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Pin to quick picksPlant Health Regulatory News (PHC)

Share Price Information for Plant Health (PHC)

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Trading Statement

29 Jan 2019 07:00

RNS Number : 3338O
Plant Health Care PLC
29 January 2019
 

 

 

PLANT HEALTH CARE plc

 

("Plant Health Care" or the "Company")

 

 

Trading Update

 

Plant Health Care®, a leading provider of novel patent-protected biological products to global agriculture markets, issues the following post year-end trading update ahead of the announcement of the Company's audited full year financial results for the year ended 31st December 2018, which are expected to be announced in April. All results provided are preliminary and subject to completion of the 2018 audit.

 

 

Financial and Commercial Highlights

 

- Revenue increased to $8.0 million (2017: $7.7 million); in constant currency, sales increased by 7%.

- Gross Margin improved to 65% (2017: 62%).

- Strong sales growth in the US (up 32% to $2.1 million), Brazil ($1.1 million from zero in 2017), Spain (up 16%) and Mexico (up 10%) was offset by reduced sales in Europe/Africa (down 62%), due to slower draw-down of in-market inventory in South Africa.

- US sales were driven largely by the launch of a new product into corn ($1.6 million). The launch of a new product into US soy, expected in December, is now moving to initial market entry; sales began in January 2019.

- Sales in Brazil were mainly in sugar cane ($1.0 million), with additional volumes for the launch into soy through a new partner ($0.1 million).

- Sales of core Harpin αβ products increased by 10% (14% in constant currency). Harpin αβ and Myconate® products represented 67% of sales in 2018 (2017: 69%). Harpin αβ sales have now grown at 20% CAGR since 2013.

- Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2018 were $4.3 million; the delayed US product launch increased inventory by approximately $0.5 million. The Company's year end cash reserves remain sufficient to take us to cash positive in 2020, as Commercial income grows.

 

New Technology Highlights

 

- In 2018, three new partners joined the group of companies already evaluating the Company's PREtec (Plant Response Elicitor technology).

- Field trials results of seed treatments based on the three PREtec platforms, Innatus 3G, T-Rex 3G, and Y-Max 3G in corn and soy in North America continue to be promising; several partners will continue testing in 2019.

- While results of Innatus 3G for the control of Asian Soybean Rust (ASR) were not sufficient to reach a licence agreement, field trials continue in the current season, focused on the yield benefit.

- Excellent progress has been made in production methodology, with PHC's lead peptide (PHC279) showing potential for cost-effective production; other peptides are following on a similar track.

- Submission has been made to the EPA in the US for registration of PREtec peptides. The Company expects regulatory approval in the US in 2020. Submission in Brazil is expected in early 2019.

- Discussions on technology licences continue with several partners. However, given the uncertain timing of concluding the licences, the Company is evaluating additional routes to market, with a view to launching product soon after first registrations are granted.

- The Company is moving lead peptides forward into eight target markets for fast track product development.

 

Chris Richards, Interim CEO, commented:

 

"Plant Health Care continued to make exciting progress in 2018, in spite of recently announced set-backs.

 

The launch of our new corn product in the US holds great promise for future sales growth. Independent field trials in 2018 reported an average yield increase of 6.2 bushels (3%), which represents an illustrative 7x ROI for growers. This has encouraged our very strong channel partner to make significant purchases and recommend the product widely for use in the 2019 crop. With the expected level of grower sales in 2019, we anticipate strong sales growth thereafter.

 

Sales of our new soy product, which we had expected our channel partner to launch before the end of 2018, have now started on a modest scale, as our partner introduces the product to the market. We expect sales to be comparable to the corn product, over time.

 

Our Commercial team in Brazil has got off to an impressive start. The launch of H2Copla into sugar cane with our partner Coplacana has gone well, with over 20,000Ha treated to date. With growers reporting yield increases of up to 20% and an ROI of up to 20x, we have strong expectations for growth in 2019 and progress towards our target of 500,000 Ha treated in four to five years' time. The launch of Harpin αβ as a soy seed treatment in Brazil holds out the prospect of sales comparable to those in sugar cane.

 

Elsewhere, Mexico bounced back in 2018 and sales growth continues in Spain. In South Africa, however, sales were held back by drought and we are still working through inventory.

 

While 2018 trials of Innatus 3G in Brazil did not show commercially useful levels of disease control, they did show significant improvement in yield. Trials continue in the current crop. Elsewhere, field trials with Innatus 3G, T-Rex 3G and Y-Max 3G continue to expand, with an increasing number of partners, as we target eight large markets for our lead peptides.

 

Within the Company, we have made strong progress in production methods, which gives us great confidence in our ability to produce PREtec peptides at low cost. At the same time, the submission for registration by the EPA in the US holds out the prospect of fast track registration as early as 2020, with registration in Brazil following later.

 

As previously stated, the Company's cash reserves remain sufficient to take us to cash positive in 2020."

 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Plant Health Care plc

Chris Richards, Interim Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1 919 926 1600

Jeffrey Hovey, Chief Financial Officer

 

Arden Partners - Nomad and Broker

John Llewellyn-Lloyd / Dan Gee-Summons- Corporate finance Tel: +44 (0) 20 7614 5900

Paul Brotherhood - Equity sales

 

IFC Advisory - Financial PR Tel: +44 (0) 20 3934 6630

Graham Herring / Miles Nolan / Zach Cohen

 

Company website: www.planthealthcare.com

 

 

 

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
 
END
 
 
TSTLLFFALLITFIA
Date   Source Headline
25th Oct 20109:34 amRNSLicensing Agreement with XS Inc
1st Oct 20103:00 pmRNSTotal Voting Rights
9th Sep 20107:00 amRNSAgreement with Germains Seed Technology
1st Sep 201010:30 amRNSTotal Voting Rights
24th Aug 20103:30 pmRNSPosting of Interim Report
19th Aug 201012:30 pmRNSBlocklisting Interim Review
18th Aug 201010:15 amRNSAdditional Listing
16th Aug 20107:00 amRNSHalf Yearly Report
26th Jul 20107:00 amRNSAgreement with Syngenta Crop Protection Inc.
12th Jul 201012:30 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Jul 201010:05 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Jul 201010:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
30th Jun 20104:45 pmRNSTotal Voting Rights
29th Jun 20109:30 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
16th Jun 201011:20 amRNSTrading Update
28th May 20107:00 amRNSSale of PHC Reclamation Inc.
10th May 20107:00 amRNSMyconate Collaboration with Brazilian Government
6th May 20107:00 amRNSMyconate Agreement with Legacy Seeds Inc
30th Apr 20109:30 amRNSTotal Voting Rights
28th Apr 20109:30 amRNSAdditional Listing
28th Apr 20107:00 amRNSPatent Application for AirStrike programme
26th Apr 20107:00 amRNSMyconate IP Agreement with Bayer CropScience
21st Apr 20106:00 pmRNSVesting of Shares under LTIP
20th Apr 20107:00 amRNSHarpin agreement with Plant Foods Inc.
15th Apr 20105:00 pmRNSResult of AGM
22nd Mar 20107:00 amRNSPatent Protection Application
15th Mar 20103:30 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
8th Mar 201012:45 pmRNSPublication of Annual Report & Notice of AGM
1st Mar 201010:00 amRNSTotal Voting Rights
19th Feb 201010:30 amRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
16th Feb 201010:36 amRNSAdditional Listing and Directors' Shareholdings
16th Feb 20109:51 amRNSDual Listing on Channel Islands Stock Exchange
15th Feb 201012:26 pmRNSBlocklisting
15th Feb 20107:00 amRNSFinal Results
10th Feb 20107:00 amRNSSupply Agreement
4th Feb 20107:00 amRNSOrder for Myconate
2nd Feb 20107:00 amRNSTrial Results
1st Feb 201010:22 amRNSTotal Voting Rights
27th Jan 20107:00 amRNSTrading Statement
22nd Jan 20105:41 pmRNSAdditional Listing
12th Jan 20104:03 pmRNSDirector Declaration
31st Dec 20091:05 pmRNSTotal Voting Rights
29th Dec 20094:26 pmRNSAdditional Listing
8th Dec 20095:42 pmRNSAdditional Listing
1st Dec 200911:08 amRNSTotal Voting Rights
27th Nov 20092:55 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
13th Nov 200911:52 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
10th Nov 20095:29 pmRNSAdditional Listing
6th Nov 200912:53 pmRNSAdditional Listing
4th Nov 20091:52 pmRNSAdditional Listing

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