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Predictive Oncology Inc. (POAI) Q3 2024 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q3 2024 revenue was $0.35M and net loss per share was ($0.48); the company announced a formal process to explore strategic alternatives (including potential sale, asset sales, or licensing), and elected not to host a call this quarter .
  • Mix shift away from higher-margin tumor-specific 3D models drove revenue decline vs. prior year; G&A and S&M were materially lower on cost actions, with management reiterating a ~20% annualized cash burn reduction target from Q4’24 onward .
  • Liquidity declined to $3.1M cash and equivalents and $2.0M of stockholders’ equity at 9/30/24; the company raised $1.3M in gross proceeds via warrant exercises during Q3 .
  • Strategic alternatives process and biobank validation are the near-term stock catalysts; lack of formal guidance and no Q3 call temper visibility on near-term revenue ramp .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Cost discipline: G&A fell by ~$0.76M YoY to $1.58M on headcount/severance reductions; sales & marketing also decreased by ~$0.09M YoY .
  • Cash burn initiatives: Management implemented cost savings intended to reduce run-rate cash used in operating activities by ~20% annually; reiterated the targeted burn reduction alongside strategic repositioning .
  • Asset validation and pipeline positioning: Company reported 100% concordance of drug response between fresh and cryopreserved tumor samples in its biobank, supporting long-term sample viability; management cites unique biobank and longitudinal data as a competitive advantage for AI/ML-driven discovery .

What Went Wrong

  • Top-line pressure: Q3 revenue fell to $0.35M (vs. $0.68M YoY) due to decreased sales of tumor-specific 3D cell culture models (Pittsburgh segment), only partially offset by increased STREAMWAY system sales (Eagan segment) .
  • Lower gross contribution: Gross profit was $0.15M vs. $0.58M YoY; mix shift and revenue softness weighed on gross profit dollars (Q3 gross margin implied ~43% vs. 85% in Q3’23) .
  • Liquidity compression: Cash fell to $3.1M at 9/30/24 (from $5.3M at 6/30/24 and $8.7M at 12/31/23); stockholders’ equity declined to $2.0M at 9/30/24 (from $8.3M at 12/31/23) .

Financial Results

Headline P&L and EPS vs. prior periods

MetricQ3 2023Q1 2024Q2 2024Q3 2024
Revenue ($)$715,056 $419,646 $278,722 $345,686
Gross Profit ($)$608,116 $232,231 $125,754 $148,767
Gross Margin (%)85% ~55% ~45% ~43% (calc. from Rev & GP)
Net (Loss) per Share (basic & diluted)($0.78) ($1.04) ($0.68) ($0.48)

Notes: Q3 2024 also reported loss from continuing operations per share of ($0.36) .

Operating expenses (select items)

MetricQ3 2023Q1 2024Q2 2024Q3 2024
General & Administrative ($)$2,583,574 $2,627,076 $2,137,189 $1,582,671
Operations Expense ($)$842,579 $1,102,193 $893,391 $633,422
Sales & Marketing ($)$336,043 $739,734 $284,421 $246,650
Total Operating Expenses ($)N/A$4,469,003 $3,315,001 $2,462,743

Balance sheet & cash KPIs

MetricQ3 2023Q1 2024Q2 2024Q3 2024
Cash & Cash Equivalents ($)$11,915,048 $5,197,235 $5,331,770 $3,078,955
Stockholders’ Equity ($)$11,651,355 $4,053,671 $4,093,971 $1,966,969
Net Cash Used in Op. Activities (YTD) ($)$10,107,030 (nine months) $3,416,021 (Q1) $6,634,072 (six months) $8,913,589 (nine months)

Estimate comparisons: S&P Global consensus data were unavailable via API for this request (rate limit), so revenue/EPS vs. estimates cannot be presented for Q3 2024 at this time.

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
RevenueFY/Q4 2024None providedNone providedN/A
MarginsFY/Q4 2024None providedNone providedN/A
OpExFY/Q4 2024Targeting ~20% annualized cash burn reduction run-rate from Q4’24 Reiterated ~20% annualized reduction; cost actions underway Maintained
Other (Strategic Review)N/ANot applicableInitiated formal strategic alternatives process New

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q1 & Q2 2024)Current Period (Q3 2024)Trend
Biomarker discovery/AIExpanded AI/ML for novel biomarker discovery (ovarian cancer) and promising UPMC study; ASCO presentation validation Continued emphasis on biomarker opportunity and unique biobank; pursuing collaborations Steady focus; advancing validation and BD
Cost savings/footprintConsolidating Birmingham into Pittsburgh; ~20% cash burn reduction expected by Q4’24 Reiterated ~20% burn reduction; lower G&A and S&M realized Execution progressing
Collaborations/BDFujifilm, FluGen, University of Michigan ACE program updates “Ongoing discussions with several prospective partners” Continuing pipeline building
Strategic alternativesNot discussed in Q1/Q2Formal process initiated; may include sale, asset sale, or licensing New catalyst
Investor communicationsCalls held in Q1/Q2 No Q3 call due to strategic review; plan to update as warranted Reduced near-term visibility

Management Commentary

  • “We expanded our AI/ML offering to pursue the discovery of novel biomarkers capable of predicting patient outcomes and drug responses…we are uniquely positioned to play a meaningful role in the early discovery of new cancer therapeutics” — CEO Raymond Vennare .
  • “We have initiated a process to evaluate a broad range of strategic alternatives…together with the cost savings initiative…reduce our cash burn by around 20% annually” — CEO Raymond Vennare .
  • “Considering…strategic alternatives, the Company has elected not to host an investor conference call this quarter” .

Q&A Highlights

  • No Q3 2024 earnings call was held due to the ongoing strategic alternatives process .
  • In prior quarters, prepared remarks emphasized biomarker discovery, cost savings, and collaborations; no extensive Q&A disclosures were provided in the transcripts reviewed .

Estimates Context

  • We attempted to retrieve S&P Global consensus for Q3 2024 EPS and revenue to compare actuals vs. expectations, but the request was rate-limited and data were unavailable at this time. As a result, estimate comparisons and potential beat/miss assessments cannot be provided for Q3 2024 in this recap (Values intended from S&P Global; unavailable due to API limit).

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Strategic alternatives process is the primary near-term catalyst; outcomes may include sale of the company or assets/licensing, but timing and probability are uncertain .
  • Revenue volatility persists given mix shifts; pipeline of collaborations under discussion could improve visibility if converted to contracts .
  • Cost actions are taking hold—G&A, operations, and S&M are down YoY; management targets ~20% annualized burn reduction run-rate from Q4’24 .
  • Liquidity remains tight ($3.1M cash at 9/30/24), implying continued dependence on financings and/or strategic transactions to extend runway .
  • The company’s unique biobank and validated AI/ML platform remain core to its differentiation; further external validation and monetization (biomarker discovery, partnerships) are key to re-rating the equity story .
  • Trading: stock narrative likely driven by updates on strategic alternatives and partnership traction; lack of guidance and no Q3 call limit near-term estimate visibility .

Sources: Q3 2024 8‑K press release and attached financial statements ; Q2 2024 8‑K press release and transcript ; Q1 2024 8‑K press release and transcript ; Q3 2023 8‑K .

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