Staff
Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB) announced its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 ended March 31, 2022, as total cannabis net revenue fell 17% sequentially to $50.4 million. Aurora recorded a number of one-time non-cash charges in the quarter of $741.7 million, asset-specific impairments of $176.1 million, and an inventory provision charge of $63.6 million.
Aurora has previously identified annualized cash savings of $60 million to $80 million and now expects to surpass the high end of this range with an additional $70 million to $90 million in savings by the end of H1 fiscal 2023, split evenly between costs of goods sold (“COGS”) and SG&A, for a total of up to $170 million in cash savings under this transformation program. Projected COGS savings now include the closure of the Aurora Sky facility in Edmonton (previously announced to be operating at approximately 25% capacity), in keeping with our diversified business portfolio, prudent approach to capital allocation, and our strategy in the Canadian adult-use market to focus on higher margin premium categories. These cash savings will be reflected in our P&L either as they occur within SG&A savings, or as inventory is drawn down for production-related savings.
“We continue to steer our differentiated global cannabis business towards long term shareholder value creation. This is being accomplished through a sole focus on the most profitable growth opportunities, rationalization of our Canadian cost structure and disciplined use of capital. Our plan is working and we remain firmly on track to achieving a positive Adjusted EBITDA run rate by the first half of fiscal 2023. Today, we are announcing further cost savings which will enable us to increase our range of savings under our business transformation plan from $60 to $80 million to $150 to $170 million. Our balance sheet also remains among the strongest in the industry, enabling the repurchase of $141.4 million in convertible debt early, while also providing meaningful working capital to support organic growth and pursue strategic M&A, such as our recent acquisition of Thrive Cannabis,” stated Miguel Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Aurora.
“During Q3, we continued focusing on our global medical cannabis business because it is both defensive and stable, with cash gross margins that exceed 60%. We were pleased to have experienced considerable top-line growth in this segment year over year, and with new international markets poised to open, our track record and ability to navigate complex regulatory environments position us ideally for a significant revenue opportunity globally. In terms of the Canadian adult-use market, we continue to adjust to current conditions, are excited for future contributions from the Thrive team, and are committed to a continuous stream of innovation, including advancing our premiumization strategy,” he concluded.
