SHF Q3 2024 Earnings Report

SHF EPS Results

• Actual EPS: $0.20
• Consensus EPS: N/A
• Beat/Miss: N/A
• One Year Ago EPS: N/A

SHF Revenue Results

• Actual Revenue: $3.48 million
• Expected Revenue: N/A
• Beat/Miss: N/A
• YoY Revenue Growth: N/A

SHF Announcement Details

• Quarter: Q3 2024
• Date: 11/12/2024
• Time: After Market Closes
• Conference Call Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2024
• Conference Call Time: 4:30PM ET

SHF (NASDAQ:SHFS), through its subsidiaries, provides access to banking, lending, and other financial services to financial institutions serving the cannabis industry. The company, through its proprietary platform, offers access to business checking and savings accounts, cash management accounts, savings and investment options, commercial lending, courier services, remote deposit services, automated clearing house payments and origination, and wire payments. Its services allow cannabis related businesses to obtain services from financial institutions that allow them to run their business with enhanced financial insight into their business and access to resources. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Golden, Colorado. SHF Holdings, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Partner Colorado Credit Union.

SHF Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

Key Takeaways

• Safe Harbor reported a Q3 net income of $354K compared to a $748K loss a year ago, driven by a 48% increase in loan interest income and a 13% reduction in operating expenses.
• Revenue declined 19.6% year-over-year to $3.5M amid pricing pressures, excess supply, and competition in the cannabis sector, which also weighed on deposit activity.
• To stay competitive, Safe Harbor has waived or reduced fees on minimum balances and ATM programs, offsetting lower depository revenue with stronger lending income.
• The company closed a new $1.07M secured credit facility in Missouri—part of a $5M commitment—to refinance senior debt for four dispensaries and a manufacturing site.
• Safe Harbor deepened its social equity focus by partnering with Denver-based Bifocal to offer fee discounts and resources to minority-owned cannabis businesses at no extra cost.

Presentation

[Operator]

Greetings and welcome to Safe Harbor Financial's Q3 2024 earnings conference call. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It is now my pleasure to turn the call over to Phil Carlson from KCSA. Thank you, you may begin.

[Phil Carlson, Managing Director of Investor Relations at KCSA]

Thank you. Hello everyone, and welcome to the Q3 9M 2024 earnings conference call for SHF. Before we start, please note that remarks made today include forward-looking statements, including statements with respect to the company's outlook and the company's expectations regarding its market opportunities and other financial operational matters. Each forward-looking statement discussed on today's call is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in such statements. Actual results and the timing of certain events may differ materially from the results or timing predicted or implied by such forward-looking statements, and reported results should not be considered as an indication for future performance. Additional information regarding these factors appears under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov and on our website at ir.safeharborfinancial.com.

[Phil Carlson, Managing Director of Investor Relations at KCSA]

Forward-looking statements in this call will speak only as of today's date, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of these statements. Also, during the call, SHF will present both GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. The reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP measures is included in today's earnings press release, which you can find on the company's investor relations website or on the SEC website. All dollar amounts expressed today are in U.S. currency. Presenting today will be Sundie Seefried, Chief Executive Officer, and Jim Dennedy, Chief Financial Officer of SHF. I'll now turn the call over to Sundie. Sundie, please go ahead.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

Thank you, Phil, and welcome everyone to our Q3 and 9M of 2024 earnings call. Throughout Q3 of 2024, we continued to build our credibility as a trusted financial partner for the businesses operating in and around the cannabis industry. I am pleased to say that our best-in-class financial services platform remains the industry standard as cannabis-related businesses look to ensure regulatory compliance in this fast-changing sector. Financial highlights for Q3 2024 include net income, which increased 147% year-over-year to $354,000, compared to a net loss of $748,000 for the year-ago period. Q3 and 9M 2024 loan interest income increased 48% and 143.5% year-over-year, respectively. Meanwhile, Q3 and 9M 2024 operating expenses decreased by 13% and 66% year-over-year, respectively. Revenues for Q3 of 2024, in which we experienced a decline from Q2 in our fee, loan, and investment income, was negatively impacted by challenging market conditions for cannabis-related businesses.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

During the quarter, headwinds were seen across much of the cannabis sector, resulting in flat to slightly decreased sales. Factors affecting sales included pricing pressures, excess supply, and increased competition as new states continued to legalize. Despite these challenges, which specifically to SHF included lower deposit activity, we managed to increase net income and cash flow. One additional factor impacting cannabis sales that is highly controversial is the emerging market of CBD and THC derivatives from hemp. These are not regulated at the state level but rather under the Hemp Farm Bill. While it is a new market, SHF continues to determine if it is a market into which we can expand. The lack of regulation makes providing compliant financial services to the hemp industry a higher risk. The cannabis market continues to grow, with 24 states now legalizing adult-use and 38 states legalizing medicinal use.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

In 2023, Delaware, Minnesota, and Ohio legalized adult-use cannabis, with the increased market size being realized in 2024. The continued legalization of adult-use cannabis at the state level is good for our business model, allowing for additional national growth. We continue to focus on new markets as they ramp up to assist early licensees with their financial needs. Legalization at the state level is one thing, but the implementation of a legal market certainly lags legalization. According to an industry report from Grand View Research, the cannabis market size is expected to reach $33.6 billion in 2024, with a CAGR growth rate of 12.1% from 2024 through 2030. We believe SHF is well-positioned to continue to take advantage of its expected market growth year-over-year. SHF is making competitive changes that we believe will make us more attractive to incoming cannabis entities.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

One of the initiatives responsible for this positive activity is that we've started to waive or reduce fees with other internal programs that operators may choose to neutralize such fees, ranging from minimum balances to ATM placement programs. We are able to lead with competitive pricing as we continue to see lending income compensate for decreased depository revenue. In the long run, the programs in place, we believe, will replace and even increase the income lost due to the programs. Subsequent to the end of Q3, we originated a new $1.07 million secured credit facility for a Missouri-based cannabis operator. The facility is secured by a portfolio that includes four retail dispensaries and a manufacturing facility in Missouri and this is the first tranche of a $5 million commitment to refinance existing senior debt.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

The refinancing reduces the operator's borrowing costs and will enable them to optimize their operations within the state's growing cannabis market. This is an example of executing on our strategy to offer cannabis operators access to capital with competitive pricing in our evolving industry. It also grows our credit portfolio, further delivering value to investors. Throughout our history, SHF has shown its commitment to a more inclusive and equitable cannabis industry by supporting the development and growth of minority-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs from underserved communities. In July, we announced a new partnership with Bifocal, a Denver-based consulting firm dedicated to aiding social equity and minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis sector. Under this partnership, Bifocal will offer its full suite of membership benefits valued at $600 to all existing SHF social equity clients at no additional cost.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

Additionally, Bifocal members will receive a 75% discount on application fees for financial services, complementing SHF's existing social equity discount program. By providing these businesses with access to reliable financial services and resources, SHF and Bifocal aim to create a more inclusive and equitable cannabis industry. Before handing over to Jim to review our financial results, I will speak briefly on the recent election results as well as the upcoming hearing on reclassification. With the election now behind us and President-elect Trump coming back to the White House in January, we hope that both sides can find middle ground and support cannabis-related businesses. While President-elect Trump has stated that he will leave it up to the states to decide on whether cannabis should be legalized, we are confident that he sees the opportunity for this industry through job creation and additional potential revenue streams.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

We are looking forward to 2025 and beyond for the potential opportunities for the cannabis industry. As we have previously said, we believe rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III will be a positive for our industry in several ways, and we will know more soon as the DEA has scheduled a December 2nd hearing to review expert opinions on the proposed rescheduling of cannabis. As you likely know, reclassification would reduce tax burdens under Section 280E, which has the potential to strengthen the balance sheets of our customers as well as our balance sheet. Reclassification would also help to level the playing field for cannabis businesses relative to other sectors. As a first mover in our industry, SHF is well-positioned to capitalize on the evolution of the regulatory environment. We view these developments as positive steps towards federal cannabis reform, and SHF is monitoring this closely.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

To recap, we are concentrating our efforts to expand the growth of our customer base, continue to deliver best-in-class service, and develop innovative offerings, all of which we are confident will result in higher capacity for lending. Our near-term growth strategy remains to acquire account portfolios from banks looking to exit the business, as well as expanding our deposit base and adapting our platform to meet demands of CRBs. Furthermore, we are striving to be more competitive with our pricing structure by waiving fees on higher balances. As we continue to execute on our business strategy, we remain focused on driving our bottom line by looking at generating additional revenue streams while decreasing overall expenses. I'd now like to hand the call over to Jim to discuss our financial results for Q3 ended September 30, 2024. Jim?

[Jim Dennedy, CFO at Safe Harbor Financial]

Thanks, Sundie, and good afternoon, everyone. For the three months ended September 30, 2024, SHF reported revenue of $3.5 million, down 19.6% from $4.3 million in the comparable prior year period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, SHF reported total revenue of $11.6 million, a decrease of 11.6% from $13.1 million for the comparable prior year period. In Q3 of 2024, revenue for deposit activity and onboarding was $1.6 million, a decrease of 26% versus the comparable prior year period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, revenue for deposit activity and onboarding revenue was $4.9 million, a decrease of more than 29.6% versus the comparable prior year period. Revenue earned in the three months ended December 30, 2024, for investment income was $475,000, a decrease of approximately 60% versus the comparable prior year period.

[Jim Dennedy, CFO at Safe Harbor Financial]

And for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, investment income was $1.75 million, a decrease of 56.5% versus the comparable prior year period. In Q3, loan interest income grew 48% versus the comparable prior year period to $1.3 million. And for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, loan interest income grew 143.5% versus the comparable prior year period to $4.8 million. Moving down the income statement, for the three months ended September 30, 2024, total operating expenses were $3.3 million, compared to $3.8 million for the comparable prior year period. The decrease in operating expenses was largely driven by decreases in compensation and employee benefit expense, and decreases in general and administrative expenses. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, total operating expenses were $10.8 million versus $32.1 million in the prior year period.

[Jim Dennedy, CFO at Safe Harbor Financial]

Operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, included an impairment charge of $16.9 million. Excluding the impairment charges, total operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, were $15.2 million. When excluding the impairment charges taken in 2023, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the business reduced expenses by approximately $4.4 million for the period ending September 30, 2024, versus the comparable prior year period. Net income in the Q3 of 2024 was $354,000, compared to a net loss of $748,000 in the comparable prior year period, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the company reported net income of $3.3 million versus a net loss of $19.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

[Jim Dennedy, CFO at Safe Harbor Financial]

When adjusting net income for interest, taxes, and depreciation and amortization expense, and further adjustments to exclude non-cash, unusual, and/or infrequent costs, we compute an Adjusted EBITDA, which management believes is a better measure to evaluate our operating performance. A reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA is provided in the press release and 8-K filed earlier today. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, was $764,000 versus $1.05 million in the comparable prior year period. And for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the company reported Adjusted EBITDA of $2.8 million versus $2.3 million in the comparable prior year nine months ended September 30, 2023. Moving to the balance sheet, at September 30, 2024, the company reported cash and cash equivalents of $5.9 million, compared to $4.9 million at December 31, 2023.

[Jim Dennedy, CFO at Safe Harbor Financial]

Cash provided by operating activities through the Q3 of 2024 was $3.2 million, compared to cash used in operating activities of $225,000 in the comparable prior year period. Turning to our liquidity, the company reported a net working capital deficit on September 30, 2024, of $2.5 million versus a deficit of $135,000 at December 31, 2023. Our working capital deficit of $2.5 million includes $7.3 million recorded for the forward purchase liability, which may be paid in common stock to the company. Excluding the liability that may be paid in common stock versus cash, the company would have a positive working capital of approximately $4.8 million. Looking ahead to the balance of 2024, we expect to report full-year revenue for 2024 in the range of $15-$15.5 million. I'd now like to turn the call over to the operator for question and answer session.

[Operator]

Thank you. We will now begin the question and answer session. At this time, I would like to remind everyone, in order to ask a question, press the star and then the number one on your telephone keypad. If you are called upon to ask your question and are listening via loudspeaker on your device, please pick up your handset and ensure that your phone is not on mute when asking your question. Now, we will pause for a moment to compile the question and answer roster. We have no questions at this time. I'd like to turn the call over to Ms. Sundie Seefried, CEO, for closing remarks.

[Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial]

Thank you all for joining us on today's call, and thank you to our investors for their continued support. We look forward to updating you on our year-end 2024 call in March. I will now ask the operator to close the line.

[Operator]

Thank you all for joining on today's call, and thank you for our investors' further continued support. We will look forward to updating you on our year-end 2024 call in March. You may disconnect.

Participants

Analysts

• Sundie Seefried, CEO at Safe Harbor Financial
• Phil Carlson, Managing Director of Investor Relations at KCSA
• Jim Dennedy, CFO at Safe Harbor Financial