voxeljet has recognized continuous net losses during the nine months ended September 30, 2022, full year 2021, 2020 and 2019 amounting to kEUR 11,254, kEUR 10,586, kEUR 15,481 and kEUR 13,978, respectively. Additionally, voxeljet had negative cash flows from operating activities in the nine months ended September 30, 2022, full year 2021, 2020 and 2019 of kEUR 7,399, kEUR 6,537, kEUR 6,598, kEUR 6,592, respectively, mainly due to continuous net losses.
During 2021, in January, February and July, the Company successfully completed three registered direct offerings and sales of a total of 2,190,711 ADSs, which provided voxeljet with total gross proceeds of approximately USD 32.0 million (€ 26.6 million) before deducting fees and expenses. Further, on October 13, 2022, the Company announced that it has successfully completed another registered direct offering and sale of 1,279,070 ordinary shares in the form of ADSs at a purchase price of USD 3.44 (EUR 3.60) per share. The gross proceeds of the offering amounted to approximately USD 4.4 million (EUR 4.6 million). Those capital increases improved the Company’s liquidity as well as equity ratio significantly.
Further, on August 11, 2022, management initiated a sale and leaseback of voxeljet AG’s properties located in Germany with the investor IntReal International Real Estate Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH. Under this agreement, voxeljet was entitled to receive proceeds from the sale amounting to € 26.5 million and to enter into a long-term lease contract. Simultaneously, on August 11, 2022, voxeljet initiated the full settlement of the Finance Contract entered into with the European Investment Bank (the ‘EIB’), dated November 9, 2017 (the ‘Finance Contract’) including the repayment of tranche A and B1, including all interests for a fixed amount of € 22.0 million. In addition, the Company initiated the early settlement of certain loans related to the sold properties, which were granted by Sparkasse Schwaben-Bodensee, Germany (formerly Kreissparkasse Augsburg) with a settlement amount of approximately € 3.1 million.
The closing process of the transaction, which has been started through the initiation of the sale and leaseback at the notary on August 11, 2022, has been successfully finalized on October 31, 2022. The closing included the receipt of the proceeds from the investor, the settlements with EIB and Sparkasse Schwaben-Bodensee and the following release of land charges as well as the commencement of the long-term lease contract. These steps further improved voxeljet’s liquidity and moreover released the Company from all covenants in the Finance Contract, including a Minimum Cash/Cash Equivalents requirement (the “Minimum Cash Covenant”), which provides significantly greater financial flexibility for voxeljet.
In spite of this success, according to the Company’s current liquidity forecasts, the Group will require further funding in early 2023 to maintain its operations. Therefore, management is taking steps to raise additional funds which may include debt or equity financing, not without mentioning that there can be no assurance that voxeljet will be able to raise further funds on terms favorable to the Company, if at all. The steps already initiated by management include several meetings with potential new as well as existing investors and banks, which have taken place in late October 2022 in New York City. The overall feedback was positive and different parties indicated that there is serious interest for participations in further capital increases from both, new as well as existing investors.
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine raises further risks and uncertainties. The heightened use of trade restrictions and sanctions, including tariffs or prohibitions on technology transfers to achieve diplomatic ends could impact voxeljet’s ability to conduct its business as planned. A spill-over of the conflict to neighboring countries, the European Union or NATO members, could result into further adverse impacts on the Company’s business, such as a drop in market demand, price increases for raw materials and energy or delays in the global supply chain.
These events and conditions described above raise material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt upon voxeljet’s ability to continue as a going concern. Despite the ongoing losses, reduced cash flow and cash facilities as well as the financial obligations becoming due, management assumes that voxeljet will continue as a going concern. However, while management assumes of continuing as a going concern, the going concern is dependent upon management and the Company being successful in:
| - | achievement of budgeted sales, and |
| - | successful fund raising in form of equity or debt |
Those assumptions are included in the Company’s current liquidity forecasts, and management believes that the Company has the ability to meet its financial obligations for at least the next 12 months from the authorization for