Good afternoon. Welcome to Tigo Energy Incorporated's second quarter 2023 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. After the speaker's presentation, there will be a question and answer session. Joining us today from Tigo are Zvi Alon, CEO, and Bill Roeschlein, CFO. As a reminder, this call is being recorded.
Before we begin, Tigo management would like to remind everyone that some of the matters we'll discuss on this call, including our expected business outlook and anticipated costs and marketing trends, are forward-looking and as such, are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, those factors described in today's press release and discussed in the Risk Factors section of our definitive prospectus filed with the SEC on April 26, 2023, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement filed with the SEC on May 19th, 2023, and other reports we may file with the SEC from time to time. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected on this call. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date when made. During our call today, we will reference certain non-GAAP financial measures.
We include non-GAAP to GAAP reconciliations in our press release, furnished as an exhibit to our Form 8-K. The non-GAAP financial measures provided should not be considered as a substitute for or superior to the measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. Finally, I would like to remind everyone that this conference call is being recorded, and a recording will be made available for replay on Tigo's Investor Relations website at investors.tigoenergy.com. I would now like to turn the call over to Tigo CEO, Zvi Alon. Zvi?
Thank you. Welcome, everyone, and thank you for joining us this afternoon. To begin today's discussions, I will give some company background, followed by a review of our recent performance before turning the call over to our CFO, Bill Roeschlein. He will discuss our financial results for the quarter in more depth, as well as provide our outlook for the remainder of the year. After that, I will share some closing remarks before opening the call for questions. All right, let's get started. We are pleased to host our first earnings call with you following our successful de-SPAC in May of 2023. For those of you who may be new to the story, Tigo Energy is a global provider of intelligent solar energy storage solutions.
Founded in 2007, our mission is to deliver smart hardware and software solutions that enhance safety, increase energy yield, and lower operating costs of residential, commercial, and utility scale solar systems. As you know, there are significant macroeconomic trends that continue to drive the solar energy adoption globally, including the need to address climate change and energy independence. We have witnessed governments around the world respond by providing incentives to encourage such adoption. To date, the MLPE market, and specifically the market within the U.S., has been primarily served by a duopoly of companies utilizing either a microinverter or a closed system string inverter architecture. Installers and designers of solar systems projects, however, are increasingly interested in flexibility design solutions that meet their particular needs.
Tigo addresses that segment of the market, as evidenced by more than 1,600 different inverter types that we are certified to work with. Our superior MLPE design provides a number of significant benefits to the customer, including an energy efficient design that operates and is on an as-needed basis duty cycle, which optimizes the MPPT of solar string, compared to solutions requiring constant optimization and a high duty cycle. Our design is so efficient, in fact, that it is housed in a plastic casing instead of a metal one that uses heat sinks. Our MLPE solutions also provide customers with a high reliability product, with a very low failure rate. High reliability is driven by lower component counts, duty cycle, and design. Quick and easy installation. You literally clip the MLPE to the back of the panel.
Flexibility, we are certified to work with more than 1,600 inverters type in the marketplace today. Since the expiration of an exclusive marketing arrangement in mid-2019, Tigo has experienced significant growth in our MLPE business, specifically in the last 12 months. To put this into numbers, we grew more than 86% in 2022 compared to 2021, and in 2022, we shipped approximately 2.6 million MLPEs on 977 MW D.C. Meanwhile, in just Q2 of 2023, we shipped approximately 2.1 million MLPEs, or 765 MW D.C. That's 78% of what we did in all of 2022. In addition to our MLP products, we expanded our product footprint with our Energy Intelligence or EI solutions.
First introduced in the residential market in the U.S. in late 2021, and in Europe in late 2022. This solution combines a hybrid inverter, battery, and automatic transfer switch, configured in a DC-coupled architecture. The hybrid design allows for one inverter to be used for both panels and the battery, while the DC coupling increases round trip efficiency by reducing the number of DC to AC conversions needed in the system. Moreover, the system, including the battery, can be commissioned in about 10 minutes. This solution represents 4% of our revenue in 2022, and we are continuing to see an increasing market acceptance in 2023. In addition, we acquired a small software company in January of 2023, that provides customers with software solutions, which we call Predict+ , for energy generation and consumption forecasting.
This product line currently a small revenue stream. We expect it to grow for growth opportunities in the future. By many measures, Tigo has been growing the market while doing so profitably. With 140 patents and counting, we believe that our products already provide us with a substantial competitive advantage as we continue to grow. As evidenced by this, we announced earlier this quarter that GoodWe will be licensing certain of our rapid shutdown patents, joining APsystems and QC Solar as patent licensees. Moving to key financial highlights, our record quarter saw record results in multiple areas. Second quarter 2023 revenue, were a record $68.8 million.
Geographically, we saw EMEA grow 392% year-over-year, and 37% sequentially, while America grew 110% year-over-year and 59% sequentially. On both a year-over-year and sequential basis, we saw significant revenue growth from key markets such as Germany, Czech Republic, Netherlands, U.K., Spain, Australia, and other geographies. Our EI solution continues to grow and represents almost 8% of our overall sales in the quarter. We believe that EI solutions will comprise an increasing, increasing percentage of our revenue as we gain regulatory approval to offer the solution in additional geographies. Adjusted EBITDA for the second quarter of 2023 was a record $13.6 million, demonstrating the operating leverage in our business model. Turning to our demand outlook.
We recently started seeing some demand softening in the channel as the supply constraints defined in 2022 began to improve in 2023. We believe these supply constraints led to some, across the board, over ordering that the industry now is facing. However, end market demand remains strong, and we have seen a significant increase in installations of our products, which gives us confidence that the current market environment is temporarily, and that an overall growth strategy remains intact. Looking ahead, we expect that being a public company will enhance our land and expand strategy with the industry's largest customers and their approved vendor list. Geographically, we will continue to penetrate new markets, and product wise, our EI solutions have increased our addressable market and continue to gain market share.
In summary, we remain confident that the market is realizing the value of our technologies, open architecture, ease of installation, and powerful software position that can continue to outgrow the market. With that, I will turn the call over to Bill to discuss the second quarter financial results and the 2023 outlook in greater details. Bill?
Thank you, Zvi. Turning now to our financial results for the second quarter ended June 30th, 2023. Revenue for the second quarter of 2023 increased 290% to a record $68.8 million from $17.6 million in the prior year period. By geography, EMEA revenue was $55.1 million, or 80% of our total revenues. America's revenue was $11.1 million, or 16% of total revenues. Rest of world revenue was $2.6 million, or 4% of total revenues for the quarter. Gross profit in the second quarter of 2023 increased 368% to $25.9 million, or 37.6% of revenue, from $5.5 million or 31.4% of revenue in the comparable year ago period.
Our margins expanded by 620 basis points as a result of a combination of product cost reduction efforts, lower freight costs, and higher operating leverage as compared to the year-ago period. Total operating expenses increased 250% to $17.2 million in the second quarter, from $4.9 million in the prior year period. The second quarter results include $4.1 million of transaction costs related to our de-SPAC, with the remainder of the increase primarily due to higher headcount, particularly in sales and marketing, as well as public company costs. Operating profit for the quarter totaled $8.7 million, or 13% of revenue, compared to $610,000, or 3% of revenue, in the prior year comparable period. Other expenses net totaled $41.8 million in the quarter.
The majority of the expenses relate to our convertible notes accounting. As a result of the de-SPAC transaction, we are required to perform a non-cash mark-to-market on the conversion feature of the convertible note and separate the note and derivative liability on our balance sheet. The economic impact, however, remains unchanged. The $50 million note will either be retired at maturity or will convert into approximately 5.45 million shares, a figure that would be reflected in our fully diluted share count. For accounting purposes, however, there is a non-cash adjustment between the P&L and balance sheet that will net out to zero within the equity line upon settlement. Income tax benefit for the quarter was $10.9 million.
As a result of our transition to profitability in 2023, we released our reserve on the federal portion of deferred tax assets related to our net operating losses, or NOLs, in the second quarter that can be utilized towards future federal tax obligations. Net loss for the quarter totaled $22.2 million, compared to net income of $178,000 in the prior year period. adjusted EBITDA totaled $13.6 million, an improvement from an adjusted EBITDA of $750,000 in the prior year period. As a reminder, adjusted EBITDA represents operating profit as adjusted for depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, and M&A transaction expenses. Primary shares outstanding were 27.8 million and reflect the shares outstanding of the pre-merger SPAC and post-merger Tigo.
For forecasting purposes, we expect primary and fully diluted shares for the third quarter to be approximately $59 million and $74 million, respectively. Cash, cash equivalents, and short and long-term marketable securities totaled $62 million at June 30th, 2023. As a result of our de-SPAC, we received trust proceeds of $4.5 million and incurred a total of $8.4 million in transaction-related expenses, a portion of which was recorded in purchase accounting as contra equity and the remainder expensed to our P&L. Accounts receivable net increased this quarter to $45.8 million, compared to $32.4 million last quarter, representing 61 days outstanding, compared to 59 days in the prior quarter.
Inventories net increased this quarter to $50.6 million, compared to $36.6 million last quarter, representing 108 days outstanding, compared to 106 days in the prior quarter. During the quarter, we engaged a new auditor and expect to file our quarterly report on Form 10-Q by Friday. Before I turn the call back over to Zvi, I'll now take a few minutes to provide our financial outlook for the 2023 third quarter. As a reminder, Tigo provides quarterly guidance for revenue as well as adjusted EBITDA, as we believe that these metrics are key indicators for the overall performance of our business. As Zvi mentioned, as other market participants have also noted, excess inventories in the channel are expected to be a headwind in the third quarter.
Accordingly, the following projections reflect our third quarter expectations in light of current channel demand. We expect revenue in the third quarter, ending September 30, 2023, to range between $41 million and $45 million, a decline from our Q2 2023 performance and reflective of what we view as a temporary oversupply of channel inventory. We also note, however, that this range does represent a quarterly increase of 80%-97% revenue growth over the $22.8 million we recorded in Q3 of 2022, and a quarterly increase of 33%-46% revenue growth compared to the $30.9 million of revenues we recorded in Q4 of 2022. We also expect adjusted EBITDA to range between $1 million and $3 million, representing an increase of 138%-614% compared to the prior year comparable period.
That completes my summary, and I'd like to now turn the call back over to Zvi for final remarks. Zvi?
Thanks, Bill. Overall, we are encouraged by our financial results, market position, and product solution, that despite the temporary overhang of inventory oversupply in the channel. solar will still demonstrate significant growth in 2023. With that, operator, please open the call for Q&A.
Thank you. At this time, we'll open the line for questions from the company's publishing analysts. The company requests that each participant limit their comments to one question and one follow-up. To ask a question, please press star one one on your telephone keypad and wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star one one again. Please stand by while we compile the Q&A roster. Our first question comes from the line of Phil Shen of ROTH MKM. Please go ahead.
Hey, guys. Thanks for taking my questions. Congrats on your first quarter, your strong Q2 results, and looking forward to having you out there in the public, more. You talked about this temporary inventory buildup in Europe. Was wondering if you could help us understand how temporary do you expect this to be? Do you expect a reacceleration in Q4, or do you think it might take a little bit longer? Can you also help us understand where the inventory buildup is? My understanding is it's in the single-phase inverter markets, and so I was wondering if you could share with us the mix of your business in Europe, that is, single-phase versus three-phase? Thanks.
Thank you very much, Phil. The majority of the buildup, as you've indicated, is in Europe. In our case, since we both have, we, we actually have the three different products, MLP, single-phase, and three-phase products. We, we see in general, the majority, I would say, in terms of dollars, in the MLPE. As I mentioned before, we see a depletion by increased number of installations, quite a bit actually. The expectation we have right now based on the numbers, is we are going to see a relief probably sometime in Q4, well before year-end. That's what we see right now.
Great. What gives you that confidence that the relief is in Q4?
We see the number of installations which are going in versus how much inventory and backlog which we have. The numbers are just such that we can actually feel confident that within three months it will become much more normal. To be more conservative, we are indicating it to year-end.
Okay, got it. Thank you for that color. Then when you think about, well, well, having said that, I know you haven't provided guidance for Q4, but from a sequential basis relative to Q3, my guess is we could see numbers in revenues that are incrementally higher. Do you think they could be as high as they are in Q2, or do you think they're somewhere between kind of Q3 levels and Q4? Thanks.
Phil, we obviously did not provide guidance for Q4. We did give a bit color as to our expectation to continue to see a major growth in 2023, definitely in comparison to 2022. From that perspective, we think it will be more on, on, a positive increase moving forward as, as we see it right now, but we did not provide any numbers.
Got it. Okay. Appreciate that. So, one last one here, as it relates to the U.S. market. You know, I think this was a market that had a lot of, you know, promise, but we have seen the challenges in this market, and we've seen some of your public peers have some challenge here. So I was wondering, you know, how should we think about the U.S. market for you guys? You know, is there some nice ramp-up of growth here to look forward to, or should we temper our expectations?
Then finally, you know, as you think through the EI mix, the Energy Intelligence mix of business, not just this year, but also next year, you know, should we expect a ramp-up there, or again, should we temper the expectations of the Energy Intelligence business, which would be your MLP inverter and battery? Thank you.
Thank you. Please stand by for our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Eric Stine with Craig-Hallum.
It's me. Hi, Bill. Hello? Operator, I'm not hearing anything.
I'm unable to as well. Give me a moment. Please stand by.
Hello?
Please stand by while we get the speakers back.
Okay.
Bill, do we have you?
Yes, we're back.
Perfect. Thank you. Go ahead.
Okay. Can you hear me? This is Eric. We can hear you. Can you hear us? Yeah, I can hear you now. Great. Well, maybe I was hoping you could just talk about the growth you're seeing. I mean, aside from the inventory, you know, issues in the channel right now, but just some of the growth that you're seeing with the rapid shutdown only device, you know, how that's kind of developed as a differentiator in the market. Then just curious, you know, what that pipeline looks like in terms of, in terms of potential licensees.
Thank you very much, Eric. We provided a couple of indications, and let me shed some more light on that. One is we see the number of installations which are happening both in Europe as well as in the US for MLP, as well as the EI solutions, and that is increasing tremendously. We're very confident on that side. On the MLP alone, and rapid shutdown, as you mentioned, we announced yesterday, the largest system globally that has 47,000 units in a single installation, for BELECTRIC EDF, utilizing our rapid shutdown technology. We have several like that, which is the same magnitude. We see an increase in demand for that, and, and that's actually happening globally.
There is much more adoption of rapid shutdown in Europe, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, well beyond the U.S., and we believe it's going to be going faster next year. We are very encouraged by that.
In terms of, I know you added GoodWe, but in terms of just potential licensees, I mean, I would think given that growth, but given your, you know, patent portfolio around that, that there would be great demand there. Just curious, kind of what you're seeing in response to what's happening in the market.
I, I will try and avoid talking about specific names, but I can tell you that we've seen an increase in activity in that area, on, on two fronts. Number one, licensees, that will be added to the roster, and number two, integration with PV module suppliers, as well. Those are the two areas where we see a very substantial increase, and position on the rapid shutdown is helping quite a bit.
Got it.
I would-
Maybe.
I would also.
Yep, go ahead.
One other differentiator that we are learning, which, we believe we hit on the spot, is that we invested heavily in addressing the commissioning problem that our competitors have, and we are averaging sub 10 minutes commissioning time, which is record in the industry, and that is helping us a lot. We have many repeat customers for the EI solutions.
Got it. Maybe I'll ask the question that, I think Phil had asked right before, the, the phone issues. You know, just when you think about the Tigo Energy Essentials mix, I know you gave 8% in the quarter, and there's some uncertainty given, you know, just what's happening in the channel. I mean, what, what, what kind of percentage, if you're willing to share, do you kind of think about as we get into, I guess, fourth quarter, but more importantly, you know, going forward beyond that, 2024 and 2025?
For, for, for next year, we do, and we pretty much shared it. We do see a major increase in the percentage from the total revenue, for the EI, for the storage solutions. I, I want to stop short from giving you a specific number, but I can tell you very significant increase next year.
Okay. I'll leave it at that. Thank you.
I mean, just as a highlight, we doubled, last year, 4% to 8% in just one quarter, and we believe it's going to continue to show very strong progression.
Got it. Thanks.
Most welcome.
Please stand by for our next question. Phil Shen of ROTH MKM, we would like to continue your previous question. Please go ahead.
Hi, thanks for taking my follow-up here. I had a question about the U.S. market and was wondering if, you know, what your expectations are for your megawatt mix or revenue mix, you know, either for Q3 or for Q4, and if you can share, you know, what you think for 2024? You know, with the slowdown in the U.S. market, do you think less of your revenue might be or, or less of your product might be shipped to the U.S. going forward? Thanks.
Thanks, Phil. I can tell you that we are seeing very good momentum in our AI product growth in the U.S.. We have similar percentage growth in terms of installations here and in Europe. In addition, since we did go public, it became a bit easier for us to get to make progress on the AVL. I won't... I will stop short of naming any names right now, but we expect that that will be clear before the end of this quarter, and so we will see some substantial advancement as we move through the rest of the year, including in the U.S. resi market.
Great. Okay, one last one for me, and I'll pass it on. As it relates to your NPS score, Net Promoter Score, was wondering if you could share the latest, maybe, you know, a global score or even U.S. score as of, you know, maybe June or, or even if you have it as of, July or, or August? Appreciate any color on that.
We, we finished last quarter at 70, and we are putting some additional efforts to go even beyond that, to increase that number.
Great.
And-
That's a very good number.
Thank you so much. You were the guy two years ago who highlighted it. I just want to talk about the difference. Two years ago, we were at 46. Today, we're at 70.
That's a dramatic improvement. Congrats on, on that progress and, and, thank you. I'll pass it on.
Thanks.
Please stand by. To ask a question, please press star one. Excuse me, press star 11 on your telephone keypad and wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star 11 again. Please hold. I'll now turn the call over to Tigo management for further remarks.
Thanks again for joining us today. I especially want to thank our dedicated employees for their ongoing contribution, as well as our customers and partners for their continued hard work. I also want to thank our investors for their continued support. Operator?
Thank you for joining us today for Tigo's second quarter 2023 earnings conference call. You may now disconnect.