TMI China Mediaexpress Holdings, Inc.

China MediaExpress Holdings, Inc. (NYSE Amex: TMI; TMI/U; TMI/WS), China’s largest television advertising operator on inter-city express buses, today announced the financial results of the Hong Kong Mandefu Holdings Limited (“CME” or “Company”) for the three and nine months period ended September 30, 2009.

Financial Highlights – Third Quarter 2009 vs. Third Quarter 2008

• Net revenues increased 65% to $26.1 million in the 2009 period compared to $15.8 million;
• Gross margin for the 2009 period was 67% of net revenues;
• Operating income increased 83% to $15.5 million in 2009 compared to $8.5 million; and,
• Net income increased 83% to $11.7 million compared to $6.4 million.

Financial Highlights – Nine Months 2009 vs. Nine Months 2008

• Net revenues increased 38% to $64.0 million in the 2009 period compared to $46.2 million;
• Gross margin for the 2009 period was 64% of net revenues;
• Operating income increased 45% to $37.2 million in 2009 compared to $25.6 million;
• Net income increased 43% to $27.4 million compared to $19.2 million; and,
• As of September 30, 2009, the Company had $40.9 million in cash and cash equivalents with no debt.

Zheng Cheng, CME’s Founder and CEO, commented, “2009 has been a year of transformation as CME became a public company. We have taken several steps to further strengthen our position as the market leader in the express bus advertising industry in China and to take advantage of new opportunities ahead. We are well positioned to capitalize in the rapid increase of the advertising spending, as China is the second largest advertising market in Asia, and one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world. We have placed our Company in several large Chinese markets, including the five municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing. Third quarter and nine month results are an indication that our efforts have been successful. Our net revenue and net income for the first nine months of 2009 have already exceeded net revenues and net income for full year 2008.”

Mr. Cheng added, “We continue to expand our operations, both in the areas where we have a strong presence and in new areas as well. As of today, our network includes 46 bus operator partners, up from 40 in mid-September, with whom we have entered agreements for terms ranging from five to eight years. The total number of buses equipped with our television systems is now over 20,000, increasing approximately by 2,000 buses since mid-September. In the fourth quarter, we plan to further expand our geographic coverage through the signing of several new agreements with the new bus operators. Our network now covers the municipality of Guangzhou, China’s third largest city, after Beijing and Shanghai and also the province of Shanxi.”

Mr. Cheng continued, “Our platform has attracted numerous well-known international and national brands to our advertising network. More than 500 advertisers have purchased advertising time on our network either through advertising agents or directly from us. Our clientele includes local brand names as well as those well-known international and national brands such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, Siemens, Hitachi, China Telecom, China Mobile, China Post, Toyota, Bank of China and China Pacific Life Insurance.

“In addition to accelerating our top line growth, we are also working to improve of our profit margins. In that regard, we have increased our sales force to 65 people to focus on direct advertising clients, where we enjoy a better margin compared to clients signed through advertising agencies. At the end of 2008, direct clients accounted for only 2% of our net revenues. For the first nine months of 2009 direct clients represented 16% of our net revenues from those advertising timeslot. We expect this percentage to reach 20% by year-end and approximately 40% by the end of 2010.

“In the third quarter, we also started to broadcast the embedded advertisements which are displayed during the broadcasting of the content and this definitely brings a new source of revenue to our current platform.”

Jacky Lam, CME’s Chief Financial Officer stated, “CME generated $29.9 million of cash from operating activities in the first nine months of 2009. Our balance sheet remains very strong and as of September 30, 2009, we had $40.9 million of cash with no debt.”

Mr. Cheng concluded, “Historically, our fourth quarter is seasonally our best quarter. It appears that the 2009 fourth quarter will be no exception.”

Institutional Investor Meetings

The management CME will hold meetings with current and prospective institutional investors during the first week of December. Accredited investors may request a meeting with management by contacting: Lena Cati of The Equity Group at 212-836-9611 or lcati@equityny.com.

About CME

CME, through contractual arrangements with Fujian Fenzhong, an entity majority owned by CME’S former majority shareholder, operates the largest television advertising network on inter-city express buses in China. While CME has no direct equity ownership in Fujian Fenzhong, through the contractual agreements CME receives the economic benefits of Fujian Fenzhong’s operations. Fujian Fenzhong generates revenue by selling advertisements on its network of television displays installed on over 20,000 express buses originating in fourteen of China’s most prosperous regions, including the five municipalities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing and nine economically prosperous provinces, namely Guangdong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Sichuan, Hebei, Anhui, Hubei, Shandong and Shanxi which generate more than half of China’s GDP.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”), as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to statements regarding expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this report may include, for example, statements about:

• The Company’s goals and strategies;
• The Company’s future prospects and market acceptance of its advertising network;
• The Company’s future business development, financial condition and results of operations;
• Projected changes in revenues, costs, expense items, profits, earnings, and other estimated financial information;
• The Company’s ability to manage the growth of its existing advertising network on inter-city express buses and expansion to prospective advertising network on high speed railways;
• Trends and competition in the out-of-home advertising media market in China;
• Changes in general economic and business conditions in China; and
• Chinese laws, regulation and policies, including those applicable to the advertising industry.

   

HONG KONG MANDEFU HOLDING LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Amounts in thousands of US dollars, except for number of shares and per share data)

 

For the three months endedSeptember 30,

For the nine months endedSeptember 30,

2009   2008   2009   2008 (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited) (unaudited)     Sales, net of business tax and related surcharges: $ 26,122 $ 15,783 $ 63,983 $ 46,233 Cost of sales:  

(8,630

)

  (6,459 )  

(22,992

)

  (18,359 ) Gross profit

17,492

9,324

40,991

27,874

  Operating expenses: Selling expenses

(1,371

)

(313

)

(1,897

)

(823

)

General and administrative expenses  

 

(588

 

)

 

 

(524

 

)

 

 

(1,941

 

)

 

 

(1,452

 

)

Total operating expenses  

(1,959

)

 

(837

)

 

(3,838

)

 

(2,275

)

  Operating income

15,533

 

8,487

37,153

25,599

Interest income  

27

   

38

   

70

   

77

  Income before income taxes

15,560

8,525

37,223

25,676

Income tax expenses  

(3,896

)

 

(2,162

)

 

(9,823

)

 

(6,478

)

Net income

$

11,664

 

$

6,363

 

$

27,400

 

$

19,198

    Foreign currency translation adjustment

$

11

 

$

539

 

$

(36

)

$

977

    Comprehensive income $ 11,675   $ 6,902   $ 27,364   $ 20,175     Earnings per share Basic and diluted $ 1,166.4   $ 636.3   $ 2,740.0   $ 1,919.8     Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding: Basic and diluted  

10,000

   

10,000

   

10,000

    10,000      

HONG KONG MANDEFU HOLDING LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

(Amounts in thousands of US dollars)

 

September 30,2009

Dec. 31, 2008 (Unaudited) ASSETS   Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 40,855 $ 29,997 Accounts receivable, net 11,293 6,065 Prepayment and other current assets   26   59 Total current assets   52,174   36,121   Non-current assets: Property, plant and equipment, net 10,864 11,417 Deferred tax assets   1,910   1,578 Total non-current assets   12,774   12,995   Total assets $ 64,948 $ 49,116   LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY   Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 2,030 $ 1,565 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 3,045 1,301 Income tax payable 4,567 3,072 Amount due to a related party 1,508 798 Accrued liabilities for the purchase of property, plant and equipment   1,455   1,072   Total current liabilities   12,605   7,808   Non-current liabilities: Accrued severance payment 393 307 Deferred concession fees   7,145   6,005 Total non-current liabilities   7,538   6,312   Total liabilities   20,143   14,120   Commitments and contingencies   Shareholders’ equity: Ordinary shares $0.13 par value, 10,000 shares authorized and 10,000 shares issued and outstanding 1 1 Statutory reserves 4,314 4,314 Accumulated other comprehensive income 1,348 1,384 Retained earnings   39,142   29,297 Total shareholders’ equity   44,805   34,996   Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 64,948 $ 49,116  

HONG KONG MANDEFU HOLDING LIMITED

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Amounts in thousands of US dollars)

  For the nine months ended September 30, 2009   2008 (unaudited) (unaudited)   CASH FLOWS FROM (TO) OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net income $ 27,400 $ 19,198 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 2,351 2,324 Deferred tax benefits (332 ) (646 )   Changes in operating assets and liabilities: (Increase) in accounts receivable (5,228 ) (3,197 ) Decrease /(increase) in prepayments and other current assets 33 (45 ) Increase in accounts payable 465 797 Increase in accrued expenses and other liabilities 1,744 436 Increase in deferred concession fees 1,140 2,266 (Decrease)/increase in accrued severance payment 86 318 Increase in income tax payable 1,495 1,035 (Decrease)/increase in amounts due to related parties   710     (2,396 )   Net cash provided by operating activities   29,864     20,090     CASH FLOWS (TO) INVESTING ACTIVITIES Acquisition of property, plant and equipment, net of related payables   (1,415 )   (4,591 )   Net cash used in investing activities   (1,415 )     (4,591 )     CASH FLOWS (TO) FINANCING ACTIVITIES Dividends paid   (17,555 )   -     Net cash (used in) financing activities   (17,555 )   -     Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 10,894 15,499   Effect of foreign currency translation adjustment on cash (36 ) 977   Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period   29,997     6,364     Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period $ 40,855   $ 22,840