Energy Recovery Reports First Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Energy Recovery, Inc. (Nasdaq:ERII) (“Energy Recovery” or the “Company”) today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023.

First Quarter Highlights

• Revenue of $13.4 million, and within February 2023 guidance.
• Lower gross margin of 60.9%, as compared to Q1’2022, driven mainly by an increase in pump and hydraulic turbocharger revenue in the original equipment manufacturer and aftermarket channels, and a decrease PX^® Pressure Exchanger^® revenue in the megaproject channel.
• Operating expenses grew 6% in the first quarter, as compared to Q4’2022, from growing sales and marketing expenditures in support of new businesses, and some variability in the timing of research and development expenses.
• Loss from operations of $8.1 million primarily attributable to lower revenue and gross margin due to expected timing of megaproject shipments.
• Net loss of $6.3 million and adjusted EBITDA of negative $4.8 million, primarily attributed to lower revenue and gross margin.
• Operating cash flow of $8.7 million driven by strong collections.

Robert Mao, Chairman, President and CEO, commented on the financial results: “As we guided in February, our desalination revenue for 2023 will be heavily weighted to the second half of this year due to the expected timing of megaproject shipments, which is how the year has started. As previously indicated, we expect our desalination business to grow between 3-7% this year. We also continue to see increasing demand for our wastewater products and are adding new countries outside of China and India to our pipeline in Southeast Asia and Latin America. We expect to expand our sales and marketing capabilities this year to successfully address these opportunities, as we seek to double this business in 2023 and 2024.”

Mr. Mao added: “We continue to build on the momentum following our February announcements of Epta Group’s new generation sustainability XTE refrigeration rack product line incorporating our PX G1300^™, and our signing of an exclusive distribution agreement for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg with Fieuw Koeltechniiek. We recognized over $100 thousand in CO₂ revenue in the first quarter and expect to be commissioned in multiple countries this year in North America and Europe. Importantly, we expect our first deployment in a food manufacturing plant this summer as well as the first use of the PX G1300 as a defense against rising temperatures with a new installation in a Canadian supermarket chain. It is an exciting time at Energy Recovery as the refrigeration industry begins to take notice of our revolutionary new product. We look forward to building a bigger footprint throughout the year.”

Financial Highlights

Non-GAAP Financial Highlights

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain matters discussed in this press release and on the conference call are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including our belief that desalination revenue for 2023 will be heavily weighted to the second half of this year; our expectation that our desalination business will grow between 3-7% this year; our expectation that we will grow our industrial wastewater sales team; our goal to double our wastewater business in 2023 and 2024; and our expectations for multiple PX G1300 commissions in multiple countries this year in North America and Europe. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us and on management’s beliefs, assumptions, estimates, or projections and are not guarantees of future events or results. Potential risks and uncertainties include any other factors that may have been discussed herein regarding the risks and uncertainties of the Company’s business, and the risks discussed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the year ended December 31, 2022, as well as other reports filed by the Company with the SEC from time to time. Because such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, the Company’s actual results may differ materially from the predictions in these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are made as of today, and the Company assumes no obligation to update such statements.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures, including adjusted operating margin, adjusted net (loss) income, adjusted net (loss) income per share, adjusted effective tax rate, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company’s performance, financial position, or cash flows that either exclude or include amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect a comprehensive system of accounting, differ from GAAP measures with the same captions, and may differ from non-GAAP financial measures with the same or similar captions that are used by other companies. As such, these non-GAAP measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures to analyze its operating performance and future prospects, develop internal budgets and financial goals, and to facilitate period-to-period comparisons. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of its operations that, when viewed with its GAAP results, provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting its business.

Notes to the First Quarter Financial Results

• Adjusted operating margin is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company defines as (loss) income from operations which excludes i) share-based compensation; and ii) non-core operational costs, such as VorTeq-related severance costs and accelerated depreciation, and litigation charges, divided by revenues.
• Adjusted net (loss) income is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company defines as net income which excludes i) share-based compensation; ii) non-core operational costs, such as VorTeq-related severance costs and accelerated depreciation, and litigation charges; and iii) the applicable tax effect of the excluded items including the share-based compensation discrete tax item.
• Adjusted net (loss) income per share is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company defines as net (loss) income, which excludes i) share-based compensation; and ii) non-core operational costs, such as VorTeq-related severance costs and accelerated depreciation, and litigation charges; and iii) the applicable tax effect of the excluded items including the share-based compensation discrete tax item, divided by basic shares outstanding.
• Adjusted effective tax rate reflects adjustments for share-based compensation discrete tax item, share-based compensation, VorTeq-related severance costs and accelerated depreciation, and litigation charges.
• Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company defines as net (loss) income which excludes i) depreciation and amortization; ii) share-based compensation; iii) non-core operational costs, such as VorTeq-related severance costs, and litigation charges; iv) other income, net, such as interest income and other non-operating income, net; and v) (benefit from) provision for income taxes.
• Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company defines as net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less capital expenditures.

Conference Call to Discuss First Quarter 2023 Financial Results

LIVE CONFERENCE CALL:

Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET

Listen-only, US / Canada Toll-Free: +1 (877) 709-8150

Listen-only, Local / International Toll: +1 (201) 689-8354

CONFERENCE CALL REPLAY:

Expiration: Friday, June 2, 2023

US / Canada Toll-Free: +1 (877) 660-6853

Local / International Toll: +1 (201) 612-7415

Access code: 13737005

Investors may access the live call and the replay (approximately three hours after the live call concludes) over the internet at: ir.energyrecovery.com/websites/energyrecover/English/2200/calendar.html

Disclosure Information

Energy Recovery uses the investor relations section on its website as means of complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor Energy Recovery’s investor relations website in addition to following Energy Recovery’s press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts.

About Energy Recovery

Energy Recovery, Inc., creates technologies that solve complex challenges for commercial and industrial fluid-flow markets worldwide. Building on an innovative pressure exchanger technology platform, they design and manufacture solutions that make commercial and industrial processes more efficient and sustainable. What began as a game-changing invention for desalination has grown into a global business accelerating the environmental sustainability of customers’ operations in multiple industries. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Energy Recovery has manufacturing and research and development facilities across California and Texas with sales and on-site technical support available globally. To learn more, visit https://energyrecovery.com/.

ENERGY RECOVERY, INC.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES ⁽¹⁾

(Unaudited)

This press release includes certain non-GAAP financial information because we plan and manage our business using such information. The following table reconciles the GAAP financial information to the non-GAAP financial information.

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