Ginkgo Bioworks Reports First Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Ginkgo announces several initiatives to accelerate path to Adjusted EBITDA breakeven by end of 2026

Initiatives include a reduction of $200 million in annualized run-rate operating expenses by mid-2025, with anticipated substantial reduction occurring in 2024

BOSTON, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DNA, "Ginkgo"), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced its results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. The update, including a webcast slide presentation with additional details on the first quarter and supplemental financial information, will be available at investors.ginkgobioworks.com.

First Quarter 2024 Financial Results

    --  First quarter 2024 Total revenue of $38 million, down from $81 million
        in the comparable prior year period, a decrease of 53% primarily driven
        by the expected ramp down of K-12 testing in Ginkgo's Biosecurity
        segment
        --  First quarter 2024 Cell Engineering revenue of $28 million, down
            from $34 million in the comparable prior year period, a decrease of
            18% driven by a decline in revenue from early stage customers
            partially offset by growth from large/enterprise customers
        --  First quarter 2024 Biosecurity revenue of $10 million with gross
            profit margin of 8% is reflective of the early stages of transition
            to a more recurring business model
    --  First quarter 2024 Loss from operations of $(178) million (inclusive of
        stock-based compensation expense of $42 million), compared to Loss from
        operations of $(216) million (inclusive of stock-based compensation
        expense of $75 million) in the comparable prior year period
    --  First quarter 2024 Adjusted EBITDA of $(100) million remained flat year
        over year as the decrease in Total revenue was offset by a decrease in
        operating expenses
    --  Cash and cash equivalents balance as of the end of the first quarter of
        $840 million

"Ginkgo is an increasingly important part of the biotech ecosystem, and we are taking decisive action to keep it that way," said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo. "We've demonstrated that we can serve a large number of diverse programs on a common platform, but I'm disappointed in our revenues in Q1. This trend needs to change, and we are simplifying both what we sell to customers and how we do the work that drives revenue at Ginkgo. Fortunately, we have the experience to know which types of programs are most efficient to run on our lab automation and can use this knowledge to further consolidate our Foundry operations and footprint into Biofab1, our new fully integrated lab data center, which is expected to open in mid-2025. We are also simplifying our transaction terms in many instances as the benefits of our IP and downstream value terms were not worth the cost of slowing our commercial activity. With these changes, we are targeting reaching adjusted EBITDA breakeven by the end of 2026, while seeking to reduce interim burn substantially to maintain a strong margin of safety throughout this transformation, supported by our $840 million cash balance and no bank debt."

Recent Business Highlights & Strategic Positioning

    --  Cell Engineering business seeing opportunities to simplify operations,
        with a focus on more profitable and scalable programs
        --  Added 17 new Cell Programs to the Foundry platform in Q1 2024,
            representing 31% growth over the prior year period
        --  Expanded partnership with Novo Nordisk, creating a flexible model to
            allow projects to launch more quickly across several areas of
            interest in their portfolio
        --  Introduced Lab Data as a Service ("LDaaS") offering to meet market
            demand for high quality training data for AI ("lab in the loop") and
            more modular R&D workflows
    --  Ginkgo Biosecurity continues to gain traction on an international scale
        --  Awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to build an
            open-access, AI-enabled forecasting model for global measles
            outbreaks to empower proactive public health measures
        --  Announced Ginkgo's new biosecurity products, Ginkgo Canopy and
            Ginkgo Horizon. Ginkgo Canopy is our end-to-end system to monitor
            key nodes across the world for biothreats while Ginkgo Horizon
            enables global situational awareness and informs critical decisions
            through AI-powered multi-source data integration, analysis, and
            forecasting. With these products, Ginkgo is allowing customers to
            access biosecurity data feeds on a subscription basis and is
            building a true common operating picture for biothreats.

Plan to Achieve Adjusted EBITDA Breakeven and Updated Full Year 2024 Guidance

    --  Ginkgo announced a plan to achieve Adjusted EBITDA break-even by the end
        of 2026 on an annualized run-rate basis. The plan includes the
        following:
        --  A target reduction in annualized run-rate operating expenditures of
            $200 million by mid-2025, driven by:
            --  Consolidation of Foundry operations into a small number of core
                facilities, including Biofab1. If successful, including
                assumptions around the ability to terminate and/or sublease
                excess space, Ginkgo could reduce physical footprint and
                associated expenses by up to 60%
            --  A reduction in labor expenses of at least 25%, across both G&A
                and R&D functions, including a reduction in force
        --  Initiatives to simplify and standardize the nature of customer
            programs on the Foundry platform, including launching Lab Data as a
            Service and modular offerings, to drive a reduction in manual R&D
            support and increased use of Ginkgo's high throughput, flexible
            automation
    --  Given the changes described above, including planned changes to our deal
        structures, we believe new Cell Programs as currently defined is no
        longer the most relevant metric for the business. That being said,
        Ginkgo does expect to add at least 100 new customer projects in 2024,
        comprising traditional Cell Programs as well as new offerings, including
        Lab Data as a Service.
    --  Ginkgo will share additional perspectives and its plan to achieve
        Adjusted EBITDA breakeven on the webcast.
    --  Ginkgo expects Total revenue of $170-$190 million in 2024
        --  Ginkgo revised its expectation for Cell Engineering services revenue
            to $120-140 million in 2024. This guidance reflects a weaker than
            expected revenue ramp during the year, uncertainty relating to the
            timing of technical milestones, and the potential near-term impact
            of the restructuring actions described above. This guidance excludes
            the impact of any potential downstream value share as well as
            potential upside from new service offerings.
        --  Ginkgo continues to expect Biosecurity revenue in 2024 of at least
            $50 million, representing the approximate current contracted
            backlog, with potential upside from additional opportunities in the
            pipeline

Conference Call Details
Ginkgo will host a video conference today, Thursday, May 9, 2024, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET. The presentation will include an overview of first quarter financial performance, recent business updates, a discussion on Ginkgo's outlook, as well as a moderated question and answer session.

To ask a question ahead of the presentation, please submit your questions to @Ginkgo on X (hashtag #GinkgoResults) or by sending an e-mail to investors@ginkgobioworks.com.

A webcast link is available on Ginkgo's Investor Relations website and a replay will be made available following the presentation.

Ginkgo Investor Website: https://investors.ginkgobioworks.com/events/

Audio-Only Dial Ins:
+1 646 876 9923 (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 (Houston)
+1 408 638 0968 (San Jose)

Webinar ID: 942 0961 7144

If you experience technical difficulties with any of these dial-ins or if you need international dial-in numbers, please visit our website at https://investors.ginkgobioworks.com/events/ for updated dial-in information.

About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo Bioworks is the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, providing flexible, end-to-end services that solve challenges for organizations across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to pharmaceuticals to industrial and specialty chemicals. Ginkgo Biosecurity is building and deploying the next-generation infrastructure and technologies that global leaders need to predict, detect, and respond to a wide variety of biological threats. For more information, visit ginkgobioworks.com and ginkgobiosecurity.com, read our blog, or follow us on social media channels such as X (@Ginkgo and @Ginkgo_Biosec), Instagram (@GinkgoBioworks), Threads (@GinkgoBioworks) or LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements of Ginkgo Bioworks
This press release, the presentation, and the conference call and webcast contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding our plans, strategies, including with respect to our balance sheet and cash runway, current expectations, operations and anticipated results of operations, both business and financial, including the timing for attaining adjusted EBITDA breakeven and profitability, the timing of opening Biofab1 and anticipated impacts on our results, our planned reduction in workforce and anticipated impacts thereof, our planned site consolidation and the potential financial impact thereof, opportunities for and timing of increased operational efficiency and the expected impact on our operational expenditures, our manufacturing capabilities, potential customer success, including successful application of our offerings by our customers, the capabilities and potential operational and financial success of our acquisitions, partnerships and collaborations, and expected timing thereof, expectations with regard to revenue, the nature of such revenue and any related downstream value share associated with such revenue, funding that is contingent upon Ginkgo's achievement of milestones, expenses, including our stock-based compensation expenses, our full year 2024 outlook, the expansion, timing and potential capabilities of our bioradar network and the national biodefense strategy, plans to develop and deploy AI tools for biology and biosecurity for both internal use and external release, including the expected timing thereof, and the market environment, all of which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, market trends, or industry results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "can," "project," "potential," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to: (i) our ability to realize near-term and long-term cost savings associated with our site consolidation plans, including the ability to terminate leases or find sub-lease tenants for unused facilities, (ii) volatility in the price of Ginkgo's securities due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Ginkgo operates and plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, and changes in laws and regulations affecting Ginkgo's business, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations, and to identify and realize additional business opportunities, (iv) the risk of downturns in demand for products using synthetic biology, (v) the uncertainty regarding the demand for passive monitoring programs and biosecurity services, (vi) changes to the biosecurity industry, including due to advancements in technology, emerging competition and evolution in industry demands, standards and regulations, (vii) the outcome of any pending or potential legal proceedings against Ginkgo, (viii) our ability to realize the expected benefits from and the success of our Foundry platform programs, (ix) our ability to successfully develop engineered cells, bioprocesses, data packages or other deliverables, (x) the product development or commercialization success of our customers, and (xi) the potential negative impact on our business of our planned reduction in force or the failure to realize the anticipated savings associated therewith. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of Ginkgo's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on February 29, 2024 and other documents filed by Ginkgo from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Ginkgo assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Ginkgo does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Certain of the financial measures included in this release, including Adjusted EBITDA, have not been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), and constitute "non-GAAP financial measures" as defined by the SEC. Ginkgo has included these non-GAAP financial measures because it believes they provide an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating Ginkgo's financial performance and prospects. Due to the nature and/or size of the items being excluded, such items do not reflect future gains, losses, expenses or benefits and are not indicative of our future operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures are supplemental to, and should not be considered in isolation from, or as an alternative to, financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures may differ from non-GAAP financial measures with comparable names used by other companies. See the reconciliation below for additional information regarding certain of the non-GAAP financial measures included in this release, including a description of these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of the historic measures to Ginkgo's most comparable GAAP financial measures.

Ginkgo Bioworks Contacts:

INVESTOR CONTACT:
investors@ginkgobioworks.com

MEDIA CONTACT:
press@ginkgobioworks.com


                                                
            Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.


                                            
            Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets


                                       
            (in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)




                                                                                                 As of March 31, As of March 31,


                                                                                                            2024             2023



     
              Assets



     Current assets:



     Cash and cash equivalents                                                                         $840,440         $944,073



     Accounts receivable, net                                                                            24,189           17,157



     Accounts receivable - related parties                                                                  370              742



     Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                           38,021           39,777



     Total current assets                                                                               903,020        1,001,749



     Property, plant, and equipment, net                                                                195,992          188,193



     Operating lease right-of-use assets                                                                220,785          206,801



     Investments                                                                                         76,021           78,565



     Intangible assets, net                                                                              77,407           82,741



     Goodwill                                                                                            47,909           49,238



     Other non-current assets                                                                            60,627           58,055



     Total assets                                                                                    $1,581,761       $1,665,342



     
              Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity



     Current liabilities:



     Accounts payable                                                                                   $26,995           $9,323



     Deferred revenue                                                                                    33,612           44,486



     Accrued expenses and other current liabilities                                                     108,436          110,051



     Total current liabilities                                                                          169,043          163,860



     Non-current liabilities:



     Deferred revenue, net of current portion                                                           166,067          158,062



     Operating lease liabilities, non-current                                                           234,497          221,835



     Other non-current liabilities                                                                       24,884           24,433



     Total liabilities                                                                                  594,491          568,190



     Commitments and contingencies



     Stockholders' equity:



     Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value



     Common stock, $0.0001 par value                                                                        202              199



     Additional paid-in capital                                                                       6,445,058        6,385,997



     Accumulated deficit                                                                            (5,456,439)     (5,290,528)



     Accumulated other comprehensive loss                                                               (1,551)           1,484



     Total stockholders' equity                                                                         987,270        1,097,152



     Total liabilities and stockholders' equity                                                      $1,581,761       $1,665,342


                                    
              Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.


                
              Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss


                           
              (in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)




                                                                                                             Three Months Ended March 31,


                                                                                                        2024                2023



     Cell Engineering revenue                                                                       $27,889             $34,096



     Biosecurity revenue:



          Product                                                                                                       11,666



          Service                                                                                    10,055              34,940



     Total revenue                                                                                   37,944              80,702



     Costs and operating expenses:



          Cost of Biosecurity product revenue                                                                            4,541



          Cost of Biosecurity service revenue                                                         9,202              17,834



     Research and development (1)                                                                   136,457             162,639



     General and administrative (1)                                                                  70,287             111,433



     Total operating expenses                                                                       215,946             296,447



     Loss from operations                                                                         (178,002)          (215,745)



     Other income (expense):



          Interest income, net                                                                       11,711              14,545



          Loss on equity method investments                                                                            (1,449)



          Loss on investments                                                                       (2,544)            (6,370)



          Change in fair value of warrant liabilities                                                   940               1,204



          Other income, net                                                                           2,015               2,928



     Total other income (expense)                                                                    12,122              10,858



     Loss before income taxes                                                                     (165,880)          (204,887)



     Income tax expense                                                                                  31                  82



     Net loss                                                                                    $(165,911)         $(204,969)



     Net loss per share, basic and diluted                                                          $(0.08)            $(0.11)



     Weighted average common shares outstanding:



          Basic                                                                                   2,004,460           1,914,963



          Diluted                                                                                 2,005,336           1,916,637



     Comprehensive loss:



     Net loss                                                                                    $(165,911)         $(204,969)



     Other comprehensive (loss) income:



          Foreign currency translation adjustment                                                   (3,035)              1,018



     Total other comprehensive (loss) income                                                        (3,035)              1,018



     Comprehensive loss                                                                          $(168,946)         $(203,951)



     (1) Total stock-based compensation expense, inclusive of employer payroll taxes, was allocated as
            follows (in thousands):


                                         Three Months Ended March 31,


                                    2024             2023



     Research and development   $24,120          $47,541



     General and administrative  18,277           27,659



     Total                      $42,397          $75,200


                                                              
              Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.


                                                     
              Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows


                                                                
              (in thousands, unaudited)




                                                                                                                           Three Months Ended March 31,


                                                                                                                      2024                          2023



     
                Cash flows from operating activities:



     Net loss                                                                                                  $(165,911)                   $(204,969)



     Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:



     Depreciation and amortization                                                                                 12,869                        18,958



     Stock-based compensation                                                                                      40,782                        72,986



     Loss on investments and equity method investments                                                              2,544                         7,819



     Change in fair value of warrant liabilities                                                                    (940)                      (1,204)



     Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability                                                     (926)                        5,177



     Non-cash lease expense                                                                                         5,637                         8,039



     Non-cash in-process research and development                                                                  16,816



     Other non-cash activity                                                                                        (442)                        1,121



     Changes in operating assets and liabilities:



     Accounts receivable                                                                                          (6,770)                        (526)



     Prepaid expenses and other current assets                                                                      1,154                         7,442



     Operating lease right-of-use assets                                                                                -                        2,665



     Other non-current assets                                                                                       (707)                      (2,036)



            Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities                                       10,871                        19,080



     Deferred revenue, current and non-current                                                                    (2,912)                     (17,233)



     Operating lease liabilities, current and non-current                                                         (4,097)                      (8,521)



     Other non-current liabilities                                                                                  2,773                           617



     Net cash used in operating activities                                                                       (89,259)                     (90,585)



     
                Cash flows from investing activities:



     Purchases of property and equipment                                                                          (6,710)                     (19,441)



     Business acquisition                                                                                         (5,400)



     Other                                                                                                              -                           27



     Net cash used in investing activities                                                                       (12,110)                     (19,414)



     
                Cash flows from financing activities:



     Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                                                           70                            12



     Principal payments on finance leases                                                                           (294)                        (322)



     Contingent consideration payment                                                                               (621)



     Payment of equity issuance costs                                                                                   -                        (578)



     Net cash used in financing activities                                                                          (845)                        (888)



     Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents                                                  (157)                         (26)



     Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash                                                 (102,371)                    (110,913)





     Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period                                                               944,073                     1,315,792



     Restricted cash, beginning of period                                                                          45,511                        53,789



     Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period                                              989,584                     1,369,581





     Cash and cash equivalents, end of period                                                                     840,440                     1,206,086



     Restricted cash, end of period                                                                                46,773                        52,582



     Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period                                                   $887,213                    $1,258,668






                                                            
              Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.


                                                         
              Selected Non-GAAP Financial Measures


                                                              
              (in thousands, unaudited)




                                                                                                                           Three Months Ended March 31,


                                                                                                                      2024                          2023



     Net loss                                                                                                  $(165,911)                   $(204,969)



     Interest income, net                                                                                        (11,711)                     (14,545)



     Income tax expense                                                                                                31                            82



     Depreciation and amortization                                                                                 12,869                        18,958



     
                EBITDA                                                                                        (164,722)                    (200,474)



     Stock-based compensation (1)                                                                                  42,397                        75,200



     Loss on equity method investments                                                                                  -                        1,449



     Loss on investments                                                                                            2,544                         6,370



     Change in fair value of warrant liabilities                                                                    (940)                      (1,204)



     Merger and acquisition related expenses (2)                                                                   19,265                        18,662



     Change in fair value of convertible notes                                                                      1,326                          (44)



     
                Adjusted EBITDA                                                                              $(100,130)                   $(100,041)


     (1)           Includes
               $1.6 million and $2.2 million in employer payroll taxes for the three months ended
                      March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.





     (2)           Represents transaction and integration costs directly related to mergers and acquisitions, including: (i)
                      due diligence, legal, consulting
           and accounting fees associated with acquisitions, (ii) post-acquisition employee retention bonuses and
           severance payments, (iii) the fair
           value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities resulting from acquisitions, (iv) acquired
           intangible assets expensed as in-
           process research and development, and (v) costs associated with the Zymergen Bankruptcy, as well as
           securities litigation costs, net of
          insurance recovery.


                                                                   
              Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.


                                                                         
              Segment Information


                                                                      
              (in thousands, unaudited)




                                                                                                                                                                       Three Months Ended March 31,


                                                                                                                                                                  2024                          2023



     
                Revenue:



     Cell Engineering                                                                                                                                         $27,889                       $34,096



     Biosecurity                                                                                                                                               10,055                        46,606



     Total revenue                                                                                                                                             37,944                        80,702



     
                Segment cost of revenue:



     Biosecurity                                                                                                                                                9,202                        22,375



     
                Segment research and development expense:



     Cell Engineering                                                                                                                                         100,101                        98,522



     Biosecurity                                                                                                                                                  120                           567



     Total segment research and development expense                                                                                                           100,221                        99,089



     
                Segment general and administrative expense:



     Cell Engineering                                                                                                                                          40,232                        61,692



     Biosecurity                                                                                                                                               11,951                        13,956



     Total segment general and administrative expense                                                                                                          52,183                        75,648



     
                Segment operating (loss) income:



     Cell Engineering                                                                                                                                       (112,444)                    (126,118)



     Biosecurity                                                                                                                                             (11,218)                        9,708



     Total segment operating loss                                                                                                                           (123,662)                    (116,410)



     
                Operating expenses not allocated to segments:



     Stock-based compensation (1)                                                                                                                              42,397                        75,200



     Depreciation and amortization                                                                                                                             12,869                        18,958



     Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability                                                                                                 (926)                        5,177



     Loss from operations                                                                                                                                  $(178,002)                   $(215,745)





     (1)     
              Includes $1.6 million and $2.2 million in employer payroll taxes for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

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SOURCE Ginkgo Bioworks