Scienture Holdings, Inc. quarterly report, Q3 FY2015

Business context and reporting period

This is Trxade Group, Inc.’s unaudited Form 10-Q for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2015. The filing identifies the registrant as Trxade Group, Inc., not Scienture Holdings, Inc. The company operates a pharmaceutical business-to-business marketplace, a wholesale pharmaceutical subsidiary, and an IT consulting business.

Financial results and liquidity

MetricThree months ended Sept. 30, 2015Nine months ended Sept. 30, 2015
Revenue$1.638 million$3.501 million
Gross profit / gross margin$937,238 / 57.2%$2.188 million / 62.5%
Operating loss$(76,563)$(545,662)
Interest expense$47,199$76,076
Net loss$(123,762)$(621,738)

For the nine months, operating cash flow was $(785,980), financing cash flow was $405,000, and cash declined by $380,980 to $324,622. At September 30, current assets were $1.353 million and current liabilities were $972,301, for working capital of $380,233. Total assets were $1.353 million; shareholders’ equity was $380,233.

Current liabilities included a promissory note of $223,750 and a convertible note of $137,530, both reported net of unamortized debt discounts. The notes’ face amounts were $250,000 and $200,000, respectively. The filing reports no dividends and no income-tax payments during the nine-month period.

Changes versus prior comparable periods

  • Nine-month revenue increased to $3.501 million from $904,603; management attributed growth to platform fees and pharmaceutical sales, including customer additions.
  • Nine-month gross profit rose to $2.188 million from $629,474, but gross margin declined to about 62.5% from 69.6%, reflecting the higher cost of pharmaceutical sales.
  • Nine-month net loss narrowed to $621,738 from $1.575 million. The 2014 comparison included a $576,417 loss on debt conversion; 2015 interest expense rose to $76,076 from $4,109.
  • Operating cash use increased to $785,980 from $699,330. The company cited staffing, platform development, professional fees, and inventory purchases.
  • Cash fell from $705,602 at December 31, 2014, while inventory rose from $46,429 to $358,036 and prepaid assets increased from $57,676 to $202,068.

Outlook, risks, and unusual items

  • Management’s stated priorities for the remainder of 2015 were to continue platform development and grow the customer base. It estimated next-12-month cost of sales and general and administrative needs of $1.2 million and $3.5 million, respectively. It said additional capital would be needed and gave no assurance of obtaining financing on reasonable terms or sustaining revenue; no formal earnings guidance was provided.
  • In October 2015, Westminster entered a $1.5 million convertible-note agreement, with $450,000 funded and two additional tranches of $550,000 and $500,000 scheduled for December 2015 and February 2016. The notes have a three-year term and a $2.50 conversion price; the first tranche was accompanied by warrants exercisable at $0.01. These were subsequent events, not September 30 balance-sheet cash.
  • Management concluded disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at September 30, 2015. It reported no material change in internal control over financial reporting during the nine months.
  • The company reported no legal proceedings or defaults upon senior securities. Management warned that the company may remain unprofitable and may be unable to maintain operations at a level sufficient to provide investors a return.
  • Stock-based compensation was $226,437 for the nine months; $341,554 of unrecognized option compensation remained, expected to be recognized over a weighted-average 4.11 years.

Important facts for investors to verify

  • Confirm the filing’s registrant and its relationship, if any, to Scienture Holdings, Inc.; the document presented is for Trxade Group, Inc.
  • Review the terms, funding status, profit-linked interest provisions, conversion rights, and warrant dilution associated with the October 2015 financing, including whether the later tranches were funded.
  • Assess liquidity against management’s estimated $4.7 million of next-12-month costs, the company’s limited cash balance, and its stated need for further financing.
  • Reconcile the reported expense presentation: the statements show general and administrative expense including stock-based compensation, while MD&A separately presents cash G&A and warrant/option expense.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of disclosure controls and the risks associated with rapid revenue growth, lower gross margins, inventory expansion, and continued operating cash outflows.