Metal 3D printer manufacturervelo3d(VLD) has seen its revenue jump 55.2% in Q4 2021 amid rapidly rising demand for its蓝宝石systems.
在第4季度2021年第4季度，Velo3D产生了1,040万美元的收入，这不仅比其在2020年代第4季度带来的670万美元大幅增加，而且比这比这幅度高出19.5％。它在第三季度2021年报告的870万美元。This growth spurt was driven by a strong conversion of its order backlog, with the firm completing a record eight installations over the quarter, including one of the new蓝宝石XC机器。
However, despite Velo3D’s revenue performance, its shares have dipped 8.4% in the two days since its results came out, potentially due to profitability factors such as its low adjusted EBITDA of -$14.7 million, and gross margin of 16%, the latter of which it has attributed to the high initial costs associated with the Sapphire XC’s launch.
“Our performance reflects strong execution as we exceeded our fourth quarter and fiscal year 2021 revenue forecast and surpassed our bookings target,” said Benny Buller, CEO of Velo3D, “and we achieved a key strategic milestone, as we shipped our first Sapphire XC system, which will be a significant driver of our growth in 2022.”
“随着我们帮助世界上一些最具创新性的公司创造我们先进的AM技术的未来，客户对我们行业领先的蓝宝石系统的需求仍然很高。”
velo3d’s Q4 2021 financials
In its second published financials since itwent public on the NYSE2021年9月，Velo3D并未按细分市场细分其收入，但明确表示，其在第4季度2021年的增长主要是由系统销售驱动的。该公司在该季度合身的8台机器的年度数量达到23，并继续获得13次预订，将2021财年的总数达到34财年，比最初的目标高10个。
布勒在Velo3D财报电话会议,解释ed that this rapid rise in the adoption of its systems was down to an expansion of its customer base. While the majority of these clients used to hail from the aerospace sector, more companies operating in energy, aviation, defense, contract and industrial manufacturing have begun to turn to metal 3D printing, and they now make up over 75% of its accounts.
As Velo3D has continued to expand post-IPO, its operating expenses have also increased in tandem, rising 26% sequentially to $20.8 million. According to the firm, this jump in spending was caused by the enlargement of its sales team, something necessary to meet its growth goals, as well as increased facility costs and those associated with being publicly-traded.
Addressing Velo3D’s profitability on the call, Buller revealed that its low gross profit can be accounted for by the “favorable pricing” offered to its first Sapphire XC customer, on the basis that it committed to buying ten of the systems before they’d even been fully-developed, in addition to the efficiency of their production, which will improve over time.
“我们正在获得这些系统制造的经验，” Buller在电话中解释说。“在我们运输的每个系统中，我们都会获得很多经验，因此，我们在更多的系统上摊销了劳动力。我们的效率要高得多，浪费要少得多，我们可以更好地记录制造过程。因此，所有这些都取得了巨大的毛利率改善。”
| velo3dFinancials ($) | Q3 2021 | Q4 2021 | Difference (%) | Q4 2020 | Q4 2021 | Difference (%) |
| Revenue | 87m | 104m | +19.5 | 6.7m | 104m | +55.2 |
| Gross Margin | 17% | 16% | -5.8 | 35％ | 16% | -54.2 |
| Net Loss | -66.6m | -14.4m | +362.4 | -4.2m | -14.4m | +242.8 |
| Cash & Investments | 297m | 223m | -24.9 | 16m | 223m | +1293.7 |
计划在2022财年增长
正如布勒Velo3D财报电话会议上提到的,它的systems have traditionally found aerospace applications, and despite its recent expansion into new industries, there’s evidence to suggest that its machines are still going strong in this area.
例如，在第二季度2021年期间发射器revealed that it was working with Velo3D andAnsysto develop an upgraded液体氧（LOX）涡轮用于其E-2火箭发动机。从那以后，在第4季度2021年，该公司与Velo3D的合作伙伴关系扩大了buying a second Sapphire 3D printer, with the aim of leveraging its titanium deposition capabilities to begin producing orbiter pressure vessels for the E-2.
不过，Velo3D表示未来，它打算继续专注于吸引新客户，因此在过去的12个月中，其销售队伍增加了一倍。该公司还通过其最近建立的欧盟销售和服务团队来加强欧洲业务，此外，在德国开设了一个新设施，该设施在充分建立后，每年都可以生产400个系统。
在Velo3D的电话中，Buller建议最终的机器可以在合同制造商中发现大量的关注。结果，该公司正在与该领域的现有客户紧密合作，并且已经组建了一个专门用于确保其首席执行官所谓的“零件设计胜利”的业务发展团队，这对于推动服务提供商可能至关重要采用。
velo3dprojects with confidence
In his closing remarks, Buller maintained that despite ongoing global supply chain issues, he’s confident of Velo3D delivering on its expansion, and set out unchanged guidance of $89 million for FY 2022. Notmentioning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as many of his contemporaries have done, Velo3D’s CEO instead said that its supply diversification and backlog provide it with “strong visibility.”
At the end of FY 2021, the company had a record 23-system order backlog, including 18 Sapphire XC machines, and with $223 million in cash, it remains in a healthy position when it comes to liquidity. With this in mind, Buller concluded that Velo3D is “properly resourced to meet its new customer objectives” for the coming year, and that it would now “continue to invest in its next-generation technology.”
“Looking forward, we are excited about our long-term opportunities given our industry-leading technology, continued execution on our growth plans and strong customer demand,” concluded Buller. “Specifically for 2022, our strategic priorities will focus on expanding our new and existing customer footprint in both the U.S and Europe, reflecting the increasing demand for our Sapphire XC system.”
To stay up to date with the latest 3D printing news, don’t forget to subscribe to the3D打印行业通讯or follow us onTwitteror liking our page onFacebook。
为了深入研究添加剂制造，您现在可以订阅我们的Youtubechannel, featuring discussion, debriefs, and shots of 3D printing in-action.
您是否正在寻找添加剂制造业的工作？访问3D打印作业for a selection of roles in the industry.
Featured image shows a rendering of a Sapphire 3D printer production facility. Image via Velo3D.
