CEA Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: CEAD, CEADW) announced its financial results for the first quarter ending March 31, 2023, reflecting the successful completion of delayed projects and implementation of cost-cutting initiatives.
In a statement, Tony McDonald, Chairman and CEO of CEA Industries, highlighted the double-digit growth in revenue and significant savings in operating expenses. Despite these encouraging figures, McDonald acknowledged the ongoing market challenges, including pricing and inflationary pressures impacting consumers and operators alike. He outlined the company’s strategy to focus on lean operations and secure new contracts in the cannabis and traditional agriculture sectors.
In Q1 2023, CEA Industries reported a substantial 221% quarter-over-quarter and 169% year-over-year increase in revenue, from $1.46 million and $1.74 million in Q4 2022 and Q1 2022, respectively, to $4.68 million. This surge was attributed to improvements in the company’s supply chain and the deployment of project work to address previously delayed projects.
The company’s gross profit also increased significantly, reaching $853,000 in Q1 2023, a 465% increase from $151,000 in Q4 2022 and an impressive 837% increase from $91,000 in Q1 2022. Correspondingly, the gross margin rose to 18.2% in Q1 2023, up from 10.3% in Q4 2022 and 5.2% in Q1 2022. The significant increase in gross margin was primarily attributed to higher revenue and a decrease in fixed costs relative to revenue.
Conversely, net bookings for Q1 2023 were $0.8 million, down from $2.1 million for the same period in 2022. Similarly, the quarter-end backlog stood at $1.9 million, a decrease from $11.2 million in Q1 2022. This drop was mainly due to fewer capital projects and expenditures by cannabis operators.
During the same period in 2022, operating expenses decreased by 24% to $1.3 million from $1.7 million. This reduction was mainly due to lower product development expenses and decreased personnel and marketing costs.
CEA Industries Q1 2023 includes a net loss improved to $431,000, a significant improvement from the same period in 2022 when it experienced a net loss of $1.4 million. As of March 31, 2023, the company had $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents, which is lower than the $18.6 million it had at the end of 2022. Additionally, the company’s working capital decreased by $0.2 million during this period, but it’s important to note that it remained debt-free as of March 31, 2023.
Despite a challenging environment over the past year, McDonald expressed confidence in CEA Industries’ strong liquidity position and prudent capital allocation approach, ensuring its capability to navigate the current landscape and provide value to its customers and shareholders.
Photo by petra cigale on Unsplash
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