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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
9th Jan 20237:00 amRNSInvestor Presentation
22nd Dec 20227:00 amRNSNew Products Submitted for Regulatory Approval
28th Oct 20227:00 amRNSRegistration of Harpin in France
28th Oct 20227:00 amRNSNew distribution agreement with EDAF
27th Oct 20227:00 amRNSTrading Update
14th Oct 20225:11 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
14th Oct 202210:39 amRNSDirector / PDMR Shareholding
26th Sep 20227:00 amRNSInterim Results
22nd Aug 20227:00 amRNSTrials agreement signed with Agrii UK
12th Aug 20227:00 amRNSGrant of Options
10th Aug 20225:04 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
21st Jul 20222:41 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
18th Jul 20227:02 amRNSInvestor Presentation
18th Jul 20227:00 amRNSPost-Close Trading Update
22nd Jun 202212:37 pmRNSResult of AGM
21st Jun 20227:00 amRNSCompletion of Nominated Adviser due diligence
20th Jun 20227:00 amRNSLong-term Harpin Production and Supply Agreement
6th Jun 20228:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
6th Jun 20228:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Jun 20222:31 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
25th May 20225:23 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
23rd May 20227:30 amRNSAnnual Report & Accounts and Notice of AGM
23rd May 20227:00 amRNSNew distribution agreement with Nutrien
16th May 20227:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
12th May 20227:15 amRNSCEO appointment and Board changes
12th May 20227:00 amRNSResults for the year ended 31 December 2021
28th Apr 20227:00 amRNSChange of Adviser
21st Apr 20222:27 pmRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
20th Apr 20227:00 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
19th Apr 20221:46 pmRNSNotice of results and investor presentation
11th Apr 202212:52 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Apr 20227:00 amRNSNew Distribution agreement with Ager Agro
14th Mar 202212:49 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
11th Mar 202212:19 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
3rd Feb 202212:56 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
1st Feb 20221:16 pmEQSPlant Health Care, plc
1st Feb 20227:00 amRNS2021 Trading Statement
31st Jan 20227:00 amRNSPHC949 product registration submitted to the EPA
17th Jan 20227:00 amRNSInvestor Presentation
15th Dec 20217:00 amRNSWilbur Ellis and Plant Health Care discussion
13th Dec 20217:00 amRNSCommercial scale manufacturer for Saori
30th Nov 20214:36 pmRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
20th Oct 20216:03 pmRNSExercise of Options
22nd Sep 20217:00 amRNSNew agreement with Nutrien for Saori launch
22nd Sep 20217:00 amRNSInterim Report 30 June 2021
21st Sep 20214:41 pmRNSSecond Price Monitoring Extn
21st Sep 20214:35 pmRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
1st Sep 20217:00 amRNSArgentina approves Harpin as a seed treatment
24th Aug 20217:00 amRNSInvestor Presentation
18th Aug 20214:41 pmRNSSecond Price Monitoring Extn

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