Recon Technology, Ltd Reports Financial Results for the First Six Months of Fiscal Year 2025

First Six Months of Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights:

• Total revenue decreased to RMB42.1 million ($5.8 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, from RMB45.3 million ($6.2 million) for the same period in 2023.
• Gross profit increased to RMB13.4 million ($1.8 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, from RMB12.1 million ($1.7 million) for the same period in 2023.

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• Gross margin increased to 31.7% for the six months ended December 31, 2024 from 26.7% for the same period in 2023.
• Net loss was RMB20.7 million ($2.8 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of RMB2.4 million ($0.3 million) from net loss of RMB23.1 million ($3.2 million) for the same period of 2023.

Management Commentary

Mr. Shenping Yin, Founder and CEO of Recon, said, "For the six months ended December 31, 2024, our oilfield customers' production continued to increase, and demand for our automation and oilfield specialized equipment also increased, with corresponding revenue and gross profit both rising and improving. However, our revenue as a whole declined slightly due to fluctuations in demand from some of our new businesses and customers. We anticipate a steady rebound in our business and operating quality, particularly in our two core segments: digital solutions and oilfield environmental protection. As China's oil service companies are in a stage of development driven by customers' rising demand for stable production and supply and technology upgrades, we will continue to increase our investment in technology and continue to improve our long-term corporate competitiveness. In addition, our ongoing project to build a chemical recycling plant for low-value plastics made a significant breakthrough during the period. We have successfully obtained the necessary qualifications for the production and commencement of construction of the plant, which is scheduled to begin in April 2025 and enter the formal production phase in the second half of 2025."

First Six Months Fiscal 2025 Financial Results:

Revenue

Total revenues for the six months ended December 31, 2024 were approximately RMB42.1 million ($5.8 million), a decrease of approximately RMB3.2 million ($0.4 million) or 7.0% from RMB45.3 million ($6.2 million) for the same period in 2023.

• Revenue from automation product and software increased by RMB3.4 million ($0.5 million) or 19.2%. For the six months ended December 31, 2024, the increase in revenue from automation products and software is primarily due to the growing market demand for automated operations.
• Revenue from equipment and accessories decreased by RMB2.2 million ($0.3 million) or 12.2%. For the six months ended December 31, 2024, revenues from the heating furnace category increased by RMB1.9 million compared to the same period in 2023, driven by our oilfield customers' expanded production capacity. Revenues from equipment used in the offshore oilfield category decreased by RMB3.3 million, primarily due to reduced demand from our customers. We anticipate an overall increase in revenues from offshore customers in 2025.
• Revenue from oilfield environmental protection decreased by RMB5.3 million ($0.7 million) or 66.2%, primarily due to the expiration of Gansu BHD's hazardous waste operation permit during the six-month period ending December 31, 2024. As a result, no revenue was recorded. The company is currently engaged in the active application process for the renewal of relevant qualifications. Besides, some customers request and we agreed to a lower price for a portion of our wastewater business in order to establish a long-term relationship, resulting in a decrease in revenue from that portion of the business.
• Revenue from platform outsourcing services increased by RMB1.0 million ($0.1 million) or 53.7%. The increase was mainly due to the rise in transaction volumes of diesel users and the higher settlement rates with freight trading platforms clients.

Cost of revenue

Cost of revenues decreased from RMB33.2 million ($4.5 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023 to RMB 28.7 million ($3.9 million) for the same period in 2024.

• For the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, cost of revenue from automation product and software was approximately RMB14.0 million and RMB12.4 million ($1.7 million), respectively, representing a decrease of approximately RMB1.6 million ($0.2 million) or 11.8%. The decrease in cost of revenue from automation product and software was primarily attributable to the proportion of operation and maintenance services, which have lower costs.
• For the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, cost of revenue from equipment and accessories was approximately RMB12.8 million and RMB11.2 million ($1.5 million), respectively, representing a decrease of approximately RMB1.6 million ($0.2 million) or 12.7%. The costs of the furnace business increased in this period due to the corresponding increase in revenue, whereas the costs of the offshore oilfield customers decreased in line with the decreased revenue, resulting in a reduced total cost of sales.
• For the six months ended December 31,2023 and 2024, cost of revenue from oilfield environmental protection was approximately RMB6.0 million and RMB4.9 million ($0.7 million), respectively, representing a decrease of approximately RMB1.1 million ($0.2 million) or 19.4%. The decrease in the cost of revenue from oilfield environmental protection was in line with decrease in revenue.
• For the six months ended December 31,2023 and 2024, cost of revenue from platform outsourcing services remained stable at RMB0.3 million ($0.05 million).

Gross profit

Gross profit increased to RMB13.4 million ($1.8 million) for the six months ended December 31,2024 from RMB12.1million ($1.7 million) for the same period in 2023. Our gross profit as a percentage of revenue increased to 31.7% for the six months ended December 31, 2024 from 26.7% for the same period in 2023.

• For the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, our gross profit from automation product and software was approximately RMB3.5 million and RMB8.5 million ($1.2 million), respectively, representing an increase in gross profit of approximately RMB5.0 million ($0.7 million) or 143.2%. The increase in gross margin was primarily due to the elevated proportion of high-margin service businesses.
• For the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, gross profit from equipment and accessories was approximately RMB5.1 million and RMB4.5 million ($0.6 million), respectively, representing a decrease of approximately RMB0.6 million ($0.1 million) or 10.9 %. The gross margin for equipment and accessories has remained relatively stable in this period.
• For the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, gross profit from oilfield environmental protection was approximately RMB2.0 million and negative RMB2.1 million (negative $0.3 million), respectively, representing a decrease of RMB4.1 million ($0.6 million), or 204.8%. The main reason for the decrease in gross margin is that one of our customers reduced the settlement price.
• For the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, gross profit from platform outsourcing services was approximately RMB1.5 million and RMB2.4 million ($0.3 million), respectively, representing an increase of approximately RMB0.9 million ($0.1 million), or 63.8%, primarily due to the increase in the settlement rate.

Operating expenses

Selling expenses increased by 13.9%, or RMB0.7 million ($0.1 million), from RMB4.6 million for the six months ended December 31, 2023 to RMB5.2 million ($0.6 million) in the same period of 2024.

General and administrative expenses increased by 9.1%, or RMB2.0 million ($0.3 million), from RMB22.0 million for the six months ended December 31, 2023 to RMB24.0 million ($3.3 million) in the same period of 2024.

The Company also recorded allowance for credit losses of RMB1.6 million for the six months ended December 31, 2023 as compared to allowance for credit losses of RMB0.9 million ($0.1 million) for the same period in 2024.

Research and development expenses increased by 50.3%, or RMB3.4 million ($0.5 million) from RMB6.8 million for the six months ended December 31, 2023 to RMB10.2 million ($1.4 million) for the same period of 2024.

Loss from operations

Loss from operations was RMB26.9 million ($3.7 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, compared to a loss of RMB22.8 million for the same period of 2023. This RMB4.1 million ($0.6 million) increase in operating losses was mainly driven by higher operating expenses, as previously discussed.

Change in fair value of warrant liability

The Company classified the warrants issued in connection with common share offering as liabilities at their fair value and adjusted the warrant instrument to fair value at each reporting period. This liability is subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised, and any change in fair value is recognized in our statement of operations. Loss in fair value changes of warrant liability was RMB1.9 million and RMB0.01 million ($0.001 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively. The primary reason for the decrease of loss in the fair value of the warrant liability was that on December 14, 2023, we redeemed an aggregate of 17,953,269 warrants (equivalent to 997,404 warrants post the 2024 Reverse Split) from the Sellers.

Interest income

Net interest income was RMB6.6 million ($0.9 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, compared to net interest income of RMB10.4 million for the same period of 2023. The RMB3.8 million ($0.5 million) decrease in net interest income was primarily due to the collection of loans to third parties and coupled with a reduction in interest rates for new loans.

Other income (expenses), net.

Other net expenses was RMB0.4 million ($0.1 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, compared to other net expenses of RMB8.6 million for the same period of 2023, the RMB8.2 million ($1.1 million) decrease in other net expenses was primarily due to a decrease of RMB0.1million($0.02 million) in subsidy income and a decrease in other expenses of RMB8.5 million ($1.2 million) which was partially offset by an increase loss from foreign currency of RMB0.2 million ($0.03 million). The decrease in other expenses, as we accrued RMB8.5 million ($1.2 million) estimated liability based on the potential for future significant transaction compensation in contracts to repurchase investor warrants during the six months ended December 31, 2023. For the six months ended December 31, 2024, we do not have this situation.

Net loss

As a result of the factors described above, net loss was RMB20.7 million ($2.8 million) for the six months ended December 31, 2024, a decrease of RMB2.4 million ($0.3 million) from net loss of RMB23.1 million for the same period of 2023.

Cash and short-term investment

As of June 30, 2024, we had cash in the amount of approximately RMB110.0 million ($15.1 million) and short-term investment in bank fixed income product of approximately RMB88.1 million ($12.1 million). As of December 31, 2024, we had cash in the amount of approximately RMB145.3 million ($19.9 million) and short-term investment in bank fixed income product of approximately nil.

About Recon Technology, Ltd ("RCON")

Recon Technology, Ltd (NASDAQ: RCON) is the People's Republic of China's first NASDAQ-listed non-state owned oil and gas field service company. Recon supplies China's largest oil exploration companies, Sinopec (NYSE: SNP) and The China National Petroleum Corporation ("CNPC"), with advanced automated technologies, efficient gathering and transportation equipment and reservoir stimulation measure for increasing petroleum extraction levels, reducing impurities and lowering production costs. Through the years, RCON has taken leading positions within several segmented markets of the oil and gas filed service industry. RCON also has developed stable long-term cooperation relationship with its major clients. For additional information please visit: http://www.recon.cn/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Recon includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws throughout this press release. A reader can identify forward-looking statements because they are not limited to historical fact or they use words such as "scheduled," "may," "will," "could," "should," "would," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "estimate," "forecast," "goal," "objective," "committed," "intend," "continue," or "will likely result," and similar expressions that concern Recon's strategy, plans, intentions or beliefs about future occurrences or results. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may change at any time and may cause actual results to differ materially from those that Recon expected. Many of these statements are derived from Recon's operating budgets and forecasts, which are based on many detailed assumptions that Recon believes are reasonable, or are based on various assumptions about certain plans, activities or events which we expect will or may occur in the future. However, it is very difficult to predict the effect of known factors, and Recon cannot anticipate all factors that could affect actual results that may be important to an investor. All forward-looking information should be evaluated in the context of these risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those factors disclosed under "Risk Factors" in Recon's most recent Annual Report on Form 20‑F and any subsequent half-year financial filings on Form 6‑K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements that Recon makes from time to time in its SEC filings and public communications. Recon cannot assure the reader that it will realize the results or developments Recon anticipates, or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the consequences or affect Recon or its operations in the way Recon expects. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made. Recon undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which they were made, except as otherwise required by law. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements included herein or that may be made elsewhere from time to time by, or on behalf of, Recon.