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Niagen Bioscience, Inc. (NAGE)·Q1 2025 Earnings Summary
Executive Summary
- Q1 2025 delivered record net sales of $30.5M (+38% YoY), gross margin of 63.4% (+270bps YoY), and net income of $5.1M ($0.06 diluted EPS), supported by strong Tru Niagen and Niagen ingredient demand .
- Results beat S&P Global consensus: revenue $30.5M vs $27.1M (+12%), EPS $0.06 vs $0.02; on S&P’s “Primary EPS,” actual was $0.0454 vs $0.02 (+2.3x), implying a notable beat across both topline and earnings expectations *.
- FY2025 guidance raised: net sales growth to 20–25% (from ~18%); G&A expense increase revised to +$7–$8M (from +$5–$6M), with the outlook still projecting profitability and slight gross margin improvement .
- Catalysts: guidance raise, sustained profitability, segment mix shift toward higher-margin Niagen ingredients and continued e-commerce momentum; the corporate rebrand and patent expansion support a strengthening narrative in healthy aging .
What Went Well and What Went Wrong
What Went Well
- Strong topline and margins: net sales $30.5M (+38% YoY) and gross margin of 63.4% (+270bps YoY) driven by product and business mix, and improved labor/overhead utilization .
- Ingredient acceleration: total Niagen ingredient sales $8.0M (+95% YoY), including pharmaceutical-grade Niagen not present in the prior year quarter .
- Operating leverage: selling & marketing at 26.6% of sales (−380bps YoY) as ingredient growth requires relatively minimal incremental marketing spend .
- CEO tone: “We are proud to start the year with another record quarter…reinforcing a powerful foundation for the future of healthy aging” . Rebrand positions Niagen as synonymous with healthy aging .
What Went Wrong
- Higher G&A outlook: FY2025 G&A expected up $7–$8M (previously +$5–$6M), primarily due to updated share-based compensation estimates and the absence of the 2024 royalty reversal, which raises opex despite profitability .
- R&D normalization: R&D declined $0.8M YoY vs elevated prior-year spending for pharmaceutical-grade launch efforts; while disciplined, it may temper near-term pipeline visibility .
- Regulatory/supply risks: management highlights dependencies on 503B arrangements, FDA list status, China supply chain risks, and evolving consumer perceptions; these remain important execution headwinds .
Financial Results
Headline Financials vs Prior Periods
Values with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Actual vs Wall Street Consensus (Q1 2025)
Values with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Segment Breakdown (Q1 2025)
KPIs
Guidance Changes
Earnings Call Themes & Trends
Management Commentary
- CEO Rob Fried: “We are proud to start the year with another record quarter, delivering $30.5 million in net sales…a 63.4% gross margin, and $5.1 million in net income.” He underscored the rebrand and patent portfolio expansion as foundations for leadership in healthy aging .
- CEO on rebrand/mission: Transition from ChromaDex to Niagen Bioscience aligns brand with mission; reinforcing Niagen at the forefront of NAD+ boosting solutions and “a better way to age” .
- CFO Ozan Pamir: “Niagen Bioscience had a strong start to the year, delivering record revenues and achieving net income for the third consecutive quarter,” emphasizing operational discipline and focus on key initiatives .
Q&A Highlights
- Influencer/E-commerce strategy: Management plans to expand presence on TikTok and continue influencer/event campaigns while maintaining profitability and efficiency; cautious on influencer deal economics .
- Niagen Plus clinic rollout: Target of ~1,000 clinics by year-end; potential addressable market of 2,000–3,000 clinics .
- Clinical endpoints/partners: Ongoing discussions on endpoints and study numbers; third-party partners not yet engaged .
- Profitability cadence: Management reiterated discipline and sustained profitability focus, consistent with prepared remarks .
Estimates Context
- EPS beat: S&P Global consensus Primary EPS $0.02 vs actual Primary EPS $0.0454*; company-reported diluted EPS $0.06 also signals a significant beat relative to consensus *.
- Revenue beat: Consensus $27.08M vs actual $30.48M; +12.6% surprise materially above expectations *.
- Implications: Consensus should move higher on revenue trajectory and sustained margins; expense profile (G&A) may be revised up, but profitability outlook remains intact given operating leverage *.
Values with * retrieved from S&P Global.
Key Takeaways for Investors
- Strong execution: Broad-based growth across e-commerce and ingredients drove double-digit revenue and margin expansion; sustained profitability indicates a structural improvement .
- Clear beat vs Street: Material revenue and EPS beats support near-term positive estimate revisions and potential multiple support; guidance raise adds fuel to the narrative *.
- Mix shift benefit: Higher Niagen ingredient contribution, including pharma-grade, improves operating efficiency and gross margin durability .
- Marketing ROI: Lower S&M % of sales despite higher absolute investments highlights improved efficiency and channel strategy .
- Balance sheet strength: $55.6M cash, no debt, and strong operating cash flow provide flexibility for R&D and brand investments without diluting profitability .
- Watch risks: Execution on 503B compounding frameworks, FDA list status, and China supply chain remain critical to the pharma-grade growth thesis .
- Near-term trading lens: Guidance raise and recurring profitability are likely stock-positive catalysts; continued segment mix improvement and clinic ramp updates are key milestones to monitor .