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Rocket Lab Announces First Quarter 2023 Financial Results, Issues Guidance For Continued Growth In Second Quarter 2023

LONG BEACH, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — May 9, 2023 — Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab” or “the Company”), a global leader in launch services and space systems, today shared the financial results for fiscal first quarter 2023, ended March 31, 2023.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said: “Rocket Lab started the year strong with three successful Electron missions in the first quarter across our global launch facilities and to date, remains the only commercial U.S. small launch vehicle to successfully deliver satellites to orbit in 2023. At a time when we’re starting to see a contraction of available small rockets, we’re also seeing an increase in launch bookings for Electron launches in 2023 and beyond from new and returning customers across government and commercial sectors. The development of our larger rocket Neutron is continuing at pace with launch and testing facilities expanded, engine hardware being printed at our headquarters in Long Beach, and vehicle hardware in production for upcoming structural tests throughout the year that we expect will keep the program on track. Space Systems also continues its strong performance, with the majority of our products supporting customer missions across several launches in the quarter, and major program milestones reached on Photon spacecraft build programs for government and commercial customers.”

First Quarter 2023 Business Highlights:

Business Highlights Since March 31, 2023:

Second Quarter 2023 Guidance

For the second quarter of 2023, Rocket Lab expects:

See “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for an explanation of our use of Non-GAAP financial measures, and the reconciliation of historical Non-GAAP measures to the comparable GAAP measures in the tables attached to this press release. We have not provided a reconciliation for the forward-looking Non-GAAP Gross Margin, Non-GAAP Operating Expenses or Adjusted EBITDA expectations for Q2 2023 described above because, without unreasonable efforts, we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty the amount and timing of adjustments that are used to calculate these non-GAAP financial measures, particularly related to stock-based compensation and its related tax effects. Stock-based compensation is currently expected to range from $14 million to $15 million in Q2 2023.

Conference Call Information

Rocket Lab will host a conference call for investors at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET) today to discuss these business highlights and financial results for our first quarter, to provide our outlook for the second quarter, and other updates.

The live webcast and a replay of the webcast will be available on Rocket Lab’s Investor Relations website: https://investors.rocketlabusa.com/events-and-presentations/events

About Rocket Lab

Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable launch services, satellite manufacture, spacecraft components, and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and is developing the Neutron launch vehicle for large spacecraft and constellation deployment. From its first orbital launch in January 2018 to date, Rocket Lab’s Electron launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually and has delivered 161 satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital launch site located in New Zealand and a third launch site in Virginia, USA. To learn more, visit www.rocketlabusa.com.

+ FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, 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 facts, contained in this press release, including statements regarding our expectations of financial results for the second quarter of 2023, strategy, future operations, future financial position, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management, are forward-looking statements. Words such as, but not limited to, “anticipate,” “aim,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “continue,” “could,” “design,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “suggest,” “strategy,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions or phrases, or the negative of those expressions or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on Rocket Lab’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (many of which are beyond Rocket Lab’s control), or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including risks related to delays and disruptions in expansion efforts; our dependence on a limited number of customers; the harsh and unpredictable environment of space in which our products operate which could adversely affect our launch vehicle and spacecraft; increased congestion from the proliferation of low Earth orbit constellations which could materially increase the risk of potential collision with space debris or another spacecraft and limit or impair our launch flexibility and/or access to our own orbital slots; increased competition in our industry due in part to rapid technological development and decreasing costs; technological change in our industry which we may not be able to keep up with or which may render our services uncompetitive; average selling price trends; failure of our launch vehicles, spacecraft and components to operate as intended either due to our error in design in production or through no fault of our own; launch schedule disruptions; supply chain disruptions, product delays or failures; design and engineering flaws; launch failures; natural disasters and epidemics or pandemics; changes in governmental regulations including with respect to trade and export restrictions, or in the status of our regulatory approvals or applications; or other events that force us to cancel or reschedule launches, including customer contractual rescheduling and termination rights; risks that acquisitions may not be completed on the anticipated time frame or at all or do not achieve the anticipated benefits and results; and the other risks detailed from time to time in Rocket Lab’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including under the heading “Risk Factors” in Rocket Lab’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, which was filed with the SEC on March 7, 2023, and elsewhere. There can be no assurance that the future developments affecting Rocket Lab will be those that we have anticipated. Except as required by law, Rocket Lab is not undertaking any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Notes to Editor: All dollar amounts in this press release are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise stated.

+ USE OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

We supplement the reporting of our financial information determined under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) with certain non-GAAP financial information. The non-GAAP financial information presented excludes certain significant items that may not be indicative of, or are unrelated to, results from our ongoing business operations. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with additional insight into the company's ongoing business performance. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP measures, and other companies may define such measures differently. We encourage investors to review our financial statements and publicly-filed reports in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure. Reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial information to the corresponding GAAP measures for the historical periods disclosed are included at the end of the tables in this press release. We have not provided a reconciliation for forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures because, without unreasonable efforts, we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty the amount and timing of adjustments that are used to calculate these non-GAAP financial measures, particularly related to stock-based compensation and its related tax effects. The following definitions are provided:

+ ADJUSTED EDITDA

EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Adjusted EBITDA further excludes items of income or loss that we characterize as unrepresentative of our ongoing operations. Such items are excluded from net income or loss to determine Adjusted EBITDA. Management believes this measure provides investors meaningful insight into results from ongoing operations.

+ OTHER NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

Non-GAAP gross profit, research and development, net, selling, general and administrative, operating expenses, operating loss and total other income (expense), net, further excludes items of income or loss that we characterize as unrepresentative of our ongoing operations. Such items are excluded from the applicable GAAP financial measure. Management believes these non-GAAP measures provide investors meaningful insight into results from ongoing operations.

ROCKET LAB U.S.A., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023 AND 2022

(unaudited; in thousands, except share and per share data)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2023

 

2022

Revenues

 

$

54,895

 

 

$

40,703

 

Cost of revenues

 

 

48,538

 

 

 

36,968

 

Gross profit

 

 

6,357

 

 

 

3,735

 

Operating expenses:

 

 

 

 

Research and development, net

 

 

23,905

 

 

 

13,477

 

Selling, general and administrative

 

 

28,469

 

 

 

23,078

 

Total operating expenses

 

 

52,374

 

 

 

36,555

 

Operating loss

 

 

(46,017

)

 

 

(32,820

)

Other income (expense):

 

 

 

 

Interest expense, net

 

 

(685

)

 

 

(2,989

)

Gain (loss) on foreign exchange

 

 

134

 

 

 

(20

)

Change in fair value of liability classified warrants

 

 

 

 

 

13,482

 

Other income, net

 

 

1,477

 

 

 

26

 

Total other income, net

 

 

926

 

 

 

10,499

 

Loss before income taxes

 

 

(45,091

)

 

 

(22,321

)

Provision for income taxes

 

 

(526

)

 

 

(4,388

)

Net loss

 

$

(45,617

)

 

$

(26,709

)

Net loss per share attributable to Rocket Lab USA, Inc.:

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted

 

$

(0.10

)

 

$

(0.06

)

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

Basic and diluted

476,199,710

456,495,288

ROCKET LAB U.S.A., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

AS OF MARCH 31, 2023 AND DECEMBER 31, 2022

(unaudited; in thousands, except share and per share values)

 

 

March 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

(unaudited)

 

December 31, 2022

Assets

 

 

 

 

Current assets:

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

208,365

 

 

$

242,515

 

Marketable securities, current

 

 

190,357

 

 

 

229,276

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

 

50,690

 

 

 

36,572

 

Contract assets

 

 

12,558

 

 

 

9,451

 

Inventories

 

 

98,453

 

 

 

92,279

 

Prepaids and other current assets

 

 

63,203

 

 

 

52,201

 

Assets held for sale

 

 

11,630

 

 

 

 

Total current assets

 

 

635,256

 

 

 

662,294

 

Non-current assets:

 

 

 

 

Property, plant and equipment, net

 

 

95,981

 

 

 

101,514

 

Intangible assets, net

 

 

76,495

 

 

 

79,692

 

Goodwill

 

 

71,020

 

 

 

71,020

 

Right-of-use assets - operating leases

 

 

34,839

 

 

 

35,239

 

Right-of-use assets - finance leases

 

 

15,458

 

 

 

15,614

 

Marketable securities, non-current

 

 

47,920

 

 

 

9,193

 

Restricted cash

 

 

3,337

 

 

 

3,356

 

Deferred income tax assets, net

 

 

3,500

 

 

 

3,898

 

Other non-current assets

 

 

7,102

 

 

 

7,303

 

Total assets

 

$

990,908

 

 

$

989,123

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

 

 

 

 

Current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Trade payables

 

$

22,852

 

 

$

12,084

 

Accrued expenses

 

 

8,678

 

 

 

8,723

 

Employee benefits payable

 

 

12,333

 

 

 

8,634

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

125,635

 

 

 

108,344

 

Current installments of long-term borrowings

 

 

2,934

 

 

 

2,906

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

24,863

 

 

 

22,249

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

197,295

 

 

 

162,940

 

Non-current liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Long-term borrowings, excluding current installments

 

 

100,724

 

 

 

100,043

 

Non-current operating lease liabilities

 

 

33,870

 

 

 

34,266

 

Non-current finance lease liabilities

 

 

15,478

 

 

 

15,568

 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

 

170

 

 

 

95

 

Other non-current liabilities

 

 

3,353

 

 

 

3,005

 

Total liabilities

 

 

350,890

 

 

 

315,917

 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity:

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.0001 par value; authorized shares: 2,500,000,000; issued and outstanding shares: 478,153,075 and 475,356,517 at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, respectively

 

 

48

 

 

 

48

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

1,125,976

 

 

 

1,112,977

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(486,572

)

 

 

(440,955

)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

566

 

 

 

1,136

 

Total stockholders’ equity

 

 

640,018

 

 

 

673,206

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

$

990,908

$

989,123

ROCKET LAB U.S.A., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023 AND 2022

(unaudited; in thousands)

 

 

 

For the Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2023

 

2022

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

$

(45,617

)

 

$

(26,709

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

7,033

 

 

 

6,088

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

14,036

 

 

 

11,958

 

Loss on disposal of assets

 

 

5

 

 

 

5

 

Amortization of debt issuance costs and discount

 

 

709

 

 

 

690

 

Noncash lease expense

 

 

988

 

 

 

731

 

Noncash income associated with liability-classified warrants

 

 

 

 

 

(13,482

)

Change in the fair value of contingent consideration

 

 

300

 

 

 

2,500

 

Accretion of marketable securities purchased at a discount

 

 

(1,147

)

 

 

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

420

 

 

 

(1,558

)

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable, net

 

 

(14,116

)

 

 

(5,644

)

Contract assets

 

 

(3,109

)

 

 

(3,668

)

Inventories

 

 

(6,712

)

 

 

(9,132

)

Prepaids and other current assets

 

 

(10,035

)

 

 

(1,071

)

Other non-current assets

 

 

103

 

 

 

772

 

Trade payables

 

 

11,305

 

 

 

805

 

Accrued expenses

 

 

403

 

 

 

(3,245

)

Employee benefits payables

 

 

1,294

 

 

 

475

 

Contract liabilities

 

 

17,292

 

 

 

10,652

 

Other current liabilities

 

 

2,305

 

 

 

4,266

 

Non-current lease liabilities

 

 

(891

)

 

 

(783

)

Other non-current liabilities

 

 

49

 

 

 

11

 

Net cash used in operating activities

 

 

(25,385

)

 

 

(26,339

)

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property, equipment and software

 

 

(12,674

)

 

 

(6,242

)

Cash paid for acquisitions, net of acquired cash and restricted cash

 

 

 

 

 

(65,588

)

Purchases of marketable securities

 

 

(76,394

)

 

 

 

Maturities of marketable securities

 

 

78,099

 

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(10,969

)

 

 

(71,830

)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and public warrants

 

 

771

 

 

 

1,379

 

Proceeds from Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

 

1,202

 

 

 

1,025

 

Proceeds from sale of employees restricted stock units to cover taxes

 

 

3,078

 

 

 

20,841

 

Minimum tax withholding paid on behalf of employees for restricted stock units

 

 

(1,915

)

 

 

(8,756

)

Payment of contingent consideration

 

 

(1,000

)

 

 

 

Finance lease principal payments

 

 

(78

)

 

 

(45

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

2,058

 

 

 

14,444

 

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

 

 

127

 

 

 

(574

)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash

 

 

(34,169

)

 

 

(84,299

)

Cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of period

 

 

245,871

 

 

 

692,075

 

Cash and cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of period

 

$

211,702

 

 

$

607,776

 

ROCKET LAB U.S.A., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2023 AND 2022

(unaudited; in thousands)

 

The tables provided below reconcile the non-GAAP financial measures Adjusted EBITDA, Non-GAAP gross profit, Non-GAAP research and development, net, Non-GAAP selling, general and administrative, Non-GAAP operating expenses, Non-GAAP operating loss and Non-GAAP total other income (expense), net with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. See above for additional information on the use of these non-GAAP financial measures.

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2023

 

2022

NET LOSS

 

$

(45,617

)

 

$

(26,709

)

Depreciation

 

 

3,713

 

 

 

3,193

 

Amortization

 

 

3,320

 

 

 

2,895

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

14,036

 

 

 

11,958

 

Transaction costs

 

 

165

 

 

 

375

 

Interest expense, net

 

 

685

 

 

 

2,989

 

Change in fair value of liability classified warrants

 

 

 

 

 

(13,482

)

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

 

 

300

 

 

 

2,500

 

Performance reserve escrow

 

 

1,838

 

 

 

1,895

 

Amortization of inventory step-up

 

 

 

 

 

2,002

 

Provision for income taxes

 

 

526

 

 

 

4,388

 

(Gain) loss on foreign exchange

 

 

(134

)

 

 

20

 

Accretion of marketable securities purchased at a discount

 

 

(1,165

)

 

 

 

Loss on disposal of assets

 

 

5

 

 

 

5

 

Employee retention credit

 

 

(3,841

)

 

 

 

ADJUSTED EBITDA

 

$

(26,169

)

 

$

(7,971

)

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

2023

 

2022

GAAP Gross profit

 

$

6,357

 

 

$

3,735

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

3,813

 

 

 

3,335

 

Amortization of purchased intangibles

 

 

1,710

 

 

 

565

 

Amortization of inventory step-up

 

 

 

 

 

2,002

 

Performance reserve escrow

 

 

57

 

 

 

114

 

Employee retention credit

 

 

(2,130

)

 

 

 

Non-GAAP Gross profit

 

$

9,807

 

 

$

9,751

 

Non-GAAP Gross margin

 

 

17.9

%

 

 

24.0

%

 

 

 

 

 

GAAP Research and development, net

 

$

23,905

 

 

$

13,477

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

(5,022

)

 

 

(5,026

)

Amortization of purchased intangibles

 

 

(9

)

 

 

(1,632

)

Employee retention credit

 

 

631

 

 

 

 

Non-GAAP Research and development, net

 

$

19,505

 

 

$

6,819

 

 

 

 

 

 

GAAP Selling, general and administrative

 

$

28,469

 

 

$

23,078

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

(5,201

)

 

 

(3,597

)

Amortization of purchased intangibles

 

 

(1,434

)

 

 

(598

)

Transaction costs

 

 

(165

)

 

 

(375

)

Performance reserve escrow

 

 

(1,781

)

 

 

(1,781

)

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

 

 

(300

)

 

 

(2,500

)

Employee retention credit

 

 

1,080

 

 

 

 

Non-GAAP Selling, general and administrative

 

$

20,668

 

 

$

14,227

 

 

 

 

 

 

GAAP Operating expenses

 

$

52,374

 

 

$

36,555

 

Stock-based compensation

 

 

(10,223

)

 

 

(8,623

)

Amortization of purchased intangibles

 

 

(1,443

)

 

 

(2,230

)

Transaction costs

 

 

(165

)

 

 

(375

)

Performance reserve escrow

 

 

(1,781

)

 

 

(1,781

)

Change in fair value of contingent consideration

 

 

(300

)

 

 

(2,500

)

Employee retention credit

 

 

1,711

 

 

 

 

Non-GAAP Operating expenses

 

$

40,173

 

 

$

21,046

 

 

 

 

 

 

GAAP Operating loss

 

$

(46,017

)

 

$

(32,820

)

Total non-GAAP adjustments

 

 

15,651

 

 

 

21,525

 

Non-GAAP Operating loss

 

$

(30,366

)

 

$

(11,295

)

 

 

 

 

 

GAAP Total other income (expense), net

 

$

926

 

 

$

10,499

 

Change in fair value of liability classified warrants

 

 

 

 

 

(13,482

)

(Gain) loss on foreign exchange

 

 

(134

)

 

 

20

 

Non-GAAP Total other income (expense), net

 

$

792

 

 

$

(2,963

)

 



Contact:

+ Rocket Lab Investor Relations Contact
Colin Canfield
investors@rocketlabusa.com

+ Rocket Lab Media Contact
Murielle Baker
media@rocketlabusa.com