- Record operating revenues for 2018 ($7.57 million), up 702% year-over-year
- Record gross profits for 2018 ($5.74 million), up 1,200% from 2017
- Strong financial position: working capital of $20.7 million, total assets of $46.0 million
- Capital markets success: the Company raised $30.7 million over the course of 2018
Perhaps more important for investors is the sense of corporate momentum that is projected from these results. Delta 9 also reported extremely strong quarter-over-quarter numbers. For Q4 2018; the Company boasted strong growth, including:
- Record quarterly revenues of $5.27 million, versus $1.25 million for Q3, translating into a 321% increase
- Record quarterly gross profits of $3.34 million, up from $1.53 million in Q3 – a 118% increase
Delta 9’s CEO, John Arbuthnot framed the business strategy behind the impressive numbers.
“2018 was a transformation year for Delta 9 as we proved our business model of using retrofitted shipping containers, (Grow Pods) to grow cannabis successfully and produced a consistent high-quality cannabis product. Our strategy of being one of Canada’s only vertically integrated cannabis companies with licences for production, processing, distribution and retail operations is paying off and now producing significant financial results. The legalization of the adult consumer recreational market in October last year is only the beginning of many new and exciting opportunities for the Company.” [emphasis mine]
These rising revenues are derived from NINE’s base of operations in Manitoba. This vertically integrated business model includes a strong cultivation and retail footprint in that province.
image: https://stockhouse.com/media/news-images/Independent-Reports/DELTA901.png
The Company is in the process of increasing its (cultivation) Grow Pods to 600 from 15 last year Once ramped up to full capacity, this is expected to translate into annual cannabis cultivation of 16,000 kilograms of dried flower by year end.
Delta Nine currently operates three retail stores in Manitoba, two in Winnipeg and one in Brandon. A fourth Manitoba outlet is expected to open in Thompson in June 2019. Delta 9 produces Manitoba’s best-known cannabis brand.
The Company is also a large-scale supplier to the Province through a supply agreement with the Manitoba government. NINE has contracted to supply 2.3 million grams of dried cannabis.
Further enhancing distribution channels in the future, Delta 9 announced a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Pharmasave on
April 10, 2018. The LOI contemplates Delta 9 becoming a “preferred supplier of medical cannabis” for Pharmasave’s chain of 650 independent pharmacies. Along with this, the company has a 10-year supply agreement with Auxly Cannabis Group Inc (TSX: V.XLY) to supply 1,000 kilograms per year of dried flower.
Delta 9 isn’t new to the Stockhouse audience. We have previously covered the Company in several previous feature articles. Most recently, Stockhouse
reported on how Delta 9’s profit margins were already rising in Q3.
The Company’s operations go beyond straight cultivation and sales of cannabis. Delta 9 is also focused on incorporating emerging cannabis technology into its business model.
Through an agreement with Nanosphere Health Sciences (CSE: NSHS), Delta 9 has obtained a Master License for
cannabis delivery technology, specifically three complimentary delivery systems. Delta 9 (and Nanosphere) see this delivery technology as fully meeting consumer needs on both the medicinal and recreational sides of the cannabis market.
The headline for investors is that Delta 9 Cannabis has put out strong fourth quarter and full-year financial numbers. The sub-text behind the headline is that with Delta 9’s strong positioning in Manitoba, robust distribution channels, and innovative delivery technology, the Company is poised to build on its current momentum.