OPRX OptimizeRx Corporation

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives, and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.   These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believes,” “project,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “intends,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions.  We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe-harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are including this statement for purposes of complying with those safe-harbor provisions.  Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Our ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.  Factors which could have a material adverse effect on our operations and future prospects on a consolidated basis include, but are not limited to: changes in economic conditions, legislative/regulatory changes, availability of capital, interest rates, competition, and generally accepted accounting principles. These risks and uncertainties should also be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.  We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.  Further information concerning our business, including additional factors that could materially affect our financial results, is included herein and in our other filings with the SEC.

Overview

COVID-19

The full extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, operations and financial results will depend on numerous evolving factors that we may not be able to accurately predict at the present time. In an effort to contain COVID-19 or slow its spread, governments around the world have enacted various measures, including orders to close all businesses not deemed “essential,” isolate residents to their homes or places of residence, and practice social distancing when engaging in essential activities. We anticipate that these actions and the global health crisis caused by COVID-19 will negatively impact business activity across the globe. While we have not observed any noticeable impact on our revenue related to these conditions in the recently completed fiscal year or quarter, or through the date of this filing, we cannot estimate the impact COVID-19 will have in the future if business and consumer activity decelerates across the globe.

In March 2020, we enacted precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of our employees and partners. These measures include closing all offices, having employees work from home, and eliminating virtually all travel. While having employees work from home may have a negative impact on efficiency and may result in negligible increases in costs, it does not impact our ability to execute on our contracts or deliver our core services. Our offices remain closed and we continue to prohibit travel through the date of this filing and expect to continue operating in this fashion for the foreseeable future. Our customers provide essential services in the healthcare industry and we believe that our digital communication technology is more important than ever in this environment. However, our revenue often comes from advertising or marketing budgets, and in a sustained economic downturn, those categories of spending may be cut.

We will continue to actively monitor the situation and may take further actions that alter our business operations as may be required by federal, state, local or foreign authorities, or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers, partners and stockholders. It is not clear what the potential effects any such alterations or modifications may have on our business, including the effects on our customers, partners, or vendors, or on our financial results.

Company Highlights through April 2021

Results of Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021 and 2020

Revenues

Our total revenue reported for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was approximately $11.2 million, an increase of 48% over the approximately $7.6 million from the same period in 2020. The increased revenue resulted from increases in sales in all our messaging products.

We expect that our revenues will continue to grow for the balance of 2021 as a result of the new enterprise clients we secured in the first quarter of the year as well as those we expect to pick up for the remainder of the year. In addition, we believe that the foundations we laid in 2019 and 2020, including the noted shift to enterprise contracts, increased pharmaceutical brands, an increased distribution network, and strong growth in our messaging solutions will result in steady growth throughout the year.

Cost of Revenues

Our cost of revenue percentage, composed primarily of revenue share expense, increased as a percentage of revenues, from approximately 43% in the quarter ended March 31, 2020 to approximately 45% for the quarter ended March 31, 2021. This increase was a result of solution mix, both as it relates to solutions and the partners through which the messages are delivered. We expect our cost of revenues to decrease for future quarters as revenues from new solutions with higher margins increase as a percentage of our revenue.

Gross Margin

Our gross margin declined from 57% in the quarter ended March 31, 2020 to 55% in the quarter ended March 31, 2021. As discussed under cost of revenues above, this is a result of solution mix. Our gross margin for the entire calendar year of 2020 was 56% and our target for the full year of 2021 is 58%. We expect our gross margin to improve on a quarter over quarter basis for the balance of the year as we launch new solutions that have higher margins.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses increased from approximately $6.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to approximately $6.8 million for the same period in 2021, an increase of approximately 2.5%. Overall, this increase results from our efforts to expand our product line and build out our organization to establish a strong base for current and future growth. Our expenses increased at a substantially lower rate than our revenues as a result of the operating leverage of our model. The detail of expenditures by major category is reflected in the table below. 

The increase in operating expenses related to salaries, wages, and benefits and other human resource related costs is due to the expansion of our team to support additional growth. This increase is partly offset by the decrease in contractors and consultants, as we have brought functions in house that were previously performed by outsiders.

We expect salaries, wages, and benefits to increase on a quarter over quarter basis for the balance of the year due to the full impact of new hires during the first quarter as well as new hires in the pipeline.

The decreased stock-based compensation results from the lengthening of vesting periods for new grants. The majority of new grants now vest over three years or longer, as opposed to 1 year in previous years.

Travel expense is down significantly as a result of travel restrictions due to the pandemic. We expect travel expense to increase significantly starting in the third quarter of the year due to expected relaxed travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic as increasing percentages of the population are vaccinated.

Professional fees decreased in 2021 primarily as a result of our change in auditors, as well as the change in SEC rules that eliminated the need for a third-party opinion on our internal controls.

Investor relations expense increased due to the expansion of our communication efforts to reach retail investors and expand our shareholder base.

Technology infrastructure costs increased due to continued investment in our operating systems to facilitate new products as well as the implementation of additional software products to increase efficiency and information dissemination.

Data costs increased as we have purchased more data, primarily to aid in our selling effort and allow customers to target their messages more appropriately, thereby increasing our ability to charge premium prices for more highly targeted messages.

Integration and exclusivity costs represent payments to partners for access and/or exclusivity and increased because of new agreements signed after the first quarter of 2020. These payments are usually made in lump sums and expensed over the term of the contracts. These expenses are an important part of our ability to expand our network.

Our office, facility and other expense increased primarily because of increased activity. The largest single increase related to hiring expenses associated with expanding our team, both for new additions in the first quarter, as well as new hires scheduled for the second quarter including recruiter fees in some instances. Other expenses related to higher short-term costs from employees working remotely, rather than in office settings, as well as hiring cost related to new team members.

All other variances in the table above are the result of normal fluctuations in activity.

We expect our overall operating expenses to increase from the first quarter of 2021 level as we further implement our business plan and expand our operations to grow the business in a very dynamic and active marketplace. However, we have established a strong team as a base to support growth and we are seeing the results of the investment in our team last year in our strong revenue growth this year. We do not expect human resource costs to increase as quickly as revenues, however we do expect to continue to add people to accelerate our growth and invest in future growth.

Net Loss

We had a net loss of approximately $600,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2021, as compared to a net loss of approximately $2.2 million during the same period in 2020. The reasons and specific components associated with the change are discussed above. Overall, the decreased loss resulted from an increased margin generated by our higher revenues, partially offset by the increased operating expenses.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of March 31, 2021, we had total current assets of approximately $100 million, compared with current liabilities of approximately $5 million, resulting in working capital of approximately $95 million and a current ratio of approximately 19 to 1. This represents an increase from our working capital of approximately $23 million and current ratio of 3 to 1 at December 31, 2020.

Our operating activities provided approximately $1.7 in cash flow during the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared with cash used of approximately $3.7 million in the same period in 2020. The cash provided in the 2021 period was the result of our net loss increased by noncash expenses, as well as working capital generated by the collection of receivables. The cash used in the 2020 period was primarily the result of increased investment in working capital; in particular, we made a $2.0 million prepayment to a partner that was expensed over the balance of the year.

We used insignificant amounts in investing activities in both the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. These investments related to purchases of equipment as well as investments related to the expansion of our network capabilities in our patient engagement solution. 

Our financing activities provided $70 million in the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared with cash provided of approximately $112,000 in the same period in 2020. We raised $70.7 million in a public offering of our common stock as well as generated $1.1 million from the issuance of shares related to the exercise of stock options. These were partially offset by the payment of $1.6 in earnout payments from a previous acquisition. We have no remaining earnout payments due in the future. We had proceeds from financing activities of approximately $112,000 related to the exercise of stock options during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

We do not anticipate the need to raise additional capital in the short or long term for operating purposes or to fund our growth plans. We are focused on growing our revenue, channel and partner network. However, as a company in a market that is active with merger and acquisition activity, we may have opportunities, such as for acquisitions or strategic partner relationships, which may require additional capital. We will assess these opportunities as they arise with the view of maximizing shareholder value.

Critical Accounting Policies

In December 2001, the SEC requested that all registrants list their most “critical accounting polices” in the Management Discussion and Analysis. The SEC indicated that a “critical accounting policy” is one which is both important to the portrayal of a company’s financial condition and results, and requires management’s most difficult, subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. Our accounting policies are discussed in the footnotes to our financial statements included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020; however, we consider our critical accounting policies to be those related to revenue recognition, calculation of revenue share expense (cost of revenues), stock-based compensation, capitalization and related amortization of intangible assets and impairment of assets.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. ASU 2019-12 is intended to improve consistent application and simplify the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and clarifies and amends existing guidance. ASU 2019-12 was effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 12, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

 Off Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of March 31, 2021, there were no off-balance sheet arrangements.