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Veru Inc. (VERU)

Q2 2013 Earnings Call· Thu, May 2, 2013

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Hello, and welcome to the Female Health Company’s Second Quarter of fiscal year 2013 operating results conference call. All participants will be in listen-only mode. Should you need assistance, please signal conference specialist by pressing the star key followed by 0. After today’s presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Please note this event is being recorded. The statements made on this conference call which are not historical fact, are forward-looking statements based upon the company’s current plan and strategies and reflect the company’s current assessment of the risks and uncertainties related to its business. Including such things as product demand and market acceptance, the economic and business environment, and the impact of government pressures, currency risks, capacity, efficiency and supply constraints and other risks detailed in the company’s press releases, shareholder communication, and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. For additional information, the company urges you to consider reviewing its 10-Q and 10-K SEC filings. I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. O.B. Parrish. Please go ahead, sir.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thank you, Maureen. Good morning to everybody and welcome to the Female Health Company’s second quarter conference call. Michele Greco, our Vice President and Chief Financial Officer is here with me in Chicago. Mike Pope, our Vice President U.K. and Malaysian Operations is participating from London Athens [ph]. This morning, I’ll address the financial results, recent events, some long term demand factors that will impact future results and the outlook. And then we’ll take questions. As usual, when I refer to years, I am referring to the company’s fiscal year which ends September 30th unless I note otherwise. I am very pleased to report the results for the second quarter was excellent. Unit sales increased 20% to 16.7 million versus the prior year quarter. Revenue increased 21% to $9.5 million. Gross profit increase 21% to $5.5 million, 585 of sales compared to $4.6 million in the prior year quarter. Operating expenses decreased 10% to $2.2 million compared to the second quarter of 2012. The decrease was due to lower compensation of pools [ph], and onetime expenses occurring in the second quarter of 2012 that did not repeat in 2013, also in part by increased education and training expense. Operating income increased 55% to 3.4 million from $2.2 million in the prior year quarter. Net income for the second quarter increased 83% to $3.5 million or $0.12 per diluted common share compared to $1.9 million or $0.07 per diluted common share for the second quarter of 2012. I should note that unit sales, revenues, operating income and net income were all new second quarter records. Turning to the first half, unit sales increased 16% to 34 million, revenue is increased 18% to 19.4 million. Gross profit increased 20% to 11.5 million from 9.6 million in the first six months of 2012,…

Operator

Operator

(Operator instructions) Our first question is Andrew Love, Love Savings Holding. Please go ahead, sir. Andrew Love – Love Savings Holding: Good morning O.B.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Good morning, Andrew. Andrew Love – Love Savings Holding: Congratulations on another excellent quarter.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thank you. Andrew Love – Love Savings Holding: My question is whether you’ve got, or can share with us any feeling as to the level and growth of conventional commercial sales through commercial channels in the United States?

O.B. Parrish

Management

In term of the commercial sales, we distribute in selective Walgreen stores, I think about 700 stores and those are stores located in cities like Washington DC where there’s a high rate of sexually transmitted disease. We had some growth of the sales in those stores, we’ve also had some growth in online sales through Walgreens, also some CBS stores. However, I wouldn’t say that it was, at this point, that it’s substantive. Andrew Love – Love Savings Holding: Thanks.

Operator

Operator

Our next question will be from John Gay, an investor. Please go ahead. John Gay – Private Investor: Hi O.B. Congratulations to you and the gang on the great quarter, and a great half. Two ideas that I wanted to check out a little better with you. One is the Bill Gates in U.K. family planning, I guess those initiative, the EUR 17 million which you have mentioned at the annual meeting, apparently have been – and I’m trying to figure, is that an annual kind of order? Is it expected to grow? And where do we go from here with it?

O.B. Parrish

Management

No, not necessarily an annual order. And it isn’t necessarily an order. It’s money that the British government has basically given to the United Nations Population Fund to purchase female condoms on their behalf. And we will be the beneficiary, certainly of that. But look at it in the overall context, at the family planning, the British government or in fact, David Cameron, the Prime Minister at the time, committed GBP 500 million over the four year period of the program which is $700 million or $800 million of the current translation rates. So we expect that over this four year period, that there will be additional commitments, not all of that money, obviously, but to the extent we are focusing on female condoms for the additional commitments. We don’t know exactly what the sequence will be. There is GBP 500 million pledged by the British government for the overall program. John Gay – Private Investor: Okay. So there is, to be following on orders expected sooner or later out of that initiative, I see. The other thing, I thought I heard, did South Africa tender for another purchase?

O.B. Parrish

Management

We’ve had regular orders from South Africa. John Gay – Private Investor: Was that the 13 million? Was that the units?

O.B. Parrish

Management

In 2011, order was 5 million completed, and we shipped most of that and we shipped additional units on the same basis. In other words, sometimes, you’ll have a tender, that’s fulfilled, and they can continue to order against that tender before they have another one. John Gay – Private Investor: Okay, okay. Well thank you, O.B. It’s a very bright outlook it seems. Thanks.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thanks, John.

Operator

Operator

Our next question is Mark Robins [ph] Palettes Research, please go ahead. Mark Robins – Palettes Research: Thank you. O.B., just a great quarter. Thank you very much.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thank you. Mark Robins – Palettes Research: And I also appreciate the news about the dividend being return of capital. I have not realized that, so I appreciate your adding that color to the dividend story. You had a very successful first and second quarter, and I guess my question is kind of a rough one, and I do apologize, but we’re talking about unit sales of 16% to 20%. Would you consider that significant quote-unquote?

O.B. Parrish

Management

You mean the growth figures? Mark Robins – Palettes Research: Pardon me?

O.B. Parrish

Management

You’re talking about the growth? Mark Robins – Palettes Research: The growth figures, yes. I’m sorry. Unit sales increase, right.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Yes. I think, considering that we came off of this year last year, we had an 88% increase. And then if you look, and I think it’s in the queue, and this is kind of how I look at it, over the southern Europe period 2005 to 2012, our fiscal years, the annual compound unit growth rate was 23%. And we have one year where there’s a spectacular growth rate and in 2011, a different year because of the delays of the orders. So we feel very good about following off that year with solid growth this year. Mark Robins – Palettes Research: No, and please don’t get me wrong. I agree entirely. I’m just wondering when you say significant, if significant is 15% to 20%, not 50% to 60%. I’m just trying to put a gauge on some of your comments, that’s all.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Well 50 to 60 would be more significant. Mark Robins – Palettes Research: I would guess so. Second question is, the results that you’ve been producing and the strong balance sheet and a variety of the other factors, this stock just seems undervalued and I mean no criticism, but I was just kind of curious to know if you’ve increased your addressing or work with the street to get more investors in tune with the story.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Yes, we’ve been very active and one thing that’s kind of interesting is that our institutional ownership from about one year ago was about 24% and it’s moved up in the most recent account to about 35% or about 45% of the float [ph]. And I think to the extent we bring more institutional investors in, it will help the point that you just made. And this is probably, you can look it up in the [inaudible] we had advisers in Philadelphia within the last few months we’ve came in and announced about a million shares an $8 million position. And I think if we continue to attract people like that, it’s going to be positive in the long term. Mark Robins – Palettes Research: And I apologize for kind of crowding in, has your shares been purchased by what is it, the prints [ph], down in Florida, the dividend fund?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Not that I’m aware of. Mark Robins – Palettes Research: Okay, okay. Well, it’s a great story and I think it’s getting better discovered and deserves to be so. Thank you very much.

Operator

Operator

Our next question, George Whiteside SWS Financial. Please go ahead. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Good morning. And I’d like to add my congratulations for a wonderful quarter as well as the six months.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thanks, George. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: The comment about commercial sales and I guess that also might feed into public health local, public health entities, since there appears to be more and more drug resistant sexually transmitted disease issues, are you seeing any pickup in sales from non-AIDS types of situations?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Well yes. One thing that’s happened, I think is, you probably read about the resistance strains in gonorrhea that gotten a lot of this recently, and so the city programs, like the New York City program that I referenced, the Washington DC program in various cities, these programs are more broadly focused on sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS. But among the population, these programs are focused on gonorrhea, and other sexually transmitted disease are common, in fact if you get one, because of the inflammations, you’re more susceptible to get a second one. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: And do you see that adding your volume in the feature?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Yes. Well we currently see and part of it is reflected through public sector volume and in part through the stories that are located in those particular cities, but the overall city of the U.S. line up. An example, in Washington DC, I think it’s the third year, fourth year of their program. And they are out with a new ad campaign, a new television ad campaign on sexually transmitted disease and that ad campaign features FC2 in the ad campaign. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: That sounds certainly positive.

O.B. Parrish

Management

In fact, you can probably access that through the web. We’re going to Washington DC Department of Health in the female condoms. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Excellent. My second question is related to competition. I’ve understood that there has been some marketing of a female condom manufactured by someone else. Are you seeing much activity in the market place relative to that other organization?

O.B. Parrish

Management

As reported in our filings of what other manufacturers, small Indian [ph] company is – WHO clearance repurchase by UN agencies called CUPID, to date, they have received very limited orders. They have to scale up to large scale manufacturing to pass in the international standards. And at this point, the capacity to do that and also the acceptability of the product is design, the acceptability of the product and the education and training required for a different product, the success or acceptability, that remains to be seen. But to date we haven’t had any significant issue. It doesn’t appear to be anybody else close to any particular type of approval. And on the frontal vaccines unfortunately from the societal standpoint, the NIH just recently announced that major vaccine study was terminated because of lack of effectiveness which suggests a high degree of difficulty to get something like that. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: That’s interesting. I know in the past you’ve commented on competition in Europe [ph]. And is CUPID the same company that had earlier –

O.B. Parrish

Management

Yes. Yes. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Thank you.

Operator

Operator

(Operator instructions) Our next question is Jack Wallace, Sidoti. Please go ahead. Jack Wallace – Sidoti & Company: Thank you for taking my call and looks like another strong quarter for you guys, O.B.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thank you, Jack. Jack Wallace – Sidoti & Company: Just a couple of questions here. And I don’t mean to nitpick, but I noticed that the average revenue per unit was down just slightly and the average cost unit was up just slightly. And I was wondering if you could just give me a little bit of color on that.

O.B. Parrish

Management

The average which? Jack Wallace – Sidoti & Company: The average price per unit look like it was down slightly maybe 2% and the average cost per unit look like it was maybe just up marginally, 2% or 3% as well. I’m just wondering if there’s any I guess overall trend there. Maybe there’s a larger order that got a discount. And maybe that some of the –

O.B. Parrish

Management

Well, there are two things involved. One is simply mix which could be positive or negative. And the other would be a modest negative in which that’s how we account for the 5% of goods [ph]. Jack Wallace – Sidoti & Company: Got you. Okay. No, thank you. That’s helpful. I was wondering if that was in there as well. And then I also noticed the inventory levels pops up quite significantly from the first quarter to the second quarter. I was wondering if that’s maybe an indication that maybe a larger order might be in the –

O.B. Parrish

Management

Mike, do you want to make a comment on the inventory?

Mike Pope

Analyst

Yes. We get variations from quarter to quarter on inventory. If we are building an order for a particular customer that might need pre inspection and pre release quality inspection, sometimes we can’t get every single female condom out by the end of each quarter, that’s the first thing. The second thing is in order to give good deliveries to some of our customers, we hold a little bit of strategic stock so that we can give very quick turn around when they place orders. It varies from quarter to quarter. There was a bit of an increase in the quarter that you’ve mentioned but it’s not significant. Jack Wallace – Sidoti & Company: Okay. Thank you. That’s very helpful. That will be all for me.

Operator

Operator

Our next question is a follow up George Whiteside, SWS Financial. Please go ahead. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Earlier in the call, there was a comment about some projections for the second half. And my question deals with your capacity stated that 100 million units. So it would appear as though maybe for one or two years, you’re not going to need to expand your manufacturing facility. Is that a reasonable conclusion?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Well, I don’t think we’ll have to, this year George. We did 61.6 million units last year as you know. Beyond that I can’t say, in fact, I hope that we would have to expand it. If we do, it takes about six months from the time we make a decision until something can be operational. But we’re certainly okay for this year. And we’re prepared to extend it further if it looks like next year or at any time we need more capacity. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Well, I’m sure that you as well as those of us shareholders would be delighted if you needed to expand your capacity, because that –

O.B. Parrish

Management

Exactly. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Yes. That would be a good problem to have. I was glad and interested to hear you describe the tax situation regarding the dividend. And in this area, I noted that your recorded income tax expense is less this year for the quarter as compared to last year. What would have contributed to that?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Michele, do you want to take that?

Michele Greco

Analyst

There are two main factors contributing there, again, with the mix between domestic and foreign. We were a little down domestic compared to foreign. And second was just timing of some deductible item. The timing of some of those items significantly increase their taxable income last year for this period. And this year it decreased our taxable income. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Interesting. And I presume your state of Illinois tax situation has been resolved or will be, shortly?

Michele Greco

Analyst

Well, it used to be NOL suspension last through 2014. George Whiteside – SWS Financial: Thank you for that clarification.

Operator

Operator

Our next question would be from Mark Williamson, a private investor. Please go ahead. Mark Williamson – Private Investor: Good morning and I echo what others have said. What a great quarter and a good start to the year.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thanks, Mark. Mark Williamson – Private Investor: Just a quick question, the company is growing at a rapid rate. And I’m just curious what the overall market is in male condoms, what their growth rate looks like? And at what point does the success of female health start to appear and the interest maybe to those on the male side of things. Any comment?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Yes. I think the global market for male condoms on an annual basis is about 13 billion units. About 3 billion of that is in the commercial sector and about 10 billion in the public sector. And so, we represent a miniscule portion of that in total. And women now account for half of all the AIDS cases, so we have a great opportunity. The growth, the United Nations UN AIDS program, projects that I think by 2015 or ‘16, that the market for condoms, public sector market for condoms, all condoms will total about 19 billion units. So there is overall growth projected at least by the United Nations for condoms. And I can’t comment to what extent that would strike, part of those companies and us. Mark Williamson – Private Investor: Thank you.

Operator

Operator

Our next question is Dennis Scully, Essex Securities. Please go ahead. Dennis Scully – Essex Securities: Greetings. Congratulations again.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Thank you. Dennis Scully – Essex Securities: I know one thing that is going to pop up with my client questions. And that is, if last year’s dividend was 97% return of capital, is there any way to gauge what future years dividends return of capital will be?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Michele, do you want to make a comment on this?

Michele Greco

Analyst

No, we can’t estimate that. But if this year was 97%, last year was approximately 78%; it’s the calculation that’s made at the end of the year after we know the impact of all tax items. The NOL is going to continue and that impacts us favorably. So we believe there is still going to be an impact. It’s not going to be at this level. It will be at reduced level, maybe something similar to last year or even less. Dennis Scully – Essex Securities: Okay. Well, last year’s was 97% right?

Michele Greco

Analyst

Yes, and the year before it was approximately 78. Dennis Scully – Essex Securities: Okay. So this year it sounds like it will be less than 97%?

O.B. Parrish

Management

Probably.

Michele Greco

Analyst

Yes.

O.B. Parrish

Management

Probably, but it will still be significant. Dennis Scully – Essex Securities: Understood. Thank you very much.

Operator

Operator

Having no further questions, this concludes our question and answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to Mr. O.B. Parrish, for any closing remarks.

O.B. Parrish

Management

I would just like to thank everybody for their support and interest and some very good questions. And we’ll be on the next quarter. Thanks.

Operator

Operator

To access the digital replay of this conference, you may dial, 1-877-3447529 or 1-412-3170088 beginning at 1 PM eastern time today. You will be prompted to enter a conference number, which will be 10028101. You will be prompted to record your name, and company when joining. The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today’s presentation. You may now disconnect.