AMBO Ambow Education Holding Ltd

BEIJING, Sept. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ambow Education Holding Ltd. ("Ambow" or the "Company") (NYSE American: AMBO), a leading cross-border career educational and technology service provider, today announced its unaudited consolidated financial and operating results for the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2022.

"In the first half of 2022, we remained focused on our core business strategy encompassing premium technology-driven educational and career enhancement service offerings amid the complex macro environment," noted Dr. Jin Huang, Ambow's President and Chief Executive Officer. "As we methodologically pave the way to drive our career-focused education business roadmap, we recorded net revenues of RMB 204.0 million in the first half of 2022."

"We remain dedicated to refining and innovating our proprietary technologies to empower our products and services. As a result, we are delighted to see our high-quality, technology-empowered offerings garner increasing recognition and popularity in the market. Additionally, we deepened our ongoing commitment to facilitating the national strategy of improving collaboration between educational institutions and industries to coordinate and propel talent development throughout China. As a veteran with a track record of over two decades in the education technology space, Ambow has built out a far-reaching cooperative network comprised of universities, institutions and commercial enterprises. Drawing on this powerful network alongside our innovative, superior products and services, we are well positioned to address educators and learners' critical demands in the evolving landscape while promoting the efficient integration of academia and business, as well as fostering a balance in talent supply and demand, especially in the technical fields."

"Moving through the second half of 2022, we will continue strengthening our competitive edge by further advancing our technologies, products and services, actively adapting ourselves to market dynamics and capturing new growth opportunities ahead. As always, we are committed to creating long-term sustainable value for all of our stakeholders," concluded Dr. Huang.

Second Quarter 2022 Financial Highlights 

• Net revenues for the second quarter of 2022 decreased by 36.2% to RMB 109.9 million (US$ 16.4 million) from RMB 172.3 million for the same period of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to the planned sale of the K-9 business, which is expected to be completed by December 31, 2022. The profit or loss of the K-9 business since September 2021 was borne by and entitled to the buyer as agreed. The decrease was also partially due to the regulatory changes in China affecting the tutoring business since August 2021.
  
  
• Gross profit for the second quarter of 2022 decreased by 40.6% to RMB 45.1 million (US$ 6.7 million) from RMB 75.9 million for the same period of 2021. Gross profit margin was 41.0%, compared with 44.1% for the second quarter of 2021. The decreases in gross profit and gross margin were mainly attributable to the immediate impact of regulatory changes on net revenues of the tutoring business, while there was less impact on costs during the period.
  
  
• Operating expenses for the second quarter of 2022 increased by 20.5% to RMB 67.0 million (US$ 10.0 million) from RMB 55.6 million for the same period of 2021. The increase was primarily caused by a write-off of long-term receivables due from Jinghan Taihe of RMB 13.7 million and a share-based compensation expense of RMB 6.7 million and partially offset by the decrease in operating expenses due to stringent expense control in the period.
  
  
• Operating loss for the second quarter of 2022 was RMB 21.9 million (US$ 3.3 million), compared to operating income of RMB 20.3 million for the same period of 2021.
  
  
• Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders for the second quarter of 2022 was RMB 71.4 million (US$ 10.7 million), or RMB 1.53 (US$ 0.23) per basic and diluted share, compared with a net income of RMB 22.4 million, or RMB 0.48 per basic and diluted share, for the same period of 2021. Other than the operating loss, the net loss was also caused by the income tax expense of RMB 39.0 million from the gain on waived inter-group payables and RMB 9.0 million from the valuation allowance for the deferred tax assets resulting from the write-off of the long-term receivables due from Jinghan Taihe.
  
  
• As of June 30, 2022, Ambow maintained strong cash resources of RMB 142.6 million (US$ 21.2 million), comprised of cash and cash equivalents of RMB 61.8 million (US$ 9.2 million), short-term investments of RMB 78.5 million (US$ 11.7 million) and restricted cash of RMB 2.3 million (US$ 0.3 million).

First Six Months 2022 Financial Highlights

• Net revenues for the first six months of 2022 decreased by 32.4% to RMB 204.0 million (US$ 30.5 million) from RMB 301.9 million for the same period of 2021. The decrease was primarily due to the planned sale of the K-9 business, which is expected to be completed by December 31, 2022. The profit or loss of the K-9 business since September 2021 was borne by and entitled to the buyer as agreed. The decrease was also partially due to the regulatory changes in China affecting the tutoring business since August 2021.
  
  
• Gross profit for the first six months of 2022 decreased by 36.8% to RMB 76.2 million (US$ 11.4 million) from RMB 120.6 million for the same period of 2021. Gross profit margin was 37.3%, compared with 39.9% for the same period of 2021. The decreases in gross profit and gross margin were mainly attributable to the immediate impact of regulatory changes on net revenues of the tutoring business, while there was less impact on costs during the period.
  
  
• Operating expenses for the first six months of 2022 decreased by 1.3% to RMB 113.9 million (US$ 17.0 million) from RMB 115.4 million for the same period of 2021. The decrease was attributable to stringent expense controls, offset by a write-off of long-term receivables due from Jinghan Taihe of RMB 13.7 million and a share-based compensation expense of RMB 6.7 million.
  
  
• Operating loss for the first six months of 2022 was RMB 37.7 million (US$ 5.6 million), compared to operating income of RMB 5.2 million for the same period of 2021.
  
  
• Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders for the first six months of 2022 was RMB 89.0 million (US$ 13.3 million), or RMB 1.90 (US$ 0.28) per basic and diluted share, compared with a net income of RMB 8.1 million, or RMB 0.17 per basic and diluted share, for the same period of 2021. Other than the operating loss, the net loss was also caused by the income tax expense of RMB 39.0 million from the gain on waived inter-group payables and RMB 9.0 million from the valuation allowance for the deferred tax assets resulting from the write-off of the long-term receivables due from Jinghan Taihe.

The Company's financial and operating results for the second quarter and first half of 2022 can also be found on its Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, to be furnished with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at a specified rate solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all amounts translated from RMB to U.S. dollars for the second quarter and first half of 2022 are based on the effective exchange rate of 6.6981 as of June 30, 2022; all amounts translated from RMB to U.S. dollars for the second quarter and first half of 2021 are based on the effective exchange rate of 6.4566 as of June 30, 2021; all amounts translated from RMB to U.S. dollars as of December 31, 2021, are based on the effective exchange rate of 6.3726 as of December 30, 2021. The exchange rates were according to the middle rate as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board. Fluctuations in financial highlights are based on RMB amounts.

About Ambow Education Holding Ltd.

Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is a leading cross-border career educational and technology service provider, offering high-quality, individualized services and products. With its extensive network of regional service hubs complemented by a dynamic proprietary learning platform and distributors, Ambow provides its services and products to students in China and the United States of America.

Follow us on Twitter: @Ambow_Education

Safe Harbor Statement

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. Among other things, the outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Ambow's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Ambow may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies, expansion plans, the expected growth of the content and application delivery services market, the Company's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with its customers, and the general economic and business conditions in the regions where the Company provides its solutions and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Ambow undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Ambow Education Holding Ltd.
Tel: +86-10-6206-8000

The Piacente Group | Investor Relations
Tel: +1-212-481-2050 or +86-10-6508-0677
E-mail: ambow@tpg-ir.com

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SOURCE Ambow Education Holding Ltd.