SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 20 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Noah Education Holdings Ltd. (“Noah”) (NYSE: NED), a leading provider of interactive education content in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2007, which is the first quarter for Noah’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2008.(1)
Highlights for the Fiscal Quarter Ended September 30, 2007
-- Total net revenues increased by 40.0% year-over-year to RMB247.5
million (US$33.0 million) from RMB176.8 million in the first quarter of
fiscal year 2007.
-- Net income increased by 39.4% year-over-year to RMB44.5 million (US$5.9
million) from RMB31.9 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2007,
and net income excluding share-based compensation expenses and the
change in the fair value of warrants (non-GAAP) increased by 63.3%
year-over-year to RMB52.1 million (US$7.0 million).
-- Basic and diluted earnings per share were RMB1.58 (US$0.21) and RMB1.50
(US$0.20), respectively. Excluding share-based compensation expenses
and the change of the fair value of warrants (non-GAAP), basic and
diluted earnings per share were RMB1.85 (US$0.25) and RMB1.83 (US$0.24),
respectively. Each ADS represents one ordinary share. The weighted
averaged ordinary shares outstanding in calculating basic and diluted
earnings per share were 21,473,442 and 21,687,452.
-- Total sales volume of handheld digital learning devices (“DLDs”) for
the quarter increased by 20.5% year-over-year to approximately 229,000
from approximately 190,000 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2007.
E-dictionary sales volume decreased slightly to approximately 211,000
from approximately 219,000 in the first quarter of 2007.
-- Total coursewares available increased to approximately 30,000 from
approximately 28,000 as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2007.
-- As of September 30, 2007 we had 3 after-school tutoring centers in
Chengdu.
“We are very pleased with the results of the first quarter of our fiscal year 2008,” said Mr. Dong Xu, Noah’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We saw strong growth in sales of DLDs as we continued to leverage our brand name, content development capabilities, leading market position and national sales and distribution network to deepen the penetration of our innovative and user-friendly products in China’s growing market of students aged 5 to19.”
Noah noted that the first quarter of its fiscal year is typically stronger in terms of sales as it coincides with the beginning of school semesters and as Chinese children spend more time in the summer months shopping for learning products and pursuing study outside of the classroom.
Financial Results for the Fiscal Quarter Ended September 30, 2007
For the first fiscal quarter of 2008, Noah reported net revenues of RMB247.5 million (US$33.0 million), a 40.0% increase year-over-year. The increase was primarily attributable to a substantial increase in sales of DLDs. Total sales volume of DLDs for the quarter increased by 20.5% year-over-year to approximately 229,000 from approximately 190,000 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2007.
Gross profit margin was 50.2%, compared to 59.4% in the corresponding period last year. The decrease was primarily attributable to an increase in the purchasing cost of certain raw material components of DLDs such as flash chips and memory boards, during July and August.
Total operating expenses as a percentage of net revenue was 35.5%, compared to 47.0% in the corresponding period last year. The decrease was primarily attributable to the decrease in sales and marketing expenses, as a percentage of net revenue.
Operating margin for the quarter was 20.5%, compared to 18.5% in the corresponding period last year. Excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP), operating margin for the quarter was 21.2%, compared to 18.5% in the corresponding period of the prior year.
Total share-based compensation expenses, which were allocated to related operating costs and expenses, increased to RMB1.8 million (US$0.25 million) in the first fiscal quarter of 2008 from RMB0.0 in the first fiscal quarter of 2007.
Net income for the quarter was RMB44.5 million (US$5.9 million), a 39.4% increase from the first fiscal quarter of 2007. Basic and diluted earnings per share amounted to RMB1.58 (US$0.21) and RMB1.50 (US$0.20).
Net income excluding share-based compensation expenses and the change in fair value of warrants (non-GAAP) was RMB52.1 million (US$7.0 million). Basic and diluted earnings per share excluding share-based compensation expenses and the change of the fair value of warrants (non-GAAP) were RMB1.85 (US$0.25) and RMB1.83 (US$0.24), respectively.
As of September 30, 2007, Noah had cash and cash equivalents of RMB77.5 million (US$10.3 million). Net operating cash flow for the first quarter of fiscal year 2008 was RMB3.2 million (US$0.43 million).
Outlook for Fiscal Second Quarter 2008
Noah expects its total net revenues of fiscal year 2008 (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008) to be in the range of RMB720 million (US$96 million) to RMB730 million (US$97 million), representing year-over-year growth in the range of 30% to 32%, respectively. This forecast reflects Noah’s current and preliminary view, which is subject to change.
Conference Call Information
Noah’s management will host an earnings conference call at 8 p.m. on November 19, 2007 U.S. Eastern Standard Time (9 a.m. on November 20, 2007 Beijing/Hong Kong time).
Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:
US: +1-617-614-2714
Hong Kong: +852-3002-1672
Please dial-in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the passcode to join the call. The passcode is “Noah earnings call”.
A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until December 19, 2007:
International: +1-617-801-6888
Passcode: 31729950
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at http://ir.noahtech.com.cn .
About Noah
Noah Education Holdings Limited (“Noah”) (NYSE: NED) is a leading provider of interactive education content in China. Noah develops and markets interactive multimedia learning materials mainly to complement prescribed textbooks used in China’s primary and secondary school curricula. Noah delivers content primarily through handheld digital learning devices, or DLDs. In 2007, Noah opened its first after-school tutoring center in Chengdu, China as part of its strategy to become China’s leading brand in supplemental education content and service. For more information about Noah, please visit http://www.noahtech.com.cn .
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Noah’s current expectations and views of future events that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Noah has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that its believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. You should understand that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what Noah expects. Information regarding these risks, uncertainties and other factors is included in Noah’s filings with the SEC.
(1) This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into
U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the
reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S.
dollars are made at a rate of RMB7.4928 to US$1.00, the effective noon
buying rate as of September 28, 2007 in The City of New York for cable
transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal
Reserve Bank of New York.
Noah Education Holdings Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
Three months ended 30 September
2006 2007
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
RMB RMB
Net revenue 176,830,179 247,485,607
Cost of revenue (71,793,782) (123,256,089)
Gross profit 105,036,397 124,229,518
Total operating expenses (83,190,064) (87,851,081)
Other operating income 10,817,060 14,322,588
Operating income 32,663,393 50,701,025
Derivative loss -- (5,776,564)
Interest income 853,560 193,382
Income before income taxes 33,516,953 45,117,843
Income taxes (1,600,908) (620,224)
Net income 31,916,045 44,497,619
Deemed dividend (379,093) (379,092)
Net income attributable to ordinary
shareholders 31,536,952 44,118,527
Net income per share
Basic 1.13 1.58
Diluted 1.12 1.50
Weighted average ordinary shares
outstanding
Basic 21,473,442 21,473,442
Diluted 21,473,442 21,687,452
Noah Education Holdings Ltd.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet
June 30, September 30,
2007 2007
(Audited) (Unaudited)
RMB RMB
Assets:
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 77,367,126 77,493,046
Accounts receivables, net of
allowance 105,227,764 149,471,911
Related party receivables 751,624 --
Inventories 85,807,688 99,353,642
Prepaid expenses, deferred tax
assets and other current assets 36,983,043 47,078,859
Total current assets 306,137,245 373,397,458
Property, plant and equipment, net 16,946,967 17,086,715
Intangible assets, net 6,626,031 7,150,397
Total assets 329,710,243 397,634,570
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
Current liabilities
Accounts payable 47,962,018 67,200,483
Other payables, accruals, advances
from customers and deferred revenues 41,962,187 38,362,041
Income taxes payable 798,304 1,418,528
Total current liabilities 90,722,509 106,981,052
Warrants 4,934,514 10,614,465
Total liabilities 95,657,023 117,595,517
Mezzanine Equity
Convertible Series A Preference
Shares 129,375,286 129,754,379
Shareholders’ Equity
Ordinary shares 8,888 8,888
Additional paid-in capital 48,737,939 50,587,326
Accumulated other comprehensive
loss (5,497,826) (5,859,000)
Retained earnings 61,428,933 105,547,460
Total shareholders’ equity 234,053,220 280,039,053
Total liabilities and
shareholders’ equity 329,710,243 397,634,570
About Non-GAAP Financial Measures
To supplement its financial information presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), Noah uses the following measures defined as non-GAAP measures by the SEC: adjusted gross profit, adjusted operating income and adjusted net income, each excluding share-based compensation expenses and changes in the fair value of warrants issued to Lehman Brothers Commercial Corporation Asia Limited to purchase additional ordinary shares. Noah believes that gross profit, operating income and net income measures on non-GAAP basis indicate Noah’s baseline performance before subtracting those charges. In addition, these non-GAAP measures are among the primary indicators management uses as a basis for its planning and forecasting of future periods. By disclosing the non-GAAP amounts, management intends to provide investors with additional information to analyze Noah’s performance and underlying trends. The presentation of these non-GAAP measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as for financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. See the table below for a reconciliation of non-GAAP amounts to amounts reported under GAAP.
Noah Education Holdings Ltd.
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP to GAAP
Three months ended 30 September
2006 2007
(Unaudited) (Unaudited)
RMB RMB
GAAP net revenue 176,830,179 247,485,607
GAAP gross profit 105,036,397 124,229,518
Share-based compensation -- 201,749
Non-GAAP gross profit 105,036,397 124,431,267
GAAP operating income 32,663,393 50,701,025
Share-based compensation -- 1,849,387
Non-GAAP operating income 32,663,393 52,550,412
GAAP net income 31,916,045 44,497,619
Share-based compensation -- 1,849,387
Change in the fair value of warrants -- 5,776,564
Non-GAAP net income 31,916,045 52,123,570
GAAP net income per share
Basic 1.13 1.58
Diluted 1.12 1.50
Non-GAAP net income per share
Basic 1.13 1.85
Diluted 1.12 1.83
For investor and media inquiries, please contact:
In China:
Mr. Rick Chen
Noah Education Holdings Limited
Tel: +86-755-8204-3465
Email: rick_chen@noah21cn.com
Mrs. Helen Plummer
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (Beijing)
Tel: +86-10-8520-3090
Email: helen.plummer@ogilvy.com
In the United States:
Jessica Cohen
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (New York)
Tel: +1-646-460-9989
Email: jessica.cohen@ogilvy.com