CHENGDU, China, November 16, 2021 -- Senmiao Technology Limited (“Senmiao”) (Nasdaq: AIHS), a financing and servicing company focused on the online ride-hailing industry in China as well as an operator of its own online ride-hailing platform, today announced financial results for the fiscal 2022 second quarter ended September 30, 2021.

For full financial tables, please click the following: 

AIHS - Senmiao Q2 FY22 Earnings Release_Final_Final.pdf

Fiscal 2022 Second Quarter Financial and Operating Highlights

·         Total revenues of $2.9 million, an increase of approximately 105% from $1.4 million in the prior-year period, primarily as a result of increased operating lease revenues from automobile rentals and revenues from online ride-hailing platform services.

·         Net loss from continuing operations reduced to $0.1 million, from $2.6 million in the prior-year period.

·         During the six months ended September 30, 2021, approximately 12.4 million rides were completed through the platform with gross fares paid by riders totaling $38.0 million.

·         In August 2021, Senmiao signed a new contract with Shanghai Lutuan Technology, an affiliate of Meituan (HK: 3690), whereby online ride-hailing requests and orders will be completed on Meituan’s platform (“the major platform”) utilizing Senmiao’s network of cars and drivers for a set monthly fee. Since this new cooperation model commenced in August 2021, over 1.4 million rides have been completed on the major platform with gross fares paid by riders totaling $4.8 million.

Management Commentary

Xi Wen, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Senmiao, stated, “We were pleased with the results we achieved during the fiscal 2022 second quarter, more than doubling revenue to $2.9 million and significantly narrowing losses compared to the prior-year period. This was primarily driven by increased operating lease revenues from automobile rentals and significantly greater revenue contributions from our online ride-hailing platform services business as a result of our new cooperation agreement with Meituan, which we believe not only presents Senmiao with an attractive opportunity to expand upon this partnership but also much more favorable terms on a go-forward basis. While we expect automobile rentals will continue to make up the majority of our revenues in the near term, we are optimistic that the online ride-hailing platform services business will begin to make more significant contributions in the periods to come.”

Mr. Wen continued, “In October, we announced the launch of our online ride-hailing platform in Xuzhou, the largest city in northern Jiangsu Province with a population of approximately 8.6 million. With this launch, Senmiao’s platform is now available in 10 cities across China. We look forward to deepening our relationships with our major partners by expanding into additional markets and gaining market share in existing markets. During the three months ended September 30, 2021, our platform facilitated approximately 4 million completed rides generating gross fares of approximately $12.9 million. We realized $0.6 million in revenue from online ride-hailing platform service fees while paying $0.4 million in incentives to Active Drivers, a much lower amount than in previous quarters. During the period, we also announced multiple partnership agreements with different local online ride-hailing companies who have a strong presence and expertise in their respective markets, which we anticipate will enable Senmiao to gain a foothold in these major cities in the coming quarters.”

Financial Review

Revenues

Total revenues were $2.9 million for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, an increase of 105% from $1.4 million in the prior-year period. The increase was largely due to the $1.2 million increase in operating lease revenues from automobile rentals and $0.6 million in revenue contributions from online ride-hailing platform services, which had not yet launched in the prior-year period. This was partially offset by decreased revenue contributions from automobile sales and facilitation of automobile transactions and financing during the period.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues increased to $2.9 million for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, compared to $1.0 million in the prior-year period, primarily due to a $1.7 million increase in cost of automobiles under operating leases and $0.2 million increase in direct expense and technical service fees related to Senmiao’s online ride-hailing platform, as a result of the expansion of those two businesses.

Gross Loss

Gross loss was $0.01 million, for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, compared to gross profit of $0.4 million in the prior-year period, due to the decreased number of automobile sales and facilitated new automobile purchases. Senmiao has focused on operating leases to mitigate the impact of the return of automobiles by a substantial number of drivers and the intense competition in the online ride-hailing market in Chengdu and Changsha since 2020. The Company achieved gross profit of $0.3 million from online ride-hailing platform services during the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, which partially offset the gross losses in other lines of business.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $3.0 million for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, from $2.7 million in the prior-year period. The increase was mainly attributable to a $0.7 million increase in salary and employee benefits as Senmiao’s employee headcount increased from 200 to 352 and a $0.3 million increase in offices rental and charges, which were partially offset by a $0.4 million decrease in financial, legal and marketing service fees and a $0.3 million decrease in amortization of intangible assets and rendered automobiles that have not been sub-leased as Senmiao leased more automobiles during this quarter than in the prior-year period.

Net Loss

Net loss from Senmiao’s continuing operations for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, improved to $0.1 million, from a net loss of $2.6 million in the prior-year period. This was primarily the result of the increased revenues, costs and the gain in change in fair value of derivative liabilities. During the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, Senmiao had a gain of $3.0 million from change in fair value of derivative liabilities related to warrants issued in Senmiao’s historical offerings, from a loss of $0.1 million in the prior-year period.

Earnings (Loss) per Share

Earnings per share for continuing operations for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2021, was approximately $0.01 based on a weighted average number of basic and diluted common stock of 55.4 million, compared to loss per share of approximately $0.06 based on a weighted average number of basic and diluted common stock of 37.8 million in the prior-year period.

Financial Position

As of September 30, 2021, Senmiao had cash and cash equivalents of $1.8 million, compared to $4.4 million as of March 31, 2021.

The Company’s business is capital intensive. Subsequent to the quarter-end (on November 11, 2021), Senmiao closed a private placement of $5.0 million with certain institutional investors of its Series A Preferred Stock, which can be initially converted into shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $0.68 per share, subject to adjustment.

Additional information regarding Senmiao's results of operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, can be found in the Form 10-Q that has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on November 15, 2021.

About Senmiao Technology Limited

Headquartered in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Senmiao provides automobile transaction and related services including sales of automobiles, facilitation and services for automobile purchase and financing, management, operating lease, guarantee and other automobile transaction services as well as operates its own ride-hailing platform aimed principally at the growing online ride-hailing market in Senmiao’s areas of operation in China. For more information about Senmiao, please visit: http://www.senmiaotech.com. Senmiao routinely provides important updates on its website.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements (including statements concerning the development of Senmiao's automobile transaction, financing, rental and related services and online ride-hailing platform, the Chinese ride-hailing and automobile financial leasing markets, Senmiao's plans, objectives, goals, strategies, and performance, and the impact of COVID-19 on Senmiao's business), as well as the assumptions such statements and other statements that are not statements of historical facts are subject to significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those detailed from time to time in Senmiao’s filings with the SEC, and represent Senmiao’s views only as of the date they are made and should not be relied upon as representing Senmiao’s views as of any subsequent date. Senmiao undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in events or circumstances. 

For more information, please contact:

At the Company:

Yiye Zhou

Email: edom333@ihongsen.com

Phone: +86 28 6155 4399

Investor Relations:

The Equity Group Inc.                                                                      In China

Carolyne Sohn, Vice President                                                        Lucy Ma, Associate

+1 415-568-2255                                                                             +86 10 5661 7012

csohn@equityny.com                                                                      lma@equityny.com

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