WEIFANG, Shandong Province, China, Feb. 14 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Shengtai Pharmaceutical, Inc. (“Shengtai Pharmaceutical” or “the Company”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality, pharmaceutical grade glucose products in China, today reported financial results for the three months ended December 31, 2007.
Second Quarter of Fiscal 2008 Results
For the second quarter of fiscal 2008, net revenues increased 102.7% to $25.0 million from $12.3 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2007. This increase was largely due to more cornstarch production, higher product prices, diversification of product lines and the expansion of higher-value products. The Company raised the sales of cornstarch, which constituted a higher proportion of total sales revenue compared to the same reporting period last year. Although cornstarch had a lower gross profit margin, the Company nevertheless increased its production to generate necessary working capital and funds for construction of its new glucose complex.
In addition to its pharmaceutical glucose series of products and cornstarch, the Company also produced significant amounts of other non- medicinal glucose or cornstarch related products. The sales revenues generated from these products were approximately 5.9 times of those the same period last year, and constituted approximately 26.6% of its total sales revenues for the six months ended December 31, 2007.
“We continued to see strong growth in second quarter of fiscal 2008,” said Chairman and CEO, Mr. Qingtai Liu. “Our revenues and net income kept growing dramatically during this quarter due to higher glucose product prices, increased cornstarch production and sales, improved sales of higher value products and the benefits from our vertically integrated production line. We believe that through manufacturing innovative products to meet market demand, we would be able to command better profit margins, diversify our product lines and minimize our operating risks.”
Gross profit for the three months ended December 31, 2007 was $5.9 million, an increase of 91% from $3.1 million for the same period of the prior year. Gross margin for the second quarter of fiscal 2008 was 23.5%. The increased gross profit was mostly due to economies of scale resulting from the expansion of production output and enhanced operating efficiencies. Although product cost increased as a result of commodity price increases and other raw material price increases, the selling price was higher than the price increase of raw materials, thus making its gross profit higher.
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three months ended December 31, 2007 were $1.8 million, an increase of $0.9 million, or 89.4% compared with the corresponding period in 2006. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses was the result of the increase of our production output, expansion of the Company’s domestic sales network and increased shipping costs due to higher sales of cornstarch.
Shengtai Pharmaceutical’s operating income in the three months ended December 31, 2007 increased 121.2% to $4.1 million from $1.8 million in the prior year, while the operating margin increased to 16.2% from 14.9%.
Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2007 was $3.1 million, an increase of $1.5 million, or 97% compared with the corresponding period in 2006. The increase in net income was due to an increase in our product prices, sales volume and the introduction of new products. Weighted average diluted earnings per share were $0.15 for the three months ended December 31, 2007, compared to $0.16 for the three months ended December 31, 2006. The higher share count in the second fiscal quarter of 2008 was due to a private placement of stock in May 2007.
Financial Condition
As of December 31, 2007, Shengtai Pharmaceutical had cash and restricted cash of $2.9 million and working deficit of $14.7 million. During the three months ended December 31, 2007, the Company generated $9.6 million in cash flow from operations. As of December 31, 2007, the Company had $36.2 million in total debt, and $38.9 million of shareholders’ equity.
Business Outlook
Shengtai Pharmaceutical’s new cornstarch production facility, with a maximum production capacity of 240,000 metric tons per year, was completed at the end of October 2007. With these cornstarch production facilities, which are close to the Company’s existing glucose production plant and new glucose production complex, the Company is able to ensure the adequacy and quality of the cornstarch as the main component of pharmaceutical glucose and lower shipping costs to improve its profit margins.
After acquiring the rights to use 85,880 square meters of new land in Changle Economic and Technology Development Zone in April 2007, Shengtai Pharmaceutical set out to build a new glucose production complex with an expected production capacity of 120,000 tons per year. The new facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and technology, and the Company will apply international quality control standards over the production. The new construction commenced in early July 2007 and is expected to be complete in the first half of calendar year 2008.
Shengtai Pharmaceutical continued to strengthen its domestic sales network through the establishment of four representative offices in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Nanchang. However, international sales may be impacted somewhat due to more strict government policies to discourage food and natural resources processing exports, and the appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar.
“By identifying and pursuing innovative products and technology, we intend to improve our cost structure, increase our market share, command better profit margins and reduce our operating risks,” commented Mr. Zhang, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, “After we upgrade our existing facilities and complete the new glucose production complex in the first half of 2008, we will shift excess cornstarch to be utilized internally for pharmaceutical glucose production and other higher value-added products, which should further increase our profitability.”
“We project that for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008 we will achieve an after-tax net income of at least $9,000,000 or fully diluted earnings per share of at least $0.43,” said Mr. Zhang.
Teleconference Information
A conference call will take place at 9:00 a.m. Eastern (U.S.) time on Friday, February 15, 2008. Anyone interested in participating should call 866- 800-8648 if calling from within the United States, or 617-614-2702 if calling internationally; the passcode is 835 628 35.
If you are unable to participate in the call at this time, a replay will be available for 14 days starting on Friday, February 15 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To listen to the playback, please call 888-286-8010 if calling within the United States, or 617-801-6888 if calling internationally. Please use passcode 497 603 34 for the replay.
About Shengtai Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Shengtai Pharmaceutical, Inc. through its wholly-owned subsidiary Shengtai Holding, Inc. (SHI), a New Jersey corporation, and the Chinese operating company of Weifang Shengtai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., is a leading manufacturer and supplier of glucose products, which include pharmaceutical grade glucose used for medical purposes, and glucose and cornstarch products for the food and beverage industry and for industrial production in China. For more information about Shengtai Pharmaceutical, Inc. please visit http://www.shengtaipharmaceutical.com .
Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release and oral statements made by the Company, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements include, without limitation, statements regarding our ability to prepare the company for growth, the Company’s planned capacity expansion in 2008 and predictions and guidance relating to the Company’s future financial performance. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs but they involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, such factors as unanticipated changes in product demand especially in the pharmaceutical industry, pricing and demand trends for the Company’s products, changes to government regulations, risk associated with operation of the Company’s new facilities, risk associated with large scale implementation of the Company’s business plan, the ability to attract new customers, ability to increase its product’s applications, cost of raw materials, downturns in the Chinese economy, and other information detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings and future filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company’s expectations.
shengtaicfo@hotmail.comcrocker.coulson@ccgir.com
CONTACT: Company Contact - Mr. Yizhao Zhang, CFO of Shengtai
Pharmaceutical, Inc., +86-536-629-5728, or shengtaicfo@hotmail.com; or
Investor Relations Contact - Mr. Crocker Coulson, President of CCG Elite
Investor Relations, +1-646-213-1915 (NY Office), or
crocker.coulson@ccgir.com, for Shengtai Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Web site: http://www.shengtaipharmaceutical.com/
