The issue of a lack of profitability for cannabis companies came into the spotlight in 2019. Yet, one company that has bucked this trend is Aphria (APHA).
APHA has consistently been able to generate profits in the past year and in its quarterly earnings report released yesterday, they once again accomplished this. The company reported a surprise fiscal third-quarter profit and revenue that nearly doubled and beat expectations.
As a result, their stock traded up 3%, as the stock market declined.
APHA reported net cannabis revenues that increased 65% from the prior quarter. This was also the company’s fourth consecutive quarter of positive Adjusted EBITDA, which makes APHA the only large-cap Canadian LP to do so.
They reported an operating income of $8.7 million along with adjusted EBITDA from cannabis operations of $6 Million. This figure increased 78% from the prior quarter and that means a lot to us especially during these tough times. APHA can now produce cannabis for less than $1 per gram as they continue to improve efficiency.
Gross revenue for adult-use cannabis was $44.7 million in the third quarter, which indicates an increase of 54% from the prior quarter. This marks the company’s 5th consecutive quarter of growth. Net cannabis revenues came in at $55.6 million in the third quarter which indicates an increase of 65% from the last quarter. Revenues jumped substantially to $144.4 million in the third quarter, an increase of 96% last year’s quarter. This revenue number also indicates a 20% jump from last quarter which says a lot as the company faced increasing uncertainty around consumer demand due to the COVID-19 crisis.
APHA ended the third quarter with a strong balance sheet and liquidity which included $515.1 million in cash.
APHA’s CEO Irwin D. Simon said, “We are proud of our sustained growth in Canada and continued expansion of our international capabilities. During this unprecedented time, the well-being of our employees, patients, consumers, partners and the communities we operate in is our primary focus. Our facilities, offices and patient care teams remain open and operational to continue to provide our patients and consumers with what we believe is best-in-class care and service with appropriate measures in place to protect the health and safety of employees.”
Simon also said, “As we face uncertain times, I am proud of how the Aphria team has come together to navigate these uncharted waters. Going forward, we believe Aphria continues to be differentiated in the cannabis industry through our brands, cultivation expertise, high-quality standards, cash position, and balance sheet. We continue to focus on the highest return opportunities for growth and long-term value creation.”
Considering how the cannabis industry has performed in the past year, as well as the overall economic environment, APHA had a fantastic quarter. If the company can continue to grow its market share in the Canadian market, while focusing on its international efforts, APHA has a chance at becoming the most profitable Canadian cannabis company.
(Disclosure: The author is long APHA)
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APHA shares were trading at $3.51 per share on Thursday afternoon, down $0.26 (-6.90%). Year-to-date, APHA has declined -32.76%, versus a -13.45% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.
About the Author: Aaron Missere
Aaron is an experienced investor who is also the CEO of Departures Capital. His primary focus is on the cannabis industry. He also hosts a weekly show on YouTube about marijuana stocks. Learn more about Aaron’s background, along with links to his most recent articles. More...
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