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MFIC Corporation Announces Third Quarter Financial Results
NEWTON, MA, November 13, 2007--MFIC Corporation (OTCBB: MFIC) today
reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2007.
MFIC is an industry-leader in high-shear processing equipment to
produce the most uniform and smallest liquid and solid particles
available for the biotech, pharmaceutical, chemical, personal care and
food industries.
MFIC reported that for the third quarter ended September 30, 2007, the
Company posted revenues of approximately $2.3 million compared to $3.6
million during the third quarter of 2006, representing a decrease of
approximately 36%. Third quarter sales were impacted by decreases in
all geographic markets.
In North America, lower sales were primarily driven by (i) a customer’s
decision to request additional enhancements to a major system order
that delayed delivery and revenue recognition until a later date; and
(ii) an expected decrease in spare part sales as a result of a
previously disclosed decision by a major customer to reschedule
delivery due to a change in their production schedule.
Lower foreign sales were driven primarily by a decrease in the sale of
machines to significant customers, particularly in Asia. This includes
a continued decrease in sales made by MFIC’s Japanese distributor. The
distributor has not been aggressively selling MFIC products due to its
technical issue with a major installation. MFIC believes the recurring
problems with these machines are the direct result of the maintenance
of the machines by the distributor and the customer. MFIC has assigned
a dedicated technical team which has worked very closely with the
distributor’s service group and the distributor’s service group has
since taken steps to address the issues. In addition, Robert P. Bruno,
President and Chief Operating Officer of MFIC, traveled to Japan in
September to meet with the distributor’s management team. MFIC
continues to work on this important issue.
“We are certainly disappointed with our third-quarter results,” said
Robert P. Bruno, President and Chief Operating Officer of MFIC
Corporation. “However, while our sales in Japan continue to fall short
of previous quarters, we believe we have a good foundation in Asia,
specifically in China and Korea where we are encouraged by the demand
we have seen in these markets over time. We are also pleased with the
initial sales response to the M-110P, introduced in late September of
2007. We have received orders for the first seven production units and
have issued numerous additional quotations. We expect to begin
delivering units late this year or in early 2008. In addition, we
continue to see strong sales of our biopharmaceutical production
machines to some of our largest customers.”
“While this has been a difficult quarter for MFIC, the Company is
financially sound, having cash and receivables that are well in excess
of current liabilities,” said James N. Little, Ph.D., Acting Chairman
of MFIC Corporation. “These lumpy quarters, while taken very seriously,
are normal in the capital goods business. We continue to focus on
building long-term sustainable growth and our backlog has grown
substantially since the quarter’s end.”
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2007, the Company posted a
net loss of $859,000, or $.08 per diluted share, as compared with net
income of $85,000, or $0.01 per diluted share, for the quarter ended
September 30, 2006. The third quarter 2007 results included no income
tax provision while the third quarter of 2006 included an income tax
expense of $57,000.
Operating expenses increased by $200,000, or 10.5% to $2.1 million for
the quarter ended September 30, 2007 from $1.9 million for the quarter
ended September 30, 2006. The increase was primarily due to increases
in sales and marketing expenses, administrative costs associated with
the departure of the Company’s prior CEO and costs associated to fill
the vacancy and a planned increase in public relations.
The Company's order backlog at September 30, 2007 was $3.8 million
compared to backlogs of $4.9 million and $3.0 million on September 30,
2006 and June 30, 2007, respectively. Backlog grew to approximately
$4.9 million as of November 9, 2007, including a letter of intent to
purchase a significant production system from a major pharmaceutical
customer. Backlog represents orders in hand that typically take between
one and six months to deliver, with the exception of a spare parts
supply order scheduled to ship over a longer period.
For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2007, revenues decreased
by $1.9 million or 18.0%, to $8.7 million, and the Company reported a
net loss of $0.14 per diluted share, as compared with $10.6 million in
revenues, and a net profit of $0.02 per diluted share, for the first
nine months of 2006.
During the third quarter 2007 MFIC Corporation accomplished significant milestones:
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Launched the M-110P Microfluidizer® processor, an
innovative benchtop “Plug and Play” machine that provides a solution
for customers lacking compressed air required to operate MFIC’s
existing air operated laboratory equipment
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Announced that the Company’s subsidiary,
Microfluidics, was named a technology category winner in the third
annual Nanotech Briefs® Nano 50™ Awards for its revolutionary new
Microfluidics Reaction Technology (MRT)a next-generation approach in
the production of nanosuspensions to help pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies develop and ultimately manufacture difficult to
formulate drugs
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Continued to make solid progress in the search for a CEO candidate
About MFIC Corporation:
MFIC Corporation, through its Microfluidics Division, designs,
manufactures and distributes patented and proprietary high performance
Microfluidizer® materials processing and formulation equipment to the
biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetics/personal care, and
food industries. MFIC applies its 20 years of high pressure processing
experience to produce the most uniform and smallest liquid and
suspended solid particles available, and has provided manufacturing
systems for nanoparticle products for more than 15 years.
The Company is a leader in advanced materials processing equipment for
laboratory, pilot scale and manufacturing applications, offering
innovative technology and comprehensive solutions for nanoparticles and
other materials processing and production. More than 3,000 systems are
in use and afford significant competitive and economic advantages to
MFIC equipment customers.
Forward Looking Statement:
Management believes that this release contains forward-looking
statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties
including statements relating to the Company’s plan to attain and/or
increase operating profitability and/or to achieve net profitability.
Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are
subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause
actual results achieved by the Company to differ materially from those
described in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions
investors that there can be no assurance that the actual results or
business conditions will not differ materially from those projected or
suggested in such forward-looking statements as a result of various
factors, including but not limited to the following risks and
uncertainties: (i) whether the performance advantages of the Company’s
Microfluidizer® materials processing equipment will be realized
commercially or that a commercial market for the equipment will
continue to develop, (ii) whether the performance advantages of the
Company’s MMR and MRT nanoparticle production systems will be realized
commercially, (iii) whether the Company will be able to increase its
market penetration and market share, (iv) whether the timing of orders
will significantly affect quarterly revenues and resulting net income
results for particular quarters which may cause increased volatility in
the Company’s stock price, and (v) whether the Company will have access
to sufficient working capital through continued and improving cash flow
from sales, and ongoing borrowing availability, the latter being
subject to the Company’s ability to comply with the covenants and terms
of its loan agreement with its senior lender.
Summary Consolidated Unaudited Balance Sheet Information
(Unaudited – in thousands)
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September 30, 2007 |
December 31, 2006
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| Current Assets* |
$6,361
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$7,857 |
| Current Liabilities |
$1,931
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$2,213 |
| Total Stockholders’ Equity |
$4,831 |
$5,948 |
*Cash on hand at September 30, 2007 is $1.168 million.
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