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"We boldly pushed the boundaries of innovation once again in 2024, delivering groundbreaking gaming experiences that captivated players worldwide," said Mr. William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director of NetEase. "Our new hit titles not only redefined gameplay but also set new industry benchmarks, while our legacy franchises gained fresh momentum through striking enhancements in design, storytelling and immersive content. As our diverse game portfolio expands across more genres and engages an ever-growing global audience, we remain dedicated to fostering creativity and collaborating with top talent and strategic partners to shape the next wave of gaming trends.

"Beyond gaming, Youdao and NetEase Cloud Music maintained healthy development in 2024, led by our focus on meticulously crafted content and exceptional user experiences. Our enduring pursuit of innovation, global expansion and game diversification is fueling lasting value creation across the industries we serve and for our partners and shareholders alike," Mr. Ding concluded.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Net Revenues

Net revenues for the fourth quarter of 2024 were RMB26.7 billion (US$3.7 billion), compared with RMB26.2 billion and RMB27.1 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Net revenues from games and related value-added services were RMB21.2 billion (US$2.9 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB20.9 billion each for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023. Net revenues from the operation of online games accounted for approximately 96.7% of the segment's net revenues for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with 96.8% and 93.4% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. Net revenues from mobile games accounted for approximately 65.3% of net revenues from the operation of online games for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with 70.8% and 76.7% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The change in revenue mix was mainly due to the increased net revenues from PC games, including certain licensed titles.

Net revenues from Youdao were RMB1.3 billion (US$183.6 million) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB1.6 billion and RMB1.5 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Net revenues from NetEase Cloud Music were RMB1.9 billion (US$257.6 million) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB2.0 billion each for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023.

Net revenues from innovative businesses and others were RMB2.3 billion (US$313.1 million) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB1.8 billion and RMB2.8 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Gross Profit

Gross profit for the fourth quarter of 2024 was RMB16.3 billion (US$2.2 billion), compared with RMB16.5 billion and RMB16.8 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

The quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year decreases in games and related value-added services' gross profit were primarily due to decreased net revenues from certain mobile games, partially offset by increased net revenues from PC games, including certain licensed titles.

The quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year decreases in Youdao's gross profit were primarily due to decreased net revenues from its learning services.

The quarter-over-quarter decrease in NetEase Cloud Music's gross profit was primarily due to decreased net revenues from social entertainment services.

The quarter-over-quarter increase in innovative businesses and others' gross profit was primarily due to increased gross profit from Yanxuan and advertising services. The year-over-year decrease was primarily due to decreased gross profit from several businesses within the segment including advertising services.

Gross Profit Margin

Gross profit margin for games and related value-added services for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 66.7%, compared with 68.8% and 69.5% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year decreases were mainly attributable to higher revenue contribution from licensed games which have comparatively lower gross profit margins.

Gross profit margin for Youdao for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 47.8%, compared with 50.2% and 49.9% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year decreases were mainly due to decreased revenue contribution from its learning services.

Gross profit margin for NetEase Cloud Music for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 31.9%, compared with 32.8% and 30.3% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to increased net revenues from sales of membership subscriptions and continued improvement in cost control measures.

Gross profit margin for innovative businesses and others for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 37.8%, compared with 37.8% and 34.4% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to increased gross profit margins from Yanxuan.

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses for the fourth quarter of 2024 were RMB8.5 billion (US$1.2 billion), compared with RMB9.3 billion and RMB10.0 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year decreases were mainly due to decreased marketing expenditures related to games and related value-added services.

Other Income/(Expenses)

Other income/(expenses) consisted of investment (losses)/income, interest income, exchange gains/(losses) and others. The quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year increases were mainly due to net exchange gains in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared with net exchange losses recorded in the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023.

Income Tax

The Company recorded a net income tax charge of RMB1.4 billion (US$189.7 million) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB1.3 billion and RMB1.1 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 13.4%, compared with 16.1% and 13.8% for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively. The effective tax rate represents certain estimates by the Company as to the tax obligations and benefits applicable to it in each quarter.

Net Income and Non-GAAP Net Income

Net income attributable to the Company's shareholders totaled RMB8.8 billion (US$1.2 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB6.5 billion and RMB6.6 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Basic net income was US$0.38 per share (US$1.89 per ADS) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with US$0.28 per share (US$1.40 per ADS) each for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders totaled RMB9.7 billion (US$1.3 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with RMB7.5 billion and RMB7.4 billion for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Non-GAAP basic net income was US$0.42 per share (US$2.09 per ADS) for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with US$0.32 per share (US$1.61 per ADS) and US$0.32 per share (US$1.57 per ADS) for the preceding quarter and the same quarter of 2023, respectively.

Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results

Net Revenues

Net revenues for fiscal year 2024 were RMB105.3 billion (US$14.4 billion), compared with RMB103.5 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Net revenues from games and related value-added services were RMB83.6 billion (US$11.5 billion) for fiscal year 2024, compared with RMB81.6 billion for fiscal year 2023. Net revenues from the operation of online games accounted for approximately 96.2% of the segment's total net revenues for fiscal year 2024, compared with 92.9% for fiscal year 2023. Net revenues from mobile games accounted for approximately 72.7% of net revenues from the operation of online games for fiscal year 2024, compared with 75.2% for fiscal year 2023. The change in revenue mix was mainly due to higher net revenues generated by PC games such as Naraka: Bladepoint and licensed titles.

Net revenues from Youdao were RMB5.6 billion (US$770.7 million) for fiscal year 2024, compared with RMB5.4 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Net revenues from NetEase Cloud Music were RMB8.0 billion (US$1.1 billion) for fiscal year 2024, compared with RMB7.9 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Net revenues from innovative businesses and others were RMB8.1 billion (US$1.1 billion) for fiscal year 2024, compared with RMB8.6 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Gross Profit

Gross profit for fiscal year 2024 was RMB65.8 billion (US$9.0 billion), compared with RMB63.1 billion for fiscal year 2023.

The year-over-year increase in games and related value-added services' gross profit was primarily due to increased net revenues from the operation of online games, such as Identity V and Naraka: Bladepoint PC and mobile games.

The slight year-over-year decrease in Youdao's gross profit was mainly due to decreased revenue contribution from its learning services, which was partially offset by increased revenue contribution from its online marketing services.

The year-over-year increase in NetEase Cloud Music's gross profit was primarily attributable to increased net revenues from sales of membership subscriptions and continued improvement in cost control measures.

The year-over-year increase in innovative businesses and others' gross profit was primarily due to increased gross profits from Yanxuan and several other businesses included within the segment.

Operating Expenses

Total operating expenses for fiscal year 2024 were RMB36.2 billion (US$5.0 billion), compared with RMB35.4 billion for fiscal year 2023. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to higher research and development investments for games and related value-added services.

Other Income/(Expenses)

The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to higher impairment provisions related to certain investments, which was partially offset by higher interest income resulting from the Company's increased net cash position.

Income Taxes

The Company recorded a net income tax charge of RMB5.5 billion (US$748.2 million) for fiscal year 2024, compared with RMB4.7 billion for fiscal year 2023. The effective tax rate was 15.3% for fiscal year 2024, compared with 13.8% for fiscal year 2023.

Net Income and Non-GAAP Net Income

Net income attributable to the Company's shareholders for fiscal year 2024 totaled RMB29.7 billion (US$4.1 billion), compared with RMB29.4 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Basic net income was US$1.27 per share (US$6.36 per ADS) for fiscal year 2024, compared with US$1.25 per share (US$6.26 per ADS) for fiscal year 2023.

Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders for fiscal year 2024 totaled RMB33.5 billion (US$4.6 billion), compared with RMB32.6 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Non-GAAP basic net income was US$1.43 per share (US$7.17 per ADS) for fiscal year 2024, compared with US$1.39 per share (US$6.94 per ADS) for fiscal year 2023.

Other Financial Information

As of December 31, 2024, the Company's net cash (total cash and cash equivalents, current and non-current time deposits and restricted cash, as well as short-term investments balance, minus short-term and long-term loans) totaled RMB131.5 billion (US$18.0 billion), compared with RMB110.9 billion as of December 31, 2023. Net cash provided by operating activities was RMB39.7 billion (US$5.4 billion) for fiscal year 2024, compared with RMB35.3 billion for fiscal year 2023.

Quarterly Dividend

The board of directors approved a dividend of US$0.24405 per share (US$1.22025 per ADS) for the fourth quarter of 2024 to holders of ordinary shares and holders of ADSs as of the close of business on March 6, 2025, Beijing/Hong Kong Time and New York Time, respectively, payable in U.S. dollars. For holders of ordinary shares, in order to qualify for the dividend, all valid documents for the transfer of shares accompanied by the relevant share certificates must be lodged for registration with the Company's Hong Kong branch share registrar, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at Shops 1712-1716, 17^th Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong, no later than 4:30 p.m. on March 6, 2025 (Beijing/Hong Kong Time). The payment date is expected to be March 17, 2025, for holders of ordinary shares and on or around March 20, 2025, for holders of ADSs.

NetEase paid a dividend of US$0.0870 per share (US$0.4350 per ADS) for the third quarter of 2024 in December 2024.

Under the Company's current dividend policy, the determination to make dividend distributions and the amount of such distribution in any particular quarter will be made at the discretion of its board of directors and will be based upon the Company's operations and earnings, cash flow, financial condition and other relevant factors.

Share Repurchase Program

On November 17, 2022, the Company announced that its board of directors had approved a share repurchase program of up to US$5.0 billion of the Company's ADSs and ordinary shares in open market transactions. This share repurchase program commenced on January 10, 2023 and will be in effect for a period not to exceed 36 months from such date. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 21.2 million ADSs had been repurchased under this program for a total cost of US$1.9 billion.

The extent to which NetEase repurchases its ADSs and its ordinary shares depends upon a variety of factors, including market conditions. These programs may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

** The United States dollar (US$) amounts disclosed in this announcement are presented solely for the convenience of the reader. The percentages stated are calculated based on RMB.

Conference Call

NetEase's management team will host a teleconference call with a simultaneous webcast at 7:00 a.m. New York Time on Thursday, February 20, 2025 (Beijing/Hong Kong Time: 8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 20, 2025). NetEase's management will be on the call to discuss the quarterly results and answer questions.

Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing 1-914-202-3258 and providing conference ID: 10044895, 15 minutes prior to the initiation of the call. A replay of the call will be available by dialing 1-855-883-1031 and entering PIN: 10044895. The replay will be available through February 27, 2025.

This call will be webcast live and the replay will be available for 12 months. Both will be available on NetEase's Investor Relations website at http://ir.netease.com/.

About NetEase, Inc.

NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES and HKEX: 9999, "NetEase") is a leading internet and game services provider centered around premium content. With extensive offerings across its expanding gaming ecosystem, the Company develops and operates some of the most popular and longest running mobile and PC games available in China and globally.

Powered by one of the largest in-house game R&D teams focused on mobile, PC and console, NetEase creates superior gaming experiences, inspires players, and passionately delivers value for its thriving community worldwide. By infusing play with culture, and education with technology, NetEase transforms gaming into a meaningful vehicle to build a more entertaining and enlightened world.

Beyond games, NetEase service offerings include its majority-controlled subsidiaries Youdao (NYSE: DAO), an intelligent learning company with industry-leading technology, and NetEase Cloud Music (HKEX: 9899), a well-known online music platform featuring a vibrant content community, as well as Yanxuan, NetEase's private label consumer lifestyle brand.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.netease.com/.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions. In addition, statements that are not historical facts, including statements about NetEase's strategies and business plans, its expectations regarding the growth of its business and its revenue and the quotations from management in this announcement are or contain forward-looking statements. NetEase may also make forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. The accuracy of these statements may be impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including risks related to: the risk that the online games market will not continue to grow or that NetEase will not be able to maintain its position in that market in China or globally; risks associated with NetEase's business and operating strategies and its ability to implement such strategies; NetEase's ability to develop and manage its operations and business; competition for, among other things, capital, technology and skilled personnel; potential changes in regulation environment in the markets where NetEase operates; the risk that NetEase may not be able to continuously develop new and creative online services or that NetEase will not be able to set, or follow in a timely manner, trends in the market; risks related to evolving economic cycles and geopolitical events; risks related to the expansion of NetEase's businesses and operations internationally; risks associated with cybersecurity threats or incidents; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates that could adversely affect NetEase's business and financial results. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in NetEase's filings with the SEC and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. NetEase does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as required under applicable law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

NetEase considers and uses non-GAAP financial measures, such as non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders and non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per ADS and per share, as supplemental metrics in reviewing and assessing its operating performance and formulating its business plan. The presentation of non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP").

NetEase defines non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders as net income attributable to the Company's shareholders excluding share-based compensation expenses. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders enables NetEase's management to assess its operating results without considering the impact of share-based compensation expenses. NetEase believes that this non-GAAP financial measure provides useful information to investors in understanding and evaluating the Company's current operating performance and prospects in the same manner as management does, if they so choose. NetEase also believes that the use of this non-GAAP financial measure facilitates investors' assessment of its operating performance.

Non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools. One of the key limitations of using non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders is that it does not reflect all items of expense/ income that affect our operations. Share-based compensation expenses have been and may continue to be incurred in NetEase's business and are not reflected in the presentation of non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders. In addition, the non-GAAP financial measures NetEase uses may differ from the non-GAAP measures used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore their comparability may be limited.

NetEase compensates for these limitations by reconciling non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company's shareholders to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, all of which should be considered when evaluating the Company's performance. See the unaudited reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP results at the end of this announcement. NetEase encourages you to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

Contact for Media and Investors:
Email: ir@service.netease.com
Tel: (+86) 571-8985-3378

 

 

 

 

 

NETEASE, INC.

NOTES TO UNAUDITED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Note 1: The conversion of Renminbi (RMB) into United States dollars (USD) is based on the noon buying rate of USD1.00 = RMB7.2993 on the last trading day of December 2024 (December 31, 2024) as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at that rate on December 31, 2024, or at any other certain date.

Note 2: Share-based compensation cost reported in the Company's unaudited condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income is set out as follows in RMB and USD (in thousands):

 

Note 3: The financial information prepared and presented in this announcement might be different from those published and to be published by NetEase's listed subsidiary to meet the disclosure requirements under different accounting standards requirements.

Note 4: The unaudited reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP results is set out as follows in RMB and USD (in thousands, except per share data or per ADS data):

 

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SOURCE NetEase, Inc.