GOME Retail In 1H 2022 consolidated gross profit margin significantly increased to 19.8%, Cash flows from operating activities improved significantly and positively

Focused on the core business and creating a new profit model

Technology empowered business transformation

HONG KONG - GOME Retail Holdings Limited (HKEX Code: 493. HK, "GOME" or "the Company", and together with its subsidiaries, "the Group")announced its unaudited interim results during the six months ended 30 June 2022 (the "Reporting Period").

The consolidated gross profit margin and operating cash flow improved significantly, and construction of the full retail ecological sharing platform has been completed

In 1H 2022, GOME continues to promote the implementation of the "Home . Living" Strategy, and based on the development philosophy from the platform perspective, users' perspective, and technology perspective, the Company created a "full retail ecosystem sharing platform" by establishing and integrating its six business platforms, namely "online platform, offline platform, supply chain platform, logistics platform, big data & cloud platform and sharing and joint development platform". The Group further promoted the grid-based model of "Home Living and Home Services" by implementing the core business strategies of entertainment-oriented marketing, low price, quality service, and technology, striving to meet the all-around consumption and service needs of family users.

In the first half of the year, there are various lockdown and control measures in most regions affected by the recurring outbreaks of the pandemic in China, the momentum of economic recovery slowed down, and offline entities were disrupted significantly. And online business was also hit hard since the outbreak of the pandemic because of the disruption to the logistics service. However, with the gradual introduction of the national stimulus package, such as the stimulus to automobile consumption in June, or in July 13 departments including the Ministry of Commerce issued the "Several Measures on Promoting Green and Smart Appliance Consumption" to comprehensively promote the domestic green and smart household appliance consumption, would greatly benefiting the company's business recovery and significant growth in future. In 1H of 2022, the sales revenue of the Group was approximately RMB12,109 million, and the consolidated gross profit margin was approximately 19.81%, increasing substantially by 5.56 percentage points as compared to the corresponding period last year. The Group's operating expenses were approximately RMB4,839 million, which decreased by 3.10% as compared to the corresponding period last year. The Group's loss attributable to the owners of the parent was approximately RMB2,966 million. During the Reporting Period, the Group's cash flows generated from operating activities had significant improvement over the corresponding period last year, achieving a positive net inflow of RMB55 million.

Focusing on the main business with a vertical model, reduce the burden in the second half year

The field of household appliances is the traditional strength of GOME Retail, the Group's strategic focus in the coming period will focus on the main business with the vertical model. GOME will focus on retail sales of household appliances and consumer electronic products, based on the Company's years of experience in the retail field, relying on a large number of offline stores throughout the country and its existing supply chain and after-sales and other infrastructure, to form five main profit models: exhibition (offline boutique experience), marketing (online and offline omni-channel self-management + sharing supply chain), integrated solutions for home electronics products, extension products for wide scope home appliances and value-added services (delivery, after-sales, extended warranty, paid membership operation, etc.), in which the separation of exhibition and sales and adding the new offline display service charging model would benefit our revenue structure optimized. The effect of the transformation has been shown in the 1H 2022, the Group's consolidated gross profit was RMB2.4 billion, and the consolidated gross profit margin was approximately 19.81%, increased by 5.5 percentage points as compared to the corresponding period last year.

By closing inefficient stores and expanding franchised stores, GOME will comprehensively optimize the store network layout, strengthening the cost reduction in the second half of the year. Maintaining the coverage of offline stores, the number of offline stores was reduced by 370, and the Company plans to close 30%-35% of inefficient businesses' self-operated stores in the future. Unrelated or loss-making businesses will be spun off, sold, or discontinued, and investment in expensive businesses will be gradually reduced. And since Q2, GOME has optimized personnel allocation, improved employees' quality and professionalism, and effective control the Company's salary costs.

Offline stores optimized and upgraded, and the new model helps regain market share

The Group will build an all-scenario and omni-channel provider of O2O appliances and consumer electronics retail by strengthening technology empowerment and comprehensively improving the operation quality of stores. While retaining 700 high-quality and efficient self-operated stores, the Group plans to add 100 superior city pavilions to optimize the grid-based model and improve the existing sales per unit area; with Gome's high-quality management model and supply chain, the Company will rapidly expand its network layout to cover the first to sixth tier cities nationwide with grid-based coverage to quickly regain its original market advantage.

In addition, since July, stores in Chongqing, Wuhan, and other cities have begun to implement the new mode of operation. The new model stores will implement a separate exhibition and sales model to meet consumers' needs for a better product experience in reality. The new model stores focus on four dimensions: function, category, scenario, and sales per employee to provide customers with a more complete service experience. In terms of function, large stores and small stores focus on differentiation and further refinement of product categories; in terms of category, the Company focuses on high-end products and offline scenes of rigid demand to provide consumers with a more intuitive product experience; in terms of scenery, systematically planned store lines and more interactive demos display are used for specific products. Through single-brand multi-dimensional reuse enhancement, further improving efficiency and the sales model, will help to significantly improve sales per employee. The new model is expected to improve the sales per unit area and sales per employee of the stores by more than 40%.

Comprehensive upgrade of supply chain model, empower quality products

To enhance the selection and sales capacity of quality products, upgrading the supply chain model is an indispensable part. In the self-sourcing & underwriting custom model, based on the traditional supply chain, the Company will further increase the proportion of underwriting customization to achieve product differentiation and enhance the profitability of the supply chain. Further, the Company will deepen cooperation with suppliers, implement differentiation strategies, and more precise brand positioning; strengthen in-depth cooperation with head brands and enrich waist brands to empower the selection and sales of quality products and improve inventory turnover, which will be conducive to subsequent business development.

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