Research Solutions Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

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Nov 14, 2018, 16:05 ET

ENCINO, Calif., Nov. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Research Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: RSSS), a provider of workflow efficiency solutions for R&D-driven organizations, reported financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended September 30, 2018.

Fiscal First Quarter 2019 Highlights vs. Year-Ago Quarter

Total revenue increased 3% to $7.0 million.
Platform revenue up 52% to $589,000, with a 48% increase in total Platform deployments to 239. Annual recurring revenue up 54% to $2.4 million.
Transaction revenue up slightly to $6.4 million, with customer count up 6% to 1,084.
Total gross margin up 210 basis points to 28.0%.
Net loss from continuing operations was $0.2 million, or $(0.01) per share, compared to a net loss of $0.8 million, or $(0.04) per share.

Management Commentary

"Fiscal 2019 began on a strong note with continued momentum in our Platform business, which helped drive consolidated gross margin higher on a sequential basis for the third straight quarter," said Peter Derycz, president and CEO of Research Solutions. "The value of the Platform is also growing, as reflected by our annual recurring revenue that has reached nearly $2.5 million. Unique enhancements like near-daily innovation produced by our 'Gadget Factory' is also helping drive value and strong customer retention.

"At the beginning of our second fiscal quarter, we launched version 2.2 of our Platform, which features new self-registration capabilities that allow for more efficient lead generation and frictionless sign-ups. We believe this upgrade will increase the pace of deployments and provide important analytics that will drive more efficient sales and marketing campaigns. In fact, we have already received a few hundred self sign-ups since the launch despite no marketing campaigns, including various enterprise inquiries. The release of version 2.2 also included the introduction of our Reference Manager gadget. Reference and citation management is an activity that most of the scientific community engages in, and we're excited to bring this ground-breaking gadget to life after months of R&D. Given our continued Platform momentum, and a new sales and marketing strategy underway, we expect fiscal 2019 to be another successful year for our business."

Fiscal First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

Total revenue increased 3% to $7.0 million compared to $6.7 million in the same year-ago quarter.

Platform subscription revenue increased 52% to $589,000 compared to $388,000 in the year-ago quarter. The increase was due to a 48% increase in the total number of paid Platform deployments to 239. The quarter ended with annual recurring revenue up 54% to $2.4 million (see the company's definition of annual recurring revenue below).

Transaction revenue increased slightly to $6.4 million compared to the same year-ago quarter. Total active customers increased 6% from 1,022 to 1,084, and transaction count declined slightly from 205,000 to 202,000 (see the company's definition of active customer accounts and transactions below).

Total gross margin increased 210 basis points to 28.0% from 25.9% in the same year-ago quarter. The increase was primarily driven by a 320 basis point increase in Platform gross margin and the continued revenue mix shift to the higher-margin Platform business.

Total operating expenses improved to $2.2 million compared to $2.6 million in the same year-ago quarter. The decrease was primarily due to the continued optimization and transformation of sales and marketing resources, lower stock-based compensation expenses, and a handful of open positions.

Net loss from continuing operations improved to $0.2 million, or $(0.01) per share, compared to a net loss of $0.8 million, or $(0.04) per share, in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted EBITDA totaled $(0.1) million compared to $(0.5) million in the year-ago quarter (see definition and further discussion about the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP term, below).

Cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2018, amounted to $4.5 million compared to $4.9 million at June 30, 2018. There were no outstanding borrowings under the company's $2.5 million revolving line of credit. Apart from a $0.2 million office lease liability due to new accounting guidance for leases, the company had no long-term liabilities or other debt.

Further details about these results are available in the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q, which is available in the investor relations section of the company's website at www.researchsolutions.com.

Conference Call

Research Solutions President and CEO Peter Derycz and CFO Alan Urban will host an investor conference call to discuss these results and the company's outlook, followed by a question and answer period.

Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time (2:00 p.m. Pacific time)
Toll-free dial-in number: 1-855-327-6837
International dial-in number: 1-631-891-4304
Conference ID: 10005768

Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Liolios at 1-949-574-3860.

The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay here and via the investor relations section of the company's website at www.researchsolutions.com.

A replay of the conference call will be available after 8:00 p.m. Eastern time on the same day through November 28, 2018.

Toll-free replay number: 1-844-512-2921
International replay number: 1-412-317-6671
Replay ID: 10005768

Fiscal First Quarter 2018 Financial and Operational Summary Tables vs. Year-Ago Quarter

		Quarter Ended Sept. 30,
		2018	2017	Change	% Change
Revenue:
	Platforms	$ 589,013	$ 387,945	$ 201,068	51.8%
	Transactions	6,363,508	6,359,895	3,613	0.1%
Total Revenue		6,952,521	6,747,840	204,681	3.0%

Gross Profit:
	Platforms	480,754	303,958	176,796	58.2%
	Transactions	1,467,201	1,445,481	21,720	1.5%
Total Gross Profit		1,947,955	1,749,439	198,516	11.3%

Gross profit as a % of revenue:
	Platforms	81.6%	78.4%	3.3%
	Transactions	23.1%	22.7%	0.3%
Total Gross Profit		28.0%	25.9%	2.1%

Operating Expenses:
	Sales and marketing	431,417	678,963	(247,546)	-36.5%
	Technology and product development	499,795	452,816	46,979	10.4%
	General and administrative	1,118,611	1,131,402	(12,791)	-1.1%
	Depreciation and amortization	11,115	40,568	(29,453)	-72.6%
	Stock-based compensation	115,909	286,242	(170,333)	-59.5%
	Foreign currency translation loss	4,980	(12,387)	17,367	140.2%
Total Operating Expenses		2,181,827	2,577,604	(395,777)	-15.4%

Income (loss) from operations		(233,872)	(828,165)	594,293	71.8%

Other Income (Expenses):
	Interest expense	-	(3,000)	3,000	100.0%
	Other income (expense)	23,485	12,802	10,683	83.4%
	Provision for income taxes	(9,221)	(11,751)	2,530	21.5%
	Gain on sale of discontinued operations	41,720	57,149	(15,429)	-27.0%
Total Other Income (Expenses):		55,984	55,200	784	1.4%

Net income (loss)		$ (177,888)	$ (772,965)	595,077	77.0%

Adjusted EBITDA		$ (101,868)	$ (513,742)	$ 411,874	80.2%

Platforms:
	ARR (Annual recurring revenue)	$ 2,448,293	$ 1,590,830	$ 857,463	53.9%
	Deployments	239	161	78	48.4%
	ASP (Average sales price)	$ 10,244	$ 9,881	$ 363	3.7%

Transactions:
	Transaction count	202,212	205,066	(2,854)	-1.4%
	Corporate customers	845	806	39	4.8%
	Academic customers	239	216	23	10.6%
	Total customers	1,084	1,022	62	6.1%

Active Customer Accounts, Transactions and Annual Recurring Revenue

The company defines active customer accounts as the sum of the total quantity of customers per month for each month in the period divided by the respective number of months in the period. The quantity of customers per month is defined as customers with at least one transaction during the month.

A transaction is an order for a unit of copyrighted content fulfilled or managed in the Platform.

The company defines annual recurring revenue as the value of contracted Platform subscription recurring revenue normalized to a one-year period.

Use of Non-GAAP Measure – Adjusted EBITDA

Research Solutions' management evaluates and makes operating decisions using various financial metrics. In addition to the company's GAAP results, management also considers the non-GAAP measure of Adjusted EBITDA. Management believes that this non-GAAP measure provides useful information about the company's operating results.

The tables below provide a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss), plus interest expense, other income (expense), foreign currency transaction loss, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, gain on sale of discontinued operations, and other potential adjustments that may arise.

Set forth below is a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss):

			Quarter Ended Sept. 30,
			2018	2017	Change
Net Income (loss)			$ (177,888)	$ (772,965)	$ 595,077
	Add (deduct):				-
		Interest expense	-	3,000	(3,000)
		Other income (expense)	(23,485)	(12,802)	(10,683)
		Foreign currency translation loss	4,980	(12,387)	17,367
		Provision for income taxes	9,221	11,751	(2,530)
		Depreciation and amortization	11,115	40,568	(29,453)
		Stock-based compensation	115,909	286,242	(170,333)
		Gain on sale of discontinued operations	(41,720)	(57,149)	15,429
	Adjusted EBITDA		$ (101,868)	$ (513,742)	$ 411,874

About Research Solutions

Research Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: RSSS) provides workflow efficiency solutions for R&D-driven organizations in life sciences, technology and academia worldwide. Our Software-as-a-Service platform provides tools or "Gadgets" that allow users to discover, access, manage and collaborate around science, technology and medical (STM) content and data. Our customers range from 70 percent of the top 25 global pharmaceutical companies to emerging small and medium-sized businesses. We generate recurring revenue from subscriptions to our SaaS platform and transactional revenue from the sale of STM content. For more information, visit www.researchsolutions.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; acceptance of the company's products in the market; the company's success in obtaining new customers and new Platform deployments; the company's success in technology and product development; the company's ability to execute its business model and strategic plans, and all the risks and related information described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the financial statements and related information contained in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission Annual Report on Form 10-K and interim Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The company assumes no obligation to update the cautionary information in this release.

Research Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

	September 30,		June 30,
	2018		2018
	(unaudited)
Assets
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	4,527,027	$	4,908,180
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $105,683 and $115,040, respectively		4,051,236		4,251,251
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		262,764		326,887
Prepaid royalties		255,403		93,336
Total current assets		9,096,430		9,579,654

Other assets:
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $762,933 and $749,923, respectively		49,328		59,043
Deposits and other assets		14,432		14,372
Right of use asset, net of accumulated amortization of $184,035 and $155,698, respectively		278,986		307,324
Total assets	$	9,439,176	$	9,960,393

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	$	4,366,542	$	4,686,946
Deferred revenue		1,635,527		1,665,746
Lease liability, current portion		122,087		119,786
Total current liabilities		6,124,156		6,472,478

Long-term liabilities:
Lease liability, long-term portion		177,167		208,513
Total liabilities		6,301,323		6,680,991

Commitments and contingencies

Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 20,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding		-		-
Common stock; $0.001 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 24,155,676 and 24,016,999 shares issued and outstanding, respectively		24,156		24,017
Additional paid-in capital		22,945,261		22,904,691
Accumulated deficit		(19,732,487)		(19,554,599)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(99,077)		(94,707)
Total stockholders' equity		3,137,853		3,279,402
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$	9,439,176	$	9,960,393

Research Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended
	September 30,
	2018		2017

Revenue:
Platforms	$	589,013	$	387,945
Transactions		6,363,508		6,359,895
Total revenue		6,952,521		6,747,840

Cost of revenue:
Platforms		108,259		83,987
Transactions		4,896,307		4,914,414
Total cost of revenue		5,004,566		4,998,401
Gross profit		1,947,955		1,749,439

Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative		2,170,712		2,537,036
Depreciation and amortization		11,115		40,568
Total operating expenses		2,181,827		2,577,604
Loss from operations		(233,872)		(828,165)

Other income (expenses):
Interest expense		-		(3,000)
Other income		23,485		12,802
Total other income		23,485		9,802

Loss from operations before provision for income taxes		(210,387)		(818,363)
Provision for income taxes		(9,221)		(11,751)

Loss from continuing operations		(219,608)		(830,114)

Gain from sale of discontinued operations		41,720		57,149

Net loss		(177,888)		(772,965)

Other comprehensive income (loss): Foreign currency translation		(4,370)		(8,951)
Comprehensive loss	$	(182,258)	$	(781,916)

Loss per common share:
Loss per share from continuing operations, basic and diluted	$	(0.01)	$	(0.04)
Income per share from discontinued operations, basic and diluted	$	-	$	-
Net loss per share, basic and diluted	$	(0.01)	$	(0.04)
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted		23,644,787		23,380,437