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Oklo(OKLO) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript
OKLOOklo(OKLO)2025-03-25 01:01

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Oklo Inc. reported a full-year operating loss of 52.8million,whichincludedaonetimefairmarketvalueexpenseof52.8 million, which included a one-time fair market value expense of 7.8 million and 4.7millioninnoncashstockbasedcompensation[78]Adjustedforthesenoncashamounts,thenetlosswas4.7 million in non-cash stock-based compensation [78] - Adjusted for these non-cash amounts, the net loss was 40.3 million, at the low end of the forecasted range of 40to40 to 50 million [79] - The full-year cash used in operating activities was 38.4million,withcashandmarketablesecuritiesat38.4 million, with cash and marketable securities at 275.3 million at year-end [81][82] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company expanded its powerhouse offering to support up to 75 megawatts of power output, building on the existing 50-megawatt design [25] - The customer pipeline has grown from 700 megawatts to over 14 gigawatts, driven by demand from major customers like Equinix, Prometheus, Switch, and Diamondback Energy [63] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total US power demand is projected to grow greater than 160% through 2030, with data centers contributing approximately 31% of this increase [12] - The company signed a landmark 12-gigawatt master power agreement with Switch, equivalent to about 1% of the US grid capacity [18][56] Company Strategy and Development Direction - Oklo Inc.'s strategy is built on three core pillars: a simplified business model, small scalable reactors, and advanced technology utilizing plutonium coolant [13][15] - The company aims to streamline regulatory approval through a combined license application process, which is expected to accelerate deployment [36][39] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management emphasized the growing consensus on the importance of nuclear energy for energy abundance and the need for advanced nuclear deployment [11][10] - The company is positioned to capitalize on the increasing demand for clean, reliable energy, particularly in the data center and oil and gas sectors [17][19] Other Important Information - The acquisition of Atomic Alchemy marks a strategic expansion into the high-growth radioisotope market, projected to exceed $55 billion by 2026 [70][74] - The company has secured fuel for its first core load at INL and is collaborating with Centrus for a long-term fuel supply [47] Q&A Session Summary Question: Was the decision to go from 50 megawatts to 75 driven by customers you already have in your pipeline or potential customers? - The decision was largely informed by customer interest and market dynamics, particularly in the data center sector [90][92] Question: Now that you have a pipeline of 14 gigawatts, do other potential customers see that and think Oklo Inc. is pretty full? - The pipeline's growth has created a sense of urgency among potential customers, leading to increased interest in collaboration [99][100] Question: Does the increased range of the PowerHouse to 50 to 75 megawatts require any change in your total license approach? - The change is expected to have minimal effect on the licensing approach, as the existing infrastructure accommodates this flexibility [104][106] Question: Can you describe broadly what the readiness assessment entails and does it derisk your actual COLA application? - The readiness assessment is a pre-review process with the NRC that helps streamline the application and reduce risks associated with the review timeline [112][114] Question: What are the main drivers for the expected increase in cash used in operations this year? - The increase is driven by headcount growth, procurement activities for the first powerhouse, and costs associated with the Atomic Alchemy acquisition [126][128]