CBD products have gone mainstream and are now available in major retailers like CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger. Over the past few years many companies have announced they are getting into the CBD business, but a lot of them failed to develop a product. So, who is making all of the money from CBD? How big is the market? Chicago-based market research firm, High Yield Insights, says that by 2025, the CBD market could surpass $23.6 billion, which is a 22.2 percent growth rate. Also according to High Yield Insights, "roughly 40 percent of U.S. adults age 21 and over indicated a willingness to explore CBD under the right conditions." High Yield Insights is not the only research firm talking about big numbers; New Frontier Data conducted a nationally represented survey of consumers that said 86% of Americans know of CBD, while 18% of Americans have tried CBD at least once. Another survey with surprising results is one that was completed by the Arthritis Foundation, where 26 percent of patients with arthritis said they use CBD to treat their symptoms.
Most of the CBD products the average American consumer finds on the shelf are made from hemp. Currently, 47 of the 50 U.S. states, as well as the District of Columbia, have legalized the sale and use of hemp derived CBD products. According to federal law, hemp CBD is 100% legal and cannot contain more than 0.3 percent of THC, which is the compound in the plant most commonly associated with getting a person high. This emerging trend in the CBD market adds up to explosive growth potential for companies like Rapid Therapeutic Science Laboratories, Inc. (OTC: RTSL) , Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: CWBHF), Tilray (NASDAQ: TLRY), and Curaleaf Holdings (OTCQX: CURLF)
Rapid Therapeutic Science Laboratories, Inc. (OTC: RTSL) is a fully-reporting, early stage, emerging biotech company focused on aerosol delivery of legal cannabinoids to the systemic blood stream though the pulmonary route of administration, which means you inhale it into your lungs. RTSL's main product is the RxoidTM metered dose inhaler, which is also known as an MDI. The thing that differentiates RTSL from its competitors is the delivery method of its product. The RxoidTM MDI shares many similar physical characteristics to an asthma inhaler and works the same way by delivering medication directly to a user's blood stream through the pulmonary tract. RxoidTM delivers a safe and effective dosing of hemp CBD, which is easily inhaled, to combat not only pain, but numerous forms of anxiety, including social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, GAD, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The device features the safest, quality ingredients designed for the fastest acting relief. RTSL markets its RxoidTM MDI product mainly through pharmacies, physicians, and select distributions chains. You can also buy direct on the Company’s website.
RTSL came public late last year and announced on June 23, 2020 it had received a 100,000 unit wholesale order of its RxoidTM brand 5.0 mg proprietary CBD/CBG formulation which delivers a 98% bioavailable dose of CBD directly to the systemic blood stream. Chairman and CEO Donal R. Schmidt, Jr., Esq., said in the press release, "Our RxoidTM CBD Inhalers are currently being sold through doctors' offices and in pharmacies across the United States and we are extremely pleased about our products' acceptance throughout the medical community." MDI’s are generally sterile, stable, will not oxidize and have a long shelf life not affected by light or temperature. They require neither heat nor batteries, and are efficient devices to deliver medication to humans, whether systemically or topically. Bioavailability, which is the extent and rate at which the active drug enters systemic circulation, of RTSL’s MDI approaches 98%. RTSL is also testing CBN blends and psilocybin where legal. In our opinion, RTSL's RxoidTM product offers a tremendous alternative to CBD tablets, gummies, oils, edible food items, and capsules with oil in them. Not only does it work, RxoidTM is manufactured using Current Good Manufacturing Practice standards that are mandated by the FDA with respect to the manufacture of all drugs and medical devices.
Charlotte’s Web Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX: CWBHF) is a Colorado-based, vertically-integrated hemp-derived CBD company, operating a 50,000 square foot in-house production and manufacturing facility on over 300 acres of irrigated farmland. Charlotte's Web Holdings make CBD oil tinctures, capsules, topicals, and CBD pet products which are sold directly on their e-commerce site, as well as through their wholesale distribution network.
On May 14, 2020, Charlotte’s Web Holdings announced organic consolidated revenue of $21.5 million for Q1 2020, which ended March 31, 2020, vs. $21.7 million in Q1 2019. Even though revenues for the quarter were fairly flat, the Company posted a gross profit of $15.0 million, which was 69.8% of consolidated revenue. As of March 31, 2020, Charlotte’s Web Holdings had $53.0 million in cash and $114.9 million in working capital, as well as a $10 million line of credit from J.P. Morgan. During Q1 2020, the Company signed on its first national pet retailer and announced its products were in nearly 12,000 retail doors.
On June 18, 2020 Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. announced it had closed an underwritten public offering in Canada for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of C$77,625,000. A total of 11,500,000 units comprised of one common share of Charlotte's Web Holdings and one half of one common share purchase warrant were sold at C$6.75 per Unit
Tilray (NASDAQ: TLRY) is a Canadian-based company that supplies high-quality medical cannabis products to tens of thousands of patients in fifteen countries spanning five continents across the world through its subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, Germany, Latin America and Portugal and through agreements with established pharmaceutical distributors.
Out of the 16 analysts currently covering Tilray, 13 rate the stock as a hold. Two analysts have a buy rating on it and one analyst has it ranked as a sell. In spite of a less than enthusiastic opinion by analysts, Tilray still manages to maintain a market cap close to $1 billion. With the exception of a message regarding social issues from CEO, Brendan Kennedy, Tilray's last news was that the Company received a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification in accordance with European Union standards, for its manufacturing facility in Cantanhede, Portugal.
Curaleaf Holdings (OTCQX: CURLF) has a presence in 17 states, owns and operates 57 dispensaries, 15 cultivation sites and 24 processing sites. Curaleaf is the largest national retail dispensary brand in the U.S., as well as a premium mainstream cannabis brand available in multiple states and product formats. Curaleaf offers a complete line of hemp-based CBD products.
On June 22, 2020 Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. announced an amended agreement for its acquisition of GR Companies, Inc. ("Grassroots"), the largest private vertically-integrated multi-state operator in the United States. Under the new mutually agreed and amended terms of the agreement, the principal component of the transaction consideration remains the same at approximately 102.8 million subordinate voting shares of Curaleaf. What had initially been a $75 million cash component of the consideration has been eliminated, while the component of additional Curaleaf subordinate voting shares to be priced at the 10-day volume-weighted average price prior to closing of the transaction has been increased from $40 million to approximately $90.1 million, subject to final adjustment. Accordingly, the total subordinate voting shares consideration for the transaction is expected to be approximately 118.9 million shares.
