|
|
BETHESDA, Maryland, February
24, 2004--Chindex International, Inc. (Nasdaq-CHDX) today supplemented
its recent disclosure regarding results of operations for the three-
and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2003 and provided indications
of its expectations for revenue performance in the current quarter
and next fiscal year.
The Company advised that
it expects that revenues for the fourth quarter ending March 31, 2004
will be approximately the same level as the corresponding quarter
last year. Revenues for the current fiscal year have been negatively
impacted by the SARS epidemic and by delays in governmental negotiations
of a framework agreement for future loan programs that will be available
to Chindex’s customers, which delays adversely affected the Company’s
Medical Capital Equipment division.
The Company further advised
that it expects revenues for its 2005 fiscal year ending March 31,
2005 will increase substantially over revenues for the current fiscal
year and will return to profitability. The Company’s expectations
are based on a number of factors, including its belief that the impact
of SARS will have been fully absorbed in the current fiscal year,
loan programs will resume and the Company’s Shanghai United Family
Hospital will open and commence revenue generation. The Company noted
that the expected increase in revenues for fiscal 2005 would be experienced
in each of its three reporting segments and is expected to be within
a range of 25-35% on a consolidated basis. This revenue increase would
result in the Company exceeding $100 million for the first time in
its history.
The Healthcare Products
Distribution division is projected to have a revenue increase in fiscal
2005 of 20-30% with increased gross profit margins as new higher-margin
products are introduced in the retail pharmacy and hospital products
units in that division. These new products will improve the combined
gross profit margin in those units as they become an increasing percentage
of the product mix and as the Company reduces its focus on revenues
from the logistics business unit, which has experienced lower gross
profit margins.
The Medical Capital Equipment
division is projected to have a revenue increase in fiscal 2005 of
20-30% and gross profit margins consistent with historical levels.
The Company believes that this increase will result principally from
the expansion of the Company’s dealer networks, which increasingly
supplement the Company’s traditional direct sales force, and from
the resumption of government-backed financings for its hospital customers.
The Healthcare Services division is
projected to have a revenue increase in fiscal 2005 of 50-60%. The
Company expects that the division will report increased profitability
of its first hospital in Beijing, as it rebounds from the impact of
SARS and realizes the benefit of the commencement of operations of
its new hospital in Shanghai, which is expected to open mid-2004.
This release includes forward-looking statements, which
are based on the Company’s current expectations. Actual results could
vary materially due to changes in those expectations. These forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors (many of which are unable to be predicted or controlled) that
may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements,
or the healthcare products, capital medical equipment or healthcare
service industries’ results, to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements contained in this announcement concerning revenues and
growth profit margins and actions that may be taken to improve financial
performance involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change
based on various factors, including: the need to effectively manage
growth; dependence on key personnel; significantly variable timing
of revenues and fluctuations in financial performance not necessarily
indicating longer-term performance; the need for future financings
for customer purchases and the uncertainty of securing such financings;
dependence on and concentration with suppliers with terminable arrangements;
increasing competition, including competition resulting from China’s
membership in the WTO; the impact of SARS; dependence on qualified
sales representatives and service specialists; the need to maintain
inventory; the need for sophisticated data processing systems; the
need for good relations with Chinese foreign trade corporations; delays
in the completion and opening of the Shanghai United Family Hospital;
the need to attract and retain qualified physicians; the need to comply
with heavy governmental regulation, including each division and its
market; the high cost of malpractice insurance of physicians; the
subjection to economic policies of the Chinese government and the
Chinese economy; the relatively undeveloped Chinese legal system;
the impact of inflation and/or foreign currency fluctuations; the
risk of product liability claims and/or product recalls; the dependence
on information systems; the dependence on sub-distributors and sub-dealers;
the regulation by the Chinese government of the conversion of Renminbi
into foreign currency; the uncertainty in the Company’s markets for
its products, including its healthcare products to consumers, its
medical capital equipment to hospitals and its healthcare services
in Beijing and Shanghai; and the need for additional capital, as to
which there can be no assurances as to availability. Given these uncertainties,
investors and prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on such
forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation,
and makes no promise, to update any such factors or forward-looking
statements or to publicly announce results of any revisions to any
such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes in
underlying factors, to reflect new information or as a result of the
occurrence of events, developments or otherwise.
|