Wei Liu

Wei Liu from CITIC Securities asked for the strategic considerations behind the company's newly announced dividend and share buyback program.

Answer

Founder, Chairman and CEO Haijun Wang explained the initiatives reflect a commitment to long-term shareholder value. He detailed the new 3-year, up to $400 million share repurchase program, which complements the existing dividend policy of paying out at least 50% of the previous year's net income. He noted the current dividend of ~$58 million represents about one-third of the prior fiscal year's net income and confirmed the company will use a combined approach to enhance shareholder returns.

Wei Liu asked about management's view on the growth potential and category planning for the retail business, as well as revenue projections for the upcoming year.

Answer

CEO Haijun Wang expressed strong confidence in the 'sleep economy' market, driven by the success of aTOUR PLANET products. The future strategy involves deepening the focus on sleep and pan-sleep categories. He reiterated the guidance for retail revenue to double year-on-year in 2024 and projected that retail will continue to outpace hotel business growth in the near term.

Liu Wei from CITIC Securities asked about the company's new three-year dividend plan, seeking guidance on the expected payout ratio for the next two years and inquiring if other shareholder return methods, like share buybacks, are being considered.

Answer

Founder, Chairman and CEO Haijun Wang confirmed the policy to distribute an aggregate amount of no less than 50% of the preceding year's net income annually for three years. He noted that while the company is in a rapid growth phase and needs flexibility, it will also continue to explore other feasible ways to share growth benefits with shareholders beyond cash dividends.