EcoSynthetix Reports 2021 Third Quarter Results

BURLINGTON, ON, Nov. 3, 2021 /CNW/ - EcoSynthetix Inc. (TSX: ECO) ("EcoSynthetix" or the "Company"), a renewable chemicals company that produces a portfolio of commercially proven bio-based products, today announced its financial and operational results for the three months (Q3 2021) and nine months (YTD 2021) ended September 30, 2021. Financial references are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

Highlights
(Comparison periods in each case are the three months ended September 30, 2020)

• Recorded net sales of $4.7 million, up 57%, in Q3 2021, due to higher volumes of 34% and higher average selling price of 23%
• Gross profit of $1.1 million, up 149%, in Q3 2021, enabled by the diversification of revenue mix
• Recorded Adjusted EBITDA loss of $0.1 million in Q3 2021, an improvement of $0.1 million, or 49%, compared to the prior period
• Purchased and cancelled 90,800 common shares in Q3 2021, and 200,400 in YTD 2021, under the normal course issuer bid for total consideration of $0.4 million and $0.8 million respectively
• Maintained a strong balance sheet with cash of $40.8 million as at September 30, 2021

"Our diversification strategy is working. We continued to see strong momentum in sales volumes, pricing and improved mix which drove topline growth in the quarter despite continued challenges in the graphic paper market," said Jeff MacDonald, CEO of EcoSynthetix. "We made further, meaningful progress at our key strategic wood composites accounts and see an opportunity to continue to grow volumes both within these first commercial facilities, as well as to expand into other operations within our customers' broader networks. The profile of our bio-based wood composites binder offers both value and performance while also reducing the carbon footprint of a manufacturer's supply chain. As consumers, retailers and manufacturers pursue more sustainable and healthier alternatives to petroleum-based binders, DuraBind™ is a clear alternative with strong, well-known reference accounts. Testament to this is further recognition for our customer Swiss Krono's BE.YOND particleboard, which was recognized with an award last month from the Association of German Interior Architects for its contribution to healthy living spaces."

Financial Summary

Net Sales

Net sales were $4.7 million and $13.3 million for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to $3.0 million and $10.3 million in the corresponding periods in 2020. The increase in the quarter was due to higher sales volumes which increased sales $1.0 million, or 34%, enabled by the continued diversification of the Company's revenue mix from increased sales of DuraBind™ and a rebound in paper volume, as well as a higher average selling price which increased sales by $0.7 million, or 23%. The 29% increase in the YTD period was due to higher sales volumes which increased sales $1.8 million, or 17%, and a higher average selling price which increased sales by $1.2 million, or 12%. Subsequent to the quarter, a paper account exited coated paper production and closed a line that uses EcoSphere®. The annualized impact on sales volumes is expected to be approximately $1.4 million on a go forward basis.

Gross Profit

Gross profit was $1.1 million and $3.0 million for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to $0.4 million and $2.1 million in the corresponding periods in 2020. The increase in both periods was primarily due to higher sales volumes and a higher average selling price partly offset by higher manufacturing costs.

Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 23.5% and 22.3% for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to 14.8% and 20.0% in the corresponding periods in 2020. Gross profit as a percentage of sales adjusted for manufacturing depreciation was 27.8% and 26.7% for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to 21.7% and 25.6% for the corresponding periods in 2020. The increases in gross profit as a percentage of sales adjusted for manufacturing depreciation were primarily due to a higher average selling price partly offset by higher manufacturing costs.

Selling, General and Administrative

Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) were $1.4 million and $3.9 million for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to $0.9 million and $3.1 million for the corresponding periods in 2020. The increase in SG&A in the quarterly period was primarily due to lower payments received under the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy program (CEWS) of $0.1 million, an increase in share based compensation of $0.1 million and an increase in provision for variable based compensation of $0.2 million. The increase in SG&A in the YTD period was primarily due to a provision for variable based compensation of $0.4 million as well as the drivers previously mentioned in the quarterly period. 

Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) costs were $0.5 million and $1.4 million for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to $0.3 million and $1.1 million for the corresponding periods in 2020. R&D expense as a percentage of sales was 10% for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to 11% in both of the corresponding periods in 2020. The Company's R&D efforts continue to focus on further enhancing value for its existing products and expanding addressable opportunities.

Adjusted EBITDA¹

Adjusted EBITDA loss was $0.1 million and $0.6 million for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to $0.2 million and $0.7 million in the corresponding periods in 2020. Adjusted EBITDA loss during both periods remained largely comparable to the prior year as a higher net loss was partially offset by lower interest income and higher share based compensation. The lower interest income is due to lower interest rates on cash and short-term investments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Net Loss

Net loss was $0.8 million, or $0.01 per common share, and $2.2 million, or $0.04 per common share, for Q3 2021 and YTD 2021, respectively, compared to $0.6 million, or $0.01 per common share, and $1.7 million, or $0.03 per common share, for the corresponding periods in 2020. The increases in both periods were primarily due to lower interest income due to lower interest rates on cash and short-term investments referenced above.

Liquidity

Cash on hand was $40.8 million as at September 30, 2021, compared to $42.0 of cash on hand and short-term investments as at December 31, 2020. The Company purchased and cancelled 90,800 common shares for consideration of $0.4 million under the normal course issuer bid in Q3 2021 and 200,400 common shares for consideration of $0.8 million in YTD 2021.

Notice of Conference Call

EcoSynthetix will host a conference call Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 8:30 AM ET to discuss its financial results. Jeff MacDonald, CEO, and Robert Haire, CFO, will co-chair the call. All interested parties can join the call by dialling [phone] or [phone] with the conference identification of 18016865. 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 webcast link and 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. See "IFRS and Non-IFRS Measures." 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 are not recognized measures under IFRS and should not be considered as an alternative to operating income or net income as measures of operating results or an alternative to cash flows as measures of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as consolidated net income (loss) before net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, other non-cash expenses and charges deducted in determining consolidated net income (loss).

The following table reconciles net loss to Adjusted EBITDA loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020:

(Unaudited)	Three months ended September 30, 2021	Three months ended September 30, 2020	Nine months ended September 30, 2021	Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Net Loss	(763,892)	(640,690)	(2,242,873)	(1,696,190)
Depreciation	357,902	365,426	1,056,445	1,048,406
Share-based Compensation	300,300	193,150	647,262	506,428
Interest Income	(10,317)	(145,811)	(51,927)	(519,275)
Adjusted EBITDA loss	(116,007)	(227,925)	(591,093)	(660,631)

 About EcoSynthetix Inc. (www.ecosynthetix.com)

EcoSynthetix offers a range of sustainable engineered biopolymers that allow customers to reduce their use of harmful materials, such as formaldehyde and styrene-based chemicals. The Company's flagship products, DuraBind™ and EcoSphere®, are used to manufacture wood composites, paper and packaging, and enable performance improvements, economic benefits and sustainability. The Company is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (T:ECO).

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. The forward-looking statements in this Press Release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans to execute its commercial strategy, deliver meaningful growth across all three product categories, convert high-value strategic prospects into customers, and other statements regarding the Company's plans and expectations in 2021. 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 Company's ability to successfully allocate capital as needed and to develop new products, as well as 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 2, 2021. 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
(expressed in US dollars)
	September 30, 2021	December 31, 2020
Assets
Current assets
Cash	40,751,262	16,637,161
Short-term investments	-	25,344,575
Accounts receivable	2,096,939	1,794,594
Inventory	2,559,239	2,134,389
Government grants receivable	22,483	122,218
Prepaid expenses	132,092	69,633
	45,562,015	46,102,570
Non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment	4,945,007	5,620,805
Total assets	50,507,022	51,723,375
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Trade accounts payables and accrued liabilities	2,437,766	1,179,097
Non-current liabilities
Lease liability	885,530	1,072,287
Total liabilities	3,323,296	2,251,384
Shareholders' Equity
Common shares	490,030,002	490,259,923
Contributed surplus	10,567,863	10,383,334
Accumulated deficit	(453,414,139)	(451,171,266)
Total shareholders' equity	47,183,726	49,471,991
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	50,507,022	51,723,375

EcoSynthetix Inc.
Interim Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
(expressed in US dollars)
	Three months ended September 30,			Nine months ended September 30,
	2021	2020		2021	2020
Net sales	4,705,917	2,991,591		13,276,471	10,318,888
Cost of sales	3,602,241	2,548,305		10,318,220	8,259,846
Gross profit on sales	1,103,676	443,286		2,958,251	2,059,042
Expenses
Selling, general and administrative	1,394,430	898,253		3,888,241	3,128,994
Research and development	483,455	331,534		1,364,810	1,145,513
	1,877,885	1,229,787		5,253,051	4,274,507
Loss from operations	(774,209)	(786,501)		(2,294,800)	(2,215,465)
Net interest income	10,317	145,811		51,927	519,275
Net loss and comprehensive loss	(763,892)	(640,690)		(2,242,873)	(1,696,190)
Basic and diluted loss per common share	(0.01)	(0.01)		(0.04)	(0.03)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding	57,277,143	56,924,245		57,251,786	57,321,899

EcoSynthetix Inc.
Interim Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
(expressed in US dollars)
	Three months ended September 30,			Nine months ended September 30,
	2021	2020		2021	2020
Cash provided by (used in)
Operating activities
Net loss and comprehensive loss	(763,892)	(640,690)		(2,242,873)	(1,696,190)
Items not affecting cash
Depreciation	357,902	365,426		1,056,445	1,048,406
Share-based compensation	300,300	193,150		647,262	506,428
Other	13,675	37,552		80,529	(105,936)
Changes in non-cash working capital
Accounts receivable	(250,459)	251,581		(457,356)	850,040
Inventory	45,548	(164,791)		(498,296)	(118,811)
Government grants receivable	31,447	93		99,735	74,728
Prepaid expenses	(27,273)	(14,920)		(62,459)	(34,402)
Trade accounts payables and accrued liabilities	344,174	156,498		1,217,589	(148,165)
Interest on short-term investments
Interest received on short-term investments	-	108,493		358,740	869,038
Accrued interest on short-term investments	-	(159,041)		(14,165)	(556,298)
	51,422	133,351		185,151	688,838
Investing activities
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(107,154)	(92,465)		(345,502)	(206,325)
Receipts of government grants related to property, plant and equipment	67,418	-		67,418	-
Receipts on mature short-term investments	-	10,000,000		25,000,000	45,000,000
Purchase of short-term investments	-	(10,000,000)		-	(45,000,000)
	(39,736)	(92,465)		24,721,916	(206,325)
Financing activities
Payments made on lease liability	(63,443)	(50,728)		(185,638)	(143,795)
Common shares repurchased	(400,105)	(181,625)		(797,998)	(1,646,058)
Exercise of common share options	40,262	45,764		260,355	91,294
	(423,286)	(186,589)		(723,281)	(1,698,559)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(40,727)	(7,817)		(69,685)	73,901
Change in cash during the period	(452,327)	(153,520)		24,114,101	(1,142,145)
Cash - Beginning of period	41,203,589	6,987,088		16,637,161	7,975,713
Cash - End of period	40,751,262	6,833,568		40,751,262	6,833,568

SOURCE EcoSynthetix Inc.

Investor Relations, Ross Marshall, Phone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.ecosynthetix.com/