Day4 Energy Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2010 Results
By Day4 Energy Inc., PRNEWednesday, March 30, 2011
BURNABY, Canada, March 31, 2011 - Day4 Energy Inc. (TSX: DFE), a leading global provider of solar
photovoltaic (PV) products and solutions, today reports its operating results
for the fourth quarter and full year 2010.
"During this past year, we achieved a number of objectives including
improving our product cost structure and reaching new levels of market
adoption for our technology. In addition, we established the foundation for
the business strategy that we believe will allow us to capitalize on these
accomplishments moving forward. As we enter 2011, our industry is at a
critical point in its development due to a combination of factors, including
volatile feed-in tariff environments and continued price reductions as supply
is widely expected to exceed demand. We believe the consequences of this
shift in the market will be a very challenging business environment in which
consolidation among companies will be likely, and survivors will be
identified by their strong, competitive and differentiated product
offerings," says George Rubin, President of Day4 Energy Inc.
"In the fall of 2010 we successfully completed the acquisition of our
long-term manufacturing equipment development partner, ACI ecoTec GmbH
("ACI"). ACI's acquisition provides us with accelerated manufacturing
technology development capabilities, as well as a manufacturing solutions and
equipment sales, production and delivery infrastructure. With this
acquisition, we commenced the transformation of our business from technology
scale-up, and the required market development associated with PV module
manufacturing and distribution, to a manufacturing technology and product
marketing solutions company. We believe this strategy allows us to benefit
from the strengths of our brand and technology, and address the challenges of
the coming months" concludes Mr. Rubin.
Key events of the quarter and full year 2010 included:
1. Increasing Market Penetration
During the last year we successfully increased sales volumes to $166.7
million, an increase of 178% from the previous year. Furthermore, we entered
new markets and expanded geographic diversification of our market presence.
Our Italian market sales increased to $76.6 million compared to $4.3 million
in 2009. At the same time we expanded our sales presence in emerging markets,
including Australia, where our sales increased to $3.7 million compared to
$Nil in 2009.
2. Improving Product Cost Structure
During the last 12 months we concentrated our production and R&D efforts
on improving the cost structure of our product offering. During the first and
second quarters of 2010 our product cost reduction efforts focused on the
transition to new, lower cost product design and expanding our manufacturing
footprint at the Jabil facility in Poland. During the second half of the year
we further improved our product cost structure by adjusting the bill of
materials to include low cost components while maintaining high quality
standards of our product offering. As a result of these efforts we maintained
positive gross margin throughout the year and reached 8% in gross margin in
Q4 of 2010, even though adverse fluctuations in foreign exchange (FX) rates
had a strong negative impact on our cost of sales during the year.
3. Creating the Foundation for Future Growth
While our operating expenses continued to exceed gross profits for the
year, we established a foundation for the business model that we believe will
enable us to leverage the full potential of our now established proprietary
manufacturing process and ultimately improve our profit margins to
sustainable levels. By acquiring ACI in the fall of 2010 we have combined
experience as technology developers, module and equipment manufacturers and
marketing and sales experts to customers around the world wishing to
establish or expand their PV business through our Day4 solarSYSTEMS licensing
program.
Q4 and FY 2010 FINANCIAL RESULTS
Worldwide Product Revenues
Fourth quarter revenues of $57.7 million increased by $21.1 million or
57% from the same period in 2009 and by $16.3 million or 40% from the prior
quarter. Revenues for the full year ended December 31, 2010 increased by
$106.6 million when compared to the same period in 2009.
Gross Margins
Gross margin was $4.7 million (8%) for the fourth quarter 2010 as
compared to a gross margin of $1.7 million (4%) in the prior quarter and
$2.6 million in the fourth quarter 2009. We improved gross margin in the
fourth quarter due to stabilizing costs, near capacity production and
favourable FX rates. The change to a 5% gross margin in 2010 from a 14%
gross loss in 2009 was due to continuous improvement in the overall
manufacturing cost structure of our business, including: continuous
reductions in the bill of materials, production volume expansion and the
transition to a lower cost product mix which yielded a higher average
selling price per watt.
Expenses
For the fourth quarter of 2010, general and administrative (G&A) expenses
were $2.5 million, an increase of $0.6 million and $1.8 million over expenses
of $1.9 million in the prior quarter and $0.7 million for the same period in
2009, respectively. The increase in G&A expenses from the prior quarter
relates primarily to the acquisition of ACI and ACI's contribution to G&A
expenses in the period.
G&A expenses were $9.7 million for the full year ended December 31, 2010
and $7.6 million for the same period in 2009. The increase in G&A expenses in
2010 primarily relates to due diligence activities for the acquisition of ACI
and the production capacity expansion at our facility in Poland.
Sales and marketing expenses were $1.2 million for the fourth quarter
2010 compared to $1.0 million in the same period in 2009 and $0.8 million in
the third quarter 2010. The increase in marketing expenses in the quarter
reflects the addition of ACI's sales and marketing activities since
acquisition.
Sales and marketing expenses for the full year ended December 31, 2010
were $4.1 million compared to $3.5 million for the prior year. The increased
expenditures in 2010 reflect the increases in our sales and marketing
activities through the year to take advantage of opportunities in the growing
European markets. These efforts were essential to address the rapidly
expanding opportunities in each of our core markets and to align our
infrastructure to roll out our turn-key manufacturing technology solution.
R&D expenses in the fourth quarter were $1.8 million compared to $0.8
million for the prior quarter and $1.0 million for same period in 2009.The
increase was due to investments made to process improvements and products.
For the full year ended December 31, 2010 R&D expenses were $4.1 million
compared to $3.1 million the prior year same period. The increase in R&D
expenses reflect additional research and development activities conducted by
ACI since acquisition and the repurposing of our Burnaby facility.
Loss per Share
The net loss for the fourth quarter 2010 was $1.3 million ($0.04 per share)
compared to $2.3 million ($0.06 per share) in the prior quarter and a net
income of $0.6 million ($0.02 per share) for the same period in 2009.
The net loss for the full year ended December 31, 2010 was $9.8 million
($0.26 per share) compared to $20.4 million ($0.56 per share) for the same
period in 2009. The lower net loss in 2010 was primarily due to improvements
in gross margin. Also, approximately $9.8 million loss in 2009 related to
inventory write-downs.
Cash and Short-Term Investments
Working capital was $20.7 million at the end of the fourth quarter and
full year ended December 31, 2010 a decrease of $5.0 million compared to the
previous quarter. Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term
investments totaled $12.3 million at December 31, 2010, a decrease of $2.1
million from $14.4 million at September 30, 2010; a decrease of $14.9 million
from $27.2 million at December 31, 2009. Cash and cash equivalents have
decreased since December 31, 2009 primarily due to the utilization of funds
to finance operations.
Detailed financial results and management's discussion and analysis can
be found on our website at www.day4energy.com or on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com.
About Day4 Energy
Day4 Energy Inc. is a Canadian company dedicated to providing high
performance photovoltaic (PV) solutions for residential, commercial and
utility scale installations. By fundamentally improving on the design and
assembly of solar cells and modules, the Company produces unique PV panels of
high power density, increased lifetime and uncompromised aesthetic
appearance. Day4 Energy partners with international technology leaders to
develop and deliver IEC- and UL-certified solar products to customers around
the world. Day4 Energy is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the
symbol "DFE". For more information, please visit www.day4energy.com.
Conference Call Information
Day4 Energy's management will conduct a conference call at 8:30am (EST)
March 31, 2010 to review the company's fourth quarter and full year 2010
financial results. The call can be accessed by dialing 1-800-319-4610
(Canada and US) or 1-604-638-5340 (International) prior to the start of the
call. Following the call a recording of the conference call will be archived
on Day4 Energy's website, www.day4energy.com
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that relate to our
current expectations and views of future events. These forward-looking
statements include, among other things, statements relating to our
expectations regarding our revenues, expenses, cash flows, operating
performance and future profitability. Forward-looking statements are
statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always,
identified by words such as "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect",
"forecast", "may", "will", "project", "could", "plan", "intend", "should",
"believe", "outlook", "potential", "target", and similar words suggesting
future events or future performance.
The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based
on assumptions, which include, but are not limited to, our ability to obtain
an adequate spread between our module average selling price and cost of raw
materials, including PV cells; the continued ability of Jabil Circuit Inc.
("Jabil") to successfully manufacture our products; the interest of third
parties in manufacturing Day4's products under license; our ability to meet
and manage demand for our products; achieving increased PV cell and PV module
efficiencies; expanding our existing product line; developing new markets for
our products and securing necessary certifications in such markets; building
the Day4 brand, attracting customers, and developing and maintaining customer
and supplier relationships; continuing our strong relationships with our
suppliers; effectively managing foreign exchange risks; effectively managing
credit risks of customers and other counterparties; protecting our
intellectual property rights and not infringing on the intellectual property
rights of third parties; timely processing by certification agencies for new
products; the continued existence of government incentives for the generation
of electricity using solar power; and complying with applicable governmental
regulations and standards.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and
other factors, including those listed in our Annual Information Form filed
with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, many of which are beyond our
control and each of which contributes to the possibility that our
forward-looking statements will not occur or that actual results, performance
or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not
limited to, with the continued integration of ACI, Day4 may be subject to
additional financial and personnel strains; ACI may not be able to fulfil
orders in a timely fashion for products necessary for the implementation of
the Company's strategy of licensing third party manufacturers of the
Company's products; Third Party Suppliers of equipment needed as part of our
turnkey manufacturing solution may default on their obligations; there may be
a lower than expected interest from third parties in manufacturing Day4's
products under license; risks related to the outsourcing of our manufacturing
and our dependence on Jabil for the manufacture of our products; the
possibility that we may be subject to litigation by our suppliers or
customers; our dependence on a limited number of PV cell suppliers; price
fluctuations that may impact relations with existing customers; risks
relating to the protection of our intellectual property and intellectual
property infringement claims by third parties; our reliance on a limited
number of suppliers; government subsidies and economic incentives for PV
power could be reduced or eliminated; the financial strength of our
competitors; our financial strength and our ability to effectively manage our
cashflow; competition from other forms of renewable energy; our ability to
manage growth effectively; our ability to open up new markets for our
products; demand for PV modules may reduce; technological advances from
competitors that may render our products uneconomic or obsolete; the impact
of general economic, market or business conditions; currency market
fluctuations; and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.
The forward-looking statements made in this news release relate only to
events or information as of the date indicated above. Except as required by
law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Day4 Energy Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets As at December 31, 2010 and 2009 2010 2009 $ $ Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 10,486,264 17,804,941 Restricted cash (note 5) 1,784,355 335,000 Short-term investments (note 6) - 9,067,397 Accounts receivable 13,427,928 3,598,384 Investment tax credits receivable (note 7) - 600,000 Other receivables (note 4,474,808 8,447,806 Inventory (note 9) 13,859,553 11,078,173 Prepaid expenses 798,030 564,336 44,830,938 51,496,037 Property, plant and equipment (note 10) 22,163,895 21,679,300 Intangible assets (note 11) 854,636 - Goodwill (note 12) 4,131,137 - 71,980,606 73,175,337 Liabilities Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 17,539,949 13,321,691 Taxes payable (note 13(d)) 935,221 830,000 Current portion of long-term debt (note 3,859,806 1,143,521 16) Deferred revenue 566,569 322,331 Capital lease obligation - current 1,215,457 - 24,117,002 15,617,543 Capital lease obligation (note 15) 429,541 - Long-term debt (note 16) 1,375,665 - 25,922,208 15,617,543 Shareholders' Equity (note 13) Share capital Authorized Unlimited number of common shares Unlimited number of preferred shares Issued and outstanding 43,149,366 (2009 - 36,739,366) 134,391,619 130,972,498 common shares Equity component of consideration issuable 1,128,870 - for business acquisition Contributed surplus 5,226,334 2,581,508 Warrants - 2,279,890 Accumulated other comprehensive income (9,863,502) (3,201,330) Deficit (84,824,923) (75,074,772) 46,058,398 57,557,794 71,980,606 73,175,337 Nature of operations and going concern (note 1) Commitments (note 17) (signed) John S. MacDonald Director (signed) James Topham Director The notes are an integral part of these financial statements. Day4 Energy Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations and Deficit For the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 2010 2009 $ $ Revenues 166,689,249 60,044,856 Cost of revenues 157,668,679 68,531,840 Gross margin (loss) 9,020,570 (8,486,984) Expenses General and administrative 9,701,674 7,602,859 Research and development 4,061,575 3,149,962 Less: Investment tax credits and government (456,116) (120,184) assistance (notes 7 and 19) Selling and marketing 4,081,186 3,476,698 Depreciation 1,979,019 1,387,853 Amortization 37,783 - 19,405,121 15,497,188 Loss before undernoted 10,384,551 23,984,172 Foreign exchange gain 565,481 3,419,896 Interest and other income 269,360 253,527 Interest expense (193,971) (109,848) Gain (loss) on disposal of property, plant and (6,470) 23,603 equipment Gain on disposition of subsidiary (note 3) - 24,677 Accretion expense - (22,394) 634,400 3,589,461 Loss before non-controlling interest 9,750,151 20,394,711 Non-controlling interest (notes 2 and 3) - (11,323) Loss for the year 9,750,151 20,383,388 Deficit - Beginning of year 75,074,772 54,691,384 Deficit - End of year 84,824,923 75,074,772 Net loss per share - basic and diluted 0.26 0.56 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - 37,869,065 36,681,667 basic and diluted The notes are an integral part of these financial statements. Day4 Energy Inc. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows For the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009 2010 2009 $ $ Cash flows from operating activities Loss for the year 9,750,151) (20,383,388) Items not affecting cash Stock-based compensation 437,626 494,797 (note 14) Depreciation and 3,465,929 2,834,615 amortization Loss (gain) on sale of 6,741 (23,603) property, plant and equipment Valuation write down of 603,714 9,812,699 inventory (note 9) Unrealized foreign 317,225 5,881,263 exchange (gain) loss Change in value of - (2,157,218) derivative instruments Non-controlling interest - (11,323) Changes in non-cash working capital items Accounts receivable (6,936,983) (2,967,342) Investment tax credits receivable 600,000 - Other receivables 3,740,244 (7,003,902) Inventory (1,717,635) 14,127,685 Prepaid expenses 287,730 (184,904) Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (706,027) (2,529,878) Deferred revenue (137,783) 154,319 (9,789,370) (1,980,857) Cash flows from investing activities Purchase of short-term investments (2,500,000) (9,000,000) Proceeds from sale of short-term investments 11,500,000 - Change in restricted cash (1,449,355) 10,750,230 Purchase of property, plant and equipment (2,140,468) (2,985,530) Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 10,913 8,215,702 Proceeds from sale of subsidiary - net of cash included in sale of $29,098 - 9,590 (note 3) 5,421,091 6,989,992 Cash flows from financing activities Repayment of IRAP loan - (142,940) Proceeds from bank debt 271,015 - Repayment of capital lease obligation (226,995) - Proceeds from exercise of stock options 252,500 15,000 296,520 (127,940) Impact of foreign exchange on cash and cash equivalents (3,246,918) (1,806,548) Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (7,318,677) 3,074,647 Cash and cash equivalents - Beginning of year 17,804,941 14,730,294 Cash and cash equivalents - End of year 10,486,264 17,804,941 Supplemental cash flow information Cash paid for interest 132,903 51,634 Cash received for interest 133,577 19,894 The notes are an integral part of these financial statements. Day4 Energy Inc. Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements December 31, 2010 and 2009 2010 2009 $ $ Loss for the year 9,750,151 20,383,388 Unrealized foreign exchange losses on translation of consolidated financial statements to the presentation currency 6,662,172 3,201,330 Other Comprehensive Loss 6,662,172 3,201,330 Comprehensive Loss 16,412,323 23,584,718 2010 2009 $ $ Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss - Beginning 3,201,330 - of Year Unrealized foreign exchange losses on translation of consolidated financial statements to the presentation currency 6,662,172 3,201,330 Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss - End of Year 9,863,502 3,201,330 Approved by the Board of Directors %SEDAR: 00026066E For further information: Justin Lacey Media Contact Day4 Energy Inc. +1-604-297-0449 media@day4energy.com
For further information: Justin Lacey, Media Contact, Day4 Energy Inc., +1-604-297-0449, media at day4energy.com
Tags: Burnaby, canada, Day4 Energy Inc., March 31