BOTHELL, Wash., Nov. 02, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: COCP) announces that management will participate in two upcoming investor conferences as follows:
2022 BioFlorida Annual Conference: James Martin, CFO and interim co-CEO, will participate in a panel titled “BioTrends: Learning from the Pandemic: The Fight Against Infectious Diseases” on Thursday, November 3 at 2:05 p.m. Eastern time. The conference is being held at Hyatt Regency Miami. More information about the conference is available here.
Q4 Investor Summit: Mr. Martin will present a company overview on Monday, November 14 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. The conference is sponsored by the Investor Summit Group and is being held at the Sheraton New York Time Square Hotel. More information about the conference is available here.
A webcast of the Q4 Investor Summit presentation will be posted to the IR Calendar page of the company website.
About Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel antiviral therapeutics that target the replication process of influenza viruses, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2), hepatitis C viruses and noroviruses. Cocrystal employs unique structure-based technologies and Nobel Prize-winning expertise to create first- and best-in-class antiviral drugs. For further information about Cocrystal, please visit www.cocrystalpharma.com.
Tokens.com Corp is a publicly traded company that invests in Web3 assets and businesses focused on the Metaverse, NFTs, DeFi, and gaming based digital assets. Tokens.com is the majority owner of Metaverse Group, one of the world’s first virtual real estate companies. Hulk Labs, a wholly-owned Tokens.com subsidiary, focuses on investing in play-to-earn revenue generating gaming tokens and NFTs. Additionally, Tokens.com owns and stakes crypto assets to earn additional tokens. Through its growing digital assets and NFTs, Tokens.com provides public market investors with a simple and secure way to gain exposure to Web3.
Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Providing an Update. Tokens.com issued a press release yesterday that highlighted the Company’s operations in its three different operations: staking, Metaverse, and crypto gaming. Along with the Company’s main operations, Tokens.com included updates on the domain names the Company currently owns and the current capitalization structure. We expect the Company to release its year-end financial results for the nine months ended in mid-December.
Staking. Management showed the current portfolio of coins the Company has, in which very slight changes occurred from the end of the last quarter ended June 30, 2022. Coins such as Ethereum were sold (from 3,499 to 3,206) although coins like ANKR (from 3.01 million to 3.02 million) and ROSE (6.99 million to 7.23 million) were earned or purchased. Although not many changes have been made in the portfolio since the last quarter, we would not be surprised if the Company were to sell or buy coins for the portfolio during the volatile market.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Ocugen, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing novel gene therapies, biologicals, and vaccines. The lead product, Covaxin, is a killed-virus vaccine for COVID-19 in-licensed from Bharat Biotech (India). The lead product in its gene therapy program, OCU400, is in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for retinitis pigmentosa.
Robert LeBoyer, Vice President, Research Analyst, Life Sciences , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Gene Therapy In The Spotlight. Ocugen held an R&D Day to highlight its programs in gene therapy and COVID-19. The presentations discussed the novel mechanisms behind its gene therapy products and the nature of the ophthalmic disease indications in development. While the company has been best known for COVAXIN and COVID-19, we have always seen the gene therapy indications as highly promising and underappreciated.
Modifier Gene Therapy Platform. The first presentations discussed the company’s novel approach to gene therapy. In contrast to other approaches that seek to transfer a functional copy of a gene to replace a gene that has mutated or become dysfunctional, Ocugen’s Modifier Gene Therapy targets a “master control gene” that controls the expression of multiple gene pathways, allowing products to be developed for diseases caused by downstream gene pathways and combinations of genetic mutations.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation is the largest provider of dredging services in the United States. In addition, Great Lakes is fully engaged in expanding its core business into the rapidly developing offshore wind energy industry. The Company has a long history of performing significant international projects. The Company employs experienced civil, ocean and mechanical engineering staff in its estimating, production and project management functions. In its over 131-year history, the Company has never failed to complete a marine project. Great Lakes owns and operates the largest and most diverse fleet in the U.S. dredging industry, comprised of approximately 200 specialized vessels. Great Lakes has a disciplined training program for engineers that ensures experienced-based performance as they advance through Company operations. The Company’s Incident-and Injury-Free® (IIF®) safety management program is integrated into all aspects of the Company’s culture. The Company’s commitment to the IIF® culture promotes a work environment where employee safety is paramount.
Joe Gomes, Senior Research Analyst, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
3Q22 Operating Results Disappoint. Revenue totaled $158.3 million down from $168.6 million last year and below management’s guidance of $160-$170 million. Gross margin was a shocking 2.4%, down from 21.5% in the year ago period, and management’s lower teens guidance. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $1.3 million versus $32.2 million last year and our $21.8 million estimate. The Company reported a loss of $9.9 million, or a loss of $0.15 per share, for the quarter, compared to our estimate of net income of $5.4 million, or $0.08 per share, and last year’s net income of $13.8 million, or $0.21 per share.
What Happened? Lack of “book and burn” business resulted in much lower utilization, pull forward spending on maintenance expenditures taking advantage of the idle vessels, skyrocketing diesel prices impacting the 20% of diesel costs not hedged, and site conditions that remained worse than anticipated.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Digerati Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: DTGI) is a provider of cloud services specializing in UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions for the business market. Through its operating subsidiaries, T3 Communications (T3com.com), Nexogy (Nexogy.com), SkyNet Telecom (Skynettelecom.net) and NextLevel Internet (nextlevelinternet.com), the Company is meeting the global needs of small businesses seeking simple, flexible, reliable, and cost effective communication and network solutions including cloud PBX, cloud telephony, cloud WAN, cloud call center, cloud mobile, and the delivery of digital oxygen on its broadband network.
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Patrick McCann, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
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In line Q4 results. The company reported year-over-year revenue growth of 116% to $8.2 million, in line with our forecast. Adj. EBITDA of $284,000 was slightly below our estimate of $560,000, illustrated in Figure #1 Q4 Variance.
Acquisition integration continues. In our view, the company has not begun fully realizing the synergies of the recent Next Level acquisition, with SG&A expenses once again higher than our forecast. Some of the cost reductions did not happen until later in the quarter. As such, we believe that margins will improve in Q1 and beyond as the 2022 acquisitions become more fully integrated.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Axcella is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to treat complex diseases using compositions of endogenous metabolic modulators (EMMs). The company’s product candidates are comprised of EMMs and derivatives that are engineered in distinct combinations and ratios to restore cellular homeostasis in multiple key biological pathways and improve cellular energetic efficiency. Axcella’s pipeline includes lead therapeutic candidates in Phase 2 development for the treatment of Long COVID and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and the reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) recurrence. The company’s unique model allows for the evaluation of its EMM compositions through non-IND clinical studies or IND clinical trials. For more information, please visit www.axcellatx.com.
Robert LeBoyer, Vice President, Research Analyst, Life Sciences , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Financial Results. Axcella reported a 3Q22 loss of $17.8 million or $(0.34) per share, compared with our estimate of a loss of $21.7 million or $(0.43) per share. The company sold convertible notes raising $6.0 million to end the quarter with $25.4 million in cash and equivalents. After the quarter ended, it added $28.2 million in cash through a direct offering of common stock. Based on our 4Q22 estimate of a loss of $18.1 million, we project the cash balance at YE22 to be around $35.5 million.
Long COVID Study Results Were Encouraging. Results from a Phase 2a study testing AXA1125 in Long COVID were announced in early August, as discussed in our note from August 3. The data showed statistically significant improvements in both physical and mental fatigue symptoms. We believe this is clinically relevant for an estimated 20% to 30% of the people who have been infected with COVID-19. Axcella is in currently in discussions with regulatory authorities to design the next study, planned to begin in 2023.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
ARLP is a diversified natural resource company that generates operating and royalty income from coal produced by its mining complexes and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in strategic oil & gas producing regions in the United States, primarily the Permian, Anadarko and Williston basins. ARLP currently produces coal from seven mining complexes its subsidiaries operate in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia. ARLP also operates a coal loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mount Vernon, Indiana. ARLP markets its coal production to major domestic and international utilities and industrial users and is currently the second largest coal producer in the eastern United States. In addition, ARLP is positioning itself as an energy provider for the future by leveraging its core technology and operating competencies to make strategic investments in the fast growing energy and infrastructure transition.
Mark Reichman, Senior Research Analyst, Natural Resources, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
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Enviable year-over-year comparisons. Alliancereported third quarter net income of $164.6 million or $1.25 per limited partner unit compared to $57.5 million or $0.44 per limited partner unit during the prior year period. The company generated EBITDA of $250.2 million compared to $135.9 million during the prior year period and free cash flow increased to $244.5 million from $120.5 million. Third quarter financial results reflected higher coal sales prices and volumes which increased 40.5% and 8.1%, respectively, along with greater oil & gas royalty prices and volumes which rose 31.6% and 33.1%. Compared to the prior year period, consolidated revenues increased 51.3% to $628.4 million.
Updating estimates. We have made several adjustments to our model to reflect updated 2022 guidance, along with estimated distributions to and undistributed earnings attributable to participating securities. We have lowered our 2022 EBITDA and adjusted EPU estimates to $919.1 million and $4.48, respectively, from $945.3 million and $4.85. We lifted our 2023 EPU and EBITDA estimates to $5.85 and $1.116 billion, respectively, from $5.75 and $1.077 billion. Looking ahead to 2023, Alliance expects to boost coal sales by roughly two million tons and expects coal pricing per ton to increase by roughly 10% compared to the 2022 average. Within the oil and gas royalty segment, volumes are expected to benefit from two recent acquisitions that added 1,200 producing wells, 101 wells to be completed and 98 permitted locations on the acquired acreage.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
If the crypto enthusiasts are right, the next decade will see billions of people begin using applications built off distributed, user-owned blockchains. The new paradigm has been dubbed Web 3. But Web 3 still has some significant challenges to overcome if it’s going to replace the digital world as we know it.
Blockchain networks, for instance, are going to need an efficient way of detecting and resolving performance problems. Current analytics tools are built for companies to monitor their websites and apps. Such services need only be designed for one user. In the decentralized world of the blockchains, however, the users are the owners, turning the traditional model of maintenance and bug fixes on its head.
The company Metrika, founded by an MIT alumnus, has developed a suite of tools to help the distributed communities of the blockchain world monitor and improve their networks. The company allows users to create alerts, access reports, and view real-time community dashboards that visualize network performance, problems, and trends over time.
“Metrika is a community-based monitoring and collaboration platform,” founder and CEO Nikos Andrikogiannopoulos SM ’06, MBA ’11 says. “We’re making [blockchain network] telemetry a public good for everyone. These applications are holding billions of dollars in assets, so it’s unimaginable that we wouldn’t have service assurance and deep visibility of what is happening in real-time.”
Metrika is currently providing services for popular blockchain protocols including Ethereum, Algorand, Flow, and Solana. The company plans to expand that list as other networks grow in popularity in hopes of enabling the much-hyped shift to Web 3.
“Our vision at Metrika is to become a critical layer of the Web 3 world,” Andrikogiannopoulos says. “Ten years from now, kids will be interacting with assets on their mobile phone. The idea of a bank account will be foreign to them. There will be no corner banks. The whole idea of finance will not go through physical stores and bank accounts — you’ll have assets on every application you use. In that world, where everything is happening on a blockchain, how can Metrika help provide the observability, reliability, and visibility of the blockchain network?”
Bouncing Ideas Off MIT
Andrikogiannopoulos first came to MIT as a graduate student in 2004 and he likes to say he never really left. To this day he lives in Cambridge with his wife, who works at MIT, and returns to campus often.
After earning his second MIT degree, an MBA from the Sloan School of Management, Andrikogiannopoulos began a telecommunications consulting job. During lunch breaks, he’d return to MIT to work with the Venture Mentoring Services (VMS), where entrepreneurs from the MIT community can connect with mentors and receive advice. While kicking around telecommunications startup ideas, a VMS mentor connected him to internet entrepreneur Rubin Gruber, who suggested he explore the blockchain space instead.
It was mid 2018 — what many remember as the “crypto winter” for the lull in blockchain hype and the corresponding crash of crypto prices. But Andrikogiannopoulos began researching the industry and networking with people in the blockchain space, including an MIT alumnus working at the blockchain company Algorand, which was founded by Silvio Micali, the Ford Foundation Professor of Engineering at MIT.
A few months after their initial talk, Andrikogiannopoulos returned to Gruber’s office and told him blockchains were lacking monitoring and operational intelligence.
The problem stems from the decentralized structure of blockchains. Each user operates as a node in the system by creating, receiving, and moving data through their server. When users encounter a problem, they need to figure out if the problem lies within their node or involves the network as a whole.
“They might go on Twitter and Discord and ask other users what they’re experiencing,” Andrikogiannopoulos says. “They’re trying to triangulate the problem, and it takes several hours for them to figure out the issue, coordinate a response, and resolve it.”
To build Metrika, Andrikogiannopoulos set up open-source nodes across the globe that pull data from the nodes and networks, then aggregate those data into easy-to-understand reports and other tools.
“We act as public infrastructure, so users get visibility through dashboards, alerting, and reports, and then we add collaboration tools on top of that,” Andrikogiannopoulos explains.
By 2019, Metrika had begun detecting problems with node performance, staking, network latency, and errors like blocks not being produced at the right rate. Andrikogiannopoulos showed his progress to employees at Algorand, who expressed interest, so he continued building out Metrika’s suite of tools.
“You can see the idea of Metrika bounced across the entire MIT ecosystem,” Andrikogiannopoulos says. “It’s crucial when you start companies that you have these kinds of insight and resource-rich environments like MIT, where you can iterate on your ideas and find team members to join you.”
Enabling Web 3
Blockchains are no longer a niche technology. Around the world, companies in finance and logistics, as well gamers and other creatives, are adopting the technology.
“The blockchain world up to today has been a large experiment,” Andrikogiannopoulos says. “A lot of this infrastructure just hasn’t been built. But Bitcoin proved this can work outside of the traditional finance world, and Ethereum is bringing it to another level with applications, smart contracts, and by creating essentially a decentralized, smart computer. We think about enabling that world we see coming.”
As Metrika continues building out solutions to monitor blockchains, it also wants to offer services for the many applications being built on top of that infrastructure.
“In the future, if a blockchain transaction doesn’t go through and you’re Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan, you need to know why that transaction didn’t go through and what happened,” Andrikogiannopoulos says. “Or if you’re an application playing a game or buying assets and the transactions are lagging, you need to understand why the user experience is being impacted. In Web 3 these things are every important because of the scale and the flow of value we’re talking about.”
For Nikos, improving blockchain performance is not just about optimizing networks. It’s also about helping to usher in the world of open finance and open applications that Web 3 promises.
“We’ve reached 17 hours of outage on blockchain networks in some cases, but what’s even more important to me is not the outages themselves, but the infrastructure needed to avoid them as the industry continues maturing,” Nikos says. “These problems can compromise trust as we’re onboarding users into the Web 3 world. Metrika’s mission is to enable a compelling Web 3 ecosystem.”
The Many Factors that Come Into a Fed Rate Decision are Mind Boggling
What do the FOMC members look at as they’re changing interest rates and whipping up new policy stances?
The Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, meets eight times a year. There are 12 members; seven are board members of the Federal Reserve System, and five are Reserve Bank presidents, including the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, who serves as president of the committee. The group, as a whole, is arguably among the most powerful entities in the world. What is it that this group, that impacts all of us, focus on? And what specifically will they weigh into their decision at the current meeting?
Labor markets and prices are top on the Fed’s list and specifically part of their mandate. Also feeding into the mandate are contributing factors like housing, growth trends, and risks to monetary policy.
Prices (Inflation Rates)
Inflation remains elevated. In September, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) picked up to 0.4%. Energy prices declined in each month of the third quarter, dropping a cumulative 11.3% since June. The Fed will have to discern if this is sustainable or a function of oil reserve releases that will need replacing. Food prices continued high, although at a slower 0.8% increase during September.
Core CPI inflation (which strips out energy and food) started the third quarter at a somewhat slow pace—increasing just 0.3% in July. The trend went against the Fed as it rose by 0.6% in both August and September. Price growth for services was the largest contributor to an increase in core CPI in the third quarter.
One of the two mandates of the Federal Reserve is to keep inflation at bay. Chairman Powell has said they are targeting a 2% annual inflation level. While nothing that has been reported in price increases since the last meeting has approached that low of a target, the Fed also has to consider their tightening moves do not work to lower demand (especially in food and energy) rapidly.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation is the PCE price index; this is the measure they use with their 2% target. The PCE price index typically shows lower price growth than CPI because it uses a different methodology in its calculation, but the drivers of both measures remain similar. Over the year ending September, the headline PCE price index rose 6.2 percent, while the core PCE price index was up 5.1 percent.
Jobs (Employment and Wages)
Labor markets are still tight. The economy has added an additional 3.8 million jobs this year through September. This includes 1.1 million during the most recent quarter. During the third quarter, the U.S. economy exceeded pre-pandemic employment levels. The unemployment rate hasn’t budged much, and as of September, the rate held at a comfortable 3.5 percent rate.
The broadest measure of unemployment—the U-6 rate is a measure of labor underutilization that includes underemployment and discouraged workers, in addition to the unemployed. The U-6 rate has also remained behaved all year. It stood at 6.7 percent in September, the lowest rate in the history of the series (starting in January 1994).
When the Fed pushes on a lever for one of its mandates, in this case it is tightening to reign in inflation, it has to watch the impact on its other mandate, in this case, the job market. So far, there is nothing that has occurred on the employment side that should tell the Fed they have gone too far too fast.
.In fact, the labor numbers may suggest they should discuss whether they have moved nearly fast enough. Competition for employees continued as the economy added an additional 3.8 million through September 2022 (1.1 million during the third quarter). Notably, during the third quarter, the economy surpassed pre-pandemic employment levels as of August 2022.
Image: FOMC participants meet in Washington, D.C., for a two-day meeting on September 20-21, 2022, Federal Reserve (Flickr).
Housing Markets
Housing demand decreased in the third quarter as affordability (lending rates + prices), with economic uncertainty weighed on homebuyers. During September, 90% of all home sales were of existing homes. This pace declined 1.5 percent over the month (down 23.8 percent on a twelve-month basis). New single-family home sales dropped a large 10.9% in September; this was the seventh monthly decline.
Homes available for sale have now risen from all-time lows; this includes new and existing.
Over the past few years, home prices have increased dramatically; this was fueled by Fed policy. Prices still remain above longer-term trendlines. The Case-Shiller national house price index measures sales prices of existing homes; this was up 13% over the year ending August 2022. For reference, for the 12 months ended August 2021, prices rose 20%. The prior year they had only increased 5.8%.
Housing plays a huge role in economic health. The Fed is well aware of all the housing-related inputs to the 2008 financial crisis and the part easy money plays in market crashes. Orchestrating an orderly slowdown to the boom in housing is certainly critical to the Fed’s success.
Other Risks to Economy
Eight times a year, information related to each of the 12 Federal Reserve districts is gathered and bound in a publication known as theBeige Book. This summary of economic activity throughout the U.S. is provided approximately two weeks before each FOMC meeting, so members have a chance to evaluate economic activity over the diverse businesses the U.S. engages in.
U.S. Inflation can arise from conditions outside of the control of the U.S. For example Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has added upward pressure to inflation this year. This impact may have to be determined and netted out of calculations and policy as the Fed can’t fight this inflation pressure with monetary policy. An example would be the Fed can’t alter global food shortages brought on by war.
Dollar strength or weakness comes from many things. One of the most impactful is the difference in interest rates net of inflation between countries and their native currency. If the Fed raises rates when a competing currency has not, there is a chance there will be more demand for the alternative currency, which would weaken the dollar. Further complicating this for the Federal Resreve is a lower dollar is inflationary as it causes import prices to rise, a stronger dollar can reduce domestic economic activity as exports fall. The U.S. dollar has been rising and is now at its strongest in 20 years.
Commodity Prices were elevated in the first half of this year, mostly by energy. Although there was some relief from gas prices over the summer, energy is expected to rise into the colder months. They may rise further as the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves are used less to control prices, this may be curtailed. The White House’s two goals of sharply reducing Russian revenue and avoiding further disruptions to global energy supplies while at the same time reducing oil use and production within the U.S. are a tanglement the Fed needs to consider. These can be very impactful to costs and economic activity, yet The Fed has no direct levers to impact these economic inputs.
World economies play a part in our own economic pace. If the Fed were to tighen aggressively while the global business is slowing, the impact of the tightening might be more pronounced than if the world economies are booming. Demand for goods and services impacts prices; the U.S. doesn’t live in a vacuum, and demand for our production and our demand for foreign production all must weigh on the Feds outlook for global economic health.
According to the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook, global growth is expected to slow to 3.2 percent in 2022 and just 2.7 percent in 2023. At the same time, central banks around the world are tightening monetary policy to fight high global rates of inflation. In addition, there has been financial instability in some major world economies. These rising risks to the global growth outlook may feed back into the U.S. outlook by weakening international demand for U.S. goods and service exports. On the positive economic side, China is considering easing its Zero-COVID policy, which could eventually ease the supply chain impact to inflation.
Take Away
The original question was, “What do the FOMC members look at as they’re changing interest rates and whipping up new policy stances?” The answer is they have to look at everything. The recent mix of “everything” shows growth and employment in the U.S. have sustained at an even keel. Will previous rate hikes to calm inflation eventually take their toll? This is probably the big question the FOMC will be evaluating. Other domestic issues, including housing and the financial markets, are certainly to be weighed as well – a market crash of any magnitude could quickly slow economic activity.
The Fed has little control over what goes on overseas but must be aware of and hedge its policy to allow for.
All told, the Federal Reserve has a very difficult job. The report of the new monetary policy stance should hit the wire at 2 pm ET today (November 2).
BOTHELL, Wash., Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: COCP) announces it has been granted European patent EP3866778 titled “Combinations Of Inhibitors of Influenza Virus Replication,” which covers the Company’s broad-spectrum oral PB2 inhibitor CC-42344 in combination with approved influenza antiviral drugs including Tamiflu®, Xofluza® or Favipiravir. Cocrystal recently announced the completion of enrollment in a Phase 1 study with CC-42344 for the treatment of pandemic and seasonal influenza A, with topline study results expected later this year.
“This new patent provides meaningful protection for our PB2 clinical program in the European Union and is the first to be granted as we pursue a similar patent strategy in other jurisdictions,” said James Martin, Cocrystal’s CFO and interim Co-CEO. “The granting of this patent is an important step in our efforts to expand protection of our novel, best-in-class antiviral candidates both in the U.S. and internationally.”
About CC-42344 and Influenza CC-42344 is an oral PB2 inhibitor discovered using Cocrystal’s proprietary structure-based drug discovery platform technology. It is specifically designed to be effective against all significant pandemic and seasonal influenza A strains and to have a high barrier to resistance due to the way the virus’ replication machinery is targeted. CC-42344 targets the influenza polymerase, an essential replication enzyme with several highly essential regions common to multiple influenza strains. In vitro testing showed CC-42344’s excellent antiviral activity against influenza A strains, including pandemic and seasonal strains, as well as against strains resistant to Tamiflu® and Xofluza®, while also demonstrating favorable PK and safety profiles.
According to a June 2022 report by Precision Reports, the global influenza therapeutics market is projected to reach $9.5 billion by 2027, up from $6.6 billion in 2020 and growing at a 4.8% CAGR between 2021 and 2027.
About Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing novel antiviral therapeutics that target the replication process of influenza viruses, coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2), hepatitis C viruses and noroviruses. Cocrystal employs unique structure-based technologies and Nobel Prize-winning expertise to create first- and best-in-class antiviral drugs. For further information about Cocrystal, please visit www.cocrystalpharma.com.
Cocrystal Pharma Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements the potential design and efficacy of CC-42344, and the demand and potential market size for products designed to treat influenza. The words “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “could,” “target,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect” and similar expressions, as they relate to us, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events. Some or all of the events anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the possibility that assumptions underlying market projections prove to be incorrect, the availability of federal government funding and budgetary issues that may arise, the risks and uncertainties arising from any future impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and/or inflation and interest rate increases on the global economy, the U.K. and on our Company and collaboration partners, including supply chain disruptions and our continued ability to proceed with our programs such as obtaining the requisite regulatory approvals including from the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the ability of the CRO to recruit patients into clinical trials, and the results of the studies for CC-42344. Further information on our risk factors is contained in our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. Any forward-looking statement made by us herein speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
RECEIVES KEY PERMITS AND EXPANDS MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATES
VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA, NOVEMBER 1, 2022 – Comstock Inc. (NYSE: LODE) (“Comstock” and the “Company”) today announced its recent business development highlights, third quarter 2022 results, and updated outlook.
Selected Strategic Highlights – Lithium Extraction and Electrification Products
Received a Written Determination of Hazardous Waste Recycling (“Operating Permit”) authorizing LINICO Corporation (“LiNiCo”) to conduct lithium-ion battery (“LIB”) crushing, separating, lithium extraction and precursor cathode active materials processing at its battery metal recycling facility located in Storey County, Nevada.
Received a first-of-its-kind Conditional Use Permit (“CUP”) by LiNiCo to operate a lithium-ion battery (“LIB”) pre-recycling storage facility at a nearly 200-acre industrial campus in Mound House, Nevada.
Submitted an Air Quality permit covering Comstock’s novel crushing, separating, and conditioning process.
Comstock filed three patents with 45 claims covering novel processes for crushing, separating, and conditioning LIBs into competitively superior black mass concentrates without prior electrical discharge, and selective “lithium first” separation for dramatically reduced water, chemical, energy, and costs in comparison to known hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical processes, enabling direct production of battery grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide.
Green Li-ion, an investee of LiNiCo, focused on precursor cathode active materials, deployed its first system.
Selected Strategic Highlights – Cellulosic Fuels
Filed a grant application with the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) to demonstrate one of Comstock’s unique new pathways to produce renewable fuels from woody biomass at dramatically improved yield, efficiency and cost.
Assembled a top-tier development team, including Topsoe Inc., Marathon Petroleum Company LP, Novozymes, Xylome Corporation, RenFuel K2B AB, Emerging Fuels Technology Inc., the University of Nevada Reno, the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute, and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, supporting the DOE grant application and the resultant pilot system.
Expanded our leading cellulosic technology portfolio by filing for a new patent covering multiple breakthrough pathways to produce renewable diesel, marine, sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) and gasoline from woody biomass, at dramatically improved yield, efficiency, and costs in comparison to all known methods.
Launched the commercialization of its cellulosic ethanol production technology for construction of commercial scale facilities, with a focus on upgrading pre-existing first-generation corn ethanol facilities to woody biomass feedstocks.
Engaged clients in both the renewable diesel and carbon neutral pulp and paper industries for engineering, technology and equipment sales utilizing our cellulosic technologies for the deployment of carbon neutral solutions in 2023.
Selected Financial Highlights – Corporate
Total assets were $116,499,012 at September 30, 2022, as compared to $117,826,063 at June 30, 2022.
Operating expenses were $2,963,782 for the third quarter 2022, including selling, general and administrative expenses of $1,894,500 and research and development expenses of $1,330,340, and depreciation of $794,565 offset by the $1,055,623 gain on sale of the Daney Ranch property.
Third quarter 2022 net loss was $5,315,044 or $(0.07) per share, as compared to third quarter 2021 net loss of $9,494,506 or $(0.17) per share. The 2022 loss decreased primarily due to a $5,630,000 decrease in losses from the estimated fair value of the derivative assets and the gain of $1,055,623 on the sale of the Daney Ranch, partially offset by increases of $1,166,006 for research and development expenses, $458,960 in depreciation and amortization, and $311,809 for selling, general and administrative expenses.
Deposited $2,000,000 during October, on LiNiCo’s battery metal recycling facility located at 2500 Peru Drive, with a total purchase price of $15.25 million. The facility was recently appraised at a value well in excess of $25 million.
Debt was $3,887,933 at September 30, 2022, net of discount, that increased by approximately $2 million in October, 2022, from an additional borrowing associated with the deposit paid toward the purchase of the LiNiCo facility.
Expanded non-strategic asset monetization efforts with asset sales proceeds now expected in excess of $25 million.
Cash and cash equivalents were $1,156,512 at September 30, 2022.
Outstanding common shares were 82,388,289 at September 30, 2022, and 86,055,389 at October 28, 2022.
“We made major advancements in both of our renewable energy businesses, advancing our technology foundation, our supply chain partners, and our ability to commercialize our solutions into the markets in 2023,” stated Mr. Corrado De Gasperis, Comstock’s executive chairman and chief executive officer. “We are also on the brink of monetizing non-strategic assets, thereby positioning our businesses for exponential growth and meaningful, impactful decarbonization.”
Electrification Products
The Company made major advancements in substantially all areas of its battery metal recycling business, including technology development, permitting and readiness of the facilities for deployment. The Company completed construction and initial commissioning of its breakthrough LIB crushing, separating, and conditioning process with the ability to produce a novel and pure black mass. The Company also advanced testing of these materials for high efficiency metals extraction, starting with lithium, and successfully obtained permits for its processing and storage facilities, both located in northern Nevada.
“We have successfully developed a proprietary system that produces a novel and pure black mass, positioning us for production and the development of high efficiency metals extraction, starting with lithium, a critically needed mineral,” said Mr. De Gasperis. “Our team is enhancing the pilot system for deployment in Nevada where we look to integrate our black mass and lithium extraction processes in 2023.”
During the third quarter of 2022, LiNiCo received its main operating permit and submitted its modified air quality permit for its battery metal recycling facility at 2500 Peru Drive, as well as a conditional use permit from Lyon County, NV, authorizing the operation of a LIB pre-recycling storage facility at a separate, expansive industrial site.
The Company’s LIB storage facility represents one of the largest industrial parcels, nearly 200 acres, residing in one of the largest industrial parks in Lyon County, Nevada, with ample power, water and immediate highway access. The facility will receive, sort, and store waste LIBs, with significant capacity for expansion and possible crushing and separating operations.
“The receipt and storage of these batteries represents an essential component of our regional supply chain for recycling these critical metals,” said Mr. De Gasperis, “We are thrilled with Lyon County’s support as we secure this fundamental piece necessary for receiving, storing and potentially expandable into also recycling waste LIBs.”
Cellulosic Fuels
Renewable fuels provide a critical opportunity for decarbonization, however, most of the existing U.S. renewable fuel refineries draw from the same limited pool of constrained feedstocks, primarily vegetable-based oils. Comstock’s plans to decarbonize with renewable fuels utilizes woody biomass, an abundant, carbon-neutral feedstock not in use today, that enables a vast untapped energy source with superior benefits. The Company recently announced a significant expansion of its leading cellulosic technology portfolio by filing for a new patent covering breakthrough pathways to produce renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”) gasoline and marine fuel from woody biomass, at dramatically improved yield, efficiency, and cost in comparison to all known methods.
“Our new patent covers processes and compositions that have been validated at our existing two ton per day cellulosic fuels pilot facility, verifying that we can simultaneously produce multiple purified bio-intermediates that are uniquely isolated and free of the contaminants that have frustrated prior attempts at commercializing cellulosic fuels,” stated Mr. De Gasperis.
Based on current data, Comstock projects best-in-class renewable yields exceeding 80 gallons per dry ton of woody biomass (on a gasoline gallon equivalent basis), with lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions reductions exceeding 80% over petroleum.
The Company is currently expanding its existing cellulosic demonstration system to include the production of Bioleum™ and expects the demonstration system to add to its existing capabilities for producing carbon-neutral pulp, cellulosic sugar, and cellulosic ethanol. The expansion into Bioleum™ will demonstrate the full capability of producing these biointermediaries suitable for the production of renewable diesel fuel, sustainable aviation fuel, gasoline, marine fuel, and other products from woody biomass.
The Company recently submitted a grant application to the U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) entitled “Production of Renewable Diesel, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Gasoline, and Marine Fuel from Lignocellulosic Biomass at Dramatically Improved Yield, Efficiency, and Cost” reflecting positively on our technology and the strength of our collaboration partners.
De Gasperis continued, “The existing U.S. biorefining capacity is far greater than current feedstocks can support, and the DOE clearly recognizes the need for diverse feedstocks. We believe that our expanded technology solutions, and the magnitude of feedstocks that they enable, unblock one of the most critical supply chain constraints across the U.S. and global markets.”
The Company is also marketing its cellulosic ethanol production technology for construction of commercial scale facilities, with a focus on upgrading pre-existing, first-generation corn ethanol facilities that can convert woody biomass into cellulosic ethanol at dramatically improved yield, efficiency, and cost when compared to corn. Comstock’s first bio-intermediate is a purified form of cellulosic sugar that can be used as a chemically identical “drop-in” feedstock in corn ethanol facilities.
“Our goal is to accelerate the commercialization of decarbonizing technologies,” added De Gasperis. “We are ready to enable dramatic improvements in GHG reductions and ethanol profitability today, with existing corn-based producers.”
Mineral Assets and Gold and Silver Resources
The Company has completed its geologic and engineering work associated with publishing a new mineral resource technical report and related SK-1300 compliant mineral resource estimates for the southern part of the historic Comstock District, including the Dayton-Spring-Valley-Oest complex. The mineral resource estimate and broader technical report are being reviewed for publication by Behre Dolbear, one of the leading mineral consultants, with publication expected this month.
Separately, Tonogold Resources Inc. had a separate SK-1300 compliant report published by Mine Development Associates Inc. (“MDA”), of Reno, Nevada, a Division of RESPEC Company LLC. The MDA report identifies gold and silver mineral resources for the Company’s 100% owned Lucerne resource area and is also available on Tonogold’s website.
These reports are prepared in accordance with the disclosure and reporting requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) new mining rules under subpart 1300 and item 601 (96)(iii) of Regulation S-K (the ‘New Mining Rules’). MDA is the author of the Technical Report for the Comstock Project in Storey County, NV, and are independent of Tonogold. Behre Dolbear will be the author of the Technical Report for the Dayton resource area and all of the other exploration targets in Lyon County, NV, and are independent of Comstock Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Corporate
The Company now expects more than $25 million in proceeds over the next two quarters from the sale of its non-mining properties, non-strategic investments, and collection of advances receivable, including proceeds from Sierra Springs Opportunity Fund. The Company is directly engaged with multiple parties and expects these transactions to eliminate all debt obligations and position the Company with a substantial cash position during the first quarter of 2023.
Conference Call Details
Comstock will host the conference call on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 1:15 p.m. PDT (4:15 p.m. EDT) and the webcast will include a moderated question and answer session following the Company’s prepared remarks. Please click the link below to register in advance and please join the event at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webcast. Please click here to register in advance.
About Comstock
Comstock (NYSE: LODE) innovates technologies that contribute to global decarbonization and circularity by efficiently converting under-utilized natural resources into renewable fuels and electrification products that contribute to balancing global uses and emissions of carbon. The Company intends to achieve exponential growth and extraordinary financial, natural, and social gains by building, owning, and operating a fleet of advanced carbon neutral extraction and refining facilities, by selling an array of complimentary process solutions and related services, and by licensing selected technologies to qualified strategic partners. To learn more, please visit www.comstock.inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and any related calls or discussions may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “should,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “potential” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of doing so. Forward-looking statements include statements about matters such as: future industry market conditions; future partnerships, contracts and collaborations, future grant awards, future asset sales, future liquidity and financial positions, future explorations or acquisitions; future changes in our exploration activities; future changes in our research and development; and future prices and sales of, and demand for, our products and services. Except as may be required by securities or other law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Neither this press release nor any related call or discussion constitutes an offer to sell, the solicitation of an offer to buy or a recommendation with respect to any securities of the Company, the fund or any other issuer.
Contact information:
Comstock Inc. P.O. Box 1118 Virginia City, NV 89440 www.comstock.inc
Corrado De Gasperis Executive Chairman & CEO Tel (775) 847-4755 degasperis@comstockinc.com
Zach Spencer Director of External Relations Tel (775) 847-5272 Ext.151 questions@comstockinc.com
– FY2022 Non-GAAP Operating EBITDA of $3.6 Million – – FY2022 Gross Profit of $14.8 Million – – FY2022 Gross Margin Improvement to 61.3% –
SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Digerati Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: DTGI) (“Digerati” or the “Company”), a provider of cloud services specializing in UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions for the small to medium-sized business (“SMB”) market, announced today financial results for the three and twelve months ended July 31, 2022, the Company’s fourth quarter and annual year end for its Fiscal Year 2022.
Key Financial Highlights for the Fiscal Year 2022 (Ended July 31, 2022)
Revenue increased by 95% to $24.2 million compared to $12.4 million for FY2021.
Gross profit increased 103% to $14.8 million compared to $7.3 million for FY2021.
Gross margin improved 270 basis points to 61.3% compared to 58.6% for FY2021.
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA income increased by 90% to $2.2 million for FY2022, excluding all non-cash items and one-time transactional expenses, compared to Adjusted EBITDA income of $1.1 million for FY2021.
Non-GAAP Operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) income increased by 64% to $3.6 million, excluding corporate expenses, compared to a non-GAAP operating EBITDA of $2.2 million for FY2021.
Key Financial Highlights for the Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2022 (Ended July 31, 2022)
Revenue increased by 116% to $8.2 million compared to $3.8 million for Q4 FY2021.
Gross profit increased 114% to $5.1 million compared to $2.4 million for Q4 FY2021.
Gross margin remained strong at 61.6% compared to 62.3% for Q4 FY2021.
Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA income decreased by 40% to $0.3 million for Q4 FY2022, excluding all non-cash items and one-time transactional expenses, compared to Adjusted EBITDA income of $0.5 million for Q4 FY2021.
Non-GAAP Operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) income increased by 44% to $1.3 million, excluding corporate expenses, compared to a non-GAAP operating EBITDA of $0.9 million for Q4 FY2021.
Arthur L. Smith, CEO of Digerati, commented, “Our fiscal year 2022 was highly successful as we closed two additional acquisitions, SkyNet Telecom and NextLevel Internet, and continued to execute on our acquisition playbook that improves operating efficiencies through integration while growing organically as demonstrated by our 4% increase in annualized revenue on a sequential quarterly basis. Our accomplishments over the past few years in building a significant UCaaS platform in Florida, Texas and California generating $32.8 million in annualized revenue and $5.3 million in annualized non-GAAP operating EBITDA has proven that our consolidation strategy works.”
Mr. Smith continued, “We are thrilled to have announced on September 6th our signing of a definitive business combination agreement with Minority Equality Opportunities Acquisition Inc. that will take us into the next chapter of our corporate development plan with a listing on NASDAQ. We believe that a NASDAQ listing is the final ingredient needed for the acceleration of our acquisition strategy in our highly fragmented industry. We will continue to work diligently on closing this key transaction and achieving a significant milestone for our Company.”
Antonio Estrada, CFO of Digerati, stated, “Due to our successful integration of acquisitions, we exited fiscal year end July 31, 2022 in a great financial position with annual run-rates of $32.8 million in revenue and $5.3 million in non-GAAP Operating EBITDA. Our team is successfully integrating the acquisitions of SkyNet Telecom and NextLevel Internet and we are now seeing the financial reward. We have proven that our operating and financial teams can execute on our acquisition strategy and believe our planned move to NASDAQ will greatly enhance our abilities to replicate this success with accretive acquisitions in the future.”
Accomplishments for the Fiscal Year ended July 31, 2022 include:
Closed acquisition of SkyNet Telecom, a leading provider of cloud communication and broadband solutions tailored for businesses. The acquisition of SkyNet expanded the Company’s footprint in Texas and increased its customer base by over 215% to 737 business customers in the Lone Star State.
Closed acquisition of NextLevel Internet, a leading provider of cloud communication and broadband solutions tailored for the SMB market. The acquisition of NextLevel expanded the Company’s growing nationwide footprint and added a strong West Coast presence with nearly 1,000 SMB clients in California.
As a combined business, Digerati’s operating subsidiaries serve over 4,000 business customers and 45,000 users. The business model of the combined entities is supported by strong and predictable recurring revenue with high gross margins under contracts with business customers in various industries including banking, healthcare, financial services, legal, insurance, hotel, real estate, staffing, restaurant, education and municipalities.
Three Months ended July 31, 2022, Compared to Three Months ended July 31, 2021
Revenue for the three months ended July 31, 2022 was $8.2 million, an increase of $4.4 million or 116% compared to $3.8 million for the three months ended July 31, 2021. The increase in revenue between periods is primarily attributed to the consolidation of the acquisitions of SkyNet Telecom and NextLevel Internet during the period. The total number of customers increased from 2,655 for the three months ended July 31, 2021, to 4,023 customers for the three months ended July 31, 2022.
Gross profit for the three months ended July 31, 2022 was $5.1 million, resulting in a gross margin of 61.6%, compared to $2.4 million and 62.3% for the three months ended July 31, 2021. The slight decrease in gross margin is primarily due to the addition of slightly lower-margin revenue associated with SkyNet Telecom’s and NextLevel Internet’s broadband services.
Selling, General and Administrative expenses (excluding legal and professional fees) for the three months ended July 31, 2022 increased by $2.4 million, or 114%, to $4.5 million compared to $2.1 million for the three months ended July 31, 2021. The increase in SG&A is attributed to the consolidation of the acquisitions of SkyNet Telecom and NextLevel Internet.
Operating loss for the three months ended July 31, 2022 was $0.15 million, a decrease of $0.27 million or 64%, compared to $0.42 million for the three months ended July 31, 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA income for the three months ended July 31, 2022 was $0.3 million, compared to an adjusted EBITDA income of $0.5 million for the three months ended July 31, 2021. In accordance with SEC Regulation G, the non-GAAP measurement of Adjusted EBITDA has been reconciled to the nearest GAAP measurement, which can be viewed under the heading “Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA” in the financial table included in this press release.
Of note were the following non-cash expenses associated with the three months ended July 31, 2022: Company recognition of stock-based compensation and warrant expense of $0.15 million and depreciation and amortization expense of $0.40 million. Gain on derivative instruments was $1.65 million for the three months ended July 31, 2022.
Non-GAAP operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) for the three months ended July 31, 2022 improved to income of $1.3 million, excluding corporate expenses, compared to a non-GAAP operating income of $0.9 million for the three months ended July 31, 2021.
Net loss for the three months ended July 31, 2022 was $3.3 million, an increase of $2.1 million as compared to a net loss of $1.2 million for the three months ended July 31, 2021. The resulting EPS for the three months ended July 31, 2022 was a loss of ($0.02) as compared to a loss of ($0.01) for the three months ended July 31, 2021.
At July 31, 2022, Digerati had $1.5 million of cash.
Twelve Months ended July 31, 2022, Compared to Twelve Months ended July 31, 2021
Revenue for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 was $24.2 million, an increase of $11.7 million or 95% compared to $12.4 million for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021. The increase in revenue between periods is primarily attributed to the consolidation of the acquisitions of SkyNet Telecom and NextLevel Internet during the period. The total number of customers increased from 2,655 for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021, to 4,023 customers for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022.
Gross profit for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 was $14.8 million, resulting in a gross margin of 61.3%, compared to $7.3 million and 58.6% for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021. The increase in gross margin is primarily due to the addition of high-margin revenue associated with SkyNet Telecom’s and NextLevel Internet’s UCaaS product line.
Selling, General and Administrative expenses (excluding legal and professional fees) for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 increased by $5.4 million, or 77%, to $12.4 million compared to $7.0 million for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021. The increase in SG&A is attributed to the consolidation of the acquisitions of SkyNet Telecom and NextLevel Internet.
Operating loss for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 was $3.7 million, an increase of $1.3 million or 53%, compared to $2.4 million for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021.
Adjusted EBITDA income for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 was $2.17 million, an improvement of $1.03 million, compared to adjusted EBITDA income of $1.14 million for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021. In accordance with SEC Regulation G, the non-GAAP measurement of Adjusted EBITDA has been reconciled to the nearest GAAP measurement, which can be viewed under the heading “Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA” in the financial table included in this press release.
Of note were the following non-cash expenses associated with the twelve months ended July 31, 2022: Company gain of $6.2 million on derivative instruments, loss of $5.5 million on settlement of debt and $6.0 million of interest expense.
Non-GAAP operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 improved to income of $3.6 million, excluding corporate expenses, compared to a non-GAAP operating income of $2.2 million for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021.
Net loss for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 was $8.0 million, a decrease of $8.7 million as compared to a net loss of $16.7 million for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021. The resulting EPS for the twelve months ended July 31, 2022 was a loss of ($0.05) as compared to a loss of ($0.13) for the twelve months ended July 31, 2021.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measurements
The Company believes that EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) is useful to investors because it is commonly used in the cloud communications industry to evaluate companies on the basis of operating performance and leverage. Adjusted EBITDA provides an adjusted view of EBITDA that takes into account certain significant non-recurring transactions, if any, such as impairment losses and expenses associated with pending acquisitions, which vary significantly between periods and are not recurring in nature, as well as certain recurring non-cash charges such as changes in fair value of the Company’s derivative liabilities and stock-based compensation. The Company also believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides investors with a measure of the Company’s operational and financial progress that corresponds with the measurements used by management as a basis for allocating resources and making other operating decisions. Although the Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as one of several financial measures to assess its operating performance, its use is limited as it excludes certain significant operating expenses. Non-GAAP operating EBITDA (OPCO EBITDA) is useful to investors because it reflects EBITDA for the core operation of the business excluding corporate expenses, non-cash expenses and transactional expenses. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, and Non-GAAP operating EBITDA are not intended to represent cash flows for the periods presented, nor have they been presented as an alternative to operating income or as an indicator of operating performance and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). In accordance with SEC Regulation G, the non-GAAP measurements in this press release have been reconciled to the nearest GAAP measurement, which can be viewed under the heading “Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA” in the financial table included in this press release.
About Digerati Technologies, Inc.
Digerati Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB: DTGI) is a provider of cloud services specializing in UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions for the business market. Through its operating subsidiaries NextLevel Internet (NextLevelinternet.com), T3 Communications (T3com.com), Nexogy (Nexogy.com), and SkyNet Telecom (Skynettelecom.net), the Company is meeting the global needs of businesses seeking simple, flexible, reliable, and cost-effective communication and network solutions including, cloud PBX, cloud telephony, cloud WAN, cloud call center, cloud mobile, and the delivery of digital oxygen on its broadband network. The Company has developed a robust integration platform to fuel mergers and acquisitions in a highly fragmented market as it delivers business solutions on its carrier-grade network and Only in the Cloud™. For more information, please visit www.digerati-inc.com and follow DTGI on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements related to the future financial performance of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements such as a Nasdaq listing being the final ingredient needed for the acceleration of our acquisition strategy, annualized revenues of $32.8 million, annualized non-GAAP Operating EBITDA of $5.3 million, our abilities to replicate success with accretive acquisitions in the future, and an up-list to Nasdaq are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, a national securities exchange not approving Minority Equality Opportunities Acquisition Inc.’s (MEOA’s) initial listing application, the amount of redemption requests made by MEOA’s public shareholders, our inability to source suitable acquisition targets, failure to execute growth strategies, lack of product development and related market acceptance, the impact of competitive services and pricing, general economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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Prepared remarks via webcast on November 16 at 4:30 PM ET
RICHMOND, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Bowlero Corp. (NYSE: BOWL) (“Bowlero” or the “Company”), the world’s largest owner and operator of bowling centers, will report financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2023 on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 after the U.S. stock market closes. Management will discuss the results via webcast at 4:30 PM ET on the same day.
The live webcast, replay and results presentation will be available in the Events & Presentations section of the Bowlero Investor Relations website at https://ir.bowlerocorp.com/overview/default.aspx.
About Bowlero Corp.
Bowlero Corp. is the worldwide leader in bowling entertainment, media, and events. With more than 300 bowling centers across North America, Bowlero Corp. serves more than 27 million guests each year through a family of brands that includes Bowlero, Bowlmor Lanes, and AMF. In 2019, Bowlero Corp. acquired the Professional Bowlers Association, the major league of bowling, which boasts thousands of members and millions of fans across the globe. For more information on Bowlero Corp., please visit BowleroCorp.com.
