EX-99.1 2 v137693_ex99-1.htm

PRESS RELEASE

China BAK Reports First Quarter Fiscal Year 2009 Financial Results, Cost-cutting
Efforts and Updated Revenue Guidance

Shenzhen, China – January 23, 2009 – China BAK Battery, Inc. (“China BAK”, or “BAK”) (Nasdaq: CBAK), one of the largest lithium-ion battery cell manufacturers in the world, as measured by production output, today announced its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2009 (“FY09”).

Recent Achievements and Highlights

 
·
Net revenue remained strong in the midst of the global financial crisis and recession; gross margin remained at a similar level to our previous fiscal quarter;
 
·
Cylindrical (notebook) cells revenue continued to be robust, accounting for 27% of total revenue; prismatic cells revenue continued to grow and reflect further penetration of the China OEM cellular phone market;
 
·
A number of cost-cutting steps were taken and at least $1.5 million of operating expense reduction per quarter is expected for the coming quarters.

First Quarter FY09 Financial Results

Net revenues for the first quarter of FY09 were $68.1 million, down 6.4% from $72.7 million last quarter, and up 29.0% from $52.8 million in the same quarter of last year.

Revenues from cylindrical cells used in notebook computers were $18.4 million, down 6.5% from $19.7 million last quarter and up 615.7% from $2.6 million in the same quarter of last year. Market demand from notebook computer manufacturers weakened slightly due to the global financial crisis and recession.

Revenues from prismatic cells, including aluminum-case cells, steel-case cells and battery packs, were $45.8 million, up 1.7% from $45.0 million last quarter and up 2.1% from $44.8 million in the same quarter of last year. Revenues from aluminum-case cells were $37.3 million, up 3.6% from $36.0 million last quarter and up 24.0% from $30.1 million in the same quarter of last year. Revenues from battery packs were $5.4 million, up 0.2% from $5.4 million last quarter and up 8.1% from $5.0 million in the same quarter of last year. Revenues from steel-case cells were $3.1 million, down 15.1% from $3.6 million last quarter, and down 68.3% from $9.8 million in the same quarter of last year. We started to phase out the production of steel-case cells in the quarter, so revenue from steel-case cells is expected to be minimal in coming quarters.

Revenues from lithium polymer cells, used in personal electronic devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 players and Bluetooth devices, were $3.9 million in the first quarter of FY09, down 51.2% from $8.0 million last quarter, and down 27.4% from $5.4 million in the same quarter of last year. Market demand from our largely U.S.-based lithium polymer cell customers weakened due to the financial crisis and recession.
 
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Gross profit for the first quarter of FY09 was $10.6 million, down 7.7% from $11.5 million last quarter and up 49.1% from $7.1 million in the same quarter of last year. Gross margin was 15.6%, compared to 15.8% last quarter and 13.5% in the same quarter of last year. The slight decrease in gross margin from the previous quarter was the result of lower average selling prices offset mostly by lower average costs. The increase in gross margin from the previous year’s first fiscal quarter was attributable to improvements in our product mix and increased average selling prices, which outweighed the impact of average cost increases.
 
Operating expenses totaled $9.8 million or 14.4% of revenues in the first quarter of FY09, as compared to $8.4 million or 11.6% of revenues last quarter and $6.9 million or 13.1% of revenues in the same quarter of last year. Research and development expenses were $1.4 million or 2.1% of revenues, as compared to $1.7 million or 2.3% of revenues last quarter and $1.3 million or 2.5% of revenues in the same quarter of last year. Sales and marketing expenses were $1.6 million or 2.3% of revenues, as compared to $1.6 million, or 2.2% of revenues last quarter and $1.3 million or 2.6% of revenues in the same quarter of last year. General and administrative expenses were $6.8 million or 9.9% of revenues, as compared to $5.1 million or 7.1% of revenues last quarter and $4.2 million or 8.0% of revenues in the same quarter of last year. The $6.8 million number includes nearly $3 million of bad debt expense, most of which was related to delayed collection of accounts receivable relating to the timing of the Chinese New Year holiday.

Operating income for the first quarter of FY09 was $0.8 million, as compared to $3.0 million last quarter and $0.2 million in the same quarter of last year.

Net loss was $1.7 million in the first quarter of FY09, as compared to net income of $1.5 million last quarter and net loss of $0.9 million in the same quarter of last year. Diluted earnings per share were negative $0.03 compared with $0.03 per diluted share last quarter and negative $0.02 per diluted share in the same quarter of last year.

For the first quarter of FY09, Days Sales Outstanding (“DSO”) decreased to 103 as compared to 104 last quarter; and inventory turns increased to 3.64 from 3.6 last quarter.

Financial Condition

On December 31, 2008, China BAK had $37.2 million in cash and cash equivalents and negative $18.3 million in working capital, reflecting a current ratio of 0.92:1. Short-term bank loans and long-term bank loans totaled $172.2 million as compared to $170.1 million on September 30, 2008. Shareholders’ equity totaled $166.3 million. China BAK had $24.1 million available for borrowing under its credit facilities.

Cost-Cutting Efforts

In Q1FY09, China BAK initiated a number of actions to cut down cost and expenses. These included reduction in total headcount, work hours for hourly workers, and compensation packages for salaried employees, including senior executives. Employees were also required to take unpaid leaves and will be required to take longer holiday leaves during the Chinese New Year holiday. In addition, we are suspending prismatic cell production for the month of January 2009 to reduce inventory and to lower energy costs. All these measures are expected to bring at least $1.5 million reduction in operating expenses per quarter for the rest of FY09.
 
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Business Outlook

“We are pleased to see stable revenue and gross margin this quarter. Revenues from cylindrical cells remained strong, and revenues from prismatic cells continued to grow. This performance is remarkable in light of the difficult market situation. However, the crisis has affected many markets our customers serve. Looking at weakened demand from our customers, we feel it necessary to take a more cautious look at our revenue guidance for FY09. We now expect FY09 revenue to fall in the range of $270 million to $300 million, which, at the midpoint of the range, will represent a 16% growth from FY08 levels,” commented Mr. Xiangqian Li, CEO of China BAK.

“In the face of such a challenging environment, we will continue to exercise prudent and disciplined management. With cost-cutting measures we initiated last quarter and more to be adopted in the coming months, we expect to achieve operating expense reductions totaling at least $1.5 million per quarter for the rest of FY09,” commented Mr. Tony Shen, CFO of China BAK.

Conference Call

China BAK will host a conference call at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday, January 23, 2009 to discuss results for the first quarter of FY09 ended December 31, 2008. Joining Xiangqian Li, China BAK's President and Chief Executive Officer on the call will be Tony Shen, Chief Financial Officer and Dr. Huanyu Mao, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer. To participate in the conference call, please dial the following number approximately fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled conference call time: 888-482-0024. International callers should dial 617-801-9702. The pass code for the call is 525 335 07. If you are unable to participate in the call at this time, a replay will be available from 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, January 23, 2009 through 9:00 p.m. ET, Friday, February 6, 2009. To access the replay, please dial 888-286-8010. International callers should dial 617-801-6888. The pass code for the replay is 63 938 928. The conference call will be broadcast live over the Internet and can be accessed by all interested parties on the China BAK website at http://www.bak.com.cn/. To listen to the live webcast, please go to the China BAK’s website at least fifteen minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary audio software. For those unable to participate during the live broadcast, shortly after the call a replay will be made available on China BAK’s website for 90 days.

About China BAK Battery Inc.

China BAK Battery Inc. is one of the largest manufacturers of lithium-based battery cells in the world, as measured by production output. It produces battery cells that are the principal component of rechargeable batteries commonly used in cellular phones, notebook computers and portable consumer electronics, such as digital media devices, portable media players, portable audio players, portable gaming devices, and PDAs. China BAK Battery, Inc.'s 3.0 million square foot facilities are located in Shenzhen and Tianjin, PRC, and have been recently expanded to produce new products.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to change. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All “forward-looking statements” relating to the business of China BAK Battery, Inc. and its subsidiary companies, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “believes,” “expects” or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ. These factors include but are not limited to: risks related to China BAK’s business and risks related to operating in China. Please refer to China BAK’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2008, for specific details on risk factors. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. China BAK’s actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. China BAK undertakes no obligation to revise or update its forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

-Financial Tables Follow-
 
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China BAK Battery Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income
For the Three Months Ended December 31, 2007, September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2008
 (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)

   
Three Months Ended
 
    
December 31, 2007
   
September 30, 2008
   
December 31, 2008
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
(Unaudited)
   
(Unaudited)
 
                   
Net Revenues
  $ 52,787     $ 72,738     $ 68,090  
Cost of revenues
    (45,681 )     (61,257 )     (57,497 )
Gross profit
    7,106       11,481       10,593  
Operating expenses:
                       
Research and development costs
    (1,319 )     (1,688 )     (1,417 )
Sales and marketing expenses
    (1,348 )     (1,568 )     (1,599 )
General and administrative expenses
    (4,238 )     (5,185 )     (6,760 )
Total operating expenses
    (6,905 )     (8,441 )     (9,776 )
Operating income
    201       3,040       817  
Finance costs, net
    (2,223 )     (3,643 )     (2,840 )
Government grant income
    901       397       102  
Other income
    42       683       6  
Income / (loss) before income taxes
    (1,079 )     477       (1,915 )
Income taxes benefit
    139       995       176  
Net income / (loss)
  $ (940 )   $ 1,472     $ (1,739 )
Other comprehensive income
                       
 - Foreign currency translation adjustment
    3,770       1,241       160  
Comprehensive income
  $ 2,830     $ 2,713     $ (1,579 )
Net income / (loss) per share:
                       
Basic
  $ (0.02 )   $ 0.03     $ (0.03 )
Diluted
  $ (0.02 )   $ 0.03     $ (0.03 )
Weighted average shares outstanding:
                       
Basic
    51,425       54,511       56,958  
Diluted
    52,378       54,971       56,958  
 
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China BAK Battery Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Balance Sheets
As of September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2008
(Amounts in thousands)
    
   
December 31,
   
September 30,
 
   
2008
   
2008
 
   
(Unaudited)
       
Assets
           
Current assets
           
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 37,209     $ 35,707  
Pledged deposits
    6,114       4,449  
Trade accounts receivable, net
    81,292       82,740  
Inventories
    66,812       67,583  
Prepayments and other receivables
    12,328       4,463  
Deferred tax assets
    2,065       1,720  
Total current assets
    205,820       196,662  
                 
Property, plant and equipment, net
    208,494       195,435  
Lease prepayments, net
    32,062       31,782  
Intangible assets, net
    200       161  
Deferred tax assets
    6       7  
Total assets
  $ 446,582     $ 424,047  
                 
Liabilities
               
Current liabilities
               
Short-term bank loans
  $ 112,129     $ 105,598  
Current maturities of long-term bank loans
    13,192       8,800  
Accounts and bills payable
    77,888       57,487  
Accrued expenses and other payables
    20,930       21,581  
Total current liabilities
    224,139       193,466  
                 
Long-term bank loans, less current maturities
    46,904       55,732  
Deferred income
    7,622       7,685  
Other Long-term payables
    1,442       -  
Deferred tax liabilities
    164       92  
Total liabilities
    280,271       256,975  
Commitments and contingencies
 
 
   
 
 
                 
Shareholders’ equity:
               
Ordinary shares US$ 0.001 par value; 100,000,000 authorized; 57,676,481 and 57,680,231 issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2008, respectively
    58       58  
Donation Shares
    14,102       14,102  
Additional paid-in-capital
    98,104       97,286  
Statutory reserves
    7,227       6,918  
Retained earnings
    25,581       27,629  
Accumulated other comprehensive income
    25,306       25,146  
Less: Treasury shares
    (4,067 )     (4,067 )
Total shareholders’ equity
    166,311       167,072  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 446,582     $ 424,047  
 
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China BAK Battery Inc. and Subsidiaries
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
For the Three Months ended December 31, 2007, September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2008
 (Amounts in thousands)
  
   
Three Months Ended,
 
    
December 31, 2007
   
September 30, 2008
   
December 31, 2008
 
   
(Unaudited)
   
(Unaudited)
   
(Unaudited)
 
Cash flow from operating activities
                 
Net income / (loss)
  $ (941 )   $ 1,472     $ (1,739 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income / (loss) to net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities:
                       
Depreciation and amortization
    2,782       4,014       3,627  
Addition of bad debt expense(Recovery)
    1,202       (244 )     2,347  
Provision for obsolete inventories
    79       496       (550 )
Share-based compensation
    842       1,246       818  
Deferred income taxes
    (196 )     (951 )     (271 )
Deferred revenue
    -       (282 )     (58 )
Exchange loss
    -       (182 )     704  
Loss on disposal of Property, plant and equipment
    -       5       -  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
                       
Trade accounts receivable
    (7,159 )     2,502       (956 )
Inventories
    (1,120 )     376       1,278  
Prepayments and other receivables
    (11,614 )     3,823       (7,859 )
Accounts and bills payable
    10,423       (1,805 )     20,175  
Accrued expenses and other payables
    1,012       1,518       3,662  
Net cash provided by / (used in ) operating activities
  $ (4,688 )   $ 11,988     $ 21,178  
                         
Cash flow from investing activities
                       
Purchases property, plant and equipment
    (9,159 )     (16,672 )     (19,528 )
Payment of lease prepayment
    (21 )     (1,779 )     (466 )
Purchases of intangible assets
    (31 )     (7 )     (58 )
Proceeds from disposal of Property, plant and equipment
    -       465       -  
Net cash used in investing activities
  $ (9,211 )   $ (17,993 )   $ (20,052 )
                         
Cash flow from financing activities
                       
Proceeds from borrowings
    45,077       40,216       84,077  
Repayment of borrowings
    (26,911 )     (46,026 )     (81,883 )
(Increase)/ decrease in pledged deposits
    362       1,829       (1,663 )
Proceeds from issuance of capital stock
    14,006       15,233       -  
Net cash provided by financing activities
  $ 32,533     $ 11,252     $ 530  
                         
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
    694       216       (153 )
Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents
    19,328       5,463       1,502  
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period
    14,197       30,244       35,707  
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period
  $ 33,524     $ 35,707     $ 37,209  
 
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