Fanhua Reports Third Quarter 2020 Unaudited Financial Results

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fanhua Inc., (Nasdaq: FANH), (the “Company” or “Fanhua”), a leading independent financial services provider in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020¹.Financial Highlights for the Third quarter of 2020:Commenting on the third quarter results, Mr. Chunlin Wang, chairman and chief executive officer said, “In the third quarter of 2020, our life insurance gross written premiums achieved RMB2.4 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 15.5%, outpacing the industry growth rate of 9.2%. During the same period, first year premiums reached RMB582.7 million and annualized premiums equivalent⁵ were RMB333.5 million while renewal premiums exceeded RMB1.8 billion. The decline in new policies written is mainly attributable to the ongoing impact from the pandemic, the industry-wide downward pressure and slower recruitment in new agents, which partially offset the increase in renewal premiums.“In recent years, we’ve seen a gradual transformation in the Chinese insurance industry, catalyzed by the sweeping impact of digital technology, a trend that has been further accelerated by the pandemic. In order to lead Fanhua into the post Covid-19 era, we have adopted a strategy of ‘a professional sales force, digital capability and open platform’. We believe that this strategy will enable Fanhua to strengthen its position as a market leader in the professional intermediary industry. The Company plans to upgrade its sales organization by selecting and developing high-caliber, productive and professional insurance advisor teams in economically developed cities in China. We also intend to build an integrated digital platform utilizing artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing, enabling us to optimize the use of data to provide the most appropriate products for existing and potential customers and increase agent productivity. Finally, we will build an open platform to facilitate a closer cooperation with various third parties who can monetize their existing customer resources and to strengthen our value proposition to the market.“While the immediate future remains challenging for the industry, we anticipate year-on-year growth in the first quarter next year and significant incremental contribution from the strategy to our results in the second half of 2021. We are confident in our ability to retain the Company’s position as a leader in the professional insurance intermediary sector over the long run.”Financial Results for the Third quarter of 2020Total net revenues were RMB812.0 million (US$119.6 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 1.4% from RMB823.4 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Net revenues for the life insurance business were RMB652.4 million (US$96.1 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 6.3% from RMB696.0 million for the corresponding period in 2019. The decrease was mainly due to the 13.6% year-over-year decline in first year commission from RMB502.1 million in the third quarter of 2019 to RMB433.6 million in the third quarter of 2020, offset by 12.8% year-over-year growth in renewal commissions from RMB193.9 million in the third quarter of 2019 to RMB218.8 million in the third quarter of 2020 as a result of the accumulation of renewal business and high persistency ratio. Revenues generated from our life insurance business accounted for 80.3% of our total net revenues in the third quarter of 2020.Net revenues for the P&C insurance business were RMB39.2 million (US$5.8 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 20.2% from RMB32.6 million for the corresponding period in 2019. Revenues for the P&C insurance business, mainly derived from commissions generated from Baowang (www.baoxian.com), increased primarily due to a higher proportion of higher-commission insurance products. Revenues generated from the P&C insurance business accounted for 4.8% of our total net revenues in the third quarter of 2020.Net revenues for the claims adjusting business were RMB120.4 million (US$17.7 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 27.0% from RMB94.8 million for the corresponding period in 2019. The increase was mainly due to growth in our medical insurance-related claims adjusting business. Revenues generated from the claims adjusting business accounted for 14.9% of our total net revenues in the third quarter of 2020.
Total operating costs and expenses were RMB738.7 million (US$108.8 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 9.9% from RMB671.9 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Commission costs were RMB541.4 million (US$79.7 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 2.0% from RMB530.8 million for the corresponding period in 2019.  Costs of the life insurance business were RMB447.6 million (US$65.9 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 0.3% from RMBB449.0 million for the corresponding period in 2019. The decrease reflects lower first year premiums. Costs incurred by the life insurance business accounted for 82.7% of our total commission costs in the third quarter of 2020.Costs of the P&C insurance business were RMB24.9 million (US$3.7 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 10.2% from RMB22.6 million for the corresponding period in 2019, in line with our increased revenue and favorable product mix. The costs of the P&C insurance business mainly represent commission costs we incurred for operating Baowang (www.baoxian.com). Costs incurred by the P&C insurance business accounted for 4.6% of our total commission costs in the third quarter of 2020.Costs of claims adjusting business were RMB68.9 million (US$10.1 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 16.6% from RMB59.1 million for the corresponding period in 2019, corresponding to the increase in the medical insurance-related claims adjusting business. Costs incurred by the claims adjusting business accounted for 12.7% of our total commission costs in the third quarter of 2020.Selling expenses were RMB78.5 million (US$11.6 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 99.7% from RMB39.3 million for the corresponding period in 2019. Excluding the benefit of a fair value adjustment of RMB28.4 million which reflected the lower share-based compensation expenses related to the Company’s 521 Plan in the third quarter of 2019, adjusted selling expenses which excluded share-based compensation expenses in the third quarter of 2020 increased by 16.4% from RMB67.7 million for the corresponding period of 2019 to RMB78.9 million (US$11.6 million) due to increased sales events related to our claims adjusting segment.General and administrative expenses were RMB118.9 million (US$17.5 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 16.8% from RMB101.8 million for the corresponding period in 2019. Excluding the benefit of a fair value adjustment of RMB11.4 million which reflected the lower share-based compensation expenses related to the Company’s 521 Plan in the third quarter of 2019, adjusted general and administrative expenses which excluded share-based compensation expenses in the third quarter of 2020 increased by 5.1% from RMB113.2 million in the corresponding period in 2019 to RMB119.0 million (US$17.5 million) due to an increase in operating lease expenses.As a result of the preceding factors, we had an operating income of RMB73.3 million (US$10.8 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 51.6% from RMB151.4 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Non-GAAP operating income², which excludes share-based compensation expenses, was RMB72.7 million (US$10.7 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 34.8% from RMB111.6 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Operating margin was 9.0% for the third quarter of 2020, compared to 18.4% for the corresponding period in 2019.Non-GAAP operating margin⁶ was 9.0% for the third quarter of 2020, compared to 13.6% for the corresponding period in 2019.Investment income was RMB12.9 million (US$1.9 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 23.2% from RMB16.8 million for the corresponding period in 2019. The investment income in the third quarter of 2020 consisted of yields from short-term investments in financial products. Our investment income fluctuates from quarter to quarter because investment income is recognized when investments matured or disposed.Interest income was RMB3.2 million (US$0.5 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing an increase of 433.3% from RMB0.6 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Income tax expense was RMB21.3 million (US$3.1 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 29.5% from RMB30.2 million for the corresponding period in 2019. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2020 was 22.9% compared with 18.0% for the corresponding period in 2019.Share of income of affiliates was RMB9.3 million (US$1.4 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 71.5% from RMB32.6 million for the corresponding period in 2019, mainly attributable to the decrease in income from CNFinance Holdings Limited.Net income was RMB80.8 million (US$11.9 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 52.5% from RMB170.2 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders was RMB75.3 million (US$11.1 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 55.3% from RMB168.3 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders³ was RMB74.7 million (US$11.0 million) for the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 41.8% from RMB128.5 million for the corresponding period in 2019.Net margin was 9.3% for the third quarter of 2020 as compared to 20.4% for the corresponding period in 2019.Non-GAAP net margin⁷ was 9.2% for the third quarter of 2020, compared to 15.6% for the corresponding period in 2019.Basic and diluted net income per ADS were RMB1.40 (US$0.21) and RMB1.40 (US$0.21) for the third quarter of 2020, respectively, representing decreases of 55.1% and 55.1% from RMB3.12 and RMB3.12 for the corresponding period in 2019.Non-GAAP basic⁸and diluted net income per ADS4 were RMB1.39 (US$0.20) and RMB1.39 (US$0.20) for the third quarter of 2020, respectively, representing decreases of 41.8% and 41.6% from RMB2.39 and RMB2.38 for the corresponding period in 2019.As of September 30, 2020, the Company had RMB1,700.5 million (US$250.5 million) in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments.Key Operational Metrics for Fanhua’s Online Initiatives in the Third Quarter of 2020:Lan Zhanggui – Our one-stop insurance service platform:The number of active users of Lan Zhanggui⁹ was 45,635 in the third quarter of 2020, as compared to 50,248 in the corresponding period of 2019. The number of active users of Lan Zhanggui who have sold at least one life insurance policy was 27,908 in the third quarter of 2020, as compared to 42,051 in the corresponding period of 2019;Insurance premiums generated through Lan Zhanggui were RMB693.2 million (US$102.1 million) in the third quarter of 2020, among which life insurance premiums was RMB552.3 million (US$81.3 million) and non-life insurance premiums were RMB140.9 million (US$20.8 million), respectively, as compared to RMB684.4 million total insurance premiums generated through Lan Zhanggui which included RMB665.8 million life insurance premiums and RMB18.6 million non-life insurance premiums in the corresponding period of 2019.eHuzhu – Our online mutual aid platform:The number of paying members was 3.0 million as of September 30, 2020, as compared to 3.4 million as of September 30, 2019.Baowang (www.baoxian.com) – Our direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) online insurance platform for Accident & Short Term Health insurance(“A&H”), travel and homeowner insurance:The number of active customer accounts¹⁰ was 93,374 in the third quarter of 2020, representing a decrease of 41.0% from 158,275 in the corresponding period of 2019;Insurance premiums generated on Baoxian.com was RMB81.7 million (US$12.0 million) in the third quarter of 2020 as compared to RMB86.6 million in the corresponding period of 2019.Recent DevelopmentsGiven the impact of Covid-19 and the recent evolving dynamics of the insurance industry, the Company estimated that it is not probable that the participants can achieve the performance condition of the 521 Plan for 2020. Accordingly, the Company plans to terminate the 521 Plan. This will include returning the subscribed shares by the Participants to the Company, refunding the share rights deposits amounting RMB260.3 million received by the Company back to the Participants, and terminating the Participants’ obligation to repay the Company the non-recourse loan principal and interest by the end of 2020. The returned shares will be cancelled subsequently.On October 16, 2020, Fanhua Insurance Sales Service Group Company Limited was awarded the “Value Star of Insurance Intermediary Brand of the Year 2020” by Insurance Today, a prestigious online insurance trade media. The award was selected by a panel of experts and online and offline media, aiming at researching the industry from various dimensions of insurance companies, insurance intermediaries, insurance products and services and third-party technology support.As of September 30, 2020, Fanhua had 424,510 sales agents and 1,615 professional claims adjusters, compared with 658,145 sales agents and 1,319 claims adjusters as of September 30, 2019. The number of performing agents¹¹ in the third quarter of 2020 was 95,101, including approximately 28,135 selling life insurance products, , compared with 111,486 performing agents as of September 30, 2019, including 43,470 selling life insurance products. As of September 30, 2020, Fanhua’s distribution network consisted of 764 sales outlets in 22 provinces and 121 services outlets in 31 provinces, compared with 755 sales outlets in 22 provinces and 144 service outlets in 31 provinces as of September 30, 2019.
Business OutlookFanhua expects its operating income to be no less than RMB50 million for the fourth quarter of 2020. This forecast is based on the current market conditions and reflects Fanhua’s preliminary estimate, which is subject to change caused by various uncertainties, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic.Conference CallThe Company will host a conference call to discuss its third quarter 2020 financial results as per the following details.Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, operator-assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. Please pre-register online in advance to join the conference call by navigating to the link provided below and dial-in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. Conference call details will be provided upon registration.
Conference Call Preregistration: http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/3674096Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at Fanhua’s investor relations website https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/2enqmuagAbout Fanhua Inc.Fanhua Inc. is a leading independent financial services provider. Through our online platforms and offline sales and service network, we offer a wide variety of financial products and services to individuals, including life and property and casualty insurance products. We also provide insurance claims adjusting services, such as damage assessments, surveys, authentications and loss estimations, as well as value-added services, such as emergency vehicle roadside assistance.Our online platforms include: (1) Lan Zhanggui, an all-in-one platform which allows our agents to access and purchase a wide variety of insurance products, including life insurance, auto insurance, accident insurance, travel insurance and standard health insurance products from multiple insurance companies on their mobile devices; (2) Baowang (www.baoxian.com), an online entry portal for comparing and purchasing short term health, accident, travel and homeowner insurance products and (3) eHuzhu (www.ehuzhu.com), a non-profit online mutual aid platform in China.As of September 30, 2020, our distribution and service network is consisted of 764 sales outlets in 22 provinces and 121 services outlets in 31 provinces.For more information about Fanhua Inc., please visit http://ir.fanhuaholdings.com/.Forward-looking StatementsThis press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements, including the statements relating to the Company’s future financial and operating results, are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, management’s quotations and the Business Outlook section contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about Fanhua and the industry. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those relating to its ability to attract and retain productive agents, especially entrepreneurial agents, its ability to maintain existing and develop new business relationships with insurance companies, its ability to execute its growth strategy, its ability to adapt to the evolving regulatory environment in the Chinese insurance industry, its ability to compete effectively against its competitors, quarterly variations in its operating results caused by factors beyond its control and macroeconomic conditions in China, future development of COVID-19 outbreak and their potential impact on the sales of insurance products. All information provided in this press release is as of the date hereof, and Fanhua undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although Fanhua believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties faced by Fanhua is included in Fanhua’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F.About Non- GAAP Financial MeasuresIn addition to the Company’s consolidated financial results under GAAP, the Company also provides adjusted selling expenses, adjusted general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders, non-GAAP net margin and non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per ADS, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures. Adjusted selling expenses are defined as selling expense before share-based compensation expenses related to shares owned by sales team leaders under the Company’s 521 Plan. Adjusted general and administrative expenses are defined as general and administrative expense before share-based compensation expenses related to shares owned by employees under the Company’s 521 Plan. Non-GAAP operating income is defined as operating income before share-based compensation expenses associated with the Company’s 521 Plan. Non-GAAP operating margin is defined as Non-GAAP operating income as a percentage of net revenue. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders is defined as net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders before share-based compensation expenses associated with the Company’s 521 Plan. Non-GAAP net margin is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders as a percentage of net revenue. Non-GAAP basic net income per ADS is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders before share-based compensation expenses associated with the Company’s 521 Plan divided by total weighted average number of ADS outstanding of the Company during the period. Non-GAAP diluted net income per ADS is a non-GAAP measure and is defined as net income attributable to the Company’s shareholders before share-based compensation expenses associated with the Company’s 521 Plan divided by total weighted average number of diluted ADS outstanding of the Company during the period. The Company believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing the Company’s performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. One limitation of using these non-GAAP financial measures is that such measures exclude items that were significant in the third quarter of 2019.In light of these limitations, the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. We encourage investors and other interested persons to review our financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned “Reconciliations of GAAP Financial Measures to Non-GAAP Financial Measures” set forth at the end of this release.