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PI

POLARITYTE, INC. (PTEIQ)·Q4 2021 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • PTE completed its transition to a clinical-stage biotech; FDA accepted the SkinTE IND in Q1’22 and the company expected first patient treated in April with up to 16 COVER DFU trial sites operational by end of May, creating the next fundamental catalyst .
  • Q4’21 revenue fell to ~$1.04M as SkinTE sales ceased after May 31 and COVID testing rolled off; IBEX preclinical services partially offset but mix shift and scale-down drove lower gross profit and a larger operating loss in Q4 vs Q3 .
  • FY’21 operating loss improved 27% YoY on deep cost cuts and sales wind-down; net loss improved 30% YoY aided by a $3.6M PPP forgiveness gain and warrant liability revaluation gains, partially offset by a $5.2M warrant inducement loss .
  • Liquidity: $19.4M cash at year-end with “substantial doubt” as to going concern; runway not sufficient beyond Q4’22 absent additional financing—funding remains the primary overhang and stock-reaction driver near term .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

  • What Went Well
    • IND acceptance for SkinTE and imminent pivotal DFU study start (COVER DFUs) signposted a clear regulatory path and clinical catalyst roadmap. CEO: “We are pleased to have reached the significant milestone of IND acceptance… on track to see SkinTE used in the clinic once again” .
    • Positive RCT data in venous leg ulcers: 71% wound closure at 12 weeks with SkinTE+SOC vs 33% SOC (p=0.046); significant PAR improvement (p=0.000035) supports clinical rationale heading into pivotal DFU .
    • Operating discipline: FY’21 operating loss improved 27% YoY to $(33.7)M and cash used in operations fell to $22.6M from $37.8M in FY’20 as the company reduced G&A and S&M materially .
  • What Went Wrong
    • Top-line reset: Q4 revenue compressed to ~$1.04M after the May wind-down of SkinTE sales and cessation of COVID testing; services revenue mix (IBEX) is lower margin vs prior COVID testing, pressuring gross profit .
    • Liquidity risk: Year-end cash of $19.4M and explicit going concern language; management does not expect cash to fund the plan “beyond the fourth calendar quarter of 2022” without new capital .
    • Non-cash noise and restructuring: FY results include warrant liability remeasurement gains, a $5.2M inducement loss (Jan’21), and a $0.6M goodwill/intangible impairment (IBEX) that complicate clarity on underlying burn/trajectory .

Financial Results

Quarterly performance (USD Millions, except margins)

MetricQ2 2021Q3 2021Q4 2021
Net Revenues$2.537 $1.116 $1.042 (FY $9.404 − 9M $8.362)
Products Revenue$1.195 $0.000 $0.152 (FY $3.076 − 9M $2.924)
Services Revenue$1.342 $1.116 $0.890 (FY $6.328 − 9M $5.438)
Cost of Revenues$0.924 $0.634 $0.593 (FY $4.316 − 9M $3.723)
Gross Profit$1.613 $0.482 $0.449 (FY $5.088 − 9M $4.639)
Gross Margin %63.6% (calc) 43.2% (calc) 43.1% (calc from FY and 9M)
R&D Expense$4.190 $3.870 $3.691 (FY $14.182 − 9M $10.491)
G&A Expense$4.941 $3.687 $5.477 (FY $20.476 − 9M $14.999)
Sales & Marketing$1.099 $0.093 $0.090 (FY $2.808 − 9M $2.718)
Restructuring & Other$0.011 $0.242 $0.000 (FY $0.678 − 9M $0.678)
Impairment (Goodwill/Intang.)$0.000 $0.000 $0.630 (FY)
Total OpEx$10.241 $7.892 $9.888 (sum of Q4 components)
Operating Loss$(8.628) $(7.410) $(9.439) (FY $(33.686) − 9M $(24.247))
Net Loss$(3.188) $(1.021) $(8.568) (FY $(30.187) − 9M $(21.619))

Segment revenue breakdown (USD Millions)

SegmentQ2 2021Q3 2021Q4 2021
Products$1.195 $0.000 $0.152
Services (IBEX/COVID testing)$1.342 $1.116 $0.890
Total$2.537 $1.116 $1.042

FY results and YoY (USD Millions, per share where noted)

MetricFY 2020FY 2021YoY
Net Revenues$10.126 $9.404 (7.1%) (calc)
Gross Profit$5.702 $5.088 (10.8%) (calc)
Operating Loss$(45.940) $(33.686) +$12.254M (27% improvement) (calc)
Net Loss$(42.854) $(30.187) +$12.667M (30% improvement) (calc)
Basic EPS ($)$(1.11) $(0.38) n/a

KPIs and liquidity

KPIQ2 2021Q3 2021Q4/FY 2021
Cash & Equivalents ($M)$32.614 $27.351 $19.375
Working Capital ($M)~$30.5 ~$24.9 ~$17.7
Cash Used in Ops ($M)$(4.1) in quarter (~$1.4M/mo) $(4.6) in quarter (~$1.5M/mo) $(7.306) in Q4 (FY $(22.630) − 9M $(15.324))

Note: Gross margin % and YoY deltas are calculated from reported figures .

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent Update (Q4’21)Change
Cash RunwayAs of Q2’21Cash to fund into, but not beyond, Q3’22 Cash not sufficient beyond Q4’22; substantial doubt as going concern without new capital Extended in Q3 then effectively affirmed/clarified in Q4
IND/Clinical Start2H’21 target (prior)Plan to submit IND 2H’21; submission made 7/23/21 IND accepted Q1’22; first patient expected April; up to 16 sites by end of May Milestone achieved; study initiation imminent
Revenue/ProfitabilityN/ANo quantitative revenue/EPS/margin guidance provided No quantitative revenue/EPS/margin guidance; focus on R&D and clinical execution Maintained

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

Note: No transcript was available in our repository; themes compiled from quarterly earnings 8-Ks.

TopicQ2 2021 (prev-2)Q3 2021 (prev-1)Q4 2021 (current)Trend
Regulatory/INDIND submitted 7/23/21; addressing CMC/clinical reviewer questions On track to submit complete response to clinical hold by year-end IND accepted; COVER DFU pivotal to start April with ~16 sites Positive progression
Clinical EfficacyReported DFU RCT topline positive Emphasis on IND and site readiness; IP additions VLU RCT showed 71% closure at 12 weeks; significant PAR Strengthening dataset
Commercial TransitionCeased SkinTE sales 5/31; deep cost reductions No products revenue; reduced S&M; IBEX offsets services decline Products $0.152M residuals; services $0.890M Reset complete
Revenue MixSkinTE through May; COVID testing rolling off; IBEX growing Services down QoQ; IBEX primary driver Services remain main contributor; lower margin vs prior COVID testing Lower-margin mix
LiquidityCash funds into but not beyond Q3’22 Funds into Q4’22 Not sufficient beyond Q4’22; going concern language Tightening runway

Management Commentary

  • CEO (Q4’21 press): “We are pleased to have reached the significant milestone of IND acceptance… and being on track to see SkinTE used in the clinic once again in subjects who are suffering from hard-to-treat wounds.”
  • CEO (Q2’21 press): “We have made great strides… with the submission of an IND… the second quarter includes the final two months of SkinTE sales… further solidifies our view that there is sizable market opportunity for SkinTE.”
  • CEO (Q3’21 press): “We are encouraged by the feedback… on track to submit our complete response… prepared to commence a pivotal study under the IND in short order if FDA accepts the IND…”

Q&A Highlights

No Q4’21 earnings call transcript was available in our document set; therefore, Q&A themes and any verbal guidance clarifications could not be verified.

Estimates Context

  • We attempted to retrieve S&P Global consensus (EPS and revenue) for Q4’21 and FY’21, but no CIQ mapping was available for PTEIQ; consensus data were unavailable via our SPGI integration at this time. As a result, no Street beat/miss assessment can be made for Q4’21 using S&P Global data.
    (GetEstimates error: Missing CIQ mapping for ticker ‘PTEIQ’.)

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Near-term catalyst path is clinical: IND accepted; pivotal DFU trial (COVER) patient enrollment/first treatment in April and site ramp to ~16 by end-May—monitor startup execution and early enrollment cadence .
  • The commercial revenue base has reset post-May wind-down; IBEX services remains the primary revenue source but is lower margin than prior COVID testing, limiting gross profit leverage near term .
  • Operating discipline improved losses materially YoY in FY’21; however, Q4 operating loss widened vs Q3 as revenue compressed and non-cash impairment hit, underscoring reliance on financing pre-clinical readouts .
  • Liquidity and going concern disclosure frame risk/reward: ~$19.4M cash at YE’21 with runway not sufficient beyond Q4’22; financing outcomes and terms are key stock catalysts .
  • Non-GAAP adjustments (warrant liability revaluation, inducement loss) materially affect GAAP net loss variability; focus on cash burn trajectory and operational runway as better indicators into 2022 .
  • IP estate expanded in 2H’21, supporting potential future exclusivity assumptions if SkinTE achieves approval and reference product status—positive for medium-term pricing/payer dynamics .

Supporting citations:

  • Q4/FY’21 press release and financials
  • Q3’21 earnings 8-K and financials
  • Q2’21 earnings 8-K and financials