EXHIBIT 99.1

The Joint Corp. Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2017 Financial Results

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Joint Corp. (NASDAQ:JYNT), a national operator, manager and franchisor of chiropractic clinics, reported results for the fourth quarter and full year 2017.

Fourth Quarter Financial Highlights: 2017 Compared to 2016

Peter D. Holt, president and chief executive officer of The Joint Corp, said, “2017 ended with our eighth consecutive quarter of financial improvement.  These achievements reflect our steady, disciplined approach, the validation of our business strategy and our strengthened foundation for growth. For 2017, gross system-wide sales reached $126.9 million, up 29% compared to 2016.  We also delivered 21% annual same store sales growth; increased operating efficiencies to reduce new clinic time to breakeven; generated cash from operations; and rebuilt our regional developer (RD) network.

“In 2018, we expect to accelerate growth by increasing franchise sales, both direct and those generated through our regional developers, whose territories now cover roughly one third of the US, and by strategically increasing company owned or managed clinics through acquisition and/or building greenfields. We are pleased to have moved beyond stabilizing the business in 2017, and are well positioned for a strong 2018 and future growth.”

Fourth Quarter Financial Results: 2017 Compared to 2016

Revenue grew 20% to $6.9 million, compared to $5.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2016, due primarily to increased sales in company owned or managed clinics and a greater number of franchised clinics.

Cost of revenue was $1.0 million, up 30% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016, due to higher regional developer royalties from an increased number of open franchised clinics and increased clinic revenues in regional developer territories.

Selling and marketing expenses were $1.3 million, increased slightly from $1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2016, reflecting slightly higher marketing expenses related to our national marketing program. General and administrative expenses were $4.4 million, decreased 50% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016. The prior year expense of $8.9 million included a $3.5 million loss on disposition or impairment related to the closure of company managed clinics in Chicago and New York, non-operating lease costs for halting of greenfield clinic development, and greater payroll and occupancy costs related to 14 more corporate clinics operating in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Net loss was $(213,000), or $(0.02) per share, compared to $(5.8) million, or $(0.45) per share, in the same period last year.

Adjusted EBITDA income was $419,000, an improvement of $1.8 million, compared to Adjusted EBITDA loss of $(1.4) million in the same quarter last year.  The company defines Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, as EBITDA before acquisition-related expenses, bargain purchase gain, loss on disposition or impairment, and stock-based compensation expenses. The company defines EBITDA as net income (loss) before net interest, tax expense, depreciation, and amortization expenses.

Balance Sheet Liquidity

As of December 31, 2017, cash and cash equivalents were $4.2 million, compared to $3.0 million at December 31, 2016.  Pursuant to the terms of the company’s credit agreement, during the first quarter of 2017, the company borrowed a required $1.0 million on its line of credit, which remains unused as part of cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet as of December 31, 2017. For the year, the company increased cash, excluding debt, by $200,000.

Full Year Financial Results: 2017 Compared to 2016

Revenues were $25.2 million, growing 23%. Gross profit was $21.9 million, increasing 24%. General and administrative expenses were $18.5 million, improving 28%.  General and administrative expense as a percent of revenue decreased from 125% in 2016 to 74% in 2017. General and administrative operating leverage is expected to continue to improve with the increase in gross sales across all clinics.

Net loss improved 78% from $(15.2) million in 2016 to $(3.3) million in 2017, or to $(0.25) per share for the full year compared to $(1.20) per share in 2016. Adjusted EBITDA loss was $(91,000), compared to $(7.7) million last year – representing a 99% improvement.

2018 Financial Guidance

Management has provided full year 2018 financial guidance and franchise opening expectations as set forth below:

Conference Call

The Joint Corp. management will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 8, 2018, to discuss the fourth quarter and full year 2017 results. The conference call may be accessed by dialing 765-507-2604 or 844-464-3931, and referencing conference code 6769706. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations section of the company’s website at www.thejoint.com. An audio replay will be available two hours after the conclusion of the call through March 15, 2018. The replay can be accessed by dialing 404-537-3406 or 855-859-2056. The passcode for the replay is 6769706.

Non-GAAP Financial Information

This earnings release includes a presentation of EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA which are non-GAAP financial measures. These are presented because they are important measures used by management to assess financial performance, as management believes they provide a more transparent view of the Company’s underlying operating performance and operating trends. Reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA is presented in the table below. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA before acquisition-related expenses, bargain purchase gain, loss on disposition or impairment, and stock-based compensation expenses. The Company defines EBITDA as net income (loss) before net interest, tax expense, depreciation, and amortization expenses.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not represent and should not be considered alternatives to net income or cash flows from operations, as determined by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP. While EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are used as measures of financial performance and the ability to meet debt service requirements, they are not necessarily comparable to other similarly titled captions of other companies due to potential inconsistencies in the methods of calculation. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should be reviewed in conjunction with the Company’s financial statements filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements about future events and expectations that constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and expectations of industry trends, our future financial and operating performance and our growth plans, taking into account the information currently available to us. These statements are not statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations of future results we express or imply in any forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on such statements. Factors that could contribute to these differences include, but are not limited to, our failure to develop or acquire corporate clinics as rapidly as we intend, our failure to profitably operate corporate clinics, and the factors described in “Risk Factors” in our Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the SEC, and for the year ended December 31, 2017, as will be filed with the SEC on March 9, 2018.  Words such as, "anticipates," "believes," "continues," "estimates," "expects," "goal," "objectives," "intends," "may," "opportunity," "plans," "potential," "near-term," "long-term," "projections," "assumptions," "projects," "guidance," "forecasts," "outlook," "target," "trends," "should," "could," "would," "will," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. We qualify any forward-looking statements entirely by these cautionary factors. We assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.

About The Joint Corp. (NASDAQ:JYNT)

Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, The Joint is an emerging growth company that is reinventing chiropractic by making quality care convenient and affordable for patients seeking pain relief and ongoing wellness. Its no-appointment policy and convenient hours and locations make care more accessible, and affordable membership plans and packages eliminate the need for insurance. With over 400 clinics nationwide and nearly 5 million patient visits annually, The Joint is a key leader in the chiropractic profession. For more information, visit www.thejoint.com or follow the brand on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Business Structure

The Joint Corp. is a franchisor of clinics and an operator of clinics in certain states. In Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington, The Joint and its franchisees provide management services to affiliated professional chiropractic practices.

Investor Contact: Kirsten Chapman, LHA Investor Relations, 415-433-3777, [email protected]
Media Contact: Molly Hottle, The Joint Corp., [email protected]

 

THE JOINT CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
        
   December 31, December 31,  
    2017   2016   
ASSETS       
Current assets:       
Cash and cash equivalents  $  4,216,221   $  3,009,864    
Restricted cash     103,819      334,394    
Accounts receivable, net     1,138,380      1,021,733    
Income taxes receivable     -       42,014    
Notes receivable - current portion     171,928      40,826    
Deferred franchise costs - current portion     484,081      748,300    
Prepaid expenses and other current assets     542,342      499,525    
Total current assets     6,656,771      5,696,656    
Property and equipment, net     3,800,466      4,724,706    
Notes receivable, net of current portion and reserve     351,857      -     
Deferred franchise costs, net of current portion     812,600      836,350    
Intangible assets, net     1,760,042      2,338,922    
Goodwill     2,916,426      2,750,338    
Deposits and other assets     611,808      707,889    
Total assets  $  16,909,970   $  17,054,861    
        
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY        
Current liabilities:       
Accounts payable  $  1,068,669   $  1,054,946    
Accrued expenses     86,959      299,997    
Co-op funds liability     89,681      73,246    
Payroll liabilities     867,430      750,421    
Notes payable - current portion     100,000      331,500    
Deferred rent - current portion     152,198      215,450    
Deferred revenue - current portion     2,553,818      3,077,430    
Other current liabilities     48,534      60,894    
Total current liabilities     4,967,289      5,863,884    
Notes payable, net of current portion     1,000,000      -     
Deferred rent, net of current portion     802,492      1,400,790    
Deferred revenue, net of current portion     4,693,441      2,231,712    
Deferred tax liability     136,434      120,700    
Other liabilities     411,497      512,362    
Total liabilities     12,011,153      10,129,448    
Commitments and contingencies       
Stockholders' equity:       
Series A preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 50,000        
  shares authorized, 0 issued and outstanding, as of December 31, 2017,       
  and December 31, 2016     -       -     
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 20,000,000 shares        
  authorized, 13,600,338 shares issued and 13,586,254 shares outstanding       
  as of December 31, 2017 and 13,317,393 shares issued and 13,020,889       
  outstanding as of December 31, 2016     13,600      13,317    
Additional paid-in capital     37,229,869      36,398,588    
Treasury stock 14,084 shares as of December 31, 2017 and 296,504 shares       
  as of December 31, 2016, at cost     (86,045)    (503,118)  
Accumulated deficit     (32,258,607)    (28,983,374)  
Total stockholders' equity      4,898,817      6,925,413    
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   $  16,909,970   $  17,054,861    
            


THE JOINT CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
 
         
  Three Months Ended Year Ended
  December 31, December 31,
   2017   2016   2017   2016 
Revenues:        
Revenues and management fees from company clinics $  3,018,995   $  2,411,434   $  11,125,115   $  8,550,980  
Royalty fees    2,204,447      1,635,436      7,722,856      5,973,079  
Franchise fees    405,600      645,400      1,442,415      2,286,809  
Advertising fund revenue    758,541      648,150      2,753,776      1,866,406  
IT related income and software fees    297,575      246,250      1,137,363      932,709  
Regional developer fees    127,691      121,034      583,550      617,573  
Other revenues    116,640      73,267      398,929      296,084  
Total revenues    6,929,489      5,780,971      25,164,004      20,523,640  
Cost of revenues:        
Franchise cost of revenues    893,178      693,979      2,996,797      2,717,691  
IT cost of revenues    87,494      59,166      315,397      221,918  
Total cost of revenues    980,671      753,145      3,312,194      2,939,609  
Selling and marketing expenses    1,284,392      1,199,237      4,473,881      4,419,180  
Depreciation and amortization    467,310      657,898      2,017,323      2,566,136  
General and administrative expenses    4,422,844      5,371,835      18,117,533      22,086,321  
Total selling, general and administrative expenses    6,174,546      7,228,970      24,608,737      29,071,637  
Loss on disposition or impairment     -       3,520,369      417,971      3,520,369  
Loss from operations    (225,729)    (5,721,512)    (3,174,898)    (15,007,976)
         
Other (expense) income:        
Other (expense) income, net    (30,866)    (6,667)    (64,455)    (1,467)
Total other (expense) income    (30,866)    (6,667)    (64,455)    (1,467)
         
Loss before income tax expense    (256,595)    (5,728,179)    (3,239,353)    (15,009,443)
         
Income tax benefit (expense)    43,397      (32,285)    (35,880)    (164,429)
         
Net loss and comprehensive loss $  (213,198) $  (5,760,464) $  (3,275,233) $  (15,173,872)
         
Loss per share:        
Basic and diluted loss per share $  (0.02) $  (0.45) $  (0.25) $  (1.20)
         
Basic and diluted weighted average shares    13,542,912      12,813,438      13,245,119      12,696,649  
         
Non-GAAP Financial Data:        
Net loss $  (213,198) $  (5,760,464) $  (3,275,233) $  (15,173,872)
Interest expense    26,071      10,062      105,169      14,762  
Depreciation and amortization expense    467,310      657,898      2,017,323      2,566,136  
Tax (benefit) expense    (43,397)    32,285      35,880      164,429  
EBITDA $  236,787   $  (5,060,219) $  (1,116,862) $  (12,428,545)
Stock compensation expense    181,858      110,781      594,371      1,123,481  
Acquisition related expenses    -       10,750      13,142      74,736  
Loss on disposition or impairment    -       3,520,369      417,971      3,520,369  
Adjusted EBITDA $  418,645   $  (1,418,319) $  (91,378) $  (7,709,959)
                 


THE JOINT CORP. AND SUBSIDIARY
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
     
  Year Ended
  December 31,
   2017   2016 
Net loss $  (3,275,233) $  (15,173,872)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash  3,051,152    6,936,907  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities    380,525      (2,610,347)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities    156,444      (10,847,312)
Net cash used in investing activities    (372,853)    (2,695,822)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities    1,422,766      (239,852)
Net increase (decrease) in cash $  1,206,357   $  (13,782,986)
         

1 Comp sales refers to the amount of sales a clinic generates in the most recent accounting period, compared to sales in the comparable period of the prior year, and (i) includes sales only from clinics that have been open at least 13 full months and (ii) excludes any clinics that have closed.