Decibel Announces Year-End Financial Results

Key Financial Highlights – Fiscal Year 2020

• Net revenue of $30 million in 2020, an increase of 380% from 2019.
• Gross profit of $11.7 million in 2020, an increase of 2,888% from 2019.
• Positive adjusted EBITDA of $1.5 million in 2020, an improvement of $3.5 million from 2019.
• Fourth quarter contributed $1.1 of the $1.5 million in adjusted EBITDA achieved in the year.

Key Financial Highlights – Fourth Quarter

• Record Net Revenue: Net revenue grew to $11.4 million in the fourth quarter, a 51% increase, over the prior quarter, driven by strong sales growth from Qwest dried flower and newly launched vape and concentrate products. Net revenue grew by 645% over the comparative 2019 quarter.
• Record Positive Adj. EBITDA: The Company achieved a record $1.1 million of adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter, its second consecutive quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA, and an increase of 28% from the prior quarter. Adjusted EBITDA improved by $4 million over the comparative 2019 quarter.
• Record Qwest Sales: 378 kilograms sold in the fourth quarter, with an average wholesale net price per gram of $8.59, a volume increase of 39% and pricing in line over the prior quarter. Decibel continues to see strong demand for premium cannabis and its Qwest products, which command industry leading pricing with demand outstripping current supply. Kilograms sold and average wholesale net price per gram increased by 125% and 23%, respectively, over the comparative 2019 quarter.
• First Full Quarter of Derivative Sales: Achieved $4.5 million of net sales of newly launched vape and concentrate products in the fourth quarter. Decibel had 22 product SKUs in market across four provinces including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and delivered its first shipment to Ontario at the end of December.
  • In January, Decibel achieved a 22% market share in concentrates and a 9% market share in vape categories across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario^1,2
• Retail Sales: $3.7 million of retail sales, a 7% decrease over the prior quarter. Decibel’s retail portfolio continues to bring strategic value, contributing to the success of product innovation and understanding consumer trends.
• Strengthened Balance Sheet: Decibel completed a $30 million debt refinancing comprised of $28.5 million of term debt and a $1.5 million authorized overdraft. The proceeds were used to fully repay Decibel’s then outstanding $26.8 million of debt with its former lender and provide additional liquidity. The new credit facility resulted in several positive impacts:
  • $3.2 million of additional liquidity available for working capital purposes.
  • Extended debt maturity by 5 years and debt amortizes over a 10 year term.
  • Repayment schedule aligned to operational timeline with $16 million having an interest only period ending in Q3 2021. Principal savings over this period provide Decibel flexibility and additional resources to support its growth strategy.
  • Reduced blended interest rate by ~1.70%, to 4.75% for outstanding term debt and Prime + 1.00% for the authorized overdraft. This represents approximately $360 thousand in annual interest savings over the full year 2021.
  • Simplified financial covenants to a monthly current ratio of not less than 1.25:1 and two annually tested covenants, a debt service coverage ratio of not less than 1.40:1.00, and a debt to equity ratio of not greater than 0.75:1.00 at the end of 2021 and 0.50:1.00 for all fiscal years ending thereafter.

Year-End and Quarterly Highlights

Subsequent Events

• On January 29, 2021, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, dB Thunderchild Cultivation LP, received a cultivation license from Health Canada for its cultivation, packaging and processing facility, located in Battleford, Saskatchewan (the “Thunderchild Cultivation Facility“). The licensing of the Thunderchild Cultivation Facility significantly increases Decibel’s cultivation capacity by more than four times, to >9,000 kilograms of premium craft cannabis, allowing Decibel to meet the tremendous consumer demand it is experiencing for Qwest products.

Decibel’s financial statements for the three and twelve month periods ending December 31, 2020 (“Financial Statements”) and related Management’s Discussion & Analysis (“MD&A”) for the reporting period are available under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com. As of December 31, 2020, Decibel was in compliance with all of its financial covenants and expects to remain in compliance for the remainder of its twelve-month forecast period.

Cautionary Statements

Non-GAAP Measures

This news release contains the financial performance metric of Adjusted EBITDA, a measure that is not recognized or defined under IFRS (a “Non-GAAP Measure”). As a result, this data may not be comparable to data presented by other cannabis companies. For an explanation and reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to related comparable financial information presented in the Financial Statements prepared in accordance with IFRS, refer to the MD&A for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2020. The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA is a useful indicator of operational performance and is specifically used by management to assess the financial and operational performance of the Company.

The Company calculates Adjusted EBITDA as net loss and comprehensive loss excluding unrealized gain on changes in fair value of biological assets, change in fair value of biological assets realized through inventory sold, depreciation and amortization expense, share-based compensation, other income, finance costs, foreign exchange loss, non-cash production costs and severance payments. Non-cash production costs relate to amortization expense allocations included in production costs. Non-GAAP Measures should be considered together with other financial information prepared in accordance with IFRS to enable investors to evaluate the Decibel’s operating results, underlying performance and prospects in a manner similar to Decibel’s management.

Accordingly, this Non-GAAP Measure is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the Company’s ability to meet consumer demand, the Company’s expectations with respect to its ability to comply with its financial covenants, the Company’s ability to grow Qwest, Qwest Reserve and Blendcraft brands into new and innovative product formats, variations and its other business plans and expectations. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: risks relating to delays, regulatory changes and impacts, capital requirements, construction impacts, displacement requirements and unforeseen requirements resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability to obtain and maintain licences to retail cannabis products; review of the Company’s production facilities by Health Canada and maintenance of licences (including any amendments thereto) from Health Canada in respect thereof; future legislative and regulatory developments involving cannabis; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the labour market generally and the ability to access, hire and retain employees; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the satisfaction of conditions precedent under the Company’s credit facilities; timing and completion of construction and expansion of the Company’s production facilities and retail locations; and the delay or failure to receive board, regulatory or other approvals, including any approvals of the TSX Venture Exchange, as applicable. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

(This information is primarily sourced from Decibel.  Highly Capitalized has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Read our Disclaimer here)