Homeinns Hotel Group Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Financial Results

SHANGHAI, March 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Homeinns Hotel Group (NASDAQ: HMIN) ("Homeinns" or "the Company"), a leading economy hotel chain in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2015.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015 Highlights

• Total revenues increased 2.6% year over year to RMB 1,677.4 million (US$258.9 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015. For the full year 2015, total revenues decreased 0.2% year over year to RMB 6,671.1 million (US$1,029.8 million).
• Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders was RMB 13.1 million (US$2.0 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared with net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of RMB 84.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2014. For the full year 2015, net income attributable to ordinary shareholders was RMB 167.0 million (US$25.8 million), compared with net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of RMB 513.1 million for the full year 2014.
• Adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders (non-GAAP) decreased 44.6% year over year to RMB 61.5 million (US$9.5 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015. For the full year 2015, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders (non-GAAP) decreased 30.2% year over year to RMB 373.9 million (US$57.7 million).
• EBITDA (non-GAAP) decreased 28.3% year over year to RMB 239.7 million (US$37.0 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015. For the full year 2015, EBITDA (non-GAAP) decreased 24.7% year over year to RMB 1,168.8 million (US$180.4 million).
• Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) decreased 12.9% year over year to RMB 314.2 million (US$48.5 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015. For the full year 2015, adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) decreased 12.7% year over year to RMB 1,375.7 million (US$212.4 million).
• Net operating cash inflow decreased 37.9% year over year to RMB 216.2 million (US$33.4 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015 and decreased 16.2% year over year to RMB 1,127.8 million (US$174.1 million) for the full year 2015.
• As of December 31, 2015, Homeinns operated 2,922 hotels in 355 cities across China, with a net addition of 135 hotels during the fourth quarter and 313 hotels during the full year 2015.

Hotel Development

Operating Metrics

For the fourth quarter of 2015, occupancy rate increased by 3.5 percentage points while ADR decreased by 2.5% compared with the fourth quarter of 2014, resulting in an increase of 1.5% in RevPAR. For the full year 2015, occupancy rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points while ADR decreased by 1.8% compared with the full year 2014, resulting in a decrease of 2.9% in RevPAR.

As of December 31, 2015, a total of 2,257 hotels had been in operation for at least 18 months. During the fourth quarter of 2015, occupancy rate of these hotels increased year over year from 81.3% to 84.0%, and ADR decreased year over year from RMB 161 to RMB 157, resulting in an increase in RevPAR by 0.8% from RMB 131 to RMB 132. For the full year 2015, occupancy rate of these hotels decreased year over year from 85.3% to 84.5%, and ADR decreased year over year from RMB 165 to RMB 161, resulting in a decrease in RevPAR by 3.5% from RMB 141 to RMB 136.

Homeinns Hotel Group had a total of 53.9 million unique non-corporate members under its frequent guests program as of December 31, 2015.

Financial Results for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2015

For the fourth quarter of 2015, revenues from leased-and-operated hotels increased 0.8% year over year to RMB 1.40 billion (US$216.5 million). The year-over-year increase in revenues from leased-and-operated hotels in the fourth quarter of 2015 was mainly due to an increase in RevPAR. Revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels increased 12.7% year over year to RMB 275.2 million (US$42.5 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015. The year-over-year increase in revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels in the fourth quarter of 2015 was mainly driven by an increase in the number of hotels and hotel rooms in operation.

For the full year 2015, revenues from leased-and-operated hotels decreased 1.9% year over year to RMB 5.63 billion (US$869.3 million). The year-over-year decrease in revenues from leased-and-operated hotels in the full year 2015 was mainly due to a decrease in RevPAR. Revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels increased 10.5% year over year to RMB 1.04 billion (US$160.5 million) for the full year of 2015. The year-over-year increase in revenues from franchised-and-managed hotels was mainly driven by an increase in the number of hotels and hotel rooms in operation, although partially offset by a decrease in RevPAR.

For the fourth quarter of 2015, total operating costs and expenses were RMB 1.55 billion (US$239.6 million), representing 92.5% of total revenues. Total operating costs and expenses excluding any share-based compensation expenses, integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities (non-GAAP) for the fourth quarter of 2015 were 88.9% of total revenues, compared to 86.2% in the same period a year ago.

For the full year 2015, total operating costs and expenses were RMB 5.92 billion (US$913.4 million), representing 88.7% of total revenues. Total operating costs and expenses excluding any share-based compensation expenses, integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities (non-GAAP) for the full year 2015 were 86.8% of total revenues, compared to 83.1% in the same period a year ago.

• Total leased-and-operated hotel costs were RMB 1.35 billion (US$208.8 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015, representing 96.5% of the leased-and-operated hotel revenues, compared to 93.3% in the same period a year ago. Total leased-and-operated hotel costs excluding any share-based compensation expenses and integration costs (non-GAAP) were 96.2% of the leased-and-operated hotel revenues in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to 93.1% in the same period a year ago. The year-over-year increase in total leased-and-operated hotel costs as a percentage of leased-and-operated hotel revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015 was mainly due to the higher rental and depreciation cost from our having a higher proportion of midscale hotels and to the higher depreciation cost from economy hotel upgrading.
  
  Total leased-and-operated hotel costs were RMB 5.21 billion (US$804.5 million) for the full year 2015, representing 92.5% of the leased-and-operated hotel revenues, compared to 87.5% in 2014. Total leased-and-operated hotel costs excluding any share-based compensation expenses and integration costs (non-GAAP) were 92.3% of the leased-and-operated hotel revenues in the full year 2015, compared to 87.2% in 2014. The year-over-year increase in total leased-and-operated hotel costs as a percentage of leased-and-operated hotel revenues for the full year 2015 was mainly due to increased rental and depreciation costs and a decrease in RevPAR which resulted in a lower revenue base per hotel while a significant portion of the hotel costs was fixed.
  
  Pre-opening cost was RMB 22.5 million (US$3.5 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to RMB 18.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2014. For the full year 2015, pre-opening cost was RMB 77.4 million (US$11.9 million), compared to RMB 44.6 million in 2014.
  
• Personnel costs of franchised-and-managed hotels were RMB 35.7 million (US$5.5 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015, representing 13.0% of the franchised-and-managed hotel revenues, compared to 14.0% in the same period a year ago. Franchised-and-managed hotels personnel costs excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) were 11.6% of franchised-and-managed hotel revenues in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to 12.6% in the same period of 2014. The year-over-year decrease in personnel costs of franchised-and-managed hotels as a percentage of franchised-and-managed hotel revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015 was mainly due to the lower year-end bonuses.
  
  Personnel costs of franchised-and-managed hotels were RMB 228.2 million (US$35.2 million) for the full year 2015, representing 21.9% of the franchised-and-managed hotel revenues, compared to 21.4% in 2014. Franchised-and-managed hotels personnel costs excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) were 20.7% of franchised-and-managed hotel revenues in the full year 2015, compared to 20.0% in 2014. The year-over-year increase in personnel costs of franchised-and-managed hotels as a percentage of franchised-and-managed hotel revenues for the full year 2015 was mainly due to a lower revenue base per hotel.
  
• Sales and marketing expenses were RMB 41.3 million (US$6.4 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015, representing 2.5% of total revenues, compared to 1.4% in the same period a year ago. Sales and marketing expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) were 2.5% of total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to 1.4% in the same period of 2014. The year-over-year increase in sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015 was mainly due to the increased cost related to membership loyalty program.
  
  Sales and marketing expenses were RMB 115.1 million (US$17.8 million) for the full year 2015, representing 1.7% of total revenues, compared to 1.6% in 2014. Sales and marketing expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) were 1.7% of total revenues for the full year 2015, compared to 1.6% in 2014.
  
• General and administrative expenses were RMB 122.7 million (US$18.9 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015, representing 7.3% of total revenues, compared to 4.7% in the same period a year ago. General and administrative expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses, integration costs, and expenses related to going-private activities (non-GAAP) were 4.1% of total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to 3.7% in the same period of 2014. The year-over-year increase in general and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2015 was mainly due to increased staff cost for new product development.
  
  General and administrative expenses were RMB 362.0 million (US$55.9 million) for the full year 2015, representing 5.4% of total revenues, compared to 4.7% in 2014. General and administrative expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses, integration costs, acquisition expenses, and expenses related to going-private activities (non-GAAP) were 3.9% of total revenues for the full year 2015, compared to 3.7% in 2014. The year-over-year increase in general and administrative expenses as a percentage of total revenues for the full year 2015 was mainly due to a bad debt provision related to a specific hotel project.

Income from Operations was RMB 19.9 million (US$3.1 million) for the fourth quarter of 2015 compared to RMB 102.5 million in the same period a year ago. Income from operations excluding share-based compensation expenses, integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities (non-GAAP) for the fourth quarter of 2015 was RMB 81.0 million (US$12.5 million), or 4.8% of total revenues, compared to RMB 125.6 million, or 7.7% of total revenues, in the same period of 2014.

For the full year of 2015, income from operations was RMB 350.7 million (US$54.1 million) compared to RMB 640.6 million in 2014. Income from operations excluding share-based compensation expenses, integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities (non-GAAP) for the full year 2015 was RMB 480.3 million (US$74.1 million), or 7.2% of total revenues, compared to RMB 736.3 million, or 11.0% of total revenues, in 2014.

Income Attributable to Ordinary Shareholders (Non-GAAP) decreased year over year by 44.6% to RMB 61.5 million (US$9.5 million) for the fourth quarter 2015, representing 3.7% of total revenues compared to 6.8% in the same period a year ago. For the full year 2015, adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders (Non-GAAP) decreased year over year by 30.2% to RMB 373.9 million (US$57.7 million), representing 5.6% of total revenues compared to 8.0% in 2014. The year-over-year decreases in adjusted net margins (non-GAAP)[1] for both the quarter and full year were mainly due to the decreases in adjusted income from operations margin (non-GAAP)[2].

Cash Flow

For the fourth quarter of 2015, net operating cash inflow was RMB 216.2 million (US$33.4 million), compared to RMB 348.1 million in the same period of 2014. Capitalized expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2015 were RMB 284.5 million (US$43.9 million), while related cash paid for capital expenditures during the quarter was RMB 151.8 million (US$23.4 million).

For the full year 2015, net operating cash inflow was RMB 1.13 billion (US$174.1 million), compared to RMB 1.35 billion in 2014. Capitalized expenditures for the full year 2015 were RMB 727.4 million (US$112.3 million), while related cash paid for capital expenditures during the year was RMB 619.4 million (US$95.6 million).

Balance Sheet

As of December 31, 2015, Homeinns Hotel Group had cash and cash equivalents of RMB 1,093.7 million (US$168.8 million). The convertible notes issued in December 2010 were fully repaid in December 2015.

Upcoming HMIN Extraordinary General Meeting

The Company has scheduled an extraordinary general meeting to be held on March 25, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. Shanghai time, at the executive offices of the Company, located at 124 Cao Bao Road, Shanghai, 200235, People's Republic of China. The extraordinary general meeting is being convened to consider and vote on, among other matters, the proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced agreement and plan of merger dated as of December 6, 2015, among (i) the Company, (ii) BTG Hotels Group (HONGKONG) Holdings Co., Limited ("Holdco"), a wholly owned subsidiary of BTG Hotels (Group) Co., Ltd., a PRC joint stock company that is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange ("BTG Hotels"), (iii) BTG Hotels Group (CAYMAN) Holding Co., Ltd ("Merger Sub"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Holdco, and (iv) solely for the purposes of certain sections thereof, BTG Hotels. Subject to the approval of the extraordinary general meeting, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company pursuant to the agreement and plan of merger, with the Company continuing as the surviving company. A related transaction statement on Schedule 13E-3 and a proxy statement with respect thereto were filed with the SEC on February 23, 2016. Investors, shareholders and ADS holders of the Company are urged to read carefully and in their entirety these and other materials filed with or furnished to the SEC when they become available, as they contain important information about the Company, the proposed merger and related matters. The proxy statement was mailed to the Company's ADS holders on or about February 26, 2016 and to the Company's shareholders on or about March 4, 2016. The Special Committee of the Board comprised of independent directors reviewed the transaction and recommends that stockholders approve the transaction.

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars are made at a rate of RMB 6.4778 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate for December 31, 2015 set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board.

About Homeinns Hotel Group

Homeinns Hotel Group is a leading economy hotel chain in China based on number of hotels and hotel rooms as well as geographic coverage of the hotel chain. Since the Company commenced operations in 2002, it has built Homeinn as one of the best-known economy hotel brands in China. In October of 2011, the Company acquired Motel 168, another well-known hotel chain in China, as its second economy hotel brand. Homeinns Hotel Group aims to offer a consistent product and high-quality services to primarily serve the fast growing population of value-conscious individual business and leisure travelers who demand clean, comfortable and convenient lodging. Homeinns Hotel Group's ADSs, each of which represents two ordinary shares, are currently trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "HMIN." For more information about Homeinns Hotel Group, please visit http://english.homeinns.com.

Safe Harbor

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Any statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include our anticipated growth strategies; our future results of operations and financial condition; the economic conditions of China; the regulatory environment in China; our ability to attract customers and leverage our brands; trends and competition in the lodging industry; the expected growth of the lodging market in China; and other factors and risks detailed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release also contains statements or projections that are based upon information available to the public, as well as other information from sources which management believes to be reliable, but it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate, nor does it purport to be complete. We undertake no obligation to update or revise to the public any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement Homeinns Hotel Group's unaudited consolidated financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Homeinns Hotel Group uses the following non-GAAP measures:

(a) total operating costs and expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition and integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities

(b) total leased-and-operated hotel costs excluding share-based compensation expenses and integration costs

(c) personnel costs of franchised-and-managed hotels excluding share-based compensation expenses

(d) sales and marketing expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses

(e) general and administrative expenses excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition and integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities

(f) income from operations excluding share-based compensation expenses and acquisition and integration costs and expenses related to going-private activities

(g) adjusted net income attributable to shareholders excluding any share-based compensation expenses, foreign exchange gain or loss, acquisition and integration cost, upfront fee amortization of term loan, gain or loss from fair value change of convertible notes and interest swap derivatives and other non-operating expenses and expenses related to going-private activities

(h) adjusted basic and diluted earnings per ADS and per share excluding foreign exchange gain or loss, share-based compensation expenses, gain on buy-back of convertible bonds, issuance costs for convertible notes, gain or loss from fair value change of convertible notes, acquisition and integration cost, non-operating expenses and upfront fee amortization of term loan, and expenses related to going-private activities

(i) adjusted EBITDA excluding foreign exchange gain or loss, share-based compensation expenses, gain on buy-back of convertible bonds, issuance costs for convertible notes, gain or loss from fair value change of convertible notes, acquisition and integration costs, non-operating expenses and upfront fee amortization of term loan and expenses related to going-private activities

The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results" set forth at the end of this press release.

Homeinns Hotel Group believes that, used in conjunction with GAAP financial measures, these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding the Company's performance, and both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing the Company's performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. Management believes that EBITDA, defined as earnings before interest, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, is a useful financial metric to assess Homeinns Hotel Group's operating and financial performance before the impact of investing and financing transactions and income taxes. In addition, management believes that EBITDA is widely used by other companies in the lodging industry and may be used as an analysis tool by both management and investors to measure and compare Homeinns Hotel Group's operational and financial performance with industry peers.

One of the limitations of using non-GAAP income from operations, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP net income attributable to shareholders is that they do not include all items that impact Homeinns Hotel Group's net income (loss) for the period. These non-GAAP measures exclude share-based compensation expenses, foreign exchange gain or loss and gain or loss from fair value change of convertible notes, which have been and will continue to be a significant recurring expense in Homeinns Hotel Group's business. In addition, Homeinns Hotel Group's EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to EBITDA or similarly titled measures utilized by other companies since such other companies may not calculate EBITDA in the same manner as Homeinns Hotel Group does. Management compensates for this and other limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. Homeinns Hotel Group computes the non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter. Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP results are included at the end of this press release. The non-GAAP adjustment items do not include the tax impact.

The presentation of EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an indication that Homeinns Hotel Group's future results will be unaffected by other charges and gains Homeinns Hotel Group considers to be outside the ordinary course of its business.

Homeinns Hotel Group completed its acquisition of 100% equity interest in Motel 168, or Motel, and took control of Motel effective on October 1, 2011. Homeinns Hotel Group had consolidated Motel's operating and financial results since October 1, 2011. By the third quarter of 2013, Homeinns Hotel Group had substantially completed Motel's integration and ceased to present separate operating metrics and revenues for Motel.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Mingjia Ding
Homeinns Hotel Group
Tel: +86-21-3337-3333*3870
Email: mjding@homeinns.com

Cara O'Brien
FTI Consulting
Tel: +852-3768-4537
Email: cara.obrien@fticonsulting.com