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Research: Industrials
Carbios
Written by
Carbios |
Commercial progress and financial discipline |
Company update |
Alternative energy |
24 October 2016 |
Share price performance
Business description
Next events
Analysts
Carbios is a research client of Edison Investment Research Limited |
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Carbios has reported H116 results showing solid progress on scaling up and industrialisation, with good cash management. As expected, losses continue to increase during this process. Although we expect this pattern to continue to the end of the Thanaplast project in mid-2017, we believe that, with €7m net cash at 30 June, Carbios is sufficiently funded until the project’s completion. We have updated our forecasts and our valuation range is unchanged at €23-37 per share.
Year |
Revenue (€m) |
PBT* |
EPS* |
DPS |
P/E |
Yield |
12/14 |
0.7 |
(3.3) |
(59.3) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
12/15 |
0.8 |
(4.0) |
(81.3) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
12/16e |
9.2 |
3.1 |
124.3 |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
12/17e |
0.7 |
(4.4) |
(93.0) |
0.0 |
N/A |
N/A |
Note: *PBT and EPS are normalised, excluding amortisation of acquired intangibles, exceptional items and share-based payments. FY16 forecasts include Carbiolice JV.
Solid results; we update our forecasts
Carbios reported H1 revenues of €556k, an operating loss of €2.4m and net loss of €1.5m, all of which is a better run rate than our forecast for the full year. We had forecast a 2016 operating loss of €5.6m and a net loss of €4.2m, as the company continues to scale up. As previously reported, Carbios formed a joint venture (JV) with Limagrain and Bpifrance in June. We have now updated our forecasts to reflect the interim results and the impact of the JV. With €8m upfront non-cash payment for the licensing agreement accounted as revenues (under French accounting standards as advised by management), our FY16 net income forecast increases to €4.7m (from a loss of €4.2m). However, our net cash outflow increases to €5.4m (from €4.7m), leaving an estimated €3.5m net cash at the end of 2016 post the expected €1.5m cash injection into the JV.
Commercialisation: A step ahead
The most important milestone during the first six months was the first commercial JV, Carbiolice, in partnership with Limagrain and Bpifrance in June. This was earlier than expected and shows good progress on commercialisation. Furthermore, Carbios has secured two important US patents, one on enzyme inclusion in plastics and one on PLA degradation, which also support future commercial efforts.
Cash discipline and funding in line with expectation
The company has shown continued cash discipline with cash usage in line with its target. It had €7.2m cash on hand at the end of June. A monthly cash burn rate of c €300k for the first half is in line with our expectations, which included €414k of capex. This confirms our view that the company should be funded through to the end of the Thanaplast project in 2017.
Valuation: Unchanged at €23-37 per share
We value Carbios on a DCF methodology with risk-weighted cash flows for its most important processes. This yields a fair value range of €23-37 per share based on different discount rates, with a base case value of €26 (WACC of 20%).
Recent developments
Carbiolice JV
As previously reported, in June 2016 Carbios entered into a joint venture partnership with Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients and the SPI “Industrial Projects Company” investment fund run by Bpifrance (a French government development bank). The JV will operate Carbios’s patented enzymatic biodegradation technology and will target the flexible films and rigid plastics markets. We understand that Carbios has received a non-cash payment of €8m (payable in shares of the JV) for the licensing of its patented technology. As per French accounting practice, we have recognised this non-cash payment as revenues in H216. Carbios will also receive royalty income, the amount which has not yet been disclosed. The contributions from partners will result in a total project value of €29.5m. The SPI fund will invest €11m over a four-year period to ultimately reach a 37% shareholding, whereas Carbios will initially contribute another €1.5m in FY16.
Solid interim results
Carbios reported solid H1 results: Revenues were €556k, the operating loss came in at €2.4m and the net loss was €1.5m. Revenues principally consisted of grant funding in line with achieved milestones, namely the conclusion of key stage four of the project, which leads to the launch of the pre-industrial stage. As expected, R&D expenses increased as the Thanaplast project continued and the company continued to scale up. This compares to our 2016 full year forecast (pre-Carbiolice JV) for revenues of €600k, an operating loss of €5.6m and a net loss of €4.2m. We also note a strong run rate on cash: total cash outflow was €1.8m for the six months. With that, the company had cash of €7.2m as at end June. Its monthly cash burn rate is about €300k per month, which leaves room for another €2m of cash outflows (allowing for the €1.5m Carbiolice cash injection mentioned above) in H2 for the company to be comfortably in line with our forecast net cash of €3.5m at year end. This also confirms our view that the company is fully funded to cover its cash requirements to the completion of the Thanaplast project in mid-2017.
Exhibit 1: H116 results
€000s |
H115 |
H116 |
% change y-o-y |
FY16e |
FY17e |
Revenues |
452 |
556 |
23.01 |
9,200 |
653 |
EBIT |
(1,941) |
2,431 |
N/A |
2,986 |
(4,379) |
Net income |
(1,307) |
(1,536) |
17.52 |
4,661 |
(3,487) |
Net cash flow |
(1,500) |
(1,800) |
20.00 |
(5,383) |
(3,183) |
Cash (gross) at end of period |
9,011* |
7,200 |
(20.00) |
3,628 |
446 |
Source: Carbios, Edison Investment Research. Note: *As at 31 December 2015.
Update to our forecasts
We have updated our forecasts (see below) to reflect the interim results, as well as the impact of the new JV, Carbiolice, formed in June 2016. As mentioned earlier, Carbios has since received a non-cash upfront payment of €8m in the form of shares in the JV, but will also have to inject €1.5m of cash into the JV in H216, according to the partnership agreement. Accordingly, our revenue forecast is now €9.2m (from €600k), which feeds through to our EBIT forecast of €2.99m and net income of €4.7m for FY16. Our 2017 EBIT forecast increases marginally, to a loss of €4.379m (from a loss €4.387m) on the back of better assumed operating performance.
As most of the Carbiolice impact (other than the €1.5m cash injection) is non-cash, we now forecast operating cash outflow of €3.7m and net cash outflow of €5.4m (from €4.7m previously) and year-end net cash of €3.5m for FY16. This should cover cash outlay to the end of the Thanaplast project in mid-2017, according to our estimates.
Exhibit 2: Forecast changes
2016e |
2017e |
|||
€000s |
Old |
New |
Old |
New |
Revenues |
600 |
9,200 |
653 |
653 |
EBIT |
(5,596) |
2,986 |
(4,387) |
(4,379) |
Net income |
(4,188) |
4,661 |
(3,492) |
(3,487) |
EPS (€) |
(1.12) |
1.24 |
(0.93) |
(0.93) |
Operating cash flow |
(4,341) |
(3,672) |
(2,835) |
(2,658) |
Net cash flow |
(4,707) |
(5,383) |
(3,360) |
(3,183) |
Net cash |
4,122 |
3,446 |
812 |
314 |
Source: Carbios and Edison Investment Research
Commercial progress
The company has delivered some important operational progress in H1. Most importantly, it agreed its first joint venture, Carbiolice, in partnership with Limagrain and Bpifrance (see our outlook note of September 2016 and discussion above). It has also been granted two patents in the US, one for enzyme inclusion in plastics and one for PLA degradation. This is important for IP protection and future commercialisation, as it also enables the company to hand out very specific licences.
Exhibit 3: Financial summary
Year end 31 December |
€'000s |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016e |
2017e |
|
|
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
IFRS |
||
PROFIT & LOSS |
|||||||
Revenue |
|
|
900 |
664 |
837 |
9,200* |
653 |
Cost of Sales |
(3,164) |
(2,912) |
(3,145) |
(4,089) |
(2,862) |
||
Gross Profit |
(2,264) |
(2,248) |
(2,308) |
5,112 |
(2,209) |
||
EBITDA |
|
|
(3,077) |
(3,283) |
(3,896) |
3,238 |
(4,119) |
Operating Profit (before amort. and except.) |
|
|
(3,116) |
(3,364) |
(4,062) |
2,986 |
(4,379) |
Intangible Amortisation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Exceptionals |
9 |
15 |
(23) |
0 |
0 |
||
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Operating Profit |
(3,107) |
(3,349) |
(4,085) |
2,986 |
(4,379) |
||
Net Interest |
(0) |
48 |
78 |
103 |
27 |
||
Profit Before Tax (norm) |
|
|
(3,116) |
(3,316) |
(3,984) |
3,089 |
(4,352) |
Profit Before Tax (FRS 3) |
|
|
(3,107) |
(3,301) |
(4,007) |
3,089 |
(4,352) |
Tax |
961 |
1,091 |
936 |
1,571 |
866 |
||
Profit After Tax (norm) |
(2,155) |
(2,225) |
(3,048) |
4,661 |
(3,487) |
||
Profit After Tax (FRS 3) |
(2,146) |
(2,210) |
(3,071) |
4,661 |
(3,487) |
||
Average Number of Shares Outstanding (m) |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
3.8 |
||
EPS - normalised fully diluted (c) |
|
|
(57.8) |
(59.3) |
(81.3) |
124.3 |
(93.0) |
EPS - (IFRS) (€) |
|
|
N/A |
(0.6) |
(0.8) |
1.2 |
(0.9) |
Dividend per share (c) |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
||
Gross Margin (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
||
EBITDA Margin (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
||
Operating Margin (before GW and except.) (%) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
||
BALANCE SHEET |
|||||||
Fixed Assets |
|
|
243 |
1,048 |
1,665 |
11,327 |
12,069 |
Intangible Assets |
72 |
130 |
231 |
355 |
617 |
||
Tangible Assets |
14 |
740 |
1,258 |
1,296 |
1,777 |
||
Investments (including JV) |
157 |
178 |
176 |
9,676 |
9,676 |
||
Current Assets |
|
|
16,113 |
12,684 |
10,377 |
5,552 |
1,595 |
Stocks |
0 |
20 |
12 |
22 |
16 |
||
Debtors |
1,401 |
1,402 |
1,224 |
1,772 |
1,003 |
||
Cash |
14,598 |
11,099 |
9,011 |
3,628 |
446 |
||
Other |
114 |
163 |
130 |
130 |
130 |
||
Current Liabilities |
|
|
(1,110) |
(196) |
(337) |
(414) |
(235) |
Creditors |
(1,110) |
(196) |
(337) |
(414) |
(235) |
||
Short term borrowings |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Long Term Liabilities |
|
|
(680) |
(474) |
(571) |
(531) |
(481) |
Long term borrowings |
(457) |
(152) |
(222) |
(182) |
(132) |
||
Other long term liabilities |
(223) |
(322) |
(349) |
(349) |
(349) |
||
Net Assets |
|
|
14,566 |
13,062 |
11,134 |
15,935 |
12,948 |
CASH FLOW |
|||||||
Operating Cash Flow |
|
|
(1,532) |
(3,546) |
(2,595) |
(3,672)* |
(2,658) |
Net Interest |
(0) |
48 |
78 |
103 |
27 |
||
Tax |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Capex |
(187) |
(867) |
(786) |
(414) |
(1,001) |
||
Acquisitions/disposals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
(1,500) |
0 |
||
Financing |
13,500 |
1,171 |
1,145 |
100 |
450 |
||
Dividends |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Net Cash Flow |
11,781 |
(3,194) |
(2,158) |
(5,383) |
(3,183) |
||
Opening net debt/(cash) |
|
|
(2,360) |
(14,141) |
(10,947) |
(8,789) |
(3,446) |
HP finance leases initiated |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
||
Other |
0 |
0 |
0 |
40 |
50 |
||
Closing net debt/(cash) |
|
|
(14,141) |
(10,947) |
(8,789) |
(3,446) |
(314) |
Source: Carbios and Edison Investment Research. *Note: FY16e revenues include a €8m non-cash payment treated as licensing revenues as per management guidance; this non-cash payment has been adjusted in the operating cash flow accordingly.
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