360 DigiTech Announces Third Quarter 2020 Unaudited Financial Results

SHANGHAI, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 360 DigiTech, Inc. (QFIN) (“360 DigiTech” or the “Company”), a data driven, technology empowered digital platform, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.

Third Quarter Operational Highlights

  • Total loan origination volume*1 was RMB66,000 million, representing an increase of 17.9% from RMB55,965 million in the same period of 2019. Loan origination volume under capital-light model within Platform Services was RMB16,908 million, an increase of 48.7% from RMB11,373 million in the same period of 2019.
  • Total outstanding loan balance*2 was RMB84,214 million as of September 30, 2020, an increase of 19.3% from RMB70,568 million as of September 30, 2019. Outstanding loan balance under capital-light model within Platform Services was RMB21,453 million as of September 30, 2020, an increase of 97.2% from RMB10,877 million as of September 30, 2019.
  • The weighted average tenor of loans*3 originated in the third quarter of 2020 was approximately 8.40 months, compared with 7.90 months in the same period of 2019, and 8.54 months in the second quarter of 2020.
  • Cumulative registered users was 155.96 million, an increase of 23.8% from 126.00 million as of September 30, 2019, and an increase of 4.7% from 148.98 million as of June 30, 2020.
  • Users with approved credit lines*4 was 29.28 million as of September 30, 2020, an increase of 28.3% from 22.83  million as of September 30, 2019, and an increase of 5.7% from 27.71 million as of June 30, 2020.
  • Cumulative borrowers with successful drawdown, including repeat borrowers was 18.71 million as of September 30, 2020, an increase of 27.0% from 14.73 million as of September 30, 2019, and an increase of 5.3% from 17.77 million as of June 30, 2020.
  • 90 day+ delinquency ratio*5 was 1.96% as of September 30, 2020.
  • The percentage of funding from financial institutions*6 in the third quarter of 2020 was 99%.
  • Repeat borrower contribution*7 for the third quarter of 2020 was 86.7%.

1 “Total loan origination volume” refers to the total principal amount of loans originated through the Company’s platform during the given period, including loans volume originated through Intelligence Credit Engine (“ICE”). “ICE” is an open platform on our “360 Jietiao” APP, we match borrowers and financial institutions through big data and cloud computing technology on “ICE”, and provide pre-loan investigation report of borrowers. For loans originated through “ICE”, the Company do not provide post-loan risk management nor bear principal risk.
2 “Total outstanding loan balance” refers to the total amount of principal outstanding for loans originated through the Company’s platform at the end of each period, including loan balance for “ICE”, excluding loans delinquent for more than 180 days.
3 For loan facilitated in 2020, we use the actual term for extinguished loans and use the contractual term for outstanding loans to calculate the weighted average tenor.
4 “Users with approved credit lines” refers to the total number of users who had submitted their credit applications and were approved with a credit line by the Company at the end of each period.
5 “90 day+ delinquency ratio” refers to the outstanding principal balance of on- and off-balance sheet loans that were 90 to 179 calendar days past due as a percentage of the total outstanding principal balance of on- and off-balance sheet loans on our platform as of a specific date. Loans that are charged-off and loans under “ICE” are not included in the delinquency rate calculation.
6 “The percentage of funding from financial institutions” is based on cumulative loan origination during the given period, excluding loans originated by our own funds.
7 “Repeat borrower contribution” for a given period refers to (i) the principal amount of loans borrowed during that period by borrowers who had historically made at least one successful drawdown, divided by (ii) the total loan origination volume through our platform during that period.

Third Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights

  • Total net revenue increased by 43.4% to RMB3,703.5 million (US$545.5 million) from RMB2,583.0 million in the same period of 2019.
  • Income from operations increased by 45.5% to RMB1,371.4 million (US$202.0 million) from RMB942.4 million in the same period of 2019.
  • Non-GAAP*8 income from operations increased by 48.0% to RMB1,427.8 million (US$210.3 million) from RMB964.7 million in the same period of 2019.
  • Operating margin was 37.0%. Non-GAAP operating margin was 38.6%.
  • Net income increased by 67.9% to RMB1,231.7 million (US$181.4 million) from RMB733.5 million in the same period of 2019.
  • Non-GAAP net income increased by 70.4% to RMB1,288.1 million (US$189.7 million) from RMB755.8 million in the same period of 2019.
  • Net income margin was 33.3%. Non-GAAP net income margin was 34.8%.

8 Non-GAAP income from operations (Adjusted Income from operations) and Non-GAAP net income (Adjusted net income) are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on this non-GAAP financial measure, please see the section of “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Statement” and the table captioned “Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” set forth at the end of this press release.

Mr. Haisheng Wu, Chief Executive Officer and Director of 360 DigiTech, commented, “We are very pleased to report yet another strong quarter with best ever operational metrics and record setting financial results. In the third quarter, loans originated through our digital platform grew nearly 18% year-on-year to reach RMB66.0 billion despite some regulatory headwinds late in the quarter. During the quarter approximately 28% of the loan origination was under the capital-light model and other technology solutions*9, for which we bear no or limited principal risk. As part of our long-term strategy to build a data driven, technology empowered digital platform, we expect to accelerate the growth of those platform solutions in the coming quarters.

Throughout the quarter, we have witnessed continued recovery in consumer demand for credit and further improvement in asset quality. In fact, some key leading indicators of asset quality of our customers are at the best levels ever, a strong testimony for our effective risk management and solid overall execution. As the domestic outbreak of COVID-19 has been largely contained and the macro economy is on a recovery track, we are well positioned to benefit from the positive trends and to further strengthen our leadership position in the industry.

It has been a quite busy period over last few months on the regulation front. In July, the official release of the “Interim Measures for Administration of Internet Loans Issued by Commercial Banks” by the CBIRC clearly validated our business model and provided detailed guidelines for the industry. In August, the Supreme People’s Court of China issued “Guidelines on Laws Applicable to Trials of Private Lending Cases” setting a series of rules for private lending, including an interest rate cap. In early November, the CBIRC issued a draft version of “Interim Administrative Measures for Online Micro-credit Business” aiming to cap leverage ratios in micro lending and joint-lending activities. We believe this new set of rules are consistent with the regulators’ effort in recent years to deleverage the financial system and mitigate potential systematic risk. We have marginal exposure in micro lending and joint-lending. Also in November, the CBIRC issued “Notice on Promoting the Sustainable Development Capability of Consumer Finance and Auto Finance Companies and Improving Quality and Efficiency of Financial Services”, which clearly set out specific practices for the cooperation between consumer finance companies and loan facilitation platforms. Such regulatory changes appeared favoring leading platform with strong risk management and regulatory compliance capability. We see opportunities to expand the service scope and depth of our data driven technology empowered digital platform to reach our long-term strategic goals.”

“We are very excited to report our first ever billion RMB quarter in term of non-GAAP net income. During the quarter, total revenue reached RMB3.70 billion and non-GAAP net income reached RMB1.29 billion. The robust financial performance was driven by noticeable improvement in macro environment and continued optimization of our operations.” Mr. Alex Xu, Chief Financial Officer, commented “We are particularly pleased to see the initial impact of the latest interest rate cap was partially offset by improved operational efficiency. Unit customer acquisition cost remained relatively stable and weighted average funding cost reached another new low in the quarter. At the end of the quarter we had approximately RMB7.9 billion in cash and cash equivalent on the balance sheet, of which approximately RMB4.8 billion was non-restricted. While there are still some uncertainties concerning our industry, we are highly confident to exceed the stated operational targets we set out earlier this year.”

Mr. Yan Zheng, Chief Risk Officer, added, “The noticeable improvement in asset quality continued in the quarter. Among the key leading indicators, Day-1 delinquency*10 decreased to approximately 5.3% at the end of the third quarter from approximately 6.2% at the end of the second quarter. Meanwhile the 30-day collection rate*11 also improved to approximately 90% at the end of the third quarter, compared to approximately 88% at the end of the second quarter. Furthermore we are encouraged to see some of these metrics continue to improve into the current quarter and some are already at the best level ever. This further demonstrates the strength and effectiveness of our risk management systems. While we have seen clear indications of macro improvement, we will continue to take prudent approach in overall risk management operations to ensure sustainable enhancement in asset quality.”

9 “We’ve used mainly data technology tools and AI risk management systems in the process of providing such services as loan facilitation, post-origination and borrowers’ referral to our customers. Revenue from these technology powered services amount to 53% of our total net revenue. “
10 “D1 delinquency rate” is defined as (i) the total amount of principal that became overdue as a specified date, divided by (ii) the total amount of principal that was due for repayment as of such date.
11 “M1 collection rate” is defined as (i) the amount of principal that was repaid in one month among the total amount of principal that became overdue as a specified date, divided by (ii) the total amount of principal that became overdue as a specified date.

Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Total net revenues was RMB3,703.5 million (US$545.5 million), compared to RMB2,583.0 million in the same period of 2019, and RMB3,340.1 million in the prior quarter.

Net revenue from Credit Driven Services was RMB2,955.4 million (US$435.3 million), compared to RMB2,129.3 million in the same period of 2019, and RMB3,081.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year growth was mainly due to the releasing of guarantee liabilities under the new accounting standard, and the increase in loan origination.

Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital heavy were RMB1,220.7 million (US$179.8 million), compared to RMB1,555.1 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB1,353.9 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential decrease was primarily due to a decline in interest rates of the loans, partially offset by increase of origination volume.

Financing income*12 was RMB530.8 million (US$78.2 million), compared to RMB409.8 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB628.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year growth and sequential decline were primarily due to the changes in volume of on-balance sheet loans. 

Revenue from releasing of guarantee liabilities was RMB1,172.6 million (US$172.7 million), compared to RMB119.6 million in the same period of 2019, and RMB1,076.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to the change of accounting standard, and the sequential growth was due to increase in origination volume.

Other services fees were RMB31.2 million (US$4.6 million), compared to RMB44.8 million in the same period of 2019, and RMB22.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential changes were primarily due to fluctuation of late payment fees.

Net revenue from Platform Services was RMB748.1 million (US$110.2 million), compared to RMB453.8 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB258.9 million in the prior quarter.

Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital light were RMB663.4 million (US$97.7 million), compared to RMB336.3 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB178.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to growth in loan origination volume under capital-light model. The robust sequential growth was in part due a reversal of the take rate reduction in the second quarter related to higher projected delinquency of certain capital light assets. The actual performance of such assets turned out better than expected in the third quarter.

Referral services fees were RMB68.1 million (US$10.0 million), compared to RMB113.0 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB64.5 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year decline was primarily due to a decrease in volume of referral business as a result of a more conservative customer acquisition strategy adopted during the first half of 2020 in the backdrop of the COVID-19.

Other services fees were RMB16.7 million (US$2.5 million), compared to RMB4.5 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB15.9 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential increases were mainly due to growth in late payment fees as loan origination volume under capital-light model increases.

Total operating costs and expenses were RMB2,332.1 million (US$343.5 million), compared to RMB1,640.7 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB2,346.8 million in the prior quarter.

Origination and servicing expenses were RMB408.7 million (US$60.2 million), compared to RMB290.0 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB399.8 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to growth in loan origination volume and an increase in collection fees as we proactively expanded our collection operations early this year. The sequential increase was partially offset by improvement in operational efficiency.

Funding costs were RMB144.6 million (US$21.3 million), compared to RMB118.4 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB161.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was mainly driven by growth in loan origination volume while funding cost percentage continued to decline. The sequential decrease was mainly due to funding cost percentage decline.

Sales and marketing expenses were RMB271.1 million (US$39.9 million), compared to RMB896.9 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB269.1 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year decline was primarily due to a more conservative customer acquisition strategy and more effective customer acquisition operations.

General and administrative expenses were RMB102.4 million (US$15.1 million), compared to RMB85.6 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB109.5 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was due to expanded business operations, partially offset by our continued effort to improve operational efficiency, which also resulted in sequential decline in general and administrative expenses.

Provision for loans receivable was RMB67.4 million (US$9.9 million), compared to RMB151.0 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB218.6 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year and sequential decline was in part due to the reversal of provision for previous quarters’ on balance sheet loans as asset quality improved.

Provision for financial assets receivable was RMB81.6 million (US$12.0 million), compared to RMB44.6 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB79.2 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was due to growth in loan facilitation volume and higher projected default rates. The sequential increase is mainly due to the growth in loan volume and partially offset by the decreased projected default rates.

Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets was RMB66.2 million (US$9.7 million), compared to RMB54.2 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB90.8 million in the prior quarter. The year-over-year increase was due to growth in loan origination under capital light and higher projected default rates. The sequential decline was driven by improving asset quality.

Provision for contingent liability was RMB1,190.2 million (US$175.3 million), compared to RMB1,018.9 million in the prior quarter. The sequential increase was mainly due to growth in loan origination, partially offset by the reversal of provision for loans originated in prior quarters as those loans performed better than initially expected.

Income from operations was RMB1,371.4 million (US$202.0 million), compared to RMB942.4 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB993.2 million in the prior quarter.

Non-GAAP income from operations was RMB1,427.8 million (US$210.3 million), compared to RMB964.7 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB1,058.9 million in the prior quarter.

Operating margin was 37.0%. Non-GAAP operating margin was 38.6%.

Income before income tax expense was RMB1,459.0 million (US$214.9 million), compared to RMB922.4 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB1,042.7 million in the prior quarter.

Income taxes expense was RMB227.3 million (US$33.5 million). Effective tax rate was 15%, compared to 20% in the same period of 2019 and 15% in the prior quarter.

Net income attributed to the Company was RMB1,231.9 million (US$181.4 million), compared to RMB733.6 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB876.5 million in the prior quarter.

Non-GAAP net income attributed to the Company was RMB1,288.3 million (US$189.7 million), compared to RMB755.9 million in the same period of 2019 and RMB942.2 million in the prior quarter.

Net income margin was 33.3%. Non-GAAP net income margin was 34.8%.

Net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB7.98 (US$1.18).

Non-GAAP net income per fully diluted ADS was RMB8.35 (US$1.23).

Weighted average basic ADS used in calculating GAAP and non-GAAP net income per ADS was 150.09 million.

Weighted average diluted ADS used in calculating GAAP and non-GAAP net income per ADS was 154.32 million.

12 “Financing income” is generated from loans originated through the Company’s platform funded by the consolidated trusts and Fuzhou Microcredit, which charge fees and interests from borrowers.

M1+ Delinquency Rate by Vintage and M6+ Delinquency Rate by Vintage

The following charts and tables display the historical cumulative M1+ delinquency rates by loan origination vintage and M6+ delinquency rates by loan origination vintage for all loans originated through the company’s platform:

http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/f3cac188-719e-4204-86ae-79c9c00f0e97

http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/56137440-b531-4b7d-9629-16301f0aa360

Business Outlook

While it is still prudent to take a conservative approach in business and financial planning given the fast changing regulatory environment as well as some residual impact from the COVID-19, we are encouraged by the strong business momentum. As such the Company would like to raise its total loan origination volume target for fiscal year 2020 to the range of RMB 242 billion to RMB 244 billion, from previous guidance of RMB 200 billion to RMB 220 billion. This forecast reflects the Company’s current and preliminary views, which is subject to change.

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments which has subsequently been amended by ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-10, ASU 2019-11 and ASU 2020-03. This ASU is intended to improve financial reporting by requiring timelier recording of credit losses on loans and other financial instruments held by financial institutions and other organizations. This ASU requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. For public business entities, the guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including final periods within those fiscal years.

We have adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective transition method. The new guidance requires the recognition of credit losses to be measured using an expected credit loss model (referred to as the current expected credit loss (CECL) model). ASC 326 establishes a new accounting principle which requires gross accounting for guarantee liability. That is, to record both a guarantee obligation and an allowance for credit losses, calculated using the CECL impairment model, in addition to the guarantee obligation under ASC 460. As a result, at inception of the guarantee, we have recognized both a stand-ready guarantee liability under ASC 460 with an associated financial assets receivable, and a contingent guarantee liability with an allowance for credit losses under CECL model. Subsequent to the initial recognition, the ASC 460 stand-ready guarantee is recognized into guarantee revenue over the term of the guarantee, while the contingent guarantee is reduced by the payouts made by the company to compensate the investors upon borrowers’ default. Upon adoption, we recognized the cumulative effect of approximately RMB1.43 billion after tax as a decrease to the opening balance of retained earnings and RMB1.9 billion as an increase to the opening balance of guarantee liabilities as of January 1, 2020.

Move from Nasdaq Global Market to Nasdaq Global Select Market

The Company’s application to move the listing of its ADSs from The Nasdaq Global Market to the higher tier of The Nasdaq Global Select Market has been approved by Nasdaq, and its ADSs has begun trading on The Nasdaq Global Select Market from November 19, 2020.

Conference Call

360 DigiTech’s management team will host an earnings conference call at 8:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 19, 2020 (9:00 AM Beijing Time on November 20).

Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

United States: +1-646-722-4977
Hong Kong: +852-3027-6500
Mainland China: 400-821-0637
International: +65-6408-5782
PIN: 60180978#

Please dial in 15 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and provide the PIN to join the call.

A telephone replay of the call will be available after the conclusion of the conference call until November 27, 2020:

United States: +1-646-982-0473
International: +65-6408-5781
Access code: 319338659#

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at ir.360shuke.com.

About 360 DigiTech

360 DigiTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: QFIN) (“360 DigiTech” or the “Company”) is a data driven, technology empowered digital platform. Through its platform the Company enables financial institutions to provide better and targeted products and services to a broader consumer base. The Company also offers standardized risk management service, in the form of SaaS modules to institutional clients. When coupled with its partnership with 360 Group, the Company’s solutions created noticeable advantages in customer acquisition, funding optimization, risk assessment and post-lending management.

For more information, please visit: ir.360shuke.com

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Statement

To supplement our financial results presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use non-GAAP financial measure, which is adjusted from results based on U.S. GAAP to exclude share-based compensation expenses. Reconciliations of our non-GAAP financial measures to our U.S. GAAP financial measures are set forth in tables at the end of this earnings release, which provide more details on the non-GAAP financial measures.

We use non-GAAP income from operation, non-GAAP operation margin, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income margin in evaluating our operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. Non-GAAP income from operation represents income from operation excluding share-based compensation expenses, and non-GAAP net income represents net income excluding share-based compensation expenses. Such adjustments have no impact on income tax. We believe that non-GAAP income from operation and non-GAAP net income help identify underlying trends in our business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of certain expenses that we include in results based on U.S. GAAP. We believe that non-GAAP income from operation and non-GAAP net income provide useful information about our operating results, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by our management in its financial and operational decision-making. Our non-GAAP financial information 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, our calculation of non-GAAP financial information may be different from the calculation used by other companies, and therefore comparability may be limited.

Exchange Rate Information

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars are made at a rate of RMB6.7896 to US$1.00, the exchange rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as of September 30, 2020.

Safe Harbor Statement

Any forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar statements. 360 Finance may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on Forms 20-F and 6-K, 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. Statements that are not historical facts, including the Company’s business outlook for 2019, 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. Further information regarding such risks and uncertainties is included in 360 Finance’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and 360 Finance does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

For more information, please contact:

360 DigiTech      
E-mail: [email protected]

Christensen

In China
Mr. Eric Yuan
Phone: +86-138-0111-0739
E-mail: [email protected]

In US 
Ms. Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004
Email: [email protected]

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

       
  December 31, September 30, September 30,
  2019 2020 2020
  RMB RMB USD
ASSETS      
Current assets:      
Cash and cash equivalents 2,108,123 4,821,031   710,061  
Restricted cash 1,727,727 2,400,617   353,573  
Security deposit prepaid to third-party guarantee companies 932,983 654,633   96,417  
Funds receivable from third party payment service providers 118,860 149,436   22,010  
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net 2,332,364 2,225,995   327,854  
Financial assets receivable, net 1,912,554 3,023,254   445,277  
Amounts due from related parties 478,767 244,687   36,039  
Loans receivable, net 9,239,565 8,164,168   1,202,452  
Prepaid expenses and other assets 652,545 457,484   67,380  
Total current assets 19,503,488 22,141,305   3,261,063  
Non-current assets:      
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net-non current 19,508 314,967   46,390  
Financial assets receivable, net-non current 59,270 551,607   81,243  
Property and equipment, net 17,113 20,706   3,050  
Intangible assets 3,512 3,547   522  
Deferred tax assets 697,348 1,150,562   169,459  
Other non-current assets 55,362 54,766   8,066  
Total non-current assets 852,113 2,096,155   308,730  
TOTAL ASSETS 20,355,601 24,237,460   3,569,793  
       
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

LIABILITIES
     
Current liabilities:      
Payable to investors of the consolidated trusts-current 4,423,717 3,498,751   515,310  
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 720,918 829,935   122,238  
Amounts due to related parties 55,622 53,794   7,923  
Short term loans 200,000 184,870   27,228  
Guarantee liabilities-stand ready  2,212,125 3,647,546   537,225  
Guarantee liabilities-contingent  734,730 3,525,452   519,243  
Income tax payable 1,056,219 935,778   137,825  
Other tax payable 263,856 156,614   23,067  
Total current liabilities 9,667,187 12,832,740   1,890,059  
Non-current liabilities:      
Deferred tax liabilities                     –                14,825                   2,183  
Payable to investors of the consolidated trusts-noncurrent 3,442,500        3,138,526   462,255  
Other long-term liabilities 31,184              20,544   3,026  
Total non-current liabilities 3,473,684 3,173,895   467,464  
TOTAL LIABILITIES 13,140,871 16,006,635   2,357,523  
Ordinary shares 20 21   3  
Additional paid-in capital 5,117,184 5,309,654   782,028  
Retained earnings  2,071,332 2,932,733   431,945  
Other comprehensive income (loss) 24,906 (12,540 ) (1,847 )
TOTAL 360 DIGITECH INC EQUITY 7,213,442 8,229,868   1,212,129  
Noncontrolling interests 1,288 957   141  
TOTAL EQUITY 7,214,730 8,230,825   1,212,270  
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 20,355,601 24,237,460   3,569,793  
       

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

               
   
Three months ended September 30,
 
   
Nine months ended September 30,
 
  2019 2020 2020   2019 2020 2020
  RMB RMB USD   RMB RMB USD
Credit driven services 2,129,275   2,955,392   435,282     6,034,567   8,846,546   1,302,954  
    Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital heavy 1,555,089   1,220,748   179,797     4,994,681   3,741,738   551,098  
    Financing income 409,763   530,766   78,173     724,223   1,768,279   260,439  
    Revenue from releasing of guarantee liabilities  119,579   1,172,640   172,711     204,261   3,255,371   479,464  
    Other services fees 44,844   31,238   4,601     111,402   81,158   11,953  
Platform services 453,764   748,129   110,187     784,399   1,379,922   203,240  
    Loan facilitation and servicing fees-capital light 336,269   663,354   97,701     465,007   1,145,564   168,723  
    Referral services fees 113,004   68,086   10,028     312,720   187,149   27,564  
    Other services fees 4,491   16,689   2,458     6,672   47,209   6,953  
Total net revenue 2,583,039   3,703,521   545,469     6,818,966   10,226,468   1,506,194  
    Origination and servicing 290,003   408,693   60,194     753,789   1,156,112   170,277  
    Funding costs 118,402   144,596   21,297     209,148   464,272   68,380  
    Sales and marketing 896,907   271,082   39,926     2,424,948   763,144   112,399  
    General and administrative 85,584   102,387   15,080     309,230   320,606   47,220  
    Provision for loans receivable 151,010   67,383   9,924     205,808   593,211   87,371  
    Provision for financial assets receivable 44,607   81,642   12,025     101,517   254,565   37,493  
    Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets 54,156   66,163   9,745     183,149   213,950   31,511  
    Provision for contingent liabilities                      –     1,190,176   175,294                        –     3,911,793   576,145  
Total operating costs and expenses 1,640,669   2,332,122   343,485     4,187,589   7,677,653   1,130,796  
Income from operations 942,370   1,371,399   201,984     2,631,377   2,548,815   375,398  
    Interest (expense) income, net (25,546 ) 19,623   2,890     (27,478 ) 44,601   6,569  
    Foreign exchange (loss) gain  (64,793 ) 63,408   9,339     (67,521 ) 39,521   5,821  
    Other income, net 70,409   4,609   679     94,305   96,899   14,272  
Income before income tax expense 922,440   1,459,039   214,892     2,630,683   2,729,836   402,060  
    Income taxes expense (188,952 ) (227,315 ) (33,480 )   (559,077 ) (438,492 ) (64,583 )
Net income 733,488   1,231,724   181,412     2,071,606   2,291,344   337,477  
    Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 73   151   22     73   453   67  
Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of the Company 733,561   1,231,875   181,434     2,071,679   2,291,797   337,544  
Net income per ordinary share attributable to ordinary shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc.              
Basic                2.55                  4.10                   0.60                    7.20                  7.73                  1.14  
Diluted                2.45                  3.99                   0.59                    6.88                  7.50                  1.10  
               
Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc.               
Basic                5.10                  8.20                   1.20                 14.40               15.46                  2.28  
Diluted                4.90                  7.98                   1.18                 13.76               15.00                  2.20  
               
Weighted average shares used in calculating net income per ordinary share              
Basic 288,054,825   300,174,655    300,174,655     287,788,219   296,518,120   296,518,120  
Diluted 299,107,729   308,646,862    308,646,862     301,306,666   305,520,538   305,520,538  
               

 

Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive (Loss)/Income

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

       
   
Three months ended September 30,
 
  2019 2020 2020
  RMB RMB USD
Net income 733,488 1,231,724   181,412  
Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil:      
Foreign currency translation adjustment 68,476 (64,847 ) (9,551 )
Other comprehensive income (loss) 68,476 (64,847 ) (9,551 )
Total comprehensive income 801,964 1,166,877   171,861  
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 73 151   22  
Comprehensive income attributable to ordinary shareholders 802,037 1,167,028   171,883  
       
       
   
Nine months ended September 30,
 
  2019 2020 2020
  RMB RMB USD
Net income 2,071,606 2,291,344   337,477  
Other comprehensive income, net of tax of nil:      
Foreign currency translation adjustment 65,946 (37,446 ) (5,515 )
Other comprehensive income (loss) 65,946 (37,446 ) (5,515 )
Total comprehensive income 2,137,552 2,253,898   331,962  
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 73 453   67  
Comprehensive income attributable to ordinary shareholders 2,137,625 2,254,351   332,029  
           

 

Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results

(Amounts in thousands of Renminbi (“RMB”) and U.S. dollars (“USD”)
except for number of shares and per share data, or otherwise noted)

       
   
Three months ended September 30,
 
  2019  2020  2020
  RMB RMB USD
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net Income to Net Income      
Net income 733,488   1,231,724   181,412
Add: Share-based compensation expenses 22,320   56,396   8,306
Non-GAAP net income 755,808   1,288,120   189,718
Non-GAAP net income margin 29.3 % 34.8 %  
GAAP net income margin 28.4 % 33.3 %  
       
Net income attributable to shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc 733,561   1,231,875   181,434
Add: Share-based compensation expenses 22,320   56,396   8,306
Non-GAAP net income attributable to shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc 755,881   1,288,271   189,740
Weighted average ADS used in calculating net income per ordinary share  -diluted 149,553,865   154,323,431   154,323,431
Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc. -diluted 4.90   7.98   1.18
Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc. -diluted 5.05   8.35   1.23
       
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Income from operations to Income from operations      
Income from operations 942,370   1,371,399   201,984
Add: Share-based compensation expenses 22,320   56,396   8,306
Non-GAAP Income from operations 964,690   1,427,795   210,290
Non-GAAP operating margin 37.3 % 38.6 %  
GAAP operating margin 36.5 % 37.0 %  
       
       
   
Nine months ended September 30,
 
  2019   2020   2020
  RMB RMB USD
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Net Income to Net Income      
Net income 2,071,606   2,291,344   337,477
Add: Share-based compensation expenses 164,702   193,447   28,492
Non-GAAP net income 2,236,308   2,484,791   365,969
Non-GAAP net income margin 32.8 % 24.3 %  
GAAP net income margin 30.4 % 22.4 %  
       
Net income attributable to shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc 2,071,679   2,291,797   337,544
Add: Share-based compensation expenses 164,702   193,447   28,492
Non-GAAP net income attributable to shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc 2,236,381   2,485,244   366,036
Weighted average ADS used in calculating net income per ordinary share  -diluted 150,653,333   152,760,269   152,760,269
Net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc. -diluted 13.76   15.00   2.20
Non-GAAP net income per ADS attributable to ordinary shareholders of 360 DigiTech, Inc. -diluted 14.84   16.27   2.40
       
Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Income from operations to Income from operations      
Income from operations 2,631,377   2,548,815   375,398
Add: Share-based compensation expenses 164,702   193,447   28,492
Non-GAAP Income from operations 2,796,079   2,742,262   403,890
Non-GAAP operating margin 41.0 % 26.8 %  
GAAP operating margin 38.6 % 24.9 %  

 



Sysco Declares Quarterly Dividend Payment

HOUSTON, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY) today announced that the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.45 per share, payable on January 29, 2021, to common stockholders of record at the close of business on January 8, 2021.


A


bout Sysco

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 57,000 associates, the company operates 326 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 625,000 customer locations. For fiscal 2020 that ended June 27, 2020, the company generated sales of more than $52 billion. Information about our CSR program, including Sysco’s 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, can be found at sysco.com/csr2020report.

For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoCorporation or Twitter at https://twitter.com/Sysco. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. Investors should also follow us at www.twitter.com/SyscoStock and download the Sysco IR App, available on the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Market. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information.

For more information contact:
   
Shannon Mutschler Rachel Lee
Media Contact Investor Relations Contact
[email protected]  [email protected] 
T 281-584-4059 T 281-436-7815



Methode Electronics to Announce Second Quarter Fiscal 2021 Results on Thursday, December 3, 2020

CHICAGO, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: MEI), a global developer of custom engineered and application specific products and solutions, today announced it will release its second quarter fiscal 2021 results for the period ended October 31, 2020, on Thursday, December 3, 2020, before the market opens.

Following the release, the company will conduct a conference call and webcast to review financial and operational highlights led by its President and Chief Executive Officer, Donald W. Duda, and Chief Financial Officer, Ron Tsoumas, at 10:00 a.m. CST.

To participate in the conference call, please dial (877) 407-8031 (domestic) or (201) 689-8031 (international) at least five minutes prior to the start of the event. A simultaneous webcast can be accessed through the company’s website, www.methode.com, by selecting the Investors page.

A replay of the teleconference will be available shortly after the call through December 17, 2020, by dialing (877) 481-4010 and providing passcode 38912. A replay will also be available through the company’s website, www.methode.com, by selecting the Investors page.

About Methode Electronics, Inc.

Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: MEI) is a global developer of custom engineered and application specific products and solutions with manufacturing, design and testing facilities in Belgium, Canada, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. We design, manufacture and market devices employing electrical, radio remote control, electronic, LED lighting and sensing technologies. Our business is managed on a segment basis, with those segments being Automotive, Industrial, Interface and Medical.

Our components are found in the primary end-markets of the aerospace, appliance, construction, consumer and industrial equipment, communications (including information processing and storage, networking equipment, wireless and terrestrial voice/data systems), medical, rail, consumer automotive, commercial vehicle, and other transportation industries.

For Methode Electronics, Inc.

Robert K. Cherry
Vice President, Investor Relations
[email protected]
708-457-4030



MannKind Receives Fourth $12.5 Million Milestone Payment from United Therapeutics

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD) today announced that it has achieved the final development milestone under its licensing and collaboration agreement with United Therapeutics for the development and commercialization of a dry powder formulation of treprostinil.

Treprostinil Technosphere (“TreT”) is an investigational product currently being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). All current clinical trials are now fully enrolled, including the BREEZE study in patients with PAH and a pivotal pharmacokinetics study in healthy subjects, both of which are being conducted by United Therapeutics, as well as a human factors study being conducted by MannKind. In addition, MannKind’s stability program for TreT has reached the milestone required for a regulatory filing.

“We are looking forward to working with United Therapeutics during the first part of 2021 to prepare an FDA submission for TreT,” said Michael Castagna, Chief Executive Officer of MannKind.

MannKind has now received all of the milestone payments that were specified in its agreement with United Therapeutics. MannKind remains entitled to receive low double-digit royalties on net sales of TreT. MannKind will also manufacture supplies of TreT for United Therapeutics and will earn a manufacturing margin.

About Mann
Kind
Corporation

MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ: MNKD) focuses on the development and commercialization of inhaled therapeutic products for patients with endocrine and orphan lung diseases. MannKind is currently commercializing Afrezza® (insulin human) Inhalation Powder, the Company’s first FDA-approved product and the only inhaled ultra rapid-acting mealtime insulin in the United States, where it is available by prescription from pharmacies nationwide. MannKind is headquartered in Westlake Village, California, and has a state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Danbury, Connecticut. The Company also employs field sales and medical representatives across the U.S. For further information, visit www.mannkindcorp.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “will,” “goal,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon MannKind’s current expectations. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties detailed in MannKind’s filings with the SEC. For a discussion of these and other factors, please refer to MannKind’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as well as MannKind’s other filings with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and MannKind undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Company Contact
:

818-661-5000
[email protected]



Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals Stockholders Approve Combination with F-star Therapeutics

1-for-4 Reverse Stock Split to be Effective November 20, 2020

HOPKINTON, Mass., Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: SBPH) (“Spring Bank”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics for oncology and inflammatory diseases, announced that at its special meeting of stockholders held earlier today, Spring Bank’s stockholders approved the issuance of shares of Spring Bank common stock to holders of share capital of F-star Therapeutics Limited (“F-star”) in connection with its proposed combination with F-star (the “Exchange”). In connection with the Exchange, stockholders also approved a proposal to effect a reverse stock split of all outstanding shares of Spring Bank common stock at a reverse stock split ratio as mutually agreed to be Spring Bank and F-star in the range of one new share for every three to seven shares outstanding (or any number in between). Spring Bank and F-star have agreed that the exchange ratio for the reverse stock split will be one for every four shares of Spring Bank common stock outstanding (the “Reverse Stock Split”). The Reverse Stock Split will be effective for trading purposes as of the commencement of trading on Friday, November 20, 2020. At the special meeting, Spring Bank stockholders also approved a change of the corporate name of Spring Bank from “Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc.” to “F-star Therapeutics, Inc.” effective upon closing of the Exchange. It is anticipated that the closing of the Exchange will occur on November 20, 2020.

As a result of the Reverse Stock Split, the number of issued and outstanding shares of Spring Bank’s common stock immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split will be reduced into a smaller number of shares, such that every 4 shares of Spring Bank’s common stock held by a stockholder immediately prior to the Reverse Stock Split will be combined and reclassified into one share of Spring Bank’s common stock. No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the Reverse Stock Split. Stockholders of record who otherwise would be entitled to receive fractional shares because they hold a number of pre-split shares not evenly divisible by the number of pre-split shares for which each post-split share is to be reclassified, will be entitled to a cash payment equal to the product of such fraction to which the stockholder would otherwise be entitled multiplied by the closing price of Spring Bank’s common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on the last trading day prior to the Reverse Stock Split effective time (as adjusted to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split), rounded up to the nearest whole cent. The Reverse Stock Split will not affect the total number of authorized shares of Spring Bank common stock.

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) concerning Spring Bank, F-star, the proposed Exchange, the satisfaction of applicable closing conditions, the effectiveness of the Reverse Stock Split and other matters. These statements may discuss goals, intentions and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the management of Spring Bank or F-star as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management of Spring Bank and F-star. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the risk that the conditions to the closing of the proposed Exchange are not satisfied; uncertainties as to the timing of the completion of the proposed Exchange; the ability of each of Spring Bank and F-star to complete the Exchange and other transactions contemplated thereby; and risks associated with the possible failure to realize certain anticipated benefits of the proposed Exchange, including with respect to future financial and operating results. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in Spring Bank’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC. Spring Bank can give no assurance that the conditions to the Exchange will be satisfied. Except as required by applicable law, Spring Bank undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals, Inc

Investors & Media:

Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals
Garrett Winslow
(508) 473-5993



First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund Declares its Monthly Common Share Distribution of $0.1194 Per Share for December

First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund Declares its Monthly Common Share Distribution of $0.1194 Per Share for December

WHEATON, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund (the “Fund”) (NYSE: FTHY) has declared the Fund’s regularly scheduled monthly common share distribution in the amount of $0.1194 per share payable on December 28, 2020, to shareholders of record as of December 2, 2020. The ex-dividend date is expected to be December 1, 2020. The monthly distribution information for the Fund appears below.

First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund (FTHY):

Distribution per share:

$0.1194

Distribution Rate based on the November 18, 2020 NAV of $21.12:

6.78%

Distribution Rate based on the November 18, 2020 closing market price of $19.68:

7.28%

We anticipate these distributions will be paid out of net investment income earned by the Fund. The final determination of the source and tax status of all distributions paid in 2020 will be made after the end of 2020 and will be provided on Form 1099-DIV.

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide current income. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its managed assets in high yield debt securities of any maturity that are rated below investment grade at the time of purchase or unrated securities determined by First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) to be of comparable quality. High yield debt securities include U.S. and non-U.S. corporate debt obligations and senior, secured floating rate loans (“Senior Loans”). Securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” securities and are considered speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective or that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) is a federally registered investment advisor and serves as the Fund’s investment advisor. FTA and its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately-held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $147 billion as of October 31, 2020 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. FTA is the supervisor of the First Trust unit investment trusts, while FTP is the sponsor. FTP is also a distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. FTA and FTP are based in Wheaton, Illinois.

Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. The Fund may not be appropriate for all investors.

Principal Risk Factors: Securities held by the Fund, as well as shares of the Fund itself, are subject to market fluctuations caused by factors such as general economic conditions, political events, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments as a result of the risk of loss associated with these market fluctuations. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. The outbreak of the respiratory disease designated as COVID-19 in December 2019 has caused significant volatility and declines in global financial markets, which have caused losses for investors. The impact of this COVID-19 pandemic may last for an extended period of time and will continue to impact the economy for the foreseeable future.

The Fund will typically invest in securities rated below investment grade, which are commonly referred to as “junk” or “high yield” securities and considered speculative because of the credit risk of their issuers. Such issuers are more likely than investment grade issuers to default on their payments of interest and principal owed to the Fund, and such defaults could reduce the Fund’s NAV and income distributions. An economic downturn would generally lead to a higher non-payment rate, and a high yield security may lose significant market value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a high yield security may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the high yield security’s value.

The debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to certain risks, including issuer risk, reinvestment risk, prepayment risk, credit risk, and interest rate risk. Issuer risk is the risk that the value of fixed-income securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called bonds at market interest rates that are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate. Prepayment risk is the risk that, upon a prepayment, the actual outstanding debt on which the Fund derives interest income will be reduced. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/or principal payments when due and that the value of a security may decline as a result. Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed-income securities will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates.

Senior Loans are structured as floating rate instruments in which the interest rate payable on the obligation fluctuates with interest rate changes. As a result, the yield on Senior Loans will generally decline in a falling interest rate environment, causing the Fund to experience a reduction in the income it receives from a Senior Loan. In addition, the market value of Senior Loans may fall in a declining interest rate environment and may also fall in a rising interest rate environment if there is a lag between the rise in interest rates and the reset. Many Senior Loans have a minimum base rate, or floor (typically, a “LIBOR floor”), which will be used if the actual base rate is below the minimum base rate. To the extent the Fund invests in such Senior Loans, the Fund may not benefit from higher coupon payments during periods of increasing interest rates as it otherwise would from investments in Senior Loans without any floors until rates rise to levels above the LIBOR floors. As a result, the Fund may lose some of the benefits of incurring leverage. Specifically, if the Fund’s borrowings have floating dividend or interest rates, its costs of leverage will increase as rates increase. In this situation, the Fund will experience increased financing costs without the benefit of receiving higher income. This in turn may result in the potential for a decrease in the level of income available for dividends or distributions to be made by the Fund.

The senior loan market has seen a significant increase in loans with weaker lender protections including, but not limited to, limited financial maintenance covenants or, in some cases, no financial maintenance covenants (i.e., “covenant-lite loans”) that would typically be included in a traditional loan agreement and general weakening of other restrictive covenants applicable to the borrower such as limitations on incurrence of additional debt, restrictions on payments of junior debt or restrictions on dividends and distributions. Weaker lender protections such as the absence of financial maintenance covenants in a loan agreement and the inclusion of “borrower-favorable” terms may impact recovery values and/or trading levels of senior loans in the future. The absence of financial maintenance covenants in a loan agreement generally means that the lender may not be able to declare a default if financial performance deteriorates. This may hinder the Fund’s ability to reprice credit risk associated with a particular borrower and reduce the Fund’s ability to restructure a problematic loan and mitigate potential loss. As a result, the Fund’s exposure to losses on investments in senior loans may be increased, especially during a downturn in the credit cycle or changes in market or economic conditions.

Many financial instruments use or may use a floating rate based upon the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is being phased out by the end of 2021. There remains some uncertainty regarding the future of utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate.

A second lien loan may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first lien or it may be secured by a separate set of assets. Second lien loans are typically secured by a second priority security interest or lien on specified collateral securing the borrower’s obligation under the interest and present a greater degree of investment risk. These loans are also subject to the risk that borrower cash flow and property securing the loan may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to those loans with a higher priority. These loans also have greater price volatility than those loans with a higher priority and may be less liquid. However, second lien loans often pay interest at higher rates than first lien loans reflecting such additional risks.

The Fund intends to terminate on or about August 1, 2027. Because the assets of the Fund will be liquidated in connection with the termination, the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities when it otherwise would not, including at times when market conditions are not favorable, which may cause the Fund to lose money. The Fund is not a “target term” Fund and its primary objective is to provide high current income. As a result, the Fund may not return the Fund’s initial public offering price of $20.00 per share at its termination.

Use of leverage can result in additional risk and cost, and can magnify the effect of any losses.

The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the shareholder report and other regulatory filings.

The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any other regulatory framework. Financial professionals are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.

The Fund’s daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by calling 1-800-988-5891.

Press Inquiries Jane Doyle 630-765-8775

Analyst Inquiries Jeff Margolin 630-915-6784

Broker Inquiries Jeff Margolin 630-915-6784

KEYWORDS: United States North America Illinois

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Professional Services Finance

MEDIA:

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Logo

Novo Reports Scheduling of Annual General Meeting

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Novo Resources Corp. (“Novo” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: NVO & NVO.WT; OTCQX: NSRPF) reports that its annual general meeting (the “Meeting”) has been scheduled for December 17, 2020 at 4 pm PST.

The Company is pleased to announce that its board of directors (the “Board”) has proposed that the size of the Board be increased to six directors and has invited Mr. Ross Hamilton of Perth, Western Australia to stand for election to the Board at the Meeting. Mr. Hamilton has over 20 years of international experience in sustainability, environmental stewardship, climate change, community engagement, indigenous affairs and stakeholder relations within the mining, metals and large infrastructure sectors. Mr. Hamilton is the founder and director of an environmental, social and corporate governance focused advisory firm and serves as an expert advisor to the International Finance Corporation and the UN Global Compact. He previously served as a Director at the International Council on Mining and Metals based in London, UK, and in several leadership roles at BHP in Western Australia. Mr. Hamilton holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) degree from Monash University and a Master’s degree in Sustainability Management from Curtin University.

Due to the ongoing health risk related to the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing government restrictions on public gatherings in support of social distancing, the Company strongly recommends that shareholders cast their votes by proxy in advance of the Meeting and not attend the Meeting in person. Despite this, any registered shareholder wishing to attend the Meeting must contact Diane Barley at [email protected] in advance so that they may be informed of applicable safety protocols. Please see the Company’s notice of meeting and information circular, as filed under the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com, and on the Company’s website at www.novoresources.com, for further details of the Meeting.

Recognizing the important opportunity that an annual meeting provides shareholders to both hear from, and communicate with, management, a presentation and virtual question and answer period will be organized, details of which will be announced in the near future

Shareholders with any questions are encouraged to contact Leo Karabelas at [email protected] or +1-416-543-3120.

About Novo Resources Corp.

Novo is advancing its flagship Beatons Creek gold project to production while exploring and developing its highly prospective land package covering approximately 14,000 square kilometres in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In addition to the Company’s primary focus, Novo seeks to leverage its internal geological expertise to deliver value-accretive opportunities to its shareholders. For more information, please contact Leo Karabelas at (416) 543-3120 or e-mail [email protected]

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Novo Resources Corp.

Quinton Hennigh

Quinton Hennigh
President and Chairman

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.



Apollo Senior Floating Rate Fund Inc. and Apollo Tactical Income Fund Inc.

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (NYSE: AFT) – Apollo Senior Floating Rate Fund Inc. and (NYSE: AIF) – Apollo Tactical Income Fund Inc. (the “Funds”) announced today that the Board of each Fund has elected that each Fund be subject to the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act (the “MCSAA”), effective immediately. Each Board believes that electing to be subject to the MCSAA protects the interests of the Funds and their stockholders. The objective of the MCSAA is to protect the interests of all stockholders of a Maryland corporation. Maryland lawmakers instituted the MCSAA to limit the ability of any single stockholder to exert undue influence in pursuit of short-term gains at the expense of long-term value for fund stockholders and a fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

The election to become subject to the MCSAA limits the ability of holders of “control shares” to vote those shares above various threshold levels that start at 10% unless the other stockholders of a Fund reinstate or approve those voting rights at a meeting of stockholders as provided in the MCSAA. The bylaws for each Fund provide that the provisions of the MCSAA do not apply to the voting rights of the holders of any shares of preferred stock of the Fund (but only with respect to such preferred stock).

The above description of the MCSAA is only a high-level summary and does not purport to be complete. Investors should refer to the actual provisions of the MCSAA and each Fund’s bylaws for more information, including definitions of key terms, various exclusions and exemptions from the statute’s scope, and the procedures by which stockholders may approve the reinstatement of voting rights to holders of “control shares.”

An investment in a Fund involves risk, including loss of principal. Investment return and the value of shares will fluctuate. Any commentary provided in this press release is for informational purposes only.

Apollo Contact Information:

Product Literature

877-864-4834

Investors

Peter Mintzberg
Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
212-822-0538
[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements that are forward looking, as that term is defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or by the Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations and releases. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions related to the Fund’s expectations regarding the performance of its business, its liquidity and capital resources and the other non-historical statements in the discussion and analysis. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used in this release, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including risks relating to our dependence on certain key personnel, our ability to raise new Private Equity or Capital Markets funds, market conditions, generally, our ability to manage our rapid growth, fund performance, changes in our regulatory environment and tax status, the variability of our revenue, net income and cash flow, our use of leverage to finance our businesses and investments by our funds and litigation risks, among others.

 



First Trust/Aberdeen Global Opportunity Income Fund Declares its Monthly Common Share Distribution of $0.08 Per Share for December

First Trust/Aberdeen Global Opportunity Income Fund Declares its Monthly Common Share Distribution of $0.08 Per Share for December

WHEATON, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
First Trust/Aberdeen Global Opportunity Income Fund (the “Fund”) (NYSE: FAM) has declared the Fund’s regularly scheduled monthly common share distribution in the amount of $0.08 per share payable on December 15, 2020, to shareholders of record as of December 2, 2020. The ex-dividend date is expected to be December 1, 2020. The monthly distribution information for the Fund appears below.

First Trust/Aberdeen Global Opportunity Income Fund (FAM):

Distribution per share:

$0.08

Distribution Rate based on the November 18, 2020 NAV of $11.05:

8.69%

Distribution Rate based on the November 18, 2020 closing market price of $10.22:

9.39%

This distribution will consist of net investment income earned by the Fund and return of capital and may also consist of realized capital gains. The final determination of the source and tax status of all distributions paid in 2020 will be made after the end of 2020 and will be provided on Form 1099-DIV.

The Fund is a diversified, closed-end management investment company that seeks to provide a high level of current income. As a secondary objective, the Fund seeks capital appreciation. The Fund pursues these investment objectives by investing in the world bond markets through a diversified portfolio of investment grade and below-investment grade government and corporate debt securities.

First Trust Advisors L.P. (“FTA”) is a federally registered investment advisor and serves as the Fund’s investment advisor. FTA and its affiliate First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FTP”), a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately-held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately $147 billion as of October 31, 2020 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. FTA is the supervisor of the First Trust unit investment trusts, while FTP is the sponsor. FTP is also a distributor of mutual fund shares and exchange-traded fund creation units. FTA and FTP are based in Wheaton, Illinois.

Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc. (“ASII”), (formerly, Aberdeen Asset Management Inc.), serves as the Fund’s investment sub-advisor. ASII is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Standard Life Aberdeen plc. Aberdeen Standard Investments is the brand name for the asset management group of Standard Life Aberdeen plc, managing approximately $562.9 billion in assets as of June 30, 2020, for a range of pension funds, financial institutions, investment trusts, unit trusts, offshore funds, charities and private clients.

Past performance is no assurance of future results. Investment return and market value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate. Shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved. The Fund may not be appropriate for all investors.

Principal Risk Factors: Securities held by a fund, as well as shares of a fund itself, are subject to market fluctuations caused by factors such as general economic conditions, political events, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of a fund could decline in value or underperform other investments as a result of the risk of loss associated with these market fluctuations. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative impact on a fund and its investments. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. The outbreak of the respiratory disease designated as COVID-19 in December 2019 has caused significant volatility and declines in global financial markets, which have caused losses for investors. The COVID-19 pandemic may last for an extended period of time and will continue to impact the economy for the foreseeable future.

The Fund invests in securities of non-U.S. issuers which are subject to higher volatility than securities of U.S. issuers. The Fund may invest from time to time a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a single country or region. Risks may be heightened for securities of companies located in, or with significant operations in, emerging market countries. Because the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities, you may lose money if the local currency of a non-U.S. market depreciates against the U.S. dollar.

The Fund invests in non-investment grade debt instruments, commonly referred to as “high-yield securities”. High-yield securities are subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss than securities with higher ratings. Lower-quality debt tends to be less liquid than higher-quality debt.

The debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to certain risks, including issuer risk, reinvestment risk, prepayment risk, credit risk, and interest rate risk. Issuer risk is the risk that the value of fixed-income securities may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer. Reinvestment risk is the risk that income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called bonds at market interest rates that are below the Fund portfolio’s current earnings rate. Prepayment risk is the risk that, upon a prepayment, the actual outstanding debt on which the Fund derives interest income will be reduced. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will be unable or unwilling to make dividend, interest and/or principal payments when due and that the value of a security may decline as a result. Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed-income securities will decline in value because of changes in market interest rates.

Investments in securities of issuers located in emerging market countries are considered speculative and there is a heightened risk of investing in emerging markets securities. Financial and other reporting by companies and government entities also may be less reliable in emerging market countries. Shareholder claims that are available in the U.S., as well as regulatory oversight and authority that is common in the U.S., including for claims based on fraud, may be difficult or impossible for shareholders of securities in emerging market countries or for U.S. authorities to pursue.

Forward foreign currency exchange contracts involve certain risks, including the risk of failure of the counterparty to perform its obligations under the contract and the risk that the use of forward contracts may not serve as a complete hedge because of an imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the contracts and the prices of the currencies hedged.

Many financial instruments use or may use a floating rate based upon the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is being phased out by the end of 2021. There remains some uncertainty regarding the future utilization of LIBOR and the nature of any replacement rate.

Use of leverage can result in additional risk and cost, and can magnify the effect of any losses.

The risks of investing in the Fund are spelled out in the shareholder reports and other regulatory filings.

The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. By providing this information, First Trust is not undertaking to give advice in any fiduciary capacity within the meaning of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code or any other regulatory framework. Financial professionals are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.

The Fund’s daily closing New York Stock Exchange price and net asset value per share as well as other information can be found at www.ftportfolios.com or by calling 1-800-988-5891.

Press Inquiries Jane Doyle 630-765-8775

Analyst Inquiries Jeff Margolin 630-915-6784

Broker Inquiries Jeff Margolin 630-915-6784

KEYWORDS: Illinois United States North America

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Professional Services Finance

MEDIA:

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Apollo Senior Floating Rate Fund Inc. and Apollo Tactical Income Fund Inc.

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (NYSE: AFT) – Apollo Senior Floating Rate Fund Inc. and (NYSE: AIF) – Apollo Tactical Income Fund Inc. (the “Funds”) announced today that the Board of each Fund has elected that each Fund be subject to the Maryland Control Share Acquisition Act (the “MCSAA”), effective immediately. Each Board believes that electing to be subject to the MCSAA protects the interests of the Funds and their stockholders. The objective of the MCSAA is to protect the interests of all stockholders of a Maryland corporation. Maryland lawmakers instituted the MCSAA to limit the ability of any single stockholder to exert undue influence in pursuit of short-term gains at the expense of long-term value for fund stockholders and a fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

The election to become subject to the MCSAA limits the ability of holders of “control shares” to vote those shares above various threshold levels that start at 10% unless the other stockholders of a Fund reinstate or approve those voting rights at a meeting of stockholders as provided in the MCSAA. The bylaws for each Fund provide that the provisions of the MCSAA do not apply to the voting rights of the holders of any shares of preferred stock of the Fund (but only with respect to such preferred stock).

The above description of the MCSAA is only a high-level summary and does not purport to be complete. Investors should refer to the actual provisions of the MCSAA and each Fund’s bylaws for more information, including definitions of key terms, various exclusions and exemptions from the statute’s scope, and the procedures by which stockholders may approve the reinstatement of voting rights to holders of “control shares.”

An investment in a Fund involves risk, including loss of principal. Investment return and the value of shares will fluctuate. Any commentary provided in this press release is for informational purposes only.

Apollo Contact Information:

Product Literature

877-864-4834

Investors

Peter Mintzberg
Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
212-822-0538
[email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain statements that are forward looking, as that term is defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or by the Securities and Exchange Commission in its rules, regulations and releases. These statements include, but are not limited to, discussions related to the Fund’s expectations regarding the performance of its business, its liquidity and capital resources and the other non-historical statements in the discussion and analysis. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. When used in this release, the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including risks relating to our dependence on certain key personnel, our ability to raise new Private Equity or Capital Markets funds, market conditions, generally, our ability to manage our rapid growth, fund performance, changes in our regulatory environment and tax status, the variability of our revenue, net income and cash flow, our use of leverage to finance our businesses and investments by our funds and litigation risks, among others.