Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 19, 2020) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, today issued preliminary, unaudited financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2020. All figures in this press release are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.
Preliminary Q3 2020 Financial Results(1)
- Revenue of $7.9 million in Q3 2020 increased by 73% compared to $4.6 million in Q2 2020. The primary driver of sequential growth was a rebound in demand in the Company's core markets of Colorado and Oregon, following the COVID-related shutdowns in the second quarter. Similar strength in the Company's emerging markets also contributed to sequential growth, as did the successful launch of new products.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $57,000 was positive for the first time since SLANG became a public company and represented an improvement over a loss of $1.6 million in Q3 2019 and a loss of $1.8 million in Q2 2020. Cost reductions from streamlining activities at SLANG and within the SLANG Network have resulted in approximately $10.5 million of annualized cost savings.
"I am proud of the way our company has responded to the pressures we faced in the first half of the year," said SLANG President & CEO Chris Driessen. "In the third quarter, we capitalized on rapidly evolving market conditions while also reducing costs, leading to significant improvements in both revenue and EBITDA. I am particularly pleased with how we are tracking in regards to profitability and expect even greater momentum to build in subsequent quarters as our acquisitions close and we begin to recognize both revenue and profit from plant-touching operations."
As previously announced, the Company expects to file complete financial results for the third quarter of 2020 the morning of November 30, 2020, followed by an investor conference call at 10:00 am EST.
Non-IFRS Measures
Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS financial measure that the Company uses to assess its operating performance. Management defines Adjusted EBITDA as net earnings (loss) before net finance costs, income tax expense (benefit) and depreciation and amortization expense adjusted for other non-cash items such as the impact of unrealized fair values, share based compensation expense, impairments, one-time gains and losses, and one-time revenues and expenses. This data is furnished to provide additional information and is a non-IFRS measures and does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. The Company uses this non-IFRS measure to provide shareholders and others with supplemental measures of its operating performance. The Company also believes that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties, frequently use this non-IFRS measure in the evaluation of companies, many of which present similar metrics when reporting their results. As other companies may calculate non-IFRS measures differently than the Company, these metrics may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. We caution readers that Adjusted EBITDA should not be substituted for determining net loss as an indicator of operating results, or as a substitute for cash flows from operating and investing activities.
There are important components of Operating Income / (Loss) that are currently in process of determination. Therefore, a reconciliation of the range of Adjusted EBITDA to Operating Income / (Loss) cannot be provided at this time. A full reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Operating Income / (Loss) will be provided when actual results are released. See the Company's management's discussion & analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 (the "Q2 MD&A") available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on the Company's Investor Relations website at www.slangww.com for additional discussion of non-IFRS measures and their reconciliations.
Media and Investor inquiries
Investors@SLANGww.com
About SLANG Worldwide Inc.
SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a global leader in the cannabis CPG sector with a diversified portfolio of popular brands distributed across the United States. The Company specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities. SLANG is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol SLNG and on the OTCQB under the symbol SLGWF. For more information, please visit www.slangww.com.
Notes:
(1) These preliminary and unaudited financial results are subject to customary financial statement procedures by the Company. Actual results could be affected by subsequent events or determinations. While the Company believes there is a reasonable basis for these preliminary financial results, the results involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These preliminary fiscal results represent forward-looking information. See "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Financial Outlook".
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company's expected performance in the third quarter of 2020, including revenue and Adjusted EBITDA.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's final long form prospectus dated January 17, 2019 and "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Q2 2020 MD&A, as filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SLANG is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.
Financial Outlook
This news release contains a financial outlook within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. The financial outlook has been prepared by management of the Company to provide an outlook for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and may not be appropriate for any other purpose. The financial outlook has been prepared based on a number of assumptions including the assumptions discussed under the heading "Forward Looking Statements" above and assumptions with respect to market conditions, pricing, and demand. The actual results of the Company's operations for any period will likely vary from the amounts set forth in these projections and such variations may be material. The Company and its management believe that the financial outlook has been prepared on a reasonable basis. However, because this information is highly subjective and subject to numerous risks, including the risks discussed under the heading "Forward Looking Statements" above, it should not be relied on as necessarily indicative of future results.
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.
###
