Lotus Pharmaceuticals (LTUS) Announces Fiscal 2010 Financial Results

FY 2010 results

Fiscal Year 2010 Financial Highlights

Revenues for the 2010 fiscal year increased by 28.7% year-over-year to $72.7 million, up from $56.5 million in 2009.

-- Wholesale revenue was $51.4 million, or 70.7% of total revenues.-- Retail revenues were $21.3 million, or 29.3% of total revenues.

Gross profit for the year was $39.8 million, an increase of 26.6% compared to $31.4 million in 2009. Gross margin was 54.7% and 55.6% in 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Adjusted* net income increased 16.7% to $21.2 million, compared to $18.2 million in 2009

GAAP net income decreased 12.2% year-over-year to $14.4 million, compared to $16.4 million in the previous year

Earnings per diluted share were $0.54 for the year, compared with diluted EPS of $0.66 achieved in the previous year

*2010 net income adjusted for one-time impairment loss of $6.8 million ($0.25 on a diluted EPS basis) on construction in progress in Inner Mongolia. 2009 net income adjusted for one-time property and equipment impairment loss of $1.7 million ($0.07 on a diluted EPS basis) to recognize the removal of a portion of a Beijing En Ze Jia Shi building in order to construct the new Beijing facility.

Mr. Zhongyi Liu, Chairman and CEO of Lotus, stated, "We continued to expand our business in 2010 and saw especially strong growth of 83% in our retail sales segment. We entered the market for direct sales to over-the-counter drugstores in Beijing in 2010 and have already experienced tremendous success, serving more than 1,000 OTC drugstores in addition to our own 10 stores. We expect this channel to continue being a major sales growth driver in the coming year. Construction of our Beijing facility continues to progress, and we anticipate significant efficiency improvements and additional capacity for growth once we move into the new building."

Mr. Liu continued, "We plan to focus our capital expenditures in the foreseeable future on the completion of our Beijing facility and our core business in Beijing; as a result, we recognized a one-time, non-cash impairment loss for construction expenditures on our property in Inner Mongolia in 2010. Lotus has a well-established nationwide sales and distribution network, strong product development capabilities, and access to capital. Due to the trends of consolidation and increasing regulatory oversight in China's pharmaceuticals industry, we believe these characteristics position Lotus to emerge as an industry leader."

Business Outlook for 2011

Management anticipates that 2011 will be a transitional year for Lotus Pharmaceuticals, as the Company will be completing and moving into its new headquarters and shifting its focus to the wholesale business in Beijing and the surrounding areas. After the completion of the headquarters, the Company expects strong growth driven by the wholesale business in Beijing and surrounding areas starting in 2012.

The Company expects total revenue and profitability to be flat or slightly down in fiscal 2011 compared to 2010. Specifically, management anticipates continued growth in Lotus' retail business in 2011, driven primarily by strong growth in the OTC sales division. However, revenue from the wholesale business is expected to decrease in 2011, as the Company will lose revenue from one of its self-branded products, Muxin (an eye drop), due to the termination of its outsourcing agreement and inability to stock the product. In addition, the Company will undertake a strategic shift as management prepares to enter the wholesale market in Beijing.