Cronos Group Inc. announces its 2023 fourth quarter and full-year business results1.
Fourth Quarter 2023
- Net revenue of $23.9 million in Q4 2023 increased by $1.9 million from Q4 2022. The increase year-over-year was primarily driven by higher cannabis flower sales in Canada and sales to Germany and Australia, partially offset by lower cannabis flower sales in Israel driven by the war involving Israel and Hamas (the “Israel-Hamas War”) and pricing pressure as a result of competitive activity and an adverse price/mix in the Canadian cannabis flower category driving increased excise tax payments as a percentage of revenue. These results were additionally impacted by the weakened Canadian dollar and New Israeli Shekel against the U.S. dollar.
- Gross profit of $1.9 million in Q4 2023 increased by $0.7 million from Q4 2022. The increase year-over-year was primarily due to higher sales in Canada, Germany and Australia. These improvements were partially offset by lower cannabis flower sales in Israel driven by the Israel-Hamas War and pricing pressure as a result of competitive activity, an adverse price/mix in the Canadian cannabis flower category driving increased excise tax payments as a percentage of revenue, and the $0.1 million inventory write-down due to the decision made in Q3 2023 to wind down operations at our Winnipeg, Manitoba facility (“Cronos Fermentation”).
- Adjusted EBITDA of $(14.8) million in Q4 2023 improved by $4.2 million from Q4 2022. The improvement year-over-year was primarily driven by a decrease in general and administrative and research and development expenses as part of the broader organizational cost reduction efforts.
Full-Year 2023
- Net revenue of $87.2 million in full-year 2023 increased by $0.5 million from full-year 2022. The increase year-over-year was primarily due to higher cannabis flower and extract sales in Canada and the initiation of sales in Germany and Australia. This increase was partially offset by lower cannabis flower sales in Israel driven by pricing pressure as a result of competitive activity, the slowdown in patient permit authorizations and the Israel-Hamas War, and an adverse price/mix in the Canadian cannabis flower category driving increased excise tax payments as a percentage of revenue. These results were additionally impacted by the weakened Canadian dollar and New Israeli Shekel against the U.S. dollar.
- Gross profit of $11.9 million in full-year 2023 decreased by $3.5 million from full-year 2022. The decrease year-over-year was primarily due to lower cannabis flower sales in Israel, an adverse price/mix on cannabis flower sales in Canada resulting in higher excise taxes as a percentage of revenue, and the $0.8 million inventory write-down recognized as a result of the decision to wind down operations at Cronos Fermentation. These results were partially offset by higher cannabis flower and extract sales in Canada.
- Adjusted EBITDA of $(61.6) million in full-year 2023 improved by $8.7 million from full-year 2022. The improvement year-over-year was primarily driven by a decrease in general and administrative and research and development expenses as part of the broader organizational cost reduction efforts.
Business Updates
Strategic and Organizational Update
The Company achieved $30 million in savings in 2023, overachieving its previously announced operating expense savings target of $20 to $25 million. Due to capturing operating expense savings earlier than anticipated, the Company now expects an incremental $5 to $10 million in operating expense savings in 2024, compared to the previous target of $10 to $15 million. In total, anticipated savings over the course of 2023 and 2024 remain unchanged. Savings in 2024 will be primarily driven by savings in general and administrative, and research and development. The organizational and cost savings initiatives are intended to position the Company to drive profitable and sustainable growth over time.
Cronos anticipates that the net change in cash, defined as the sum of cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, will be positive in 2024.
The fiscal year 2024 guidance assumes: (i) a slight moderation in interest rates; (ii) limited impacts to our operations, facilities and business in Israel due to the Israel-Hamas War; (iii) limited deterioration in foreign exchange rates due to the Israel-Hamas War; (iv) the general economic conditions and regulatory environment in the markets in which Cronos participates will not materially change; (v) timely receipt of interest and principal payments on the senior secured credit facility with Cronos Growing Company Inc. (“Cronos GrowCo”); (vi) anticipated interest income of approximately $40 to 50 million in fiscal year 2024; (vii) year-over-year gross margin improvement; and (viii) meeting our revised target for reducing our operating expenses by $5 to $10 million.
Cronos continues to monitor the Israel-Hamas War and the potential impacts the conflict could have on the Company’s personnel and business in Israel and the recorded amounts of assets and liabilities related to the Company’s operations in Israel. The extent to which the Israel-Hamas War may impact the Company’s personnel, business and activities will depend on future developments which remain highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. It is possible that the recorded amounts of assets and liabilities related to the Company’s operations in Israel could change materially in the near term.
These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to “Forward-Looking Statements” below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements.
Brand and Product Portfolio
Spinach®
In 2023, Cronos grew the Spinach® brand to become the second highest-ranked brand by market share in Canada, according to Hifyre, propelled by strength across the flower, edible, vape, and pre-roll categories. The Spinach® brand continued to hold its number one market share position in the edibles category in Canada in Q4 2023, with an approximate 16.2% market share across the SOURZ by Spinach® and Spinach FEELZ™ sub-brands, according to Hifyre. In the fourth quarter, SOURZ by Spinach® launched its first CBD forward gummy offering, the Strawberry Kiwi 5:1 CBD | THC gummy, featuring 10 pieces per pack. Spinach continues to gain recognition as the go-to brand for a wide array of products featuring different cannabinoid combinations, potency ranges and flavor profiles.
Cronos’ strong breeding program and portfolio of genetics continued to drive growth, propelling the Spinach® brand to become the number one flower brand in Canada, with a 6.9% market share in Q4 2023, according to Hifyre. We have three SKUs in the top-15 for market share, according to Hifyre, led by our GMO Cookies genetic across various pack sizes. Our proprietary genetics breeding program continues to provide our portfolio with winning products both domestically and internationally.
The Spinach® brand was ranked the number three vape brand in Q4 2023, holding a 7.7% market share, up from Q3 2023, when it had a 6.4% market share, according to Hifyre. Spinach® continues to be the number one rare cannabinoid vape brand, with our SKUs that feature cannabinol (CBN), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabichromene (CBC), holding three spots in the top five market share among rare cannabinoid vapes. We continue to develop this portfolio to bring differentiated flavor and cannabinoid combinations to market in formats consumers desire.
In Q4 2023, Spinach® was ranked eighth in the pre-roll category, according to Hifyre. In Q4 2023, we launched Spinach Feelz™ Full Tilt Blue Razz Durban THCV pre-roll, which offers a boosted and elevated high due to its THC+THCV blend. Winning in the pre-roll category is a top priority, and we will continue to utilize our robust product development capabilities to formulate differentiated products with flavors and rare cannabinoids to win with consumers.
Lord Jones®
In November 2023, we launched our award-winning Lord Jones® brand in Canada. Lord Jones® will build on its legacy of delivering premium quality cannabis products by returning to its roots with bold THC-focused innovations. The first product line to launch was Lord Jones® Hash Fusions pre-rolls, which quickly climbed category market share ranks, according to Hifyre. Ice water hash is the most popular solventless infusion and is the second most popular infusion overall in the pre-roll category, according to Hifyre. These infused pre-rolls have been designed with an optimized ratio of ice water hash-to-flower, meticulously researched and sensory-tested to drive a smoother consumption experience and preserve the flowers’ terpene-rich, bold flavors.
In January 2024, we launched a Lord Jones® live resin vape featuring sought-after cultivars that deliver a flavorful full spectrum live resin experience. Crafted with the discerning cannabis consumer in mind, these products embody a commitment to excellence, offering an unmatched combination of curated strains, pure live resin, and elegant high-quality hardware.
In February 2024, we shipped our next ground-breaking edible innovation, this time in the chocolate category. The Lord Jones® Chocolate Fusions edibles were researched and developed over multiple years and feature artisanal chocolate and high-quality ingredients in three flavors – cookies and cream, dazzle-berry pop, and salted caramel crunch.
PEACE NATURALS®
In Israel, Cronos launched three new flower offerings under the Peace Naturals® brand in the fourth quarter, Rockstar, Dancehall, and Sonic Fuel. Driven by our best-in-class genetics program and high-quality cultivation capabilities, we can meet market demands as consumers look for strain variety.
In Germany, we continue to grow distribution with our partner, Cansativa GmbH (“Cansativa”), a leading medical cannabis distributor. In the early innings of our launch, our top strains, GMO Cookies and Wedding Cake, have quickly gained popularity with medical patients, rising to leading market share positions in Germany.
Lit™
In Israel, we launched a new flower brand called Lit™. The Lit™ brand has a differentiated marketing positioning geared towards a large patient group seeking a more approachable price point while maintaining the quality that’s become synonymous with our existing products in market.
About Cronos
Cronos is an innovative global cannabinoid company committed to building disruptive intellectual property by advancing cannabis research, technology and product development. With a passion to responsibly elevate the consumer experience, Cronos is building an iconic brand portfolio. Cronos’ diverse international brand portfolio includes Spinach®, PEACE NATURALS® and Lord Jones®. For more information about Cronos and its brands, please visit: thecronosgroup.com.
