8-K

SOLESENCE, INC. (SLSN)

8-K 2024-03-21 For: 2024-03-20
View Original
Added on April 06, 2026

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_________________

FORM 8-K

_________________

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  March 20, 2024

_______________________________

NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_______________________________

Delaware 000-22333 36-3687863
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

1319 Marquette Drive

Romeoville, Illinois 60446

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(630) 771-6708

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

_______________________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
N/A N/A N/A

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition. On March 20, 2024, the Registrant issued a press release, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits. 99.1     Press release dated March 20, 2024 104      Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Date: March 20, 2024 By: /s/ Jess Jankowski
Jess Jankowski
Chief Executive Officer

EdgarFiling

EXHIBIT 99.1

Nanophase Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2023 Results, NewFinancing Package

— Delivered $37.3 million in full year revenue — Closed on $6 millionfinancing — Won 2024 Cosmetics and Toiletries Allē Award Finished Formula Prestige Category

ROMEOVILLE, Ill., March 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB: NANX), a leader in minerals-based and scientifically-driven health care solutions across beauty and life science categories — with innovations that protect skin from environmental aggressors and aid in medical diagnostics — today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

Jess Jankowski, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: “2023 started out with strong first and second quarters, and while the third and fourth quarters experienced supply chain issues that affected profitability, we ended the year feeling confident that we have the right plan in place to better manage critical areas as well as add efficiency to our operations.

“We also added much needed breathing room in terms of capital and feel that we have the right financing in place to set us up for a strong 2024. We’re looking at $35 million shipped and open P.O.s so far in 2024, and we expect more 2024 orders to come in during the second and third quarters,” said Jankowski.

Kevin Cureton, Chief Operating Officer, commented: “During Q4, we continued the work to transform our management practices to improve both execution and accountability within our teams. This work, particularly the use of key performance indicators, is a core aspect of our plans for delivering improved results in 2024.

“Aligned with the process changes, we brought on an experienced Buyer to join our Purchasing Manager who, along with our VP of Operations, have made major improvements to our supply chain process and operations management efforts,” added Cureton.

2023 Q4 Financial Information

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Highlights

Revenue for the fourth quarter was $8 million, vs. $8.3 million for the same period in 2022.

  • Revenue for the full year was $37.3 million, which was the same for 2022.
  • Additional capital was secured with a $6 million financing package announced in March 2024.

For the full year of 2023:

  • Solésence revenue was $25.2million, up 9% from $23.1 million in 2022.
  • Personal Care Ingredients revenue was $9.3 million, down 17% from $11.1 million in 2022.
  • Advanced Materials revenue was $2.8 million, down 9% from $3.1 million in 2022.
  • Net loss for the quarter was $2.1 million in 2023, compared to $2.0 million for Q4 of 2022.
  • Net loss for the full year 2023 was $4.4 million, or $0.09 per share, compared to $2.6 million, or $0.05 per share, for 2022.
  • The largest part of the 2023 loss was driven by inefficiencies and supply chain issues in Q4, and $1.3 million in legal fees relating to litigation.  We have seen improvement in our operations already in Q1 of 2024, as well as lower litigation costs in Q4 that we expect to remain lower as we work toward a positive resolution.

Select Operational Highlights

Solésence Beauty Science Continues History of Winning Major Beauty Industry Awards

  • In March 2024, Solésence market-ready product Soft Glow 50+ featuring Kleair™ won the 2024 Cosmetics & Toiletries Allē Awards in the Finished Formulas – Prestige Category.
  • In 2023, Nanophase and Solésence Beauty Science were named in Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023, positioning us as No. 2 in the Beauty category.
  • Market-ready product, Natural Glow Face Oil SPF 40+ featuring Kleair™ and Bloom™, was named as the winner of the prestigious 2023 Cosmopack Award for Formulation for the second year in a row. In 2022, the Company took home the same award for their Multi-Cultural Magic SPF 50+ Featuring Kleair™.
  • Solésence Beauty Science won the 2023 BeautyMatter NEXT Award for Best Contract Manufacturer in October
  • Solésence Beauty Science was named winner of the 22nd Annual Chicago Innovation Awards in November

Operations and Manufacturing Capabilities Expanded in 2023 and major upgrades in progress for 2024 for increasedefficiency, throughput, and cost savings.

  • Experienced Buyer joined the team in Q1 2024, in addition to the Purchasing Manager and VP of Operations who joined in Q4 and Q2 2023, respectively.
  • In-house micro-testing labs are under construction, and full validation is planned for summer 2024.
  • Continued expansion and automation of our fill and assembly capacity.
  • Manufacturing consolidation process started, with wet processing moving to the same location as fill and assembly, expected to be completed in late summer 2024.

Followed Jankowski, “We expect Nanophase and Solésence to achieve enduring sustainability in 2024.  Our operational team is the strongest we’ve ever had, and demand for our industry leading Solésence products continues to grow.  Our goal of becoming an exciting company, enhancing people’s lives through healthy skin, and returning excellent value to all of our stakeholders is within sight.”

Conference Call

Nanophase will host its Third Quarter Conference Call on Thursday, March 21^st,^ 2024, at 10:00 a.m. CDT, 11:00 a.m. EDT, to discuss its financial results and provide a business and financial update. On the call will be Jess Jankowski, the Company’s President & CEO, joined by Kevin Cureton, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer.

Participant Registration:  https://register.vevent.com/register/BI8a78cf9c18bd4fb9970136859214e9cd

To receive the dial-in number, as well as your personalized PIN, you must register at the above link. Once registered, you will also have the option to have the system dial-out to you once the conference call has begun. If you forget your PIN prior to the conference call, you can simply re-register.

The process for accessing the webcast as listen-only remains the same. The same link can be used after the call to access the replay. A Telco replay is no longer available.

Listen-Only Webcast & Replay:  https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/cz7zx2q2/

Please connect to the conference at least five minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.

The call may also be accessed through the company’s website, at www.nanophase.com, by clicking on Investor Relations, Investor News, and the links in this conference call announcement release.

FINANCIAL RESULTS AND NON-GAAP INFORMATION Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information Nanophase believes that the presentation of results excluding certain items, such as non-cash equity compensation charges, provides meaningful supplemental information to both management and investors, facilitating the evaluation of performance across reporting periods. The Company uses these non-GAAP measures for internal planning and reporting purposes. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income or net income per share prepared in accordance with GAAP.

About Nanophase Technologies Nanophase Technologies Corporation (OTCQB: NANX), www.nanophase.com, is a leading innovator in minerals-based and scientifically driven healthcare solutions across beauty and life science categories, as well as other legacy advanced materials applications. Leveraging a platform of integrated, patented and proprietary technologies, the Company creates products with unique performance, enhancing consumers' health and well-being. We deliver commercial quantity and quality engineered materials both as ingredients and as part of fully formulated products in a variety of formats.

About Solésence Beauty Science Solésence, www.solesence.com, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nanophase Technologies, is changing the face of skin health with patented, mineral-based technology that is embraced by leading performance-driven and clean beauty brands alike. Our patented products for brands transform the way mineral actives look, feel and function — enabling textures never-before-seen in the mineral space and inclusivity never-before-seen in the sun care space. Solésence’s innovative formulations offer best-in-class UV protection, unparalleled free radical prevention to protect against pollution, and enhanced antioxidant performance.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains words such as “expects,”“shall,” “will,” “believes,” and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-lookingstatements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements inthis announcement are made based on the Company’s current beliefs, known events and circumstances at the time of publication, andas such, are subject in the future to unforeseen risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company’s results of operations, performance,and achievements to differ materially from current expectations expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risksand uncertainties include, without limitation, the following: a decision by a customer to cancel a purchase order or supply agreementin light of the Company’s dependence on a limited number of key customers; uncertain demand for, and acceptance of, the Company’sengineered materials, ingredients, and fully formulated products; the Company’s manufacturing capacity and product mix flexibilityin light of customer demand; the Company’s limited marketing experience; changes in development and distribution relationships;the impact of competitive products and technologies; the Company’s dependence on patents and protection of proprietary information;the resolution of litigation in which the Company may become involved; the impact of any potential new government regulations that couldbe difficult to respond to or too costly to comply with while remaining financially viable; the ability of the Company to maintain anappropriate electronic trading venue; and other factors described in the Company’s Form 10-K filed March 31, 2022. In addition,the Company’s forward-looking statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates. Except asrequired by federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflectnew events, uncertainties, or other contingencies.

Investor Relations Contact: Phone: (630) 771-6736

NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
December 31,
2022
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash 1,722 $ 2,186
Trade accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of 225
3,467 4,734
Inventories, net 10,031 8,839
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,088 866
16,308 16,625
Equipment and leasehold improvements, net 8,668 7,949
Operating leases, right of use 7,907 8,978
Other assets, net 4 6
Total assets 32,887 $ 33,558
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Line of credit, related party 7,810 $ 7,282
Current portion of debt, related parties 2,000 -
Current portion of operating lease obligations 1,297 -
Accounts payable 6,260 6,363
Current portion of deferred revenue 2,353 2,167
Accrued expenses 869 1,023
Total current liabilities 20,589 16,835
Long-term portion of finance lease obligations - -
Long-term portion of operating lease obligations 9,152 9,823
Long-term debt, related party 1,000 1,000
Long-term portion of deferred revenue - 21
Asset retirement obligations 238 230
Total long-term liabilities 10,390 11,074
Contingent liabilities
Stockholders' equity:
Preferred stock, .01 par value, 24,088 shares authorized and
- -
Common stock, .01 par value, 60,000,000 and 55,000,000 shares authorized;
496 493
Additional paid-in capital 106,069 105,226
Accumulated deficit (104,657 ) (100,070 )
Total stockholders' equity 1,908 5,649
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity 32,887 $ 33,558

All values are in US Dollars.

NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Three months ended Years ended
December 31, December 31,
2023 2022 2023 2022
(in thousands except share and per share data)
Revenue:
Product revenue $ 7,716 $ 8,216 $ 36,641 $ 36,731
Other revenue 295 45 656 586
Net revenue 8,011 8,261 37,297 37,317
Operating expense:
Cost of revenue 7,540 7,298 29,472 28,957
Gross profit 471 963 7,825 8,360
Research and development expense 785 727 3,837 3,037
Selling, general and administrative expense 1,583 2,088 7,534 7,581
Income/(loss) from operations (1,897 ) (1,852 ) (3,546 ) (2,258 )
Interest expense (225 ) (150 ) (838 ) (382 )
Other income, net - - - -
Income/(loss) before provision for income taxes (2,122 ) (2,002 ) (4,384 ) (2,640 )
Provision for income taxes - (17 ) - (17 )
Net income/(loss) $ (2,122 ) $ (1,985 ) $ (4,384 ) $ (2,623 )
Net income per share-basic $ (0.04 ) $ (0.04 ) $ (0.09 ) $ (0.05 )
Weighted average number of basic shares outstanding 49,627,254 49,260,295 49,556,305 49,117,000
Net income per share-diluted $ (0.04 ) $ (0.04 ) $ (0.09 ) $ (0.05 )
Weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding 49,627,254 49,260,295 49,556,305 49,117,000
NANOPHASE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - EXPANDED SCHEDULE
Three months ended Years ended
December 31, December 31,
2023 2022 2023 2022
(in thousands except share and per share data)
Revenue:
Product revenue, net $ 7,716 $ 8,216 $ 36,641 $ 36,731
Other revenue 295 45 656 586
Net revenue 8,011 8,261 37,297 37,317
Operating expense:
Cost of revenue detail:
Depreciation 205 138 686 503
Non-Cash equity compensation 26 24 111 95
Other costs of revenue 7,309 7,136 28,675 28,359
Cost of revenue 7,540 7,298 29,472 28,957
Gross profit 471 963 7,825 8,360
Research and development expense detail:
Depreciation 5 8 26 34
Non-Cash equity compensation 40 40 176 162
Other research and development expense 740 679 3,635 2,841
Research and development expense 785 727 3,837 3,037
Depreciation and amortization 8 8 30 30
Non-Cash equity compensation 114 106 488 366
Other selling, general and administrative expense 1,461 1,974 7,016 7,185
Selling, general and administrative expense 1,583 2,088 7,534 7,581
Income/(loss) from operations (1,897 ) (1,852 ) (3,546 ) (2,258 )
Interest expense (225 ) (150 ) (838 ) (382 )
Other income, net - - - -
Income/(loss) before provision for income taxes (2,122 ) (2,002 ) (4,384 ) (2,640 )
Provision for income taxes - (17 ) - (17 )
Net income/(loss) $ (2,122 ) $ (1,985 ) $ (4,384 ) $ (2,623 )
Non-GAAP Disclosure (see note regarding<br> Non-GAAP disclosures):
Addback Interest, net 225 150 838 382
Addback Depreciation/Amortization 218 154 742 567
Addback Non-Cash Equity Compensation 180 170 775 623
Addback Other Income, net - - - -
Addback Provision for Income Taxes - (17 ) - (17 )
Adjusted EBITDA $ (1,499 ) $ (1,528 ) $ (2,029 ) $ (1,068 )