GuruFocus -
- Revenue: $3.3 million, down 33% year-over-year.
- Gross Profit: $0.8 million, down 42% year-over-year.
- Gross Margin: 23.2%, down 390 basis points.
- GAAP Operating Expenses: $1.6 million, up 10% year-over-year.
- GAAP Operating Loss: $0.8 million, compared to a loss of $0.1 million last year.
- GAAP and Non-GAAP Net Loss: $0.8 million or $0.07 per share.
- Cash and Cash Equivalents: $5.1 million, down $1.3 million from the first quarter.
- Share Buyback: 109,000 shares repurchased during the quarter.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
- Introduction of potentially disruptive technologies into cinema, e-sports stadiums, arenas, and other live entertainment venues.
- Expansion of proprietary manufactured products, including ADA compliance products and Caddy lines, which significantly increase margins.
- Partnership with LEA Professional for smart power amplifiers, offering a potential source of growth and margin expansion.
- Development of MI Translator, a multi-language technology solution with a recurring revenue stream, targeting a large market of non-English proficient speakers.
- Exploration of international market opportunities, particularly in Europe, where the cinema market is recovering from the pandemic.
- Impact of Hollywood strikes on box office growth in 2024, leading to delays in filming and releasing new content.
- Cyclical and lumpy nature of FF&E projects, which tend to be at the low end of the gross margin profile.
- Lower visibility into the second half of the year due to customers' delayed budgeting processes.
- Decrease in revenue by 33% compared to last year, with gross profit down 42% and gross margin down 390 basis points.
- Uncertainty around the timing of SNDBX raising funds, which affects the e-sports growth opportunity.
A: (Philip Rafnson, CEO) The Hollywood strikes have impacted the industry by delaying filming and releasing new content, which in turn affects box office growth. This will have a trickle-down effect on our business for the remainder of fiscal '24.
Q: What are the key growth opportunities for Moving Image Technologies outside of cinema?
A: (Jose Delgado, EVP of Sales and Marketing) We are targeting live entertainment venues and e-sports. E-sports, in particular, has the potential to be a significant growth driver. We are also excited about our E-Caddy product for stadiums and arenas, which could reshape our business and financial models.
Q: How do you plan to improve margins in your FF&E projects?
A: (William Greene, CFO) We aim to improve margins by upselling installation services, incorporating our proprietary manufactured products into projects, and reselling higher-margin technology products like projectors and servers. Our relationship with LEA Professional for smart power amplifiers is also a potential source of margin expansion.
Q: Can you elaborate on the potential of the MI Translator and CineQC products?
A: (Jose Delgado, EVP of Sales and Marketing) MI Translator targets over 70 million non-English proficient speakers in North America, enhancing their moviegoing experience. CineQC is a SaaS-based quality control platform, and we are working with National Amusements to upgrade and improve it. Both products are expected to ramp up in fiscal 2025.
Q: What is the status of your international expansion plans?
A: (Jose Delgado, EVP of Sales and Marketing) We are accelerating our strategy to expand outside North America. The cinema market in Europe is recovering from the pandemic, and we see opportunities for our LEA smart power amplifiers, MI Translator, and CineQC products in international markets.
Q: How are you addressing the cyclicality and lumpiness of your FF&E business?
A: (Jose Delgado, EVP of Sales and Marketing) We are shifting our mix towards higher-margin products and smoothing out the lumpiness and cyclicality. This includes expanding our lineup of proprietary manufactured products and leveraging our partnership with LEA Professional for smart power amplifiers.
Q: What are your expectations for revenue growth in the coming quarters?
A: (William Greene, CFO) We expect the top line for our third quarter to return to year-over-year growth. However, gross margins may be down due to a large order for seats with low pass-through margins. We have less visibility into the second half of the year due to the impact of the Hollywood strikes.
Q: Can you provide more details on the E-Caddy product and its market potential?
A: (Jose Delgado, EVP of Sales and Marketing) E-Caddy integrates technology into cup holders for stadiums and arenas. We have introduced the concept to major league baseball stadiums and received positive feedback. The TAM is significant, with millions of existing seats becoming retro-fit candidates in addition to new builds.
Q: What are the key milestones for your emerging growth initiatives?
A: (William Greene, CFO) We plan to announce orders through press releases and earnings calls. We will also provide milestone updates related to our key emerging growth initiatives, such as MI Translator, CineQC, and E-Caddy, as appropriate.
Q: How are you managing your cash and liquidity given the current challenges?
A: (William Greene, CFO) Our cash and cash equivalents were $5.1 million at the end of the second quarter. Despite lower liquidity, we bought back 109,000 shares during the quarter. We are focused on managing our cash flow and expenses prudently.
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.