Forward Industries(US:FORD)2026-02-12 23:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue in Q1 of fiscal 2026 increased more than four times to $21.4 million compared to $4.6 million in Q1 of fiscal 2025 [16] - Gross margin increased significantly to 78.6% in Q1 of fiscal 2026 from 24.5% in Q1 of fiscal 2025, primarily driven by staking revenue from the Solana treasury strategy [16] - Net loss for Q1 of fiscal 2026 was approximately $585.6 million, compared to a net loss of $0.7 million in Q1 of fiscal 2025, largely due to a decline in the fair value of SOL holdings [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Forward held approximately 6,962,501 Solana as of December 31, 2025, with over 99% staked, generating a staking yield between 6.5% and 7.2% [13] - Fully diluted SOL per share increased from 0.0604 at the end of September 2025 to 0.0624 as of December 31, 2025, representing a growth of roughly 13% in the fiscal first quarter [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Solana continues to lead in decentralized exchange trading volumes, active users, and developer engagement, demonstrating resilience and performance [6][7] - Institutional engagement has expanded significantly, with major financial institutions integrating Solana into their operations, such as WisdomTree launching regulated tokenized funds on Solana [7] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to build a permanent capital vehicle that participates directly in the growth of the Solana ecosystem, evolving beyond a treasury into an active value-generating business [5] - Forward Industries is focused on compounding SOL per share by engaging directly in economic activities on-chain rather than relying solely on passive exposure [6] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledges the volatility in the market but emphasizes that Solana is now being evaluated based on actual performance rather than theoretical scalability [6] - The company believes that the opportunity in front of Solana is increasingly clear, with significant growth in stablecoins, payments, and DeFi applications [7] Other Important Information - Forward became one of the first public companies to have its SEC-registered shares live on a public blockchain, allowing eligible non-US holders to use tokenized shares as collateral in DeFi [8][9] - The company launched fwdSOL, a proprietary liquid staking token, representing approximately 25% of its SOL holdings, allowing for efficient deployment of staked SOL [9][10] Q&A Session Summary Question: How has the company navigated recent token price volatility? - Management noted that SOL is down approximately 70% from its all-time high, which is typical in the crypto market, and emphasized maintaining a clean balance sheet to avoid risks faced by competitors [19][20] Question: What is the company's approach to potential M&A? - The company is looking for accretive acquisitions and is well-positioned to capitalize on opportunities due to its lack of institutional debt, allowing it to play offense in a dislocated market [23][24] Question: How should shareholders view SOL per share as a performance metric? - Management indicated that SOL per share growth is a key performance indicator, with a target to consistently generate returns greater than the staking yield [24] Question: What factors influence capital allocation decisions? - The company evaluates capital allocation based on market conditions, trading premiums or discounts, and the relative value of potential M&A opportunities [38][39] Question: How do staking yields trend with network usage? - Management clarified that increased validator participation does not impact yields for stakers, and as network activity grows, yields are expected to increase due to higher transaction fees [43][44]