Tag Archives: MariMed

CSE Issuer Stories, Magazine

MariMed succeeds with growth strategy prioritizing conservatism over quick wins

MariMed (CSE:MRMD) has captured opportunities across the cannabis value chain with its “seed-to-sale” approach, encompassing flower cultivation, product development, marketing and distribution, and retail operations in key cannabis growth markets in the U.S.

Importantly, the company chose a deliberate and evenly paced approach over the lure of rapid expansion to reach this point. The resulting financial and operational stability positions MariMed to take full advantage of the expected reclassification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act to Schedule III from Schedule I following a related submission by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in mid-May. 

The Norwood, Massachusetts-based company was co-founded by Chief Executive Officer Jon Levine and the late Robert Fireman in 2011 with an initial focus on the medical segment to help people improve their everyday lives. It began as an advisory company to cannabis licence holders, and subsequently transitioned to a plant-touching operation that has since built out its business to six states: Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and Missouri, with plans to enter additional markets.

Levine told Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine that MariMed has taken a conservative approach to operations and acquisitions to ensure it did not overextend itself operationally or financially as so many cannabis companies have done.

“We had a vision of growing this business profitably to multiple states, and that’s where we have been very successful,” Levine says.

“We grew the company slower than most of our multi-state operator (MSO) competitors, focusing on fundamentals and profitability versus rapid, unprofitable growth just to say you are the biggest. We have one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry as a result,” he explains, highlighting that the company has very little debt, nearly all of which has a 10-year maturity, versus maturities of three to five years for most of their larger MSO peers.

MariMed focuses primarily on limited-licence cannabis markets in the U.S. All states in this category issue a predetermined number of licences to cannabis businesses. The high barrier to entry balances patient and consumer access to cannabis products, bringing price stability and other benefits.

But that doesn’t mean the company has seen less success in states that don’t adhere to the limited-licence approach, such as its home state of Massachusetts. Here, Levine says the company’s high-quality products, with their all-natural ingredients and precision dosing, have allowed it to remain competitive without being forced to drop prices nearly as much as the competition.

Under its portfolio are multiple award-winning cannabis products and brands, including Betty’s Eddies fruit chews, Nature’s Heritage flower and concentrates, a full line of InHouse value-priced products, Bubby’s Baked brownies and other confections, and Vibations, a hydrating powder drink mix.

“The winners in cannabis will be the companies with the strongest brands. We’ve believed that right from the start,” Levine explains. “People will trust and pay higher prices for consistent, high-quality brands. Similar to traditional consumer products, customers want to know that they will get the exact same Betty’s Eddies every time they purchase it and no matter the market. It sounds simple but not many cannabis operators deliver on that promise like we do.”

MariMed’s ultimate goal is to grow deeper in the states where it is currently operating until it is fully vertical and has maxed out its licences and then do the same in additional states. The company has applied for cannabis licences in Virginia, New York and Texas, which Levine says present significant growth opportunities in their respective medical markets. The company also intends to apply for licences in Kentucky, which recently approved a medical cannabis program.

In addition to its commitment to high-quality products, MariMed takes its position as an industry leader very seriously. Its advocacy on behalf of others has focused on the removal of U.S. tax code 280E, a provision that results in cannabis companies paying higher taxes than most other U.S. businesses due to marijuana’s status as a Schedule I controlled substance. The company last year held a 280E protest event where executives and team members tossed cargo chests emblazoned – but not actually filled – with “weed” into the Boston Harbor, taking inspiration from the famous Boston Tea Party tax protest of 1773 during its 250th anniversary. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration is expected to formally approve the rescheduling of cannabis as a lower-risk, Schedule III drug in the coming months, meaning cannabis companies will no longer be burdened by 280E. 

Levine hails the move as “historic” and a big win for the industry and the consumers it serves. “Among the most important benefits of rescheduling is that more credible research will be implemented to show the benefits of cannabis. We should ultimately see an exponential increase in the number of people who embrace cannabis as part of their health and wellness lifestyle.”

It will also result in industry-wide savings for cannabis companies, with MariMed expecting millions of dollars in tax reduction annually from the removal of 280E. Levine says these cost savings will free up funds for MariMed to accelerate growth, including expansion into new markets and investment in product innovation. The company is also adding new stock-keeping units, or SKUs, to its product lineup.

“We’re going to see improvement to our financials in revenue, margins and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as we grow toward the end of the year,” Levine explains.

The company expects to see revenue growth in the range of 5% to 7% and adjusted EBITDA growth of up to 2% for 2024. 

For the first quarter, MariMed reported a 10% year-over-year increase in revenue, led by significant growth in its wholesale division and solid performance at retail. The strong revenue expansion led to the company achieving its 17th consecutive quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA.

“We’re heading in the right direction,” Levine says of MariMed’s financial performance. He spotlights that the company outperformed its competition in every market it operates in during the first quarter, including Illinois, where it began selling products through its new wholesale business in January. MariMed expects margins and revenue in Illinois to grow throughout 2024 as it bolsters operations, including opening its first cultivation facility. 

“We are battling additional competition, economic factors and seasonality, but long-term the future is bright for MariMed and the industry,” the CEO explains. “We’re very excited, for example, to continue ramping our Illinois production and cultivation and watch our revenue and margins increase along with that.” 

The company also expects to have its third adult-use dispensary up and running in Massachusetts very soon, which Levine said will drive MariMed’s margins and revenue higher for that state. It aims to open a new processing centre in Missouri as well and to expand the size of its Maryland cultivation facility to meet the growing demand for its products in that high-growth state.

With Ohio recently becoming the 24th state to legalize recreational cannabis use, the company plans to open a second dispensary there. It’s also evaluating opportunities to purchase a processing or cultivation facility and additional dispensaries to maximize its Ohio footprint.

“Those are things we expect to come that will bring more revenue and better margins in the second half of the year,” Levine notes.

MariMed’s momentum has carried into the second quarter. The Illinois brand rollout continues with its products available in over 130 dispensaries. In Massachusetts, the company recently announced a partnership with two iconic Boston music venues, MGM Music Hall at Fenway and Citizens House of Blues Boston. Positioned as each venue’s exclusive cannabis category sponsor, the partnership is generating enormous visibility and goodwill for its Nature’s Heritage brand. 

“We’re very excited that MariMed’s best days are still ahead,” says Levine.

This story was featured in Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine.

Learn more about MariMed at https://marimedinc.com/.

Magazine

Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine: The Cannabis Issue – Now Live!

Welcome to the latest issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine, your source for in-depth stories of entrepreneurs from a wealth of different industries.

The journey for publicly traded cannabis companies and their investors has often been characterized by change. Since our last cannabis-themed issue in late 2022, the narrative has shifted from rapid expansion to a focus on ruthless efficiency, more jurisdictions have legalized cannabis, and in the U.S., there is continued, albeit slow, momentum toward greater acceptance of cannabis. 

In this issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine, we feature five CSE listed cannabis companies gearing up to make the most of the coming opportunities with important regulatory change on the horizon.

The CSE listed companies featured in this issue include:

Check out the Cannabis Issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine here:

CSE Issuer Stories, Magazine

Marimed: More US Growth in the Works for This Consistently Profitable Cannabis Company

Consumer demand for legal cannabis continues to grow in the US despite stalled legalization efforts at the federal level. Analytics company New Frontier Data, for example, projects US cannabis sales will hit US$57 billion annually by 2030, with that number possibly reaching $72 billion if 18 additional states permit adult recreational use.

MariMed (CSE:MRMD) has developed into a premier seed-to-consumer multi-state operator with expertise in cultivation, production and dispensary operations. The company has a track record of sustainable revenue growth along with one of the strongest EBITDA margins in the industry, projecting $135 million to $140 million in revenue for 2022, as well as $35 million to $40 million in adjusted EBITDA.

The Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine recently spoke with MariMed President Jon Levine, who discussed the company’s growth prospects, how it plans to increase shareholder value and the ways in which US federal legalization efforts influence MariMed’s business.

What distinguishes MariMed from other US multi-state operators?

MariMed is a company that prides itself on its history and a leadership team with a strong track record of winning licences. We built this company over several years – first as advisors helping businesses win their applications and building out their facilities, and now as acquirers working to consolidate those businesses under the MariMed footprint.

Today, we have a lot of team members and facilities with deep industry knowledge, including several members of our executive leadership team. Our CEO Bob Fireman, COO Tim Shaw and I have been working together in this industry for more than a decade.

Why did you choose the states in which you operate, and do you have plans to expand to other states?

In the beginning, MariMed submitted applications in multiple states that were available for licensing and focused on getting those states up and running. Now that MariMed has consolidated the businesses in Illinois, Massachusetts and Maryland, we are focused on expanding to the maximum allowable by law in each of those states.

In Massachusetts, for example, we plan to add two more adult-use dispensaries to our fully vertical, seed-to-sale operation there. In Illinois, we recently added a cultivation-and-processing licence that, once operational, will make us fully vertical in that high-growth state, and we also acquired a licence to build a fifth adult-use dispensary. Illinois allows operators to own and operate a maximum of 10 dispensaries, so we are also focused on adding an additional five to maximize our retail operations in that state.

Additionally, we’re looking for other markets we can expand into that have limited licences and are within the larger regions we presently operate in. We can go in and do the same build out where we go fully vertical as quickly as possible.

What are MariMed’s plans to enhance shareholder value?  

We have an exciting future ahead of us. As I mentioned, we’re building out Illinois, Massachusetts and Maryland with additional locations. We’ve also recently won licences in Ohio and Connecticut. 

We’re also going to continue to expand into additional states through either acquisitions or through the licensing process. Then we’ll build them to be as fully vertical as quickly as possible.

We’re also going to expand our branded products, including Betty’s Eddies, Kalm Fusion, Bubby’s Baked and Vibations: High + Energy, which have all been very successful in each of the states in which they are presently distributed. We’re going to make them bigger and stronger, as well as expand them into additional states over the next several years.

How do you intend to finance your growth plans?

We’re presently cash-flow positive and generating additional cash every month. So, we’ve been using cash flow from operations to expand at a slower rate. But with the current down market making equity issuance not the best option for shareholders, there are opportunities to borrow non-dilutive money at attractive rates given our financial strength and clean balance sheet.

What impact, if any, has the government’s inability to introduce federal cannabis legalization had on your business?

It’s a disappointment for MariMed because we would like to see some form of the SAFE Banking Act passed. That’s less important for our company, as our strong management team has learned how to operate within these tough confines of borrowing and banking abilities for over a decade. The SAFE Banking Act is really about helping smaller cannabis entrepreneurs that are more challenged in gaining fair and equitable access to capital.

We would love to see the SAFE Banking Act passed, and with the right amount of social equity reform included in it. But even with the continued delays at the federal level, MariMed can still operate efficiently and successfully. We’re going full steam ahead in building additional opportunities for our investors.

Finally, what do your shareholders have to look forward to in the next 12 months? 

Our investors should expect continued success and growth. Over the next 12 months, we will open additional retail and cultivation facilities, generating more revenue, and increasing the number of consumers that can access our great brands. We’ve been very successful over the last few years, and we’re going to continue that trend.

Our shareholders should expect MariMed to have a strong balance sheet with the ability to expand our cash flow and to borrow money at reasonable rates to accelerate the expansion of our business to get to the next level. We may be considered a small MSO, but we are going to become much bigger. 

In this market, we have a wonderful opportunity to continue to grow. I think our shareholders will benefit from patience and expect that we will continue to grow over the next several years.

This story was featured in Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine.

Learn more about MariMed at marimedinc.com. 

CSE Issuer Stories, Magazine

Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine: The Cannabis Issue – Now Live!

Welcome to the latest issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine, your source for in-depth stories of entrepreneurs from a wealth of different industries.

Since launching just under a decade ago, the agility of the commercial cannabis industry has been nothing short of remarkable. As the global leader in publicly-listed cannabis securities, the Canadian Securities Exchange is acutely aware of just how nimble the various stakeholders in the industry have had to be in the face of various multifaceted challenges. 

In this issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine, we feature executives from six of the most influential CSE-listed cannabis companies, as well as industry experts, who provide their perspectives on how the cannabis industry can maneuver through the current market conditions and where they see the industry going.

The CSE-listed companies featured in this issue include:

Check out the Cannabis Issue of Canadian Securities Exchange Magazine here:

 

Market Open

MariMed Inc. (CSE:MRMD) Joins the CSE for a Virtual Market Open

The CSE warmly welcomed MariMed Inc. (CSE:MRMD) for a virtual Market Open on July 12, 2022. 

MariMed, a multi-state cannabis operator, is dedicated to improving lives every day through its high-quality products, actions, and values. They develop, own, and manage seed to sale state-licensed cannabis facilities which focus on leading horticultural principles, cannabis cultivation techniques, cannabis-infused products, and dispensary operations. 

“Many people have been calling MariMed the best kept secret in cannabis over the years,” noted CAO Jon Levine, stating, “We believe that listing on the CSE will help us get the word out about our company, increase our liquidity and secure more analyst coverage as well.” 

James Black, VP of Listings Development at the CSE, added, “We are thrilled to welcome MariMed to the Canadian public markets! The company has a deep history in the sector and is a welcome addition amongst its industry peers on the Exchange.”

For more details about the CSE, including information on other Market Opens, please visit the CSE website or follow us on social media.