ROMEOVILLE, Ill., March 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB:NANX), a technology leader in nanomaterials and advanced nanoengineered products, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. 

“We achieved record revenue in 2017, which also represented growth of 16% year-over-year.  We had solid top line, gross margin, and bottom line improvement, while still being able to invest significantly in developing our Solésence finished products business,” commented Nanophase CEO and President Jess Jankowski.  “We expect meaningful Solésence revenue to come on line in Q2 of 2018, which will further enhance our prospects for 2018.”

Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017 Financial Highlights

  • Revenue for fiscal year 2017 was $12.5 million, vs. $10.8 million reported during the same period of 2016. 
  • The net loss for fiscal year 2017 was $0.8 million, or a loss of $0.03 per share, compared to a net loss of $1.3 million, or $0.04 per share, for the comparable period of 2016. 
  • The Company finished the year with approximately $2.0 million in cash and cash equivalents; which included $0.3M of short-term debt. 

Fourth Quarter 2017 Financial Highlights

  • Revenue for the fourth quarter was $2.6 million in 2017 and $2.4 million in 2016. 
  • The net loss for the quarter was $0.2 million in 2017, or $0.01 per share, compared to a net loss of $0.7 million, or $0.02 per share, for 2016. 

Jankowski continued, “While I’m happy with these results, they have been depressed due to our increased investment in the development and marketing of our new finished products.  We expect 2018 to be a signal year for Solésence, which we believe will become a major growth driver over the next several years.  We believe we are well-positioned in the right markets, and our strategy is starting to show commercial results.”

Shareholders and members of the financial community are encouraged to participate in the upcoming conference call, where Mr. Jankowski will discuss the company’s current and long-term prospects.

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2017 Conference Call
The Nanophase conference call, to be hosted by Jess Jankowski, the Company’s President & CEO, is scheduled for March 22, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. CDT, 11:00 a.m. EDT. The conference call dial-in number for U.S. callers is 877-312-8776 and for international callers is 408-774-4007.  The conference ID is 5547068.  Please dial in to the conference at least five minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.

The call may also be accessed through the company’s website, at www.nanophase.com, by clicking on Investor Relations, Investor News and the link in the conference call announcement release.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information
Nanophase believes that the presentation of results excluding certain items, such as non-cash equity compensation charges, provides meaningful supplemental information to both management and investors, facilitating the evaluation of performance across reporting periods. The Company uses these non-GAAP measures for internal planning and reporting purposes. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, generally accepted accounting principles and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income or net income per share prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

About Nanophase Technologies
Nanophase Technologies Corporation (NANX), www.nanophase.com, is a leader in nanomaterials technologies and provides nanoengineered solutions for multiple industrial product applications. Using a platform of patented and proprietary integrated nanomaterial technologies, the Company creates products with unique performance attributes from two ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 registered facilities. Nanophase delivers commercial quantity and quality nanoparticles, coated nanoparticles, and nanoparticle dispersions in a variety of media. 

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains words such as “expects,” ”shall,” “will,” “believes,” and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements in this announcement are made based on the Company’s current beliefs, known events and circumstances at the time of publication, and as such, are subject in the future to unforeseen risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s results of operations, performance and achievements to differ materially from current expectations expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the following: a decision by a customer to cancel a purchase order or supply agreement in light of the Company’s dependence on a limited number of key customers; uncertain demand for, and acceptance of, the Company’s nanocrystalline materials; the Company’s manufacturing capacity and product mix flexibility in light of customer demand; the Company’s limited marketing experience; changes in development and distribution relationships; the impact of competitive products and technologies; the Company’s dependence on patents and protection of proprietary information; the resolution of litigation in which the Company may become involved; the impact of any potential new government regulations that could be difficult to respond to or too costly to comply with while remaining financially viable; the ability of the Company to maintain an appropriate electronic trading venue; and other factors described in the Company’s Form 10-K filed March 29, 2017. In addition, the Company’s forward-looking statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates. Except as required by federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events, uncertainties or other contingencies.

   
NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION  
 
BALANCE SHEETS  
 
     
     December 31,     
    2017    December 31,   
ASSETS   (Unaudited)   2016  
           
Current assets:      
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 1,955,073     $ 1,779,027    
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts          
  of $5,000 on December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016     1,114,607       434,226    
Other receivable     95       96    
Inventories, net     1,138,870       771,975    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     415,192       441,634    
Total current assets     4,623,837       3,426,958    
           
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net     1,624,359       1,395,441    
Other assets, net     17,410       19,893    
    $ 6,265,606     $ 4,842,292    
           
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
Current liabilities:          
Short-term debt     300,000          
Current portion of capital lease obligations     142,912       107,021    
Accounts payable     1,037,784       669,025    
Accrued expenses     542,810       521,302    
Total current liabilities     2,023,506       1,297,348    
           
Long-term portion of capital lease obligations     415,887       109,448    
Long-term deferred rent     409,790       465,850    
Asset retirement obligation     184,518       178,378    
Total long-term liabilities     1,010,195       753,676    
           
           
Stockholders’ equity:          
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 24,088 shares authorized and          
  no shares issued and outstanding            
Common stock, $.01 par value, 42,000,000 and 42,000,000 shares authorized;            
  33,847,793 and 31,229,996 shares issued and outstanding on December 31, 2017          
  and December 31, 2016, respectively     338,478       312,300    
Additional paid-in capital     98,562,750       97,359,324    
Accumulated deficit     (95,669,323 )     (94,880,356 )  
Total stockholders’ equity     3,231,905       2,791,268    
    $ 6,265,606     $ 4,842,292    
                   

 

   
NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION  
 
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS  
 
(Unaudited)  
 
    Three months ended   Twelve months ended  
    December 31,   December 31,  
    2017   2016   2017   2016  
Revenue:                                  
Product revenue, net   $ 2,604,088     $ 2,343,061     $ 12,128,936     $ 10,719,808    
Other revenue     14,715       24,283       342,019       62,739    
Net revenue     2,618,803       2,367,344       12,470,955       10,782,547    
                   
Operating expense:                  
Cost of revenue     1,757,983       1,776,592       8,620,453       7,542,876    
Gross profit     860,820       590,752       3,850,502       3,239,671    
                   
Research and development expense     381,856       494,181       1,735,687       1,553,688    
Selling, general and administrative expense     683,256       803,057       2,886,282       2,954,232    
Income/(Loss) from operations     (204,292 )     (706,486 )     (771,467 )     (1,268,249 )  
Interest income                          
Interest expense     (9,444 )     (3,540 )     (34,355 )     (14,849 )  
Other, net     (1,021 )           16,855          
Income/(Loss) before provision for income taxes     (214,757 )     (710,026 )     (788,967 )     (1,283,098 )  
Provision for income taxes                          
Net income/(loss)   $ (214,757 )   $ (710,026 )   $ (788,967 )   $ (1,283,098 )  
                                   
                                   
Net income/(loss) per share- basic and diluted   $ (0.01 )   $ (0.02 )   $ (0.03 )   $ (0.04 )  
                                   
Weighted average number of basic and diluted                                  
  common shares outstanding     33,515,211       31,229,996       31,335,956       30,911,869    
                                   
                                   
                                   
NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION  
 
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS – EXPANDED SCHEDULE  
 
(Unaudited)  
 
    Three months ended   Twelve months ended  
    December 31,   December 31,  
    2017   2016   2017   2016  
Revenue:                                  
Product revenue, net   $ 2,604,088     $ 2,343,061     $ 12,128,936     $ 10,719,808    
Other revenue     14,715       24,283       342,019       62,739    
Net revenue     2,618,803       2,367,344       12,470,955       10,782,547    
                   
Operating expense:                  
Cost of revenue detail:                  
Depreciation     67,881       80,503       279,286       471,660    
Non-Cash equity compensation     6,194       5,298       24,279       22,398    
Other costs of revenue     1,683,908       1,690,791       8,316,888       7,048,818    
Cost of revenue     1,757,983       1,776,592       8,620,453       7,542,876    
  Gross profit     860,820       590,752       3,850,502       3,239,671    
                   
Research and development expense detail:                  
Depreciation     8,767       22,018       46,748       104,852    
Non-Cash equity compensation     11,077       9,090       47,343       36,354    
Other research and development expense     362,012       463,073       1,641,596       1,412,482    
Research and development expense     381,856       494,181       1,735,687       1,553,688    
                   
Selling, general and administrative expense detail:                      
Depreciation and amortization     5,126       60,121       18,114       88,532    
Non-Cash equity compensation     25,842       64,141       111,041       148,317    
Other selling, general and administrative expense     652,288       678,795       2,757,127       2,717,383    
Selling, general and administrative expense     683,256       803,057       2,886,282       2,954,232    
Income/(Loss) from operations     (204,292 )     (706,486 )     (771,467 )     (1,268,249 )  
Interest income                          
Interest expense     (9,444 )     (3,540 )     (34,355 )     (14,849 )  
Other, net     (1,021 )           16,855          
Income/(Loss) before provision for income taxes     (214,757 )     (710,026 )     (788,967 )     (1,283,098 )  
Provision for income taxes                          
Net income/(loss)   $ (214,757 )   $ (710,026 )   $ (788,967 )   $ (1,283,098 )  
                   
Non-GAAP Disclosure (see note regarding Non-GAAP disclosures):                      
Addback Interest, net     9,444       3,540       34,355       14,849    
Addback Depreciation/Amortization     81,774       162,642       344,148       665,044    
Addback Non-Cash Equity Compensation     43,113       78,529       182,663       207,069    
Addback Other, net     1,021             (16,855 )        
                                   
Adjusted EBITDA   $ (79,405 )   $ (465,315 )   $ (244,656 )   $ (396,136 )  
                                   

COMPANY CONTACT
Nancy Baldwin
Investor Relations
630-771-6708