Kevin Waters
Analyst · Cowen. Your line is now open
Thank you, Josh and good afternoon everyone. For the fourth quarter, gross orders were $85.7 million and $298 million for the full year representing 5% growth year-over-year. This is consistent with the guidance provided at the beginning of the year. For the full year our Europe, APAC and Japan regions all experienced between 10% to 15% order growth in 2017 which was offset by subpar order performance in the Americas region. Regarding the Americas region, today we highlighted the additional focus we are applying to capitalize on a replacement opportunity. Which included a recently completed realignment of commercial resources in the US. While our gross order volume in the US was less than anticipated, I do want to point out that we did not have a significant number of competitor takeaway. In fact, that number was two systems in the US for the full year. Additionally, the majority of our orders in the US for fiscal 2017 represented sales to our own installed base which is encouraging for future growth given Radixact full commercial launch did not occur until the back half of fiscal 2017. As previously noted, Europe, APAC and Japan all experienced double-digit order growth. European orders were led by CyberKnife system sales which were broad-based in nature across both direct and distributor markets. APAC and Japan had both strong Radixact and TomoTherapy orders. Radixact orders in Japan have been extremely positive since receiving showing an approval in January. Our APAC strength was driven by several Radixact orders in Korea and Hong Kong in the second half of 2017. Regarding full year order mix, global replacement orders represented approximately 20% of total full year orders which is an improvement from the prior year where replacement orders represented 15% of our total orders. Orders for our TomoTherapy systems at site with singular door or dual box represented well over 50% of the order mix for the full year. Demonstrating the workforce capability and improve reliability of our systems. Lastly approximately 30% of our full year orders were competitive system replacements demonstrating our ability to gain order market share. Turning back to the fourth quarter, our net orders were $63.5 million after net -- $18.6 million which included $2.8 million and cancellations of $4 million. Net -- in the quarter were in line with the $15 million to $20 million range we provided on our last call. We ended June 2017 with backlog of $452.8 million representing growth of 12% over the prior year. We are pleased with our backlog growth and look to our renewed backlog to revenue conversion focus to drive future revenue growth. Turning now to our income statement. Total revenue for the fourth quarter was $112.1 million representing an increase of 18% over the prior year and the highest single quarter of revenue in Accuray’s history. This was driven by double-digit year-over-year growth from three of our regions Americas, Asia Pacific and Japan. In addition, as noted in our pre-announcement we had improving performance sequentially in our European region. Product revenue for the quarter was $60.6 million an increase of 38% over the prior year period. Product revenue was fairly evenly mixed between our CyberKnife and TomoTherapy Systems with a very meaningful contribution from Radixact. Service revenue for the quarter was $51.5 million compared the $51.2 million in the year ago period, which was below our installed base growth due to less service upgrade sold compared to the year ago period. Turning now to gross margins, our overall gross margin for the fourth quarter was 38.5% compared with the prior year period gross margin of 39.3%. The decrease was primarily driven by reduced product gross margins offset by improved service margins. Product gross margins decreased due to product and channel mix as well as an approximate $1 million non-cash inventory obsolescence charge in the fiscal fourth quarter. Product margins would be closer to 40 excluding this one-time charge. Service gross margins in the fiscal fourth quarter were 39%, a significant improvement from the 33% percent in the year ago period. During the fourth quarter, we continue to see improvement with parts reliability and we also continue our focus on service cost management. Moving down the income statement, operating expenses for the quarter were $40.4 million essentially flat with $40.3 million in the year ago period. A $1 million increase in selling, marketing and G&A expenses were mostly offset by $900,000 decrease in research and development expenses due primarily to lower Radixact development expenses. Adjusted EBITDA for the fiscal fourth quarter more than doubled to $10.3 million compared to $5 million in the year ago period. For fiscal 2017, on a full year basis we achieved total revenue of $383.4 million. Total gross margin for the year was 36.9%. Fiscal 2017 operating expenses declined approximately 8% to $151.2 million which demonstrates our ability to manage operating expenses consistent with growth. Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2017 was $20.4 million this was below guidance for the year at the result of approximately $2.2 million and both non-cash inventory obsolescence expenses and severance related expenses recorded during the quarter. Turning now to our balance sheet. We had approximately $109 million of cash, cash equivalents, short term restricted cash and investments at June 30, 2007. This improved sequentially from March 31 by $23.6 million reflecting working capital improvements in both accounts receivable and inventory. At the same time, we also reduced our debt by $9 million and paid down our accounts payable by more than $6 million from March 31. Regarding our capital structure, in fiscal 2017 we decreased total debt by $53 million compared to prior year. Primarily as a result of using cash on hand to retire $36.6 million of a company's 3.5% convertible debt in August 2016. In the fourth quarter of 2017, we also replaced our term loan with a smaller size asset backed loan where we reduced overall debt by $9 million. The new loan also reduces our interest rate by 300 basis points compared to the term loan. Subsequent to the end of fiscal fourth quarter in August 2017, we accomplished a significant milestone in refinancing much of our existing convertible debt. As we have previously communicated, we have been evaluating several refinancing strategies and sources to address our upcoming February 2018 convertible debt. Our options included putting in place straight debt issuing new convertible notes, issuing new equity, paying down the existing debt with available cash and various combinations of all of the above. We ultimately concluded the balance structure we put in place was the best option at this time for the company and our shareholders. Our new 2022 convertible debt extends our debt maturity by over four years, reduces total potential delusion, minimizes cash interest expenses compared to straight debt and allows us to maintain a significant amount of cash on the balance sheet. We now have $85 million of convertible notes during 2022 and $40 million of the existing convertible notes due February 2018. The $85 million of debt during 2022 has a 5.72 conversion price and the principle can be paid in cash or equity at our choosing. If the new debt was to be converted into shares of our common stock this would equate to approximately 15 million shares. Immediately prior to the transaction, we had $115 million of debt due in February 2018 at a 5.33 conversion price subject 21.6 million diluted shares. We are evaluating our options to retire the remaining 40 million, due in February of 2018 and will focus on a strategy that minimizes dilution while also being cost effective. The balance sheet transaction will secure a longer-term capital structure that will allow us the resources and flexibility to execute on our growth opportunities. Turning now to our annual guidance for fiscal 2018. We anticipate revenue to be in the range of $390 million to $400 million which would represent growth of 2% to 4% over fiscal 2017. This would represent product revenue growth of 5% to 10% and relatively flat service revenues. While we are not providing quarterly guidance on revenues, we do expect a similar calendarization in 2018 as compared to 2017 which would represent a linear progression in the revenues throughout the year. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in the range of $25 million to $30 million, which would represent year-over-year growth between 23% and 47%. To achieve our adjusted EBITDA range, we expect gross margins to be approximately 40% for the full year. However, these margins are highly sensitive to revenue levels and therefore will fluctuate quarter to quarter. Operating expenses will be flat on the low end of revenues and grow approximately 3% at the upper end of revenues. We will invest in areas that provide the largest return to our customers and shareholders which we believe as to focus our spending on R&D and sales and marketing efforts. R&D will grow to approximately 14% of sales and sales and marketing will make up a healthy 14% to 15% of sales. Turning to gross orders. We anticipate growth of approximately 5% for fiscal 2018. Regarding quarterly growth order forecast, we are currently looking at the first quarter to be in the range of $40 million to $50 million with the first quarter expected to be the low mark of the fiscal year and the fourth quarter will be the high mark. While the bottom end of the Q1 2018 range would be a year-over-year decrease, we continue to encourage investors to look at the business on a trailing four quarter basis and the bottom end of this Q1 range would be 7% gross order growth. In addition -- for the first quarter of 2018 are expected to be approximately $6 million to $8 million. On a full year basis, we expect to see a year-over-year improvement in net -- as the percentage of average backlog. And with that I would now like to hand the call back to Josh.