Harold Hurwitz
Analyst · www.mriinterventions.com. I would now like to turn the conference over to our host, Mr. Frank Grillo. Thank you. You may begin
Thank you, Frank. Before I get into the numbers, one modification made to the forward-looking languages that we did file the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30 today. So that 10-Q is available. I will begin with the discussion with the results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017. Total revenues were $1.7 million for the 2017 third quarter, an increase of $101,000 or 6% compared with $1.6 million for the same period in 2016. This increase was due primarily to an increase in our disposable product sales. ClearPoint disposable product sales increased to $149,000 or12% to $1.4 million for the 2017 third quarter compared with $1.3 million for the same period in 2016. This growth in disposable sales reflected as Frank mentioned a 161 ClearPoint procedures performed in the 2017 third quarter. ClearPoint reusable product sales were $208,000 for the 2017 third quarter compared with $309,000 for the same period in 2016. Reusable products consist primarily of computer hardware and software bearing sales prices that are appreciably higher than those for disposable products and have historically fluctuated from period-to-period. Gross margins for the 2017 third quarter were 60% compared to gross margin of 54% for the same period in 2016. The increase in gross margin primarily reflected decrease charges for inventory obsolescence and a favorable mix of product sold, comprised of a greater share of disposable products during the 2017 third quarter relative to the same period in 2016. Research and development costs were $590,000 during the 2017 third quarter compared to $691,000 during the same period in 2016, a decrease of $101,000, or 15%. The decrease was due primarily to reductions in software development and intellectual property costs, partially offset by an increase in new product development costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $1.8 million for the 2017 third quarter as compared to $1.9 million for the same period in 2016, a decrease of $120,000, or 6%. This decrease was due primarily to reduced financing costs and stock compensation expense, which were partially offset by increased recruiting expenses during the 2017 third quarter, relative to the same period in 2016. Our loss from operations for the three months - of the 2017 third quarter improved $382,000 or 22% to $1.3 million as compared with $1.7 million for the same period in 2016. Now let's turn to some non-operating areas effecting comparability between the third quarter of 2017 and the same period in 2016. In August 2016, we recorded a debt restructuring loss of $933,000 resulting from amendments enter into its two holders of our 2014 junior secured loans payable. These note holders then converted $1.75 million of aggregate principal balance of their notes into equity. In connection with our private placement of equity securities in September 2016, there was no debt restructuring in the 2017 third quarter. During the 2017 third quarter and the 2016 third quarter, we recorded gains of $110,000 and $324,000 respectively, resulting from changes in the fair value of derivative liabilities, these derivatives related to the issuance or warrants and 2013 was down around price protection and to a note amendment entered into with our note holder Brainlab AG which allowed for part of the Brainlab now to be converted in the event of a public offering of our stock. Net interest expense during the 2017 third quarter was 211,000 as compared to with interest expense of $240,000 for the same period in 2016. This represents a decrease of $29,000 or 12% which was due to the reduction of principal balances resulting from the September 2016 conversion into equity of the $1.75 million principal balance of the notes previously discussed. Net loss for the 2017 third quarter was reduced to $1.4 million as compared with $2.6 million for the same period in 2016. Now let's discuss our results for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2017. Total revenues were $5.7 million for the 2017 nine months period, an increase of $1.6 million, or 39% compared to a $4.1 million for the same period in 2016. This increase for the nine-month period was due primarily to an increase in the companies disposable and reusable product sales. ClearPoint disposable product sales increased $1.1 million, or 33%, to $4.5 million for the 2017 nine-month period, compared with $3.4 million for the same period in 2016. This growth in disposable sales reflected a record 469 ClearPoint procedures performed during the 2017 nine months. ClearPoint reusable product sales were $923,000 for the 2017 nine-month period, compared with $608,000 for the same period in 2016. Gross margin for the 2017 nine-month period was 61%, compared to gross margin of 52% for the same period in 2016 also due primarily to the effects of relatively greater sales in production volumes in 2017 relative to the same period in 2016. Research and development costs were $2.2 million during the 2017 nine-month period, compared with $2.1 million during the same period in 2016, an increase of $133,000, or 6%. The increase was due to the upfront payments under the previously announced development agreements with the Mayo Clinic and Acoustic MedSystems, which were partially offset by reductions in software development and intellectual property costs, and compensation expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $5.7 million during each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. Increases in personnel-related costs due to headcount increases in our commercial team were offset by decreases in professional fees and stock-based compensation costs. Our operating loss for the 2017 nine-month period improved $1.2 million, or 21% to $4.5 million, as compared with $5.7 million for the same period in 2016. Turning to non-operational items. During the 2016 nine-month period, we recorded a net loss from debt restructuring of $812,000, arising from the restructuring of the note payable to Brainlab and the notes payable originally issued in 2014, they were subsequently converted as we previously discussed. There was no debt restructuring in 2017. During the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, we recorded gains of $48,000 and $748,000 respectively, resulting from changes in the fair value of the derivative liabilities. Also during the 2017 nine-month period, we recorded other income of $7,000, as compared to other income of $210,000 recorded during the same period in 2016, representing a decrease of $203,000, or 97%. This decrease was due primarily to grant income from a U.S. federal agency related to a project in process during the 2016 nine months period, which was discontinued by that agency later in 2016. We have not since undertaken any additional such projects. Net interest expense during the 2016 nine-month period was $637,000, as compared to interest expense of $836,000 during the same period in 2016. This represents a decrease of $199,000 or 24%. This decrease was due to the reduction of principal balances we previously discussed. Reflecting the effects of these non-operational items, net loss for the 2017 nine months period improved to $5.1 million, as compared with $6.4 million for the same period in 2016. Now let's briefly turn our attention to the balance sheet and cash burn particularly. During the 2017 third quarter, cash used in operating activities increase to $1.7 million, as compared to $1.5 million during the same period in 2016. This $200,000 increase in burn over the 2016 third quarter was due primarily to growth of $80,000 in accounts receivable consistent with growth in revenues during the third quarter of 2017 relative to 2016, and we are planned to increase an inventory safety stock levels during the 2017 third quarter that resulted in inventory increase in $158,000 over the same period in 2016. Looking at cash burn from a sequential quarter perspective, the $1.7 million used in the 2017 third quarter for operating activities represented a $600,000 increase from the 2017 second quarter, which experienced an unusually low $1.1 million of cash for operating activities. This $600,000 increase in quarterly operational cash burn resulted from several factors. A shipment in the third quarter of a large order to Brainlab, for which we received a cast payment in advance in the second quarter. An increase of accounts receivable from the second quarter to the third quarter, due primarily to the timing of capital sales and collections within each quarter. And lastly, the increase in safety stock inventory in the third quarter. In sum, there are two important points to remember regarding our cash burn for the 2017 third quarter. The first point is that the increase burn was primarily related to balance sheet fluctuations unique to the quarter. And the second point is that the year to-day cash burn in 2017 for the year-to-date period is nearly $500,000 less than for the same period in 2016, due primarily to the improved operational results I noted earlier on this call. With that I will now turn the call back to Frank.