Tilray Inc. shares rose about 4% in after-hours trading Tuesday after the Canadian weed maker topped consensus revenue estimates by nearly tripling sales, but lost more money than analysts expected.
The company reported first-quarter net losses of $30.3 million, or 32 cents a share, widening from $5.2 million, or 7 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Tilray’s TLRY, +4.88% revenue rose to $23 million from $7.8 million in the year-ago period. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had estimated losses of 25 cents a share on revenue of $20.5 million. For the second quarter, analysts model losses of 25 cents a share on sales of $42.2 million.
Chief Executive Brendan Kennedy told MarketWatch over the phone that while there was a widespread prediction of a supply glut of cannabis in Canada, that has not turned out to be the case. In fact, Tilray continues to have difficulty sourcing an adequate amount of high-quality marijuana, and Kennedy expects supply issues to remain a problem in Canada for the next 18 to 24 months.
Cannabis Watch: All of MarketWatch’s coverage of cannabis companies
In the short term, Tilray is ramping up its growing capacity, and Kennedy pointed to its build-outs at facilities in Canada and outdoor operations in Portugal. The company said it invested $32.6 million in increase production in Canada, which amounts to 203,00 square feet across three facilities in British Columbia and Ontario.
“Ten years from now, I want Tilray to grow 5% of the product,” Kennedy said.
Tilray said it sold $7.9 million worth of recreational marijuana in the first quarter, and $7.8 million worth of medical cannabis — directly to patients and in bulk. Tilray sold $1.8 million worth of pot for international medical uses.
Overall, the company sold the equivalent of 3,012 kilograms of pot, a metric that Kennedy called strange. He predicted that after edible sales begin in Canada later this year, the number of kilograms sold would become irrelevant to investors.
“It’s an emerging sector, and you’re going to see metrics change,” he said.
Kennedy says that companies used to be valued on “funded capacity” — a number referring to the amount of growing space a company has before it needed to raise more money — and that it was often inflated, resulting in swollen market values.
“Some of them were lying about their funded capacity,” Kennedy said.
For the first time as a public company Tilray also broke out precisely how much excise tax revenue it paid — excluding the figure, it banked $21.5 million in first-quarter sales.
For more: Cannabis companies failed their first big earnings test, now they have a second chance
“We heard the feedback [from investors] and looked at how everyone else was reporting,” Kennedy said when asked about disclosing revenue net of excise taxes, as most Canadian cannabis companies have been doing.
During the first quarter, Tilray acquired Manitoba Harvest for up to $310 million, adding a hemp-foods maker based in Canada that distributes products in both the U.S. and Canada. Tilray also purchased Natura Naturals Holdings, a licensed cannabis producer, for up to $54 million.
According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings Monday, Manitoba Harvest 2018 losses were $5.5 million on sales of $67.5 million. Combined, Tilray and Manitoba Harvest net losses were $77.1 million on sales of $110.6 million. In the first quarter, the company said it sold $5.6 million worth of food products, which represents a part of Manitoba Harvest’s contribution to revenue.
The company said in a separate filing that it was not required to disclose Natura Naturals historic financial performance or break out how it will contribute to the company’s top or bottom line.
Tilray stock has fallen 37% in the past three months, as the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.80% has gained 2.4%. The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index ETF has lost 2.3% in the past three months.