Mene Inc. Reports Financial Results for First Quarter 2021

Financial Results for Q1 2021

MAY.31.2021

https://mene.com/world-of-mene/investor-relations/financial-results-for-q1-2021

TORONTO – May 31, 2021 – Menē Inc. (TSX-V:MENE) (US:MENEF) (“Menē” or the “Company”), an online 24 karat jewelry brand, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021 (“Q1 2021”). All amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

Financial Highlights

• Record IFRS Quarterly Revenue of $7.2 million, a $2 million (40%) increase year-over-year (“YoY”). Non-IFRS Adjusted Revenue2 of $8.3 million, an increase of 48% YoY, also a new record for the Company.
• Record IFRS Gross Profit of $1.7 million, an increase of $0.7 million (72%) YoY.
• Operating Income of $0.2 million, an increase of $0.9 million (129%) YoY.
• Reduced operating expenses to 21% of revenue, compared to 33% in the same quarter last year.
• Reported first Quarterly Net Income and Total Comprehensive Income of $0.7 million and $0.9 million respectively, since the Company began selling its products to customers in January 2018.
• Sold 7,850 units of jewelry through 5,067 Customer Orders during the quarter, an increase of 18% and 22% respectively, YoY.
• Sold 79kg of gold and platinum jewelry during the quarter, an increase of 10 kg, or 15% YoY.
• Average Order Value of $1,742, an increase of 20% YoY.
• Inventory level of 258 Gold Equivalent Kilograms, an increase of 18% quarter-over-quarter (“QoQ”), as the Company stocks up for anticipated growth in sales during the year.
• Converted $5 million of note payable to equity to enhance working capital.
• At March 31, 2021, the Company had Tangible Common Equity4 of $16.5 million, including $3 million in cash and cash equivalents, $5.2 million in short-term investments, with a net working capital of $16 million.

Operational Highlights

• Introduced 13 new product designs during the quarter, including the Twisted Rope Chain, the Sun + Moon Pendant Set, the Ying + Yang Pendant Set and the Golden Egg.
• Launched EUR currency payments for European customers.
• Returning Customers attributed to 64% of total sales due to great customer satisfaction.
• Registered more than 22,500 independent customer reviews on mene.com/reviews.
• Featured in HOLA Magazine and Sotheby’s 76 Faubourg.

(1) The Company’s financial statements for fiscal year-ending 2020 and 2019 are audited by an external assurance firm.

(2) The Company adjusts its revenue by adding back the value of jewelry that was returned by customers, and discounts given to customers. These adjustments are made to assess the gross revenue before deducting these items from revenue per IFRS. See Non-IFRS Measures for a full reconciliation.

(3) The Company adjusts its total comprehensive loss by adjusting for Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit, and removing the impact of non-cash expenses, consisting of depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, accretion, revaluation of metal loan and translation gain or loss. See Non-IFRS Measures for a full reconciliation.

(4) Inventory balances in kilograms of gold are calculated by taking the total Canadian Dollar (CAD) inventory value at each quarter-end date and dividing the value by the CAD gold spot price per gram.

Debt Retirement

Subsequent to the year end, the Company entered into a debt retirement agreement with a private institutional lender. Pursuant to the debt retirement agreement, the Company issued an aggregate of 9,920,635 Class B Shares in settlement of $5,000,000 ($0.504 per Class B Share), and made a cash payment of $5,119,166.83 (including all accrued interest to the date of completion of the debt retirement), in consideration for the retirement of a total of $10,119,166.83 in principal and accrued liabilities owing to the lender. With this increase in shareholders equity, the Company is well positioned to deliver sustainable growth, without the need to raise further capital for the next few years.

Statement from Founder & CEO, Roy Sebag

In Q1 of Fiscal 2021, Menē achieved its most important milestone: profitability. Three years from launch to profitability is, in my view, the most critical validation of our business. Menē achieved profitability while growing its brand and minimizing dilution to its long-term shareholders. Our growth rates show no signs of slowing down and we continue to believe that 2021 and 2022 will be strong years for our business. Another important development this quarter has been the strengthening of our balance sheet and shareholder equity. All things being equal, our shareholder equity should begin to grow from here with each passing quarter of profitable activity. As regards to growth, we remain convinced that our top-line revenues have plenty of runway both due to the size and scale of the global jewelry industry but also because an increasing share of luxury consumption is moving online. Finally, it is intellectually rewarding to see the weight of metal Menē is distributing each quarter from the miner to the customer with great frequency. This capability is proving yet another core tenet of our business philosophy, the timeless nature and extraordinary utility of gold as an element of great wonder. It is my hope that the gold mining community will soon come to appreciate how important Menē can be for the industry.

Non-IFRS Measures

This news release contains non-IFRS financial measures; the Company believes that these measures provide investors with useful supplemental information about the financial performance of its business, enable comparison of financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in operating its business. Although management believes these financial measures are important in evaluating the Company's performance, they are not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures do not have any standardized meaning and may not be comparable with similar measures used by other companies. For certain non-IFRS financial measures, there are no directly comparable amounts under IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures should not be viewed as alternatives to measures of financial performance determined in accordance with IFRS. Moreover, presentation of certain of these measures is provided for year-over-year comparison purposes, and investors should be cautioned that the effect of the adjustments thereto provided herein have an actual effect on the Company's operating results.

Non-IFRS Adjusted Revenue2 is a non-IFRS measure. The Company adjusts its revenue by adding back the value of jewelry that was returned by customers, and discounts given to customers. These adjustments are made to assess the gross revenue before deducting these items per IFRS revenue. The closest comparable IFRS measure is revenue.

Non-IFRS Adjusted Loss3 is a non-IFRS measure. Non-IFRS Adjusted Loss is a non-IFRS measure, calculated as total comprehensive loss, plus adjustment for Non-IFRS Adjusted Gross Profit and debt forgiveness, and excluding depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, accretion, revaluation of metal loan, and translation gain or loss. The closest comparable IFRS measure is total comprehensive loss.

Tangible Common Equity4 is a non-IFRS measure. It is calculated as total shareholder’s equity excluding intangible assets.For a full definition of non-IFRS financial measures used herein to their nearest IFRS equivalents, please see the section entitled "Non-IFRS Financial Measures" in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2020.

About Menē Inc.

Menē crafts pure 24 karat gold and platinum jewelry that is transparently sold by gram weight. Through mene.com, customers may buy jewelry, monitor the value of their collection over time, and sell or exchange their pieces by gram weight at prevailing market prices. Menē was founded by Roy Sebag and Diana Widmaier-Picasso with a mission to restore the relationship between jewelry and savings. Menē empowers consumers by marrying innovative technology, timeless design, and pure precious metals to create pieces which endure as a store of value.

For more information about Menē, visit mene.com.

Media and Investor Relations Inquiries

Adil Sheikh
Chief Financial Officer
Menē Inc.
[email protected]
+1 289 748 3702

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information.

This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time it was made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others; an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases presenting as major health issues on the price of precious metals, capital market conditions, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; operating or technical difficulties in connection with the manufacture, sale and distribution of jewelry; actual audited results differing from reported unaudited results; global economic climate; dilution of the Company’s shares; the Company’s limited operating history; future capital needs and uncertainty of raising capital; the competitive nature of the jewelry industry; currency exchange risks; the need for the Company to manage its planned growth and expansion; the effects of product development and need for continued technology and manufacturing change; protection of proprietary rights; the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Company and the industry; network security risks; the ability of the Company to maintain properly working systems; theft and risk of physical harm to personnel; reliance on key personnel; global economic and financial market deterioration impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital; and volatile securities markets impacting security pricing unrelated to operating performance. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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