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VNET Reports Unaudited Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

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BEIJING, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — VNET Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNET) (“VNET” or the “Company”), a leading carrier- and cloud-neutral internet data center services provider in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

“We achieved strong third quarter results mainly driven by our wholesale IDC business,” said Josh Sheng Chen, Founder, Executive Chairperson and interim Chief Executive Officer of VNET. “Our wholesale IDC business maintained its strong growth momentum as we capitalized on rising AI-driven demand. We also continued attracting high-quality customers during the third quarter, with six new order wins totaling 84MW. Notably, we won a new wholesale order from an Internet customer for 32MW at our Huailai IDC Campus, one of our green computing clusters in Hebei province. Moving forward, we will continue to develop our high-performance data centers and green business, providing reliable, premium IDC services to meet market demand. Propelling VNET’s high-quality, sustainable development remains our priority as we strive to deliver value to all of our stakeholders.” 

Qiyu Wang, Chief Financial Officer of VNET, commented, “In the third quarter, we remained focused on high-quality revenue businesses with high margins. Our total net revenues increased by 12.4% year over year to RMB2.12 billion, mainly driven by remarkable wholesale revenue growth of 86.4% year over year. Our adjusted EBITDA also grew by 17.1% year over year to RMB594.8 million in the third quarter of 2024. We previously reported adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter of 2023 at RMB507.9 million. Such figure included VAT surplus deduction benefit of RMB13.3 million, which is now considered non-continuable due to the termination of preferential tax policies since January 1, 2024 (the “Discontinued VAT Benefits”).  The year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA would be 20.2% if the Discontinued VAT Benefits were excluded from the adjusted EBITDA calculation for the same period last year. We also aim to enter a definitive agreement with one of China’s leading insurance companies by the end of 2024 to form a pre-REITs fund. The fund will feature the first and second phases of our Taicang IDC Campus as the underlying assets, with us retaining approximately a 51% interest in the fund. This will further strengthen our cash reserves and support our sustainable development. Looking ahead, we will continue strengthening our core capabilities and capitalizing on AI-driven opportunities to create long-term shareholder value.”

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

Total net revenues increased by 12.4% to RMB2.12 billion (US$302.2 million) from RMB1.89 billion in the same period of 2023.Net revenues from the IDC business[1] increased by 18.4% to RMB1.50 billion (US$213.5 million) from RMB1.27 billion in the same period of 2023.Net revenues from the wholesale IDC business (“wholesale revenues”) increased by 86.4% to RMB523.0 million (US$74.5 million) from RMB280.6 million in the same period of 2023.Net revenues from the retail IDC business (“retail revenues”) decreased slightly by 1.0% to RMB975.5 million (US$139.0 million) from RMB984.9 million in the same period of 2023.Net revenues from the non-IDC business[2] increased by 0.2% to RMB622.3 million (US$88.7 million) from RMB621.4 million in the same period of 2023.Adjusted cash gross profit (non-GAAP) increased by 16.6% to RMB860.7 million (US$122.6 million) from RMB738.4 million in the same period of 2023. Adjusted cash gross margin (non-GAAP) was 40.6%, compared with 39.1% in the same period of 2023.Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) increased by 17.1% to RMB594.8 million (US$84.8 million) from RMB507.9 million in the same period of 2023. Such figure in the third quarter of 2023 included Discontinued VAT Benefits of RMB13.3 million. The year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA would be 20.2% if the Discontinued VAT Benefits were excluded from the adjusted EBITDA calculation for the same period last year. Adjusted EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 28.0%, compared with 26.9% in the same period of 2023.Net income increased by RMB372.0 million and RMB260.3 million to RMB332.2 million (US$47.3 million) in the third quarter, compared with a net loss of RMB39.9 million in the same period of 2023 and a net income of RMB71.8 million in the second quarter of 2024, respectively.

Third Quarter 2024 Operational Highlights

Wholesale IDC Business[3]

Capacity in service was 358MW as of September 30, 2024, compared with 332MW as of June 30, 2024, and 290MW as of September 30, 2023. Capacity under construction was 297MW as of September 30, 2024.Capacity utilized by customers reached 279MW as of September 30, 2024, compared with 252MW as of June 30, 2024, and 161MW as of September 30, 2023. The sequential increase during the third quarter of 2024 was 27MW, which was mainly contributed by the E-JS Campus 02 C data center and the N-OR06 data center.Utilization rate[4] of wholesale capacity was 78.0% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 75.9% as of June 30, 2024, and 55.4% as of September 30, 2023.Utilization rate of mature wholesale capacity[5] was 95.6% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 94.9% as of June 30, 2024, and 94.4% as of September 30, 2023.Utilization rate of ramp-up wholesale capacity[6] was 46.4% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 45.7% as of June 30, 2024, and 18.4% as of September 30, 2023.Total capacity committed[7] was 352MW as of September 30, 2024, compared with 326MW as of June 30, 2024, and 236MW as of September 30, 2023.Commitment rate[8] for capacity in service was 98.2% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 98.1% as of June 30, 2024, and 81.3% as of September 30, 2023.Total capacity pre-committed[9] was 262MW and pre-commitment rate[10] for capacity under construction was 88.4% as of September 30, 2024.

Retail IDC Business[11]

Capacity in service was 52,250 cabinets as of September 30, 2024, compared with 52,177 cabinets as of June 30, 2024, and 52,200 cabinets as of September 30, 2023.Capacity utilized by customers reached 32,950 cabinets as of September 30, 2024, compared with 33,253 cabinets as of June 30, 2024, and 33,845 cabinets as of September 30, 2023.Utilization rate of retail capacity was 63.1% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 63.7% as of June 30, 2024, and 64.8% as of September 30, 2023.Utilization rate of mature retail capacity[12] was 69.5% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 72.5% as of June 30, 2024, and 73.1% as of September 30, 2023.Utilization rate of ramp-up retail capacity[13] was 16.8% as of September 30, 2024, compared with 12.7% as of June 30, 2024, and 18.7% as of September 30, 2023.Monthly recurring revenue (MRR) per retail cabinet was RMB8,788 in the third quarter of 2024, compared with RMB8,753 in the second quarter of 2024 and RMB8,845 in the third quarter of 2023.

[1] IDC business refers to managed hosting services, consisting of the wholesale IDC business and the retail IDC business. Beginning in the first quarter of 2024, our IDC business was subdivided into wholesale IDC business and retail IDC business according to the nature and scale of our data center projects. Prior to 2024, the subdivision was based on customer contract types.

[2] Non-IDC business consists of cloud services and VPN services.

[3] For wholesale IDC business, certain projects hosted in our E-JS02 data center with an aggregate of 27MW capacity were excluded and are expected to be continuously excluded from in-service wholesale due to pending commercial discussion with the client. Such projects were included as in-service wholesale from the first quarter of 2021 to the fourth quarter of 2023, given that such projects had been delivered to the client based on the terms of the MOU.

[4] Utilization rate is calculated by dividing capacity utilized by customers by the capacity in service.

[5] Mature wholesale capacity refers to wholesale data centers in which utilization rate is at or above 80%.

[6] Ramp-up wholesale capacity refers to wholesale data centers in which utilization rate is below 80%.

[7] Total capacity committed is the capacity committed to customers pursuant to customer agreements remaining in effect.

[8] Commitment rate is calculated by total capacity committed divided by total capacity in service.

[9] Total capacity pre-committed is the capacity under construction which is pre-committed to customers pursuant to customer agreements remaining in effect.

[10] Pre-commitment rate is calculated by total capacity pre-committed divided by total capacity under construction.

[11] For retail IDC business, since the first quarter of 2024, we have excluded a certain number of reserved cabinets from the capacity in service. Reserved cabinets refer to those that have not been utilized on a large scale, those that are planned to be closed, or those that are planned to be further upgraded. As of September 30, 2023, June 30, 2024, and September 30, 2024, 4,426, 4,150, and 4,150 reserved cabinets, respectively, were excluded from the calculation of utilization rate of retail IDC business capacity.

[12] Mature retail capacity refers to retail data centers that came into service prior to the past 24 months.

[13] Ramp-up retail capacity refers to retail data centers that came into service within the past 24 months, or mature retail data centers that have undergone improvements within the past 24 months.

Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results

TOTAL NET REVENUES: Total net revenues in the third quarter of 2024 were RMB2.12 billion (US$302.2 million), representing an increase of 12.4% from RMB1.89 billion in the same period of 2023. The year-over-year increase was mainly driven by the continued growth of our wholesale IDC business.

Net revenues from IDC business increased by 18.4% to RMB1.50 billion (US$213.5 million) from RMB1.27 billion in the same period of 2023. The year-over-year increase was mainly driven by an increase in wholesale revenues.

Wholesale revenues increased by 86.4% to RMB523.0 million (US$74.5 million) from RMB280.6 million in the same period of 2023.Retail revenues decreased to RMB975.5 million (US$139.0 million) from RMB984.9 million in the same period of 2023.

Net revenues from non-IDC business increased by 0.2% to RMB622.3 million (US$88.7 million) from RMB621.4 million in the same period of 2023.

GROSS PROFIT: Gross profit in the third quarter of 2024 was RMB491.7 million (US$70.1 million), representing an increase of 60.4% from RMB306.5 million in the same period of 2023. Gross margin in the third quarter of 2024 was 23.2%, compared with 16.2% in the same period of 2023. The year-over-year increase was primarily attributable to a reduction in depreciation expense due to the change in the estimated useful lives of property and equipment starting from January 1, 2024.

ADJUSTED CASH GROSS PROFIT (non-GAAP), which excludes depreciation, amortization, and share-based compensation expenses, was RMB860.7 million (US$122.6 million) in the third quarter of 2024, compared with RMB738.4 million in the same period of 2023. Adjusted cash gross margin (non-GAAP) in the third quarter of 2024 was 40.6%, compared with 39.1% in the same period of 2023.

OPERATING EXPENSES: Total operating expenses in the third quarter of 2024 were RMB300.3 million (US$42.8 million), compared with RMB274.3 million in the same period of 2023. 

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB60.7 million (US$8.7 million) in the third quarter of 2024, compared with RMB64.1 million in the same period of 2023.

Research and development expenses were RMB53.1 million (US$7.6 million) in the third quarter of 2024, compared with RMB80.7 million in the same period of 2023.

General and administrative expenses were RMB132.5 million (US$18.9 million) in the third quarter of 2024, compared with RMB137.9 million in the same period of 2023.

ADJUSTED OPERATING EXPENSES (non-GAAP), which exclude share-based compensation expenses, were RMB293.6 million (US$41.8 million) in the third quarter of 2024, compared with RMB264.8 million in the same period of 2023. As a percentage of total net revenues, adjusted operating expenses (non-GAAP) in the third quarter of 2024 were 13.8%, compared with 14.0% in the same period of 2023.

ADJUSTED EBITDA (non-GAAP): Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2024 was RMB594.8 million (US$84.8 million), representing an increase of 17.1% from RMB507.9 million in the same period of 2023. Such figure in the third quarter of 2023 included Discontinued VAT Benefits of RMB13.3 million. The year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA would be 20.2% if the Discontinued VAT Benefits were excluded from the adjusted EBITDA calculation for the same period last year). Adjusted EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) in the third quarter of 2024 was 28.0%, compared with 26.9% in the same period of 2023.

NET INCOME/LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO VNET GROUP, INC.: Net income attributable to VNET Group, Inc. in the third quarter of 2024 was RMB317.6 million (US$45.3 million), compared with a net loss attributable to VNET Group, Inc. of RMB50.5 million in the same period of 2023. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to a gain in debt extinguishment.

EARNINGS PER SHARE: Basic and diluted earnings per share in the third quarter of 2024 were RMB0.20 (US$0.03) and RMB0.05 (US$0.01), respectively, which represents the equivalent to RMB1.20 (US$0.18) and RMB0.30 (US$0.06) per American depositary share (“ADS”). Each ADS represents six Class A ordinary shares. Diluted earnings per share is calculated using adjusted net income attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number of diluted shares outstanding.

LIQUIDITY: As of September 30, 2024, the aggregate amount of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments was RMB2.10 billion (US$298.9 million).

Total short-term debt consisting of short-term bank borrowings and the current portion of long-term borrowings was RMB1.87 billion (US$266.4 million). Total long-term debt was RMB8.88 billion (US$1.26 billion), comprised of long-term borrowings of RMB7.08 billion (US$1.0 billion) and convertible promissory notes of RMB1.79 billion (US$255.6 million).

Net cash generated from operating activities in the third quarter of 2024 was RMB760.4 million (US$108.4 million), compared with RMB454.3 million in the same period of 2023. During the third quarter of 2024, the Company obtained new debt financing, refinancing facilities and other financings of RMB0.95 billion (US$134.7 million).

Recent Development

The Company plans to sign a definitive agreement by the end of 2024 on a pre-REITs project with one of China’s leading insurance companies, under which the Company will form a pre-REITs fund (the “Fund”) to feature the first and second phases of our Taicang IDC Campus as the underlying assets with approximately 210MW total IT capacity and RMB5.74 billion estimated value.

The Company is expected to own approximately 51% interest in the Fund and sell the remaining 49% interest to the insurance company, the consideration of which would be approximately RMB1.15 billion, calculated based on the assets and liabilities of the fund at the establishment date. 

After the completion of this transaction, VNET intends to consolidate the Fund for financial reporting purpose, while operating the Taicang IDC project to offer stable and premium infrastructure services. The financial results of the Fund’s underlying assets are expected to be consolidated into the Company’s financial statement.

Business Outlook

The Company increased its full year 2024 guidance for total net revenues and adjusted EBITDA. Specifically, the Company now expects total net revenues for 2024 to be between RMB8,000 million to RMB8,100 million, representing year-over-year growth of 7.9% to 9.3%, and adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) to be in the range of RMB2,280 million to RMB2,300 million, representing year-over-year growth of 11.8% to 12.8%. Such figure in the third quarter of 2023 adjusted EBITDA included Discontinued VAT Benefits of RMB13.3 million. The year-over-year growth in adjusted EBITDA would be 16.4% to 17.4% if the Discontinued VAT Benefits were excluded from the adjusted EBITDA calculation for the same period last year.

The forecast reflects the Company’s current and preliminary views on the market and its operational conditions and is subject to change.

Conference Call

The Company’s management will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, or 9:00 AM Beijing Time on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

For participants who wish to join the call, please access the links provided below to complete the online registration process.

English line:
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10043189-1ej64l.html

Chinese line (listen-only mode): 
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10043190-a2lrfs.html

Participants can choose between the English and Chinese options for pre-registration above. Please note that the Chinese option will be in listen-only mode. Upon registration, each participant will receive an email containing details for the conference call, including dial-in numbers, a conference call passcode and a unique access PIN, which will be used to join the conference call. 

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

A replay of the conference call will be accessible through November 28, 2024, by dialing the following numbers: 

US/Canada:  

1 855 883 1031

Mainland China: 

400 1209 216

Hong Kong, China:  

800 930 639

International:   

+61 7 3107 6325

Reply PIN (English line): 

10043189

Reply PIN (Chinese line):   

10043190

               

Non-GAAP Disclosure

In evaluating its business, VNET considers and uses the following non-GAAP measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a supplemental measure to review and assess its operating performance: adjusted cash gross profit, adjusted cash gross margin, adjusted operating expenses, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. 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.

The non-GAAP financial measures are provided as additional information to help investors compare business trends among different reporting periods on a consistent basis and to enhance investors’ overall understanding of the Company’s current financial performance and prospects for the future. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, U.S. GAAP results. In addition, the Company’s calculation of the non-GAAP financial measures may be different from the calculation used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited.

Exchange Rate

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars (“USD”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to USD were made at the rate of RMB7.0176 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on September 30, 2024, in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or USD amounts referred could be converted into USD or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. For analytical presentation, all percentages are calculated using the numbers presented in the financial statements contained in this earnings release.

Statement Regarding Unaudited Condensed Financial Information

The unaudited financial information set forth above is preliminary and subject to potential adjustments. Adjustments to the consolidated financial statements may be identified when audit work has been performed for the Company’s year-end audit, which could result in significant differences from this preliminary unaudited condensed financial information.

About VNET

VNET Group, Inc. is a leading carrier- and cloud-neutral internet data center services provider in China. VNET provides hosting and related services, including IDC services, cloud services, and business VPN services to improve the reliability, security, and speed of its customers’ internet infrastructure. Customers may locate their servers and equipment in VNET’s data centers and connect to China’s internet backbone. VNET operates in more than 30 cities throughout China, servicing a diversified and loyal base of over 7,500 hosting and related enterprise customers that span numerous industries ranging from internet companies to government entities and blue-chip enterprises to small- to mid-sized enterprises.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “target,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement as well as VNET’s strategic and operational plans, including the plan to sign a definitive agreement on a pre-REITs project, contain forward-looking statements. VNET 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 reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about VNET’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: VNET’s goals and strategies; VNET’s liquidity conditions; VNET’s expansion plans; the expected growth of the data center services market; expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, VNET’s services; VNET’s expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with customers; VNET’s plans to invest in research and development to enhance its solution and service offerings; and general economic and business conditions in the regions where VNET provides solutions and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in VNET’s reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and VNET undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact:

Xinyuan Liu
Tel: +86 10 8456 2121
Email: ir@vnet.com

 

 

 

 VNET GROUP, INC. 

 CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS 

 (Amount in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”)) 

 As of 

 As of  

December 31, 2023

September 30, 2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Assets 

 Current assets: 

 Cash and cash equivalents 

2,243,537

1,524,819

217,285

 Restricted cash 

2,854,568

556,266

79,267

 Accounts and notes receivable, net 

1,715,975

1,861,828

265,308

 Short-term Investments 

356,820

15,879

2,263

 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

2,375,341

2,665,924

379,891

 Amounts due from related parties 

277,237

317,619

45,260

 Total current assets 

9,823,478

6,942,335

989,274

 Non-current assets: 

 Property and equipment, net 

13,024,393

15,153,253

2,159,321

 Intangible assets, net 

1,383,406

1,347,751

192,053

 Land use rights, net 

602,503

588,846

83,910

 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net 

4,012,329

4,412,834

628,824

 Restricted cash 

882

882

126

 Deferred tax assets, net 

247,644

309,390

44,088

 Long-term investments, net 

757,949

798,638

113,805

 Other non-current assets 

533,319

371,501

52,938

 Total non-current assets 

20,562,425

22,983,095

3,275,065

 Total assets 

30,385,903

29,925,430

4,264,339

 Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity 

 Current liabilities: 

 Short-term bank borrowings 

30,000

552,270

78,698

 Accounts and notes payable 

696,177

728,361

103,791

 Accrued expenses and other payables 

2,783,102

2,527,584

360,178

 Advances from customers 

1,605,247

1,752,935

249,791

 Deferred revenue 

95,477

87,354

12,448

 Income taxes payable 

35,197

51,554

7,346

 Amounts due to related parties 

356,080

354,903

50,573

 Current portion of long-term borrowings 

723,325

1,317,343

187,720

 Current portion of finance lease liabilities  

115,806

107,785

15,359

 Current portion of deferred government grants 

8,062

8,538

1,217

 Current portion of operating lease liabilities  

780,164

874,957

124,680

 Convertible promissory notes 

4,208,495

 Total current liabilities 

11,437,132

8,363,584

1,191,801

 Non-current liabilities: 

 Long-term borrowings 

5,113,521

7,082,026

1,009,181

 Convertible promissory notes 

1,769,946

1,793,894

255,628

 Non-current portion of finance lease liabilities  

1,159,525

1,169,573

166,663

 Unrecognized tax benefits 

98,457

98,457

14,030

 Deferred tax liabilities 

688,362

703,390

100,232

 Deferred government grants 

145,112

265,941

37,896

 Non-current portion of operating lease liabilities 

3,270,759

3,587,701

511,243

 Derivative liability 

188,706

 Total non-current liabilities 

12,434,388

14,700,982

2,094,873

 Shareholders’ equity 

 Ordinary shares  

107

109

16

 Additional paid-in capital 

17,291,312

17,256,955

2,459,096

 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 

(14,343)

(16,088)

(2,293)

 Statutory reserves 

80,615

94,276

13,434

 Accumulated deficit 

(11,016,323)

(10,835,688)

(1,544,073)

 Treasury stock 

(326,953)

(163,073)

(23,238)

 Total VNET Group, Inc. shareholders’

equity 

6,014,415

6,336,491

902,942

 Noncontrolling interest 

499,968

524,373

74,723

 Total shareholders’ equity 

6,514,383

6,860,864

977,665

 Total liabilities and shareholders’

equity 

30,385,903

29,925,430

4,264,339

 

 

 VNET GROUP, INC. 

 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS 

 (Amount in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”) except for number of shares and per share data) 

 Three months ended  

 Nine months ended  

September 30, 2023

June 30, 2024

September 30, 2024

September 30, 2023

September 30, 2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Net revenues 

1,886,924

1,993,760

2,120,794

302,211

5,514,450

6,012,680

856,800

 Cost of revenues 

(1,580,446)

(1,568,865)

(1,629,111)

(232,146)

(4,512,843)

(4,685,381)

(667,661)

 Gross profit 

306,478

424,895

491,683

70,065

1,001,607

1,327,299

189,139

 Operating income (expenses) 

 Operating income 

26,706

11,767

1,677

73,980

15,716

2,240

 Sales and marketing expenses 

(64,077)

(58,225)

(60,700)

(8,650)

(192,921)

(190,668)

(27,170)

 Research and development expenses 

(80,673)

(61,998)

(53,127)

(7,571)

(241,549)

(190,514)

(27,148)

 General and administrative expenses 

(137,931)

(107,297)

(132,482)

(18,879)

(393,395)

(466,076)

(66,415)

 Allowance for doubtful debt 

(18,316)

(2,753)

(65,731)

(9,367)

(7,034)

(63,309)

(9,021)

 Total operating expenses 

(274,291)

(230,273)

(300,273)

(42,790)

(760,919)

(894,851)

(127,514)

 Operating profit 

32,187

194,622

191,410

27,275

240,688

432,448

61,625

 Interest income 

12,887

5,449

4,218

601

28,606

21,796

3,106

 Interest expense 

(91,800)

(92,172)

(93,996)

(13,394)

(233,295)

(323,850)

(46,148)

 Impairment of long-term investments 

(11,115)

(11,115)

 Other income 

7,536

30,475

15,584

2,221

22,892

50,873

7,249

 Other expenses 

(10,975)

(6,900)

(8,783)

(1,252)

(14,887)

(17,105)

(2,437)

 Changes in the fair value of financial liabilities 

266

712

(7,107)

(1,013)

21,718

(2,537)

(362)

 Gain on debt extinguishment 

246,175

35,080

246,175

35,080

 Foreign exchange gain (loss) 

24,606

(4,387)

14,833

2,114

(168,391)

(17,915)

(2,553)

 (Loss) income before income taxes and

gain from equity method investments 

(36,408)

127,799

362,334

51,632

(113,784)

389,885

55,560

 Income tax expenses 

(6,317)

(59,149)

(31,149)

(4,439)

(63,748)

(151,682)

(21,615)

 Gain from equity method investments 

2,842

3,199

965

138

3,651

6,770

965

 Net (loss) income 

(39,883)

71,849

332,150

47,331

(173,881)

244,973

34,910

 Net income attributable to noncontrolling

interest 

(10,579)

(8,174)

(14,524)

(2,070)

(27,167)

(50,677)

(7,221)

 Net (loss) income attributable to the

VNET Group, Inc. 

(50,462)

63,675

317,626

45,261

(201,048)

194,296

27,689

 (Loss) earnings per share 

 Basic 

(0.06)

0.04

0.20

0.03

(0.23)

0.12

0.02

 Diluted 

(0.06)

0.04

0.05

0.01

(0.24)

(0.02)

(0.00)

 Shares used in (loss) earnings per share

computation 

 Basic* 

889,058,872

1,594,662,099

1,602,860,426

1,602,860,426

888,724,901

1,588,659,647

1,588,659,647

 Diluted* 

889,058,872

1,595,517,338

1,740,565,086

1,740,565,086

899,884,241

1,725,023,283

1,725,023,283

(Loss) earnings per ADS (6 ordinary shares equal to 1 ADS)

Basic

(0.36)

0.24

1.20

0.18

(1.38)

0.72

0.12

Diluted

(0.36)

0.24

0.30

0.06

(1.44)

(0.12)

(0.02)

 * Shares used in (loss) earnings per share/ADS computation were computed under weighted average method. 

 

 

 VNET GROUP, INC. 

 RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS  

 (Amount in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”)) 

 Three months ended  

 Nine months ended  

September 30, 2023

June 30, 2024

September 30, 2024

September 30, 2023

September 30, 2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Gross profit 

306,478

424,895

491,683

70,065

1,001,607

1,327,299

189,139

 Plus: depreciation and amortization 

431,933

364,616

368,764

52,548

1,233,983

1,085,984

154,751

 Plus: share-based compensation

expenses 

(2,190)

234

33

234

33

 Adjusted cash gross profit 

738,411

787,321

860,681

122,646

2,235,590

2,413,517

343,923

 Adjusted cash gross margin 

39.1 %

39.5 %

40.6 %

40.6 %

40.5 %

40.1 %

40.1 %

 Operating expenses 

(274,291)

(230,273)

(300,273)

(42,790)

(760,919)

(894,851)

(127,514)

 Plus: share-based compensation

expenses 

9,475

(12,962)

6,709

956

25,817

105,428

15,023

 Adjusted operating expenses 

(264,816)*

(243,235)

(293,564)

(41,834)

(735,102)

(789,423)

(112,491)

 Operating profit 

32,187*

194,622

191,410

27,275

240,688

432,448

61,625

 Plus: depreciation and amortization 

466,285

394,334

396,428

56,491

1,332,649

1,170,313

166,768

 Plus: share-based compensation

expenses 

9,475

(15,152)

6,943

989

25,817

105,662

15,057

 Adjusted EBITDA 

507,947*

573,804

594,781

84,755

1,599,154

1,708,423

243,450

 Adjusted EBITDA margin 

26.9 %

28.8 %

28.0 %

28.0 %

29.0 %

28.4 %

28.4 %

* Included VAT surplus deduction benefit of RMB13.3 million, which is now considered non-continuable due to the termination of preferential tax policies since January 1, 2024.

 

 

 VNET GROUP, INC. 

 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 

 (Amount in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and US dollars (“US$”)) 

 Three months ended  

September 30, 2023

June 30, 2024

September 30, 2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES 

 Net (loss) income 

(39,883)

71,849

332,150

47,331

 Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash generated from operating activities: 

     Depreciation and amortization 

461,603

388,711

393,719

56,105

     Share-based compensation expenses 

9,475

(15,152)

6,943

989

     Others 

130,633

101,890

(107,550)

(15,326)

 Changes in operating assets and liabilities 

     Accounts and notes receivable 

(70,896)

142,469

(138,968)

(19,803)

     Prepaid expenses and other current assets 

(48,380)

(79,893)

116,055

16,538

     Accounts and notes payable 

21,763

(47,018)

8,463

1,206

     Accrued expenses and other payables 

(54,577)

(61,463)

65,481

9,329

     Deferred revenue 

36,008

(14,000)

2,300

328

     Advances from customers 

124,816

(63,305)

222,083

31,647

     Others 

(116,249)

(18,884)

(140,310)

(19,994)

 Net cash generated from operating activities 

454,313

405,204

760,366

108,350

 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES 

 Purchases of property and equipment 

(946,444)

(998,489)

(1,426,892)

(203,330)

 Purchases of intangible assets 

(18,228)

(7,594)

(33,806)

(4,817)

 Proceeds from (payments for) investments 

144,516

(138,224)

92,426

13,171

 Proceeds from other investing activities 

70,010

117,209

31,762

4,526

 Net cash used in investing activities 

(750,146)

(1,027,098)

(1,336,510)

(190,450)

 CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES 

 Proceeds from bank borrowings 

756,101

690,848

745,534

106,238

 Repayments of bank borrowings 

(78,050)

(533,324)

(129,893)

(18,510)

 Repayments of 2025 Convertible Notes 

(148,842)

 Payments for finance leases  

(30,366)

(9,586)

(27,669)

(3,943)

 Proceeds from (payments for) other financing activities  

216,711

516,493

(59,645)

(8,499)

 Net cash generated from financing activities 

715,554

664,431

528,327

75,286

 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes on

cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash  

(12,476)

3,370

(6,049)

(862)

 Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash

equivalents and restricted cash 

407,245

45,907

(53,866)

(7,676)

 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at

beginning of period 

2,616,969

2,089,926

2,135,833

304,354

 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at

end of period 

3,024,214

2,135,833

2,081,967

296,678

 

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vnet-reports-unaudited-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-302311297.html

SOURCE VNET Group, Inc.

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Pigment Recognized as a Visionary in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Financial Planning Software for ability to execute and completeness of vision

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PARIS, Nov. 21, 2024 /CNW/ — Pigment, the business planning platform, today announced that it has been recognized by Gartner as a Visionary in the Magic Quadrant for Financial Planning Software. A complimentary copy of the report is available here.

In today’s environment, business agility and adaptability are essential for success. Pigment empowers organizations to meet these demands through its innovative, efficient architecture. With Pigment, data is consistent across applications and functions, facilitating truly integrated business planning. Pigment’s sparse engine also means that the platform is able to handle large datasets without running into performance issues.

“We are honored to be recognized in the Gartner  Magic Quadrant for Financial Planning Software. We believe this reflects the depth of our vision and our strong track record delivering on our roadmap,” said Eléonore Crespo, co-CEO and co-Founder, Pigment. “Effective planning is the foundation of strategic decision-making, but to do this effectively, businesses need powerful, collaborative planning platforms that prioritize continuous innovation and user experience. While many solutions have fallen short, Pigment is bridging these gaps by delivering on product strategy and prioritizing the customer experience.”

Pigment’s product strategy is built on three pillars, all of which we believe have contributed to our inclusion and positioning in the Gartner  Magic Quadrant for Financial Planning Software.

Efficient architecture

Pigment’s architecture is flexible, scalable, and connected, to facilitate truly integrated business planning at scale. Data integration is a key part of this, establishing a shared language across teams that facilitates collaboration, reduces manual errors and accelerates decision making. As such, businesses are in a better position to make more informed decisions.

A commitment to continuous product innovation

Pigment’s product strategy focuses on delivering a solution that meets the needs of all diverse stakeholders involved in financial planning. Key updates released in the last year include Pigment, new integrations with enterprise tech stacks, and additional security controls.

By prioritizing innovation, user experience, and performance optimization, Pigment enhances integrated business planning, which both elevates financial planning and fosters agility throughout the organization.

Looking ahead, Pigment will continue to further this through expanded AI capabilities such as machine learning for statistical forecasting and assisted modeling, as well as intuitive reporting visualizations, additional integrations, and use-case specific updates.

Exceptional product and customer experiences

Pigment is committed to delivering a gold standard for customer and user experience that

begins at implementation and continues through the customer journey.

This includes a focus on building an intuitive platform that is easy to use, structured methodologies to ensure that every Pigment implementation is a success, and promoting business-owned upkeep so that organizations can manage the use of Pigment independently.

We feel Pigment’s recognition as a 2024 Customers’ Choice in the Gartner  Voice of the Customer for Financial Planning Software also highlighted a strong focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences for businesses.

“No matter how advanced a product is, if it’s difficult to use, poorly implemented, or is difficult to maintain, adoption will suffer, and it won’t fulfill its potential of delivering value to a business,” said Romain Niccoli, co-founder and co-CEO of Pigment. That’s why we’ve always prioritized creating a product that’s not only powerful, but also easy to use and genuinely loved by our customers. By staying committed to our customers’ needs and continuously innovating we’re ensuring that Pigment will always remain a trusted partner in helping them achieve their goals.

Gartner Disclaimer

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner and Magic Quadrant and Peer Insights are a registered trademark, of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
 Gartner Peer Insights content consists of the opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences with the vendors listed on the platform, should not be construed as statements of fact, nor do they represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in this content nor makes any warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this content, about its accuracy or completeness, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Pigment

Pigment is a business planning platform built for agility and scale. It connects people, data, and processes in one elegant, feature-rich platform that allows planners in every department to prepare for any eventuality. Industry-leading companies like Unilever, Merck, Klarna, Webhelp, Figma and Poshmark use Pigment every day, allowing them to confidently make more informed business decisions.

Contact

Francesca D’Arcy-Orga, francesca.darcy-orga@gopigment.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2563767/Pigment_Logo.jpg

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pigment-recognized-as-a-visionary-in-the-2024-gartner-magic-quadrant-for-financial-planning-software-for-ability-to-execute-and-completeness-of-vision-302312138.html

SOURCE Pigment

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BioWorld by Clarivate Highlights Gaps in Women’s Health Research and Investment in New Special Series

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New seven-part series explores disparities in care, funding and innovation impacting half the world’s population

LONDON, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — BioWorld™ published by Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, has launched its new special series, ‘Healing the Health Divide.‘ This seven-part series sheds light on the persistent disparities in women’s health research, funding, and treatment.

Women make up half of the global population, yet their health remains consistently underserved. Research and treatments have traditionally focused on reproduction and breast health, but these areas represent just a fraction of the broader health challenges women face. From autoimmune disorders to cardiovascular disease, many conditions disproportionately affect women or manifest differently than in men. However, decades of research have excluded women from clinical trials, often due to misconceptions about their “complex physiology.” Meanwhile, male-dominated boardrooms have perpetuated this oversight in funding decisions, exacerbating the issue.

The consequences of this systemic neglect are stark. In 2023, just 15% of venture capital funding was directed to biopharma companies focused on women’s health, and only 8% of funded companies included women’s health assets in their pipelines. These disparities leave critical gaps in care for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, which affects women at twice the rate of men, and endometriosis, which impacts approximately 190 million women worldwide, yet often goes undiagnosed for years.

Lynn Yoffee, Publisher of BioWorld, stated: “The new BioWorld special series, ‘Healing the Health Divide,’ is a call to action to address the inequities in women’s health research and investment. The data we’ve uncovered highlights the urgent need for a paradigm shift in how we approach this critical issue. This series not only exposes the disparities but also celebrates the progress being made, with the goal of inspiring industry leaders and scientists to close these gaps and create solutions that benefit all of humanity.”

The series explores underrecognized areas such as the role of gender bias in research, the untapped potential of women’s health markets, and groundbreaking efforts to improve early diagnosis and treatment of conditions like endometriosis and cardiovascular disease.

Featured articles in ‘Healing the Health Divide,’ include:

Despite women’s health inroads, lackluster funding impedes progress 
Despite increased interest, progress in women’s health remains hindered by lackluster funding and decades of exclusion from clinical trials. The number of deals focused on women’s health since 2019 comprise just 18.5% of all deals analyzed from the 473 companies and they make up just 20% of the total value of all deals that disclosed terms. This article, by Senior Managing Editor Karen Carey explores the inspiring efforts of women leading the charge to improve health outcomes and secure investments for female-focused solutions.Dynamic infographic on Women’s Health 
A compelling visual analysis by Production Editor Ann Marie Griffith of women’s health funding, showcases how venture capital and biopharma companies are beginning to address the vast unmet need — but still have far to go.VCs emerge for women’s health and its ‘groundbreaking’ research
While U.S. government initiatives are supportive, private market investments are essential to advance women’s health innovations. This article highlights emerging venture capital efforts and the challenges of securing funding.The science of gender-based medicine: many reasons, many manifestations
From Alzheimer’s to autoimmune diseases, Managing Editor Anette Breindl, examines how biological and hormonal differences impact disease prevalence and progression in women, emphasizing the importance of gender-specific medical research.Gender bias leaves women at risk in cardiology treatment guidelines
Gender bias in cardiac care has left nearly 70% of women underdiagnosed for cardiovascular disease. Staff Writer Tamra Sami investigates how male-focused clinical trials have skewed treatment guidelines, endangering women’s lives.Holistic strategies needed to diagnose and treat endometriosis
Endometriosis affects 10% of women globally, yet delayed diagnosis and limited understanding have left millions suffering unnecessarily. This article, also produced by Sami, delves into the biological complexity of the disease and the need for comprehensive treatment strategies.New diagnostics, trials address deadly disparities in women’s cardiac care
While women with “big hearts” play well in popular culture, cardiologists see a very different picture – with significant implications for women’s health and medical care, according to an article by Editor Annette Boyle. Women have smaller hearts and smaller blood vessels than men and their cardiovascular systems respond to disease and treatment in very different ways. In 2024, for the first time, major trials of cardiovascular medical devices sought to understand how common interventions work in women and how previous failures to include women in studies translated into higher cardiovascular mortality rates.

BioWorld’s “Healing the Health Divide” underscores the urgent need for equitable investment in women’s health and celebrates the pioneers driving meaningful change.

To access the full special series, visit https://www.bioworld.com/womens_health.

Join the conversation and mention BioWorld on and LinkedIn as well as Clarivate for Life Sciences & Healthcare on and LinkedIn

About BioWorld

With writers and editors stationed around the globe, BioWorld published by Clarivate, reports the breaking news – and provides key perspective on hundreds of therapeutics and devices in development, the companies behind those candidates, the business development transactions that evolve the markets, and the regulatory hurdles that both challenge and guard the processes. BioWorld has a long tradition of excellence in journalism. Collectively, the news services have been honored with 61 awards dating back to 1998.

About Clarivate
Clarivate™ is a leading global provider of transformative intelligence. We offer enriched data, insights & analytics, workflow solutions and expert services in the areas of Academia & Government, Intellectual Property and Life Sciences & Healthcare. For more information, please visit www.clarivate.com

Media Contact 
Catherine Daniel
Director, External Communications, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Clarivate
newsroom@clarivate.com

SOURCE Clarivate Plc

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SPS Releases Report on “The State of Return-to-Office (RTO)”

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SPS, a leading global outsourcing provider of Enterprise Workplace Solutions that help companies elevate the employee and client experience, has released a report on “The State of Return-to-Office,” providing a comprehensive look into the latest trends shaping the return-to-office (RTO) landscape.

NEW YORK, Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — SPS, a leading global outsourcing provider of Enterprise Workplace Solutions that help companies elevate the employee and client experience, has released a report on “The State of Return-to-Office”.

“This report [on RTO] provides both a benchmark and a roadmap, helping companies make informed decisions that align with operational goals and employee expectations, as leaders look to refine their workplace strategies in 2024 and beyond.”

The report synthesizes results from the 2024 SPS North America Workplace Experience Survey to provide a comprehensive look into the latest trends shaping the return-to-office (RTO) landscape. The survey asked professionals who handle operations, real estate, and workplace experience to assess the physical return to the office policies for their organization, the increase in workplace services, and the impact of AI technology on their workforce.

Notably, the survey revealed continuing trends that indicate a level of disconnect between leaders and employees:

42% of employees were ‘neutral’ on their organization’s RTO policy with only 16% being ‘very satisfied’.For those organizations that indicated they are updating their RTO policy, 68% said they will increase the number of mandatory days in office.63% of employers said they are not changing or updating their RTO policy in the coming 12 months.47% of organizations have elevated the services and programs as employees have returned to the office when compared to pre-COVID.

“As workplaces continue to evolve, organizations are facing unprecedented changes in how, where, and when work gets done,” said Dan Moscatiello, CEO of SPS North America and Global Head of Enterprise Workplace Solutions. “This report provides both a benchmark and a roadmap, helping companies make informed decisions that align with operational goals and employee expectations, as leaders look to refine their workplace strategies in 2024 and beyond.”

“At SPS, we are committed to helping organizations attract, retain, and engage top talent by providing insights that drive a productive and engaging workplace,” added Nicole Mangarella, Head of Global Technology & Innovation – Enterprise Workplace Solutions. “Whether employees are in the office or working remotely, the workplace experience can be a key driver for employee satisfaction by leveraging hospitality-focused service and cutting-edge technology to build an immersive culture that employees want to be a part of.”

The 2024 SPS Workplace Experience Survey Report is now available for download here.

Learn how SPS can transform your workplace by combining the expertise and motivation of top talent with cutting-edge technology to drive data-driven process improvements and enhance organizational success. Visit https://www.spsglobal.com.

About SPS
SPS is a leading technology-driven business transformation company. With our innovative Enterprise Workplace Solutions, we empower organizations to adopt hybrid work programs to enhance productivity and flexibility. Our Technology Business Solutions bring together cutting-edge technology, deep vertical process expertise, and a diverse global workforce to support clients in their digital transformation journey and efficiently tackle their most complex challenges.

Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, SPS operates in more than 20 countries and focuses on clients in banking, insurance, and health. SPS has more than 8,500 employees and is recognized with a world-class NPS by its global client base.

We act with precision, connect people to the right information, and turn data into insights for better outcomes.

Discover how our dedicated team at SPS makes an impact that matters by visiting http://www.spsglobal.com.
SPS. The Power of Possibility.

Media Contact

Janet Tarzia, SPS North America, 1-212-204-0900, janet.tarzia@spsglobal.com, https://www.spsglobal.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/sps-releases-report-on-the-state-of-return-to-office-rto-302312455.html

SOURCE SPS North America

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