Tuniu Announces Unaudited Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results

NANJING, China, Nov. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tuniu Corporation (NASDAQ: TOUR) ("Tuniu" or the "Company"), a leading online leisure travel company in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021.

"Tuniu's focus on providing high-quality products and services and a high level of customer satisfaction continues to drive results. The transaction volume of our self-operated local tour products saw double digit year-on-year growth for the quarter even as the recovery of the overall tourism industry experienced setbacks. Looking ahead, we will work to further improve customer experience in order to differentiate ourselves in China's travel industry." said Mr. Donald Dunde Yu, Tuniu's founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Reflecting our disciplined approach, Tuniu's operating expenses decreased year-on-year for the third consecutive quarter. We will continue to apply our existing cost control measures to further improve operational efficiency."

Third Quarter 2021 Results

Net revenues were RMB114.6 million (US$17.8 million^[1]) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 7.2% from the corresponding period in 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the negative impact brought by the outbreak and spread of COVID-19.

• Revenues from packaged tours were RMB90.7 million (US$14.1 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.0% from the corresponding period in 2020. The increase was primarily due to the growth in revenues from self-operated products.
• Other revenues were RMB23.9 million (US$3.7 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 35.6% from the corresponding period in 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the decline in commissions received from other travel-related products impacted by the outbreak and spread of COVID-19.

Cost of revenues was RMB74.9 million (US$11.6 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year increase of 28.1% from the corresponding period in 2020. As a percentage of net revenues, cost of revenues was 65.3% in the third quarter of 2021, compared to 47.3% in the corresponding period in 2020.

Gross profit was RMB39.7 million (US$6.2 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 38.9% from the corresponding period in 2020.

Operating expenses were RMB96.4 million (US$15.0 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 24.6% from the corresponding period in 2020. Share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets, which were allocated to operating expenses, were RMB5.5 million (US$0.9 million) in the third quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP^[2] operating expenses, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets, were RMB90.9 million (US$14.1 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 23.1%.

• Research and product development expenses were RMB15.6 million (US$2.4 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 2.7%. Non-GAAP research and product development expenses, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets of RMB1.0 million (US$0.2 million), were RMB14.6 million (US$2.3 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 2.2% from the corresponding period in 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in amortization of intangible assets.
• Sales and marketing expenses were RMB41.7 million (US$6.5 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 16.4%. Non-GAAP sales and marketing expenses, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets of RMB1.4 million (US$0.2 million), were RMB40.3 million (US$6.3 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 7.7% from the corresponding period in 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in sales and marketing personnel related expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets.
• General and administrative expenses were RMB41.2 million (US$6.4 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 40.9%. Non-GAAP general and administrative expenses, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets of RMB3.1 million (US$0.5 million), were RMB38.1 million (US$5.9 million) in the third quarter of 2021, representing a year-over-year decrease of 43.5% from the corresponding period in 2020. The decrease was primarily due to the decrease in general and administrative personnel related expenses.

Loss from operations was RMB56.6 million (US$8.8 million) in the third quarter of 2021, compared to a loss from operations of RMB62.8 million in the third quarter of 2020. Non-GAAP loss from operations, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets, was RMB50.9 million (US$7.9 million) in the third quarter of 2021.

Net loss was RMB36.6 million (US$5.7 million) in the third quarter of 2021, compared to a net loss of RMB62.1 million in the third quarter of 2020. Non-GAAP net loss, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets, was RMB30.9 million (US$4.8 million) in the third quarter of 2021.

Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders was RMB35.1 million (US$5.4 million) in the third quarter of 2021, compared to a net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of RMB56.9 million in the third quarter of 2020. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders, which excluded share-based compensation expenses and amortization of acquired intangible assets, was RMB29.4 million (US$4.6 million) in the third quarter of 2021.

As of September 30, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments of RMB1.0 billion (US$157.9 million). The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted our business operations, and will continue to impact our results of operations and cash flows for subsequent periods. Based on our liquidity assessment and management actions, we believe that our available cash, cash equivalents and maturity of investments will be sufficient to meet our working capital requirements and capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business for the next twelve months.

Business Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company expects to generate RMB53.4 million to RMB65.3 million of net revenues, which represents 45% to 55% decrease year-over-year. This forecast reflects Tuniu's current and preliminary view on the industry and its operations, which is subject to change.

Conference Call Information

Tuniu's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 am U.S. Eastern Time, on November 19, 2021, (9:00 pm, Beijing/Hong Kong Time, on November 19, 2021) to discuss the third quarter 2021 financial results.

To participate in the conference call, please dial the following numbers:

A telephone replay will be available from 11:00 am on November 19, 2021 through 11:00 am on November 26, 2021, U.S. Eastern Time. The dial-in details are as follows:

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.tuniu.com.

About Tuniu

Tuniu (Nasdaq:TOUR) is a leading online leisure travel company in China that offers a large selection of packaged tours, including organized and self-guided tours, as well as travel-related services for leisure travelers through its website tuniu.com and mobile platform. Tuniu covers over 420 departing cities throughout China and all popular destinations worldwide. Tuniu provides one-stop leisure travel solutions and a compelling customer experience through its online platform and offline service network, including a dedicated team of professional customer service representatives, 24/7 call centers, extensive networks of offline retail stores and self-operated local tour operators. For more information, please visit http://ir.tuniu.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements made under the "safe harbor" provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the U.S. 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," "confident" and similar statements. Tuniu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Any statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Tuniu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements that involve factors, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, but are not limited to the following: Tuniu's goals and strategies; the growth of the online leisure travel market in China; the demand for Tuniu's products and services; its relationships with customers and travel suppliers; the Company's ability to offer competitive travel products and services; Tuniu's future business development, results of operations and financial condition; competition in the online travel industry in China; relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company's structure, business and industry; the impact of the COVID-19 on Tuniu's business operations, the travel industry and the economy of China and elsewhere generally; and the general economic and business condition in China and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date of the press release, and Tuniu does not undertake any obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the Company's unaudited consolidated financial results presented in accordance with United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), the Company has provided non-GAAP information related to cost of revenues, research and product development expenses, sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses, other operating income, total operating expenses, loss from operations, net loss, net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders, net loss per ordinary share attributable to ordinary shareholders-basic and diluted and net loss per ADS-basic and diluted, which excludes share-based compensation expenses, amortization of acquired intangible assets and impairment of acquired intangible assets. We believe that the non-GAAP financial measures used in this press release are useful for understanding and assessing underlying business performance and operating trends, and management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our financial performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of GAAP and non-GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this press release.

A limitation of using non-GAAP financial measures excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization of acquired intangible assets and impairment of acquired intangible assets is that share-based compensation expenses, amortization of acquired intangible assets and impairment of acquired intangible assets have been – and will continue to be – significant recurring expenses in the Company's business. You should not view non-GAAP results on a stand-alone basis or as a substitute for results under GAAP, or as being comparable to results reported or forecasted by other companies.

(Financial Tables Follow)

SOURCE Tuniu Corporation