I will then hand over to Kevin, who will review our financial performance and outlook in more detail. We remain focused on expanding and executing our commercial pipeline with a view to embedding our technology and portfolio in these key power sectors. We believe that the future demand for Advent's high temperature PEM technology and related products will create significant opportunity, and we believe Advent will be ideally positioned to capitalize on this through suitable partnerships. We look forward to growing our commercial activities and achieving long-term profitable growth.

Turning to our financials, we delivered revenue of $1.3 million in the third quarter, and income from grants of $0.5 million, for a total of $1.8 million. Combined with R&D expenses, total operating expenses were $11 million, a year-over-year increase of $0.3 million, primarily related to an increase in expenses for our new Hood Park facility in Charlestown, Massachusetts. In addition to the potential funding from the pending Green HiPo project, we continue to seek other sources of capital. We finalized an agreement in April this year for an equity line of credit with Lincoln Park, which gives us access up to $50 million of capital over the three-year term.

As I mentioned earlier, we raised $2.1 million in the third quarter using this equity line of credit. As we all know, however, not every opportunity in the pipeline will transpire due to factors that may be beyond Advent's control. Due to the long-term contract nature of our business model, the timing of our revenue can also be difficult to predict. Due to these factors, and because state aid funding for Green HiPo has not yet commenced, we are not providing an outlook for revenue and income from grants for 2023 on this call.

What went well
  • Signed a term sheet with Airbus for a multi-million-dollar, two-year joint benchmark project on an optimized Ion Pair MEA for hydrogen fuel cells
  • Secured a new $2.2 million U.S. Department of Defense contract for HB50 portable power systems under the General Technical Services prime contract
  • Won a $1.3 million expansion order from a prominent Asian fuel cell integrator for Serene fuel cell stacks
  • Unveiled the Serene Power Systems range for maritime vessels at the Monaco Yacht Show
  • Passed 1,200 high-temperature PEM fuel cell systems installed worldwide, replacing diesel generators
What went wrong
  • Net loss of $11.8 million, or $0.20 per share, in the quarter
  • Unrestricted cash fell to $3.7 million as of September 30, a $6.4 million decrease from June 30
  • Going-concern warning: cash and projected cash flows not expected to fund planned operations for the next 12 months
  • Green HiPo state aid funding still had not commenced, delayed roughly a year by the Greek state's internal process
  • Company declined to provide a 2023 outlook for revenue and income from grants

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodCurrent guidance
Revenue and income from grants outlookFY2023Not provided; withheld due to pipeline timing uncertainty and Green HiPo funding not yet commenced

Performance Breakdown

MetricYoYNote
Revenue — $1.3 million in Q3; with $0.5 million income from grants, total of $1.8 million
Total operating expenses +$0.3 million $11 million total (R&D $2.1 million, administrative and selling $8.9 million); increase driven by the new Hood Park facility in Charlestown, Massachusetts
Net loss — $11.8 million net loss, or $0.20 per share, in Q3

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

TopicPrevious mentionCurrent periodTrend
Green HiPo / IPCEI fundingEU ratified the project in July 2022 with up to EUR 782.1 million of state aid; site purchased and R&D scheduledStill awaiting the Greek state to finalize its process; CEO raised the delay with the European Commission president; funding not yet commenced—
Strategic partnerships in core sectorsConsolidating operations to focus on the core high-temperature PEM sectorAdding blue-chip partners (Airbus, plus prior Siemens Energy and BASF ties) across aviation, automotive, and maritime—
Business model / path to licensingSelling complete systems through distributors and resellers, pursuing JDAsAims to license technology to top manufacturers in automotive and aerospace, citing much higher license margins than fuel cell system gross margins—
Liquidity / capital sourcesFinalized a $50 million equity line of credit with Lincoln Park in AprilRaised $2.1 million via the equity line in Q3 (blocked if stock closes below $0.50); added a $50 million ATM with HC Wainwright, began drawing in October—

Q&A Summary

Given the capital constraints going into next year, does this change how you allocate across regions (EU vs. UK vs. US) and across product segments?
The company will grow relationships with blue-chip partners in key consolidated sectors, with Airbus especially important for aviation and the same core technology applicable to automotive and maritime. The pace and timing of going cash-flow positive hinges on the IPCEI/Green HiPo contribution, which has been slower than expected; Advent has purchased the site, scheduled R&D, and secured strategic agreements, and will not walk away from the grant while it awaits the Greek state.
Given the difficult supply-chain environment in the hydrogen sector, how do you mitigate risk to deliver against your purchase orders?
There have been cost increases stemming from COVID aftereffects, geopolitical uncertainty, and higher cost of capital, but the CEO does not see supply chain as the rate-determining step; the company will execute its stated priorities first and handle issues as they arise.
Once the Green HiPo IPCEI funding is drawn down, what is the timeline to bring the project into production and generate revenue?
Ramp-up will be fast because the company has been ready and waiting for nearly a year; cash flow will follow. Advent must respect the state's process but the overall mood is positive, and it will move quickly once the signature is in place.
How are the partnerships with downstream customers structured, are you an equity holder or obliged to fund them, and is the endgame a technology royalty?
Currently Advent brings the technology while large partners bring market knowledge and capital to accelerate development. Beyond that, it sells complete systems through distributors and resellers, and the ultimate model is to license the technology to top manufacturers in automotive and aerospace, where license margins are far larger than fuel cell system gross margins. It cited product traction in telecom (German police, Smart and Globe in the Philippines), marine (Sanlorenzo boat), and its Siemens Energy partnership.

More on Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc.

Reported 2023-11-14 · figures from the Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. Q3 2023 earnings call.

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