Luckin Coffee Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2022 Financial Results, Reports 66% Rise in Net Revenues

CoffeeNetwork (New York) - Luckin Coffee Inc. (OTC: LKNCY) today announced its unaudited financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2022.

THIRD QUARTER 2022 HIGHLIGHTS

• Total net revenues in the third quarter were RMB3,894.6 million (US$547.5 million), representing an increase of 65.7% from RMB2,350.2 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• Net new store openings in the third quarter was 651, resulting in a quarter-over-quarter store unit growth of 9.0% from the number of stores at the end of the second quarter of 2022, ending the third quarter with 7,846 stores which include 5,373 self-operated stores and 2,473 partnership stores.
• Average monthly transacting customers in the third quarter were 25.1 million, representing an increase of 70.5% from 14.7 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• Revenues from self-operated stores in the third quarter were RMB2,761.4 million (US$388.2 million), representing an increase of 53.9% from RMB1,794.7 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• Same-store sales growth for self-operated stores in the third quarter was 19.4%, compared to 75.8% in the same quarter of 2021.
• Store level operating profit – self-operated stores in the third quarter was RMB806.7 million (US$113.4 million) with store level operating profit margin of 29.2%, compared to RMB452.1 million with store level operating profit margin of 25.2% in the same quarter of 2021.
• Revenues from partnership stores in the third quarter were RMB899.1 million (US$126.4 million), representing an increase of 116.1% from RMB416.1 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• GAAP operating income in the third quarter was RMB585.3 million (US$82.3 million), representing a GAAP operating income margin of 15.0%, compared to a GAAP operating loss of RMB6.7 million in the same quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP operating income in the third quarter, which adjusts for share-based compensation expenses, was RMB693.8 million (US$97.5 million), representing a non-GAAP operating income margin of 17.8%, compared to RMB71.4 million, or a non-GAAP operating income margin of 3.0%, in the same quarter of 2021, which represents a significant improvement of operating results.

IMPACT OF COVID-19

• The global economy, the Chinese markets and the Company’s business have been and continue to be adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• With the gradual lifting of COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions since the second quarter of 2022, the Company experienced a downward trend in its
• temporary store closures for most of the third quarter of 2022. The Company had around 108 daily store closures on average in July and August 2022.
• However, as the winter season approached with bouts of COVID-19 cases in recent months, the Company experienced around 330 daily store closures on average in September and October 2022. As of the date of this earnings release, the number of daily store closures on average in November 2022 was around 500, and we believe this number may further increase for the months ahead.
• The COVID-19 situation remains highly unpredictable. The Company anticipates that its operations will continue to be negatively affected by pandemic[1]related market pressures for the foreseeable future. The extent of these impacts is difficult to predict given the uncertainties relating to the spread of the pandemic and its impacts on the local and national economies.

THIRD QUARTER 2022 FINANCIAL RESULTS

• Total net revenues were RMB3,894.6 million (US$547.5 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 65.7% from RMB2,350.2 million in the same quarter of 2021. Net revenues growth was primarily driven by the increase in the number of products sold, the increase in stores in operation and the increase in the number of monthly transacting customers.
• Revenues from product sales were RMB2,995.5 million (US$421.1 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 54.9% from RMB1,934.1 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• Net revenues from freshly brewed drinks were RMB2,666.4 million (US$374.8 million), representing 68.4% of total net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, compared to RMB1,716.4 million, or 73.0% of total net revenues, in the same quarter of 2021.
• Net revenues from other products were RMB198.3 million (US$27.9 million), representing 5.1% of total net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, compared to RMB107.5 million, or 4.6% of total net revenues, in the same quarter of 2021.
• Net revenues from others were RMB130.9 million (US$18.4 million), representing 3.4% of total net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, compared to RMB110.2 million, or 4.7% of total net revenues, in the same quarter of 2021.
• Revenues from partnership stores were RMB899.1 million (US$126.4 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing 23.1% of total net revenues, which is an increase of 116.1% compared to RMB416.1 million, or 17.7% of total net revenues, in the same quarter of 2021. For the third quarter of 2022, revenues from partnership stores included sales of materials of RMB575.6 million (US$80.9 million), profit sharing of RMB144.8 million (US$20.4 million), sales of equipment of RMB66.3 million (US$9.3 million), delivery service of RMB106.4 million (US$15.0 million) and other services of RMB6.0 million (US$0.8 million).
• Total operating expenses were RMB3,309.4 million (US$465.2 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 40.4% from RMB2,356.9 million in the same quarter of 2021. The increase in total operating expenses was predominantly the result of the Company’s business expansion. Meanwhile, operating expenses as a percentage of net revenues decreased to 85.0% in the third quarter of 2022 from 100.3% in the same quarter of 2021, due to increased economies of scale and the Company’s technology-driven operations.
• Cost of materials were RMB1,440.5 million (US$202.5 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 56.6% from RMB919.9 million in the same quarter of 2021, generally in line with the increase in the number of products sold and the increase in sales of materials to partnership stores.
• Store rental and other operating costs were RMB770.4 million (US$108.3 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 49.4% from RMB515.5 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to the increase in labor costs and store rental, as well as utilities and other store operating costs, as a result of the increased number of stores and items sold in the third quarter of 2022. Store rental and other operating costs increased proportionately less than revenues as a result of economies of scale.
• Depreciation and amortization expenses were RMB104.2 million (US$14.6 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing a decrease of 23.4% from RMB136.0 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to the decrease in amortization of leasehold improvements for the stores whose leasehold improvements had been fully amortized before the third quarter of 2022, which was offset by the increase of depreciation expenses of additional equipment put into use in new stores in the third quarter of 2022.
• Delivery expenses were RMB432.8 million (US$60.8 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 62.1% from RMB266.9 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to the increase in the number of delivery orders.
• Sales and marketing expenses were RMB159.3 million (US$22.4 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 64.3% from RMB96.9 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly driven by an increase in advertising expenses as the Company continued to make strategic investments in its branding through various channels, an increase in subcontract service fee, which was mainly for the Company’s e-commerce business and an increase in commission fees paid to third-party delivery platforms in line with the increase in the number of delivery orders. Sales and marketing expenses amounted to 4.1% of net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, which was the same as the third quarter of 2021.
• General and administrative expenses were RMB383.5 million (US$53.9 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 19.4% from RMB321.2 million in the same quarter of 2021. The increase in general and administrative expenses was mainly driven by the increase in payroll costs for headquarter staff and the increase in share-based compensation from more Restricted Share Units issued to incentivize management and employees. General and administrative expenses amounted to 9.9% of net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 13.7% of net revenues in the same quarter of 2021. The decrease was mainly due to the economies of scale.
• Store preopening and other expenses were RMB9.5 million (US$1.3 million) in the third quarter of 2022, compared to RMB6.0 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to more stores being opened in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same quarter of 2021. Store preopening and other expenses amounted to 0.2% of net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 0.3% of net revenues in the same quarter of 2021.
• Impairment loss of long-lived assets were nil in the third quarter of 2022, compared to RMB19.0 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• Losses and expenses related to Fabricated Transactions and Restructuring were RMB9.2 million (US$1.3 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing a decrease of 87.8% from RMB75.5 million in the same quarter of 2021, as the Company had successfully completed its provisional liquidation in March 2022 and substantially resolved all outstanding litigations. The losses and expenses related to Fabricated Transactions and Restructuring consisted primarily of professional and legal fees for U.S. securities litigations and other advisory service fees. Losses and expenses related to Fabricated Transactions and Restructuring amounted to 0.2% of net revenues in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 3.2% of net revenues in the same quarter of 2021.
• Store level operating profit margin – self-operated stores was 29.2% in the third quarter of 2022, compared to 25.2% in the same quarter of 2021, primarily due to the benefits of economies of scale from the increased number of products sold.
• GAAP operating income was RMB585.3 million (US$82.3 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing a GAAP operating income margin of 15.0%, compared to an operating loss of RMB6.7 million in the same quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP operating income was RMB693.8 million (US$97.5 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing a non-GAAP operating income margin of 17.8%, compared to RMB71.4 million, or a non-GAAP operating income margin of 3.0%, in the same quarter of 2021.
• Net income was RMB528.6 million (US$74.3 million) in the third quarter of 2022, which included the one-off non-cash gain of RMB124.1 million (US$17.5 million) from the extinguishment of Series B Senior Secured Notes, compared to a net loss of RMB23.5 million in the same quarter of 2021. Non[1]GAAP net income was RMB514.9 million (US$72.4 million) in the third quarter of 2022, representing a non-GAAP net income margin of 13.2%, compared to RMB54.6 million, or a non-GAAP net income margin of 2.3%, in the same quarter of 2021.
• Basic and diluted net income per ADS was RMB1.68 (US$0.24) and RMB1.68 (US$0.24) in the third quarter of 2022, respectively, compared to basic and diluted net loss per ADS of RMB0.08 and RMB0.08 in the same quarter of 2021, respectively.
• Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per ADS was RMB1.68 (US$0.24) and RMB1.60 (US$0.24) in the third quarter of 2022, respectively, compared to RMB0.24 and RMB0.24 in the same quarter of 2021, respectively.
• Net cash generated from operating activities was RMB416.9 million (US$58.6 million) in the third quarter of 2022, which included the settlement of payable to equity litigants of RMB385.2 million (US$55.6 million). Excluding the payment to equity litigants, net cash provided by operating activities was RMB802.1 million (US$112.8 million) in the third quarter of 2022, compared to net cash provided by operating activities of RMB8.3 million in the same quarter of 2021.
• Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash were RMB3,993.2 million (US$561.4 million) as of September 30, 2022, compared to RMB6,555.3 million as of December 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily attributable to the full redemption of the Company’s offshore notes following the restructuring of those notes on January 28, 2022, the settlement of payable to fulfill the Company’s obligations under the federal class action settlement and purchase of property
• and equipment, which was offset by operational cash generation and the proceeds from the issuance of senior preferred shares to Joy Capital on January 7, 2022.