SHANGHAI, May 22, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lufax Holding Ltd ("Lufax" or the "Company") (NYSE: LU and HKEX: 6623), a leading financial services enabler for small business owners in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2023.
First Quarter 2023 Financial Highlights
(In millions except percentages, unaudited) | Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
2022 | 2023 | YoY | ||||||
RMB | RMB | USD | ||||||
Total income | 17,316 | 10,078 | 1,467 | (41.8 %) | ||||
Total expenses | (10,163) | (8,964) | (1,305) | (11.8 %) | ||||
Total expenses excluding credit | (7,247) | (5,685) | (828) | (21.5 %) | ||||
Credit impairment losses, finance costs | (2,916) | (3,278) | (477) | 12.4 % | ||||
Net profit | 5,290 | 732 | 107 | (86.2 %) | ||||
First Quarter 2023 Operational Highlights
Mr. YongSuk Cho, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lufax, commented, "Challenging economic and operating environments continued to impact our industry and our core SBO customers during the first quarter. Nevertheless, we observed some macro-level green shoots of recovery that leave us cautiously optimistic. Our own U-shaped recovery is also taking shape, with credit rating mix and credit quality for new loans improving, and our projections showing that credit charge-offs for risk-bearing loans will gradually decline in the second half of the year. Furthermore, our new loan growth became more concentrated in economically resilient geographies, creating a strong foundation for our future. To bolster this foundation, we enhanced our business model and increased our efficiencies by deploying new technology and optimizing our direct sales force. Meanwhile, we made promising progress in preparing our funding partners to utilize the model under which we provide the entire guarantee. Looking ahead, we will prioritize increasing the proportion of risk-bearing on new loans we enable. At the same time, we will better meet customer needs by further diversifying and cross-selling our products while continuing to augment our initiatives to recover past credit losses. Boosted by these efforts, a promising macro outlook, our Hong Kong listing, and the stable regulatory environment, we remain confident in our business model and that our U-shaped recovery is on track."
Mr. Gregory Gibb, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Lufax, commented, "Continuing macro headwinds impacted our performance during the first quarter. Responding to these challenges, we remained focused on executing our strategy of prioritizing higher-quality SBOs concentrated in more economically resilient geographies. As a result, the proportion of new unsecured loans enabled to R1 to R3 customers increased to 82%, average ticket size has grown, and the contribution from top- and middle-third regions reached 80%. While our retail credit model experienced a challenging quarter, our consumer finance business saw healthy growth, as the total outstanding balance of consumer finance loans grew to RMB29.6 billion. Furthermore, we continued implementing our shifting credit enhancement arrangements, helping to alleviate compressed take rates and increasing our risk-bearing by balance to 24.5% as of the end of first quarter. In addition, our SBO ecosystem has maintained its development momentum, with our value-added services platform, LuDianTong, reaching approximately 1.9 million registered customers. Looking ahead, we are cautiously optimistic for our U-shaped recovery, while being fully cognizant of the unevenness of the economic recovery."
Mr. David Choy, Chief Financial Officer of Lufax, commented, "Facing a challenging macro backdrop, we continued to enhance our business model and prudently optimize our expenses. Driven by these initiatives, we reduced our operating-related expenses by 22.8% on a year-over-year basis, and recorded a net profit of RMB732 million during the first quarter. On April 14, 2023, we successfully completed our listing in Hong Kong, widening our investor base and delivering more value for our shareholders. Our balance sheet remains solid, with our cash at bank balance increasing year over year to RMB51.3 billion. Furthermore, the leverage ratio for our guarantee subsidiary was 1.7x as of the end of the first quarter, well below the regulatory limit of 10x. In addition, liquid assets[5] maturing in 90 days or less amounted to RMB40.2 billion as of the end of March 2023.While uncertainties remain in the macro environment, we remain confident in the resilience of our business model and our ability to deliver sustainable value and long-term growth for our shareholders."
First Quarter 2023 Financial Results
TOTAL INCOME
Total income was RMB10,078 million (US$1,467 million) in the first quarter of 2023, compared to RMB17,316 million in the same period of 2022, representing a decrease of 41.8%.
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
(In millions except percentages, unaudited) | 2022 | 2023 | YoY | ||||
RMB | % of income | RMB | % of income | ||||
Technology platform-based income | 9,292 | 53.7 % | 5,010 | 49.7 % | (46.1 %) | ||
Net interest income | 4,984 | 28.8 % | 3,349 | 33.2 % | (32.8 %) | ||
Guarantee income | 1,902 | 11.0 % | 1,417 | 14.1 % | (25.5 %) | ||
Other income | 704 | 4.1 % | 227 | 2.3 % | (67.7 %) | ||
Investment income | 435 | 2.5 % | 75 | 0.7 % | (82.8 %) | ||
Share of net profits of investments accounted for | (0) | (0) | (0) | (0) | 15.6 % | ||
Total income | 17,316 | 100.0 % | 10,078 | 100.0 % | (41.8 %) | ||
TOTAL EXPENSES
Total expenses decreased by 11.8% to RMB8,964 million (US$1,305 million) in the first quarter of 2023 from RMB10,163 million in the same period of 2022. This decrease was mainly driven by sales and marketing expenses, as sales and marketing expenses decreased by 32.4% to RMB3,030 million (US$441 million) in the first quarter of 2023 from RMB4,484 million in the same period of 2022. Total expenses excluding credit impairment losses, finance costs and other (gains)/losses decreased by 21.5% to RMB5,685 million (US$828 million) in the first quarter of 2023 from RMB7,247 million in the same period of 2022.
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
(In millions except percentages, unaudited) | 2022 | 2023 | YoY | ||||
RMB | % of income | RMB | % of income | ||||
Sales and marketing expenses | 4,484 | 25.9 % | 3,030 | 30.1 % | (32.4 %) | ||
General and administrative expenses | 726 | 4.2 % | 756 | 7.5 % | 4.2 % | ||
Operation and servicing expenses | 1,590 | 9.2 % | 1,558 | 15.5 % | (2.0 %) | ||
Technology and analytics expenses | 448 | 2.6 % | 341 | 3.4 % | (23.8 %) | ||
Credit impairment losses | 2,824 | 16.3 % | 3,132 | 31.1 % | 10.9 % | ||
Finance costs | 211 | 1.2 % | 189 | 1.9 % | (10.5 %) | ||
Other (gains)/losses - net | (118) | (0.7 %) | (42) | (0.4 %) | (64.1 %) | ||
Total expenses | 10,163 | 58.7 % | 8,964 | 88.9 % | (11.8 %) | ||
[1] The take rate of retail credit enablement business is calculated by dividing the aggregated amount of loan enablement service fees, post-origination service fees, net interest income, guarantee income and the penalty fees and account management fees by the average outstanding balance of loans enabled for each period. |
[2] Flow rate estimates the percentage of current loans that will become non-performing at the end of three months, and is defined as the product of (i) the loan balance that is overdue from 1 to 29 days as a percentage of the total current loan balance of the previous month, (ii) the loan balance that is overdue from 30 to 59 days as a percentage of the loan balance that was overdue from 1 to 29 days in the previous month, and (iii) the loan balance that is overdue from 60 to 89 days as a percentage of the loan balance that was overdue from 30 days to 59 days in the previous month. Loans from legacy products and consumer finance subsidiary are excluded from the flow rate calculation. |
[3] DPD 30+ delinquency rate refers to the outstanding balance of loans for which any payment is 30 to 179 calendar days past due divided by the outstanding balance of loans. Loans from consumer finance subsidiary are excluded from the calculation. |
[4] DPD 90+ delinquency rate refers to the outstanding balance of loans for which any payment is 90 to 179 calendar days past due divided by the outstanding balance of loans. Loans from consumer finance subsidiary are excluded from the calculation. |
[5] The liquid assets consist of Cash at bank, Financial assets at amortized cost and Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss with a maturity of 90 days or less as of March 31, 2023. |
NET PROFIT
Net profit was RMB732 million (US$107 million) in the first quarter of 2023, compared to RMB5,290 million in the same period of 2022, as a result of the aforementioned factors.
EARNINGS PER ADS
Basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share ("ADS") were both RMB0.30 (US$0.04) in the first quarter of 2023. Each two ADSs represents one ordinary share ("Share").
BALANCE SHEET
The Company had RMB51,303 million (US$7,470 million) in cash at bank as of March 31, 2023, as compared to RMB43,882 million as of December 31, 2022. Net assets of the Company amounted to RMB94,968 million (US$13,828 million) as of March 31, 2023, as compared to RMB94,787 million as of December 31, 2022.
Recent Developments
Successful Listing on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong
On April 14, 2023, the Company announced that it had successfully listed, by way of introduction, its Shares on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "HKEX"). The Shares are traded on the Main Board of the HKEX under the stock code "6623" in board lots of 100 Shares, and the stock short name is "LUFAX". The Company's ADSs will continue to be listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE"). The Shares listed on the Main Board of the HKEX are fully fungible with the Shares underlying the ADSs listed on the NYSE.
Conference Call Information
The Company's management will hold an earnings conference call at 9:00 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time on Monday, May 22, 2023 (9:00 A.M. Beijing Time on Tuesday, May 23, 2023) to discuss the financial results. For participants who wish to join the call, please complete online registration using the link provided below in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a participant dial-in number, the Direct Event passcode, and a unique access PIN, which can be used to join the conference call.
Registration Link: https://www.netroadshow.com/events/login?show=518734ce&confId=51041
A replay of the conference call will be accessible through May 29, 2023 (dial-in numbers: +1 (866) 813-9403 or +1 (929) 458-6194; replay access code: 728031). A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at https://ir.lufaxholding.com.
About Lufax
Lufax is a leading financial services enabler for small business owners in China. The Company offers financing products designed principally to address the needs of small business owners. In doing so, the Company has established relationships with over 550 financial institutions in China, many of which have worked with the Company for over three years. These financial institutions provide funding and credit enhancement for the loans the Company enables as well as other products to enrich the small business owner ecosystem that the Company is creating.
Exchange Rate Information
This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at a specified rate solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars are made at a rate of RMB6.8676 to US$1.00, the rate in effect as of March 31, 2023, as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Lufax's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Lufax has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends, which involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about Lufax's goals and strategies; Lufax's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; expected changes in Lufax's income, expenses or expenditures; expected growth of the retail credit enablement; Lufax's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its services; Lufax's expectations regarding its relationship with borrowers, platform investors, funding sources, product providers and other business partners; general economic and business conditions; and government policies and regulations relating to the industry Lufax operates in. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Lufax's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Lufax does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.
Investor Relations Contact
Lufax Holding Ltd
Email: Investor_Relations@lu.com
ICR, LLC
Robin Yang
Tel: +1 (646) 308-0546
Email: lufax.ir@icrinc.com
LUFAX HOLDING LTD | |||||
UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS | |||||
(All amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) | |||||
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||
Technology platform-based income | 9,292,015 | 5,010,373 | 729,567 | ||
Net interest income | 4,983,561 | 3,348,630 | 487,598 | ||
Guarantee income | 1,902,334 | 1,416,759 | 206,296 | ||
Other income | 703,575 | 227,462 | 33,121 | ||
Investment income | 434,988 | 74,964 | 10,916 | ||
Share of net profits of investments accounted for using the | (377) | (436) | (63) | ||
Total income | 17,316,096 | 10,077,752 | 1,467,435 | ||
Sales and marketing expenses | (4,483,896) | (3,030,053) | (441,210) | ||
General and administrative expenses | (725,541) | (756,071) | (110,092) | ||
Operation and servicing expenses | (1,589,827) | (1,557,889) | (226,846) | ||
Technology and analytics expenses | (447,883) | (341,485) | (49,724) | ||
Credit impairment losses | (2,823,516) | (3,131,800) | (456,025) | ||
Asset impairment losses | - | - | - | ||
Finance costs | (210,792) | (188,639) | (27,468) | ||
Other gains/(losses) - net | 118,027 | 42,412 | 6,176 | ||
Total expenses | (10,163,428) | (8,963,525) | (1,305,189) | ||
Profit before income tax expenses | 7,152,668 | 1,114,227 | 162,244 | ||
Income tax expenses | (1,862,787) | (381,857) | (55,603) | ||
Net profit for the period | 5,289,881 | 732,370 | 106,641 | ||
Net profit/(loss) attributable to: | |||||
Owners of the Group | 5,278,942 | 671,976 | 97,847 | ||
Non-controlling interests | 10,939 | 60,394 | 8,794 | ||
Net profit for the period | 5,289,881 | 732,370 | 106,641 | ||
Earnings per share | |||||
-Basic earnings per share | 4.62 | 0.59 | 0.09 | ||
-Diluted earnings per share | 4.28 | 0.59 | 0.09 | ||
-Basic earnings per ADS | 2.31 | 0.30 | 0.04 | ||
-Diluted earnings per ADS | 2.14 | 0.30 | 0.04 | ||
LUFAX HOLDING LTD | |||||
UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS | |||||
(All amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) | |||||
As of December 31, | As of March 31, | ||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||
Assets | |||||
Cash at bank | 43,882,127 | 51,302,600 | 7,470,237 | ||
Restricted cash | 26,508,631 | 33,190,408 | 4,832,898 | ||
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss | 29,089,447 | 23,448,114 | 3,414,310 | ||
Financial assets at amortized cost | 4,716,448 | 3,672,972 | 534,826 | ||
Accounts and other receivables and contract assets | 15,758,135 | 12,870,940 | 1,874,154 | ||
Loans to customers | 211,446,645 | 183,686,063 | 26,746,762 | ||
Deferred tax assets | 4,990,352 | 5,063,906 | 737,362 | ||
Property and equipment | 322,499 | 288,858 | 42,061 | ||
Investments accounted for using the equity method | 39,271 | 38,836 | 5,655 | ||
Intangible assets | 885,056 | 881,797 | 128,400 | ||
Right-of-use assets | 754,010 | 683,196 | 99,481 | ||
Goodwill | 8,911,445 | 8,911,445 | 1,297,607 | ||
Other assets | 1,958,741 | 1,557,575 | 226,800 | ||
Total assets | 349,262,807 | 325,596,710 | 47,410,553 | ||
Liabilities | |||||
Payable to platform users | 1,569,367 | 1,354,766 | 197,269 | ||
Borrowings | 36,915,513 | 37,556,566 | 5,468,660 | ||
Bond payable | 2,143,348 | 2,151,587 | 313,295 | ||
Current income tax liabilities | 1,987,443 | 1,441,103 | 209,841 | ||
Accounts and other payables and contract liabilities | 12,198,654 | 8,477,813 | 1,234,465 | ||
Payable to investors of consolidated structured entities | 177,147,726 | 157,456,208 | 22,927,399 | ||
Financing guarantee liabilities | 5,763,369 | 5,449,366 | 793,489 | ||
Deferred tax liabilities | 694,090 | 749,871 | 109,190 | ||
Lease liabilities | 748,807 | 688,102 | 100,195 | ||
Convertible promissory note payable | 5,164,139 | 5,176,567 | 753,767 | ||
Optionally convertible promissory notes | 8,142,908 | 8,165,547 | 1,188,996 | ||
Other liabilities | 2,000,768 | 1,960,884 | 285,527 | ||
Total liabilities | 254,476,132 | 230,628,380 | 33,582,093 | ||
Equity | |||||
Share capital | 75 | 75 | 11 | ||
Share premium | 32,073,874 | 31,284,284 | 4,555,345 | ||
Treasury shares | (5,642,769) | (5,642,769) | (821,651) | ||
Other reserves | 2,158,432 | 2,396,849 | 349,008 | ||
Retained earnings | 64,600,234 | 65,272,210 | 9,504,370 | ||
Total equity attributable to owners of the Company | 93,189,846 | 93,310,649 | 13,587,083 | ||
Non-controlling interests | 1,596,829 | 1,657,681 | 241,377 | ||
Total equity | 94,786,675 | 94,968,330 | 13,828,460 | ||
Total liabilities and equity | 349,262,807 | 325,596,710 | 47,410,553 | ||
LUFAX HOLDING LTD | |||||
UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS | |||||
(All amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) | |||||
Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||
2022 | 2023 | ||||
RMB | RMB | USD | |||
Net cash generated from/(used in) operating activities | (1,702,222) | 3,286,049 | 478,486 | ||
Net cash generated from/(used in) investing activities | 6,895,061 | 2,174,740 | 316,667 | ||
Net cash generated from/(used in) financing activities | (725,147) | (2,777,226) | (404,395) | ||
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | (22,177) | 33,680 | 4,904 | ||
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 4,445,515 | 2,717,243 | 395,661 | ||
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period | 26,496,310 | 29,537,511 | 4,300,995 | ||
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period | 30,941,825 | 32,254,754 | 4,696,656 | ||
SOURCE Lufax Holding Ltd