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ChinaNet Online Holdings Reports First Quarter 2012 Financial Results



ChinaNet Online Holdings Reports First Quarter 2012 Financial Results

   Provides FY2012 Revenue and Net Income Guidance of $42 Million and $2.8
                            Million, Respectively

     Management to Host Conference Call on Tuesday, May 22^nd at 8:30amET

BEIJING, May 22, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.
("ChinaNet" or the "Company"), (Nasdaq:CNET), a leading B2B (business to
business) Internet technology company providing online-to-offline ("O2O")
sales channel expansion services for small and medium-sized enterprises
("SMEs") and entrepreneurial management and networking services for
entrepreneurs in the People's Republic of China, today announced financial
results for the first quarter 2012.

Summary Financials

First Quarter 2012 Results (USD) (Unaudited)
                                                                              
                                      Q1 2012        Q1 2011      CHANGE
Sales                                 $14.9 million  $7.0 million +113%
Gross Profit                          $2.4 million   $5.0 million -52%
Gross Margin                          16%            71%          -77%
Net (Loss)/Income Attributable to     ($0.4 million) $2.6 million -115%
Common Stockholders
EPS (Diluted)                         ($0.02)        $0.14        -114%

First Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Revenues for the first quarter of 2012 increased by 113% to $14.9 million from
$7.0 million in the first quarter of 2011, primarily due to an increase in
revenues from the sale of TV and internet advertising and marketing services
on the Company's web portals. TV advertising revenue increased significantly
to $10.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012 from $0.7 million
in the same period in 2011. TV advertising revenues were generated by selling
approximately 10,396 minutes of advertising time purchased from provincial TV
stations as compared with approximately 835 minutes of advertising time that
we sold in the same period in 2011. Revenue from internet advertising and
marketing increased by 50% to $4.3 million, as compared to the first quarter
of 2011 due to the addition of Sooe.cn and increasing the number of clients on
Liansuo.com.

Q1 2012 Revenue Breakdown by Business Unit (USD in thousands)

                                      Q1 2012 %     Q1 2011 %     % Change
Internet Advertisement                $4,306  28.8% $2,874  40.9% +49.8%
Technical Services                    $39     0.3%  $3,212  45.7% -98.8%
TV Advertisement                      $10,369 69.4% $726    10.3% +1328%
Bank Kiosk                            $71     0.5%  $137    2.0%  -48.1%
Brand Mgmt. & Sales Channel Expansion $150    1.0%  $75     1.1%  +100%

Total cost of sales for the first quarter of 2012 was $12.5 million, compared
to $2.0 million for the same period in 2011. Gross profit was $2.4 million for
the first quarter of 2012, representing gross margin of 16.0%, compared to
$5.0 million of gross profit and gross margin of 71% in the first quarter of
2011. The decrease in gross margin is due to the percentage of sales from the
Company's lower margin TV advertising revenue, which accounted for
approximately 69% of total revenues as well as increasing in resource costs.

Operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2012 were
approximately $2.3 million, up 15.7% from $2.0 million in the comparable
period of 2011. General and administrative expenses increased $0.4 million to
$1.2 million. Research and development expenses dropped 6.2% year-over-year to
$0.3 million.

The Company had an operating income of $0.13 million in the first quarter of
2012 compared to $3.0 million operating income in the first quarter of 2011.

Net loss attributable to common stockholders for the first quarter of 2012 was
$0.4 million and loss per share was $0.02 compared to $2.6 million net income
attributable to common stockholders and $0.14 earnings per share in the first
quarter of 2011, respectively.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

The Company had $9.0 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31,
2012, compared to $10.7 million as of December 31, 2011, working capital of
$27.3 million, compared to $27.0 million as of December 31, 2011, and a
current ratio of 3.8 to 1 compared 4.5 to 1 as of December 31, 2011.

The Company had cash inflow from operations of $0.4 million for the three
months ended March 31, 2012. Total shareholders' equity of ChinaNet was $41.6
million at March 31, 2012, compared to $41.7 million at December 31, 2011.

Guidance for 2012

Management forecasts full year 2012 revenues to be at least $42 million and
net income of at least $2.8 million.

Business Updates

ChinaNet is focused on strategically expanding its client base of over 6,000
current customers by continuing to grow its internet advertising and marketing
services business. Currently, 28.com, which connects SME franchisors with new
franchisees, generates the majority of revenues. ChinaNet will continue to
invest in new technology and expects to increase its market share to over 55%
by the end of the third quarter 2012.

As previously announced, management is focused on several new growth and
management initiatives to help offset short-term economic challenges on
28.com. Below are additional initiatives:

  o Improving internal management with cost reduction plan, expect to increase
    net profit margin by 2%-5%;
  o Addition of Sooe.cn with commercialization expected in Q3 2012;
  o Sales campaign with China Business Journal to attract better quality and
    larger clients in Q3 2012, further extending Liansuo.com's client base by
    20% or more;
  o Launching Weibo (like Twister) related value-added marketing service to
    existing or larger branded customers in Q3 2012 with 3^rd party alliance;
  o Launching of Zhifuwan.com, an integrated SEM and e-Commerce marketing
    service as additional value-added services to all other web portals,
    helping SMEs to further market their Taobao B2C sites by means of
    technology in Q3 2012. 
  o With the complexity of additional features, the commercial launch of
    flying cloud (www.feitengyun.com) has been re-scheduled to occur by the
    end of October 2012.

With these initiatives, management expects ChinaNet to return to profitability
in Q2 2012 based on current and improving economic conditions.  

Conference Call

Date:         Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Time:         8:30 am Eastern Time
Conference    1-877-317-6776
Line (U.S.):
International 1-412-317-6776
Dial-In:
Conference    10014350
ID:
Webcast:      http://webcast.mzvaluemonitor.com/Home/Login/3b108b0d-3f0e-43ef-b58a-c0e8c22a56a1

Please dial in at least 10-minutes before the call to ensure timely
participation.

A playback of the call will be available until 9:00 am ET on May 29, 2012. To
listen, call 1-877-344-7529 within the United States or 1-412-317-0088 when
calling internationally. Please use the replay pin number 10014350.

About ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.

The Company, a parent company of ChinaNet Online Media Group Ltd.,
incorporated in the BVI ("ChinaNet"), a leading business to business Internet
technology company focusing on providing online-to-offline sales channel
expansion service for small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurial
management and networking service for entrepreneurs in China. Founded in 2003
and based in Beijing, PRC, the Company's services include its 28.com portal to
connect SME franchisors with new franchisees, Internet advertising and
marketing with other value-added communication channels, brand management &
sales channel solutions, and cloud-computing based management tools, to be
officially commercialized in 2012. Website: http://www.chinanet-online.com.

Safe Harbor

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the
business of ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc., which can be identified by the use
of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects," "anticipates,"
"estimates" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including business uncertainties
relating to government regulation of our industry, market demand, reliance on
key personnel, future capital requirements, competition in general and other
factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those
described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Certain of
these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in greater detail in
our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking
statements are based on ChinaNet's current expectations and beliefs concerning
future developments and their potential effects on the company. There can be
no assurance that future developments affecting ChinaNet will be those
anticipated by ChinaNet. These forward-looking statements involve a number of
risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) or
other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be
materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. ChinaNet undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future
events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities
laws.

                            -- FINANCIAL TABLES –

CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands)
                                                              
                                                 March 31,   December 31, 2011
                                                 2012
                                                 (US $'000)  (US $'000)
                                                 (unaudited)  
Assets                                                        
Current assets:                                               
Cash and cash equivalents                        $8,964      $10,695
Accounts receivable, net                         7,623       4,444
Other receivables                                5,844       3,631
Prepayment and deposits to suppliers             13,718      15,360
Due from related parties                         278         324
Contingent consideration receivables             160         159
Other current assets                             153         129
Deferred tax assets-current                      222         --
Total current assets                             36,962      34,742
                                                              
Investment in and advance to equity investment   1,212       1,396
affiliates
Property and equipment, net                      1,775       1,902
Intangible assets, net                           7,941       8,151
Goodwill                                         11,068      10,999
Deferred tax assets-non current                  196         92
                                                 $59,154     $57,282
                                                              
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity                          
Current liabilities:                                          
Accounts payable                                 $214        $268
Advances from customers                          1,890       724
Accrued payroll and other accruals               485         616
Due to equity investment affiliate               538         220
Due to related parties                           84          161
Payable for acquisition                          553         550
Taxes payable                                    5,701       5,040
Other payables                                   158         114
Dividends payable                                --          5
Total current liabilities                        9,623       7,698
                                                              
                                                              
Deferred tax liability-non current               1,850       1,893
Long-term borrowing from director                138         137
                                                 11,611      9,728
                                                              
Commitments and contingencies                                 
                                                              
                                                              
Stockholders' equity:                                         
Common stock (US$0.001 par value; authorized
50,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding        22          22
22,186,540 shares and 22,146,540 shares at March
31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively)
Additional paid-in capital                       20,764      20,747
Statutory reserves                               2,117       2,117
Retained earnings                                16,322      16,688
Accumulated other comprehensive income           2,358       2,132
Total ChinaNet's Online Holdings, Inc.'s         41,583      41,706
stockholders' equity
Noncontrolling interest                           5,960       5,848
Total stockholders' equity                       47,543      47,554
                                                              
                                                 $59,154     $57,282

                                                                  
CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS)/INCOME
(In thousands, except for number of shares and per share data)
                                                                  
                                                  Three Months Ended March 31,
                                                  2012           2011
                                                  (US $'000)     (US $'000)
                                                  (unaudited)    (unaudited)
                                                                  
Sales                                                             
To unrelated parties                              $14,920        $6,834
To related parties                                15             190
                                                  14,935         7,024
                                                                  
Cost of sales                                     12,538         2,030
Gross margin                                      2,397          4,994
                                                                  
Operating expenses                                                
Selling expenses                                  689            713
General and administrative expenses               1,243          890
Research and development expenses                 331            353
                                                  2,263          1,956
                                                                  
Income from operations                            134            3,038
                                                                  
Other income (expense):                                           
Interest income                                   5              1
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiaries           --             229
Other(expenses)/ income                           (1)            6
                                                  4              236
                                                                  
Income before income tax expense, equity method   138            3,274
investments and noncontrolling interests
Income tax expense                                236            431
(Loss)/income before equity method investments    (98)           2,843
and noncontrolling interests
Share of losses in equity investment affiliates   (193)          (47)
Net (loss)/income                                 (291)          2,796
Net (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling  (75)           16
interests
Net (loss)/income attributable to ChinaNet Online (366)          2,812
Holdings, Inc.
Dividend of Series A convertible preferred stock  --             (169)
Net (loss)/income attributable to common          ($366)         $2,643
shareholders of ChinaNet Online Holdings, Inc.
                                                                  
(Loss)/earnings per share                                         
(Loss)/earnings per common share                                  
Basic                                             ($0.02)        $0.15
Diluted                                           ($0.02)        $0.14
                                                                  
Weighted average number of common shares                          
outstanding:
Basic                                             22,182,584     17,244,315
Diluted                                           22,182,584     20,819,982

 
CHINANET ONLINE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
                                                                  
                                                  Three Months Ended March 31,
                                                  2012           2011
                                                  (US $'000)     (US $'000)
                                                  (unaudited)    (unaudited)
                                                                  
Cash flows from operating activities                              
Net (loss)/income                                 ($291)         $2,796
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash                   
provided by operating activities
Depreciation and amortization                     409            199
Share-based compensation expenses                 17             107
Share of losses in equity investment affiliates   193            47
Gain on deconsolidation of subsidiaries            --            (229)
Gain on disposal of property and equipment         --            (3)
Deferred taxes                                    (381)          (15)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities                       
Accounts receivable                               (3,154)        (1,302)
Other receivables                                 261            3,691
Prepayments and deposits to suppliers             1,740          (162)
Due from equity investment affiliate               --            (8)
Due from related parties                          48             (190)
Other current assets                              (22)           (19)
Accounts payable                                  (56)           336
Advances from customers                           1,162          (1,263)
Accrued payroll and other accruals                (133)          (60)
Due to director                                    --            (403)
Due to related parties                            (78)           (137)
Other payables                                    18             39
Taxes payable                                     630            397
Net cash provided by operating activities         363            3,821
                                                                  
Cash flows from investing activities                              
Purchases of vehicles and office equipment        (9)            (57)
Purchases of intangible assets                     --            (11)
Project development deposit to a third party      (2,452)         -- 
Cash from acquisition of VIEs                      --            24
Cash effect on deconsolidation of VIEs             --            (181)
Long-term investment in and advance to equity      --            (1,518)
investment affiliates
Net cash used in investing activities             (2,461)        (1,743)
                                                                  
Cash flows from financing activities                              
Cash investment contributed by noncontrolling      --            74
interest
Dividend paid to convertible preferred            (5)            (171)
stockholders
Short-term loan borrowed from equity investment   316             -- 
affiliate
Net cash provided by (used in) financing          311            (97)
activities
                                                                  
Effect of exchange rate fluctuation on cash and   56             59
cash equivalents
                                                                  
Net (decreased) increase in cash and cash         (1,731)        2,040
equivalents
                                                                  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year    10,695         15,590
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period        $8,964         $17,630

CONTACT: Ted Haberfield, President
         MZ North America, IR
         MZ Group
         Direct: +1-760-755-2716
         Email: thaberfield@mzgroup.us
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