Operator
Operator
Welcome to the Acorn Energy Second Quarter 2015 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]. I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. Michael Barth, CFO. Please go ahead, sir.
Acorn Energy, Inc. (ACFN)
Q2 2015 Earnings Call· Fri, Aug 14, 2015
$17.80
-1.17%
Same-Day
-5.00%
1 Week
-15.00%
1 Month
-45.00%
vs S&P
-40.59%
Operator
Operator
Welcome to the Acorn Energy Second Quarter 2015 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]. I would now like to turn the conference over to Mr. Michael Barth, CFO. Please go ahead, sir.
Michael Barth
Analyst
Thank you. Many of the statements made today in the presentation and our responses to your questions are forward-looking. These statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. In particular, the performance of our operating companies in 2015 and future years is subject to various risks and uncertainties including, risks associated with meeting performance milestones; political risks associated with conducting business with government customers and risks of possible costs overruns associated with fixed price projects. There is no assurance that Acorn or its operating companies will be able to achieve its goals for growth in 2015 and future years. Our ability to execute on our plans for 2015 and beyond is in large part dependent on DSIT generating the anticipated cash flow from operations of which there can be no assurance. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties which may affect Acorn Energy and the businesses of its operating subsidiaries is included in the risk factors and the company's Form 10-K filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Please note this event is being recorded. Thank you.
John Moore
Analyst
Thank you, Michael. This is John Moore, CEO of Acorn Energy. It's been a treacherous time to be investing in the energy business. Commodity prices have collapsed with it our sales pipelines have suffered delays but we’re determined to survive and eventually thrive. When you last heard from us we told you we were expecting to be self-funding from excess cash flow at DSIT, that hasn't happened. Some of the receivables and progress payments we're expecting move to the latter part of the year. We've tied partners, was excited by our prospects and agreed to bridge the company until we could arrange a strategic event. The loan has a one year term and there's a 10% coupon that is an equity kicker that accrues monthly over the period. But we can pay it back earlier without penalty. Jan Loeb, the principal tied [ph] three into successful micro-cap investor, has a lot of experience in the Israeli defense world in the [indiscernible] on the board of an Israeli defense contractor and is a very experienced business person. DSIT continues to build its brand and awareness in the naval sonar technology market. We launched a new website that better presents our naval solutions and as a resulted in an increased number and quality of opportunities which we expect to convert to sales and new relationships with navies in the near future. We're happy to report that our work with our new South East Asian client is proceeding well and we expect to ship the anti-submarine weapons simulator in the first quarter of 2016 as planned. Our bank received a $6.2 million cash advance on this record order and we're in discussions with them to collect a substantial portion of the advance to fund work on the project. Another critical delivery on the…
Operator
Operator
[Operator Instructions]. Our first question will come from Michael Zuck [ph] of Oppenheimer & Company.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Couple of questions, regarding the LeakTide [ph] capital investment. Was that advance made was, it done at the end of the second quarter or was it done in July for the start of the third quarter? It's just a timing question.
John Moore
Analyst
We closed it at like 4 o'clock last night, 4 o'clock in the afternoon yesterday.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
So the twelve months then effectively starts today?
John Moore
Analyst
That's correct.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
And then -- the one year period then runs through next year?
John Moore
Analyst
That's right.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Is it a presumptive of me to infer that as we get farther down the road with DSIT say into the first quarter of 2016 that we might have the ability to pay down on this loan?
John Moore
Analyst
That is our hope and aspiration. We've been we've got some interesting companies that have approached us about partnerships with the DSIT and it's a terrific company and that's -- you know it's an art. And another question regarding Southeast Asia I sent you some information yesterday regarding the proposals that the Chinese are undertaking to greatly increase their naval presence not only in the South China Sea but in the Pacific Rim. What kind of opportunities is that presenting to us with regard to signing contracts with the neighboring countries in that area.
Unidentified Company Representative
Analyst
Yes indeed we know that this [indiscernible] fee is going to be a hectic place, the plan is that in a relatively small areas there will be many, many tens of submarines and all the countries involved in the navies though and taking measurements and we all know there will [indiscernible] and working with them and proposing a different solution. As a matter of fact one of the last biggest order that we received is for one of the countries in that area.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
From an opportunistic standpoint would we attempt to display our capabilities to these various countries? Is this a decision that has been made from military or strategic standpoint or is it a political decision made in these countries?
Unidentified Company Representative
Analyst
I would say it might be both, it will depend on the countries but we are talking to the military and the Ministry of Defense who are the customers for these type of systems. We of course have many commercial and engineering related customers that trying to protect the physical infrastructure and then we would be talking to the main oil companies, oil and energy companies.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Is our technology being used in the Gulf of Mexico for oil rig monitoring?
Unidentified Company Representative
Analyst
Not yet, but Mexico is one of our potential customers. We have been a number of times. We have an agent that worked with us there this is one of our targets. Sometimes it takes longer especially now with the situation in the energy world but for sure the Gulf of Mexico is one of the potential markets.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Well I appreciate the efforts that has been made and look forward to lending subcontracts particularly with the threat if you will of the Chinese navy in the South China Sea and beyond.
John Moore
Analyst
Thank you so much.
Operator
Operator
Our next question comes from [indiscernible]. Please go ahead.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
There was on 20 minutes, 60 minutes rather there was a segment on danger of China wiping out our satellites and they talked a lot about a potential backup plan is that what you're talking with some of your new contracts?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
Yes That is correct. The Pentagon is working on several different measures as a backup and we saw that story as well and the partnership that OmniMetrix has acted and working on is one of those alternatives.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Okay. How close are you to getting something in that area would you guess?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
Yes we have been receiving regular updates from the partnership over the past three months and what they are telling us is that they have been in regular contact with Pentagon as John mentioned in his remarks and they are expecting the first work on that to take place in 2015.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
2015, so probably the fourth quarter?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
We’re not sure of when exactly that will happen, but everything we're told is that the initial work will be done in 2015 with a larger work to be done over the next five years.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
And that contract will be for the Air Force right?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
We're in discussions with several parts of the military but that doesn't to be for Air Force.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Yes. So if that came to fruition then there would be a good chance if it was working that it would expand to a lot more bases and also other divisions of the military?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
That is our understanding at this point.
John Moore
Analyst
And of the good guys as well and our allies as well. Les, because this is this is something that you take we take modern communications for granted but you know this would be devastating to the to our defense and our ability to project power if the U.S. doesn't have the ability to be able to communicate.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Right and then on the running the electricity through the gas pipelines to eliminate or curtail corrosion, where does that stand? Do you actually have any contracts or are you getting close? What would seem to me that the accidents that have occurred over the last two or three years would provide a significant impetus to these companies to get moving in this area.
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
That's correct. So we have been actively working with gas utilities since 2002 and over the past six months on the metrics is placed much more of a stronger sales focus on that market and that division. We've seen new orders come in. I know I had lunch with a local regulator just two days ago and he echoed your comments that much of the regulations started with the San Bruno incident [indiscernible] Gas and Electric. They have seen a much higher rate of change in terms of increased roles and they expect to see even more rules to come in the coming months and years.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Okay, the problem is that utilities are notoriously slow in making changes that they're not required to but it is there also a market with the gas pipelines which have a lot more money and would probably be interoperable as the utilities?
John Moore
Analyst
I would agree with you that utilities are historically slow to change. What we've seen is that these rules that have occurred over the past few years are the main driver for them to adopt from a monitoring.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
What about the second part of the question that pipeline companies should also be a good market where there would be you know they're not usually is resistant to change particularly with the liabilities that they'd be facing?
John Moore
Analyst
Yes they are another large part of the market and we’re at active discussions with several of them today.
Operator
Operator
[Operator Instructions] Next we have a follow-up question from Michael Zuck [ph] of Oppenheimer & Company. Please go ahead.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
John, a follow-up on pipeline monitoring, is there a difference in the monitoring systems for underground on-shore pipelines and underwater pipelines and are they distinct market or can you use the same type of technology to monitor both those types of pipelines.
John Moore
Analyst
That’s a good question, Mike particularly in view of that recent Santa Barbara pipeline accident I will hand that one over again to Walter.
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
It's all the similar technology. OmniMetrix's current technology has multiple applications for various types of pipeline, what we have doing after first is gas because that is has most of your pinpoint in terms of damage and risk of [indiscernible] but there are several other applications that we’re pursing as well, water among them yes but there are many others.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
I think Walter is asking under pipelines, is that area that we go after?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
It is part of what we've looked at. I would say that that's where we're on the priority list. But it's certainly you know among the markets that we can we can pursue and the technology is the same relevance.
John Moore
Analyst
Another sort of thing is there's internal corrosion and there's extra chores and so the internal corrosion is checked by things like [indiscernible] that they $10 million systems that they put down the pipe down the pipeline for internal corrosion and then what we're doing is monitoring for external corrosion so typically like a [indiscernible] will hit a pipeline and scratch the coating that'll open up a surface that can that can rust and you know this it's a huge problem for the pipeline owners and Walter's first convincing them that they just need to build up the regulatory records in-line but there's also a substantial operating benefit to them.
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
Well that reminds me from a liability standpoint for pipelines it would seem to me that there would be pressure on the pipeline companies to increase their monitoring given the accidents that have happened over the past three or four years and it seemed to me the pressure would come from the insurance industry from the standpoint that I'm sure that some of these pipelines have some sort of a liability insurance policy in place and I would think that the insurance companies would be actively requiring that there be stepped up inspection to prevent future accidents because if there's a pipeline explosion that results in the loss of human life the potential liability is staggering.
John Moore
Analyst
Walter, have you had any interaction with you know it's like [indiscernible] obviously a big backer of insurance for transformers and things like that, have you seen any efforts on the part of the insurance companies on the pipelines?
Walter Czarnecki
Analyst
We have seen some of that, we have had a couple of conversations with some of the larger insurance companies and that we see that as you do is the growing opportunity as these regulations and risks increase.
Unidentified Analyst
Analyst
Well the bottom line is guys go for all of these opportunities because I can see that there are there now it's a matter of delivering on the potential opportunities and I have a great deal of confidence that over the next three or four quarters we will see subtenant progress.
John Moore
Analyst
Thank you so much, Mike. Appreciate your comments.
Operator
Operator
This ends our question and answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to Mr. John Moore for any closing remarks.
John Moore
Analyst
I would just like to conclude by saying thank you so much for you sticking with us and supporting us and believing us. Obviously there is not much we can do about energy prices, there are things that we can do about our cost structures and we're doing that and there are things that we can do about spending more time in for the customers and being better at listening to them and solving their problems and we believe we're going to get through this tight spot and thanks to Jan Loeb and the investors and [indiscernible] three which includes the some of the members of the senior management of DSIT and we're grateful for everybody's assistance we get a little help from our friends. Thank you very much.
Operator
Operator
Thank you, sir. The conference is now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect. Have a fantastic day.