Chindex International, Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter and First Nine Months of 2011

BETHESDA, Md., November 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Chindex International, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHDX), an American health care company providing health care services in China through the operations of United Family Healthcare, a network of private primary care hospitals and affiliated ambulatory clinics, today announced financial results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2011 ended September 30, 2011.

Third Quarter 2011 Financial Highlights

• Revenue from healthcare services increased 23% to $28.8 million from $23.4 million in the prior year period.
• Adjusted EBITDA rose to $4.3 million, compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $3.5 million in the prior year period.
• Income from operations was $490,000 compared to $4.8 million in the prior year period.
• Net income was $315,000, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to net income of $3.2 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the prior year period.
• Development, pre-opening and start-up expense was $2.4 million compared to $653,000 in the prior year period.

Roberta Lipson, President and CEO of Chindex, commented, "We are pleased with the strong revenue and profitability growth achieved during the third quarter of 2011. Revenue rose 23% year-over-year to $28.8 million, putting Chindex well on-track to deliver mid-teens revenue growth for the full year of 2011. Furthermore, we saw our Adjusted EBITDA grow 23% year-over-year to $4.3 million demonstrating our ability to generate strong returns for shareholders through our existing facilities."

"We are also pleased with the progress of our hospital expansion plans, our primary focus in 2011," Ms. Lipson continued. "China's hospital services market is heavily regulated by government licensing and approval. This means that there is a certain level of volatility built into the system. We are proud of our team's ability to navigate the complicated approval and construction process. At the same time, we will adapt our guidance of expansion timelines to better fit market dynamics by focusing on progress of near term projects. We continue to be extremely excited by our ongoing projects. They will enhance our current facilities with added capacity and service offerings and are well-timed to capitalize upon current policy support for private investment in healthcare as well as the growing affluence of China's population."

Third Quarter 2011 Financial Results

Third quarter 2011 revenue from healthcare services increased 23% to $28.8 million from $23.4 million in the prior year period, reflecting continued growth of inpatient and outpatient volume across the United Family Healthcare network as well as nascent contributions from the phased opening of the Beijing United Family expansion. Outpatient services contributed 58% of revenue and inpatient services contributed 42% of revenue in the third quarter of 2011, compared to 60% and 40%, respectively, in the year ago period. By service line, surgical services contributed 19%, OB/GYN contributed 16%, pediatrics contributed 7%, ancillary services contributed 33% and other services contributed 25% of revenue.

Operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2011 increased 34% to $28.3 million from $21.1 million in the prior year period primarily reflecting the Company's ongoing expansion efforts. Salaries, wages and benefits in the third quarter of 2011 increased 30% to $16.5 million from $12.7 million in the prior year period reflecting a 20% increase in headcount to drive revenue growth and support development activities. Development, pre- and post-opening and start up expenses for the Beijing United expansion, Shanghai Pudong expansion, Tianjin United project and Beijing United Family Rehabilitation Hospital were $2.4 million this quarter. Operating expenses also included certain non-cash expenses including $878,000 of stock compensation expense compared to $375,000 for the prior year period.

Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2011 increased to approximately $4.3 million compared to $3.5 million in the prior year period driven by strong revenue growth and consistent profitability of existing facilities.

Income from operations was $490,000 compared to income from operations of $4.8 million in the prior year period.

The Company recorded a $791,000 provision for taxes in the third quarter of 2011 compared to a provision for taxes of $1.5 million in the prior year period.

Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 2011 was $315,000, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to $3.2 million, or $0.20 per diluted share, in the prior year period. For the third quarter of 2011, weighted average diluted shares outstanding were 17.3 million.

First Nine Months of 2011 Financial Results

During the first nine months of 2011, revenue from healthcare services increased 19% to $82.5 million from $69.3 million in the prior year period, reflecting growing inpatient and outpatient volume across the United Family Healthcare network. Outpatient services contributed 59% of revenue and inpatient services contributed 41% of revenue in the first nine months of 2011 compared to 60% and 40%, respectively, in the year ago period. By service line, surgical services contributed 18%, OB/GYN contributed 15%, pediatrics contributed 8%, ancillary services contributed 33% and other services contributed 26% of revenue.

Operating expenses for the first nine months of 2011 increased 26% to $78.9 million from $62.8 million in the prior year period primarily due to increased staffing, office and administrative supplies associated with the Company's ongoing development and expansion plans. Development, pre-opening and start up expenses, including post-opening expenses, rose to $5.2 million from $1.5 million in the prior year period primarily as a result of expenses related to the Company's Beijing, Pudong and Tianjin projects. Operating expenses also included certain non-cash expenses including $2.5 million of non-cash stock compensation expense.

Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $12.8 million compared to $9.8 million in the prior year period.

Income from operations was $3.6 million compared to income from operations of $7.9 million in the prior year period.

Provision for taxes was $2.9 million compared to $3.3 million in the prior year period.

Net income was $2.0 million, or $0.13 per diluted share, compared to net income of $4.6 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, in the prior year period. For the first nine months of 2011 ended September 30, 2011, weighted average diluted shares outstanding were 17.4 million.

As of September 30, 2011, the Company had $67.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and investments.

Non-GAAP Measures

The Company presents Adjusted EBITDA to better illustrate ongoing operational results. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as income (loss) before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and also excludes development, pre-opening and start-up expenses related to new and pending hospitals and clinics, equity in earnings (loss) income of unconsolidated affiliate, non-recurring charges for Chindex Medical Limited (CML) joint venture formation and effect of change in corporate cost allocations. The Company anticipates recurring development, pre-opening and start-up expense and notes that such expense is a basic element of the long term growth plan. Management believes that providing an Adjusted EBITDA analysis to investors is a helpful metric to better illustrate the Company's operations, including development plans, and changes in presentation from historical periods. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA for business planning and other purposes. Other companies may calculate Adjusted EBITDA differently, and therefore Chindex's Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to net income (loss), cash flows from operating activities and other measures determined in accordance with GAAP. Items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA are significant and necessary components to the operations of the Company's business, and, therefore, Adjusted EBITDA should only be used as a supplemental measure of operating performance.

Chindex Medical Limited

The Chindex Medical Limited joint venture (CML) between FosunPharma and Chindex International began operations on January 1, 2011. The strategic venture merged the former Medical Products division of Chindex International and select medical device companies of FosunPharma. FosunPharma owns 51% and Chindex owns 49% of the CML joint venture. Chindex recognizes its 49% interest in CML's net income using the equity method of accounting.

Accordingly, for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2011, the Company recognized $539,000 and $1.1 million, respectively, for its 49% share of CML. In recognizing its 49% interest in the net income of CML for the quarter, Chindex also included additional expenses for amortization of certain fair value adjustments made in connection with the formation of the joint venture.

Conference Call

Management will host a conference call at 8:00 am ET on November 9, 2011, to discuss financial results. To participate in the conference call, U.S. domestic callers may dial 1-877-303-9231 and international callers may dial 1-760-666-3567 approximately 10 minutes before the conference call is scheduled to begin. A telephone replay will be available from the day of the call until November 16, 2011 by dialing (U.S. domestic) 1-855-859-2056 or (international) 1-404-537-3406, passcode 20653790. A webcast of the earnings call will be accessible via Chindex's website at http://ir.chindex.com/events.cfm.

About Chindex International, Inc.

Chindex is an American health care company providing health care services in China through the operations of United Family Healthcare, a network of private primary care hospitals and affiliated ambulatory clinics. United Family Healthcare currently operates in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Company also provides medical capital equipment and products through Chindex Medical Ltd., a joint venture company with manufacturing and distribution businesses serving both domestic China and export markets. With thirty years of experience, the Company's strategy is to continue its growth as a leading integrated health care provider in the Greater China region. Further company information may be found at the Company's website at http://www.chindex.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release relating to plans, strategies, objectives, economic performance and trends and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Transition Report on Form 10-K for the nine months ended December 31, 2010, updates and additions to those "Risk Factors" in the Company's interim reports on Form 10-Q, Forms 8-K and in other documents filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Forward-looking statements may be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "expects," "plans," "intends," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "forecasts," "potential," or "continue" or similar terms or the negative of these terms. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company has no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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