Gauzy Ltd (GAUZ) Q4 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Record Revenue and Strategic Growth Initiatives

GuruFocus.com
22 Apr
  • Fourth Quarter Revenue: $31.1 million, up 41.8% from the prior year.
  • Full Year Revenue: $103.5 million, up 32.8% from 2023.
  • Fourth Quarter Gross Margin: 36.5%, an 800-basis point increase from the prior year.
  • Full Year Gross Margin: 28.7%, a 310-basis point increase from 2023.
  • Fourth Quarter Adjusted EBITDA: $0.2 million, compared to negative $6 million in the prior year.
  • Full Year Net Loss: $53.2 million, improved from $79.3 million in 2023.
  • Safety-Tech Revenue: $13 million in Q4, up 73% year-over-year.
  • Aeronautics Revenue: $13.4 million in Q4, up 26.7% year-over-year.
  • Architecture Revenue: $4.1 million in Q4, up 31.8% year-over-year.
  • Automotive Revenue: $0.7 million in Q4, compared to $0.8 million in the prior year.
  • Total Liquidity: $40.6 million, including $5.6 million in cash and cash equivalents.
  • 2025 Revenue Guidance: $130 million to $140 million, approximately 30% growth at the midpoint.
  • 10-Year Committed Backlog: $409 million.
  • Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Signs with GAUZ.

Release Date: March 11, 2025

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Gauzy Ltd (NASDAQ:GAUZ) achieved record revenue of $31.1 million in Q4 2024, marking a 41.8% increase compared to Q4 2023.
  • The company reported a significant improvement in gross margin, reaching 36.5% in Q4 2024, up 800 basis points from the prior year.
  • Gauzy Ltd (NASDAQ:GAUZ) achieved positive adjusted EBITDA for the first time in Q4 2024, reaching $0.2 million compared to a negative $6 million in the prior year quarter.
  • The company secured major contracts and strategic partnerships, including a multiyear serial production program with Ford trucks and a renewal of the FMCSA exemption for its Smart-Vision system.
  • Gauzy Ltd (NASDAQ:GAUZ) introduced a 10-year committed and contracted backlog, providing visibility into long-term growth potential, with a projected revenue pipeline exceeding $1 billion.

Negative Points

  • Despite improvements, Gauzy Ltd (NASDAQ:GAUZ) reported a net loss of $11.4 million for Q4 2024, although this was a reduction from the $20.7 million loss in the prior year quarter.
  • The company's total operating expenses increased by 5.5% in Q4 2024, primarily due to higher share-based compensation expenses.
  • The Automotive segment saw a slight decline in revenue, from $0.8 million in Q4 2023 to $0.7 million in Q4 2024.
  • Gauzy Ltd (NASDAQ:GAUZ) ended the year with a relatively low cash position of $5.6 million, although it has additional liquidity through an undrawn credit line.
  • The company expects to be cash flow positive only by 2026, indicating ongoing financial challenges in the near term.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Good to see the company hit EBITDA profitability. Looking at the 2025 revenue guidance, how much of that is already in the backlog that provides visibility for 2025? A: Hi Josh, thanks for the question. Out of the $409 million backlog, less than 50% is expected to be shipped in 2025. This backlog includes committed and contracted supply agreements, and we also have recurring business from existing customers not included in this figure.

Q: Can you provide more granularity on the seasonality of your business, particularly the expected revenue for 1Q relative to 4Q? A: Thanks, Josh. Q1 is typically our slowest quarter, followed by a stronger Q2. Q3 may be slightly lower due to vacation patterns in Europe, and Q4 is usually our strongest quarter. The second half of the year is expected to drive our EBITDA positive guidance for the full year.

Q: Regarding the different revenue segments, is Safety-Tech expected to lead growth, followed by Aeronautics? A: Yes, Safety-Tech is expected to be the largest contributor to growth this year, particularly with our ADAS systems. However, all four segments, including Automotive, Light Control, and Smart Glass, are expected to show significant growth within our guidance.

Q: What variables could impact the shipment of the backlog, and how does it affect revenue for 2025? A: The $409 million backlog is 100% committed and contracted, with minimum take rates in annual supply agreements. This ensures that the backlog will be shipped as planned. Additional recurring revenues from customers like Yutong are not included in this backlog but are expected to contribute to our revenue.

Q: Can you discuss the cash and liquidity on the balance sheet and how you plan to address any shortfall? A: We expect to be EBITDA positive in 2025 and cash flow positive in 2026. We are finalizing a $10 million debt financing arrangement with an Israeli bank, which, along with our $40.6 million liquidity, should cover our needs without requiring additional financing.

Q: What are the profit drivers for the EBITDA positive target in 2025, and what should we expect for gross margin and OpEx? A: We expect low single-digit positive EBITDA, driven by operating leverage on incremental revenue. Our gross margin will benefit from scale, with moderate increases in OpEx. The top-line growth should significantly impact our bottom line.

Q: How should we think about Automotive and Aeronautics gross margins throughout the year? A: In Automotive, both Light Control and Safety-Tech divisions are expected to show significant margin improvements. Light Control should have a healthy gross margin, and Safety-Tech's new Smart-Vision 3 platform will enhance margins. Aeronautics will also see margin improvements due to scale.

Q: What is the expected CapEx for 2025? A: We expect to invest about $10 million in CapEx for 2025, which will support our growth and operational needs.

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

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