Ocean Power Technologies Announces Progress on Shift to Commercialization and Expects to Achieve Profitability in Calendar Year 2025
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Insights
From a market research perspective, Ocean Power Technologies, Inc.'s (OPT) recent announcement signals a significant strategic pivot from a research and development-intensive phase to a commercialization-focused phase. This transition is critical as it indicates the company's readiness to monetize its technologies and offers a tangible timeline for profitability, which is projected for calendar year 2025. The emphasis on commercialization, especially in the national security and defense markets, suggests that OPT is targeting sectors with potentially high barriers to entry but also high rewards, given the strategic importance and budget allocations for defense-related expenditures.
OPT's reallocation of resources toward customer delivery, with more than 50% of its workforce now dedicated to this end, is a strong indicator of its commitment to meet market demands and customer expectations. Furthermore, the divestiture of the strategic consulting team can be seen as a move to streamline operations and focus on core competencies. For investors, these developments could suggest a leaner, more efficient operation with a clear focus on driving revenue growth and achieving profitability within a stated timeframe.
Analyzing the financial implications of OPT's strategic moves, the divestiture of non-core assets such as the strategic consulting team and the reduction of third-party expenditures are likely to result in immediate cost savings and improved cash flow. This is particularly important as the company aims to reach profitability by 2025 without requiring additional capital resources. The ability to self-fund through this transitional phase could be a positive signal to investors regarding the company's financial health and management's confidence in its commercial strategy.
Moreover, the announcement of recent contract wins and a robust commercial pipeline are key factors that could contribute to future revenue streams. Investors should monitor the conversion rate of this pipeline into actual sales, as this will be a critical determinant of the company's financial performance. The cessation of material R&D efforts may also free up resources for further investment in marketing and sales initiatives, which can accelerate growth in the commercial phase.
From an energy sector standpoint, OPT's focus on low-carbon marine power solutions positions the company within a growing niche that is likely to benefit from global trends towards sustainability and carbon footprint reduction. The development of the Mass-On-Spring-Wave-Energy-Converter (MOSWEC) and the WAM-V charging demonstration highlight the company's commitment to innovation within the renewable energy space. The transition to commercialization of these technologies could open up new market opportunities and partnerships, especially as governments and industries seek to meet environmental targets.
However, the energy sector is highly competitive and subject to regulatory changes, which could impact OPT's market potential. Investors should consider the long-term viability of OPT's technologies and the company's ability to navigate the regulatory landscape. The specific targeting of national security and defense markets also suggests a reliance on government contracts, which can be lucrative but also subject to political and budgetary fluctuations.
Company is Well-Positioned to Drive Shareholder Value Creation in Post-R&D Phase, With Fully Commercialized Solutions and Robust Pipeline
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J., Jan. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. (“OPT” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: OPTT), a leader in innovative and cost-effective low-carbon marine power, data, and service solutions, today announced it has completed several previously announced milestones and initiatives – including reallocation of headcount towards commercialization – that it believes will enhance shareholder value.
OPT now has fully commercialized customer solutions, a robust pipeline, and several recent commercial wins. The Company now expects to achieve profitability in calendar year 2025.
OPT CEO and President Dr. Philipp Stratmann commented: “Now that OPT’s research and development phase has been substantially completed, we have reallocated headcount towards execution and commercialization and are fully focused on this next phase of the Company’s evolution. As we have consistently stated, we are seeing meaningful progress in orders, pipeline, and backlog across our business. Despite current economic headwinds, we have built a cutting-edge suite of products that we believe will be the basis for our current and future commercial success and that will help drive profitability in calendar year 2025. We are fully committed to executing our strategy to generate value for all shareholders.”
As part of the Company’s transition, OPT has divested its strategic consulting team so that it can more fully focus its efforts and resources on commercialization – particularly for the national security and defense markets. In addition to the divesture, the Company also announced that recent achievements in R&D, such as the WAM-V charging demonstration and the Mass-On-Spring-Wave-Energy-Converter (MOSWEC) developments, have enabled additional reallocation of headcount and a material reduction in third-party expenditure. As a result, more than
OPT expects that recent meaningful contract wins, the growth in OPT’s commercial pipeline, the cessation of material R&D efforts, and the corresponding savings from the divestiture of its consulting team and reduction of its engineering team will enable it to reach profitability during calendar year 2025 using current capital resources.
For more information from Ocean Power Technologies, please visit the following link where a new Investor Relations presentation has been published:
OPT Investor Relations Presentation
About Ocean Power Technologies
OPT provides intelligent maritime solutions and services that enable safer, cleaner, and more productive ocean operations for the defense and security, oil and gas, science and research, and offshore wind markets. Our PowerBuoy® platforms provide clean and reliable electric power and real-time data communications for remote maritime and subsea applications. We also provide WAM-V® autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) and marine robotics services. The Company’s headquarters is in Monroe Township, New Jersey and has an additional office in Richmond, California. To learn more, visit www.OceanPowerTechnologies.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, those statements relating to OPT’s future operating and financial performance, the impact of the completion by OPT of various milestones and initiatives – including the reallocation of headcount towards commercialization – on the enhancement of stockholder value and OPT’s future operating and financial performance, OPT’s expectation that it will reach profitability during calendar year 2025 using current capital resources the growth in OPT’s opportunity pipeline and backlog, OPT’s ability to monetize such opportunities and backlog into actual revenue, and the impact on OPT of expanding its executive leadership team, OPT’s ability to drive the next phase of its growth and the commercialization of its products, the current and future commercial viability and success of OPT’s suite of products and their ability to drive OPT’s profitability during calendar year 2025, OPT’s belief that it is well-positioned to drive shareholder value creation, OPT’s ability to execute on its strategy and create value for its stockholders, the expenses that OPT will incur to respond to the actions of Paragon Technologies, Inc., including, but not limited to, the litigation Paragon has brought against OPT in the Delaware Court of Chancery, OPT’s ability to finance its operations without seeking additional capital from financing sources, the impact on OPT of recent contract wins, the growth in OPT’s commercial pipeline, the cessation of OPT’s material R&D efforts, the divestiture of OPT’s strategic consulting team and the projected savings therefrom, and the projected savings from the reduction of OPT’s engineering team, other statements relating to OPT’s future economic and operating performance, plans, or objectives, and all other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts. Other forward-looking statements are identified by certain words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “aim”, “will likely result”, “believe”, “expect”, “will continue”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “contemplate”, “seek to”, “future”, “objective”, “goal”, “project”, “should”, “will pursue” and similar expressions or variations of such expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect OPT’s current expectations about its future performance, plans, and objectives. By their nature, forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions and estimates that could be inaccurate and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to materially differ from those anticipated or expressed in any forward-looking statement. These estimates and assumptions reflect our best judgment based on currently known market conditions and other factors. Although we believe such estimates and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently uncertain and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that are beyond our control, including, without limitation risks related to our ability to execute on our strategy, drive growth, and create value for our stockholders; our ability to develop, market, and commercialize our products; our ability to monetize our opportunity pipeline; our ability to achieve and, thereafter, sustain profitability; our ability to win government contracts, including in the defense and security sectors; the possibility that we may not be able to obtain the necessary facility and personnel clearances to qualify for certain government contracts, including in the defense and security sectors; our ability to continue the development of our proprietary technologies; our expected continued use of cash from operating activities unless or until we achieve positive cash flow from the commercialization of our products and services; our ability to obtain additional funding, as and if needed; our history of operating losses, which we expect to continue for at least the short term and possibly longer; our ability to control our expenses; our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, including executive management; our ability to manage and mitigate risks associated with our internal cyber security protocols and protection of the data we collect and distribute; our ability to protect our intellectual property portfolio; the impact of inflation related to the U.S. dollar on our business, operations, customers, suppliers and manufacturers, and personnel; our ability to meet product development, manufacturing and customer delivery deadlines; our ability to identify and penetrate markets for our products, services, and solutions; and the risks related to the actions of Paragon Technologies, Inc. against OPT and the related litigation brought against OPT in the Delaware Court of Chancery, including the amount of related costs incurred by OPT and the disruption caused to OPT’s business activities by these actions.
Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the general or specific factors that may affect us. Additional factors are described in OPT’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports). Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made, and OPT undertakes no obligation or intent to update such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date. OPT cautions investors not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf.
Important Additional Information And Where To Find It
OPT has filed with the SEC a revised definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A on December 4, 2023, including a form of WHITE proxy card, and other relevant documents with respect to its solicitation of proxies for OPT’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on January 31, 2024 (the “2023 Annual Meeting”). INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REVISED DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING THE SUPPLEMENT THERETO FILED WITH THE SEC ON JANUARY 3, 2024 AND ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO OPT’S REVISED DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT) FILED BY OPT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT OPT FILES WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT OPT’S SOLICITATION. Investors and security holders may obtain copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC by OPT free of charge through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed by OPT are also available free of charge by accessing OPT’s corporate website at www.oceanpowertechnologies.com, by writing to OPT’s Corporate Secretary at Ocean Power Technologies, Inc., 28 Engelhard Drive, Suite B, Monroe Township, NJ 08831, or by contacting OPT at (609) 730-0400.
Certain Participant Information
OPT, its directors, and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies with respect to a solicitation by OPT in connection with matters to be considered at OPT’s 2023 Annual Meeting. Information about OPT’s executive officers and directors, including information regarding the direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is available in OPT’s revised definitive proxy statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting (including the schedules and appendices thereto), which was filed with the SEC on December 4, 2023. To the extent holdings of OPT securities reported in the definitive proxy statement for the 2023 Annual Meeting have changed or subsequently change, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Forms 3, 4, or 5 filed with the SEC. These documents are or will be available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
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