China Cord Blood Corporation Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2016

HONG KONG, Aug. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- China Cord Blood Corporation (NYSE: CO) ("CCBC" or the "Company"), China's leading provider of cord blood collection, laboratory testing, hematopoietic stem cell processing and stem cell storage services, today announced its preliminary unaudited financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 ended June 30, 2015.

First Quarter of Fiscal 2016 Highlights

• Revenues for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 increased by 7.8% to RMB165.4 million ($26.7 million) from RMB153.3 million in the prior year period.
• New subscribers and accumulated subscriber base were 16,090 and 457,449, respectively.
• Gross profit increased by 4.2% to RMB128.8 million ($20.8 million) from RMB123.6 million in the prior year period, despite higher raw material costs.
• Gross margin was 77.9%, compared to 80.6% in the prior year period.
• Operating income amounted to RMB48.4 million ($7.8 million), compared to RMB60.2 million in the prior year period, mainly due to the recognition of share-based compensation expense related to the restricted share units ("RSUs") granted in the quarter ended December 31, 2014.
• Operating income before depreciation and amortization and share-based compensation expenses was RMB74.8 million ($12.1 million), up 4.6% compared to RMB71.6 million in the prior year period.¹
• Interest expense was RMB25.9 million ($4.2 million) compared to RMB24.9 million in the prior year period.
• Net income attributable to the Company's shareholders was RMB13.6 million ($2.2 million), compared to RMB29.7 million in the prior year period.
• Net cash provided by operating activities for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 was RMB130.1 million ($21.0 million).

"During the reporting quarter, the market continued to contract and remained challenging. The decline in births, however, did not prevent us from recruiting more than sixteen thousand new subscribers, representing a year-over-year increase of 3.5%, which is in line with management's expectations." said Ms. Ting Zheng, Chief Executive Officer of China Cord Blood Corporation, "We will continue to deepen our existing channels and launch value-added products, utilize O2O channels to increase our conversion ratio, and foster greater customer loyalty by creating parents-children communities. Meanwhile, we continue to build up our team and marketing network for the Zhejiang market. In face of the market contraction in the Chinese lunar "Year of the Sheep", we are determined to achieve our subscriber target for fiscal 2016 by capitalizing on deepening of our existing sales channels and exploring new promotion platforms."

Summary – First Quarter Ended June 30, 2014 and 2015

Summary – Selected Cash Flow Statement Items

First Quarter of Fiscal 2016 Financial Results

REVENUES. Revenues increased by 7.8% to RMB165.4 million ($26.7 million) in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 from RMB153.3 million in the prior year period. The key driver of this increase was the solid increase in storage revenue.

Revenues generated from storage fee increased by 23.5% to RMB58.3 million ($9.4 million) in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 from RMB47.2 million in the prior year period due to the expansion of the accumulated subscriber base. The subscriber base grew to 457,449 by the end of June 2015. Storage fees accounted for 35.2% of total revenues, compared to 30.8% in the prior year period.

Revenues generated from processing fees and other services in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 were RMB107.1 million ($17.3 million), up from RMB106.1 million in the prior year period. Revenues generated from processing fees accounted for 64.8% of total revenues, compared to 69.2% in the prior year period.

GROSS PROFIT. Gross profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 amounted to RMB128.8 million ($20.8 million), a 4.2% increase from RMB123.6 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was 77.9%, compared to 80.6% in the prior year period, due to higher raw material costs.

OPERATING INCOME. Operating income for the first quarter was RMB48.4 million ($7.8 million) compared to RMB60.2 million in the prior year period, mainly due to the recognition of share-based compensation expense. As a result, operating margin decreased to 29.3%, compared to 39.2% in the prior year period. Depreciation and amortization expenses for the first quarter were RMB12.3 million ($2.0 million), compared to RMB11.4 million in the prior year period. Share-based compensation expense related to the Company's RSUs which were granted in December 2014 pursuant to the Company's RSU Scheme amounted to RMB14.1 million ($2.3 million) for the first quarter, whereas no such expense was incurred in the prior year period. Operating income before depreciation and amortization and share-based compensation expenses totaled RMB74.8 million ($12.1 million), a modest increase compared to RMB71.6 million in the prior year period.⁴

⁴ See exhibit 3 of this press release for a reconciliation of operating income to exclude the non-cash items related to the depreciation and amortization and share-based compensation expenses to the comparable financial measure prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Research and Development Expenses. Research and development expenses remained stable at RMB1.9 million ($0.3 million) in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Sales and Marketing Expenses. Sales and marketing expenses for the first quarter amounted to RMB37.2 million ($6.0 million), compared to RMB31.7 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of revenue, sales and marketing expenses were 22.5%, as compared to 20.7% in the prior year period. This increase is attributable to increased marketing expenses and promotion activities, as well as the recognition of share-based compensation expense in the current quarter, whereas no such expense was incurred in the prior year period.

General and Administrative Expenses. General and administrative expenses for the first quarter were RMB41.2 million ($6.6 million) compared to RMB29.1 million in the prior year period. This increase is also mainly a result of the recognition of share-based compensation expense in the current quarter. As a result, general and administrative expenses as the percentage of revenue were 24.9%, compared to 19.0% in the prior year period.

OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES.

Interest Expense. Interest expense was RMB25.9 million ($4.2 million), compared to RMB24.9 million in the prior year period. Interest expense was mainly related to the Company's outstanding convertible notes.

NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE COMPANY'S SHAREHOLDERS. As a result of the increase in direct costs and operating expenses, income before income tax for the first quarter decreased to RMB28.5 million ($4.6 million) from RMB41.5 million. Net income attributable to the Company's shareholders for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 amounted to RMB13.6 million ($2.2 million), compared to RMB29.7 million in the prior year period. Net margin for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 was 8.2%.

EARNINGS PER SHARE. The terms of the convertible notes held by KKR, CGL and Magnum provide each party with the ability to participate in any Excess Cash Dividend⁵. Therefore, the calculation of basic and diluted EPS has taken into consideration the effect of such participating rights. As there is no Excess Cash Dividend for the current period, such participating right effect is nil. Basic and diluted earnings per ordinary share for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 were RMB0.19 ($0.03).⁶

LIQUIDITY. As of June 30, 2015, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of RMB2,560.9 million ($413.0 million), compared to RMB2,436.7 million as of March 31, 2015. The Company had total debt of RMB886.1 million ($142.9 million) as of June 30, 2015. Net cash provided by operating activities for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 amounted to RMB130.1 million ($21.0 million).

Recent Developments

• On April 27, 2015, the Company announced that its board of directors (the "Board") has received a non-binding proposal letter from Golden Meditech Holdings Limited ("Golden Meditech"), pursuant to which Golden Meditech proposes to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the Company not already directly or indirectly owned by Golden Meditech for US$6.40 per ordinary share in cash.
  
  According to the proposal letter, which was dated April 27, 2015, the proposed transaction is intended to be financed with a combination of available cash resources of Golden Meditech and debt and equity capital. In connection with the proposed transaction, Golden Meditech also intends to acquire all of the 7% senior convertible notes of the Company pursuant to agreements entered into with the holders of such convertible notes.
  
  
• On April 29, 2015, the Company announced that in response to the non-binding proposal letter dated April 27, 2015 received by the Board from Golden Meditech, the Board has formed a special committee of independent directors who are not affiliated with Golden Meditech (the "Special Committee") to evaluate such proposal. The Special Committee consists of Mr. Mark D. Chen, Dr. Ken Lu and Ms. Jennifer J. Weng, each of whom currently serves as an independent director on the Board, with Mr. Chen serving as the chair of the Special Committee.
  
  
• On June 2, 2015, the Company announced that the Special Committee has appointed Houlihan Lokey (China) Limited as its independent financial advisor, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP as its United States legal counsel and Maples & Calder as its Cayman Islands legal counsel. The Special Committee is considering Golden Meditech's proposal as well as the Company's other alternatives. The Special Committee has not set a definitive timetable to complete its evaluation of Golden Meditech's proposal or any other alternative and does not currently intend to announce developments unless and until an agreement has been reached.
  
  
• On August 6, 2015, the Company announced that the Board has received a non-binding acquisition proposal letter from Nanjing Xinjiekou Department Store Co., Ltd. ("Nanjing Xinjiekou"), pursuant to which Nanjing Xinjiekou offered to acquire all of the Company's China business, including all of the Company's equity interests in its China subsidiaries and its assets and resources relating to its business in China.  The purchase price offered is not lower than RMB6.0 billion, to be paid in cash or shares or a combination thereof. The Special Committee, in consultation with its legal and financial advisors, will carefully review and evaluate the Nanjing Xinjiekou's proposal.
  
  The Company cautions its shareholders and others considering trading its securities that no decisions have been made with respect to the Company's response to either Golden Meditech's proposal or Nanjing Xinjiekou's proposal, and there cannot be any assurance as to when, if ever, or on what terms any alternative transaction will be consummated.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, August 20, 2015 to discuss its financial performance and give a brief overview of the Company's recent developments, followed by a question and answer session. Interested parties can access the audio webcast through the Company's IR website at http://ir.chinacordbloodcorp.com. A replay of the webcast will be accessible two hours after the conference call and available for three weeks at the same URL above. Listeners can also access the call by dialing 1-631-514-2526 or 1-855-298-3404 for US callers, or +852-5808-3202 for Hong Kong callers, access code: 9995725.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

GAAP results for the three months ended June 30, 2015 include non-cash items related to the depreciation and amortization and share-based compensation expenses. To supplement the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements presented on a U.S. GAAP basis, the Company has provided adjusted financial information excluding the impact of these items in this press release. The non-GAAP financial measure represents non-GAAP operating income. Such adjustment is a departure of U.S. GAAP; however, the Company's management believes that these adjusted measures provide investors with a better understanding of how the results relate to the Company's historical performance. Also, management uses non-GAAP operating income as a measurement tool for evaluating actual operating performance compared to budget and prior periods. These adjusted measures should not be considered an alternative to operating income, or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These measures are not necessarily comparable to a similarly titled measure of another company. A reconciliation of the adjustments to U.S. GAAP results appears in exhibit 3 accompanying this press release. This additional adjusted information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financials. The adjusted financial information that the Company provides also may differ from the adjusted information provided by other companies.

About China Cord Blood Corporation

China Cord Blood Corporation is the first and largest umbilical cord blood banking operator in China in terms of geographical coverage and the only cord blood banking operator with multiple licenses. Under current PRC government regulations, only one licensed cord blood banking operator is permitted to operate in each licensed region and only seven licenses have been authorized as of today. China Cord Blood Corporation provides cord blood collection, laboratory testing, hematopoietic stem cell processing and stem cell storage services. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.chinacordbloodcorp.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future financial performance. The Company has attempted to identify forward-looking statements by terminology including "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "can", "continue", "could", "estimates", "intends", "may", "plans", "potential", "predict", "should" or "will" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions, uncertainties and other factors may cause the Company's actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The information in this press release is not intended to project future performance of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company does not guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company expectations are as of the date this press release is issued, and the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date this press release is issued to conform these statements to actual results, unless required by law.

The forward-looking statements included in this press release are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company's businesses and business environments. These statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual results of the Company's operations may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of risk factors some of which include, among other things: continued compliance with government regulations regarding cord blood banking in the People's Republic of China, or PRC and any other jurisdiction in which the Company conducts its operations; changing legislation or regulatory environments (including revisions to China's One Child Policy) in the PRC and any other jurisdiction in which the Company conducts its operations; the acceptance by subscribers of the Company's different pricing and payment options and reaction to the introduction of the Company's premium-quality pricing strategy; demographic trends in the regions of the PRC in which the Company is the exclusive licensed cord blood banking operator; labor and personnel relations; the existence of a significant shareholder able to influence and direct the corporate policies of the Company; credit risks affecting the Company's revenue and profitability; changes in the healthcare industry, including those which may result in the use of stem cell therapies becoming redundant or obsolete; the Company's ability to effectively manage its growth, including implementing effective controls and procedures and attracting and retaining key management and personnel; changing interpretations of generally accepted accounting principles; the availability of capital resources, including in the form of capital markets financing opportunities, in light of industry developments affecting issuers that have pursued a "reverse merger" with an operating company based in China, as well as general economic conditions; compliance with restrictive debt covenants under our senior convertible notes; the non-binding proposal letters from Golden Meditech and Nanjing Xinjiekou; and other relevant risks detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States.

This announcement contains translations of certain Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of readers. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars as of and for the periods ending June 30, 2015 were made at the noon buying rate of RMB6.2000 to $1.00 on June 30, 2015 in the City of New York for cable transfers in Renminbi per U.S. dollar as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. China Cord Blood Corporation makes no representation that the Renminbi or U.S. dollar amounts referred to in this press release could have been or could be converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, at any particular rate or at all.

For more information, please contact:

China Cord Blood Corporation
Investor Relations Department
Tel: (+852) 3605-8180
Email: ir@chinacordbloodcorp.com

ICR, Inc.
William Zima
Tel: (+86) 10-6583-7511
U.S. Tel: (646) 405-5185
Email: William.zima@icrinc.com

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EXHIBIT 2

EXHIBIT 3