WuXi PharmaTech Co., Ltd. Announces First Quarter 2011 Results

SHANGHAI, May 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: WX), a leading research and development outsourcing company serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries, with operations in China and the United States, today announced its financial results for first-quarter 2011.

Highlights

• First-Quarter 2011 Net Revenues Increased 16% Year Over Year to $93.6 Million
• Laboratory Services Net Revenues Grew 12% Year Over Year to $75.2 Million
• China-Based Laboratory Services Net Revenues Increased 12% Year Over Year to $56.1 Million
• U.S.-Based Laboratory Services Net Revenues Increased 12% Year Over Year to $19.1 Million
• Manufacturing Services Net Revenues Grew 35% Year Over Year to $18.3 Million, Driven by Commercial Manufacturing
• GAAP Diluted Earnings Per ADS Grew 16% Year Over Year to 24 Cents
• Non-GAAP Diluted Earnings Per ADS Increased 16% Year Over Year to 29 Cents
• Company Reconfirms 2011 Financial Guidance

Management Comment

“WuXi began 2011 with a strong performance,” said Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We achieved double-digit revenue and EPS growth, while we continued to invest in new capabilities and capacity to better serve our customers.

“WuXi exceeded its financial guidance for the quarter. Revenues grew 16%, versus guidance of 13-15% growth. GAAP and non-GAAP operating margin of 21% and 25%, respectively, exceeded our guidance of 20% and 24%. All of our businesses contributed to this strong revenue and margin performance.

“We continue to expect 2011 to be a strong year for WuXi, with revenue growth of 17-21% and stable margins despite an environment of RMB appreciation and labor cost inflation in China. WuXi is rapidly expanding its new Laboratory Services businesses and is positioned to reap the benefits of years of hard work in research manufacturing with revenue growth in our new commercial manufacturing business.

“In 2011, we will continue to invest and build a strong integrated drug R&D service platform to be the industry’s alternative R&D engine to discover and develop new drugs for our customers. Among our major investment projects in 2011 are a new site in Wuhan for our chemistry business, a new GMP biologics manufacturing facility in WuXi, and continuing build-up of pharmacology models and biology capabilities. We also continue to expand our research manufacturing capacity and our API/drug product stability testing capacity and capability.

“WuXi has the right business model for long-term success,” Dr. Li concluded. “Outsourcing of pharmaceutical R&D is increasing because it offers pharmaceutical and biotech companies greater operational flexibility. Offshore outsourcing to China gives them high-quality scientific expertise at reasonable prices. As the leading offshore outsourcing company in China, WuXi is well positioned to benefit from these trends.”

GAAP Results

First-quarter 2011 net revenues increased 16% year over year to $93.6 million due to 12% growth in Laboratory Services net revenues and 35% growth in Manufacturing Services net revenues. Revenue growth in Laboratory Services was solid, driven by our comprehensive and integrated discovery and development services. Manufacturing Services revenue growth was driven by the continued ramp-up of our large-scale commercial manufacturing business, as well as the robust demand for clinical-trial materials from our research manufacturing business.

First-quarter 2011 GAAP gross profit increased 14% year over year to $34.7 million due to solid revenue growth in Laboratory Services and both strong revenue growth and gross-margin improvement in Manufacturing Services. First-quarter 2011 GAAP gross margin decreased slightly year over year to 37.1% from 37.7% mainly due to business mix, as our highest rate of revenue growth occurred in our relatively lower-margin Manufacturing Services business. Gross margin in Manufacturing Services, while lower than that in Laboratory Services, improved year over year to 26.7% from 19.9% due to strong revenue growth and increasing capacity utilization in our large-scale manufacturing facility. Gross margin in Laboratory Services decreased year over year to 39.6% from 41.4% due to higher labor costs, the negative impact from appreciation of the Chinese RMB relative to the U.S. dollar, and increased depreciation expenses from investments in new capabilities and capacity expansion.

First-quarter 2011 GAAP operating income grew 14% to $19.8 million due to the 14% increase in gross profit and 15% growth in operating expenses driven by staff hiring in SG&A functions and higher labor costs.

First-quarter 2011 GAAP net income increased 17% to $18.2 million due to the 14% increase in operating income and a favorable change in other income (expenses) net, offset by higher taxes. Other income (expenses) net in first-quarter 2011 included foreign-exchange gains of $1.2 million compared to foreign-exchange losses of $0.4 million in first-quarter 2010. Higher taxes were the result of higher statutory tax rates for two of our China legal entities and higher pretax income.

First-quarter 2011 GAAP diluted earnings per ADS increased 16% to 24 cents, mainly due to the 17% increase in net income, offset by slightly higher share count due to exercise of stock options.

Non-GAAP Results

Non-GAAP financial results excluded the impact of share-based compensation expenses and the amortization of acquired intangible assets and the associated deferred tax impact.

First-quarter 2011 non-GAAP gross profit increased 12% year over year to $36.0 million due to revenue growth in Laboratory Services and both strong revenue growth and gross-margin improvement in Manufacturing Services. First-quarter 2011 non-GAAP gross margin decreased year over year to 38.5% from 39.8% mainly due to business mix, as our largest revenue growth occurred in our lower-margin Manufacturing Services business. Gross margin in Manufacturing Services, while lower than that in Laboratory Services, improved year over year due to increased capacity utilization in our large-scale manufacturing facility. Gross margin in Laboratory Services decreased year over year due to higher labor costs, the negative impact from appreciation of the Chinese RMB relative to the U.S. dollar, and increased depreciation expenses from investments in new capabilities and capacity expansion.

First-quarter 2011 non-GAAP operating income increased 13% year over year to $23.1 million, primarily due to the 12% increase in non-GAAP gross profit and growth in operating expenses driven by staff hiring in SG&A functions and higher labor costs.

First-quarter 2011 non-GAAP net income grew 17% year over year to $21.4 million due to a 13% increase in non-GAAP operating income and a favorable change in other income (expenses) net, offset by higher taxes. Higher taxes were the result of higher statutory tax rates in China and higher pretax income. Diluted non-GAAP earnings per ADS grew 16% year over year to 29 cents compared to 25 cents in first-quarter 2010, mainly due to the 17% increase in non-GAAP net income, offset by slightly higher share count due to exercise of stock options.

2011 Financial Guidance

The company reconfirms all of its full-year 2011 financial guidance:

• Total net revenues of $390-405 million, which represents 17-21% growth
• Growth in net revenues of China-based Laboratory Services of 14-18%
• Growth in net revenues of U.S.-based Laboratory Services of 8-10%
• Growth in net revenues of Manufacturing Services of 50-60%
• Decrease in gross margin of about 1 percentage point due to appreciation of the Chinese RMB relative to the U.S. dollar and labor cost inflation, partially offset by a gross margin increase in our manufacturing business
• GAAP operating margin of 21-22%, non-GAAP operating margin of 24-25%
• Capital expenditures of $50-60 million
• GAAP effective tax rate of 17-18% due to an increase in the statutory tax rate of the company’s Shanghai and Tianjin legal entities from 11% in 2010 to 15% and 12%, respectively, in 2011

The Company provides the following guidance for second-quarter 2011 performance:

• Total net revenues of $97-99 million
• Laboratory Services revenues of $79-80 million, Manufacturing Services net revenues of $18-19 million
• GAAP and non-GAAP operating margins comparable to the first quarter of 2011