JA Solar Announces Third Quarter 2013 Results
SHANGHAI, China, Nov. 26, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq:JASO) ("JA Solar" or the "Company"), one of the world's largest manufacturers of high-performance solar power products, today announced its unaudited financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2013.
Third Quarter 2013 Highlights
Shipments were 500.2 MW, consisting of 305.0 MW of modules and module tolling, and 195.2 MW of cells and cell tolling, above the high end of the Company's previous guidance of 470 MW and an increase of 7.9% from the second quarter of 2013 Net revenue was RMB 1.8 billion ($287.3 million), compared to RMB 1.6 billion ($258.9 million) in the second quarter of 2013 Gross margin was 11.3%, compared to gross margin of 8.1% in the second quarter of 2013 Operating loss was RMB 31.6 million ($5.2 million), compared to operating loss of RMB 33.3 million ($5.4 million) in the second quarter of 2013 Net loss, which included a non-cash change in fair value of warrant derivatives of RMB 138.3 million ($22.6 million), was RMB 227.0 million ($37.1 million), compared to net loss of RMB 132.4 million ($21.6 million) in the second quarter of 2013 Loss per diluted ADS was RMB 6.77 ($1.11), compared to loss per diluted ADS of RMB 3.58 ($0.59) in the second quarter of 2013 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the quarter were RMB 2.5 billion ($401.1 million), compared to RMB 2.2 billion ($355.8 million) at the end of the second quarter of 2013 Operating cash flow was positive RMB 623.4 million ($101.9 million), compared to positive RMB 503.5 million ($82.3 million) in the second quarter of 2013 Non-GAAP net loss1 attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 90.2 million ($14.7 million), compared to a non-GAAP net loss attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders of RMB 138.8 million ($22.7 million) in the second quarter of 2013 Non-GAAP loss per diluted ADS was RMB 2.24 ($0.37), compared to Non-GAAP loss per diluted ADS of RMB 3.58 ($0.59) in the second quarter of 2013
1 JA Solar adjusts net income attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders to exclude (1) changes in fair value of certain warrants granted to certain investors in a registered direct offering (the "Offering") closed on August 16, 2013, (2) fair value of such warrants exceeding net proceeds from the Offering, and (3) changes in fair value of embedded derivatives underlying the convertible notes issued in May 2008. Consistent with this approach, the Company believes that disclosing non-GAAP net loss per share provides useful supplemental data that, while not a substitute for GAAP net loss per share, allows for greater transparency in the review of the Company's financial and operational performance.
Mr. Baofang Jin, executive chairman and CEO of JA Solar, commented, "We posted a solid performance in the third quarter, with shipments exceeding the high end of our guidance, owing to an improvement in the macro environment and increased installation activity across key markets. Thanks to a much healthier supply-demand balance and our continued cost-reduction efforts, our gross margin returned to double digits, while our prudent management of costs and receivables allowed us to post strong operating cash flow of over $100 million."
Mr. Jin continued, "We are encouraged by shipment growth across key geographies. In the third quarter, we made tremendous progress in the U.S. market, where our module shipments more than tripled sequentially. We also saw healthy shipment growth in China, where installation activity increased rapidly as buyers rushed to place orders ahead of an expected reduction in solar feed-in-tariff rates. Alongside this, we maintained our strong position in Japan, where we expect to have a healthy growth trajectory going forward.
"Prudent balance sheet management through the downturn in the solar industry helped to secure the long-term health of our business," Mr. Jin added. "Now that the market is showing significant signs of improvement, we are confident that our superior product offering and bankable brand will enable us to strengthen our market position. Looking to 2014, we will continue to stringently manage our production costs and focus on gaining market share in emerging markets. We are confident that this strategy will lead to an overall improvement in our bottom-line performance in the coming quarters."
Third Quarter 2013 Financial Results
Total shipments in the third quarter of 2013 were 500.2 MW, above the high end of the Company's previously provided guidance of 450 MW to 470 MW. This represents a 7.9% increase from 463.7 MW in the second quarter of 2013 and a 19.7% increase from 417.8 MW in the third quarter of 2012. Shipment breakdown by product (MW) (MW) 2012Q3 2013Q2 2013Q3 QoQ% YoY% Modules and module tolling 246.6 253.9 305.0 20.1% 23.7% Cells and cell tolling 171.2 209.8 195.2 -7.0% 14.0% Total 417.8 463.7 500.2 7.9% 19.7% Shipment breakdown by region (percentage) 2012Q3 2013Q2 2013Q3 QoQ(pp) YoY(pp) China 56.1% 37.8% 38.7% 0.9pp -17.4pp APAC ex-China 8.9% 34.2% 39.3% 5.1pp 30.4pp Europe 27.9% 19.7% 9.3% -10.4pp -18.6pp Americas 5.5% 7.9% 10.7% 2.8pp 5.2pp Others 1.6% 0.4% 2.0% 1.6pp 0.4pp
Revenue in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 1.8 billion ($287.3 million), an increase of 11.0% from RMB 1.6 billion ($258.9 million) in the second quarter of 2013 and an increase of 7.2% from RMB 1.6 billion ($268.0 million) reported in the third quarter of 2012.
Gross profit in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 198.7 million ($32.5 million), compared with gross profit of RMB 128.7 million ($21.0 million) in the second quarter of 2013 and a gross loss of RMB 96.6 million ($15.8 million) in the third quarter of 2012. Gross margin was 11.3% in the third quarter of 2013, compared with 8.1% in the second quarter of 2013 and negative 5.9% in the third quarter of 2012. The sequential increase in gross margin was primarily due to the Company's stringent cost-reduction initiatives.
Total operating expenses in the third quarter of 2013 were RMB 230.4 million ($37.6 million), compared with RMB 161.9 million ($26.5 million) in the second quarter of 2013 and RMB 534.6 million ($87.4 million) in the third quarter of 2012. The increase in total operating expenses quarter over quarter was primarily due to an accounts receivable provision of RMB 45.7 million ($7.5 million) in the third quarter of 2013 and an increase in transportation expenses in line with the increase in total shipments.
Operating loss in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 31.6 million ($5.2 million), compared with an operating loss of RMB 33.3 million ($5.4 million) in the second quarter of 2013 and an operating loss of RMB 631.3 million ($103.1 million) in the third quarter of 2012. Operating margin in the third quarter of 2013 was negative 1.8%, compared with negative 2.1% in the second quarter of 2013 and negative 38.5% in the third quarter of 2012.
Change in fair value of warrant derivatives in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 138.3 million ($22.6 million), compared with nil in the second quarter of 2013 and nil in the third quarter of 2012. The change in fair value of warrant derivatives was related to the change in fair value of certain warrants granted to certain investors in a registered direct offering closed on August 16, 2013.
Other income in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 8.2 million ($1.3 million), compared with other loss of RMB 8.3 million ($1.4 million) in the second quarter of 2013 and other income of RMB 363.7 million ($59.4 million) in the third quarter of 2012.
Loss per diluted ADS in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 6.77 ($1.11), compared with loss per diluted ADS of RMB 3.58 ($0.59) in the second quarter of 2013 and loss per diluted ADS of RMB 9.55 ($1.56) in the third quarter of 2012.
Non-GAAP net loss attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 90.2 million (US$14.7 million), compared with a non-GAAP net loss attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders of RMB 138.8 million ($22.7 million) in the second quarter of 2013 and a non-GAAP net loss attributable to the Company's ordinary shareholders of RMB 371.4 million ($60.7 million) in the third quarter of 2012.
Non-GAAP loss per diluted ADS in the third quarter of 2013 was RMB 2.24 ($0.37), compared with non-GAAP loss per diluted ADS of RMB 3.58 ($0.59) in the second quarter of 2013 and non-GAAP loss per diluted ADS of RMB 9.55 ($1.56) in the third quarter of 2012.
In the third quarter of 2013, the Company generated operating cash flow of RMB 623.4 million ($101.9 million).
Liquidity
As of September 30, 2013, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash of RMB 2.5 billion ($401.1 million), compared to RMB 2.2 billion ($355.8 million) at the end of the second quarter of 2013.
As of September 30, 2013, total working capital was RMB 695.8 million ($113.7 million), compared with RMB 684.6 million ($111.9 million) as of June 30, 2013.
As of September 30, 2013, total short-term bank borrowings were RMB 983.7 million ($160.7 million), compared to RMB 672.4 million ($109.9 million) as of June 30, 2013.
As of September 30, 2013, total long-term bank borrowings were RMB 2.9 billion ($467.4 million), of which RMB 1.4 billion ($236.1 million) were due in one year. This compares to total long-term bank borrowings as of June 30, 2013 of RMB 3.5 billion ($578.5 million), of which RMB 2.0 billion ($329.0 million) were due in one year.
Recent Business Developments
On August 14, 2013, the Company announced that it has entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with a single institutional investor (the "Investor") to issue securities in a registered direct offering (the "Offering"). In the Offering, the Company issued to the Investor American Depositary Shares, a "Series A-1 Warrant," a "Series A-2 Warrant," a "Series A-3 Warrant" and a "Series B Warrant." Between November 13, 2013 and November 15, 2013, the Series A-1 Warrant was exercised in full with 2,544,833 American Depositary Shares issued at a price of $9.43 per ADS, resulting in gross proceeds of $24.0 million to the Company.
Business Outlook
For the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company expects total cell and module shipments to be between 500 MW and 550 MW. For the full year 2013, the Company revises upwards its previous shipment guidance of between 1.7 GW and 1.9 GW to between 1.9 GW and 1.95 GW. |