Marrone Bio Innovations Provides Corporate Update
Final Candidate Identified from CEO Search Efforts
DAVIS, Calif., April 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (NASDAQ: MBII) (the “Company” or “Marrone Bio”), an international leader in sustainable bioprotection and plant health solutions, today provided a corporate update on recent corporate governance and operational initiatives.
In December 2019, Marrone Bio’s Board of Directors announced that the Company’s founder, Dr. Pamela Marrone, would retire from her position as chief executive officer. At that time, the Board of Directors initiated a search process for a new CEO, and subsequently have identified a final candidate for consideration.
“As a result of our ongoing search efforts to replace Marrone Bio’s retiring Founder, Dr. Pam Marrone as Chief Executive Officer, the Board of Directors has identified a final candidate and is moving discussions to an advanced stage,” said Bob Woods, Chairman of Marrone Bio Innovations. “We look forward to providing updates to our shareholders late in the second quarter of 2020.”
Kevin Hammill, Chief Commercial Officer, added: “From an operational perspective, sales of Marrone Bio products into the specialty crop market year-to-date have been positive, particularly given that February was one of the driest months on record in the key California market. This continued growth builds on the our 2019 performance, which included an 80% increase in the number of almond acres treated with Regalia fungicide.
“From a macro perspective, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s prospective plantings report predicts that U.S. corn and soybean acres will rebound significantly over 2019 plantings. Marrone Bio’s products to service the 2020 planting season are in-place, either in the distribution supply chain or on farm.”
Marrone Bio recently secured a $1.7 million loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) contained within the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law on March 27, 2020. The loan, evidenced by a promissory note from FiveStar Bank as lender, has a term of two years, is unsecured, and is guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The loan bears interest at a fixed rate of one percent per annum with the first six months of interest and principal deferred. Some or all of the loan may be forgiven if at least 75 percent of the loan proceeds are used by Marrone Bio to cover payroll costs, including benefits and if the Company maintains its employment and compensation within certain parameters during the eight-week period following the loan origination date and complies with other relevant conditions. Marrone Bio expects to meet the requirements for full Loan forgiveness. Any forgiven amount will not be included in taxable income.
Jim Boyd, Chief Financial Officer, added: “As recently announced, we were fortunately able to obtain new non-dilutive financing in the form of a $1.7 million loan as part of the Paycheck Protection Program, which may be forgivable if at least 75% of the proceeds are used to cover payroll costs, as we fully anticipate.”
About Marrone Bio Innovations
Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. (NASDAQ: MBII) is a growth-oriented company leading the movement to more a sustainable world through the discovery, development and sale of innovative biological products for crop protection, plant health and waterway systems treatment that help customers operate more sustainably while increasing their return on investment. MBI has screened over 18,000 microorganisms and 350 plant extracts, leveraging its in-depth knowledge of plant and soil microbiomes enhanced by advanced molecular technologies and natural product chemistry to rapidly develop seven product lines. Supported by a robust portfolio of over 400 issued and pending patents, MBI’s currently available commercial products are Regalia®, Stargus®, Grandevo®, Venerate®, Majestene®, Haven® and Amplitude®, Pacesetter™, Zelto® Jet Oxide® and Jet Ag® and Zequanox®, with breakthrough bioherbicide and biofumigant products in the Company’s product pipeline. MBI’s Pro Farm Finland-based subsidiary employs a proprietary technology derived from wood waste to stimulate plant growth and improve plant health, resulting in improved yields and crop quality. Products include UBP™ 110, Foramin®, UBP™ Seed Treatment, Foramin® ST.
Learn more about Marrone Bio Innovations at . We also use our investor relations website, , as well as our corporate Twitter account, @Marronebio, as means of disclosing material non-public information, and encourage our investors and others to monitor and review the information we make public in these locations. Follow us on social media: , and .
Marrone Bio Innovations Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding strategy, future operations and plans, including assumptions underlying such statements, are forward-looking statements, and should not be relied upon as representing MBI’s views as of any subsequent date. Examples of such statements include statements regarding the Company’s ability to reach agreement with the candidate and the timing of any future update on the Company’s CEO search process, use of the proceeds from the PPP loan and whether any of the PPP loan will be eligible to be forgiven. Such forward-looking statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date of this release and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements, including, including the impact of COVID-19 on the agricultural market and the world economy, and the regulatory response to the COVID-19 pandemic, weather, regulatory and other factors affecting demand for the MBI’s products, any difficulty in marketing MBI’s products in its target markets, competition in the market for pest management products, lack of understanding of bio-based pest management products by customers and growers. Additional information that could lead to material changes in MBI’s performance is contained in its filings with the SEC. MBI is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any responsibility to, update or alter forward-looking statements contained in this release, whether as a result of current information, future events or otherwise.
Investor Relations Contact:
Greg Falesnik, Managing Director
MZ Group – MZ North America
Main: 949-385-6449
