Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning. Welcome to the video conference of results of the Sequoia Logística with reference to the results for the third quarter of 2023, fourth quarter of 2023. We have with us Armando Marchesan Neto, CEO; Ian Andrade , CFO and Director of Investor Relations; and Bruno Henrique, COO; and Guilherme Juliani, CEO of Move3. We inform that this presentation is being recorded and translated simultaneously. The translation is available clicking on the interpretation button. For those who want to hear the conference in English, the option to silence original audio, mute original audio during the presentation of the company. All participants will be with their microphones turned off. And after that, we will start the session of questions and answers. To ask questions, please click on the Q&A icon. Type your name and the name of your company.
Once you have been called, you will see a solicitation to turn on your microphone, and you should activate it to make questions. We mentioned that any questions that may be made during this conference are relative to the perspectives of business of Sequoia, operational goals, and financial goals, which constitute projections of the management of the company and which may or may not happen. Investors should use political factors, macroeconomic factors, and other operational factors that could affect the operation of the company , the effects of the results of the company, which may differ materially from those expressed in this call. To open this conference for the fourth quarter of 2023, I pass the microphone to Armando Marchesan Neto. Mr. Marchesan Neto, please go ahead.
Good morning. Good morning to everyone. We announce today the results reference to the fourth quarter of 2023.
On page 4, if you're following the presentation, on page 4, we bring the principal highlights of the quarter. As we published on March 28th, we signed the closing of an operation with Move3, which is a strategic step in our important step of transforming the company and amplifying our operational capacity. It brings important synergies, cost reductions, and expenses, and also brings a potential annual revenue of approximately BRL 1.6 billion concerning the results, the pro forma results for the year of 2023. The second highlight is the conclusion of the restructuring of our debt, which our CFO, Ian, will give more detail regarding that in sequence as we're following. In general lines, we finished the fourth emission of convertible debentures, which were renegotiated within the lengthening of the unpaid balance in December of 2023.
We just signed an overall agreement with the principal bank creditors of the company with the objective of restructuring our debts and convertible instruments during the additional efforts for the reduction of costs. SG&A have reached annualized BRL 233 million. This reduction is also an important step and reflects our search for efficiency and optimization of resources, of all the company's resources. Finally, I would like to highlight that even during this restructuring and reorganization, we have had the stability of revenue in comparison with the previous quarter, the third quarter of 2023, and during a period of restructuring during the last year. Now I'm going to pass it over to slide 5, where Ian Andrade , CFO, will present the financial restructuring and the principal highlights. Thank you, Ian. Please go ahead.
Thank you, Armando. Good morning, everyone.
In this section of the presentation, we'll talk about several details about the restructuring of the company, which is made up of two different things. First, the restructuring of the debt, and secondly, the reduction of fixed costs and expenses in the administrative area. Going to slide 6, talking about the restructuring of our debt, our restructuring was begun in the third quarter of 2023 and was finished in the fourth quarter of 2023. In August of 2023, we had a position of debt, financial debt, of approximately BRL 700 million reais divided into two major groups: debentures, the people who held their third emission of debt debentures in the value of BRL 300 million, and banks who had approximately BRL 400 million reais with various financial instruments, and the majority secured by receivables of the company. With the restructuring of this debt was based on the company and its financial creditors.
It was divided into 4 steps. The first, the renegotiation of the third issue of debentures, in which, in a friendly way, there was more than 90% of debentures joined. We redid the third emission, altering its terms substantially. The payment was put forward for a bullet payment in 2029. It was a lengthening of a total period of nonpayment of interest, grace period of interest for 3 years. It was also a deliberation of the obligation of construction of guarantees and other terms. We renegotiated the third issuance. All those debentures went to the migrated to the fourth issuance of debentures, an instrument which is convertible into debentures which are obligatory. 78.7% of these 78% of the simple debt venture holders moved into this equity, reaching 80% of approximately of conversion into equity.
In the same structure, the third and fourth issues, the fourth issuance of debentures. Why? Because the fourth issue of debentures, which is made in October, had besides the exchange of debt, also had a series of cash where investors could subscribe to these convertible instruments and in cash, which made it possible to inject BRL 100 million in cash to the company into the company at that time. And beyond the cash management being improved by these convertible debentures, and there were several new lines of credit for working capital. We looked at all of the existing debentures, and we converted all of the third into the fourth issue, had the injection of new capital into the company.
And the fourth step, which is the step which exclusively for the banks, in December, we signed an agreement with the bank creditors, which made results very similar to those of the debentures. Something about 80% of the creditors converted their debt into equity and lengthened their debt with three years of grace period, five years of principal grace period. And the banks are no longer having a bullet in 2029, but it will be amortized between 2029 and 2031. Five years of grace on the principal and three more years to pay the principal in small payments. The next slide, slide 7. We saw and we see graphically the results of our debt, the debentures . As I mentioned, the balance of BRL 300 million reais after the conversion is now stabilized at BRL 65 million reais, which is about 75% of conversion. And the banks, 78% converted.
It went from BRL 410 million to BRL 90 million. Both balances will remain in a stretched-out period with payment of interest only after 2029. The third emission, the interest was a debenture that had CDI plus 65. Today, it's CDI with no spread. In the case of the bank debt, it was a liberation of guarantees, debts that had guarantees of receivables and other assets of the company. There was this use of guarantees. They were talking about CDI plus 2 since it's a longer period of time than the debentures that were lengthened also. Going to the next slide, slide 8. This shows we demonstrate the operation of the debt and our balance in the fourth quarter.
In an objective way, we have here graphically the picture that after the conversion of the banks, we will have a rate of leverage of 0.4 times PL. Why do we say pro forma? Because the agreement, which was signed in December, but the implementation of the conversion is happening now in the first quarter of 2024, about the sixth issue of convertible debentures , which is aimed at our balance over the next quarters in the fourth quarter. So we're looking at this in a pro forma way at that time, which in no way makes it very clear, has its balance very clearly well-structured and manageable. We have a static balance. And looking at the future with the flow of this debt, which will be very greatly lengthened.
Looking at the next slide, slide 9, we talk about the second part of our front, the second work front, in expenses, in administrative and general expenses. We are reducing these costs in a way that is totally integrated and in every area of the company. We're following a process of not just cutting expenses in the financial area, but in all of the company in a form that is dynamic and assertive. As far as the operation on fixed costs, it's important to reiterate that this is not done. There is still lots to do. However, I would say that 80% is done. And of what has been done, we've reached already 58% of the fixed operating costs in which the principal reductions are one, in the building costs and DCs on operational basis on the equipment area, which is an important matter in our costs.
We reduced the proportion of rented equipment. We substituted mechanisms and risk management to limit the scope of these questions. We reduced our headcount indirectly, indirect headcount as well. Going to the next slide, slide 10, we reached a reduction of 63% in SG&A expenses, systems, people, contracts, suppliers, third parties. We closed our CSC in Americana and also our base here in Alphaville. Together, looking at all this work, all these fronts and the reduction of costs, we have reached an annualized rate of BRL 76 million in savings, BRL 76 million in fixed and SG&A expenses. We think it's important to mention that structuring work on this debt and the cost of expenses were conducted intensively and by the administration of the company without the use of any outside consultants.
Since the administration and the directors have also participated in this, now I'm going to pass it along to talk about our future in Sequoia Move3.
Thank you, Ian. Congratulations. Good morning. On slide 12, we would like to present a little bit more of the structure of our new group, Move3. The company was founded in 1993 with the logistics and has become the leader in the banking area. Since 2011, we expanded our ecosystem offering to its clients principally last-mile delivery, which is the final delivery of transports of e-commerce with urgent deliveries on the same day deliveries. And then going forward, we started to include in the group several other brands of ours such as Levo and through several M&As that we have done. The operation Move3 will bring a great amount of complementarity to Sequoia and its clients and vice versa.
Move3 has a very large network of 500 franchisees, a little bit more than 500 franchisees, and nice distribution centers which reach more than 5,000 municipalities in our country. To give you a little more color on slide 13 about our synergies and everything that we have to do going forward, I'm going to pass it over to Bruno. Thank you, Guilherme. Good morning, everyone. The principal characteristic of this section is a complementarity. The synergies, the most relevant synergies that we've mapped out are with relation to the geographic complementarity of these logistics assets. We have a relevant interest. We have leaders in our local markets, and we'll bring important levers of efficiency. Beyond that, we have great synergies in costs and expenses which will permit the restructuring and more efficient restructuring and offering services of higher quality.
We also believe that there'll be an annualized effect on an EBITDA of BRL 60 million-BRL 80 million from these synergies. On slide 14, we present the synergies, the business synergies between the companies and the principal levers for growth. While the business units of packages, field services, logistics will be complementary, we're going to capture important operational synergies incorporating all of the technology and innovations utilized in Move3 in these segments, reinforcing our commitment to offer better quality services to our clients and partners. We're going to continue focusing on segments in which we already have a good level of profitability such as express delivery, FTL, full truckload, and dedicated operations. Beyond that, we've added to our portfolio the banking logistics which is where Move3 is a reference, leveraging our growth.
Beyond this, we go to the LogTech arm, which is Levo, which is the platform for quick deliveries, same-day deliveries. The two companies will add even more innovation to the operation, and we'll combine the technology of each one. This will bring relevant competitive advantages for the next years. On slide 15, I'm going to pass it back to Ian to talk about the results of the fourth quarter of 2023. Thank you, Bruno. It was a very important movement in the company validating what we're doing here. With relation to the fourth quarter results, I would like to mention that this will be the last quarter in which the company will present standalone results since we closed this deal on the first quarter.
Starting with the next quarter, we'll present numbers on the balance results and with Move3 included in our numbers in an integrated way since it's now that the deal is formally closed. But it's important to mention that the performance and the results in the fourth quarter. On slide 16, we have here a little bit more detail talking to Armando within even talking about this context of structuring, financial, operational negotiation of M&As, fusions, and so we'll maintain everything stabilized in the third and fourth quarters with the highlight of growth in the business models which have the biggest contribution margin which are express and middle mile. Logistics and field services are stable, and there was a slight reduction in packages and first mile as Bruno mentioned previously. These business things have a lot of synergies and looking at the market in the fusion of Move3 and Sequoia.
On slide 17, we look at the gross profit and adjusted gross profit. Here, we separated what is recurring and what is non-recurring. Looking at the adjusted, expurgating these effects of this, we see an improvement in EBITDA and we see in our DREs and our financial statements that the reduction of expense of the company was integrated into the numbers of the company. In gross profit, we see BRL 33 million in the first quarter, and in the fourth quarter, BRL -16.8. This negative number is not something positive to point out, but we have an improvement of BRL 17 million, of BRL 7 million from one quarter to the next. In EBITDA, we had the same effect, which is continuous negative, but the Adjusted EBITDA of BRL -45 million in the fourth quarter, an improvement of BRL 3.9 million in Adjusted EBITDA.
Why is it important to look at these numbers in an adjusted way, expurgating the e-commerce? Because it's normal, and it's a direct consequence of two variables, the seriousness and the transparency of the administration of the company, and also the direct impact of the restructuring on the company. Since these are not recurring, there are two different types. First of all, the first block, the recurring effects which are coming from the revision of the administration. What did this translate into a concrete way into our financial statements and the expectation and our legal questions? The principal consequence was not the labor costs but the tax effects, which brings to us a reflection of an environment which is harder under the federal income tax people and the auditors nationally and locally.
There was also an increase in excessive work, but most of this is legal and a PDD which is a non-payment of receivables, which is basically due to the macroeconomic situation in Brazil, companies that are fragile and something that we've done in the third quarter of 2023. The second group of origins for these non-recurring impacts on our results come from direct impacts of the restructuring, the costs, non-recurring expenses such as rescissions with people, closing contracts, agreements with suppliers, and another line as we have restructured not only our financial debts but also renegotiated all of our receivables and M&As which were indicated from last year. And this renegotiation process of these payments to minimize the cash effect on the company and do other types of negotiations such as assets, stock, and other methods of payment, this also generated a need to write down several of our assets.
We had things to pay, and we had a lot of indemnities to be paid for these companies. So we have to renegotiate these negative things and how they affect the company. Our principal objective is cash, the demobilization of non-core assets whether it be operational, trucks, equipment, things that we're not using, or including subsidiaries. We sold our participation in Lincros last year, the sale of assets which not always at market prices did not reach their full accounting value. So in a very objective way, the company in the fourth quarter has stabilized revenue. We captured several reductions in affecting our gross profit and the non-recurring effects. I would say we're expected but are highly predictable in light of what we've done, which is to revisit the expectations, restructure the company, and these non-recurring expenses in a very well-stabilized way. Onto the next slide, slide 18.
If in the fourth quarter, we saw all of the non-recurring expenses and increase in expenses and revenues here, the purpose of this slide, as I mentioned at the beginning of the session, this last quarter for Sequoia will report its numbers standalone, which is being included with Move3 being included in our financial statements. So this will give us some light for the market of how would the financial statements of Sequoia be in a pro forma way. Sequoia plus Move3 in the vision of 2023 with a historic vision. Move3 and Move3 had gross revenue of BRL 82 million, BRL 600 million, and net profit of BRL 1.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA under IFRS of BRL 62 million. Adding these numbers together, which we already dedicated to the company, all of the adjustments, we had a falloff in revenue from the beginning of the year.
Remembering that this operation, the financial operation, is no longer a restructuring that we mentioned at the beginning of the year, we have here this column of adjustments to effects, heavy freight and the transformation of the company, net revenue, a variable revenue for the heavy freight and not considering the variable costs of this revenue of BRL 600 million. But the numbers which we've shown at the beginning of the presentation analyzed the reduction of costs of building costs, indirect fixed costs, and SG&A costs, the company will return in its adjusted numbers BRL 62 million in its EBITDA.
So if we add it all together, this adjusted plus the adjustments analyzed and the restructuring, the plus performance, extremely healthy performance and positive of Move3, we have a financial statement pro forma of a company that's selling BRL 1.6 million reais, BRL 1.4 billion in net revenue, profit of 266, and a margin of 19% EBITDA of BRL 149 million reais with an EBITDA margin of 11%. This is extremely healthy and reflects all of our efforts for growth in a healthy way and on a consistent basis. New clients, new business lines, new clients, new teams. And with that, and I'm going to pass it over to Armando for any final comments.
Thank you, Ian. We want to now for questions, probable questions and answers. We want to wrap up a synthesis, a summary.
We concluded the reorganization process of the company, positioning Sequoia as one of the leaders in volume and sales with this fusion with Move3, which brings beyond volume, it brings expertise, automation, and a series of other opportunities and complementarity in business as Bruno and Guilherme have mentioned. The most relevant part would be to establish a mobility for the next few years. In a pro forma way, we can say that we have a midst of remembering that the lengthening of our debt, we have a debt that will be good for the next few years. Our objective right now at the beginning of this integration was to capture these synergies of costs over the years and finally looking at these benefits of our services to update our client base.
In that way, I would like to thank you all for your participation in our call, in our results call, and I want to open up now for any questions you might have. Thank you very much.
Thank you. We will now begin the question and answer session. Remembering that to make questions, click on the Q&A icon, type your name and your company. Once you have been called, you will appear on the screen, and then you will have an opportunity to make your question. Now, please wait while we collect our questions. Our first question comes from Inácio, an investor. Bruno, can you give an example of synergies with Move3? What is the period of time for the implementation of these synergies? Inácio, thank you for the question. Of course.
Imagine that the two companies have footprints in similar areas in the center west and the Tocantins with operations and structures which are very similar. It's very natural the unification of these DCs, the unification of their trucks that make these routes and which are not today are at their full capacity. And this naturally will bring a reduction of costs, unit costs, and other important synergies mapping out systems of contracts, facilities contracts, risk management, insurance contracts. These are things that we have premapped, and naturally, we're going to take a deep dive into the possibilities that we have for the next few months. Within our expectation, this should happen between 6-12 months starting in April. Our next question comes from Felipe from BTG Pactual. In the news published in Exame, we spoke about beginning with new. Can you give us details? This already working.
Sequoia can use these equipments, can use this equipment or not?
Thank you. Thank you for the question. I think this goes to the idea of technology which is very much rooted in the Move3 group. This software was purchased some time ago. It was late some of the chip crisis that existed around the world. However, the implementation is now set up for May, and it will more than double the capacity, the productive capacity of the Move3 group. And that's where you get the complementarity with Sequoia offering these services to all of their clients. It's a huge investment, BRL 70 million that we made, reminding us that it should be ready now in the end of May, in the beginning of May, going into operation with several contracts already being conversed with Sequoia and other clients, between Sequoia and other clients.
Reminding you to make questions, please type your name and company in the Q&A tab. We're now collecting more questions. Our next question comes from Eduardo Santos. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. In an interview published in Exame on the 18th of March, Mr. Marchesan informed that we've gained some important contracts which you are now beginning to implement with more velocity. I'd like to know from you what contracts you're referring to in this interview and if there are any contracts underway or any clients that will help to increase the revenue of the company in the current year. Eduardo, this is Bruno speaking.
Thank you for your question. Yes, we have been able to, due to the financial restructuring of the company, have more access to important clients. We have contracts which are very relevant under negotiation.
I can't open up which clients these are, but our expectation is that we'll be able to get back to a growth curve, especially in the verticals in which we have bet heavily within the companies such as the most profitable verticals and also together with the new opportunities of cross-selling within the portfolio of the two companies. So our expectation is very positive and has already been transformed into conversations which are very healthy and indicating a better future for our clients. The Q&A, please wait. Your name and your company. Please wait while we put together more questions. And that goes answer a few questions about the stock. There's a proposal for the next AGO, the next general assembly. Bernini and several other people have asked about this. If you could speak a little bit about that. Cesar Vega also asked. Zadi Antonio .
So several people, Gutemberg Bezerra , several investors on this call who made this question. So in a summary, to summarize, just to simplify, this is a regulatory requirement of the B3, and it affects in nothing the value of the company. And on the contrary, it facilitates the access of institutional investors who cannot buy the penny stocks. So there was aimed that bigger investment funds, institutional funds, and also it's a regulatory requirement. It's replaced on the agenda and will be putting up to a vote in the next general assembly, as we have mentioned. We've got the next questions. Next questions, please. If you could speak a little more about your strategy for the LogTech?
Thank you. Thank you. Okay, Daniel, thank you for your question. I'm going to ask Guilherme to help me with this.
It's Bruno speaking because we are certain that we're going to add a lot with all the technological and know-how that we have. So today, we have in the group three LogTechs, Frenet , which is a marketplace which gives you the access to the small and medium sellers to purchase their freight needs at a much cheaper rate, making their logistics at prices that are reasonable and competitive, and make these sales directly to the final consumer and the others who make it possible for the seller to leave his order at a point close to his residence or his store with tranquility and ease and at a price which is very competitive.
So more and more, we want to bring these LogTech to the small and medium sellers who need these solutions and who eventually do not have access to any other option such as the mail here in Brazil. So now we're going to talk about our other initiatives.
Thank you, Bruno. Thank you, Daniel, for the question. It brings to light something that shines in our eyes, which is the group of Frenet and Drops to add the operations of Levo. Today, Levo captures the deliverers from the moving mass many times to make their immediate deliveries of our clients.
And when you put together the technology and the availability that we see in the interior, but we don't access these clients that are there due to a question of marketing or any other motive, Frenet is able to do this in a way that is very efficient and technological, and PUDOs do this in a physical sense. And we, with the expertise that we have, are not connecting the transportation in these municipalities which are farther away. So this talks a lot with what Bruno mentioned, and the key word is complementariness, all of the companies and all of the levels of the company, helping them to all work together. The question-and-answer session is now closed. I'm going to pass it over to Armando for his final considerations. Mr. Marchesan , please go ahead.
I want to thank you all for your participation, for your questions, and we continue available through our Department of Relations with Investors.
Thank you all and have a great day. The video conference, our results of Sequoia, is now closed. In case of any team of investors through the email ir@sequoialogistica.com.br, we thank you all and thank you for and I wish you a very good day. Thank you very much.