10-QPeriod: Q1 FY2010

AXON ENTERPRISE, INC. Quarterly Report for Q1 Ended Mar 31, 2010

Filed May 10, 2010For Securities:AXON

Summary

TASER International, Inc. reported a net loss of $0.49 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010, a slight increase from the $0.47 million loss in the same period of 2009. Revenue also saw a marginal decline of 3.1% to $23.8 million. The company experienced a significant cash burn from operations, with $6.7 million used in the quarter compared to $10.5 million generated in the prior year's quarter, largely due to unfavorable changes in working capital, including an increase in inventory and a reduction in accounts payable. Despite the operational challenges, the company highlighted its strategic investments in new product development, including capitalized software development costs for EVIDENCE.com and the Protector Platform. The balance sheet shows a decrease in cash and cash equivalents to $37.4 million from $45.5 million at the end of 2009, while total assets decreased slightly to $135.9 million. The company maintains a strong liquidity position with $37.4 million in cash and an undrawn $10 million line of credit, and expects to renew this line of credit upon its maturity.

Key Highlights

  • 1Net loss for Q1 2010 was $0.49 million, a slight increase from $0.47 million in Q1 2009.
  • 2Net sales decreased by 3.1% to $23.8 million in Q1 2010 compared to $24.6 million in Q1 2009, primarily due to a reduction in international orders.
  • 3Cash used in operating activities significantly increased to $6.7 million in Q1 2010 from cash provided by operating activities of $10.5 million in Q1 2009, largely due to working capital changes.
  • 4The company is actively investing in new product development, with significant capitalized software development costs for EVIDENCE.com and the Protector Platform.
  • 5Cash and cash equivalents decreased to $37.4 million at March 31, 2010, from $45.5 million at December 31, 2009.
  • 6The company has an undrawn $10 million line of credit and expects to renew it upon maturity.
  • 7Outstanding litigation remains a significant factor, with 44 lawsuits alleging wrongful death or personal injury related to TASER device use.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the first quarter ended March 31, 2010, TASER International reported a net loss of $492,605 on net sales of $23,843,901. This compares to a net loss of $467,759 on net sales of $24,604,780 for the same period in 2009. Revenue decreased by approximately 3% year-over-year.

The company used $6,665,927 in net cash from operating activities during the first quarter of 2010, a significant increase compared to the $10,526,706 provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2009. This increased cash burn was largely driven by unfavorable changes in working capital, including an increase in inventory and a reduction in accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

TASER International is making strategic investments in future growth areas, particularly in technology solutions for law enforcement. This includes capitalizing software development costs for their EVIDENCE.com platform and the new Protector Platform. The company is also developing new products such as XREP, X3, and Shockwave, which contributed $1.3 million in sales in the first quarter of 2010.

The company faces significant ongoing litigation, with 44 lawsuits alleging wrongful death or personal injury related to the use of TASER devices. While the company is vigorously defending these cases and does not expect them to materially affect its financial condition, the outcomes are inherently uncertain. There are also other ongoing legal matters related to patent disputes and former employee actions.