Spending like a bigger company on purpose: current results carry the cost of an expansion aimed at demand management say
The model's full reasoning — Q3 2021 call → NOWe need to determine if management acknowledges that current results are weighed down by an expansion already undertaken, and justifies it with demand already real. From transcript: Brent Bilsland discusses hiring 94 employees in October, focusing on hiring another 110. He says "It will take a little time in training before this new workforce becomes efficient and cost decline." Also mentions "we’ve been developing new underground mines that have required a lot of additional support and labor. This work is necessary, but unfortunately, it’s not very productive from a coal production standpoint. This work should also be completed this month." Also mentions Ace In The Hole Mine reaching end of reserve life, will mine out in November, responsible for 50% of elevated cost structure. He says "We expect our production costs to stay elevated in Q4 and return to normal sometime in 2022 as our hoist becomes operational, supply disruptions dissipate, our workforce matures and our Ace In The Hole Mine transitions from an old reserve to a new reserve." So expansion: hiring, developing new mines, building hoist, opening new pit. Costs elevated due to these. That's part 1. Part 2: Justification with demand already real? He says "All markets have gotten substantially stronger as the year has gone on." He talks about gas prices, coal export prices. He says "we believe the next three years will be very strong from a sales perspective." He mentions MISO emergency declaration. But is that demand already real? He says "We are currently ramping up production to 7 million tons for 2022 and 2023." He says "We have all the equipment we need. We just need more people." He says "We added 94 employees in the month of October, and we are focusing on hiring another 110 in the next two to four months." He says "Once complete, new employees will represent roughly one fourth of our workforce." He says "It will take a little time in training before this new workforce becomes efficient and cost decline." He says "We expect our production costs to stay elevated in Q4 and return to normal sometime in 2022 as our hoist becomes operational, supply disruptions dissipate, our workforce matures and our Ace In The Hole Mine transitions from an old reserve to a new reserve." He says "We are in negotiations with the customer to fill that.
| Ticker | Company | Call | Date | Call grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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SIBN · Q3 2022 → YESThe question is: Does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken — spending, hirin...YES Management explicitly describes the expansion as already underway and costing the company now: investments in sales force (85 territory managers + 72 specialists), new products (iFuse-TORQ, iFuse-Bedrock Granite), instrument trays, inventory, and R&D that are driving higher depreciation, freight, and product costs 84% gross margin (down low-single digits from these factors). Anshul confirms “we’ve made a substantial amount of investment whether it’s in TORQ trays or Granite trays or TORQ implants” and “this is going to lead to elevated depreciation,” while Laura notes the build supports “strong new product demand.
FLYW · Q1 2022 → YESThe question is: Does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken, AND justify carr...YES The transcript shows management explicitly linking the current EBITDA decline to the hiring expansion already completed ("increased the number of FlyMates by over 50% during the past year" and "added over 100 new FlyMates within the sales, marketing and product functions"), while framing the spending as a deliberate, ongoing 2022 investment plan that is already delivering observable results through record client adds (130), pipeline growth, and strong ARR signings.
EVGO · Q2 2022 → YESThe question is: Does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken, AND justify carr...YES Management describes concrete expansion already underway—170 stalls placed in Q2, total stalls at 2,397 with 460 under construction, pipeline at 3,669, CapEx jumped to $44 million to accelerate deployment, and G&A ramping personnel to support growth—while directly tying the resulting negative adjusted EBITDA of -$19.8 million to that deliberate build-out.