714
Deferred tax liability
2,134
–
Lease liability
25,391
20,976
TOTAL LIABILITIES
146,671
127,940
Equity (Deficiency)
Equity attributable to 4Front Ventures Corp.
240,268
252,656
Reserves
35,374
25,618
Deficit
(212,410)
(202,090)
Non-controlling interest
–
(205)
TOTAL EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)
63,232
75,979
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY (DEFICIENCY)
$ 209,903
$ 203,919
4FRONT VENTURES CORP.
Formerly 4Front Holdings, LLC
Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
For The Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 (unaudited)
Amounts expressed in thousands United States dollars unless otherwise stated
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2019
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2019
REVENUE
$ 12,410
$ 3,805
$ 32,132
$ 8,410
Cost of goods sold, sale of grown and manufactured products
(3,696)
(1,308)
(11,545)
(3,657)
Cost of goods sold, sale of purchased products
(2,365)
(1,519)
(7,211)
(2,195)
Gross profit before fair value adjustments
6,349
978
13,376
2,558
Realized fair value included in inventory sold
(457)
(256)
(1,030)
(368)
Unrealized fair value gain on biological assets
1,482
25
3,335
520
Gross profit
7,374
747
15,681
2,710
Real estate income
2,883
1,676
8,514
1,676
OPERATING EXPENSES
Selling and marketing expenses
4,158
4,493
15,975
7,699
General and administrative expenses
3,808
3,980
11,904
13,257
Depreciation and amortization
917
1,824
3,077
2,530
Equity based compensation
1,517
3,491
3,792
4,200
Total operating expenses
10,400
13,788
34,748
27,686
Loss from operations
(143)
(11,365)
(10,553)
(23,300)
Other income (expense)
Interest income
7
15
71
15
Interest expense
(5,794)
(2,728)
(12,747)
(3,851)
Accretion
274
–
605
–
Gain on sale of subsidiaries
4,729
–
15,940
–
Gain on restructuring of notes receivable
–
–
281
–
Change in fair value of derivative liability
–
3,035
–
3,035
Loss on investment
(518)
–
(518)
–
Other income
–
–
2,456
2,500
Foreign exchange gain (loss)
8
56
(10)
56
Total other income (expense)
(1,294)
378
6,078
1,755
Net loss before income taxes
(1,437)
(10,987)
(4,475)
(21,545)
Income tax (expense) benefit
(2,504)
12
(5,427)
(440)
Net loss from continuing operations
(3,941)
(10,975)
(9,902)
(21,985)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes
32
(274)
(467)
(1,224)
Net loss
(3,909)
(11,249)
(10,369)
(23,209)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest
37
(6)
(49)
(116)
Net loss attributable to shareholders
$ (3,946)
$ (11,243)
$ (10,320)
$ (23,093)
Basic and Diluted Loss Per Share
$ (0.01)
$ (0.02)
$ (0.02)
$ (0.06)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic and Diluted
503,793,796
466,668,216
517,323,350
382,932,216
Note Regarding Non-IFRS Measures, Reconciliation, and Discussion
In this press release, 4Front refers to certain non-IFRS financial measures such as Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. 4Front defines Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue as total revenue plus revenue from entities with which the Company has a management contract, or effectively similar relationship (net of any management fee or effectively similar revenue) but does not consolidate the financial results of per IFRS 10 – Consolidated Financial Statements. 4Front considers this measure to be an appropriate indicator of the growth and scope of the business.
Adjusted EBITDA is defined by the Company as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization less share-based compensation expense and one-time charges related to acquisition and financing related costs, excluding fair value adjustments for biological assets. 4Front considers these measures to be an important indicator of the financial strength and performance of our business.
About 4Front Ventures Corp. 4Front (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) is a national multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, with a market advantage in mass-produced, low-cost quality branded cannabis products. 4Front manufactures and distributes a portfolio of over 25 cannabis brands including Marmas, Crystal Clear, Funky Monkey, Pebbles, and the Pure Ratios wellness collection, distributed through retail outlets and their chain of strategically positioned Mission branded dispensaries.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, 4Front has operations in Illinois, Massachusetts, California, Michigan and Washington state. From plant genetics to the cannabis retail experience, 4Front’s team applies expertise across the entire cannabis value chain. For more information, visit 4Front’s website www.4frontventures.com.
This news release was prepared by management of 4Front Ventures, which takes full responsibility for its contents. The Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in 4Front Ventures’ periodic filings with securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as “will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should,” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements related to future developments and the business and operations of 4Front Ventures, statements regarding when or if transactions will close or if/when required conditions to closing are attained, the impact of the transactions on the business of 4Front and other statements regarding future developments of the business. The closing of the transactions described in this news release is subject to customary conditions and there can be no guarantee that such transactions will close.
Although 4Front Ventures has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on satisfying closing conditions, [obtaining regulatory approvals]; and engagement in activities currently considered illegal under U.S. federal laws; change in laws; limited operating history; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public GFN and perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change.
There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management’s expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.
Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. 4Front Ventures disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and 4Front Ventures does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.
Less than two years removed from his NBA playing career, Kobe Bryant held court at an April 2018 forum on the USC campus that drew a standing-room-only crowd of about 2,000 people to Bovard Auditorium.
They weren’t there to hear Bryant, the five-time NBA champion, discuss his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. The students in attendance were there to hear him talk about business.
“You have to sit and ask yourself: What is truly going to get you up in the morning, and what’s going to keep you up at night?” Bryant advised the attendees. “When you find what that answer is, you stay true to that. I’ve built a … personal brand, which is great, but that is not where our focus is going to be for the next 50 years.”
Bryant was in the midst of expanding a business empire that included an investment firm, multimedia production company and more. And his presence at a forum that has hosted more conventional business leaders — among them Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Spanx founder Sara Blakely — is emblematic of how much Bryant had quickly accomplished as an entrepreneur, said Dave Belasco, an adjunct professor at the USC Marshall School of Business who led the discussion with the ex-Laker.
“I was really inspired by someone who was known to be an elite athlete shifting gears and trying to do something that was very different and very bold,” said Belasco, co-founder of the USC Performance Science Institute, which co-hosted the event with the Marshall school. “I think many of the skills and the mind-set that he used to excel in sports served him perfectly in business.”
Before Bryant’s Jan. 26, 2020, death in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, he’d established himself as a burgeoning mogul. He’d planted the seeds years earlier, creating Newport Beach-based Kobe Inc., a brand development firm that launched in 2014 by making a $6-million investment in sports drink company BodyArmor that was later valued at $200 million. Through his Costa Mesa-based Granity Studios production company, he became an author and an Academy Award-winning filmmaker. And in 2016, shortly after finishing a basketball career that saw him earn an estimated $680 million in salary and endorsements, Bryant unveiled the venture capital firm Bryant Stibel & Co., which went on to invest in companies including Scopely and LegalZoom.
Those initiatives helped Bryant, who was 41 at the time of his death, chart a unique post-playing career that eschewed more traditional avenues open to former professional athletes, such as coaching and broadcasting. And that has made him an inspiration to present-day stars eyeing their post-playing careers, said Eric Johnson, a former ESPN executive.
“Without a doubt, this generation of athletes is thinking more under those terms — they are businesspeople already,” said Johnson, who spent 18 years at ESPN and now consults with sports and entertainment companies. “The majority of them are much more aspiring to be in the business world, and he is an inspirational figure.”
Now the Bryant empire continues without him. One year after his death, Bryant’s companies have largely remained quiet, but his enterprises have not been dormant. A sports training venture with which Bryant partnered has been rebranded; Granity Studios has continued to release new projects; and a limited liability company bearing his name has filed for several trademarks involving his “Black Mamba” nickname, among other moves. However, there have been no sweeping announcements about the direction of Bryant’s companies and no major new initiatives have been unveiled.
Kobe Inc. and Granity did not respond to interview requests, and Bryant Stibel declined to comment. Some companies that worked with Bryant, among them Nike, declined to comment on the status of ongoing business relationships.
Those who followed Bryant’s business career are not surprised by the public silence. Besides any potential restructuring made necessary by Bryant’s death, his companies could be taking a page from his business playbook. Bryant quietly launched several initiatives with little fanfare in the mid-2010s, only making public unveilings or promotional pushes years later once projects were fully baked.
“The quietness doesn’t surprise me,” said Johnson, faculty director of UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Center for Management of Enterprise in Media, Entertainment and Sports. “From my understanding and experience it was always like that until it was launched and created. He certainly wasn’t a barker of all the things he was going to do; he just suddenly [revealed them].”
A desire to be respectful of an extended period of mourning for Bryant could also be a factor. Vanessa Bryant, his widow, been open about the intensity of her grieving for her husband and daughter Gianna, who was killed in the crash too. But she has made moves, assuming a leadership role at Granity, and selling a $2-million Irvine investment home the couple had owned since 2013. She also filed a handful of lawsuits stemming from the accident, bringing one complaint against the helicopter operator and another against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over its handling of the investigation of the crash.
Among the most visible changes made since Bryant’s death: In May, it was announced that the Mamba Sports Academy, a sports training business that Bryant partnered with in 2018, would drop “Mamba” from its name.
It was, in a way, a return to the company’s beginnings, when it was founded in 2016 by former college football player Chad Faulkner and named the Sports Academy. Soon after its debut, Bryant began visiting the academy’s 100,000-square-foot training facility in Thousand Oaks as a coach of his daughter Gianna’s basketball team.
Bryant was impressed with the operation, Faulkner said, and joined the company in 2018, when it was renamed to include a nod to his nickname.
“He was an engaged partner, he really cared,” Faulkner said. “You add Kobe in the mix and we had a lot more light on us, we had a lot more opportunity to get recognition or open up other doors.”
By the start of last year, the academy had opened new facilities in Redondo Beach and Frisco, Texas, and counted star athletes such as the L.A. Rams’ Aaron Donald among its 50,000 clients.
“We were lined up to open up more facilities, we had a big digital play that we were working through, we were bringing ‘Mamba Mentality’ forward in a really interesting way,” Faulkner said. “Those are some of the bigger dreams and schemes we had that all tragically ended on the 26th of January last year.”
Faulkner and his staff were still reeling from Bryant’s death when the pandemic forced them to halt most in-person activities. In announcing the jettisoning of the “Mamba” name, the company said that it was “a mutual agreement made in accordance with the wishes of his estate.”
There has been some under-the-radar activity that suggests groundwork is being laid for new Bryant-related endeavors. In the months after his death, for example, a limited liability company controlled by his family filed to trademark several words and phrases associated with the late basketball player, including his name, Mamba, Mamba League and Lil’ Mambas. The filing to trademark “Kobe Bryant,” for example, said the mark could be used for a slew of purposes including headwear, computer game software, ear buds, loungewear, and “providing a website featuring entertainment information in the field of sports, children’s entertainment, action, adventure, animation, and fantasy.”
One component of Bryant’s empire that has remained visibly active after his death is Granity Studios, which released a handful of new projects in 2020. It also has new leadership: Whereas Bryant had served as the company’s chief executive, that role that is now held by Vanessa Bryant, according to a June filing with the California secretary of state’s office. She also serves as the president of Granity and recently appeared in a video on its Instagram page promoting a new book release.
The company, founded in 2013 and originally named Kobe Studios, is best-known for “Dear Basketball,” a 5½-minute animated short based on a poem that Bryant wrote to announce his retirement from the game. The film, which featured a John Williams score, won the Oscar for best animated short in 2018. After Bryant’s death, Granity made the movie available for free online. Other notable projects have included the sports GFN series “Detail” for streaming service ESPN+ and the scripted kids podcast “The Punies.”
Granity was also the company behind Bryant’s various book projects, including 2018’s “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play,” in which he detailed his approach to the sport. Granity’s most recent release, in December, was the novel “Epoca: The River of Sand,” which is the second and final installment in a fantasy series created by Bryant and written by author Ivy Claire. It centers on an elite sports academy in a magical realm.
After Bryant’s death, Granity also released fiction books “The Wizenard Series: Season One” and “Geese Are Never Swans,” the latter about a young swimmer who must overcome a family tragedy while pursuing Olympic dreams.
The company also played a part in the rollout of ESPN’s hit docuseries “The Last Dance,” about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ final NBA championship. The five-episode streaming series “Detail: 1998 Chicago Bulls” for ESPN+ served as a companion piece analyzing the Bulls’ games, hosted by Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr and head coach Phil Jackson.
At the beginning of his basketball career, Bryant was known as a sneering upstart, feuding with teammate Shaquille O’Neal on the way to three championships together before a messy parting. In 2003, Bryant was accused of raping a 19-year-old woman, leading to a felony assault charge. Bryant denied raping the woman, and the criminal case was dropped 14 months later after she decided to not testify; in 2005 he settled a civil lawsuit brought by his accuser. Bryant spent years working to repair his image and left the NBA a revered statesmen.
Considering Bryant’s stature within the league upon his retirement, perhaps it should not be a surprise that his path in the business world would inspire his peers.
It’s not that Bryant was the only superstar athlete to pursue business in other arenas in recent years: LeBron James, for example, has also taken a diversified approach to investing and entrepreneurship, starting a production company and investing in a pizza restaurant chain and a tequila brand, among other endeavors. But the quick success Bryant found — his Academy Award, for starters — made him stand out.
Bryant’s path was somewhat similar to that of trailblazing retired athletes including fellow Lakers great Magic Johnson, known for his movie theater chain and Starbucks investment, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, founder of a national commercial real estate firm. Bryant, however, was embarking on his post-playing career in a vastly different business environment — a digital one turbocharged by internet. That made his road unique, said David Carter, principal of the Sports Business Group, a consulting firm.
“Was there a model [for Bryant]? To me, the short answer would be no,” said Carter, executive director of the Sports Business Institute at the Marshall School. “You have to think of the time he was operating. Social and digital media. A borderless world. You didn’t have that with Magic or Staubach.”
Bryant hasn’t just inspired other pro athletes — he has encouraged people like Justin Powell, who attended the USC forum featuring the former Laker in 2018.
Then a USC student, Powell said he’d long been a fan of Bryant — but he attended the forum to hear him share some of his business acumen. Powell, who graduated in 2019 and now works for Yahoo Sports as a video producer and writer, wasn’t disappointed.
“[Bryant] was someone who had reached the pinnacle in one field and was never content or rested on his laurels,” said Powell, 24, who met with Bryant backstage before the forum. “He’s had such a profound influence on me.”
TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. (OTC: EMMA), a leader in the treatment of sickle cell disease, reported today its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its restated financial results for the year ended December 31, 2018. As previously disclosed in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on July 8, 2020, the board of directors of Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. (“Emmaus” or the “Company”), based on the recommendation of the audit committee concluded, that due to errors identified in the previously issued financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018 as well as the previously filed unaudited consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company would restate the previously issued financial statements.
“We are pleased to share our strong financial results for 2019 and our restated financials for 2018 with our current and prospective stakeholders. We look forward to filing our 2020 10-Qs and communicating our financial results for the three months ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2020 as soon as possible,” said Dr. Yutaka Niihara, M.D., M.P.H., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “In advance of the quarterly filings, Emmaus also appreciates the opportunity to provide a summary of our business progress.”
Financial Results for the Year Ended December 31, 2019 Net revenues for 2019 were $22.8 million compared to $16.5 million in 2018, an increase of 38%. This significant growth was driven primarily by the on-going roll-out and market acceptance of Endari® resulting in increased sales to the Company’s customers that include the nation’s leading pharmaceutical distributors, specialty pharmacies and physician group purchasing organizations. Emmaus believes it is well positioned for continued growth as it expands the commercialization of Endari® in the U.S. and implements its early access programs and commences marketing outside the U.S.
Operating expenses were $26.2 million in 2019, compared to $23.9 million in 2018. Of the $17.0 million in general and administrative expenses, $2.4 million was attributable to one-time, non-recurring expenses in connection with the merger transaction completed on July 17, 2019 (the “Merger”). The $2.3 million increase in selling expenses to $7.0 million in 2019 was to support the commercialization of Endari® and the related increase in net revenues. The $0.5 million increase in research and development expenses to $2.2 million in 2019 was attributable to the Pilot/Phase 1 study of the Company’s prescription grade L-glutamine oral powder to treat diverticulosis.
Operating loss for 2019 was $4.5 million, compared to an operating loss of $8.5 million in 2018. When adjusted for the non-recurring general and administrative expenses relating to the Merger, the operating loss for 2019 was $2.1 million.
“2019 saw Emmaus continue to make progress in the U.S. commercialization and roll-out of Endari as seen in our 38% growth in net revenues over 2018 and greatly improved overall financial results. Our operating loss was reduced significantly in 2019 and our balance sheet was strengthened through the merger transaction that closed in July,” added Dr. Niihara. “Importantly, we have made significant advances in our primary goal of ensuring that every medically appropriate sickle cell disease patient has access to Endari on a cost-effective and timely basis.”
Business and Other Company Updates Direct Sales Force – Effective January 1, 2020, Emmaus switched from the use of a contract sales organization to its own direct sales force and the Company continues to build its internal sales and marketing capabilities. Emmaus currently has 23 employees in its sales and marketing department.
Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) Region – Emmaus continues to make progress in developing markets for Endari® in the MENA region. On June 29, 2020 Emmaus announced receipt of Endari® marketing authorization from the Israeli Ministry of Health and on July 23, 2020 announced the opening of its Dubai office. In addition, on November 10, 2020 the Company announced its submission of a temporary license application in Bahrain for Endari®. These developments will accelerate the Company’s efforts to reach the estimated 100,000 potentially treatable sickle cell disease patients in the MENA region.
Diverticulosis Study – The Company’s Pilot/Phase 1 study of the same prescription grade L-glutamine oral powder used in Endari® in treating diverticulosis commenced in April 2019 and is ongoing. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the progress of clinical trials in the pharmaceutical industry, in general, and patient enrollment at one of the three Emmaus trial sites was suspended temporarily. Nonetheless, patient enrollment was completed, and Emmaus is confident the study will ultimately evaluate the change in the number and size of colonic diverticula and assess safety in patients with diverticulosis. Limited interim study results to date have been encouraging, suggesting that Endari® may be effective in slowing and reversing the progression of diverticulosis.
Manufacturing – The COVID-19 pandemic has not interrupted the Company’s supply chain and Emmaus has sufficient inventory of Endari® to meet current and projected patient needs and support ongoing clinical trials. Progress continues at the manufacturing facility in Ube, Japan purchased by a 40% owned investee of Emmaus in December of 2019. To meet the long-term potential demand for prescription grade L-glutamine, Emmaus, its partners and contractors are in the process of obtaining regulatory approvals and recertifications of the facility. The Company currently anticipates that test production will commence in early 2021 with regulatory approval expected in 2022.
Endari® Support Program – Emmaus announced the launch of the Endari® Support Program on December 8, 2020 to provide patients who are unable to afford Endari® access to the medication for minimal or no cost. For more information, please see www.EndariRx.com/ESP.
Endari® Label Change – On October 27, 2020, Emmaus announced that the FDA approved an updated label for Endari® to better inform healthcare professionals and their sickle cell disease patients. The updated label includes a statement that the clinical benefits of Endari® were observed irrespective of hydroxyurea use, thereby supporting the use of Endari® as a monotherapy or in combination with hydroxyurea as important treatment options for sickle cell disease patients.
Michigan Revises Prior Authorization Criteria for Endari® – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (“MDHHS”) notified Emmaus that, effective January 1, 2021, the following changes will be made regarding the initial authorization of Endari® thereby allowing it to be prescribed to more of Michigan’s sickle cell disease patients, more quickly, than under the prior authorization criteria: (i) the history of hydroxyurea use and adherence or intolerance/contraindication to hydroxyurea will be eliminated from the Endari® initial authorization documentation requirements and (ii) “patient/family refusal” will be added to the existing justifications of intolerance or contraindication to the use of hydroxyurea. With this recent revision, MDHHS joins many other state health and human services agencies in eliminating the prior use of hydroxyurea as a requirement for the initial authorization of Endari® for the treatment of sickle cell disease.
COVID-19 Impact – Emmaus is encouraged that patient compliance and adherence as well as health monitoring have held up well in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may bode well for improved patient adherence when the pandemic subsides. However, ongoing stay-at-home orders and business lockdowns may adversely affect the Company’s future revenues, results of operations and financial condition, and management will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and take necessary actions to minimize any impact on the Company’s business.
Trading and Quotation of the Company’s Common Stock – On July 30, 2020, Emmaus was notified by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. that its common stock would no longer be eligible for quotation on the OTCQB tier as of the open of the market on August 3, 2020 due to the delays in filing the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2019 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2020. Once the Company has filed with the SEC its 10-K for 2019 and 10-Qs for March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2020, posted the OTCQB Certification and verified the Company profile through OTCIQ.com, the OTC Markets Group, Inc. will review the Company to ensure that it still meets all the OTCQB Standards at that time. If no further items are needed, the Company’s common stock will be moved back to the OTCQB tier beginning the next trading day. In the meantime, quotes will continue to be available on the OTC Pink tier.
2020 10-K and Annual Shareholders Meeting – The Company intends to file its 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the SEC in or about March 2021 and hold its next Annual Stockholders Meeting for the election of directors and to review 2020 operating results as soon as practicable thereafter.
About Emmaus Life Sciences Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, marketing and sale of innovative treatments and therapies, including those in the rare and orphan disease categories. For more information, please visit www.emmausmedical.com.
About Endari® (prescription grade L-glutamine oral powder) Indication (U.S.) – Endari® is indicated to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients five years of age and older.
Important Safety Information The most common adverse reactions (incidence >10 percent) in clinical studies were constipation, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, cough, pain in extremities, back pain, and chest pain.
Adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation included one case each of hypersplenism, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, burning sensation, and hot flash.
The safety and efficacy of Endari® in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease younger than five years of age has not been established.
For more information, please see full Prescribing Information of Endari® at: www.EndariRx.com/PI.
About Sickle Cell Disease Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterized by the production of an altered form of hemoglobin which polymerizes and becomes fibrous, causing red blood cells to become rigid and change form so that they appear sickle shaped instead of soft and rounded. Patients with sickle cell disease suffer from debilitating episodes of sickle cell crises, which occur when the rigid, adhesive and inflexible red blood cells occlude blood vessels. Sickle cell crises cause excruciating pain as a result of insufficient oxygen being delivered to tissue, referred to as tissue ischemia, and inflammation. These events may lead to organ damage, stroke, pulmonary complications, skin ulceration, infection and a variety of other adverse outcomes. Sickle cell disease is a significant unmet medical need, affecting approximately one hundred thousand patients in the U.S. and millions worldwide, the majority of which are of African descent. An estimated 1-in-365 African American children are born with sickle cell disease.
Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding the Company’s business and operations and future financial results. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which change over time, including uncertainties related to Emmaus’ working capital and ability to continue as a going concern and obtain needed financing and other risk factors disclosed in the Company’s 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the SEC, and actual results may differ materially. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Emmaus assumes no duty to update them, except as may be required by law.
(Selected Consolidated Financial Data Follows)
Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
(in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Year Ended December 31,
2019
2018 (As Restated)
Revenues, Net
$22,752
$16,459
Cost of Goods Sold
1,094
993
Gross Profit
21,658
15,466
Operating Expenses
26,170
23,920
Loss from Operations
(4,512)
(8,454)
Total Other Expense
(50,166)
(64,094)
Comprehensive Loss
(54,852)
(72,571)
Net Loss per Common Share – Basic and Diluted
(1.30)
(1.97)
Weighted-Average Common Shares Outstanding
42,259,460
36,857,995
Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands)
As of
December 31, 2019
December 31, 2018 (As Restated)
Assets
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents
$1,769
$3,905
Accounts receivable, net
2,150
1,788
Inventories, net
7,971
4,705
Investment in marketable securities
27,929
49,343
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
1,402
872
Total Current Assets
41,221
60,613
Property and equipment, net
151
152
Equity method investment
13,325
13,569
Other assets
4,759
944
Total Assets
$59,456
$75,278
Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
$11,498
$8,235
Notes payable, net of discount
3,942
6,680
Convertible debentures, net of discount
7,015
—
Convertible notes payable, net of discount
2,995
16,342
Other current liabilities
7,377
14,300
Total Current Liabilities
32,827
45,557
Notes payable, net of discount, less current portion
—
925
Convertible notes payable, net of discount, less current portion
After last week’s rapid rise in gas prices, the AAA reports that the local average cost for a gallon of unleaded actually dropped by a penny to $2.42. Motorists in Buffalo and Niagara Falls paid nineteen more cents per gallon at this time a year ago.
Five Star Bank is now accepting Paycheck Protection Program loan applications to meet the needs of small businesses and communities across Western and Central New York. In order to apply for a PPP loan through Five Star Bank, applicants will need an active Five Star Bank business checking account, which can be opened online.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has decided to lease space for its 250 workers. According to Business First, the Army Corps will move into the third, fourth and fifth floor of the former Hens & Kelly’s building at 478 Main Street in Buffalo. That move should be completed by November 2022.
Oral care products maker Lornamead Inc. has filed expansion plans with the Town of Tonawanda. The company is seeking to add 22,000 square feet to its current footprint in the Interstate Commerce Centre office park, according to Business First.
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