Reports 16% Revenue Increase and ARR over $11.0 Million
HENDERSON, Nev., Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Research Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSSS), a trusted partner providing cloud-based workflow solutions to accelerate research for R&D-driven organizations, reported financial results for its fiscal first quarter ended September 30, 2023.
Fiscal First Quarter 2024 Summary
- Total revenue of $10.1 million, a 16% increase from the prior-year quarter.
- Platform revenue up 29% to $2.6 million. Annual Recurring Revenue ("ARR") of over $11.0 million.
- Gross profit up 20% from prior-year quarter. Total gross margin improved 150 basis points to 40.1%.
- Loss of ($988,000) or ($0.04) per share, compared to net income of $215,000 or $0.01 per diluted share in the prior-year quarter. This quarter's loss includes $1.161M in expenses itemized as follows: $339,000 in costs associated with M&A activities, $542,000 in proxy-related expenses and $280,000 in separation costs related to the termination of the Executive Chairman.
- Adjusted EBITDA of ($441,000) compared to $433,000 in the prior-year quarter. The Adjusted EBITDA result includes approximately $1.078M in costs related to the M&A activities, proxy-related expenses and separation expenses noted above. Without these costs, Adjusted EBITDA would have been approximately $637,000.
- The company closed its acquisition of Resolute Innovation, Inc. ("ResoluteAI") on July 28, 2023. The numbers for the quarter are inclusive of approximately two months of activity from ResoluteAI.
"Our first quarter results reflect the continued growth across our platform and transaction offerings and our acquisition of ResoluteAI completed in late July, which helped push our ARR over $11 million," said Roy W. Olivier, President and CEO of Research Solutions. "We continue to experience softer growth in our platform products due to ongoing inflationary pressures and budgetary constraints, however, our profit performance remained strong when you exclude a number of unique items that impacted our first quarter. Lasty, we continue to be active in the M&A market with additional potential transactions that we believe will help complete our product set and enhance our growth profile."
Fiscal First Quarter 2024 Results
Total revenue was $10.1 million, a 16% increase from $8.7 million in the year-ago quarter as both platform and transaction revenue increased from the prior-year period.
Platform subscription revenue increased 29% to $2.6 million compared to $2.0 million in the year-ago quarter. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the total number of paid Platform deployments and the acquisition of ResoluteAI, as well as upsells to existing customers. When consolidating ARR from the ResoluteAI acquisition, the quarter ended with annual recurring revenue of $11.0 million, up 32% year-over-year (see the company's definition of annual recurring revenue below).
Transaction revenue was $7.5 million, compared to $6.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2023. The increase was primarily due to organic growth and higher transaction volumes related to contracts transferred from FIZ Karlsruhe effective on January 1, 2023. The transaction customer count for the quarter was 1,395, compared to 1,220 customers in the prior-year quarter (see the company's definition of active customer accounts and transactions below).
Total gross margin improved 150 basis points from the prior-year quarter to 40.1%. The increase was primarily driven by a continued revenue mix shift to the higher-margin Platforms business as well as increased margins in the transactions business.
Total operating expenses were $5.1 million, compared to $3.2 million in the first quarter of 2023. This quarter's results include $339,000 in expenses related to the Company's M&A activities, $542,000 in proxy-related expenses and $280,000 in separation costs related to the termination of the Executive Chairman.
Net loss in the first quarter was ($988,000), or ($0.04) per share, compared to net income of $215,000, or $0.01 per diluted share, in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was ($441,000), compared to $433,000 in the year-ago quarter. The net loss result included the $1.161M of itemized operating costs noted above and the Adjusted EBITDA result is inclusive of approximately $1.078M of those costs (see definition and further discussion about the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP term, below).
Conference Call
Research Solutions President and CEO Roy W. Olivier and CFO Bill Nurthen will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period.
Date: Thursday, November 9, 2023
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT)
Dial-in number: 1-631-891-4304
Conference ID: 10022638
The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay until December 9, 2023 by dialing 1-412-317-6671 and using the replay ID 10022638, and via the investor relations section of the company's website at http://researchsolutions.investorroom.com/.
Fiscal First Quarter Financial and Operational Summary Tables vs. Prior-Year Quarter
|
|
Quarter Ended September 30,
|
|
|
2023
|
2022
|
Change
|
% Change
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Platforms
|
$ 2,600,192
|
$ 2,019,967
|
$ 580,225
|
28.7 %
|
|
Transactions
|
7,460,779
|
6,664,676
|
796,103
|
11.9 %
|
|
Total Revenue
|
10,060,971
|
8,684,643
|
1,376,328
|
15.8 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Profit:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Platforms
|
2,217,577
|
1,789,494
|
428,083
|
23.9 %
|
|
Transactions
|
1,813,988
|
1,559,754
|
254,234
|
16.3 %
|
|
Total Gross Profit
|
4,031,565
|
3,349,248
|
682,317
|
20.4 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit as a % of revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Platforms
|
85.3 %
|
88.6 %
|
-3.3 %
|
|
|
Transactions
|
24.3 %
|
23.4 %
|
0.9 %
|
|
|
Total Gross Profit
|
40.1 %
|
38.6 %
|
1.5 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating Expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales and marketing
|
685,016
|
521,216
|
163,800
|
31.4 %
|
|
Technology and product development
|
1,244,579
|
875,290
|
369,289
|
42.2 %
|
|
General and administrative
|
2,542,869
|
1,519,424
|
1,023,445
|
67.4 %
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
59,620
|
5,812
|
53,808
|
925.8 %
|
|
Stock-based compensation
|
591,814
|
175,361
|
416,453
|
237.5 %
|
|
Foreign currency translation loss
|
6,620
|
72,516
|
(65,896)
|
-90.9 %
|
|
Total Operating Expenses
|
5,130,518
|
3,169,619
|
1,960,899
|
61.9 %
|
|
Income (loss) from operations
|
(1,098,952)
|
179,629
|
(1,278,581)
|
-711.8 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Income (Expenses):
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income
|
140,311
|
39,069
|
101,242
|
259.1 %
|
|
Provision for income taxes
|
(29,402)
|
(4,133)
|
(25,269)
|
611.4 %
|
|
Total Other Income (Expenses):
|
110,909
|
34,936
|
75,973
|
217.5 %
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
$ (988,043)
|
$ 214,565
|
(1,202,608)
|
-560.5 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
$ (440,898)
|
$ 433,318
|
$ (874,216)
|
-201.7 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quarter Ended September 30,
|
|
|
2023
|
2022
|
Change
|
% Change
|
|
Platforms:
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARR (Annual recurring revenue):
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning of Period
|
$ 9,444,130
|
$ 7,922,188
|
$ 1,521,942
|
19.2 %
|
|
Incremental ARR
|
1,576,111
|
409,582
|
1,166,529
|
284.8 %
|
|
End of Period
|
$ 11,020,241
|
$ 8,331,770
|
$ 2,688,471
|
32.3 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deployments:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning of Period
|
835
|
733
|
102
|
13.9 %
|
|
Incremental Deployments
|
45
|
23
|
22
|
95.7 %
|
|
End of Period
|
880
|
756
|
124
|
16.4 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ASP (Average sales price):
|
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning of Period
|
$ 11,310
|
$ 10,808
|
$ 502
|
4.6 %
|
|
End of Period
|
$ 12,523
|
$ 11,021
|
$ 1,502
|
13.6 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transaction Customers:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corporate customers
|
1,090
|
922
|
168
|
18.2 %
|
|
Academic customers
|
305
|
298
|
7
|
2.3 %
|
|
Total customers
|
1,395
|
1,220
|
175
|
14.3 %
|
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 ("ARR") 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 September 30,
|
|
|
2023
|
2022
|
Change
|
% Change
|
|
Net Income (loss)
|
$ (988,043)
|
$ 214,565
|
$ (1,202,608)
|
-560.5 %
|
|
Add (deduct):
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income (expense)
|
(140,311)
|
(39,069)
|
(101,242)
|
259.1 %
|
|
Foreign currency translation loss
|
6,620
|
72,516
|
(65,896)
|
-90.9 %
|
|
Provision for income taxes
|
29,402
|
4,133
|
25,269
|
611.4 %
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
59,620
|
5,812
|
53,808
|
925.8 %
|
|
Stock-based compensation
|
591,814
|
175,361
|
416,453
|
237.5 %
|
|
Gain on sale of disc. ops.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
$ (440,898)
|
$ 433,318
|
$ (874,216)
|
-201.7 %
|
About Research Solutions
Research Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: RSSS) provides cloud-based technologies to streamline the process of obtaining, managing, and creating intellectual property. Founded in 2006 as Reprints Desk, the company was a pioneer in developing solutions to serve researchers. Today, more than 70 percent of the top pharmaceutical companies, prestigious universities, and emerging businesses rely on Article Galaxy, the company's SaaS research platform, to streamline access to the latest scientific research and data with 24/7 customer support. For more information and details, please visit www.researchsolutions.com
Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may contain "forward-looking statements" regarding future events and our future results. All statements other than statements of historical facts are statements that could be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about the markets in which we operate and the beliefs and assumptions of our management. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "targets," "goals," "projects", "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "endeavors," "strives," "may," or variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, estimate or verify. Therefore, actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include those factors described in the company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as such may be amended or supplemented by subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, or other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding additional customers, potential acquisitions and the company's prospects for growth. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements. For more information, please refer to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
|
Research Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
September 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
|
(unaudited)
|
|
2023
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
9,882,064
|
|
$
|
13,545,333
|
|
|
Accounts receivable, net of allowance of $82,392 and $85,015, respectively
|
|
|
6,460,188
|
|
|
6,153,063
|
|
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
|
|
|
314,052
|
|
|
400,340
|
|
|
Prepaid royalties
|
|
|
1,167,538
|
|
|
1,202,678
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
17,823,842
|
|
|
21,301,414
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill (provisional)
|
|
|
3,238,794
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $891,299 and $881,908, respectively
|
|
|
91,326
|
|
|
70,193
|
|
|
Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization of $795,915 and $747,355, respectively
($2,064,706 provisional)
|
|
|
2,528,259
|
|
|
462,068
|
|
|
Deposits and other assets
|
|
|
1,033
|
|
|
1,052
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
23,683,254
|
|
$
|
21,834,727
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
|
|
$
|
8,541,564
|
|
$
|
8,079,516
|
|
|
Deferred revenue
|
|
|
6,387,470
|
|
|
6,424,724
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
14,929,034
|
|
|
14,504,240
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Long-term liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contingent earnout liability
|
|
|
1,867,043
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
16,796,077
|
|
|
14,504,240
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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; 29,624,085 and
29,487,508 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
|
|
|
29,624
|
|
|
29,487
|
|
|
Additional paid-in capital
|
|
|
30,487,415
|
|
|
29,941,873
|
|
|
Accumulated deficit
|
|
|
(23,510,692)
|
|
|
(22,522,649)
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
|
|
|
(119,170)
|
|
|
(118,224)
|
|
|
Total stockholders' equity
|
|
|
6,887,177
|
|
|
7,330,487
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
|
|
$
|
23,683,254
|
|
$
|
21,834,727
|
|
|
Research Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Other Comprehensive Loss
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
|
September 30,
|
|
|
|
2023
|
|
2022
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Platforms
|
|
$
|
2,600,192
|
|
$
|
2,019,967
|
|
|
Transactions
|
|
|
7,460,779
|
|
|
6,664,676
|
|
|
Total revenue
|
|
|
10,060,971
|
|
|
8,684,643
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Platforms
|
|
|
382,615
|
|
|
230,473
|
|
|
Transactions
|
|
|
5,646,791
|
|
|
5,104,922
|
|
|
Total cost of revenue
|
|
|
6,029,406
|
|
|
5,335,395
|
|
|
Gross profit
|
|
|
4,031,565
|
|
|
3,349,248
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Selling, general and administrative
|
|
|
5,070,897
|
|
|
3,163,807
|
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
59,620
|
|
|
5,812
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
5,130,517
|
|
|
3,169,619
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations
|
|
|
(1,098,952)
|
|
|
179,629
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other income
|
|
|
140,311
|
|
|
39,069
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from operations before provision for income taxes
|
|
|
(958,641)
|
|
|
218,698
|
|
|
Provision for income taxes
|
|
|
(29,402)
|
|
|
(4,133)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
|
(988,043)
|
|
|
214,565
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other comprehensive income (loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Foreign currency translation
|
|
|
(946)
|
|
|
(5,176)
|
|
|
Comprehensive income (loss)
|
|
$
|
(988,989)
|
|
$
|
209,389
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic income (loss) per common share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per share
|
|
$
|
(0.04)
|
|
$
|
0.01
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
27,052,445
|
|
|
26,718,171
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted income (loss) per common share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per share
|
|
$
|
(0.04)
|
|
$
|
0.01
|
|
|
Weighted average common shares outstanding
|
|
|
27,052,445
|
|
|
27,779,841
|
|
|
Research Solutions, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
|
September 30,
|
|
|
|
2023
|
|
2022
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flow from operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
(988,043)
|
|
$
|
214,565
|
|
|
Adjustment to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
59,620
|
|
|
5,812
|
|
|
Fair value of vested stock options
|
|
|
17,471
|
|
|
40,706
|
|
|
Fair value of vested restricted common stock
|
|
|
574,343
|
|
|
134,655
|
|
|
Fair value of vested unrestricted common stock
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
68,272
|
|
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts receivable
|
|
|
(112,965)
|
|
|
81,756
|
|
|
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
|
|
|
109,946
|
|
|
70,908
|
|
|
Prepaid royalties
|
|
|
35,140
|
|
|
710,640
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
|
|
|
195,747
|
|
|
(1,037,057)
|
|
|
Deferred revenue
|
|
|
(646,830)
|
|
|
(181,378)
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
|
|
|
(755,571)
|
|
|
108,879
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flow from investing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchase of property and equipment
|
|
|
(33,825)
|
|
|
(3,681)
|
|
|
Payment for acquisition, net of cash acquired
|
|
|
(2,718,253)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Payment for non-refundable deposit for asset acquisition
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
(297,450)
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(2,752,078)
|
|
|
(301,131)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flow from financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Common stock repurchase
|
|
|
(46,135)
|
|
|
(18,062)
|
|
|
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration
|
|
|
(110,190)
|
|
|
—
|
|
|
Net cash used in financing activities
|
|
|
(156,325)
|
|
|
(18,062)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Effect of exchange rate changes
|
|
|
705
|
|
|
(5,172)
|
|
|
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
(3,663,269)
|
|
|
(215,486)
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
|
|
13,545,333
|
|
|
10,603,175
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
|
$
|
9,882,064
|
|
$
|
10,387,689
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for income taxes
|
|
$
|
29,402
|
|
$
|
4,133
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contingent consideration accrual on asset acquisition
|
|
$
|
42,989
|
|
$
|
—
|
|
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/research-solutions-reports-fiscal-first-quarter-2024-results-301983974.html
SOURCE Research Solutions, Inc.
