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Research Solutions Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2019 Financial Results

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.

Research Solutions, Inc. (RSSS) Logo

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 2019 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 2019 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

 

 

SOURCE Research Solutions, Inc.

For further information: Investor Relations: Liolios, Cody Slach, Tel 1-949-574-3860, RSSS@liolios.com, or Media Contact: Research Solutions, Inc., Mitja Alexander Linss, Tel 1-617-763-2312, mlinss@reprintsdesk.com