Sequans Communications SA

NYSE:SQNS

Earnings Call Analysis

Earnings Call Transcript 2024-Q2

[Operator]

Welcome to the Sequans Conference Call to discuss the company's agreement to sell its 4G IoT Technology to Qualcomm and the Preliminary Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.

I would now like to turn the call over to Kim Rogers of Hayden IR. Ms. Rogers, you may begin.

[Kimberly Rogers]

Thank you, Laura, and thank you to everyone participating in today's call. Joining me on the call today from Sequans Communications is George Karam, Chairman and CEO.

Before I turn over the call to George, I'd like to remind our participants of the following important information on behalf of Sequans. Please note that in that a joint press release was issued today announcing an agreement for Sequans to sell its 4G IoT, while retaining a license for its ongoing use in development for $200 million in an all-cash transaction to Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to be referred to as Qualcomm on this call, a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

In conjunction with this announcement, Sequans also released its second quarter 2024 earnings press release. Both press releases were posted to the company's website at www.sequans.com under the Newsroom section. A transcript of this call will also be posted to the company's Investor Relations website under the Investor Materials section.

Before we start, I'd like to remind everyone that this conference call contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the sale of the company's 4G IoT Technology to Qualcomm with the retention of a license for ongoing use and development.

All statements other than present and historical facts and conditions contained in this call, including any statements regarding the sale of the company's 4G IoT Technology to Qualcomm with the retention of a license for ongoing use and development, our business strategy and plans and our financial outlook are 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.

These statements are only predictions and reflect our current beliefs and expectations with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties and subject to change at any time. We operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment new risks emerge from time to time. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected or implied in the forward-looking statements.

More information on factors that could affect the sale of the company's 4G IoT Technology to Qualcomm with the retention of a license for ongoing use and development, and our business and financial results are included in our public filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

And now I'd like to hand the call over to George Karam. Please go ahead, George.

[Georges Karam, executive]

Thank you, Kim. Good morning, everyone. Thanks for joining this conference call today. In the press release issued just before the start of this call, we announced the execution of an agreement to sell our 4G IoT Technology to Qualcomm for $200 million in all cash transactions, while retaining a license for its ongoing use and development. The transaction is expected to close by the end of October 2024 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including French regulatory approval.

We are delighted to enter this strategic and significant transaction with Qualcomm. The transaction validates the value of Sequans' 4G IoT Technology and provides substantial capital to solidify our financial collation. Importantly, under the agreement, we will retain a perpetual license to use and advance our 4G IoT Technology and product portfolio.

Additionally, Sequans will maintain full ownership of its 5G assets and related technologies. Consequently, we can support and develop our 4G IoT business, primarily relying on Monarch 2 LTE-M/NB-IoT and Calliope 2 Cat-1bis platforms, while advancing our 5G eRedCap (sic) [ RedCap ] and eRedCap products.

This will enable us to expand our next generation of 4G, 5G IoT chips and modules, ensuring ongoing innovation in cellular IoT solutions for our customers. It's important to note that this transaction will not affect the company contractual obligations or operations with customers, suppliers and industry partners.

All should see continuity in our relationships with the strengthened financial and business situation and enhanced capabilities to expand our partnerships. Under the terms of the agreement, Sequans will retain around 230 personnel dedicated to the 4G, 5G massive IoT market with about 75% of them focused on R&D and customer support.

This structure will ensure best-in-class customer service and ongoing product innovation development, while maintaining controlled operational expenses.

In return, Sequans will receive $185 million in cash, $175 million is payable at closing and up to an additional $10 million is payable following the completion of a 1-year warranty period. $15 million received under the pre-transaction manufacturing license agreement executed in June 2024, will be credited towards the $200 million purchase price at closing.

There are numerous immediate and long-term benefit to agreement. Let me highlight some of the most important ones. First, the transaction proceeds will enable us to repay all outstanding debts and accounts payable that are currently due. The company will be practically debt-free with around $3 million of low-interest government debt remaining on the balance sheet, and approximately $80 million of cash at closing after debt suppliers and deal fees payment.

Second, our improved financial standing will allow us to reinforce our customer support and accelerate the development of next generation 4G, 5G technologies, positioning the company for long-term growth. We continue improving our product road map with existing 4G chips and modules, including the Monarch 2 and Calliope 2 platforms, and expanding our portfolio with the new chips and modules specifically 5G RedCap and 5G eRedCap solutions, enabling the path towards 5G for IoT.

Third, this deal fully aligns with our business strategy announced last June, where we committed to focusing on our Massive IoT Business segment and reoriented our product road map towards 5G variants for IoT. With a team of about 230 people dedicated to Massive IoT will be able to continue expanding our IoT business, while reducing our expenses as part of the company's plan towards profitability.

Lastly, this transaction endorses our 4G IoT Technology. Solutions based on Sequans and NB-IoT and is are now positioned to become industry cornerstones. This will accelerate our business and provide best-in-class technology to Massive IoT market. This event marks a new chapter for Sequans, and we are extremely excited to collaborate with the Qualcomm to execute this agreement.

In a market that is complex and demanding as cellular IoT, long-term investment and deep technology expertise are essential. Sequans is now one of the few companies with a comprehensive 4G, 5G product portfolio and a strong enhanced capability to address the specific needs of the cellular IoT market, especially considering recent geopolitical changes and market shifts.

Let me take a moment to update you on our second quarter results and current business. Our revenue in the second quarter was $9.7 million, an increase of 60.5% compared to the first quarter of 2024 and an increase of 5.6% compared to the second quarter of 2023. Product revenue was $2.4 million, flat compared to the first quarter of 2024 and an increase of 144.5% compared to the second quarter of 2023.

Service revenue was $7.2 million, reflecting a large portion of revenue from the Monarch 2 manufacturing license agreement announced on June 18, 2024, which was a pre-transaction deal with Qualcomm. Note that as the fees paid under this license agreement, will now be folded into the overall deal with Qualcomm. The preliminary Q2 2024 results presented here are subject to change based on the final allocation of the larger deal purchase price.

As the transaction make loans in the third quarter of 2024 or early fourth quarter, we are not commenting on the expected impact of the deal on our revenue in the second half of the year. However, focusing on our product revenue, we anticipate a modest increase in the third quarter and a stronger performance in the fourth quarter.

Overall, due to the anticipated increase in the numbers of customer projects, moving into mass production over the coming quarters, we anticipate higher product revenue for full year 2025 compared to 2024.

Despite the challenges following the termination of the Renesas acquisition MoU last February, we have continued to deliver on our customer commitments. Our key customers have appreciated our focus on Massive IoT and have continued their development using our products toward mass production.

Our design pipeline has continued to gain momentum, particularly with our Cat-1bis product. However, finalizing design wins has been challenging, as several customers have been waiting for our financial issues to be resolved. Now with a stronger balance sheet, we expect the situation to accelerate design win activities.

In the second quarter, we achieved several significant milestones, including: in April, we announced that Sequans Calliope 2, the first Cat-1bis module approved by AT&T and FirstNet. A few weeks later, Calliope 2 also gained T-Mobile certification. This demonstrates the progress on our LTE Cat-1bis technology for the North American market, where we expect significant growth.

I would like to remind you that LTE Cat-1bis is a cost-efficient technology universally available for applications like vehicle telematic, security and alarm systems, payment systems and metering applications. Since the launch of this platform, we had many design wins.

As an example, Geotab, a global leader in connected transportation solutions, chose our Calliope 2 for its quality and compatibility with any LTE network, making it ideal for fleet management applications.

In May, our Sequans Cassiopeia CA410 module, achieved industrial certification and successfully completed field testing with one of the largest electricity providers in California. This milestone underscores the maturity of the CA410, which supports both private network spans, Anterix and CBRS and a public network operator band. This integrated solution is specifically designed for the utility market in North America.

Lastly, in June, we announced that Itron, a global leader in smart metering, selected our Monarch 2 LTE-M/NB-IoT technology for its next generation of Inteli's wSource Water Meters. The Monarch low-power consumption extends the life of battery-powered water meters by up to 15 years, significantly enhancing operational efficiency.

We are very excited to extend our operation with Itron and address the connected water metering market, a new area of growth for low power cellular IoT. This new design win strengthened our leadership in smart metering, where we have a strong presence with multiple Tier 1 and smaller customers.

Sequans continues to build strong momentum with industry leaders in smart metering, fleet management and asset tracking. We have consistently provided best-in-class support to our customers, developed a unique portfolio of products and technologies, and maintained a highly experienced team. As we improve our financial standing, we expect several pending design wins will reach completion, accelerating our future pipeline growth.

Let me explain our 5G RedCap and eRedCap opportunity. Over the next few years, we anticipate 5G to expand significantly in the IoT segment, encompassing a wider range of applications and device types beyond smartphones and fixed wireless access.

The new 5G reduced capacity or RedCap, operates on 5G stand-alone networks and will be utilized in IoT devices such as cameras, wearable and gateways that currently use 4G LTE Cat 4. These devices will migrate to 5G for better network efficiency, longevity and performance as the 5G networks will evolve from nonstand-alone to stand-alone.

Following this, the 5G enhanced reduced capacity or eRedCap further decreased the 5G complexity with a single antenna into reducing a low-cost, low-power 5G solution to address low-speed and low-power IoT devices currently using LTM and IoT for Cat 1, Cat-1bis 4G technology. We anticipate that 5G RedCap and eRedCap will present Sequans a unique market opportunity to develop innovative 5G solutions tailored for IoT use cases, leveraging our extensive experience in cellular IoT.

To conclude, I would like to state that our decision to enter into an agreement with Qualcomm was carefully considered and structured to best serve our shareholders and support our customers and the IoT market. Given the promising long-term prospects for Sequans business, we believe this transaction will secure a robust future for the company, enabling us to reach our full potential and deliver the best outcomes for all our stakeholders.

For over 20 years, Sequans has consistently invested in 4G and 5G technologies for IoT. This strong foundation has enabled us to navigate challenging times and emerge stronger. Today's announcement to Qualcomm recognizes the value of our R&D, the performance and reputation of our products and the talent of our engineers and staff. I want to thank each of you for your continued support and dedication to Sequans.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation for the support we have received from our customers and partners. With a solid financial foundation, best-in-class technology endorsed by industry leaders, a comprehensive 5G, 4G IoT portfolio and a seasoned team fully committed to IoT, Sequans stands to remain a trusted partner for all our stakeholders.

We now distinguish ourselves as 1 of the 2 companies capable of addressing the specific needs of the cellular IoT market. We'll keep you updated on any significant developments through this process. I'm looking forward to our next investor call, where I will share more insights about the future of Sequans.

I will now open the floor for any questions. Operator, we are now ready to open the call for Q&A, please.

[Operator]

[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from the line of Scott Searle from ROTH Capital.

[Scott Searle, analyst]

George, congratulations absolutely incredible deal and validation of the technology that you guys have been developing over the past decade.

[Georges Karam, executive]

Thank you, Scott.

[Scott Searle, analyst]

Maybe, George, just for starters on the deal, given that it's Qualcomm, I'm going to get the question about antitrust issues with HSR. Could you give us your early thoughts on that? It sounds like you've been very careful in terms of the process and otherwise. So what's going on, on that front?

[Georges Karam, executive]

I mean, Scott, absolutely. I mean we -- this is an important element, as you can imagine, part of global and the deal. But when you say -- when you look about the transaction at the end of the day, Sequans is getting stronger after the deal. We'll continue this business. So all has been structured where the market will benefit.

At the end of the day, think about the technology is available in the hand of 2 companies. Obviously, Qualcomm will have its own road map and development and improvement and so on. Sequans as well, we'll continue on its way, developing its product portfolio with this technology and improve it.

And this is possible with no impact, with no notion of limiting competition. It's the reverse what's happening in this region. You're creating more options for the end customers. So I believe all is in line with the antitrust source.

[Scott Searle, analyst]

Okay. And maybe quickly on the 4G front. You've been building a huge pipeline or opportunity pipeline on the front with, I think, hundreds of millions of dollars in design wins as well. It sounds like that continues to expand, but I'm wondering if there's a number that goes along with it.

And also, look, in the interim, as you guys have been managing through this process, some customers have tapped the brakes a little bit. It sounds like that log jam will now break, and we'll start to see some of that acceleration of the wins you've already had. I wonder if you could provide some color on that.

And also in the interim, will Qualcomm actually OEM chips from you before they start producing their own silicon based on Monarch 2 and Calliope 2 designs?

[Georges Karam, executive]

Well, I mean, on the last question, I don't want to comment. I mean, at the end, think about Qualcomm have all the capability to go there and whether there is something at the beginning, this will never be material, will not be material for Sequans. I believe the market should not plan on this Sequans and Qualcomm all of this technology, and we go on their path, and they are capable to -- to go fast to the market, I have no doubt about it.

So no, I believe really what we take from Qualcomm is really stabilization of the technology and definitely the cash and fixing the financial problems of the company. So that's the best things we are getting on our side. And from there, we go on our road, and they continue on theirs.

In terms of design win pipeline, let's face it. I didn't -- I tried a little bit not to develop it for the time being because I'm sure that everyone can imagine the station of the company since February during 6 months of challenges, where at the same time, obviously, we have a big pipeline, a lot of customers.

And again, I reiterate my appreciation to all those customers and many CEOs were calling me, getting updates and believe and keeping their trust in me, just only on a simple world, because they have no clue what I'm doing and how I can fix my situation.

Now the disputation was complicated, as everyone knows, after the termination of the MoU. Obviously, in this condition, our focus was really mainly maintaining existing customer and keep them happy. So we didn't have any miss there, I could say, because all the existing customers continue whether buying and moving towards production and as well continue their design.

I'm sure that all of them were thinking about maybe second option plan or whatever, and I have no doubt that they have this in mind. But definitely, the financial situation of the company creates a lot of trouble and now we're coming out of it. I don't want to comment much more on their pipeline. Give me a couple of months just to go out of the water, go on the fields again, meet my customers again, reevaluate the situation to assess that.

But definitely, we continue executing from R&D, and you saw that just only in the tough quarter of Q2, the progress we have done in terms of -- on Calliope 2, specifically certification and bringing the product to market, and we tried that to take any delay because of the financial troubles that we have.

In addition, supporting customers and love getting -- keep building the momentum, but we had, honestly, the pipeline didn't diminish. We had a lot of design in activity, customer interested in our platform. I tend to say the conversions rate from design win was not great, but no surprise because many of them, literally, they said, it's great, we will select you, provided you fix your problem.

And hopefully, when I'll come back on the feet in a couple of weeks. So they understand that they can make full selection and move forward with us. And we can talk about it later on in terms of pipeline, Scott.

[Scott Searle, analyst]

Okay. Fair enough. And then maybe just quickly on 5G. It sounds like a lot of your commentary is focused on RedCap development. I'm wondering, you had mothballed some of the more complex 5G development. Is that still the case at the current time? Or will you be looking for other partners to continue along that path?

And then as it specifically relates to RedCap, it's a technology, I think people don't fully appreciate yet, but it's about to kind of burst onto the sales we're seeing in the next 12 months. What is the -- what is the time line that we should expect you starting to introduce samples and chipsets into the marketplace?

[Georges Karam, executive]

Yes. I mean, Scott, I mean, obviously -- and let me start with the question about the broadband. We put a lot of energy, and we have even prototype in-house that can do, call it like, high-end 5G, not maybe the super high end that Qualcomm can get. It's like mid-range. You can see it for fixed wireless access because we target this application.

And it remains -- this market remains interesting as we foresee. Oppositely, we are in the middle of it. We have prototype not going to mass production yet. And it's going to take time to take to mass production, so then you can start questioning the timing of our development.

But the IT is in-house, and we are partnered using it. And we -- from there, we could decide at any time to resurrect it or do something with this with other partners. For now, I have nothing on the table to -- I can share, but obviously, it's an option for the company. We have this option is valid. We can go tomorrow this side and go back to full fixed wireless access and invest there.

In due [indiscernible] the decision really to be a little bit more, call it, cautious decision to focus on the market we are in and we have customers to serve them with the -- which is the massive IoT, with the products we have to continue shipping and serve the top line.

But obviously, this product road map needs future development, right? And the future is, as we see it always the evolution from 4G to 5G, if I'm still live, and we will be talking the evolution from 5G to 6G. And this -- each time it happened the same way. It starts with the phone, followed with our application towards the IoT because as you know, the IoT takes much longer to change, but there is no escape from this.

The market will evolve to 5G and 1 day, no one -- everybody stopped talking about 4G. Obviously, is it going to take 10 years, 15 years, I don't know. But it's not for tomorrow, takes longer. Now our job, on our side is way to prepare the future and the evolution there and then be ready when the market will evolve.

If you ask me about the evolution of RedCap, eRedCap. As I said, it acquires 5G network running as a stand-alone, while much of the network in the world today, they are nonstand-alone. Over in North America, carrier, they already started, and you will start seeing next year stand-alone. Now the full coverage will not be there. So maybe at the beginning, it will not be suitable for IoT application. It could be suitable maybe for different kind of devices.

But give it like 2, 3 years and North America, we catch up, you will have stand-alone. China is pushing the stand-alone faster. Europe will be always late. So if you ask me about the timing, it's not like timing when you can sell the RedCap or eRedCap because this is almost now you can sell RedCap or maybe next year. But if you ask me about full mass market and so on, I give it 2, 3 years in my estimate.

And obviously, in line with this market, Sequans' road map will be positioned there. And we have this development moving on, on the eRedCap because we started this almost after the termination of the MoU, we didn't do honestly accelerate much because as you can imagine, the financial situation put us a little bit delayed this program. But now with this behind us, we can accelerate and move on, and we can talk about it in the -- on next calls, what will be our road map in terms of timing.

[Operator]

[Operator Instructions] There seems to be no further questions at this time. Apologies. We now have our next question coming from the line of [indiscernible] from [ AutoVHF Management ].

[Unknown Analyst]

I was just wondering, are there any other regulatory jurisdictions that are required besides HSR and the French?

[Georges Karam, executive]

Just -- yes, indeed, it's just only the French, there is nothing more.

[Unknown Analyst]

It's just the French, so you don't need HSR? I had understood from the previous question that, that was required.

[Georges Karam, executive]

Honestly, Debray is not with me. I need to check this. But the most important one is the FDI regulatory in French.

[Operator]

And there seems to be no further questions at this time. I'd now like to turn the call back over to Dr. Karam for any final closing remarks.

[Georges Karam, executive]

So thank you again for joining the call today, everybody. Following this call, we'll be focused, obviously, on internal communications and discussions with our customers and suppliers. Then we will make ourselves available to connect with investors.

Please get in touch with Kim Rogers, our IR consultant to schedule a call. Kim's contact information is at the bottom of today's press release. Thank you very much. Operator, we can close the call.

[Operator]

Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes your conference call for today. We thank you for participating and ask that you please disconnect your lines. Have a lovely day.