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): May 9, 2019

 

Charles & Colvard, Ltd.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

North Carolina 000-23329 56-1928817

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation)

(Commission File

Number)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

170 Southport Drive  
Morrisville, North Carolina 27560
(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

 

(919) 468-0399

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

N/A
(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:

 

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

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR 230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR 240.12b-2).

 

Emerging growth company o

 

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. o

 

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

 

Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, no par value per share CTHR

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 2.02Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

 

On May 9, 2019, Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (the “Company”) issued a press release regarding its financial results for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2019. A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Pursuant to General Instruction B.2 of Current Report on Form 8-K, the information in Item 2.02 of this report, including the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1, is furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section. Furthermore, such information shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.  Description of Document
    
99.1  Press Release dated May 9, 2019

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

  Charles & Colvard, Ltd.
     
May 9, 2019 By: /s/ Clint J. Pete
    Clint J. Pete
    Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

Exhibit 99.1

 


 

CHARLES & COLVARD REPORTS THIRD QUARTER
FISCAL 2019 FINANCIAL RESULTS

 

- Attractive Revenue Growth of 17% Led by Corporate E-commerce Site Increase of 55% -

- Three Consecutive Quarters of Profitability and Increasing Cash Flow from Operations -

- Compelling Gross Margin of 47% up from 39% in Year-Ago Quarter -

- Conference Call with Accompanying Slide Presentation Scheduled Today at 4:30 PM ET -

 

 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – May 9, 2019 – Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTHR), the original and leading worldwide source of created moissanite, reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 (“third quarter Fiscal 2019”). For the third quarter Fiscal 2019, the Company reported net sales of $7.9 million and net income of $0.8 million, or $0.04 per diluted share.

 

Suzanne Miglucci, President and CEO of Charles & Colvard, said, “We are thrilled to deliver our third consecutive quarter of profitability led by continued double-digit revenue growth and careful expense control. Revenue growth of 17% was powered by a 55% increase in sales from our e-commerce website and a 107% increase in international sales, which collectively led to a strong gross margin level of 47%. We are seeing the results of our omni-channel distribution strategy, expanded e-commerce partnerships, global digital marketing efforts, enhanced product line and customer focus.”

 

“Our ongoing digital marketing efforts are driving attractive website traffic and conversion rates -- resulting in strong sales growth. We’ve developed a data-driven methodology by which we manage our ad spend and continue to hone our digital marketing investments, generating significant return on advertising spend. Our product lends itself to the video platform, so during Q3, we launched a concerted effort to deliver more video content throughout our digital footprint, which contributed to our return on advertising spend rates for the quarter,” Ms. Miglucci concluded.

 

Recent Corporate Highlights

 

·Increased awareness in international markets and expanded customer reach to a new region through Amazon site in Japan;
·Received JCK Jewelers’ Choice Award for Charles & Colvard’s Signature Halo Hearts & Arrows Round Statement Ring in the Lab-Grown Gemstone Jewelry Category; this award category is voted on by industry retail peers as one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions for designers;
·Gained recognition for the Signature Collection in the March/April Issue of JCK Magazine;
·Created the 2018 National Women’s Soccer League Championship rings and was named official jewelry sponsor of the North Carolina Courage professional women's soccer team; and
·Announced that CEO, Suzanne Miglucci, was named to the Women in Retail Leadership Circle’s 2019 List of Top Women in Retail.

 

 

 

 

Financial Summary for Third Quarter Fiscal 2019
(Quarter Ended March 31, 2019 Compared to Quarter Ended March 31, 2018)

 

·Net sales were $7.9 million for the quarter, an increase of 17% compared with $6.8 million in the year-ago quarter.
·Finished jewelry net sales were $4.0 million for the quarter, an increase of 22% compared with $3.2 million in the year-ago quarter.
·Loose jewel net sales were $3.9 million for the quarter, an increase of 12% compared with $3.5 million in the year-ago quarter.
·In the Online Channels segment, which consists of e-commerce outlets including charlesandcolvard.com, third-party online marketplaces, drop-ship and other pure-play, exclusively e-commerce outlets, net sales increased 38% to $4.2 million, or 53% of total net sales for the quarter, compared with $3.0 million, or 45% of total net sales in the year-ago quarter.
·In the Traditional segment, which consists of wholesale, retail, and historically, television customers, net sales were flat at $3.7 million, or 47% of total net sales for the quarter, compared with $3.7 million, or 55% of total net sales in the year-ago quarter.
·Operating expenses were $3.0 million for the quarter, compared to $3.2 million in the year-ago quarter.
·Net income for the quarter was $0.8 million, or $0.04 earnings per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $0.6 million, or $0.03 loss per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

 

Financial Summary for the First Nine Months of Fiscal 2019
(Nine Months Ended March 31, 2019 Compared to Nine Months Ended March 31, 2018)

 

·Net sales were $24.6 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2019, an increase of 15% compared with $21.5 million in the year-ago fiscal period.
·Finished jewelry net sales were $11.7 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2019, an increase of 16% compared with $10.1 million in the year-ago fiscal period.
·Loose jewel net sales were $12.9 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2019, an increase of 13% compared with $11.4 million in the year-ago fiscal period.
·In the Online Channels segment, net sales increased 31% to $12.7 million, or 52% of total net sales for the nine months ended March 31, 2019, compared with $9.7 million, or 45% of total net sales in the year-ago fiscal period.
·In the Traditional segment, net sales increased 1% to $11.9 million, or 48% of total net sales for the nine months ended March 31, 2019, compared with $11.8 million, or 55% of total net sales in the year-ago fiscal period.
·Operating expenses were $9.4 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2019, compared to $9.2 million in the year-ago fiscal period.
·Net income for the nine months ended March 31, 2019 was $2.1 million, or $0.10 earnings per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $69 thousand, or $0.00 loss per diluted share, in the year-ago fiscal period.

 

Financial Position

 

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaled $4.6 million at March 31, 2019, representing an increase of $0.1 million from $4.5 million at March 31, 2018 and an increase of $1.2 million from $3.4 million at June 30, 2018. The Company had no debt outstanding as of March 31, 2019. Total inventory was $33.7 million at March 31, 2019, compared with $30.9 million at March 31, 2018 and $31.8 million at June 30, 2018.

 

 

 

 

Investor Conference Call

 

Shareholders and other interested parties may participate in the upcoming investor conference call by dialing 844-875-6912 (U.S. toll-free) or 412-317-6708 (international) and asking to be connected to the “Charles & Colvard, Ltd. Conference Call” a few minutes before 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 9, 2019. Please note that there will be an accompanying slide presentation, which will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Charles & Colvard website at http://ir.charlesandcolvard.com/events.

 

A replay of this conference call will be available until May 16, 2019 at 877-344-7529 (U.S. toll-free) or 412-317-0088 (international). The replay conference ID is 10130523. The call will also be available live and for replay in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at http://ir.charlesandcolvard.com/events.

 

About Charles & Colvard, Ltd.

 

Charles & Colvard, Ltd. (Nasdaq: CTHR) believes luxury can be beautiful and conscientious. As an e-commerce-driven business, the Company uses innovative technology and sustainable practices to lead a revolution in the jewelry industry. As the original pioneer of lab-created moissanite, a rare gemstone formed from silicon carbide, Charles & Colvard delivers a brilliant product at a revolutionary value that meets the needs of today’s discerning customer. Jewelry consumers seek Charles & Colvard products because of their exceptional quality as well as their environmental and social responsibility. Charles & Colvard was founded in 1995 and is based in the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. For more information, please visit www.charlesandcolvard.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This press release contains 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. Statements expressing expectations regarding our future and projections relating to our products, sales, revenues, and earnings are typical of such statements and are made under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, representations, and contentions and are not historical facts and typically are identified by use of terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently.

 

All forward-looking statements are subject to the risks and uncertainties inherent in predicting the future. You should be aware that although the forward-looking statements included herein represent management’s current judgment and expectations, our actual results may differ materially from those projected, stated, or implied in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors including, but not limited to, our dependence on increased consumer acceptance, growth of sales of our products, and operational execution of our strategic initiatives; the impact of the execution of our business plans on our liquidity; our ability to fulfill orders on a timely basis; intense competition in the worldwide gemstone and jewelry industry; the financial condition of our major customers and their willingness and ability to market our products; dependence on a limited number of distributor and retail partners in our Traditional segment; our ability to maintain compliance with The Nasdaq Stock Market’s continued listing requirements; dependence on our exclusive supply agreement with Cree, Inc. for the supply of our silicon carbide, or SiC, crystals; general economic and market conditions; quality control challenges from time to time that can result in lost revenue and harm to our brands and reputation; the potential impact of seasonality on our business; the impact of natural disasters on our operations; the pricing of precious metals, which is beyond our control; the impact of significant changes in e-commerce opportunities, technology, or models; the risk of a failure of our information technology infrastructure to protect confidential information and prevent security breaches; our current customers’ potential perception of us as a competitor in the finished jewelry business; risks of conducting business internationally; the potential adverse effect of December 2017 U.S. tax legislation; our ability to protect our intellectual property; the potential adverse impact of negative or inaccurate social media commentary; the failure to evaluate, implement, and integrate strategic opportunities; possible adverse effects of governmental regulation and oversight; and the impact of anti-takeover provisions included in our charter documents, in addition to the other risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, including our Transition Report on Form 10-KT for the transition period ended June 30, 2018 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect new circumstances or unanticipated events as they occur except as required by the federal securities laws, and you are urged to review and consider disclosures that we make in the reports that we file with the SEC that discuss other factors relevant to our business.

 

Contacts:

 

Clint J. Pete

Chief Financial Officer

919-468-0399

cpete@charlesandcolvard.com

 

Jenny Kobin

Investor Relations

800-695-0650

Jenny.Kobin@IRAdvisory.com

 

-Financial Tables Follow-

 

 

 

 
CHARLES & COLVARD, LTD.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited)

 

   Three Months Ended March 31,   Nine Months Ended March 31, 
   2019   2018   2019   2018 
Net sales  $7,902,242   $6,762,750   $24,636,409   $21,508,540 
Costs and expenses:                    
Cost of goods sold   4,150,229    4,115,548    13,110,185    12,525,465 
Sales and marketing   2,912,484    1,865,940    5,900,501    5,651,106 
General and administrative   1,042,048    1,354,410    3,517,004    3,569,351 
Research and development   -    -    1,422    570 
Total costs and expenses   7,104,761    7,335,898    22,529,112    21,746,492 
Income (Loss) from operations   797,481    (573,148)   2,107,297    (237,952)
Other (expense) income:                    
Interest expense   (287)   (139)   (985)   (588)
Loss on foreign currency exchange   (209)   -    (311)   - 
Gain on insurance settlement   -    -    -    183,217 
Other expense   -    -    (13)   - 
Total other (expense) income   (496)   (139)   (1,309)   182,629 
Income (Loss) before income taxes   796,985    (573,287)   2,105,988    (55,323)
Income tax benefit (expense)   17,099    (4,767)   7,565    (13,781)
Net income (loss)  $814,084   $(578,054)  $2,113,553   $(69,104)
                     
                     
Net income (loss) per common share:                    
Basic  $0.04   $(0.03)  $0.10   $(0.00)
Diluted  $0.04   $(0.03)  $0.10   $(0.00)
                     
Weighted average number of shares used in computing net income (loss) per common share:                    
Basic   21,537,636    21,371,416    21,486,692    21,269,969 
Diluted   21,752,043    21,371,416    21,733,616    21,269,969 

 

 

 

 

CHARLES & COLVARD, LTD.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

   March 31, 2019
(unaudited)
   June 30, 2018 
ASSETS        
Current assets:          
Cash and cash equivalents  $4,019,929   $3,393,186 
Restricted cash   620,007    - 
Accounts receivable, net   1,427,448    1,765,722 
Inventory, net   11,376,031    10,979,891 
Prepaid expenses and other assets   898,294    916,162 
Total current assets   18,341,709    17,054,961 
Long-term assets:          
Inventory, net   22,326,209    20,848,647 
Property and equipment, net   1,126,889    1,144,198 
Intangible assets, net   90,267    34,833 
Other assets   408,962    389,868 
Total long-term assets   23,952,327    22,417,546 
TOTAL ASSETS  $42,294,036   $39,472,507 
           
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
Current liabilities:          
Accounts payable  $3,891,308   $4,170,952 
Accrued expenses and other liabilities   1,335,233    618,945 
Total current liabilities   5,226,541    4,789,897 
Long-term liabilities:          
Deferred rent   276,895    393,051 
Accrued income taxes   486,710    471,126 
Total long-term liabilities   763,605    864,177 
Total liabilities   5,990,146    5,654,074 
           
Shareholders’ equity:          
Common stock, no par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized; 21,727,569 and 21,705,173 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2019 and June 30, 2018, respectively   54,247,296    54,243,816 
Additional paid-in capital   15,330,495    14,962,071 
Accumulated deficit   (33,273,901)   (35,387,454)
Total shareholders’ equity   36,303,890    33,818,433 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY  $42,294,036   $39,472,507 

 

 

 

 

CHARLES & COLVARD, LTD.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)

 

   Nine Months Ended March 31, 
   2019   2018 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:          
Net income (loss)  $2,113,553   $(69,104)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities:          
Depreciation and amortization   355,812    330,978 
Stock-based compensation   369,653    434,954 
Recovery of collectible accounts   (944)   (12,000)
Provision for sales returns   89,000    134,000 
Provision for inventory reserves   377,000    303,000 
Provision for accounts receivable discounts   9,149    33,520 
Gain on insurance claim settlement   -    (183,217)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:          
Accounts receivable   241,069    (699,463)
Inventory   (2,250,702)   (2,074,071)
Prepaid expenses and other assets, net   (1,226)   121,881 
Accounts payable   (279,644)   106,254 
Deferred rent   (116,156)   (103,623)
Accrued income taxes   15,584    13,781 
Accrued expenses and other liabilities   716,288    (8,443)
       Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities   1,638,436    (1,671,553)
           
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:          
Purchases of property and equipment   (337,271)   (114,467)
Intangible assets   (56,666)   (8,362)
              Net cash used in investing activities   (393,937)   (122,829)
           
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCIANG ACTIVITIES:          
Stock option exercises   2,251    - 
              Net cash provided by financing activities   2,251    - 
           
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH   1,246,750    (1,794,382)
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH, BEGINNING OF PERIOD   3,393,186    6,289,111 
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH, END OF PERIOD  $4,639,936   $4,494,729 
           
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:          
       Cash paid during the period for interest  $-   $- 
       Cash paid during the period for taxes  $-   $- 

 

 

March 31,

2019

  

March 31,

2018

 
Reconciliation to Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets:        
       Cash and cash equivalents  $4,019,929   $4,494,729 
       Restricted cash   620,007    - 
            CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH  $4,639,936   $4,494,729