Theratechnologies Inc. (TH) Earnings Call Transcript & Summary

May 9, 2024

Toronto Stock Exchange CA Health Care Biotechnology shareholder_meeting 19 min

Earnings Call Speaker Segments

Operator

operator
#1

Hello and welcome to the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Theratechnologies, Inc. Please note that today's meeting is being recorded. If you participate in today's meeting and disclose personal information that you will be deemed to consent to the recording, transfer and use of same. If you disclose personal information of another person in today's meeting, you will be deemed to represent and warrant to Computershare and the corporation that you first obtain all required consents for the disclosure recording, transfer and use of such personal information from all appropriate persons before your disclosure. During the meeting, we'll have a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] It is now my pleasure to turn today's meeting over to Mrs. Dawn Svoronos. The floor is yours.

Dawn Svoronos

executive
#2

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Theratechnologies. [Foreign Language] My name is Dawn Svoronos, and I'm the Chair of the Board of Theratechnologies. I'll be presiding over the meeting today. The following persons of the corporation are also present at the meeting. Paul Lévesque, President and CEO of Theratechnologies; Philippe Dubuc, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Jocelyn Lafond, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Also with me today are Christian Marsolais, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer; and John Leasure, Global Commercial Officer. [Foreign Language] This meeting is being held virtually via a live audio webcast. Here are a few guidelines for the orderly conduct of the meeting. First, the meeting will be conducted in English, given that a large amount of U.S. shareholders have logged into the meeting. During the question period, we will be answering questions in the language in which they are asked, English or French. Second, voting on all matters by registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders will be conducted by electronic ballot. If you have already voted using the proxy form or a voting information form, then no further action is required on your part. Please note that if you choose to vote again, only your vote cast during the meeting will be counted, and the vote that you submitted by proxy will be revoked. The polls are now open for all motions. This will allow you to choose to vote on each motion immediately or to wait until the conclusion of discussion prior to casting your vote. Once discussion on all items of business has concluded, we'll give you a minute to record your vote on the online platform in case you have not already done so and then declare voting closed on all motions. Once the electronic balloting closes, your votes will automatically be submitted. Questions may be submitted at any time by registered shareholders, duly appointed proxy holders and guests throughout the meeting using the instant messaging service of the virtual interface. Please note that there will be a slight delay in the publication of the communications received. Try to answer as many questions as possible during the question period at the end of the meeting. Questions regarding procedural matters or directly related to a specific motion will be addressed during the meeting. Results of the votes on each business item will be compiled by the scrutineers at the end of the meeting and will be communicated by press release after the meeting. The final voting results will also be filed on the SEDAR and EDGAR websites. We'll now proceed with the formal portion of today's meeting. To expedite this formal part of the meeting, I will move the motion and Philippe Dubuc, will second them. I confirm that we are both shareholders of the corporation. I now ask that the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the corporation comes to order. I appoint Jocelyn Lafond as Secretary of the meeting. For the purposes of this meeting, I appoint Computershare Trust Company of Canada through its representatives as scrutineers to compute the votes on any polls taken at this meeting and to report thereon to the Secretary of the meeting. The purposes of today's meeting are set out in the management proxy circular of the corporation dated April 8, 2024. I've been advised that the notice of meeting, the management proxy circular and the form of proxy or voting instruction form as applicable were mailed to shareholders on or around April 12, 2024, and that the audited consolidated financial statements of the corporation for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023, and the related MD&A were mailed to shareholders of the corporation who requested such statements and the related MD&A on or around March 8, 2024. Copies of the management proxy circular and other meeting materials are also available under the corporation's website and under the corporation's profile on the SEDAR and EDGAR websites. Our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company of Canada, as attested to the proper mailing of the notice of meeting. Proof of service of such mailing has been provided to me by the corporation's transfer agent. I direct that a copy of such proof of service be annexed to the minutes of this meeting. I've been advised that persons representing more than 10% of the aggregate number of votes attached to all common shares for the meeting are present or duly represented by proxy at the meeting, and therefore, a quorum of shareholders of the corporation is present, and the meeting is properly called and duly constituted for the transaction of business. I've received the scrutineer's report, and I direct that their formal report be annexed to the minutes of this meeting. I've read the minutes of last year's Annual Meeting of Shareholders, and I'm satisfied with their content. I propose a motion to exempt the Secretary of the corporation from reading last year's minutes and to adopt said minutes.

Philippe Dubuc

executive
#3

I second this motion.

Dawn Svoronos

executive
#4

The first item of business on the agenda for today's meeting is the receipt of the audited consolidated financial statements of the corporation as at and for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2023, together with the auditor's report thereon. Copies of such documents have been mailed to the shareholders who requested such statements and are available on our website and under the corporation's profile on the SEDAR and EDGAR websites. I ask that the Secretary of the meeting table those documents in the record of the meeting. The next item of the meeting is the election of directors. The number of directors to be elected at the meeting is set at 8, and each director will hold office until the close of business of the next annual meeting of shareholders of the corporation following election or until his or her successor is elected or appointed. Each of the persons nominated has confirmed that he or she is prepared to serve as a director. The nominees to act as Directors of the Corporation for the ensuing year are: Joseph Arena, Frank Holler, Paul Lévesque, Andrew Molson, Elina Tea, Dale Weil, Jordan Zwick and myself, Dawn Svoronos. As explained in the management proxy circular, only the persons nominated in accordance with the corporation's Advance Notice By-Law, may be proposed for election at the meeting in this regard, I was informed before the meeting that no other nominations were received in accordance to the Advance Notice By-Law. To date, more than 60% of the common shares present or represented by proxy at the meeting have been voted for those nominees and the percentage of votes received for each of them was collected by our transfer agent before the meeting. I propose a motion for the nomination of the following persons as directors of the corporation. Joseph Arena 93.09% of votes received; Frank Holler, 87.29%; Paul Lévesque, 87.11%; Andrew Molson, 87.53%; Elina Tea, 90.30%; Dale Weil, 87.29%; Jordan Zwick, 96.1%; and myself, Dawn Svoronos at 87.10%.

Philippe Dubuc

executive
#5

I second this motion.

Dawn Svoronos

executive
#6

Thank you, Philippe. We'll move to the next item of business, while votes are being cast. The next item of business is the appointment of the auditors of the corporation for the ensuing year and the authorization that compensation for their services be determined by the Board of Directors of the corporation. The corporation recommends that KPMG, chartered professional accountants be appointed as the auditors of the corporation for the current fiscal year. To date, more than 60% of the common shares present or represented by proxy at the meeting have been voted and 97.53% of those votes received before the meeting were cast for the appointment of KPMG as auditors of the corporation and to authorize the directors to set their compensation. I propose a motion for the appointment of KPMG as auditors of the corporation and to authorize the directors to set their compensation.

Philippe Dubuc

executive
#7

I second this motion.

Dawn Svoronos

executive
#8

Thank you, Philippe. We'll now wait a brief moment to allow registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders to submit their vote on business matters requiring their vote. [Voting]

Dawn Svoronos

executive
#9

The polls are now closed. I've been asked by the scrutineers that the ballots and proxies deposited for the meeting have been voted in favor of all the business matters identified in the notice of meeting. I thus declare the election of each of the directors of the corporation proposed in the management proxy circular for the ensuing year and the appointment of KPMG as the auditors of the corporation for the ensuing year and the authorization of the directors of the corporation to set their compensation. I direct that the results of the poll be included in the minutes of this meeting and that the voting results be announced in a press release in accordance with the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange and filed on the SEDAR and EDGAR websites. We've now completed the legal part of the meeting, and we will address shareholders and answer questions. We wish to remind everyone that the content of our speeches contains forward-looking information within the meaning of securities regulation. Such forward-looking information include statements about Theratechnologies' growth, profitability and potential acquisitions or partnerships. These statements are made as of this date and are based on various assumptions, and there are risks that the forward-looking information for any part of our statements do not materialize. We refer you to the Risk Factors section of our Form 20-F dated February 21, [ 2024 ], available under SEDAR and EDGAR for a description of various risks about our business. So now we will switch to the speeches and we will be brief. It's been a true honor to serve as Chair of the Board of Theratechnologies for the past 11 years. The company has evolved significantly during this time, and I've enjoyed the many interactions I have had with our shareholders, my fellow directors, management and employees of Theratechnologies, all of whom are devoted to making a difference in patients' lives. I'm proud to have contributed to the company's mission to address unmet medical needs in HIV. It's been especially humbling to witness the Theratechnologies' team unwavering support for people with HIV and the broader HIV community. I continue to be inspired by the team's ability to overcome challenges and enable continued innovation across the business, including bringing forward scientific contributions that are improving the understanding and treatment of advanced cancers. The momentum of the past year culminated in an important pivot for Theratechnologies, setting us on a clear path forward to bring value for shareholders. In light of this new direction and the need for specialized capabilities, it gives me great pleasure to welcome our new directors, Jordan Zwick and Elina Tea. Together with our existing Board members, they will be key to implementing our vision of being a commercially focused biopharma company. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Gary Littlejohn, Alain Trudeau and Gerald Lacoste for their service and contributions on the Board of Directors over the course of many years. As Theratechnologies embarks on this next exciting phase of this journey, I'm delighted to immediately hand over the Chairperson role to Frank Holler. I have no doubt that with his unparalleled experience and expertise in finance and pharma, he will champion a new era for the company. With this in mind, I would like to express a final thank you to our valued shareholders and my fellow directors for a decade I will never forget. I look forward to continuing to serve and support Theratechnologies' growth trajectory as a member of the Board. I'll now pass it over to Frank, who will say a few words.

Frank Holler

executive
#10

Thank you, Dawn, and good morning, shareholders. I'm honored to accept the Chair of the Board position at Theratechnologies and grateful for the trust you have instilled in me to work with management and guide the company on its journey to enhance growth and profitability. I want to express my sincere thanks to you, Dawn, for chairing the Board over the past 11 years and steering the company through a number of business challenges with the reorganization of the company over the past year to focus on pharmaceutical sales, the strategic focus of Theratech has never been more clear, and I believe we are now positioned for revenue growth and profitability. Indeed, as I step into the chair position today, there is anticipating record revenues and record positive adjusted EBITDA for fiscal 2024, and we are actively working to acquire new products for future growth. I am confident that we are on the right track to drive value for shareholders, and I look forward to working with the Theratech Board, management and employees to build on our current positive momentum. Thank you.

Unknown Executive

executive
#11

Thank you, Frank. Congratulation on your new role as Chair of the Board and a heartfelt thank you to Dawn for your lasting vision and commitment to Theratechnologies. I also want to extend a warm welcome to our new directors with M&A activity being more important than ever, I am excited to have the support and expertise of our Board to realize this potential. [indiscernible] of a very successful [indiscernible] Conference in Toronto, I cannot think of a better moment to reiterate that our plan to grow the top and bottom line has put us in a position of strength. This new positioning is resonating with investors. In fact, the pivot that Dawn referred to a moment ago, equals a shift from minus $22 million in adjusted EBITDA in 2022 to a target of $15 million this year despite a $5 million investment to ramp up activities in oncology. Such a transformation in a short period of time should facilitate the acquisition of new assets, which could be instrumental in creation [indiscernible] for shareholders. In parallel, we are accelerating our outreach for partnering our clinical development programs, which also could turn the value creation. Thank you again for being part of our journey.

Dawn Svoronos

executive
#12

We'll now proceed with the question-and-answer period. I ask that all of those who would like to ask a question, use the instant messaging feature of virtual interface to do so. A member of management or myself, as appropriate, will respond. We will answer as many questions as time permits. Please limit your questions to topics relating to today's subject matter and keep your questions short and to the point. I will now give you a moment to type in your question. Okay. As there are no questions, this concludes today's agenda. Thank you, for your attendance today and support to Theratechnologies.

Operator

operator
#13

This concludes the meeting. You may now disconnect.

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