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8-K - FORM 8-K - SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS INCc12034e8vk.htm
EX-99.2 - EXHIBIT 99.2 - SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS INCc12034exv99w2.htm
Exhibit 99.1
 
 
(SES LOGO)   P R E S S   R E L E A S E
SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC. ANNOUNCES FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR
THE SECOND QUARTER OF FISCAL 2011
— Reports Improved Operating Performance —
HOUSTON, February 8, 2011 — Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYMX), a global energy and gasification technology company that provides products and solutions to the energy and chemicals industries, today announced financial results and improved operating performance for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 ended December 31, 2010.
“We continue to make progress in our operating performance and in our licensing business,” stated Robert Rigdon, President and CEO. “Our licensing business is being bolstered by technology advancements that we have demonstrated on a commercial scale at our Zaozhuang (ZZ) joint venture plant in China. Our partners, customers and licensees, as well as other groups we’re talking to in China and other emerging markets, are taking note of the significant competitive advantages of our technology, including reduced emissions and improved margins.”
Second Quarter 2011 Financial Results (Unaudited)
Total revenue increased $0.3 million for the three months ended December 31, 2010, to $2.9 million, versus $2.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2009.
Product sales from the Company’s ZZ joint venture plant increased to $2.6 million for the three months ended December 31, 2010, compared to $2.5 million for the three months ended December 31, 2009. For the three month periods ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, the plant operated for 73% and 83% of the time, respectively. For both of the three month periods ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, the plant’s availability for production was 97%.
Technology licensing and related services revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2010 were $0.3 million, reflecting the value of the coal contributed by Ambre Energy in exchange for testing of the coal at the ZZ joint venture plant. There were no technology licensing and related services revenues for the three month ended December 31, 2009.
There were no other revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2010. There were $0.1 million of other revenues for the three months ended December 31, 2009, related to a sponsorship grant pertaining to lignite testing at the ZZ joint venture plant.
The Company reduced its operating loss for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 to $3.5 million, a decrease from the $11.1 million reported in the second quarter of fiscal 2010. The $7.6 million improvement was primarily due to a $6.6 million asset impairment loss recorded in the prior year second fiscal quarter related to our Golden Concord joint venture project, an improved operating margin at the ZZ joint venture plant, and lower project and technical development and stock-based compensation expenses. These items were partially offset by an increase in G&A expenses resulting from new business development activities.

 

 


 

The net loss attributable to stockholders for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 declined to $3.6 million, or $0.07 per share, versus a net loss of $8.2 million, or $0.17 per share, for the prior year’s second quarter.
At December 31, 2010, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $34.2 million and working capital of $31.1 million.
Corporate Highlights
 
Added William E. Preston as Senior Vice President of Global Business Development and Licensing, replacing Don Bunnell, a founder of the Company, who is leaving to pursue other long-standing interests. Mr. Bunnell will remain a shareholder and director of the Company and also serve as a consultant following his departure at the end of February,
 
Successfully developed and implemented the fines management system (“FMS”), a new technology modification, to the U-GAS® system at the ZZ joint venture plant. This modification increases gasification efficiency thereby increasing the utilization of low rank coal to more than 99% and reducing the cost of syngas production of some coals by up to 7%,
 
Presented results of the FMS operation at the Gasification Technologies Conference in Washington, DC, and
 
In collaboration with Ambre Energy of Australia, the Company demonstrated excellent results at its ZZ joint venture plant gasifying approximately 3,000 tons of Ambre’s low-to-medium rank, high ash content coal.
   
Coal conversions of over 98% were achieved,
   
We are moving into the license negotiation stage for Ambre’s planned CTG project in Australia utilizing the U-GAS® coal gasification technology,
 
Advanced business development discussions in China, India, and other emerging markets.
Conference Call Information
Senior management will hold a conference call to review the Company’s financial results for this period and provide an update on corporate developments today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
To access the live webcast, please log on to the Company’s Web site at www.synthesisenergy.com. Alternatively, domestic callers may participate in the live conference call by dialing (800) 860-2442 and international callers should dial (412) 858-4600. An archived version of the webcast will be available on the SES Web site through March 8, 2011. A telephone replay of the conference call will be available approximately one hour after the completion of the call through Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Domestic callers can access the replay by dialing (877) 344-7529. International callers should dial (412) 317-0088. The PIN access number for the live call and the replay is 447750#.

 

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About Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc.
SES provides technology, equipment and engineering services for the conversion of low rank, low cost coal and biomass feedstocks into energy and chemical products. Its strategy is to create value through providing technology and equipment in regions where low rank coals and biomass feedstocks can be profitably converted into high value products through its proprietary U-GAS® fluidized bed gasification technology, which SES licenses from the Gas Technology Institute. U-GAS® gasifies coal cost effectively, without many of the harmful emissions normally associated with coal combustion plants. The primary advantages of U-GAS® relative to other gasification technologies are (a) greater fuel flexibility provided by the ability of SES to use all ranks of coal (including low rank, high ash and high moisture coals, which are significantly cheaper than higher grade coals), many coal waste products and biomass feed stocks; and (b) the ability of SES to operate efficiently on a smaller scale, which enables the construction of plants more quickly, at a lower capital cost, and, in many cases, in closer proximity to coal sources. SES currently has offices in Houston, Texas, and Shanghai, China. For more information on SES, visit www.synthesisenergy.com or call (713) 579-0600.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes “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. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among those risks, trends and uncertainties are the early stage of development of SES, its estimate of the sufficiency of existing capital sources, its ability to successfully develop its licensing business, its ability to raise additional capital to fund cash requirements for future investments and operations, its ability to reduce operating costs, the limited history and viability of its technology, the effect of the current international financial crisis on its business, commodity prices and the availability and terms of financing opportunities, its results of operations in foreign countries and its ability to diversify, its ability to maintain production from its first plant in the ZZ joint venture, its ability to complete the expansion of the ZZ project, its ability to obtain the necessary approvals and permits for its Yima project and other future projects, the estimated timetables for achieving mechanical completion and commencing commercial operations for the Yima project, its ability to negotiate the terms of the conversion of the Yima project from methanol to glycol and the sufficiency of internal controls and procedures. Although SES believes that in making such forward-looking statements its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, such statements may be influenced by factors that could cause actual outcomes and results to be materially different from those projected. SES cannot assure you that the assumptions upon which these statements are based will prove to have been correct.
Contact:
     
Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc.
  MBS Value Partners, LLC
Kevin Kelly
  Matthew D. Haines
Chief Accounting Officer
  Managing Director
(713) 579-0600
  (212) 710-9686
Kevin.Kelly@synthesisenergy.com
  Matt.Haines@mbsvalue.com
- TABLES FOLLOW -

 

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SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
(A Development Stage Enterprise)
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
(Unaudited)
                                 
    Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  
    December 31,     December 31,  
    2010     2009     2010     2009  
Revenue:
                               
Product sales and other — related parties
  $ 2,579     $ 2,461     $ 3,997     $ 4,697  
Technology licensing and related services
    302             506       65  
Other
          146             146  
 
                       
Total revenue
    2,881       2,607       4,503       4,908  
 
                               
Costs and Expenses:
                               
Costs of sales and plant operating expenses
    2,564       2,609       3,870       4,346  
General and administrative expenses
    3,131       2,922       6,318       6,005  
Project and technical development expenses
    44       535       129       1,555  
Asset impairment losses
          6,575             6,575  
Stock-based compensation expense
    37       366       264       964  
Depreciation and amortization
    650       720       1,330       1,442  
 
                       
 
                               
Total costs and expenses
    6,426       13,727       11,911       20,887  
 
                       
 
                               
Operating loss
    (3,545 )     (11,120 )     (7,408 )     (15,979 )
 
                               
Non-operating (income) expense:
                               
Equity in losses of Yima joint ventures
    172       50       226       50  
Foreign currency gains
    (242 )     (1 )     (497 )     (1 )
Interest income
    (51 )     (13 )     (91 )     (52 )
Interest expense
    170       164       316       344  
 
                       
 
                               
Net loss
    (3,594 )     (11,320 )     (7,362 )     (16,320 )
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
    33       3,121       59       3,543  
 
                       
Net loss attributable to stockholders
  $ (3,561 )   $ (8,199 )   $ (7,303 )   $ (12,777 )
 
                       
 
                               
Net loss per share:
                               
Basic and diluted
  $ (0.07 )   $ (0.17 )   $ (0.15 )   $ (0.27 )
 
                       
 
                               
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
                               
Basic and diluted
    48,429       48,183       48,390       48,183  
 
                       

 

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SYNTHESIS ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
(A Development Stage Enterprise)
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
                 
    December 31,     June 30,  
    2010     2010  
ASSETS
               
 
Current assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 34,174     $ 42,573  
Accounts receivable
    2,554       2,672  
Prepaid expenses and other currents assets
    1,393       1,875  
Inventory
    1,037       983  
 
           
Total current assets
    39,158       48,103  
Construction-in-progress
    427       565  
Property, plant and equipment, net
    35,067       35,316  
Intangible asset, net
    1,256       1,272  
Investment in Yima joint ventures
    32,932       32,430  
Other long-term assets
    3,011       2,895  
 
           
Total assets
  $ 111,851     $ 120,581  
 
           
 
               
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
               
 
               
Current liabilities:
               
Accrued expenses and accounts payable
  $ 5,244     $ 7,008  
Deferred revenue
    497       522  
Current portion of long-term bank loan
    2,325       2,268  
 
           
Total current liabilities
    8,066       9,798  
Long-term bank loan
    5,753       6,744  
 
           
Total liabilities
    13,819       16,542  
 
               
Equity:
               
Common stock, $0.01 par value: 200,000 shares authorized: 48,429 and 48,337 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
    484       483  
Additional paid-in capital
    199,030       198,720  
Deficit accumulated during development stage
    (103,752 )     (96,449 )
Accumulated other comprehensive income
    2,880       1,836  
 
           
Total stockholders’ equity
    98,642       104,590  
Noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries
    (610 )     (551 )
 
           
Total equity
    98,032       104,039  
 
           
Total liabilities and equity
  $ 111,851     $ 120,581  
 
           

 

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