Debra Borchardt
SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) reported its 2019 third-quarter revenue in Canadian dollars of $9.3 million which rose 29% over the $7.2 million of revenue produced in the second quarter of 2019. It easily overshadowed last year’s net revenue of $1.6 million for the same time period. The company said that the increase reflected ongoing business strength in core markets and a favorable shift in product mix, including accelerating sales of premium products in the SLANG portfolio.
Slang also delivered a net income of $0.4 million in third-quarter versus net income of $17.5 million in the second quarter. The company reported a net loss of $16 million in 2018 for the same time period. The company said that the net income gain was driven by a favorable $106.6 million fair value adjustment to derivative liabilities and the options to acquire NS Holdings Inc. and ACG, offset by a non-cash impairment charge relating to a write-down of goodwill for acquisitions completed in January 2019 and by increased operating expenses in the quarter.
“In Q3 2019, we continued to see strong organic revenue growth. Across our portfolio, we saw favourable developments, including a shift in consumer spending toward the premium end of our portfolio, particularly Craft Reserve and Firefly. We continue to diversify our portfolio of products to increase total cannabis market share across both historically strong and blue-sky product segments, for SLANG,” said SLANG CEO Peter Miller.
Additional Financing
Slang also announced a non-brokered private placement financing for $15 million. Investors include existing institutional shareholders of the company and additional investment by investor Bruce Linton. Slang said it intends to use the proceeds of the private placement to support strategic growth opportunities and for general corporate purposes.
Miller added, “We are excited to accept additional financing. This significant capital infusion from existing, long-term shareholders further strengthens our balance sheet. The company’s ongoing efforts toward increased acquisition-centric efficiencies, our goal of positive operating cash flow by mid-2020, today’s enhanced cash position, and our powerful, multi-state platform allow us to be opportunistic around growth opportunities in this dynamic environment. We see a huge opportunity in flower, ultra-premium concentrates, and other previously untapped product segments for SLANG.”
Vape Sales Continue
Despite the vape crisis, which has put a dentin most vape product sales, Slang said that it saw an increase in quarterly revenue driven by higher sales of premium products within the portfolio. “Despite sociopolitical headwinds, our leading Craft Reserve and Reserve brands in the O.penVAPE line maintained a #1 sales position across key markets, including Colorado, New Mexico, and Vermont.
The company statement also noted that within most key markets, the Slang SKUs are among the highest-selling concentrate products on shelves, including in Colorado where 6 of the highest-selling vape SKUs are either Craft Reserve or Reserve products. “As part of its iterative product strategy, SLANG soft-launched the FireFly Mini product in Colorado during Q3 2019. After positive traction in the market, the company now anticipates a full state-wide launch in Q4 2019, followed by a product roll-out in California, Oregon, and Washington in the first half of 2020. Additionally, SLANG anticipates offering further additions to its product mix, including live resin products in 2020.”
