James E. Wagner Cultivation Corporation (TSX VENTURE: JWCA; OTCQX:
JWCAF), a premium cannabis brand focused on producing clean,
consistent cannabis grown using its advanced and proprietary
GrowthSTORM™ aeroponic platform, reported financial results for its
fiscal first quarter ended December 31, 2019. Dollar amounts are in
Canadian dollars.
Fiscal Q1 2020 Corporate Highlights
- Received licensing amendment from Health Canada to double
JWC2’s licensed production capacity to 44,500 square feet, which
would be an annualized production capacity of more than 9,000 kilos
of dried cannabis.
- Average yield per plant increased to 262 grams in the first
quarter of 2020, versus the average yield of 210 in the same
year-ago period.
- Launched plans to open a 2,000 square farm gate retail store
adjoining the company’s JWC2 flagship facility, representing a new
direct-to-consumer sales channel for the company. The store is
anticipated to be the Waterloo region’s first retail cannabis store
located on a licensed cultivation site, and will serve the area’s
500,000 inhabitants. In January, the company submitted a cannabis
retail operator license application to the Alcohol and Gaming
Commission of Ontario.
- Received a license amendment from Health Canada for the sale
and production of cannabis extracts, edibles and topicals at the
company’s JWC1 facility, allowing JWC to add kief, rosins, and
pre-rolls in various quantity formats to its product
portfolio.
- Introduced four new cannabis strains grown using the company’s
advanced GrowthSTORM™ aeroponic platform: King Tut, Dark Helmet,
West Coast Sour Diesel, and Hash Plant.
- Engaged Kindred Partners to serve as the exclusive broker for
JWC adult-use cannabis products in Canada.
- Entered a supply and manufacturing agreement with CannaCure
Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heritage Cannabis
Holdings, whereby CannaCure formulates and fills JWC’s vape
cartridges, for both recreational and medical cannabis
markets.
- Began collaboration and research trial with Fluence
Bioengineering for the performance testing of Fluence’s VYPR 2p
Broad Spectrum LED lighting solution. The trial will assess if the
lighting solution can further improve JWC’s already high level of
energy efficiency and help to further optimize cultivation
performance.
Financial Highlights
- Revenues totaled $264,000 in fiscal Q1 2020, down 74%
sequentially from $1,025,000 in fiscal Q4 2019, and compared to
$550,000 in fiscal Q1 2019. The decline in revenue was due
primarily to management’s response to market conditions and the
strategic decision to defer sales to the second quarter to maximize
the revenue potential and gross margin of produced goods. This
decision was reflected in Unrealized Fair Value on Finished Goods
in the amount of $2.4 million, as compared to none at the end of
the previous quarter.
- Loss and comprehensive loss for fiscal Q1 reduced 48% to $1.2
million or $(0.01) per share.
- Gross margin totaled $1.8 million, compared to $3,000 in in the
same year-ago quarter.
- Operating expenses in fiscal Q1 2020 were $2.5 million, a 46%
decrease from fiscal Q4 2019, and a 5% increase from fiscal Q1
2019.
- Received private placement equity funding of approximately $1
million.
- Secured a $4 million loan facility available in two tranches,
with $2,850,000 received during the first quarter and the remaining
portion received in the subsequent quarter.
- Obtained convertible security funding for up to $10 million
available in two tranches, with $2 million drawn in the subsequent
quarter and the remainder available subject to mutual agreement
with the lender.
Management Commentary
“During our first fiscal quarter of 2020 we made tremendous
strides in many areas of our business designed to better position
JWC for success in the new year. We focused our efforts on
deriving the maximum value from all available resources and
avenues, including our biological assets, branded products, key
partnerships, proprietary technologies and newly established sales
channels.
“Our financial results for the quarter demonstrated that despite
our strengthening platform, we were not immune to the challenges of
an industry that is still evolving and striving for balance. While
revenue declined substantially, this was largely purposeful,
reflecting what we see as temporary conditions that are now set to
pivot and launch in the opposite direction in the current
quarter.
“During fiscal Q1, we implemented a strategic response to the
market. A combination of number of factors, primarily oversupply
and the lack of legal sales outlets continued to drive the illicit
market. As a result, our wholesale partners were unable to buy our
products at historical prices, driving gross margins into the
negative territory. So, we made the strategic decision to hold back
on sales and preserve our biological assets until the oversupply
subsided and the recreational market opened.
“Our ability to attract various sources of capital even in this
challenging environment demonstrated our strong value proposition
and gave us the flexibility to pursue our strategy. We dedicated
our resources to the development of our Cannabis 2.0 products,
positioning ourselves to capture the anticipated growth in the
recreational market in the current quarter. This has also included
the formation of a variety of new partnerships and obtaining key
regulatory approvals.
“Experts are now predicting a three times growth in
industry-wide sales in 2020, as the number of retail stores
steadily increase as a result of eased regulations and the
oversupply subsides. We expect this to support the sale of
significant volumes of our products in Q2 and beyond.
“Our primary focus will remain on becoming a highly successful
cultivator and seller of clean, consistent cannabis. Our financial
outlook is unchanged for fiscal Q2 and Q3, as we reiterate below.
Combined with our industry-leading yields and lower cost of
production due to our unique GrowthSTORM™ system, we believe we can
achieve and sustain highly favorable margins and strong growth over
the long term.”
Summary
Financial Results |
|
|
|
|
|
Q1 2020 |
Q1 2019 |
% Change |
Q4 2019 |
% Change |
Revenues |
263,820 |
549,995 |
-52% |
$1,024,515 |
-74% |
Operating expenses |
2,443,168 |
2,386,812 |
2% |
1,704,537 |
43% |
Loss from operations |
(640,056) |
(2,375,936) |
-73% |
(2,790,773) |
-77% |
Net and comprehensive
loss |
(1,166,785) |
(2,325,292) |
-49% |
(3,087,790) |
-62% |
Net and comprehensive loss per
share |
(0.01) |
(0.03) |
-67% |
(0.03) |
-67% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dec. 31, 2019 |
Sept. 30, 2019 |
% Change |
|
|
Cash & cash
equivalents |
321,042 |
1,266,611 |
-75% |
|
|
Agriculture produce &
biological assets |
10,416,349 |
6,026,989 |
73% |
|
|
Non-current assets |
28,693,007 |
19,057,907 |
51% |
|
|
Other liabilities and
long-term debt |
19,596,266 |
7,172,475 |
173% |
|
|
Shareholder's equity |
14,867,012 |
15,111,888 |
-1.6% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the first quarter of fiscal 2020, revenues totaled a
$264,000, decreasing 74% from $1,025,000 in the previous fiscal
quarter, and by 52% from $550,000 in the same year-ago quarter.
General and administrative costs increased to $2.1 million
sequentially, and remained equal marginally at $2.1 million
compared to the same year-ago period. Increases in salary and wages
expense to $1.0 million in first quarter of fiscal 2020 from
$622,000 in the same year-ago quarter was offset by the elimination
of in rent expense due to the adoption of IFRS 16. Under IFRS 16,
leases and rent expenses are no longer included in the income
statement, but instead as a reduction to lease liabilities in the
statement of financial position.
Operating expense totaled $2.5 million, increasing 46% from $1.7
million in the previous quarter, and up 5% from the same year-ago
quarter. Excluding two one-time items in Q4 2019 (the transfer of
year to date production expense to inventory and the receipt of
scientific research and experimental development (“SRED”) tax
credit), operating expense decreased 4% from the previous quarter.
The increase from the prior year is consistent with the company’s
plans for facility expansion, including increasing employee
headcount and preparations for the new farm-gate retail store.
Biological assets totaled $3.6 million at the end of the first
quarter 2020, compared to $2.9 million at the end of the previous
quarter and $1.5 million at the end of the year-ago quarter.
Net and comprehensive loss was $1.2 million or $(0.01) per share
in fiscal Q1 2020, compared to $3.1 million or $(0.03) per share in
the previous fiscal quarter and $2.3 million or $(0.03) per share
in fiscal Q1 2019.
Cash and equivalents at December 31, 2019 totaled $321,000
compared to $1.3 million at September 30, 2019 and $2.9 million at
December 31, 2018. The decrease in cash is attributable to cash
used in operations and the reduction in accounts payable.
The company raised $1 million in equity and borrowed $2.85
million in the fiscal first quarter. Subsequent to the quarter, it
raised an additional $3.3 million in equity financing and
convertible securities, and borrowed another $1.15 million.
The company has the option, upon mutual agreement with the lender,
to secure an additional $8 million in operating capital through
existing funding vehicles, in addition to other means. The company
believes it will sustain sufficient liquidity to meet its financial
commitments and for its growth objectives to be achieved.
Outlook
Inventories totaled approximately 1,199 kg of dried cannabis and
102 liters of formulated oil at the end of fiscal Q1 2020. These
products are planned for sale in the second and third quarter of
fiscal 2020.
The company plans to begin selling cannabis products through
recreational channels before the end of fiscal Q2 2020.
In fiscal Q2 2020, the company expects to be revenue positive
(cash flow positive), along with generating positive net and
comprehensive income. By Q3 2020, it expects revenue growth to
drive strong gross margins, positive cash flow, and net and
comprehensive income.
Additional Information
Additional details of the Company’s financial results are
available in the financial statements and the management’s
discussion and analysis as filed under JWC’s profile on SEDAR
(www.sedar.com) and available on the Company’s website
at www.jwc.ca.
Conference Call
On February 21, 2020, the Company will host a conference call to
discuss these results, followed by a question and answer period, as
specified below:
Date: Friday, February 21, 2020Time: 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
(12:00 p.m. Pacific time)Toll-free dial-in number: +1 (877)
407-9208International dial-in number: +1 (201) 493-6784Conference
ID: 13698939
The conference call will be webcast live and available for
replay here.
Please call the conference telephone number five minutes prior
to the start time. An operator will register your name and
organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the
conference call, please contact CMA at +1 (949) 432-7566.
A telephone replay of the call will be available from 6:00 p.m.
Eastern time on the same day until March 6, 2020:
Toll-free replay number: +1 (844) 512-2921International replay
number: +1 (412) 317-6671Replay ID: 13698939
About James E. Wagner Cultivation
Corporation
James E. Wagner Cultivation Corporation’s wholly owned
subsidiary is a Licensed Producer under the Cannabis
Regulations, formerly the Access to Cannabis for Medical
Purposes Regulations (“ACMPR”). JWC is a
premium cannabis brand, focusing on producing clean, consistent
cannabis using an advanced and proprietary aeroponic platform named
GrowthSTORM™. JWC began as a collective of patients and growers
under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (the precursor to
ACMPR). Since its inception, JWC has remained focused on providing
the best possible patient experience. JWC is a family-founded
company with deep roots planted in the local community. JWC’s
operations are based in Kitchener, Ontario. Learn more
at www.jwc.ca.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements including forward-looking
information for purposes of applicable securities laws
(“forward-looking statements”) about JWC and its
business and operations which include, among other things,
statements regarding increased production capacity at JWC’s
facilities, the financial impact of additional licenced flowering
space at JWC’s facilities, increased yield of cannabis flower, the
availability of debt financing, sales of cannabis in the
recreational market, increasing customer demand, the financial
growth of JWC, management’s expectation of JWC achieving
break-even, turning net and comprehensive income positive and
turning revenue positive and the timing for the achievement of such
milestones. The forward-looking statements can be identified by the
use of such words as “will”, “expected”, “approximately”, “may”,
“could”, “would” or similar words and phrases. Forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors which may cause the actual results to differ materially
from those implied in the forward-looking statements. For example,
risks include risks regarding the cannabis industry, economic
factors, the equity markets generally, building permit related
risks and risks associated with growth and competition as well as
the risks identified in JWC’s Annual Information Form dated April
3, 2019, available under the JWC’s profile at www.sedar.com.
Although JWC has attempted to identify important factors that could
result in actual actions, unanticipated events may cause results to
differ materially from those described in forward-looking
statements, and there may be other factors that cause actions,
events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or
intended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date
of this press release and are based on current assumptions which
management believes to be reasonable. The Company disclaims any
intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to
update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
Company Contact Nathan Woodworth President
& CEO Tel: (519) 594-0144 x421 Email: nathan@jwc.ca
Investor Relations Jonathan Leuchs CMA Tel:
(949) 432-7566 Email: jwca@cma.team
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