DENVER – Medicine Man Technologies Inc., operating as Schwazze, announced financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.
“This past year, the Schwazze team delivered solid top-line growth in two highly competitive markets with 31% adjusted EBITDA margins and improved operating cash flow,” said Forrest Hoffmaster, Interim CEO of Schwazze. “We continued to sharpen our retail strategy while expanding our store footprint by more than 50% to 63 dispensaries across our two markets. Although the Colorado and New Mexico markets were pressured in 2023, we have built a solid foundation with best-in-class service for our patients and customers. Internally, we are also relentlessly focused on maximizing the operating efficiencies of our manufacturing and cultivation facilities to drive higher yields, improved flower quality, and greater output.”
“With strong demand and over 680 recreational retail stores at year-end, the competitive landscape in Colorado is fierce, underscoring the importance of our investments in and attention to elevating the customer experience. We significantly outpaced the market in Q4 on a sequential and year-over-year basis and expect to bolster our growth through improvements in customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty, as well as in the overall retail experience. Additionally, we are beginning to see wholesale pricing stabilize, which we anticipate will continue based on plant counts and ongoing retail pricing pressure.”
“In New Mexico, the proliferation of new licenses has led to increased competition and aggressive pricing strategies from certain players. Cannabis sales in the state were up 18% across a store base that was over 50% higher year-over-year in Q4, leading to lower average revenue per store. While we are beginning to see a slow-down in net new store openings, we anticipate a challenging market ahead. We remain focused on cost optimization and asset utilization while implementing a balanced pricing and promotional strategy to drive traffic into our stores, where we believe we excel in delivering an elevated retail experience. We are committed to fulfilling our promise of being the retailer of choice in New Mexico.”
“Looking ahead, we are optimistic about the regulatory momentum in the industry at large. In the meantime, we will continue to elevate the customer experience, improve our loyalty program, increase our cost efficiencies, and enhance our retail assets. Our team has a demonstrated track record of executing in competitive markets like Colorado and New Mexico where we remain one of the largest operators. We look forward to driving growth and profitability across each of our markets in 2024.”
Full Year 2023 Operational Highlights
- Expanded the Company’s retail footprint by more than 50% in New Mexico and Colorado to 63 dispensaries.
- Completed the acquisition of Everest Apothecary, adding 14 dispensaries, one cultivation facility, and one manufacturing plant to the Company’s New Mexico operations.
- Acquired Standing Akimbo, the largest medical cannabis dispensary in Colorado, and opened the Company’s first medical dispensary in Colorado Springs under the Standing Akimbo banner.
- Acquired two Colorado retail dispensaries in Fort Collins and Garden City from Smokey’s.
- Unveiled an enhanced, custom ecommerce platform in New Mexico under the R. Greenleaf banner.
- Increased wholesale penetration in Colorado and New Mexico by over 3x year-over-year to more than 27% total door penetration in both states.
- Grew Lowell Farms pre-roll sales by over 250% in Colorado where it is now the #1 pre-roll in the state. In addition, Lowell is in six of the largest Colorado accounts and will be available for wholesale in New Mexico starting April 1st, 2024.
- Grew sales with Wana, our fan-favorite gummies brand, by 48% in New Mexico where it is now in 130 doors with eight of the top ten accounts in the state.
Fourth Quarter 2023 Financial Results
Total revenue in the fourth quarter of 2023 increased 8% to $43.3 million compared to $40.1 million for the same quarter last year. The increase was primarily due to growth from new stores compared to the prior year period and increased wholesale revenue, partially offset by pricing pressure from the proliferation of new licenses in New Mexico.
Gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $7.0 million or 16.2% of total revenue, compared to $21.7 million or 54.1% of total revenue for the same quarter last year. The decrease in gross margin was primarily driven by one-time, non-cash inventory adjustments of approximately $13.1 million comprised of $3.1 million of product consolidation, obsolescence, and shrinkage expenses, $4.3 million of net realizable value adjustments, and $5.8 million of fair value adjustments on acquired inventory in New Mexico in 2023. Adjusted gross profit, which excludes non-cash inventory adjustments, for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $20.2 million or 46.6% of revenue.
Operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $23.3 million compared to $24.2 million for the same quarter last year. The decrease was primarily due to a lower impairment charge in the fourth quarter of 2023. This was partially offset by an increase in four-wall SG&A expenses associated with the 22 additional stores in Colorado and New Mexico that are still ramping, as well as greater salaries and stock-based compensation.
Loss from operations for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $16.2 million compared to $2.5 million in the same quarter last year. The decrease was driven by the aforementioned lower gross profit, primarily related to the non-cash inventory adjustment. Net loss was $33.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to $27.3 million for the same quarter last year.
Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter of 2023 was $11.0 million or 25.3% of revenue, compared to $13.3 million or 33.1% of revenue for the same quarter last year. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA margin was primarily driven by higher operating expenses associated with the 22 additional stores that are still ramping.
As of December 31, 2023, cash and cash equivalents were $19.2 million compared to $38.9 million on December 31, 2022. Total debt as of December 31, 2023, was $156.8 million compared to $127.8 million on December 31, 2022.
About Schwazze
Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) (Cboe: SHWZ) is building a vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to explore taking its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale.
Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company’s leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector.
Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze’s former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. To learn more about Schwazze, visit https://schwazze.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements include financial outlooks; any projections of net sales, earnings, or other financial items; any statements of the strategies, plans and objectives of our management team for future operations; expectations in connection with the Company’s previously announced business plans; any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance; and statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of our management team. Such statements may be preceded by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intends,” “plans,” “strategy,” “prospects,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “approximately,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing,” or the negative of these terms or other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future events or future operating or financial performance, although the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. We have based our forward-looking statements on management’s current expectations and assumptions about future events and trends affecting our business and industry. Although we do not make forward-looking statements unless we believe we have a reasonable basis for doing so, we cannot guarantee their accuracy. Therefore, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) regulatory limitations on our products and services and the uncertainty in the application of federal, state, and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws; (ii) our ability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (iii) our ability to identify, consummate, and integrate anticipated acquisitions; (iv) general industry and economic conditions; (v) our ability to access adequate capital upon terms and conditions that are acceptable to us; (vi) our ability to pay interest and principal on outstanding debt when due; (vii) volatility in credit and market conditions; (viii) the loss of one or more key executives or other key employees; and (ix) other risks and uncertainties related to the cannabis market and our business strategy. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.
