First Quarter Financial Highlights
— Revenues were $67.3 million representing a 115.8% year-over-year increase;
— Gross margin increased to 14.5% from 12.6% in the first quarter of 2009;
— Net income (GAAP) attributable to A-Power was $29.3 million, or $0.64 per diluted share;
— Cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash were $220.4 million;
— Prepayments, deposits, other receivables from customers were $102.4 million;
— Annual guidance for 2010 raised to revenues of $500 million with net income of $60 million.
Mr. Jinxiang Lu, A-Power’s Chairman and CEO commented, "We are very excited with our strong revenue growth and solid gross margin expansion in the first quarter. Although the first quarter is typically a slow season in our DG activities in most parts of China due to the winter weather condition, we set new records for both revenue and net income growth in first quarter of 2010. Our geographic diversification into southern China and international projects are contributing more DG revenues. Our wind turbine business continues to gain traction and we remain confident in the market outlook, as our larger wind turbines are receiving favorable consideration in China, and the outlook for future turbine exports also appears promising. With more components arriving and our production expanding, we are continuing to move forward on all facets of our wind turbine business, both domestically and internationally. On the financial side, we continued to work to strengthen our balance sheet and manage our cash flow to prepare ourselves for further expansion during 2010."
First Quarter 2010 Financial Results
Revenues in the 2010 first quarter increased 115.8% to $67.3 million from $31.2 million in the first quarter of 2009. The increase was primarily due to continuing DG contracts including $9.8 million in revenue from our DG project in Vietnam.
Gross profit increased 248.4% to $9.8 million from $3.9 million in the same period of 2009. Gross margin was 14.5%, up from 12.6% in the same quarter of 2009. The improvement in gross margin was mainly attributable to higher sales and improved operating efficiencies.
Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses amounted to $8.9 million compared with $2.6 million in the previous year’s same quarter. The increase in SG&A expenses was mainly due to the growth of the businesses and $2.8 million of SG&A expenses from Evatech Co. Ltd. ("Evatech") which the Company acquired in January 2010. As a percentage of revenues, SG&A expenses increased to 13.2% for the first quarter of 2010 from 8.2% in the first quarter of 2009.
Operating income was $0.9 million in the first quarter of 2010 compared with $1.4 million in the same period of 2009. This reduction in operating income was attributable principally to increased SG&A expenses, including $2.8 million of Evatech-related operating expenses.
During the 2010 first quarter, the Company recorded a one-time gain of $13.6 million from the investment in and acquisition of Evatech and a $14.2 million increase in the fair value of outstanding warrants.
GAAP net income attributable to A-Power for the 2010 first quarter was $29.3 million compared with net income of $1.6 million in the same period of 2009. Diluted earnings per share were $0.64 compared with diluted earnings per share $0.04 in the same quarter of 2009. In the 2010 first quarter, total shares outstanding on a diluted basis were 45.7 million shares compared with 34.7 million in the same period of 2009.
Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2010 was $2.0 million, representing a 13.5% year-over-year increase from $1.8 million at the end of March 2009. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share were $0.05, flat year-over-year, but based upon a significantly greater number of diluted shares outstanding in the 2010 quarter.
As of March 31, 2010, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash totaling $220.4 million compared with $179.8 million at December 31, 2009. Prepayments, deposits, other receivables from customers were $102.4 million compared with $52.5 million at the end of 2009. Short-term loans outstanding, as of March 31, 2010, were $69.1 million. Working capital increased by approximately $18.0 million in the 2010 first quarter to $173.4 million. Total stockholders’ equity rose to $339.6 million at March 31, 2010 from $252.6 million at December 31, 2009.
Please refer to the tables below for a complete financial overview of our first quarter results for 2010 and a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures included in this announcement to the most comparable GAAP financial measures.
Recent Developments
A-Power celebrated the launch of the final development phase of its jointly owned Texas Wind Farm with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Las Vegas on Tuesday, April 27, 2010. The event was attended by representatives of the Shenyang local government, A-Power, Shenyang Power Group, US Renewable Energy Group, Cielo Wind, and other parties involved in the development of the Texas Wind Farm project.
Executives from American Nevada Group also attended with respect to the planning for our proposed Nevada wind turbine facility.
Business Outlook
Management raised its view that revenues for 2010 will reach $500 million and net income will reach $60 million, from previously announced annual guidance of $380 million in revenues and $45 million in net income, respectively. These targets are based on the Company’s current views on the operating and market conditions, which are subject to change and to future developments, including those referred to under our safe harbor statement below.
A-Power Energy Generation Systems, Ltd. ("A-Power"), through its China-based operating subsidiaries, is the largest provider of distributed power generation systems in China, focusing on energy-efficient and environmentally friendly projects of 25 MW to 400 MW.
In 2008, A-Power entered the wind energy market and has built China’s largest wind turbine manufacturing facility, located in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, with a total annual production capacity of 1,125MW. In March 2009, A-Power entered into an agreement to establish a Joint Venture partnership with GE Drivetrain Technologies to produce wind power gearboxes in Shenyang.
In addition to the establishment of strategic relationships with the world’s leading wind power design and engineering companies, A-Power has formed joint research programs with Tsinghua University and the China Academy of Sciences to develop and commercialize other renewable energy technologies.
