China Biologic Reports Third Quarter 2011 Results

TAI'AN, China, November 8, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- China Biologic Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBPO) ("China Biologic" or the "Company"), one of the leading plasma-based biopharmaceutical companies in the People's Republic of China ("PRC"), today reported its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.

Financial highlights for the third quarter 2011

• Total sales increased $5.3 million or 14.7% to $41.3 million in the third quarter 2011 from $36.0 million in the third quarter 2010, including the benefit of a 6.1% gain from foreign exchange translation. Total sales in RMB increased 8.6% in the third quarter 2011 from the third quarter of last year.
• Gross profit increased $0.2 million or 0.8% to $27.5 million in the third quarter 2011 from $27.3 million in the third quarter 2010. The gross profit margin was 66.7% in the third quarter 2011 compared with 75.9% in the third quarter 2010.
• (Loss) income from operations decreased $28.2 million or 149.9% to a loss of $9.4 million in the third quarter 2011 from $18.8 million in the third quarter 2010. The third quarter 2011 included a non-cash charge for impairment loss of goodwill of $18.1 million and a non-cash loss on abandonment of long-lived assets of $6.5 million.
• GAAP net (loss)/income attributable to China Biologic decreased $23.1 million or 168.2% to a net loss of $9.4 million in the third quarter 2011 from a net income of $13.7 million in the third quarter 2010.
• Diluted net loss per share was $0.37 in the third quarter 2011, down from diluted net income per share of $0.39 in the third quarter 2010.
• Excluding non-cash employee stock compensation, non-cash gain related to change in fair value of derivative liability, impairment loss of goodwill and loss on abandonment of long-lived assets and write-off of raw plasma materials due to the closure of the plasma collection stations of Guizhou Taibang, the non-GAAP adjusted net income attributable to China Biologic was $11.0 million or diluted net income per share of $0.42 in the third quarter 2011, from $10.5 million or $0.40 per diluted share in the third quarter 2010.

CEO Comments

Mr. Chao Ming Zhao, Chief Executive Officer of China Biologic, said, "With the closure of our plasma collection stations in August 2011 due to the unexpected policy changes by the Guizhou provincial government, we have taken several measures to mitigate the loss of about 34% of our total raw plasma collection (based on our collection volume in 2010). Those measures are both short-term and longer-term.

"First, to ensure a minimal write-off on the collected plasma from these closed stations, we will maintain adequate employees from the closed stations to actively track donors who made donations before the stations closed on August 1 but have not yet returned for a second test for compliance with 90-day quarantine rules.

"Second, we are in the process of reallocating resources from the closed stations to other facilities within the Company in order to maximize their utilization.

"Third, we are working on strategies to explore new suitable regions for new plasma stations, especially in other provinces. That process, from gaining multiple levels of government approval to selecting appropriate locations for building plasma stations can be a relatively long process with some uncertainties, given the need for station construction, equipment installation, inspections and licensing, and donor promotion and education programs.

"Fourth, we are adjusting our production plan and sales strategy both in the short-term and mid-term to leverage the available resources to maximize profit as we respond to changing market dynamics.

"Last, we further increased our direct sales efforts on the hospitals and inoculation centers that are likely to be our best and highest volume customers for the long-term. That effort has also been accelerating the increase in the portion of our sales that are sold directly to institutions instead of through independent distributors and others. As you recall, we believe the shift to direct sales is very important to our long-term success."

Results for the three months ended September 30, 2011

Total sales increased by $5.3 million or 14.7% to $41.3 million in the third quarter 2011 from $36.0 million in the third quarter 2010, mainly due to higher sales volume and an increase in foreign exchange translation that contributed a 6.1% increase in sales.

Human albumin sales increased in the third quarter 2011 at higher average prices with higher volumes as compared to the third quarter 2010. Human albumin products, which were 54.4% of total sales in the third quarter 2011, had an average price increase of 4.3% from the third quarter 2010. Excluding the foreign exchange translation effect, the average price in RMB decreased 1.2% from the third quarter 2010. The average price decrease in human albumin was due to the continued increase in volume of imported products competing with our products. Sales volume of human albumin increased 23.1% from the third quarter 2010.

Human immunoglobulin for intravenous injection ("IVIG") sales increased in the third quarter 2011 at higher average prices with lower volumes. IVIG products, which were 31.0% of total sales in the third quarter 2011, had an average price increase of 8.9% from the third quarter 2010. Excluding the foreign exchange translation effect, the average price in RMB increased 2.9% from the third quarter 2010. The average price increase in IVIG was primarily due to the continuing shortage in supply of such products. Sales volume of IVIG products decreased 9.9% from the third quarter 2010, mainly due to lower occurrences of hand-foot-and-mouth disease in the third quarter 2011 than in the third quarter 2010.

Human hepatitis B immunoglobulin sales decreased in the third quarter 2011 at higher average prices with lower volumes. Human hepatitis B immunoglobulin products, which were 4.4% of total sales in the third quarter, had an average price increase of 8.1% from the third quarter 2010. Excluding the foreign exchange translation effect, the average price in RMB increased 2.2% from the third quarter 2010. Sales volume of human hepatitis B immunoglobulin products decreased 34.3% from the third quarter 2010, mainly due to a lower demand as a result of a new government program emphasizing inoculations for new-born infants instead of pre-natal mothers.

Human rabies immunoglobulin sales decreased in the third quarter 2011 at lower average prices with lower volumes. Human rabies immunoglobulin products, which were 1.9% of total sales, had an average price decrease of 5.8% from the third quarter 2010. Excluding the foreign exchange translation effect, the average price in RMB decreased 9.4% from the third quarter 2010. The price decrease in human rabies immunoglobulin was mainly due to a higher level of competition in the market. Sales volume of human rabies immunoglobulin products decreased 22.2% from the third quarter 2010 mainly due to lower availability of raw materials needed for production.

Human tetanus immunoglobulin sales increased in the third quarter 2011 at lower average prices with higher volumes. Human tetanus immunoglobulin products, which were 7.5% of total sales in the third quarter, had an average price decrease of 5.9%. Excluding the foreign exchange translation effect, the average price in RMB decreased 10.5% from the third quarter 2010. The price decrease in human tetanus immunoglobulin was mainly due to a higher level of competition in the market. Sales volume of human tetanus immunoglobulin products increased 121.7%, mainly due to the increased availability of the product for sale during the quarter.

Unlike our human albumin and IVIG products, the availability of hyper-immune products depends on various factors, including the availability of specific vaccinated plasma and production lines. Consequently, our sales of hyper-immune products (to prevent or treat rabies and tetanus) may vary significantly from quarter to quarter.

Cost of sales increased $5.1 million or 58.6% to $13.8 million in the third quarter from $8.7 million in the third quarter 2010. Cost of sales as a percent of total sales was 33.3% in the third quarter compared with 24.1% in the third quarter 2010. The increases in cost of sales and percentage of sales were in line with the higher sales volume for certain products and higher costs for plasma paid to donors, as well as a write-off of $0.7 million for raw material plasma that is expected not to qualify for production due to the 90-day quarantine period rules because the related sourcing plasma stations were closed by Guizhou provincial government. The cost of plasma, our main raw material, is the most significant component of our cost of sales. In an effort to increase plasma collection volume and expand our donor base, we increased nutrition fees and spending on promotional programs for donors, which contributed to the higher cost of sales in the third quarter 2011 from the third quarter 2010.

Gross profit increased $0.2 million or 0.8% to $27.5 million in the third quarter from $27.3 million in the third quarter 2010. Gross profit margin declined to 66.7% in the third quarter 2011 from 75.9% in the third quarter 2010 mainly due to decreases in average prices in some of our products and the increase in raw material costs and the raw material write-off as discussed above.

Operating expenses increased $28.4 million or 334.7% to $36.9 million in the third quarter from $8.5 million in the third quarter 2010. The increase was primarily due to a goodwill impairment loss of $18.1 million, a non-cash loss on abandonment of long-lived assets of $6.5 million, a 66.1% increase in selling expenses, and a 39.1% increase in general and administrative expenses. Total operating expenses as a percentage of sales increased to 89.4% in the third quarter from 23.6% in the third quarter 2010. Excluding the non-cash charge for impairment loss of goodwill and loss on abandonment of long-lived assets, the operating expenses increased $3.8 million or 45.1% to $12.3 million in the third quarter from $8.5 million in the third quarter 2010.

Selling expenses increased $1.5 million or 66.1% to $3.7 million in the third quarter 2011 from $2.2 million in the third quarter 2010. As a percent of sales, selling expenses in the third quarter 2011 increased to 9.0% from 6.2% in the third quarter 2010. The increase was primarily due to the expansion of our sales force and the increase in our promotional and conference activities, which are in line with our continuing efforts to expand our customer base in hospitals and inoculation centers throughout China to help counter the negative effects of the price pressures on certain products caused by increased competition.

General and administrative expenses increased $2.3 million or 39.1% to $8.1 million in the third quarter 2011 from $5.8 million in the third quarter 2010. As a percentage of sales, general and administrative expenses increased to 19.6% in the third quarter from 16.2% in the third quarter 2010 mainly due to higher expenses for payroll and employee benefits, as well as an increase of $1.2 million in non-cash employee stock compensation expenses. The increase in payroll was mainly due to our efforts to enhance corporate governance with the addition of corporate officers, general payroll increase to keep up with the labor market and the addition of new corporate offices in Beijing.

Research and development expenses increased $0.08 million or 17.8% to $0.5 million in the third quarter from $0.4 million in the third quarter 2010. As a percentage of sales, research and development expenses for both third quarters were 1.2%.

Following the closure of four plasma collection stations of Guizhou Taibang, the Company revised its earnings guidance for the year of 2011 and experienced incremental declines in its stock price and market capitalization in the third quarter of 2011. The closure of the plasma collection stations is considered to be a triggering event that the fair value of the Company's reporting unit would more likely than not be below its book value. Therefore the Company performed a two-step goodwill impairment test and concluded that for the three months ended September 30, 2011, a goodwill impairment loss of $18.1 million was recognized in the Company's single reporting unit since the carrying amount of the reporting unit was greater than the fair value of the reporting unit (as determined based on the quoted market price) and the carrying amount of the reporting unit goodwill exceeded the implied fair value of that goodwill.

As a result of the closure of four plasma collection stations of Guizhou Taibang, certain equipment, office furniture, building improvement and plasma collection permits were abandoned during the three months ended September 30, 2011. Loss on these long-lived assets of $6.5 million was recognized in the three months ended September 30, 2011.

(Loss)/income from operations decreased 149.9% to a loss of $9.4 million in the third quarter from an income of $18.8 million in the third quarter 2010. The operating income margin declined to (22.7)% in the third quarter from 52.3% in the third quarter 2010.

The embedded derivatives (including the conversion option) in our senior secured convertible notes and warrants issued in June 2009 are recorded at fair value. The Company recognized a gain of $2.9 million from the change in fair value of derivative liabilities in the third quarter 2011 compared with $3.8 million in the third quarter 2010. The recognized gain from the change in the fair value of the derivative liabilities in the third quarter 2011 was mainly due to a decrease in the price of our common stock from $10.20 per share as of June 30, 2011 to $6.81 per share as of September 30, 2011. As of September 30, 2011, the embedded conversion option in our convertible notes was no longer outstanding because the convertible notes had been fully converted. Future changes in the market price of our common stock could cause the fair value of the warrants to change significantly in future periods.

Interest expense decreased $0.3 million or 45.0% to $0.4 million in the third quarter from $0.7 million in the third quarter 2010 primarily because the convertible notes, which incurred interest charges of $0.5 million in the third quarter 2010, became nil for the third quarter 2011 since the convertible notes were fully converted on June 10, 2011. Interest income increased $0.2 million or 111.5% to $0.5 million in the third quarter from $0.2 million in the third quarter 2010.

The provision for income taxes decreased $2.4 million or 69.7% to $1.0 million in the third quarter from $3.4 million in the third quarter 2010. The decrease of income tax provision was mainly attributable to the decrease in the applicable income tax rate of Guizhou Taibang from 25% for the six months ended June 30, 2011 to 15% for the nine months ended September 30, 2011.

The net loss attributable to China Biologic was $9.4 million in the third quarter 2011 compared with the net income attributable to China Biologic of $13.7 million in the third quarter 2010 for the reasons discussed in detail above.

GAAP net loss attributable to China Biologic in the third quarter 2011 was $9.4 million or a loss of $0.37 per diluted share compared with the net income attributable to China Biologic of $13.7 million or $0.39 per diluted share in the third quarter 2010.

Non-GAAP adjusted net income was $11.0 million or $0.42 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2011 compared with $10.5 million, or $0.40, per diluted share in the third quarter of 2010.

Non-GAAP adjusted net income and diluted earnings per share in the third quarter 2011 excluded an aggregate $2.9 million of gains, which are related to the change in the fair value of derivative liabilities, and added back $1.2 million of non-cash employee stock compensation expenses, $18.1 million of non-cash impairment loss of goodwill, $3.5 million of controlling interest portion of loss on abandonment of long-lived assets and $0.4 million of controlling interest portion of raw material write-off as a result of the closing of the plasma stations of Guizhou Taibang. Please see the table at the end of this release for the reconciliation of our non-GAAP measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures.

Results for the first nine months of 2011

Total sales increased by 12.9% or $13.4 million to $117.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 from $104.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 primarily due to increases in prices and/or sales volume of certain of our plasma based products. In addition, foreign exchange translation accounted for 5.2% of the sales increase.

Gross profit increased by $4.0 million or 5.1% to $81.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 from $77.9 million for the same period in 2010. Gross profit margin decreased to 69.7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, from 74.9% for the same period in 2010. The decrease in gross profit margin was mainly due to the price decreases of certain products and higher raw material costs as discussed above.

Income from operations decreased $32.5 million, or 59.2%, in the first nine months of 2011 to $22.4 million from $54.8 million in the first nine months of 2010. The decrease was mainly due to the lower gross profit margin discussed above, an 82.8% increase in selling expenses, 39.2% increase in general and administrative expenses, a non-cash charge for impairment of goodwill of $18.1 million and a non-cash loss on abandonment of long-lived assets of $6.5 million for the first nine months of 2011 compared with the same period of 2010.

Net income attributable to China Biologic decreased $23.8 million or 63.7% to $13.5 million for the first nine months of 2011 from $37.3 million for the same period in 2010. Net income attributable to China Biologic as a percentage of total sales was 11.5% for the first nine months of 2011 and 35.9% for same period in 2010. The declines were a result of the cumulative effect of the foregoing factors.

Diluted earnings per share were $0.08 for the first nine months of 2011 and $1.07 in the same period in 2010.

Excluding non-cash employee stock compensation expenses, change in the fair value of derivative liabilities and interest related to the convertible notes, non-cash impairment loss of goodwill, controlling interest portion of the loss on abandonment of assets and controlling interest portion of the raw material write-off as a result of the closure of the plasma collection stations of Guizhou Taibang, non-GAAP adjusted net income for the first nine months of 2011 was $27.7 million or $1.04 per diluted share from non-GAAP net income of $29.1 million or $1.10 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2010.

Financial Condition

To date, we have financed our operations primarily through cash flows from operations, augmented by short-term bank borrowings and equity contributions by our stockholders.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $25.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011, derived primarily from a net income of $23.7 million.

Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 was $5.6 million, primarily used for equipment and buildings purchase and for construction in progress for collection and production operations.

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 totaled $7.8 million mainly due to a $10.9 million repayment of a short-term bank loan, a $7.6 million payment to acquire the remaining 10% interest in our 90% majority-owned subsidiary, and a dividend payment of $7.7 million to noncontrolling interest shareholders, partly offset by cash provided by a new short-term loan totaling $18.4 million.

As a result, the Company's cash increased by $15.4 million in the first nine months of 2011, including the effects of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash. As of September 30, 2011, China Biologic had $80.3 million in cash, primarily consisting of cash on hand and bank deposits. As of September 30, 2011, working capital was $111.7 million, and the current ratio was 285.5%. Total shareholders' equity was $175.9 million as of September 30, 2011 compared with $145.0 million as of December 31, 2010.

The Company believes that it has sufficient cash on hand and continuing positive cash inflow from the sale of our plasma-based products in the PRC market.

Conference call

China Biologic will host a dial-in conference call at 8:00 a.m. EST (New York) on November 8, 2011 (which is 9:00 p.m. in Beijing and Hong Kong on the same day), to discuss its results for the third quarter 2011. To participate in the conference call, please dial the appropriate number about 10 minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time:

The dial-in details for the live conference call are:

A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference all through 7:00 a.m. EST on December 7, 2011.

The dial-in details for the telephone replay are:

Use of non-GAAP financial measures

This news release contains non-GAAP financial measures that exclude non-cash compensation expenses related to options granted to employees and directors under the Company's 2008 Equity Incentive Plan, changes in the fair value of derivative liabilities, including warrants and derivative instruments (including the conversion option) embedded in the Company's Senior Secured Convertible Notes (after adding back interest related to the convertible notes under the if-converted method), the impairment loss of goodwill, the loss on abandonment of long-lived assets and the write-off of raw plasma materials due to the closure of plasma collection stations of Guizhou Taibang. To supplement the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements presented on a GAAP basis, the Company has provided non-GAAP financial information excluding the impact of this item in this release. The Company's management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with a better understanding of how the results relate to the Company's historical performance. A reconciliation of the adjustments to GAAP results appears in the table accompanying this news release. This additional non-GAAP information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for GAAP financials. The non-GAAP financial information that the Company provides also may differ from the non-GAAP information provided by other companies.

About China Biologic Products, Inc.

China Biologic Products, Inc., through its indirect majority-owned subsidiaries, Shandong Taibang Biological Products Co., Ltd. and Guiyang Dalin Biologic Technologies Co., Ltd, and its equity investment in Xi'an Huitian Blood Products Co., Ltd., is one of the leading plasma-based biopharmaceutical companies in China.

The Company is a fully integrated biologic products company with plasma collection, production and manufacturing, research and development, and commercial operations. The Company's plasma-based biopharmaceutical products are irreplaceable during medical emergencies and are used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. The Company sells its products to hospitals and other healthcare facilities in China. Please see the Company's website at www.chinabiologic.com for additional information.

Safe harbor statement

This release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of China Biologic Products, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements," including, among others, statements regarding: the Company's financial and business outlook in 2011, the closure of the plasma collection centers in Guizhou, its expected effect on the Company's financial performance, business operations and the industry, the Company's ability and plan to seek alternative solutions and opportunities, the Company's production plan, sales strategy and its ability to maximize profit and adapt to changing market, the ability of the Company to achieve its commercial objectives, the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company and its subsidiaries, including its ability to successfully implement its growth strategies, including its strategy to expand direct sales to hospitals and inoculation centers in order to boost future sales, and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions, and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including its potential inability to achieve the expected financial performance in 2011 and growth, potential inability to find alternative sources of plasma, potential inability to increase production at permitted sites, potential inability to mitigate the financial consequences through cost cutting or other efficiencies, and potential additional regulatory restrictions on its operations and those additional risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on the SEC website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

Financial statements follow.