Q4 2021 LifeVantage Corp Earnings Call
Good day, ladies and gentlemen, thank.
Thank you for standing by.
Welcome to today's conference call to discuss light Vantages fourth fiscal quarter of 2021 financial results.
At this time all participants are in a listen only mode.
Following the formal remarks, we will conduct a question and answer session.
Instructions will be provided at that time for you to queue up.
Hosting today's conference will be Reid Anderson with ICR.
As a reminder, today's conference is being recorded.
And now I would like to turn the conference over to Mr. Anderson.
Please go ahead Sir.
Thank you good afternoon, and welcome to Lifevantage Corporation's conference call to discuss results for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2021.
On the call today from Lifevantage with prepared remarks are Steve Fife, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, and Justin Rose Chief sales and marketing officer.
By now everyone should have access to the earnings release, which went out this afternoon at approximately four O five P M Eastern time.
You have not received the release it is available on the Investor Relations portion of life Vantages website at Www Dot Lifevantage Dot Com. This call is being webcast and a replay will be available on the company's website as well.
Before we begin we would like to remind everyone that our prepared remarks contain forward looking statements and management may make additional forward looking statements in response to your questions. These statements do not guarantee future performance and therefore undue reliance should not be placed upon them. These statements are based on current expectations of the company's management and involve inherent risks.
And uncertainties, including those identified in the risk factors section of Lifevantage. Its most recently filed forms 10-K and 10-Q.
Please note that during today's call, we will discuss non-GAAP financial measures, including results on an adjusted basis management believes these financial measures can facilitate a more complete analysis and greater transparency into life and just ongoing results of operations, particularly when comparing underlying operating results from period to period, we've <unk>.
A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures with today's release. This call also contains time sensitive information that is accurate only as of the date of this live broadcast August 19, 2021, Lifevantage assumes no obligation to update any forward looking projections that may be made in today's release or call.
Now I will turn the call over to Steve Fife, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Financial Officer of Lifevantage.
Yeah.
Thanks, Reed and good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining US today with me today is Justin Rose, our chief sales and marketing officer, who will join me with prepared remarks before we turn the call over for Q&A.
We are pleased with our fourth quarter results, which showed solid year over year earnings growth, we had a 6% sequential improvement in revenue as the momentum that started back in February and March continue to gradually build in the fourth quarter.
Fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share of 31 cents increased 11% on a year over year basis and were up 55% sequentially from Q3.
In the fourth quarter, we generated revenue of $54.8 million, representing an 8% decline relative to the prior year period due to the year over year reduction in the number of distributors.
Importantly, we experienced sequential growth in total active accounts, reflecting efforts to drive distributor engagement and increased retention.
As we've discussed previously the lack of in person interactions due to COVID-19 has been a significant factor negatively impacting our performance over the past year. Accordingly, the gradual return of in person activities over the past several months has coincided with the positive.
Early indicators were seen in several areas, which Justin will touch on in more detail.
Our emphasis on refocusing, our messaging and sales efforts around for Camden, and our F. Two which I shared with you on the third quarter call is resonating positively across the organization, especially with our leading distributor.
The steps we've taken to increase alignment between our management team and top distributors are also helping to drive distributor engagement.
Finally, we are improving our messaging and expanding our suite of technology tools to make it easier for our distributors to service existing customers, while optimizing their marketing and conversions around prospects.
We are encourage with the adoption and results we are starting to see by the utilization of our distributor App. The App has been designed as a distributor tool that acts as a digital assistant helping the distributors manage prospects and their recruitment funnel connect with and stay.
Up to date on all corporate announcements.
<unk> and promotions engage with and lead their teams and manage and grow their business with sales reports trackers and teams.
And customer management.
The App has been developed to make business building simple for both new and existing network marketers by presenting them with key business activities and data in a timely manner.
During the months of June and July distributor shared over 27000 curated product recommendations via the app with their prospects, which resulted in 3326 orders of 12% conversion rate and 85% of those orders included it.
New subscription, which exceeds our average subscription creation on enrollment orders.
In addition to higher productivity for the distributor Yeah, that's now providing leadership with insight into distributor activity. What is working what is not and what can be optimized and trained on with the entire distributor base.
And the next few months, we will be adding the following key features to the App one predicted function functionality that will alert distributors to customers and distributors that are at are at risk of churning with specific actions and distributor should take to prevent the attrition too.
New features that simplify the sharing of information and content across social media three we will add tools to support our new axial sampling strategy.
Justin will touch on briefly and four we will continue to roll out the app to international markets, including the Philippines, which we will expect to launch <unk>.
Fiscal Q2.
In advance of our latest elite Academy event, we held a meeting with approximately 200 key leaders and focused on recognition and setting expectations. Our distributors take a prominent role in these pre event medians and their high level of <unk>.
Excitement was indicative of the feedback we've been receiving and response to our key initiatives of particular note was the increased confidence many leaders exhibited around their ability to leverage our renewed emphasis on core principles to accelerate growth and their individual.
Businesses.
We've also been making.
Progress building out our corporate leadership team.
In March a lesser Neufeld was appointed general counsel and corporate Secretary.
His background in the industry and experience in business and legal roles has been instrumental in strengthening our partnership with key distributors and sharpening our messaging around communicating our story.
And May Matt Coulee was appointed our Chief operating officer, his 20 plus years of experience and competence.
Operations and technology leadership roles. He has played a big role in our international growth efforts and optimization and.
In addition match technology background has been most helpful. As we continue ramping up the use of our digital tools to drive engagement and enhance the experience for distributors and customers.
Lifevantage as products are uniquely differentiated and backed by over 30 independent research studies from leading institutions around the world.
Health and wellness remains key areas of focus for consumers globally and the adverse effects of oxidative stress are well understood. We believe that our refocus on the proven efficacy of our core products and addressing these issues along with improved messaging.
Puts us in a strong position to resume growth in fiscal 2022.
Before I turn to a discussion of the fourth quarter results, Let me turn the call over to Justin Rose, our chief sales and marketing officer to discuss our recent activities.
Hey, Thank you, Steve and it's a pleasure to speak with everyone today, increasing the total number of active accounts remains our primary goal and we are pleased with recent progress and expect the momentum to continue building gradually throughout fiscal 'twenty 'twenty two.
Afterwards, we discussed last quarter to refocus on our core products and to drive renewed engagement and alignment with our distributors are having a positive impact on our results.
First I'll provide you with an update on key action items that we outlined on our last call aimed at growing customers and distributors in the latter part of the second quarter select top distributors started hosting in person meetings as a strategy that has proven effective at driving engagement with current and prospective customers.
Preliminary results are highly encouraging and one example, a distributor had approximately 200 people attend the meeting and 40% of the prospects purchased our flagship enrollment pack over the next several months, we expect in person meetings to accelerate reflecting heightened engagement by our top leaders.
Which is to capitalize on a tighter focus on a sharper message around our core nerf to product.
Driving second my purchase activity is another important initiative for us and the artificial intelligence tools. We started implementing a few months ago have proven effective in identifying opportunities for increasing sales and mitigating churn while it's early and we still are fine tuning our algorithms having this capability.
<unk> is clearly additive. We've also started a welcome call campaign as part of the Onboarding process for our new customers and distributors and early results have also been positive.
In June we rolled out our months of action, it's a distributor incentive program using our proprietary lifevantage app, which is designed to promote and reward key behaviors proven to drive engagement, we tracked a handful of metrics using the app, including contacts added media shared shopping cart shared enroll.
<unk> linked shared and messages sent across all metrics, we saw a significant surge in activity. For example contacts added was nine times greater in this month of June versus our low watermark in the prior five months and 4.5 times. The monthly average over the same period media shared was over.
Four times higher in June versus the prior five month average and shopping cart shared we're six times higher.
Finally enrollment linked shared we're three five times higher than the monthly average from January to May results from our months of action promotions are illustrative of the renewed level of engagement by our distributors as well as our ability to utilize the app to help them optimize their income producing activities on July.
10th we hosted another elite Academy building on the momentum we've been seeing around distributor engagement and alignment as well as our repositioning around nerf to our core foundational product in key point of differentiation.
Focus areas during the elite Academy included the ITT system, which is ourselves process, along with tools and activities designed to help increase enrollments and retention. The event was well attended with over 3000 registrations in many distributors hosting their own viewing parties, which helped broaden and amplify the mess.
<unk> throughout the U S and Canada. This month, we rolled out to simplified enrollment tax in addition to our $50 starter kit.
Elite pack, which is priced at $999 includes one of every product as well as duplicate of our top selling items. So new distributors can start building their business from day. One. It also includes access to our top training programs and upcoming events, which collectively boost a true value of bill.
Pack of around $2200, the premier packages, our secondary offering and it's priced at $299 and that includes our core products.
The daily Wellness product, we launched at the end of March and the CBD enhanced nurse to personal care line. We launched at the beginning of June have been well received and are picking up momentum.
The axial flavors, we launched in Q4 were a big success and we've seen significant follow through from distributors ramping up their commitments for additional orders.
We launched an axial sample kit this week that will make it even easier for new customers to try different flavors, what's unique about axial as the benefits are immediate I know from personal experience that shortly after taking the axial I quickly noticed increased mine clarity in energy. This.
It's a great combination with our core nerf to product amplifying the results.
We added Strawberry splashing purple, great flavors to our permanent flavor flavor offerings in the fourth quarter, and we launched eliminate as a seasonal flavor and have plans to launch an additional flavor for the fall.
Our website is getting a refresh with full deployment expected in October currently the new homepage is live the refreshed will include considerable upgrades to imaging and sharper refocused messaging around our core product protandim in there too as well as my vantages overall positioning within health and wellness.
Yes.
We're also gearing up for our global Convention in October, which will be a hybrid event this year versus the 100% virtual in 2020, we estimate that last year, we had participation from over 20000 people from 18 different countries. This year, we have room to accommodate 2500 in person attendees and early indications.
<unk> are highly encouraging for both in person and virtual attendance. The significance of this event along with the return of other in person activities cannot be understated relative to driving growth in fiscal 2022 and beyond.
Finally, I'm also very excited about our planned launch in the Philippines, which is targeted during our fiscal second quarter Theres, a ton of energy and excitement from our leadership in that region.
It's an area that sets up well for our business model and we expect to leverage the significant experience of our team to develop this market now let me turn the call back over to Steve to run through the fourth quarter financial results.
Thank you Justin let me walk you through our fourth quarter financials.
Please note I will be discussing our non-GAAP adjusted results you can refer to the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations in today's press release for additional details fourth quarter revenue was $54.8 million down seven 7% on a year over year basis.
Revenue in the Americas declined nine 6% to $37.7 million, primarily reflecting a nine 8% decrease in total active accounts primarily in the U S.
This decrease was partially offset by modest increases in both average revenue per account and retention in the region.
In Asia Pacific and Europe fourth quarter revenue decreased three 3% year over year to $17.1 million with total active accounts up eight 5%.
The benefit of which were offset by decreases in average revenue per account, primarily in our greater China region.
Japan revenues were down three 6% versus last year, reflecting continued restrictions.
Due to COVID-19.
Results in Australia, and New Zealand were strong up 44, 6%.
Compared to last year's fourth quarter due to new leadership in there in the region.
Gross margin was 82, 1% in the fourth quarter compared to 84, 1% a year earlier.
The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven primarily by increased shipping to customer expenses due to COVID-19.
Decreased fee revenues from fewer in person events and shifts in geographic and product sales mix.
Commission and incentive expenses as a percentage of revenue decreased by 200 basis points year over year to 46, 7%, reflecting changes in the and in the timing and magnitude of promotional activities.
Adjusted SG&A declined.
$700000 to $13.6 million due to lower stock and incentive compensation expense.
Adjusted operating income was $5.8 million or 10, 6% of revenue compared to $6.7 million or 11, 3% of revenue for the prior year period.
Adjusted net income was $4.3 million or <unk> 31 cents per fully diluted share compared to $4.1 million or 28 cents per fully diluted share for the prior year period.
The company's effective tax rate was 24, 3% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 compared to 37, 2% in the prior year period.
The decrease in the current quarter tax rate was attributable to limited unfavorable book to tax differences in the current year period versus the prior year quarter.
The decrease in tax rate positively impacted adjusted earnings per share by approximately five cents.
For fiscal year 2022, we expect our tax rate will be approximately 26% versus our full year 2021 tax rate of approximately 24%.
Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter was $6.6 million, a decrease of one $6 million from the prior year period.
Please note that all of the adjustments from GAAP to non-GAAP I discussed today are reconciled in our earnings press release issued this afternoon.
We ended the fourth quarter in a strong financial position with $23.2 million of cash and no debt and we continue to maintain $5 million of availability under our revolving line of credit which was renewed for an additional three years on April one 2021.
We used $3.9 million in cash during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 to repurchase approximately 480000 shares.
Of common stock under our share repurchase authorization.
As of June 30th 2021 there remains 11.5 million available under the authorization.
We expect to continue to be active with our share repurchase efforts in the future.
Capital expenditures totaled $3.7 million in fiscal year, ending June 30th 2021 primarily for building out our new office space and further development of our digital technologies.
Turning to our fiscal 'twenty 'twenty two outlook, we anticipate our fiscal 'twenty 'twenty, two revenue to be $225 million to $235 million and adjusted non-GAAP EBITDA in the range of $22 million to $24 million with adjusted.
Non-GAAP earnings per share in the range of 83 to 87 cents.
In summary, we made progress on key initiatives in the fourth quarter and are encouraged by recent trends and activity and engagement by our top distributors.
We believe the sequential increase in active accounts during the fourth quarter supports our view that momentum is building, which should drive improvements in revenue and earnings during fiscal 2022.
Consumers interest in health and wellness is as strong as ever and we have a broad portfolio of high quality innovative products proven to help optimize health and improve performance at all stages of life.
Our corporate team and distributor leadership are aligned our financial condition is solid with a strong cash position and profitability and we remain committed to driving value for all stakeholders.
Now, let me turn the call back to the operator to facilitate questions operator.
Ladies and gentlemen, you'll now have our question and answer session.
If you'd like to ask a question. Please press star one on your telephone keypad.
A confirmation tone will indicate your line is in the question queue.
You May also press star two if you'd like to remove your question from the queue.
One moment. Please for me now poll for questions.
Our first question comes from Doug Lane with Lane Research. Please proceed with your question.
Yes, hi, good afternoon, everybody I'm looking at the 2022 guidance.
The revenue looks to be up mid single digits at the midpoint.
I'm wondering what you're contemplating for distributor trends along with the revenue growth because the distributor trends have been somewhat weak are not really seeing a turn there yet how do you expect distributor growth to play out in 2022.
Yeah, Doug this is Steve.
We've got a number of things lined up to drive distributor enrollments in growth.
We started this year with with really two primary goals.
And overall focus on increasing our active accounts.
The first goal is focused on distributor enrollments and then the second.
It really ties to retention, but it's it's it's aligned around the second order purchases.
Pacific Li.
And from a distributor standpoint.
We think that getting back to.
The.
In person events is going to be critical for that.
Our our distributors a good portion of them are built very traditionally I'm not necessarily in their living rooms, but in medium size group gatherings and those meetings have already started to take place and we've had a few of them.
Have groups coming into our off our new office and and between now and our October Convention we have.
Several lined up both to to Reengage the distributors as well as you know.
For the corporate team to help support them as they put.
Putting new prospects.
In those rooms. So that's that's one of the biggest things in and I think our our kind of refocusing back on our core opportunity.
And led by.
For tandem nerf to our our our flagship product that's a that's a it's a product that's unparalleled with others in the industry and frankly, it just in the world.
And allowing them to.
Tell that story and and.
And utilizing that unique product in terms of them engaging in the business opportunity are two things.
Really is what propelled the company back in a growth spurt, and so re engaging and supporting them along those two lines I think are the biggest opportunities we have.
We don't anticipate a lot of growth from our average revenue per account in fiscal 'twenty. Two so the growth to that mid point, which is around 6%.
Is is really focused on increasing the total number of accounts, both both distributors and and as we focus on distributors, we know that customers Tom.
Okay Fair enough and just secondly, looking at your.
Adjusted EBITDA outlook, it's down from this year. Despite the positive sales outlook, so where specifically are you seeing potential margin pressure going into this year.
Yeah.
Our gross margins even from 'twenty to 'twenty, one we talked about are down.
Point to two points, primarily driven by increased supply chain costs.
And and our forecast for 'twenty two.
It doesn't you don't anticipate that that will continue in into the year or so we do see them.
Continued modest pressure on our gross margins not not clearly not returning to the fiscal 'twenty levels.
And but we also see.
We are anticipating increased investment, especially in our G&A area to support the revenue growth.
Going back to live events.
We benefited in fiscal 'twenty, one by not having those events from a G&A standpoint.
We know what it adversely affected our topline revenue, but from a SG&A standpoint.
Didn't incur those costs and we're also investing a Justin mentioned investment in our website and other marketing tools to again further support our distributors. So were the increase in our G&A.
This is largely going to.
To support our revenue growth.
Okay that makes sense thanks, Steve.
Thanks.
Thank you.
As a reminder to our audience if you'd like to ask a question. Please press star one on your telephone keypad.
Our next question comes from Jim Galloway Private Investor. Please proceed with your question.
Thank you for taking my call I am very pleased to see that we're focusing back on core products and protandim.
Wondering are there any new studies that you see reaching the marketplace because most of our studies are outdated. The facts are still the same but as anyone researching the benefit of an RF to these days that may help us.
Hey, Jim This is Justin thanks for the question.
Yeah, we have some incredible studies and I think youre going to see even some of our past studies, a little bit more prevalent in our communications coming up but we are putting a big emphasis this next fiscal year on getting back to some of those.
You know not only studies, but just notices throughout <unk>.
Different publications and things that are our distributors can can turn to to utilize.
To give them a reason to get excited about our story again. So it is part of our strategy moving forward. So I think we're thinking very much alike. There.
Thank you one last question.
The stock market has been going well, we've been not so well.
One of the reasons that people do stock repurchases is to improve the value of the stock.
Justin.
What would the $11.9 million due to help you in marketing and growing the company to be spent that way rather than a stock buyback.
Yeah. It's a good question, Jim and one that we ask ourselves.
If not daily weekly for sure you know.
We continue to look for opportunities to invest further in the business and and and by that I don't just mean M&A opportunities although.
We are active in looking at that.
You know the ability to grow the business inorganically, but like I just mentioned.
In response to Doug's question.
We're investing.
Several millions of dollars this next year.
Two two to drive growth strategies for the business.
We're consciously doing that we're prepared to take you know a bit of a hit on an EBITDAR. This next year in anticipation of building a stronger foundation for future growth.
The business still generates a lot of cash we'll still be very cash flow positive. Even after the you know the investments that we plan on making in fiscal 'twenty. Two so we look at that I think this year, you'll you'll you'll see more activities in terms of <unk>.
Organically, we will continue to do stock buybacks as we feel like the stock is undervalued at its current level. So it is an appropriate use of cash, but we we continue to look at ways to.
Providing even a higher return on that cash that we generate.
I am pleased to see we're going back into the Philippines I remember when we were there what three or four or five years ago and I thought it was going to be a pretty good market for us so congratulations on restarting the Philippines.
China was supposed to be growing a little bit but.
No the relationship with China is not too good between the United States now is that affecting our business there.
Yeah, Hey, Jim This is Justin again first of all with the Philippines. Yeah works, we definitely have a lot of energy and excitement.
First time that we were in the Philippines. We were just there as a not for resale model. So this time going in fully giving our distributors an opportunity to build there is I think going to truly make a big difference from from even the experience. The first time and then when it comes to China, Yes, I mean, we've seen it.
Going in with an e-commerce model and so it is a little bit different than I think what some of our competitors that have direct sales licenses are doing right now and we have not felt too much of a difference in the past little while with the relationship between the U S and China, we have seen.
The E Commerce model start to pick up some momentum here in the last few months and are very encouraged by the leaders that we have engaged right now that are really pushing that e-commerce model as it is.
Our currently when it comes to Taiwan.
They've had a.
Ron, especially with the Covid situation we were.
Really run that business through.
Our office there most people come in and place orders in office and not having the ability to do that as freely as they have in the past has definitely taken a little bit of toll there as well.
Well I'm relying on you guys in that selling my shares. So good luck alright appreciate it.
Thank you.
There are no further questions at this time I'd like to turn the floor back over to Steve Streit for any closing remarks.
Thank you for joining us today in closing I want to take the opportunity to thank all of our employees for their hard work and dedication.
As well as our outstanding team of distributors.
We remain confident in our business model and our focus and.
And our focus on delivering the lifevantage products, our customers depend on we hope you all stay safe and healthy and look forward to updating you on our next call have a great day.
Ladies and gentlemen. This concludes today's webcast you may now disconnect your lines at this time thank.
Thank you for your participation.
Have a great day.