Continued Profit Leverage as Revenue Scales

Entering Rugged Laptop Market with High Performance, Cost Efficient XBOOK Platform

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xplore Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:XPLR), a global leader in rugged computing, today reported increased revenue and net income for its fiscal 2018 third quarter, ended December 31, 2017.

Fiscal Third Quarter 2018 and Recent Highlights:

• Reported revenue of $23.9 million, reflecting new customer accounts, increased international sales and ongoing fulfillment against long-term customer programs;
• Ended the quarter with backlog of $6 million;
• Achieved gross margin of 31.9%, compared with 27.4% for the prior-year quarter;
• Reported operating expenses of $7.2 million, including additional sales and marketing headcount and one-time severance and property tax costs;
• Reported GAAP net profit of $302,000, or $0.03 per share, compared with net income of $219,000, or $0.02 per share, in the previous year third quarter;
• Results include $575,000, or $0.05 per share, in severance costs associated with the resignations of previous Chairman Phillip Sassower and previous CEO Mark Holleran, and $91,000, or $0.01 per share, representing a one-time property tax payment related to assets acquired from Motion Computing in 2015;
• Generated adjusted EBITDA, before one-time charges, of $1.7 million, Xplore’s sixth consecutive quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA, compared with adjusted EBITDA of positive $822,000 in the prior year third quarter;
• Won sizeable orders across a number of targeted vertical markets, including telecommunications, automotive manufacturing, military, government agencies, consumer service and car rentals;
• Secured orders with two leading US pharmaceutical companies to refresh existing Xplore tablets with the Xplore XC6 Clean Room version, designed to be easily disinfected on a regular basis;
• Fulfilled orders from large fast food company using Xplore rugged tablets as part of its line-busting digital initiative;
• Grew international sales to 34% of revenue as a result of sales efforts and improving distributor and reseller relationships;
• Appointed Tom Wilkinson as CEO;
• Announced an expansion and extension of the company’s Bank of America credit facility to $20 million; and
• Launched the XBOOK line of Windows and Android mobile 2-in-1 convertible units, entering the $900 million rugged laptop market.

Chief Executive Officer Tom Wilkinson stated: “We are pleased to report a four-fold increase in adjusted EPS for the third quarter. We also see what we believe is a lessening of seasonality between third and fourth quarter orders, resulting in a slight 3% decline in third quarter topline, but a better than seasonal fourth quarter expectation. The third quarter reflected solid order flow from a wide range of both new and existing customers, high backlog and an improved product mix, driving one of our best profit quarters in the past two years. These trends have continued into the fourth quarter, positioning Xplore for a strong finish to the year.

“Fiscal third quarter sales included deliveries to leading global customers across a number of targeted vertical markets, including telecommunications, automotive manufacturing, military, government agencies, consumer service and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Xplore also secured orders from a global fast food company, the Veteran’s Administration and a leading national car rental company, showcasing the incredible breadth of the rugged mobility market we serve.

“Looking ahead, we believe EPS growth will continue to exceed revenue growth as we further expand our share in rugged tablets, including both existing platforms and additional form factors. We are also excited about the recently announced XBOOK launch, propelling Xplore solidly into the $900 million rugged laptop market with a high performance, lower cost solution than our competition.  These growing offerings will be developed on average at a lower cost to our shareholders than prior products as we leverage the existing rugged technology and historical ODM relationships.  Additionally, we see demand for our increasing product line within existing channel partners and customers.  We are answering the existing demand in rugged mobility.”

Fiscal 2018 Third Quarter Financial Results
Xplore reported revenue of $23.9 million for the fiscal third quarter ended December 31, 2017, a 4.9% sequential increase from revenue of $22.8 million in the fiscal second quarter of 2018 and a 2.6% decline from $24.5 million in the year-ago third quarter. Revenue reflected increased demand for rugged tablets, increased international sales, fulfilment of large multi-quarter customer contracts. Additionally, revenue reflected a flattening of prior seasonal trends due to increased fulfillment of long-term orders and diversification of the customer base.

Gross profit in the third quarter was $7.6 million, or 31.9% of revenue, compared to $6.4 million, or 27.9% of revenue, in the preceding quarter and $6.7 million, or 28.1% of revenue, in the prior year third quarter. The change in gross margin reflects improved product mix.

Operating expenses were $7.2 million for the fiscal third quarter, compared with $5.9 million in the second quarter and $6.3 million in the prior year third quarter. Operating expenses reflect continued lean operating practices plus additional sales and marketing hires to drive further revenue growth. Expenses also included $575,000 in severance costs associated with the resignations of Phillip Sassower as Chairman and Mark Holleran as CEO, and $91,000 as a one-time property tax settlement related to assets purchased from Motion Computing in 2015.

For the quarter, Xplore reported net income of $302,000, or $0.03 per share, compared to net income of $397,000, or $0.04 per share, in the prior quarter and net income of $219,000, or $0.02 per share in the fiscal third quarter 2017. After adjusting for one-time severance costs, Xplore reported net income of 968,000, or $0.09 per share in the fiscal third quarter.

EBITDA adjusted for non-cash compensation and historical integration costs was $1.7 million, compared with $1.0 million in the preceding quarter and $822,000 in the fiscal third quarter 2017. Xplore has now reported six consecutive quarters of positive adjusted EBITDA and $3.6 million year-to-date. A reconciliation is provided in the tables included in this release.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet
Net cash used in operating activities was $6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2017. The change in net cash reflects increased accounts receivable as revenue increased as well as added inventory to ensure fulfillment of large customer orders and minimum order quantities on certain legacy products. Net cash used by operating activities reflects a $4 million increase in accounts receivable, to $23.2 million, and a $4.2 million increase in inventory, to $26.7 million. At quarter end, cash was $18,000 and debt under the company’s line of credit was $14.3 million.

“Our balance sheet is operating very efficiently to fund both our sequential growth through fiscal 2018, as well as prepare Xplore for further anticipated growth in fiscal 2019,” said Wilkinson. “Accounts receivable reflects continued strong order flow and increasing revenue, compounded the timing of sales which has shifted to later in each quarter, creating growing receivable balances.  Inventory reflects certain purchases ahead of customer orders as well as minimum order quantity requirements to ensure availability of key platforms for existing customers, and to protect against inventory shortages that we experienced in the prior year.  We are growing our product line, and while we expect to see inventory decreases in mid fiscal year 2019 due to shifting of our manufacturing schedule, our new products will require additional inventory. We expect to generate significant free cash flow once again as revenue stabilizes at these new higher levels and we sell-down inventory over the coming quarters.  Our newly expanded line of credit facility with Bank of America supports our working capital needs without our having to seek new equity capital for growth.”   

Outlook
For fiscal 2018, Xplore raised its revenue outlook to the high end of its range, approximately $85 million. Gross margin for the fiscal year is expected to be between 28% and 30%. Operating expenses are expected to be approximately $23-25 million, excluding the aforementioned one-time charges, reflecting a full year of the company’s reduced operating expense profile. The company anticipates GAAP profitability for the full year.

Xplore also maintained its previously disclosed business operating targets as revenue scales to a $120 million run-rate, assuming both organic growth and cost reduction initiatives are achieved in future periods: gross margin 28-30%, operating margin 8-10%, profit margin 6-8% and EBITDA margin 9-11%.

“We continue to execute well, reporting solid sales in the December quarter and raising the revenue outlook to the high end of our previous range,” said CEO Tom Wilkinson. “We are seeing a better than seasonal fourth quarter with strong demand for Xplore rugged tablets, high backlog due to longer term customer orders and improved international execution. The entire team at Xplore is excited by our transformation into a rugged mobility company, and we look forward to continued execution on our operating goals.”