• Total Revenue: Increased 31% year-over-year to $18.9 million.
• Organic Revenue Growth: 5% increase.
• Software Revenue: Grew 41%, representing 57% of total revenue.
• Services Revenue: Increased 19%, representing 43% of total revenue.
• Adjusted Diluted EPS: $0.17.
• Adjusted EBITDA: $4.5 million, 24% of revenue.
• Gross Margin: Total gross margin was 54%; Software gross margin was 75%; Services gross margin was 26%.
• Net Income: $0.2 million, 1% of revenue.
• Cash and Investments: $18.2 million, with no debt.
• Backlog: Ended the quarter with $17.3 million, up 22% sequentially.
• Software Customer Renewal Rate: 95% based on fees, 83% based on accounts.

• Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with SLP.

Release Date: January 07, 2025

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

Positive Points

• Total revenue increased by 31% year-over-year, with a 5% organic growth, indicating strong overall performance.
• Software revenue grew by 41%, with significant contributions from the Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics (CPP) and Quantitative Systems Pharmacology (QSP) business units.
• The company added 12 new customers and achieved 9 customer upsells, showcasing successful client engagement and expansion.
• The integration of the Adaptive Learning and Insights (ALI) and Medical Communications (MC) business units is progressing well and is in line with expectations.
• The company ended the quarter with a strong backlog of $17.3 million, up 22% sequentially, indicating robust future demand for services.

Negative Points

• The macro environment remains challenging with funding and cost constraints affecting the pharma and biotech sectors.
• Services revenue declined by 9% on an organic basis, impacted by client-driven data delays that postponed project ramp-ups.
• Gross margins decreased compared to the prior year, with Software gross margin dropping from 87% to 75% and Services gross margin from 36% to 26%.
• Net income for the quarter was significantly lower at $0.2 million compared to $1.9 million last year, reflecting a decrease in profitability.
• The company faces ongoing challenges with project delays and budget constraints, which could impact future revenue realization.

Q & A Highlights

Q: The Software revenue growth was impressive at 41% year-over-year, with 18% organic growth. What drove this significant rebound? A: Shawn O'Connor, CEO: The growth was driven by strong performance across our platforms, particularly in the CPP and Monolix platforms. We saw significant uptake and expansion in existing licenses, including a major pharma client committing to PK Analytics. Additionally, our QSP platform saw significant license activity in two therapeutic areas, indicating strong client commitment and potential for further expansion.

Q: Can you provide insights on pricing trends for your Software products? A: Shawn O'Connor, CEO: We typically see mid-single-digit price increases, and this year is consistent with that trend. Software is a leading indicator of our business health, given its recurring revenue and profitability margins.

Q: What impact did the major pharma commitment have on the quarter's results? Was it anticipated? A: Shawn O'Connor, CEO: The commitment from a large pharma client to PK Analytics was anticipated and resulted from extensive business development efforts. It was not a surprise but rather a culmination of ongoing work to secure full commitment from the client.

Q: How are the temporary postponements in Services affecting the rest of the year? A: Shawn O'Connor, CEO: The postponements were due to client budget constraints at the end of their fiscal year. However, our bookings were strong, and we expect these projects to ramp up in the second quarter and throughout the year, aligning with client budget cycles.

Q: Can you elaborate on the discussions with large pharma companies regarding their 2025 budgets? A: Shawn O'Connor, CEO: Discussions were promising, with clients showing strong commitment to expanding modeling and simulation in their programs. While some commitments have been made, much of the planning is for 2025, and we remain cautiously optimistic about increased spending and activity levels.

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