Danke Announces Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2019 Financial Results
 |
BEIJING, March 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Phoenix Tree Holdings Limited (“Danke” or the “Company”) (NYSE: DNK), one of the largest co-living platforms in China with the fastest growth, today announced its unaudited financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.
FINANCIAL AND OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS
All comparisons are made on a year-over-year (“yoy”) basis.
For the Quarter Ended December 31, 2019:
- Revenues increased 112.5% to RMB2,129.3 million (US$305.9 million) from RMB1,002.0 million.
- Net loss was RMB921.0 million (US$132.3 million) compared to RMB556.8 million. Net margin improved by 12.3 percentage points.
- Adjusted EBITDA[1] was negative RMB461.0 million (US$66.2 million) compared to negative RMB349.2 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 13.3 percentage points.
- The number of apartment units operated increased 85.4% to 438,309 units as of December 31, 2019, from 236,420 units as of December 31, 2018.
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[1] Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA before share-based compensation and incentives for apartment sourcing. EBITDA represents net loss before depreciation and amortization, interest expenses, interest income, and income tax benefit (expense). Both adjusted EBITDA and EBITDA are non-GAAP financial measures. See the sections entitled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this results announcement. |
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2019:
- Revenues increased 166.5% to RMB7,129.1 million (US$1,024.0 million) from RMB2,675.0 million.
- Net loss was RMB3,437.2 million (US$493.7 million) compared to RMB1,369.7 million. Net margin improved by 3.0 percentage points.
- Adjusted EBITDA was negative RMB1,921.9 million (US$276.1 million) compared to negative RMB816.4 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 3.5 percentage points.
“We are very pleased with our progress during this quarter and throughout the year. We experienced rapid growth in operating scale, with the number of apartment units increasing 85.4% year-over-year as of December 31, 2019. We expanded our presence to Suzhou, Wuxi, Xi’an, and Chongqing, for a total footprint of 13 cities, which further demonstrated our ability to duplicate our success across cities. These achievements drove revenue growth, which increased 112.5% year-over-year for the quarter and 166.5% year-over-year for 2019,” said Mr. Jing Gao, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Danke.
“With the coronavirus outbreak, we have experienced a challenging start to 2020. Our thoughts are with those affected by the virus, and we are doing what we can to protect the health and safety of our residents and employees. While continuing to monitor the rapidly evolving situation, we remain focused on our growth strategies of enhancing our technological capabilities, further expanding our scale, expanding and enhancing our product and service offerings, promoting our brand awareness and industry influence, and strengthening and expanding our ecosystem. We are optimistic about our ability to execute on these strategies and are confident in our ability to deliver long-term, sustainable value for our shareholders,” concluded Mr. Gao.
FINANCIAL RESULTS
For the Quarter Ended December 31, 2019:
Revenues were RMB2,129.3 million (US$305.9 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019, representing an increase of 112.5% yoy from RMB1,002.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. The revenue growth was primarily driven by an increase in the number of opened apartment units as a result of the continued organic expansion of the business and, to a lesser extent, by the acquisition of Aishangzu[2] in March 2019.
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[2] Hangzhou Aishang Danke Technology Co., Ltd (“Aishangzu”), a residential rental apartment operator that primarily operated in Hangzhou. |
Operating expenses were RMB2,967.0 million (US$426.2 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019, representing an increase of 96.3% yoy from RMB1,511.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2018.
- Rental costs increased 123.8% yoy to RMB1,949.8 million (US$280.1 million) from RMB871.0 million primarily due to an increase in the number of opened apartments units as a result of the continued expansion of the business.
- Depreciation and amortization increased 138.4% yoy to RMB347.9 million (US$50.0 million) from RMB145.9 million primarily due to an increase in the number of apartment units renovated and opened.
- Other operating expenses increased 90.8% yoy to RMB205.5 million (US$29.5 million) from RMB107.7 million primarily due to (i) increased cost of services as the Company operated more apartment units, (ii) increased incentives for apartment sourcing as additional commissions and lead generation fees were incurred for sourcing more apartments, and (iii) increased payroll cost primarily due to business expansion. The following table sets forth a breakdown of other operating expenses, expressed as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenues, for the periods indicated:
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Three Months Ended December 31, |
|||||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
% |
RMB |
US$ |
% |
|||||
|
(in thousands, except for percentages) |
|||||||||
|
Other operating expenses: |
|||||||||
|
Cost of services |
33,731 |
3.3 |
114,225 |
16,407 |
5.4 |
||||
|
Payroll cost |
34,546 |
3.4 |
46,975 |
6,748 |
2.2 |
||||
|
Incentives for apartment sourcing |
12,541 |
1.3 |
27,805 |
3,994 |
1.3 |
||||
|
Other expenses |
26,887 |
2.7 |
16,469 |
2,365 |
0.7 |
||||
|
Total |
107,705 |
10.7 |
205,474 |
29,514 |
9.6 |
||||
- Pre-opening expense decreased 57.8% yoy to RMB37.6 million (US$5.4 million) from RMB89.1 million primarily due to a lower number of pre-opening apartment units during the quarter compared to the prior year period, as the Company strategically sourced a larger number of apartment units in the fourth quarter of 2018.
- Sales and marketing expenses increased 33.5% yoy to RMB244.5 million (US$35.1 million) from RMB183.1 million due to (i) an increase in incentives for apartment renting as additional commissions and lead generation fees were incurred for renting out apartment units, (ii) an increase in advertising expenses as the Company enhanced its advertising efforts , and (iii) an increase in payroll cost primarily due to business expansion. The following table sets forth a breakdown of sales and marketing expenses, expressed as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenues, for the periods indicated:
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Three Months Ended December 31, |
|||||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
% |
RMB |
US$ |
% |
|||||
|
(in thousands, except for percentages) |
|||||||||
|
Sales and marketing expenses: |
|||||||||
|
Advertising expenses |
81,112 |
8.1 |
102,663 |
14,747 |
4.8 |
||||
|
Payroll cost |
64,991 |
6.5 |
68,376 |
9,822 |
3.2 |
||||
|
Incentives for apartment renting |
29,891 |
3.0 |
64,206 |
9,223 |
3.0 |
||||
|
Other expenses |
7,151 |
0.7 |
9,224 |
1,324 |
0.5 |
||||
|
Total |
183,145 |
18.3 |
244,469 |
35,116 |
11.5 |
||||
- General and administrative expenses increased 76.7% yoy to RMB131.7 million (US$18.9 million) from RMB74.5 million due to the hiring of additional personnel for general corporate functions at the Company’s headquarters and for regional managerial roles.
- Technology and product development expenses increased 26.3% yoy to RMB50.1 million (US$7.2 million) from RMB39.7 million, which was driven by the expansion of the Company’s technology team with additional, experienced research and development personnel to develop its technology system and to improve its product and service offerings.
As a result of the above, operating loss was RMB837.7 million (US$120.3 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to RMB509.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Interest expenses were RMB99.4 million (US$14.3 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019, representing an increase of 61.8% yoy from RMB61.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. The increase was attributable to additional bank loans and an increase in interest expenses related to rent financing, which was driven by an increase in the number of residents who opted for rent financing as more apartment units were rented. The following table sets forth a breakdown of interest expenses, expressed as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenues, for the periods indicated:
|
Three Months Ended December 31, |
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|
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
% |
RMB |
US$ |
% |
|||||
|
(in thousands, except for percentages) |
|||||||||
|
Interest expenses |
|||||||||
|
Interest expenses related to rent financing |
53,208 |
5.3 |
65,269 |
9,375 |
3.1 |
||||
|
Other interest expenses |
8,243 |
0.8 |
34,158 |
4,907 |
1.6 |
||||
|
Total |
61,451 |
6.1 |
99,427 |
14,282 |
4.7 |
||||
Net loss was RMB921.0 million (US$132.3 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to RMB556.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2018. Net margin improved by 12.3 percentage points to negative 43.3% from negative 55.6%. Adjusted net loss[3], which represents net loss before share-based compensation and incentives for apartment sourcing, was RMB892.1 million (US$128.1 million) in the fourth quarter, compared to RMB542.8 million in the prior year period. Adjusted net margin improved by 12.3 percentage points to negative 41.9% from negative 54.2%.
Net loss per basic and diluted share was RMB3.66 (US$0.53) compared to RMB2.88 in the prior year period. Adjusted net loss per basic and diluted share [4] was RMB3.56 (US$0.51) compared to RMB2.82 in the prior year period.
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[3] Adjusted net loss is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the sections entitled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this results announcement. |
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[4] Adjusted net loss per basic and diluted share is a non-GAAP financial measure. See the sections entitled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and “Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to the Nearest Comparable GAAP Measures” for more information about the non-GAAP measures referred to in this results announcement. |
EBITDA, which represents net loss before depreciation and amortization, interest expenses, interest income, and income tax benefit (expense), was negative RMB489.8 million (US$70.4 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to negative RMB363.2 million in the prior year period. EBITDA margin improved by 13.2 percentage points to negative 23.0% from negative 36.2%. Adjusted EBITDA, which represents EBITDA before share-based compensation and incentives for apartment sourcing, was negative RMB461.0 million (US$66.2 million) in the fourth quarter of 2019 compared to negative RMB349.2 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 13.3 percentage points to negative 21.6% from negative 34.9%.
Cash and restricted cash were RMB3,455.9 million (US$496.4 million) as of December 31, 2019.
For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2019:
Revenues were RMB7,129.1 million (US$1,024.0 million) in 2019, representing an increase of 166.5% yoy from RMB2,675.0 million in 2018. The revenue growth was primarily driven by an increase in the number of opened apartment units as a result of the continued organic expansion of the business, and to a lesser extent, by the acquisition of Aishangzu in March 2019.
Operating expenses were RMB10,279.9 million (US$1,476.6 million) in 2019, representing an increase of 163.8% from RMB3,896.4 million in 2018.
- Rental costs increased 194.7% yoy to RMB6,400.0 million (US$919.3 million) from RMB2,171.8 million primarily due to an increase in the number of opened apartment units as a result of the continued expansion of the business.
- Depreciation and amortization increased 205.0% yoy to RMB1,138.2 million (US$163.5 million) from RMB373.2 million primarily due to an increase in the number of apartment units renovated and opened.
- Other operating expenses increased 156.9% yoy to RMB758.3 million (US$108.9 million) from RMB295.1 million primarily due to (i) increased cost of services as the Company operated more apartment units, (ii) increased payroll cost primarily due to business expansion, and (iii) increased incentives for apartment sourcing as additional commissions and lead generation fees were incurred for sourcing more apartments. The following table sets forth a breakdown of other operating expenses, expressed as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenues, for the years indicated:
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|||||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
% |
RMB |
US$ |
% |
|||||
|
(in thousands, except for percentages) |
|||||||||
|
Other operating expenses: |
|||||||||
|
Cost of services |
96,834 |
3.6 |
366,475 |
52,641 |
5.1 |
||||
|
Payroll cost |
105,387 |
3.9 |
171,064 |
24,572 |
2.4 |
||||
|
Incentives for apartment sourcing |
31,077 |
1.2 |
85,108 |
12,225 |
1.2 |
||||
|
Other expenses |
61,843 |
2.3 |
135,686 |
19,490 |
1.9 |
||||
|
Total |
295,141 |
11.0 |
758,333 |
108,928 |
10.6 |
||||
- Pre-opening expense decreased 17.2% yoy to RMB224.0 million (US$32.2 million) from RMB270.4 million primarily due to a lower number of pre-opening apartment units in 2019 compared to the prior year.
- Sales and marketing expenses increased 120.4% yoy to RMB1,038.2 million (US$149.1 million) from RMB471.0 million due to (i) an increase in advertising expenses as the Company enhanced its advertising efforts, (ii) an increase in incentives for apartment renting as additional commissions and lead generation fees were incurred for renting out apartment units, and (iii) an increase in payroll cost primarily due to business expansion. The following table sets forth a breakdown of sales and marketing expenses, expressed as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenues, for the years indicated:
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|||||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
% |
RMB |
US$ |
% |
|||||
|
(in thousands, except for percentages) |
|||||||||
|
Sales and marketing expenses: |
|||||||||
|
Advertising expenses |
200,733 |
7.5 |
506,401 |
72,740 |
7.1 |
||||
|
Payroll cost |
175,612 |
6.6 |
256,277 |
36,812 |
3.6 |
||||
|
Incentives for apartment renting |
75,301 |
2.8 |
209,338 |
30,070 |
2.9 |
||||
|
Other expenses |
19,380 |
0.7 |
66,175 |
9,505 |
1.0 |
||||
|
Total |
471,026 |
17.6 |
1,038,191 |
149,127 |
14.6 |
||||
- General and administrative expenses increased 158.8% yoy to RMB527.5 million (US$75.8 million) from RMB203.8 million due to the hiring of additional personnel for general corporate functions at the Company’s headquarters and for regional managerial roles.
- Technology and product development expenses increased 74.6% yoy to RMB193.7 million (US$27.8 million) from RMB111.0 million, which was driven by the expansion of the Company’s technology team with additional, experienced research and development personnel to develop its technology system and to improve its product and service offerings.
As a result of the above, operating loss was RMB3,150.8 million (US$452.6 million) in 2019 compared to RMB1,221.3 million in 2018.
Interest expenses were RMB352.4 million (US$50.6 million) in 2019, representing an increase of 115.7% yoy from RMB163.4 million in 2018. The increase was attributable to additional bank loans and an increase in interest expenses related to rent financing, which was driven by an increase in the number of residents who opted for rent financing as more apartment units were rented. The following table sets forth a breakdown of interest expenses, expressed as an absolute amount and as a percentage of revenues, for the years indicated:
|
Year Ended December 31, |
|||||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
% |
RMB |
US$ |
% |
|||||
|
(in thousands, except for percentages) |
|||||||||
|
Interest expenses |
|||||||||
|
Interest expenses related to rent financing |
152,996 |
5.7 |
241,033 |
34,622 |
3.4 |
||||
|
Other interest expenses |
10,361 |
0.4 |
111,375 |
15,998 |
1.5 |
||||
|
Total |
163,357 |
6.1 |
352,408 |
50,620 |
4.9 |
||||
Net loss was RMB3,437.2 million (US$493.7 million) in 2019 compared to RMB1,369.7 million in 2018. Net margin improved by 3.0 percentage points to negative 48.2% from negative 51.2%. Adjusted net loss, which represents net loss before share-based compensation and incentives for apartment sourcing, was RMB3,346.6 million (US$480.7 million) in 2019 compared to RMB1,332.9 million in 2018. Adjusted net margin improved by 2.9 percentage points to negative 46.9% from negative 49.8%.
Net loss per basic and diluted share was RMB15.05 (US$2.16) compared to RMB7.95 in 2018. Adjusted net loss per basic and diluted share was RMB14.69 (US$2.11) compared to RMB7.75 in 2018.
EBITDA, which represents net loss before depreciation and amortization, interest expenses, interest income, and income tax benefit (expense), was negative RMB2,012.6 million (US$289.1 million) in 2019 compared to negative RMB853.3 million in 2018. EBITDA margin improved by 3.7 percentage points to negative 28.2% from negative 31.9%. Adjusted EBITDA, which represents EBITDA before share-based compensation and incentives for apartment sourcing, was negative RMB1,921.9 million (US$276.1 million) in 2019 compared to negative RMB816.4 million in 2018. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved by 3.5 percentage points to negative 27.0% from negative 30.5%.
KEY OPERATING METRICS
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As of |
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|
December 31, |
March 31, |
June 30, |
September 30, |
December 31, |
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|
2018 |
2019 |
2019 |
2019 |
2019 |
||||||
|
Number of cities in which the |
9 |
9 |
10 |
13 |
13 |
|||||
|
Number of apartment units the |
||||||||||
|
Pre-opening apartment units(1) |
27,007 |
15,012 |
5,160 |
14,835 |
7,081 |
|||||
|
Opened apartment units(2) |
209,413 |
270,337 |
341,213 |
391,911 |
431,228 |
|||||
|
Total |
236,420 |
285,349 |
346,373 |
406,746 |
438,309 |
|||||
|
Number of apartment units the |
||||||||||
|
Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen |
152,630 |
176,746 |
192,268 |
213,866 |
223,753 |
|||||
|
Other cities |
83,790 |
108,603 |
154,105 |
192,880 |
214,556 |
|||||
|
Total |
236,420 |
285,349 |
346,373 |
406,746 |
438,309 |
|||||
|
(1) Represent apartment units that are within the pre-opening period (i.e., the period between the effective date of the lease with the property (2) Represent apartment units that achieve ready-to-move-in status, including those rented out and to be rented out. |
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Year Ended |
Three Months Ended |
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|
December 31, |
December 31, |
||||||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
2018 |
2019 |
||||||||
|
RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
RMB |
RMB |
US$ |
||||||
|
Average revenues per rented-out unit per |
2,352 |
2,130 |
306 |
2,264 |
2,074 |
298 |
|||||
|
Average leasing cost per unit per month(2) |
1,637 |
1,546 |
222 |
1,609 |
1,504 |
216 |
|||||
|
(1) Represents the revenues recognized in the period presented divided by rented-out unit days (i.e., the simple (2) Represents leasing cost (i.e., the sum of rental cost and pre-opening expense) recorded in the period presented |
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|
As of |
||||||||||
|
December 31, |
March 31, |
June 30, |
September 30, |
December 31, |
||||||
|
2018 |
2019 |
2019 |
2019 |
2019 |
||||||
|
Occupancy rate(1) |
76.9% |
77.8% |
89.0% |
86.9% |
76.7% |
|||||
|
(1) Represents the aggregate number of rented-out apartment units as a percentage of the number of opened apartment units |
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SHARES OUTSTANDING
As of the date of this press release, the Company had approximately 1,828.8 million ordinary shares outstanding. The total number of shares outstanding excludes shares reserved for future issuances upon exercise or vesting of awards granted under the Company’s share incentive plans. Each American Depositary Share (ADS) represents ten Class A ordinary shares.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Series D Financing
As previously disclosed in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company completed a Series D fundraising round in October 2019, receiving gross proceeds of US$190.0 million. CMC Capital Group and Primavera Capital Group participated in the round.
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
On January 22, 2020, the Company completed its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange. In its IPO, the Company sold a total of 9,600,000 ADSs, each representing ten Class A ordinary shares. In addition, the underwriters of the IPO exercised their option to purchase 304,933 additional ADSs. As a result, the Company received total net proceeds of approximately US$128.4 million after deducting underwriter commissions and relevant offering expenses.
Novel Coronavirus Outbreak
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Company has proactively initiated measures to protect its residents and support the government’s efforts to combat the epidemic. For example, the Company provided safety notifications and preventative guidelines to residents through multiple channels, immediately launched online travel detail registration, and assisted residents with applying for neighborhood entry permits. In addition, leveraging its online platform, the Company publicized various online facilitation services including launching an online, zero-contact apartment viewing and selection function. Furthermore, the Company offered partial rental waivers to certain affected residents and held discussions with property owners to offer rental waivers during this difficult time. The Company has encouraged employees to work from home as necessary, and implemented temperature checks and frequent disinfection of workplaces. To support the relief effort in Wuhan, the Company provided 800 apartment units in the Wuhan area for medical workers, free of charge, to provide them with places to rest.
The Company expects adverse impacts on its business and financial performance from the novel coronavirus outbreak for the first quarter of 2020. The Company expects a decrease in the occupancy rate as residents delay their return to work, which will result in an adverse impact on the Company’s revenues. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the Company also adjusted the number of apartment units it operated to counteract some of the adverse impacts on its occupancy