Flux FY’18 Revenue Rose 357% to $4.1M; Anticipates
FY’19 Lithium-Ion Battery
Revenue More Than Doubling on Growing Large Customer
Demand
Flux
Sidoti Conference Webcast Today, Sept. 27 at 8:00 am
ET
Vista, CA – September 27, 2018 -- Flux Power Holdings,
Inc. (OTCQB: FLUX), a developer of advanced lithium industrial
batteries for electric forklifts and airport ground support
equipment (GSE), today reported results for its fourth quarter
(Q4’18) and fiscal year ended June 30, 2018
(FY‘18).
Flux is targeting an estimated $10B market opportunity to provide
lithium-ion batteries to power forklifts and airport ground service
equipment – replacing decades-old lead-acid battery chemistry
with a better performing, more convenient and energy efficient
solution with a lower total cost of ownership.
Flux CEO Ron Dutt, commented, “After five years of
development, customer piloting, technical approvals, OEM dialogues
and initial deployments, the market for lithium-ion motive power
batteries is here and gaining momentum. A growing number of Fortune
500 companies are discovering the clear benefits this more
efficient solution can bring to enhancing their materials handling
operations. This awakening demand is at the root of our positive
outlook for Flux.”
Highlights:
●
Q4’18 revenue rose 800% to $1.1
million, versus $121,000 in the fourth quarter of fiscal
2017 ended June 30, 2017 (Q4’17). Q4’18 revenue
included $261,000 in airport ground service equipment batteries
shipped to a global aviation services provider.
●
FY’18 revenue rose 357% to $4.1
million from $902,000 in fiscal year ended June 30, 2017
(FY’17). FY’18 was a watershed year
in the accelerating adoption of Flux’s lithium-ion
“LiFT Pack” batteries to replace lead-acid chemistry.
Major customers also began to purchase Flux LiFT Packs for new
forklift orders, building on initial traction for LiFT Packs as a
replacement to end-of-life lead-acid batteries.
●
Flux completed development in FY’18 of
several higher capacity LiFT Packs to power larger forklifts
such as Class 1 Counterbalance
forklifts, Class 2 Reach Trucks, and Class 3 End Riders. Depending on configuration and
required power capacity, Flux End Rider packs, Class 2 Reach Truck
packs, and Class 1 LiFT Packs are up to 2 times, 4-5 times, and 5-6
times, respectively, the average price of its entry-level LiFT
Packs for walkie pallet jacks.
●
End-Rider Batteries in Advanced Stages of
Evaluation – Flux delivered its new Class 3 End Rider
Lift Pack demonstration units to a handful of customers,
OEM’s and equipment dealers in FY’18. The evaluations
have gone well and progressed into procurement dialogues. Flux
expects these dialogues to result in initial orders over the next
three-four months.
●
Flux has a current order backlog of $2.0
million, and it also has significant sales opportunities in
advanced stages of discussion.
o
Includes a
$350,000 order to provide LiFT Pack
batteries and related chargers to a Midwest automotive parts
supplier, primarily for Class 1 forklifts. The customer is
converting from propane power to electric counterbalance trucks
built by a leading European OEM and powered by Flux lithium-ion
batteries. Delivery and revenue recognition is expected in
November 2018.
o
Includes an $0.8 million initial order with
a Fortune 100 customer for Class 1 and 2 LiFT Packs to be shipped
in October 2018. Flux is working to finalize a Global Master
Purchase Agreement with this customer, and it anticipates further
Class 1 Lift Pack orders from this customer in
FY’19.
FY’19 Outlook
Flux
anticipates FY’19 revenue to more than double
FY’18 revenue
based on the strength of its sales to date in the first quarter of
FY’19, its current order backlog and its outlook for order
activity for the balance of FY’19. Flux anticipates growing
adoption of its larger and higher price point Class 1, Class 2 and
Class 3 End Rider batteries, along with continued penetration of
the Class 3 Walkie pallet jack space. Flux also expects to achieve
solid progress enhancing gross margin during FY’19 as it
implements a range of design and sourcing improvements while also
benefitting from growing economies of scale and a reduction in
promotional pricing.
FY’18 Operating Results
Flux’s
FY’18 revenues rose 357% to $4,118,000 compared to $902,000
in FY’17, reflecting initial commercial scale deployments to
two major customers beginning in November 2017, growing production
capabilities and rising interest in lithium storage solutions.
During FY’18 Flux invested in general engineering and design,
developed battery packs for the End Rider and Class 1 and 2
forklift markets and revitalized its sales blueprint, including
direct introductions to certain large end-user
accounts.
Cost of
goods sold increased to $4,913,000 in FY’18 from $1,622,000
in FY’17, reflecting increased production volumes, associated
costs and warranty expense for first generation units. The cost of
materials per LiFT Pack in FY’18 decreased compared to
FY’17 as higher production volumes enabled modest
improvements in materials and component pricing. Flux continued to
experience negative gross margins in FY’18 due to higher
costs from low volume purchasing, promotional pricing, and
higher-cost first generation designs, particularly for the GSE
product launch. Flux is working to enhance gross margins through a
planned combination of sourcing initiatives, lower prices from
higher volume purchasing, and expected growing economies of
scale.
Selling
and administrative expenses increased to $3,462,000 in FY’18
from $2,404,000 in FY’17, principally due to additional cash
and stock-based compensation expense related to new hires in sales,
marketing, engineering and manufacturing and assembly, along with
increased marketing expense to support new products and legal fees
related to completed fund raising.
Research
& development expenses increased to $1,956,000 in FY’18
from $1,052,000 in FY’17, reflecting development costs
supporting the full product line as well as LiFT Pack design
improvements, Flux’s net loss increased to $6.97M ($0.27 per
share) in FY’18 from $4.44M ($0.18 per share) in FY’17
mainly due to higher operating expenses and increased interest
expense. Per share results are based on of 25.4M and 24.5M weighted
average basic shares at the end of FY’18 and FY’17,
respectively, reflecting the weighted average impact of the
issuance of 5.7M common shares in a $4M private placement near the
close of FY’18. Share figures have been adjusted to reflect
Flux’s 1-for-10 reverse split implemented on August 18,
2017.
Q4’18 Operating Results
Q4’18
revenue increased 800% to $1,098,000 compared to $121,000 in
Q4’17, driven by higher walkie LiFT Pack sales and the sale
of airport GSE packs to one of the largest global aviation industry’s provider of cargo
and aircraft ground handling services.
Q4’18
cost of goods sold increased to $1,185,000 compared to $238,000 in
Q4’17, principally reflecting higher production volumes.
Selling and administrative expenses increased to $1,084,000 in
Q4’18 from $562,000 in Q4’17, principally reflecting
increased staffing to support growth. Research & development
expenses increased to $515,000 in Q4’18, compared to $280,000
in Q4’17 as Flux progressed development of higher capacity
battery packs for larger equipment. Flux’s Q4’18 net
loss increased to $1,926,000 from $1,058,000 in Q4’17,
principally reflecting higher operating costs and interest
expense.
Flux Financing and Capital Structure:
Flux
has funded its working capital through a combination of borrowings
under an Unrestricted Line of Credit and an Inventory Line of
Credit both from Flux’s largest shareholder, Esenjay
Investments, LLC, as well as through private placements of common
stock. Flux also raised $4 million in FY’18 from the private
placement of common stock at $0.70 per share in May and June
2018.
There
was $7.9M outstanding as of June 30, 2018 under a $10M Unrestricted
Line of Credit, convertible into common stock at $0.60 per share,
and $2.4M outstanding as of June 30, 2018 under a $5M Inventory
Line of Credit. Flux’s largest shareholder has committed to
converting the entire outstanding balance of the unrestricted Line
of Credit into restricted Flux common stock on or before January
31, 2019.
CEO,
Ron Dutt, added, “Fiscal 2018 was a watershed year for Flux
in all respects. We achieved a meaningful increase in commercial
delivery of LiFT Packs for Walkie pallet jacks relative to the
prior year, introduced LiFT Packs for larger forklifts, and key
products of airport ground support equipment. We solidified our
production capabilities, and also expanded our high caliber,
experienced sales team to strengthen our industry relationships and
enhance our reach into national accounts.
“We
are off to a solid start so far in fiscal 2019 and are encouraged
by the interest we are seeing across our customer and industry
relationships. Based on our industry experience, time-tested design
and engineering, OEM approvals, customer relationships and expanded
product reach, we believe Flux is an industry leader, and is well
positioned to grow sales of a full forklift product line of battery
packs in Fiscal 2019 and beyond.”
Sidoti Fall 2018 Conference Webcast Details:
Date /
Time:
Thursday,
September 27 at 8:00 am ET
Live Webcast / Replay
URL:
http://www.fluxpwr.com/investors/
Submit
Questions:
via email to flux@catalyst-ir.com or call our IR firm 212 924
9800
About Flux Power Holdings, Inc. (www.fluxpwr.com)
Flux
Power develops advanced lithium-ion batteries for industrial uses,
including its first-ever UL 2271 Listed lithium-ion “LiFT
Pack” forklift batteries. Flux solutions utilize its
proprietary battery management system and in-house engineering and
product design. Flux batteries deliver improved performance,
extended cycle life and lower total cost of ownership than legacy
lead-acid solutions. Flux sells primarily to lift equipment
OEM’s, their dealers and battery distributors. Current
products include advanced battery packs for motive power in the
lift equipment and airport ground support markets.
This release contains projections and other "forward-looking
statements" relating to Flux’s business, that are often
identified by the use of "believes," "expects" or similar
expressions. Forward-looking statements involve a number of
estimates, assumptions, risks and other uncertainties that may
cause actual results to be materially different from those
anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, etc. Such
forward-looking statements include the development and success of
new products, projected sales, the Company’s ability to
timely obtain UL Listing for its products, the Company’s
ability to fund its operations, distribution partnerships and
business opportunities and the uncertainties of customer acceptance
of current and new products. Actual results could differ from those
projected due to numerous factors and uncertainties. Although Flux
believes that the expectations, opinions, projections, and comments
reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they
can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be
correct, and that the Flux’s actual results of
operations,
financial condition and performance will not differ materially from
the results
of operations, financial condition and performance reflected or
implied by these forward-looking
statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on the
forward-looking statements and Investors should refer to the risk
factors outlined in our Form 10-K, 10-Q and other reports filed
with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov/edgar.
These forward-looking statements
are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company
assumes no obligation to update these statements or the reasons why
actual results could differ from those
projected.
Flux,
Flux Power and associated logos are trademarks of Flux Power
Holdings, Inc. All other third party brands, products, trademarks,
or registered marks are the property of and used to identify the
products or services of their respective owners.
Follow
Flux on:
Flux Power Currents Blog
@FLUXpwr Twitter – Corporate and
@FluxPowerIR Twitter - Investor Relations
FLUX InvestorsHangout.com
Media & Investor Relations:
David
Collins and Chris Eddy
Catalyst
IR
212-924-9800
flux@catalyst-ir.com
FLUX POWER HOLDINGS, INC.
|
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
|
(Unaudited)
|
*
figures in thousands, except per share data
|
Three
months ended
June
30,
|
Twelve
months ended
June
30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
revenue
|
$1,098
|
$121
|
$4,118
|
$902
|
Cost of
sales
|
1,185
|
238
|
4,913
|
1,622
|
Gross
loss
|
(87)
|
(117)
|
(795)
|
(720)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
Selling and
administrative expenses
|
1,084
|
562
|
3,462
|
2,404
|
Research and
development
|
515
|
280
|
1,956
|
1,052
|
Total operating
expenses
|
1,599
|
842
|
5,418
|
3,456
|
Operating
loss
|
(1,686)
|
(959)
|
(6,213)
|
(4,176)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income
(expense):
|
|
|
|
|
Change in fair
value ofderivative liabilities
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
14
|
Interest
expense
|
(240)
|
(99)
|
(752)
|
(273)
|
Net
loss
|
$(1,926)
|
$(1,058)
|
$(6,965)
|
$(4,435)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss per share
- basic and diluted
|
$(0.07)
|
$(0.04)
|
$(0.27)
|
$(0.18)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average
number of common shares outstanding - basic and
diluted
|
26,222
|
25,555
|
25,394
|
24,544
|