Flux Power Nine Month Revenues Rose 109% to $6.3M on Growing
Adoption
of Lithium Battery to Power Forklifts and Industrial
Equipment
Vista, CA – May 10, 2019 -- Flux Power Holdings, Inc.
(OTCQB: FLUX), a developer of advanced lithium batteries for
industrial applications including electric forklifts and airport
ground support equipment (GSE), today reported results for its
fiscal 2019 third quarter (Q3 ‘19) and nine months ended
March 31, 2019.
Highlights:
●
Q3 ’19 Revenue Rose 6% to $1.8M versus
the prior year, driven primarily by sales of LiFT Pack
batteries for Class 3 “walkie” pallet jack forklifts as
well as Class 3 end riders, Class 1 counterbalance trucks, and
Class 2 narrow aisle lift trucks. Flux continues to see
accelerating commercial adoption of its lithium-ion batteries which
provide a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to
lead-acid chemistry, despite some variability in the timing of
larger customer orders.
●
FY 2019 First Nine Months Revenue Rose 109% to
$6.3M, compared to $3.0M in the year-ago period and revenue
of $4.1M for all of fiscal 2018. Flux’s year-to-date revenue
increase was achieved by improving sales across Flux’s full
product lines for forklifts and airport ground support equipment,
versus year-ago sales principally from its initial LiFT Pack line
for only walkie pallet jacks.
●
Flux Remains on Track for FY 2019 Revenue to
More than Double its performance in FY 2018 and expects to
achieve continued gross margin improvements going forward.
Flux’s fourth quarter ending June 30, 2019 is expected to
include revenue from its full product line rollout.
●
Flux is relocating this summer to a larger
63,000 square foot facility nearby which is nearly three time the
size of its current headquarters. We will initially occupy 46,000
square feet, with first right of refusal for an additional 15,000
square feet of warehouse which is anticipated to support future
growth. The new facility is being designed to support
increased production of multiple product lines as well as the
Company’s expanded sales, marketing and customer support
teams.
●
In March,
Flux announced a relationship with
a leading forklift manufacturer, pursuant to which it will
supply lithium-ion batteries, on a private label basis, for the
forklift OEM’s walkie pallet jack product line. Flux has
already received initial orders from the OEM in the current quarter
ending June 30th.
●
Additional UL Listings – Flux is
near completion of testing for UL Listing for its Class 1
counterbalance truck LiFT Packs which debuted earlier this year. It
also recently completed testing for UL Listing for its proprietary,
next-generation battery management system BMS 2.0 which provides a
range of “industry leading” new capabilities and
significant performance enhancements in the new design. The new BMS
2.0 utilizes a smaller footprint and a more efficient design which
should provide a meaningful gross margin benefit as it rolls out in
scale. Flux remains one of the industry leaders in securing this
respected confirmation of quality, safety and reliability for its
solutions. Flux secured its first UL Listing in 2016 for its Class
3 Walkie LiFT Packs.
Flux
CEO, Ron Dutt, commented, “Our quarterly performance shows
solid growth in both breadth of our customer base and new business
prospects. Timing of major customer orders, and their
decision-making processes, has impeded the improvement we
anticipated. These delays in some orders held our third quarter
revenue growth over prior quarter to 6%, and our pipeline and
year-to-date performance confirm that we are well on track to
achieve our goal of more than doubling revenue in our fiscal year
ending June 30th.
“Last
month the Flux team returned from ProMat 2019, the global materials
handling industry’s largest convention held every other year,
with strong confidence and new customer leads. Lithium power was
one of a few prominent themes at Promat this year, with widespread
evidence of substantially expanded awareness and engagement in the
performance, energy efficiency and cost benefits of lithium battery
solutions as an alternative to lead-acid chemistry. This growing
engagement in lithium solutions, combined with our full offering of
lithium-ion solutions across all forklift classes, positions Flux
well to continue our growth trajectory in the coming fiscal
year.”
Financial Results:
Q3
‘19 revenue rose 6% to $1,751,000 compared to $1,666,000 in
Q3’18, principally due to continued solid demand for
Flux’s walkie LiFT Pack solutions and initial shipments of
Class 2 narrow aisle LiFT Packs.
Q3
‘19 cost of sales decreased 7% to $1,690,000 compared to
$1,816,000 in Q3 ’18, principally due, improved workforce
efficiencies and to bill of material cost reductions. Flux’s
gross profit rose to $61,000 in Q3’19 from a gross profit
loss of ($105,000) in Q3’18, reflecting increasing purchasing
and production efficiencies resulting from Flux’s ongoing
margin enhancement plan. The plan involves staged improvements in
design, production, procurement and pricing initiatives, in
addition to expected efficiency improvements through higher
production volumes, that should drive ongoing improvements in gross
margins over the next several quarters.
Selling
and administrative expenses increased to $2,421,000 in Q3 ‘19
from $909,000 in Q3 ’18, primarily due to the addition of
sales and support staff required to develop and service both our
full product line rollout and significantly higher customer
activity, which includes a $1.0M increase in stock-based
compensation related to option grants for both new and existing
employees.
Research
& development expenses increased to $1,364,000 in Q3 ‘19,
compared to $483,000 in Q3 ‘18, as Flux invested in
completing development of its larger Class 1 and Class 2 battery
solutions and comprehensive UL certification processes for both its
Class 1 LiFT Pack and next generation BMS. R&D expenses are
expected to remain significant as Flux addresses specific partner
and customer design requests supporting customer demand, develops
solutions for other potential motive power markets, and invests in
new capabilities and features to strengthen margins and customer
demand.
Flux’s
Q3 ‘19 operating loss increased to $3.7M from $1.5M in Q3
‘18, principally due to higher operating expenses supporting
future growth and its full product line rollout, including $1.1M in
stock based compensation. Net loss in Q3 ‘19 increased to
$3.8M, or ($0.08) per basic share, from $1.8M, or ($0.07) per basic
share, in Q3 ‘18, reflecting the higher operating loss offset
by a decrease in interest expense due to lower average
borrowings.
Financial Position:
In
support of its operations, growth and new product initiatives, Flux
raised a total of $4.4M from the private placement of common stock
at $1.10 per share, with closings in December 2018 and January
2019.
On
March 28, 2019, Flux entered into an amended and restated credit
facility agreement with Esenjay Investments, LLC, owned by the
Company’s largest shareholder and, Cleveland Capital to
extend the maturity date from March 31, 2019 to December 31, 2019
and to increase the maximum principal amount available from $5M to
$7M. Total borrowings outstanding under this credit facility were
$3.4M at March 31, 2019.
About Flux Power Holdings, Inc. (www.fluxpower.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.
Follow us at:
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Corporate
@FluxPowerIR Investor
Relations
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.
Media & Investor Relations:
Catalyst
IR
David
Collins or Chris Eddy
212-924-9800
flux@catalyst-ir.com
FLUX POWER
HOLDINGS, INC.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
|
Three months
ended March 31,
|
Nine months
ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
revenue
|
$1,751,000
|
$1,666,000
|
$6,297,000
|
$3,020,000
|
Cost of
sales
|
1,690,000
|
1,816,000
|
5,968,000
|
3,728,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit
(loss)
|
61,000
|
(150,000)
|
329,000
|
(708,000)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
Selling and
administrative expenses
|
2,421,000
|
909,000
|
5,518,000
|
2,378,000
|
Research and
development
|
1,364,000
|
483,000
|
2,892,000
|
1,441,000
|
Total operating
expenses
|
3,785,000
|
1,392,000
|
8,410,000
|
3,819,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
loss
|
(3,724,000)
|
(1,542,000)
|
(8,081,000)
|
(4,527,000)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income
(expense):
|
|
|
|
|
Interest
expense
|
(90,000)
|
(211,000)
|
(1,058,000)
|
(512,000)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(3,814,000)
|
$(1,753,000)
|
$(9,139,000)
|
$(5,039,000)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss per share
- basic and diluted
|
$(0.08)
|
$(0.07)
|
$(0.22)
|
$(0.20)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average
number of common shares outstanding - basic and
diluted
|
50,769,673
|
25,112,349
|
41,054,334
|
25,142,039
|