Fosun International: Focused Development, Steady Advancement, Total Revenue for the First Half of 2023 Up 10.9% YoY to RMB97.06 Billion

2023 Interim Results Highlights:

• Steady growth of business, total revenue was RMB97.06 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.9%
• Significant improvement in core businesses, industrial operation profit was RMB3.37 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 66%
• Driving development with technology Innovation, R&D investment reached RMB4.2 billion
• Robust momentum in overseas business, overseas revenue was RMB44.09 billion, accounting for 45.4% of total revenue
• Stable and sound financial position, cash received from divestment of non-strategic and non-core assets of more than RMB20.0 billion

HONG KONG, Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Fosun International Limited (HKEX stock code: 00656, “Fosun International”), together with its subsidiaries (“Fosun” or the “Group”), today announced the interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2023 (the “Reporting Period”).

In the first half of 2023, the international political and economic environment remained evolving and complex, while China’s economy has recovered modestly. In the face of the complex macro environment, Fosun has stepped up its efforts to focus on household consumption as the top-priority sector, concentrating on the development of core businesses where it boasts clear competitive advantages, the overall business of the Group maintained steady growth. During the Reporting Period, the Group achieved a total revenue of RMB97.06 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.9%; the key indicator reflecting the Company’s operational capabilities – industrial operation profit reached RMB3.37 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.5%, if excluding the profit of disposed (including transactions yet to be completed) enterprises, representing a significant year-on-year increase of 66%. However, due to the decrease in investment gains from the disposal of financial investments, the Group’s profit attributable to owners of the parent during the Reporting Period was RMB1.36 billion.

Meanwhile, Fosun continued to optimize its capital and asset structure, put greater efforts in the disposal of non-strategic and non-core assets, and actively explored financing channels, maintaining sufficient liquidity. As of the end of the Reporting Period, cash and bank balances and term deposits were abundant, reaching RMB114.68 billion. Under the consolidated statements of the Group, total debts amounted to RMB220.92billion, compared to the corresponding period in 2022 the amount was RMB261.12 billion. Total debts to total capital ratio was 51.8%, the average cost of debt was 5.32%; the adjusted NAV was HK$20.1 per share.

Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun International, said, “In the first half of 2023, Fosun, which has won out over the ‘perfect storm’, has set sail for a new journey by firmly implementing the core business-focused strategy to continuously deepen the development of its industries. Centering around the needs of global families in Health, Happiness, Wealth, and with the implementation of the business streamlining and core business-focused strategy, our businesses have been developing steadily. We believe that as the economy continues to recover, Fosun, which is committed to innovation-driven development and global operations, will embark on a new phase of high-quality development. We will provide more good products and services to create happier lives for families worldwide.”

Firmly “focusing on core businesses”, revenue of the four core subsidiaries increased by 12.4%

In the first half of 2023, Fosun firmly implemented the strategy of ‘focusing on core businesses’, and further enhanced the development of core industries, driving the Group’s total revenue increased by 10.9% year-on-year. Centering around the needs of global families in Health, Happiness, Wealth, the four core subsidiaries of Yuyuan, Fosun Pharma, Fosun Insurance Portugal, and Fosun Tourism Group (FTG) continued to improve their products and services, yielded a total revenue of RMB70.76 billion, up 12.4% compared to the same period of last year. In particular, Yuyuan’s revenue grew 21.86% year-on-year to RMB27.44 billion; FTG saw a 38.7% surge year-on-year in its revenue to RMB8.90 billion and turned profits.

With the recovery of domestic consumption and the relaxation of travel restrictions worldwide, Fosun’s core industries have seized the opportunity of economic recovery and actively promoted the recovery of offline consumption scenes. Industries such as consumer, catering, and tourism have seen a strong rebound. In the first half of 2023, the 52-day Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival in Shanghai attracted more than 4 million visitors; the Cat Street on Fangbang Middle Road became a popular photo spot and drove a 30% lift in foot traffic to the Grand Yuyuan in 26 days; Club Med’s global business volume exceeded that of the same period in 2019 by 20%; Atlantis Sanya received a total of 3.18 million visitors. As of 20 August, the Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou railway has served nearly 13 million passenger trips.

In addition, subsidiaries in various segments have been accelerating their deployment in frontier fields to foster growth with high-quality resources. In the first half of the year, the new drug applications for several innovative products (indications) of Fosun Pharma entered the stage of pre-market approval acceptance; the construction of the Grand Yuyuan is on accelerating pace; Club Med launched a new urban resort product line, Club Med Urban Oasis, and Nanjing Resort and Taicang Alps Resort are expected to open soon; Hainan Mining’s 20,000-ton lithium hydroxide project is expected to be completed and put into operation in the first half of 2024.

Cash inflow exceeded RMB20.0 billion, international credit rating affirmed by the market

Capital and asset optimization are critical to seizing a new round of development opportunities. During the Reporting Period, the Group has accelerated the disposal of non-core assets, cash inflow from divestment amounted to more than RMB20.0 at the consolidated level. Fosun has further expanded its financing channels, Fosun High Technology, the domestic operating entity of Fosun International, obtained an onshore syndicated loan of RMB12 billion from eight domestic banks. Fosun maintained an extensive collaboration network of domestic and foreign banks, executed an offshore syndicated loan in April 2023, amounting to no less than USD500 million as of 30 June. In terms of open-market financing channels, Fosun High Technology issued two super short-term commercial papers of RMB1 billion (2 billion in total) each in January and July 2023 respectively.

Through proactive liquidity management, Fosun has navigated through the “maturity wall”. During the Reporting Period, it redeemed onshore bonds of RMB6.73 billion as well as USD offshore debt of over USD2.7 billion. As of the end of the Reporting Period, the Group had no material offshore bonds due in one year. The improved credit profile has also been affirmed by the international market. On 30 May 2023, international rating agency S&P Global Ratings issued a report, lifting the Group’s rating outlook to “stable”.

Leveraging innovation-driven strategy to lead the way with the “world’s first” and “China’s first”, R&D investment reached RMB4.2 billion

Innovation has always been the “core growth engine” that drives the development of Fosun. During the Reporting Period, the Group invested a total of approximately RMB4.2 billion in improving its technology innovation capabilities.

Fosun’s long-term accumulation of technology innovation capabilities is continuously transforming into industrial achievements: HANSIZHUANG (serplulimab injection), the first biopharmaceutical innovative drug self-developed by Shanghai Henlius, has been approved for three indications in China, and has become the world’s first monoclonal antibody drug targeting PD-1 for first-line treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer; HANQUYOU (trastuzumab of injection) has been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the marketing authorization application (MAA) in the U.S., and it is expected to become the first domestic biosimilar approved in China, the U.S. and Europe; Fosun Kite’s first CAR-T cell therapy Yi Kai Da (ejilunsai injection) had obtained conditional approval for marketing for the treatment of second-line indications; Intuitive Fosun’s application of the “Thoracic And Abdominal Endoscopic Surgical System” has obtained the domestic medical device registration approval by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), indicating that the domestic da Vinci robotic surgical system will soon be launched; Yuyuan’s Cosmetics Innovation Center received the Laboratory Accreditation Certificate issued by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS); Easun Technology and its subsidiaries were recognized as the second batch of “specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative” enterprise in Shanghai and the fifth batch of national specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative “little giant”, respectively.

It is worth mentioning that with the continuous harvest of R&D investment, the revenue and profit of innovative products have been growing steadily. In the first half of 2023, core commercial products such as HANSIZHUANG and HANQUYOU have led to a jump in total revenue, leading the continuous growth of sales revenue and helping Shanghai Henlius turn profitable for the first time in half a year.

Global operational capabilities have been further enhanced, overseas revenue accounted for 45.4% of total revenue

The globalization journey of Fosun started in 2007 when Fosun International was listed in Hong Kong. After 16 years, Fosun has established business presence in more than 35 countries and regions, and has more than 100,000 employees worldwide. In the first half of 2023, overseas business became the driving force for the Group’s development, overseas revenue amounted to RMB44.09 billion, accounting for 45.4% of total revenue. The leading model of “global organization + local operations” has become more and more mature. During the Reporting Period, the international business of Fosun Insurance Portugal, kept growing, and its Latin American business further improved; Eason Technology recorded a significant increase in its overseas high-margin orders. In particular, it saw robust growth in business operations in North America. Subsidiaries of Fosun Pharma obtained two loans totaling EUR50 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to accelerate the establishment of a pharmaceutical production facility and distribution hub in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa; Gland Pharma, an Indian pharmaceutical company under Fosun Pharma, completed the acquisition of Cenexi to lay the groundwork for its CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) business operations in the European market; Club Med has planned to increase the number of resorts worldwide by more than 20% by the end of 2025 compared to 2022; Shede Spirits has expanded overseas channels, covering an additional of nine countries and regions; the 29th Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival is about to make its overseas debut, the event will take place in both Paris, France and Shanghai, China; Hainan Mining acquired the Bougouni lithium mine in Mali, Africa, and is accelerating the project delivery.

In the first half of 2023, Fosun FC2M global ecosystem synergy was further enhanced, continuously realizing “Ecosystem Multiplier Growth”. The 515 Fosun Family Day partnered with 60 domestic and foreign brands to “boost consumption”, achieving a 32% year-on-year increase in sales; Tuopai, a subsidiary of Shede Spirits became the official partner of Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. in the Premier League, deepening its overseas strategy. As of the end of the Reporting Period, the Group’s ecosystem has created a total value of more than RMB6.2 billion. In the first half of 2023, the Group acquired 21.65 million newly registered members, representing a year-on-year increase of 11%, of which the Group added 7.73 million new consumer members, and the sales revenue contributed by members reached 52.8%.

ESG performance outperformed global peers, treated more than 56 million severe malaria patients

Founded 31 years ago, Fosun has always been adhering to the values of “Self-improvement, Teamwork, Performance and Contribution to Society”. While creating business value, it also attaches great importance to ESG (environmental, social, and governance) responsibilities.

In February 2023, a devastating earthquake hit Turkey. Fosun Foundation joined hands with the Group’s German member company Tom Tailor and Fosun Trade to make an emergency donation, and became the first charitable force in Shanghai to respond to the disaster. Artesun® (artesunate for injection), an innovative drug with proprietary intellectual property rights owned by Fosun Pharma, has treated more than 56 million severe malaria patients worldwide and covered 175 million children in African countries with high malaria prevalence. In June 2023, Argesun®, the second-generation artesunate for injection independently developed by Fosun Pharma, became the first artesunate injectable with the WHO prequalification, which will further enhance the accessibility of innovative antimalarial drugs and save more lives.

Fosun’s outstanding performance in ESG has been widely recognized by society and professional institutions at home and abroad. In February 2023, Fosun Foundation’s Rural Doctors Program received the “Shanghai Charity Award”, the highest government prize in the field of philanthropy in Shanghai. In June 2023, Fosun was listed among “China’s Top 100 ESG Listed Companies”, ranking fifth. As of the end of the Reporting Period, Fosun International received a MSCI ESG rating of AA and was the only conglomerate in Greater China with such rating. It received a rating of A in the Hang Seng Sustainability Index. In August 2023, the Company was selected as one of the constituents of Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index, which includes the top 30 Hong Kong listed companies that perform best in ESG; and its FTSE ESG rating continued to rise. Its S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) score has also risen significantly, higher than 91% of its peers around the world. Fosun International was also included in S&P Global’s Sustainability Yearbook 2023 (China Edition) and recognized as an “Industry Mover” by S&P Global.

2023 Interim Results Announcement

Full details of the interim results announcement of Fosun International can be found on the Company’s website (www.fosun.com) and on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Fosun International 2023 interim results presentation will be held on 31 August 2023, from 10:00 to 16:40. The management will introduce the key financial performance and strategic outlook of the Group. The live webcast is available in the links below. The latest PPT presentation of the Company is also available for download on Fosun’s website.

Chinese live webcast: https://fosun.dajun.tv:8443/live/q.do?roomCode=48738517
English live webcast: https://fosun.dajun.tv:8443/live/q.do?roomCode=19993636 

About Fosun

Fosun was founded in 1992. After more than 30 years of development, Fosun has become a global innovation-driven consumer group. Adhering to the mission of creating happier lives for families worldwide, Fosun is committed to creating a global happiness ecosystem fulfilling the needs of one billion families in health, happiness and wealth. In 2007, Fosun International Limited was listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 00656.HK). As of 30 June 2023, Fosun International’s total assets amounted to RMB834.9 billion; it received an AA MSCI ESG rating and was the only conglomerate in Greater China with such rating.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that Fosun International Limited (the “Company”) expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including but not limited to projections, targets, estimates and business plans) are forward-looking statements. The Company’s actual results or developments may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, and other risks and factors beyond our control. In addition, the Company makes the forward-looking statements referred to herein as of today and undertakes no obligation to update these statements. The 2023 interim financial figures in this press release are calculated using the average exchange rate for the Reporting Period from January to June 2023 (USD/CNY=6.9246, HKD/CNY=0.88345, EUR/CNY=7.48481), and period-end exchange rate as of 30 June 2023 (USD/CNY=7.22580, HKD/CNY=0.92200 , EUR/CNY=7.87710), unless otherwise stated.