Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue1 of $34.4 million compared to $31.4 million in Q1 2021, an increase of 85% year over year and 10% over Q1 2021
Q2 2021 Adjusted EBITDA increased 27% sequentially to $7.5 million as compared to Q1 2021, representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 22%
Navy Capital committed to lead financing of proposed accretive acquisition in core market
Reiterated FY2021 guidance for Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue of $170-180 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $40-50 million
The Company’s existing licensed projects at maturity represent a long-term revenue and EBITDA opportunity upwards of $650 million and $250 million
Conference call to be held today, August 16, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. ET
PHOENIX, Ariz., August 16, 2021 – 4Front Ventures Corp. (CSE: FFNT) (OTCQX: FFNTF) (“4Front” or the “Company”), a vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator and retailer, today announced its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 (“Q2 2021”). All financial information is presented in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.
Q2 2021 Financial Results Highlights
- Systemwide Pro Forma Revenue of $34.4 million compared to $31.4 million in Q1 2021, an increase of 85% year over year and 10% over Q1 2021
- GAAP-reported revenue of $27.1 million compared to $23.0 million in Q1 2021, an increase of 114% year over year and 18% over Q1 2021
- Adjusted EBITDA increased 27% to $7.5 million compared to $5.9 million in Q1 2021, representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 22% as compared to an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 19% in Q1 2021
Operational Highlights
- Strong performance in sales and product adoption across retail locations, exceeding all internal projections; positive momentum continues in Q3
- California
- The Company’s state-of-the-art 170,000 square foot production facility in Commerce, California is complete, and is in the final stages of licensure
- Illinois
- The Company closed the first phase of its multiphase expansion project of an up to 558,000 square foot new cultivation and production facility in Matteson, Illinois
- Official groundbreaking, press conference and celebratory ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 17. Construction will begin in Q3 2021 and is expected to be completed in Q4 2022. The facility is expected to be operational in Q1 2023.
- Massachusetts
- The Company received all final approvals to open and operate its third adult-use dispensary in Massachusetts in the Town of Brookline
- Mission Brookline will open its doors on Saturday, August 21 and will be serving adults 21 years and older in the Allston Innovation Corridor, a vibrant community within the wider Boston University and Boston metropolitan area
Management Commentary
“In the second quarter we continued to build on the strong momentum that began last year,” said Leo Gontmakher, Chief Executive Officer of 4Front. “Following the initiation of adult use sales in Massachusetts and the enthusiastic reception of our Calumet City, Illinois dispensary in late 2020, our steady growth quarter over quarter shows that our strategy of replicating low-cost production methods can rapidly scale in the most attractive markets in the country.”
“We are already off to a great start for the third quarter. With our manufacturing facility in Commerce, California complete and pending its final approvals, we are spring loaded to provide our suite of high-quality, branded products to licensed dispensaries throughout the State, and we fully expect it will soon become the premier multi-product manufacturer in the country due to its scale and efficiencies,” Mr. Gontmakher added. “We also recently announced the closing of the first phase of our highly-anticipated cultivation and production facility in Matteson, Illinois, and are thrilled to officially break ground tomorrow, with the first phase anticipated to be completed in Q4 of 2022, and be operational in Q1 of 2023. The opening of our Mission dispensary in Brookline, Massachusetts will mark our third adult-use dispensary in the State, expanding our footprint as we continue to bring our high standards, low-cost cultivation and efficient production methodologies to Massachusetts.”
Mr. Gontmakher concluded, “We are seeing a marked uptick in merger activity across the industry and with it an appreciation of the advantage of low-cost, scaled operations across a compelling asset base which we believe highlights the advantages of a company like 4Front. Additionally, we are thrilled that Navy Capital is continuing its support of us by providing us with a term sheet to lead the financing of a proposed accretive acquisition to strengthen our position in a key market as the pace of consolidation picks up. To that end, as CEO, I am more confident than ever in our strategy, fundamentals, asset base, and current growth ramp of our business as we look ahead to 2022.”
Business Updates and Developments
Systemwide pro forma revenue increased 10% to $34.4 million in Q2 2021, compared to $31.4 million in Q1 2021. Retail sales and product adoption continue to exceed internal expectations. The increase in revenue was primarily due to strong sales in Massachusetts and Illinois, and all retail locations across the portfolio continued to perform above our expectations, a trend that has continued into Q3.
Q2 2021 Adjusted EBITDA grew 27% sequentially to $7.5 million, up from $5.9 million in Q1 2021, representing an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 22% as compared to an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 19% in Q1 2021. The favorable changes were largely due to higher dispensary sales overall, a greater proportion of retail sales coming from the Company’s internally produced products, and reductions in cost per gram in the Company’s Illinois cultivation facility following the expansion completed last quarter.
4Front has received a capital commitment from Navy Capital to lead in the financing of a proposed accretive acquisition. The Company is moving toward signing a definitive acquisition agreement to significantly bolster presence in a core market, and has executed a term sheet with Navy Capital with respect to a convertible debt financing in connection with the funding requirements to complete the acquisition. Once closed, which will be subject to the execution of definitive agreements and satisfaction of regulatory and other conditions, management believes this acquisition would solidify the Company’s scaled position in this core market and would be accretive to EBITDA.
The Company’s fully-funded, state-of-the-art 170,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Commerce, California is now complete and is awaiting final local approval for its Certificate of Occupancy. The Company’s manufactured products will be sold to licensed dispensaries in California, and the first suite of available products will include gummies, hard candy, caramels, fruit chews, mints, capsules, tinctures, vapes and infused pre-rolls, including favorites like Marmas™, Pebbles™, Chewees™, Hi-Burst™, Verdure™ and Terp Stix™. The Company’s partnership with Nabis, a leading distributor of cannabis products to more than 750 dispensaries in California, covering 99% of licensed retailers in the state, will ensure statewide distribution to retail locations on day one of production. The Company has also deepened its relationship with Nabis with their commitment to lease 20,000 square feet of the facility enabling retail products to dovetail seamlessly and efficiently into inventory for distribution.
Nominal delays experienced during the local regulatory approval process are not expected to materially affect stated guidance for fiscal year 2021.
The Company’s third Massachusetts Mission Dispensary has been approved and will open in Brookline this week. The Company received its Certificate of Occupancy and approval to operate from the Town of Brookline and received a commencement letter and unanimous approval from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission to operate in the State. The Company’s new storefront is located in one of the largest towns in New England that is also a highly desirable place to live, due to its proximity to job opportunities, public transportation, school systems, and livable neighborhoods that balance green space, historic preservation and outstanding commercial services. Mission Brookline opens on Saturday, August 21, and will offer adults 21 years and older the Company’s existing suite of products such as Funky Monkey™, Legends™, Marmas™, Crystal Clear™ and Hi-Burst™, which have been widely embraced in Massachusetts, Washington and Illinois. The new storefront will also carry a full line of consumer-demanded flower, extracts, edibles, vaporizers, cartridges, batteries, ancillary products and merchandise.
In Illinois, the development of our new cultivation and production facility in Matteson continues as scheduled, with the recent closing of the first phase announced earlier this month. Construction of the first phase, a 250,000 square foot building with 65,000 square feet of flowering canopy and approximately 70,000 square feet of manufacturing space is expected to begin imminently and is anticipated to be completed in Q4 2022. The Company plans to use the facility to produce the Company’s more than 20 in-house brands and 2,000 products, which will be offered to Illinois customers at an accessible price point at its Mission Dispensaries and partner dispensaries across Illinois. The facility is also expected to produce a variety of white-labeled products such as flower, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, gel capsules and other manufactured products for other multi-state operators, cannabis businesses and brands. The full expansion of the facility, if realized, is anticipated to encompass 558,000 square feet to help meet demand in the fast-growing Illinois cannabis market. Phase one of the facility is expected to begin operations in Q1 2023.
Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call and webcast today, Monday, August 16, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. ET to review its operational and financial results and provide an update on current business trends.
To join the call, dial 1-877-407-0792 toll free from the United States or Canada or 1-201-689-8263 if dialing from outside those countries. The webcast can be accessed at this link.
The call will be available for replay until Monday, August 23, 2021. To access the telephone replay, dial 1-844-512-2921 toll free from the United States and Canada, or 1-412-317-6671 if dialing from outside those countries, and use this replay pin number: 13721930.
