Earnings Labs

Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. (RKDA)

Q1 2020 Earnings Call· Wed, May 13, 2020

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good afternoon, and welcome to Arcadia Biosciences First Quarter 2020 Earnings Conference Call. Today's presenters will be Matt Plavan, President and CEO; Sarah Reiter, Chief Commercial Officer; and Pam Haley, CFO. This call is being webcast, and you can refer to the company's press release at arcadiabio.com. Before we start, we would like to remind you that Arcadia Biosciences will be making forward-looking statements on this call based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied today. You can review the company's safe harbor language in their most recently filed 10-K and on Page 5 of today's press release. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Matt Plavan, President and CEO.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Thank you, Victor. Good afternoon everyone and welcome. With me today at safe distances are Pam Haley, our Chief Financial Officer and Sarah Reiter, our Chief Commercial officer. I want to open by saying that I hope all of you listening in today your families and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. This an extraordinary moment in time for all of us. The Coronavirus has affect every business in the world. Together we are navigating a global health crisis that is bigger and more widespread than anything we have witnessed in our life time. Now before getting into the results I'll provide some perspective on what we have been seeing since the pandemic hit, the current dynamics in our business and the actions we had been taking to not only manage through, but to adapt quickly and to make sure we are well-positioned to emerge stronger. Our priorities throughout this challenging time remain the same, to maintain health and safety of our people, to act as a responsible corporate system following local, governmental regulations and guidelines while maintaining our field operations under the essential work exceptionally granted to agriculture, and to maintain business continuity and advance our business objectives without interruption. I'm happy to say, that we've been successful in accomplishing these goals. Beginning in March we preemptively deployed plans for shelter-in-place mandate in the regions where we operate, which we were able to put into effect rather seamlessly. I been impressed again and again by the dedication creativity and nimbleness of our employees that they've shown in order to adapt to changing circumstances and to keep our operations running smoothly. I'd also like to acknowledge the growers, farm workers and food industry professionals who keep our food supply chain running smoothly. Its never been more clear that…

Sarah Reiter

Management

Thanks Matt. We have robust first quarter in terms of strategic partnerships in GoodHemp and Archipelago Ventures businesses. We announced agency agreements with Grow West and Buttonwillow Warehouse Company two of the nation's largest independent crop input retailers. Together their teams of crop advisors add more than 100 agronomic specialists to our team of GoodHemp [Indiscernible] serving California. Their engagement is in line with our strategy further the best practices from industrial agriculture as the hemp supply chain matures. GoodHemp seeds shipped during second quarters, so you'll begin to see significant hemp seed revenue when we next report. As Matt described previously, we will migrate from talking about backlog to speaking about sales in our second quarter earnings report. Archipelago Ventures are joint venture dedicated to year-round production of sun-grown hemp in Hawaii announced in the first quarter an exclusive distribution agreement with Vivion Specialties Inc. VSI. VSI is a distributor of quality ingredients for nutritional pharmaceutical food and beverage, cosmetics, personal care, agricultural and industrial markets. Under this Agreement VSI will exclusively distribute our Hawaiian grown THC free distillate and CBD isolate in North America. Tested for more than 950 pesticides and contaminants like heavy metals and microbial organisms the products will offer an industry-leading purity and quality standards known as VivAssure. Archipelago Ventures will maintain the rights to market our own ingredients in Hawaii as well as an international market. Archipelago Ventures also expanded Hawaiian land under production in first quarter by partnering with local Hawaiian participants in the state's industrial pilot program now producing on 30 acres with another under development. In the second quarter, we expect to open the extraction facility after COVID related delays due to travel and shipping restrictions. Looking forward through the remainder of 2020 we anticipate additional announcements about our strategy in…

Pamela Haley

Management

Thank you, Sara. Revenue in the first quarter of 2020 was $151,000 higher than in the first quarter of 2019 driven primarily by licensees milestone achievements. Our GLA product revenues were favorable as well and royalty revenue was recognized this quarter as part of the contracted annual minimum. Total operation expenses for the first quarter was $6.1 million compared to $4.4 million in the first quarter of last year for an increase of $1.7 million or 39%. R&D expense was $739,000 prior to the quarter compared to 2019, and the increase was primarily due to the higher employee expenses and Hemp related cost as we've launch Arcadia's GoodHemp product line and establish the joint venture, Archipelago. SG&A expense is $911,000 higher in the first than in the first quarter of 2019. This increase is mostly due to additional consulting activities in consultant stock compensation expense on with higher employee related expenses. Net income attributable to common stockholder for the first quarter of 2020 was $2.5 million compared to a net loss of $12.6 million recognized in the first quarter of 2019. A fair value re-measurement of the common stock warrant liabilities at the end of each quarter resulted in a non-cash income of $8.2 million for the first quarter of 2020 versus the non-cash expense of $8.5 million for the first quarter of 2019. The common stock warrant liabilities are associated with the registered direct offering transaction in 2018 and 2019 and you can refer to footnote nine in our 10-Q for a detail description of the accounting for these transactions. Regarding our liquidity and capital resource, cash on hand, cash equivalents and short term investment totaled $60 million at the end of the first quarter versus $25.3 million at year end or a change of $9.3 million. The net cash use in operating activities for the quarter was $9.3 million of which $4.2 million was attributed to a change in inventory balance. And as Matt alluded to and as we expected we invested significantly in inventory buildup for hemp, both GoodHemp and Archipelago and wheat this quarter, along with property, plant and equipment purchases primarily supporting our Archipelago operations in Hawaii. Following the quarter end, Arcadia secured a $1.1 million loan under the Paycheck Protection Program contain within the Coronavirus Aid Release and Economic Security Act that was signed into law on March 27 of 2020. And that wraps up our financial highlight for the first quarter of 2020. Thank you for your time and attention today. And with that, I'd like to turn the call back over to Matt.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Thanks, Pam. Together we're working hard to position our business for strong and sustain growth. We believe this year we entered with the position of strength and we're try to achieve our revenue guidance. We're confident that our R&D initiatives, proprietary commercial products and accelerated verticality in the hemp space will continue to give us the edge to successfully establish leadership in hemp just as we have in other crops. With that, I'd like to turn the call over for questions to the operator, Victor.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. [Operator Instructions] Now first question will come from the line of Ben Klieve from National Securities Corporation. You may begin.

Ben Klieve

Analyst

Hi. Thanks for taking my questions everybody. The first question is, Matt, regarding the acquisition discussion that you had within hemp, can you talk a bit about how you're looking at expanding vertically kind of up and down the supply chain rather than horizontal expansion to kind of grow your footprint of seed production or breeding capabilities. I mean, what do you really see is the more substantial value proposition to vertical expansion rather than growing horizontally here?

Matthew Plavan

Management

Yes, Ben, thank you for the question. I wouldn't want to rule out horizontal opportunities. We do see some interesting genetics out there. And I would actually include them in the bucket of opportunities that could be accretive to the company and extend our capabilities. When we think vertically this comes back to -- at the moment there is a lot of risk in the supply chain around quality and I think that's because hemp is in dire need of improvement to reach its full potential. And there's a general awakening to that throughout the supply chain whether it's processing, manufacturing brands whatnot. We all understand its a great risk if they're trying to grow to the full potential of all the industrial applications without having the right genetics. So that puts us in a privileged position to evaluate a number of opportunities that would allow us to capture greater share of the value in the supply chain. And that by bringing together strong genetics with a processor for example and being able to make that stronger connection between the growers, the processors and all the way through the supply chain, we find ourselves well positioned to make it a more profitable and efficient supply chain than perhaps anyone else in that plays in the space. So we're thinking that there is more value to be captured vertically at the moment than there is horizontally, because our expertise is in genetics, but I wouldn't want to rule it out because candidly there are a number of genetics companies we are talking to that could extend our capabilities and accelerate our ability to create value.

Ben Klieve

Analyst

Got it. That's helpful. Thank you. And I guess as a follow-up, can you talk about the kind of the quality of the supply chain in Hawaii versus on the Mainland? And then, I know it's early, but are you -- can you kind of discuss if you're initially targeting this acquisition strategy on Hawaii or on the Mainland?

Matthew Plavan

Management

Well, we're fairing pretty well in Hawaii and we kind of are the supply chain for Archipelago Ventures. We have the genetics. We have the mold processing unit as you know. So it's not like we aren't in processing at all at this time. And with the recent announcement of Vivion Specialties, we've also got the channel into -- we have the sales channel into the retail space. So, right there, I would say, we're pretty well-equipped to scale and lead the market in Hawaii, which means that the Mainland is likely to be where we're going to -- you're going to see our first moves with regard to verticality. I don't know, Sara, would you add anything to that. No. Okay.

Ben Klieve

Analyst

Okay, perfect. Thanks Matt. Turning over to the inventory build, can you break down that build either by crop or maybe by finished goods that are bagged and ready to go versus inventory that's still in the fields in process?

Matthew Plavan

Management

I think, Pam can kind of walk you through. We did file the Q and Pam, did we provide visibility into -- the degree of visibility that he's asking about in the Q?

Sarah Reiter

Management

We do. We up -- we've got in our footnote we've got a breakdown between raw materials inventory and process and finished goods and we do include some crop information and quite a bit of it was GoodHemp and most of that is ready to go, but we've got some GoodHemp or -- I'm sorry, some hemp in Hawaii and Archipelago that is still in process. We just got some wheat that's in process. So it's a good mix that it's -- and we've got some -- we're starting with soybean inventory also.

Ben Klieve

Analyst

Got it. Okay. I'll wait for the Q to post. But I appreciate that comment. Last one for me and I'll get back in queue after this. Could you kind of provide a bit of -- better color regarding your kind of outlook for seasonality, the balance of the quarter. I know you talked about an acceleration here in recent in recent weeks that you're expecting nice sequential improvement from Q1 to Q2 on the revenue side. But do you have any better visibility regarding kind of how the next three quarters are going to look from a percentage of revenue breakdown of your full-year total?

Matthew Plavan

Management

Yes. Sara?

Sarah Reiter

Management

Yes. Thanks Ben. The majority of our hemp business will flow out in May, June and July though we also have production areas in the Far Southern United States which we'll be planting in the fall. Hawaii and Florida offer us year-round opportunity so those are compelling businesses. Year-round our wheat sales will not be visible until third or fourth quarter for in large part starting in late third quarter. We have some wheat business that we'll start seeing in second. And our European stuff that's actually already in transit, but hasn't landed. And so, you'll see small amounts in second, deeper in third and fourth from the wheat business. And I wish I could say that there's soya revenue, but we'll have to hold off until next year or 2022.

Ben Klieve

Analyst

Yes. Understood. Very good. That's really helpful. Thank you, Sarah. I think that's it for me. Congrats to all of you on all the progress. Thanks for taking my questions. And I'll get back in line now.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Thanks Ben.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. And our next question will come from the line of Raghuram Selvaraju - H.C. Wainwright & Co. You may begin.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

Hi, guys. [Indiscernible] behalf of Raghuram Selvaraju, H.C. Wainwright. Congrats on the progress despite current climate. Just one question from me. How can Arcadia and its partners on the wheat-based Consumer Products front capitalized on the recent trend towards home baking by the recent pandemic and the state home restrictions. Do you see this as an important development going forward or just a transient kind of thing?

Sarah Reiter

Management

No. We absolutely see this as a strong indication that wheat is an important part of home baking and the home experience. We've always talked about wheat as a comfort food and I think we're actually seeing it, consuming that way. We will be announcing in second quarter our retail flour partnership and so we would encourage everyone to come back and hear what we have to say in next quarter, because we believe that the reduced allergenicity product will definitely have a fit among retail shoppers where specialty flour have flown off the shelves at the same or increased pace compared to regular flour which we all have heard about being in short supply these days. So we're very excited about the opportunity to enter that market later this year.

Unidentified Analyst

Analyst

You are eliminating. Thank you and congrats again.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Thank you.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. And our next question will come from line of Steven Ralston from Zachs. You may begin.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Good afternoon. Could you expand on your hemp hub model that you mentioned in the press release. At what stage are you of the six locations. I assume you're more advanced in Hawaii, in California.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Sara?

Sarah Reiter

Management

Sure. Happy to. So our model for rolling out our hemp business which is brand new to us this year was to ensure that our farmers can be successful growing hemp in a regulated environment. So we put agronomists on the ground to serve our farmers through very frequent contact and ensure they're successfully farming out. So we have established our footprint in the Pacific Northwest headquartered around the Portland area. We have a footprint in California both at our Davis headquarters here and then further south in the Central Valley of California. We also have established a foothold in Florida which is new to the hemp industry, but is growing rapidly. And we continue to build out our capabilities in the Mountain West and in the desert -- greater desert area anywhere from Imperial through Yuma Arizona down into West Texas. Obviously, Hawaii as a point of strength for us we have not only agronomist to service farmers, but also promise to service our own acres there. So real on the ground experience happening every single day. We are continuing to look for the right place to position our Midwest location. I hope that answered your question yes.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Yes. With the number -- just talking about the number of acres that you have in test fields. It sounds like you have about 30 now in Hawaii and you said you're developing another 20. When will they be come on come online?

Matthew Plavan

Management

They're coming online as we speak.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Okay.

Sarah Reiter

Management

That’s in Hawaii and we also have research field station in Far Southern California in Imperial County.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

And so my next question, how many acres are there?

Sarah Reiter

Management

10 [ph].

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Moving over to soy, could you give some color on the Expoagro. Last year in the press release said, they were about 1200 attendees that came actually to your pavilion even though we know over well over a 100,000 attend overall. Could you give some color of how many people came to the your pavilion this year and what was their attitude and what was the strength of the growers that wanted to register?

Sarah Reiter

Management

Sure. Let me get you the exact number of folks who participate in. I don't want to give you wrong information. I can give you some color off the top of my head about the tenor of the discussion. So Argentina last year suffered through a pretty significant drought, which serves to really highlight the strengths of HP for soybeans in both the smaller test plots that we had at Expo agro and also in farmer's fields where we were running demonstration trials. So we came in to Expoagro with already a good sense that that growers perceive this has a highly valued traits Additionally, as herbicide tolerant, so we focused on the strength of this trait in our demonstrations at Expoagrow against resistant wheat, and so we had a really successful show in fact we had about ten times more growers sign up to produce seeds for us in the coming fall season which would begin starting in August or September then we actually may need. So we have the lucky situation where we're going to have the ability to pick our partners. It's really a lucky situation. The desire for the growers in Argentina is to have new innovation and they continue to support our development and we today have digging through to get you a number as quickly as possible. I'll have to come back to you with a number. I apologize.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

That's okay. We can talk offline later. When you said ten times more growers, growers versus the acreage? Would it be comparable ten times as much acreage?

Sarah Reiter

Management

I misspoke, it's ten times much more acreage not ten times more growers.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Okay. And moving to the corporate level, your guidance is for $10 million in revenues this year. And while your third of the way there already with the GoodHemp. But also you said that your legacy product GLA is strong. I'm just looking through my model and it looks like you'll have over a $1 million in revenues there this year. Am I off?

Sarah Reiter

Management

That's a fair estimate.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Okay. And lastly concerning this paycheck protection program you applied and received over a $1 million there. Do you plan to apply for forgiveness? And if so, do you expect to be alone to be -- the loan to be forgivable?

Matthew Plavan

Management

Pam, do you want to take that one.

Pamela Haley

Management

Sure. I would say that yes. We do plan to apply for forgiveness and we believe that we will qualify -- will have the qualifiable expenses to get that forgiveness.

Steven Ralston

Analyst

Thank you very much.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Thank you.

Operator

Operator

And our next question will come from the line of Robert Smith from Center for Performance Investing. You may begin.

Robert Smith

Analyst

Hello. Good afternoon. Thanks for taking my questions. Hope you guys are doing well. And Mike, can you just reference the possible headwinds down in Argentina, because there are financial difficulties and also the renting, I guess there that winter with the virus?

Matthew Plavan

Management

So is your question, are we concerned about that?

Robert Smith

Analyst

Yes.

Matthew Plavan

Management

No. We have very formidable partner in Bioceres who is on the ground well entrenched and as Sarah just laid out, we continue to progress the introduction and the testing of the soybeans with farmers. So at the moment we don't see any reason for unnecessary alarm or concern that we won't be able to move forward with plans. So I would say provided nothing deteriorates meaningfully we remain confident in executing on our plan.

Robert Smith

Analyst

Okay. That's good. I assume that the longer term gross profit for the company remaining in looking beyond this year that you stated?

Matthew Plavan

Management

Sorry, Robert, can you say that one more time.

Robert Smith

Analyst

The longer range targets that you've stated beyond 2020 are still intact, I mean, they haven't deterred at all?

Matthew Plavan

Management

Well, we think its prudent at this point to provide visibility on 2020 have not reason to believe. If we're successful executing 2020 as we projected that the years thereafter won't be in line with the significant growth that we've outlined before. But I do think that we want to be a bit more careful and not go beyond 2020 at this point. It would be probably this prudent just stick with the guidance that we have in the earnings release today.

Robert Smith

Analyst

So you stated the figure beforehand. Are you kind of withdrawing that?

Matthew Plavan

Management

No, I'm not withdrawing it. I'm just -- it get reinforce..

Robert Smith

Analyst

And I can think of several my other questions have already been answered. So I wish you best of luck and look forward to hearing further progress.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Great. Thank you, Robert. Much appreciated.

Operator

Operator

Thank you. I'm actually not showing any further questions at this time. I like to turn the call back over to Matt for any closing remarks.

Matthew Plavan

Management

Great. Thank you everyone for tuning in. We hope you stay safe and healthy. And we look forward to continuing to report our progress. Have a great evening.

Operator

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today's conference call. Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.