营销服务业务方面，公司表示已将低质营销内容消耗量收敛至极低水平，后续将探索AI驱动的营销产 品创新，提升广告主效率与品牌可信度。该行预计2Q25将在这一基础上进行过渡，下半年或有望看到 营销升级成效，关注CCS迭代表现。付费会员方面，内容策略转向"精品短内容+中长篇内容"。职业培 训业务方面，公司表示将推动开发"内容+社群+实践"的融合产品，提升单用户价值;将有制约地投入AI 与社区结合场景。 智通财经APP获悉，中金发布研报称，维持知乎-W(02390)收入预期。考虑到公司费用控制水平，维持 2026年经调整净利润1.36亿元不变。当前股价对应0.8/0.7倍P/S。维持跑赢行业评级及目标价16港元/6.1 美元，均对应1.25倍2025年目标P/S，港/美股上行空间分别为57%/52.5%。 中金主要观点如下： 1Q25业绩好于该行预期 公司1Q25收入7.30亿元，基本符合该行预期7.19亿元;经调整净利润694万元，好于该行预期。该行认为 主要由于：成本及费用控制好于预期，尤其是销售、管理费用。公司宣布将开启新一期回购计划(至 2026年6月25日到期)，最多可回购已发行股份的10%。前一期计划于20 ...

Core Viewpoint - Zhihu aims to improve profit margins as a strategic focus, continuing its efforts to turn losses into profits [1][6] Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, Zhihu reported revenue of 730 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 24.06% [3] - The net loss narrowed to 10.1 million yuan, a 93.9% improvement compared to the previous year [3] - Adjusted net profit (non-GAAP) reached 6.9 million yuan, compared to a loss of 138 million yuan in the same period last year [3] - Gross margin increased from 56.6% in Q1 2024 to 61.8% in Q1 2025, reflecting improved operational efficiency [2][6] Revenue Breakdown - Marketing services revenue was 197 million yuan, down from 331 million yuan in Q1 2024 [4][5] - Paid membership revenue slightly decreased to 418 million yuan from 450 million yuan year-on-year, attributed to a slight decline in average monthly subscribers [5] - Vocational training revenue fell to 94.5 million yuan from 146 million yuan, mainly due to reduced contributions from acquired businesses [5] - Other income decreased to 20.3 million yuan from 35.2 million yuan in the previous year [5] User Engagement and AI Integration - Monthly active users for Zhihu's direct answer feature exceeded 10 million, with a growth of over 37% from the beginning of the quarter [2][9] - Daily active user engagement time increased by 17.6% to nearly 38 minutes [8] - The number of paid members reached an average of 14.2 million, continuing an upward trend [9] - The citation rate of Zhihu's professional content by AI assistants reached 29.9%, the highest among content communities [9] Strategic Focus and Future Outlook - The company emphasizes enhancing commercialization capabilities while unlocking community value [9] - The CEO highlighted the achievement of recording adjusted net profit for the first time in Q1 since the company's listing, indicating effective operational strategies [6] - The CFO noted that the increase in gross margin reflects improved execution and operational efficiency [6]

Core Viewpoint - The company reported its first non-GAAP net profit since its IPO in Q1 2025, continuing the profitability trend from Q4 2024, despite a 24% year-over-year decline in revenue [1][3]. Revenue Summary - Q1 2025 revenue was 730 million yuan, down from 960 million yuan in Q1 2024 [3]. - Revenue sources include marketing services, paid memberships, vocational training, and others, with paid memberships contributing the largest share at 420 million yuan, a 7% decrease from 450 million yuan year-over-year [3]. - The average monthly paid subscribers decreased to 14.2 million from 14.8 million in the previous year [3]. - Marketing services revenue fell to 200 million yuan, a 40.4% decline from 330 million yuan in the same period last year [3]. - Vocational training and other segments generated 94.5 million yuan and 20.3 million yuan, respectively, with vocational training revenue down 35% due to reduced contributions from acquired businesses [3]. Expense Summary - Total operating expenses decreased by 34.4% to 500 million yuan from 770 million yuan in Q1 2024 [4]. - Sales and marketing expenses dropped to 320 million yuan, a 32.9% reduction from 480 million yuan [4]. - R&D expenses decreased by 28.1% to 140 million yuan from 200 million yuan [4]. - General and administrative expenses fell by 55.6% to 41.2 million yuan from 92.9 million yuan [4]. Profitability and Financial Position - The company achieved a non-GAAP net profit of 6.9 million yuan in Q1 2025, compared to a net loss of 136 million yuan in the same period last year [3]. - Gross margin improved by 5.2 percentage points year-over-year, indicating enhanced operational efficiency [4]. - As of the end of Q1 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents totaling 4.77 billion yuan [5]. - The company's stock price was reported at $3.93, with a total market capitalization of $345 million [5].

Zhihu (ZH) Q1 2025 Earnings Call May 27, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company Participants Yolanda Liu - Director - IRWang Han - Chief Financial OfficerYuan Zhou - Founder, Chairman & CEOLincoln Kong - Executive DirectorThomas Chong - Managing DirectorVicky Wei - Vice President - Citi Internet Research team Conference Call Participants Xueqing Zhang - Media Analyst Operator Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by, and welcome to the Johal Inc. First Quarter twenty twenty five Financial Results Conference Call. ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved a non-GAAP net profit of RMB6.9 million in Q1 2025, compared to an adjusted net loss of RMB135.7 million in the same period last year, marking a significant improvement in profitability [7][28] - Total revenue for the quarter was RMB729.7 million, down 24% from RMB960.9 million in Q1 2024, reflecting ongoing adjustments to the business [24][25] - Gross profit for the quarter was RMB451.1 million, with a gross margin of 61.8%, an increase of 5.2 percentage points year over year [26][28] - Total operating expenses decreased by 34.4% year over year to RMB503.7 million, driven by better cost management [27][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from marketing services was RMB197 million, a decline of 40.4% year over year, primarily due to the adoption of a trustworthy content model [15][24] - Paid membership revenue remained stable at RMB417.9 million, with average monthly paying members increasing by 1.2% sequentially to 14.2 million [19][25] - Vocational training revenue was RMB94.5 million, down 35% year over year, reflecting a strategic transformation of the business model [20][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The number of daily active high-tier content creators increased by 20% year over year, indicating growth in the creator ecosystem [12] - AI-related professional content grew by 46% year over year, highlighting the increasing engagement with AI-driven content [11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on integrating AI applications into its community, with plans to launch a public knowledge base to enhance content quality [8][37] - The strategic focus is on balancing commercial growth with community integrity, aiming to create a sustainable commercial flywheel [14][18] - The company is transitioning its vocational training business to a more socially interactive model, leveraging its content ecosystem [21][49] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the ongoing optimization of the business model and expects financial performance to exceed initial expectations for 2025 [49] - The company aims to capitalize on the opportunities created by AI, enhancing connections and engagement among its user base [22][29] Other Important Information - The company repurchased 31.1 million Class A ordinary shares for a total value of USD66.5 million, as part of its share repurchase program [28][29] - A new share repurchase program was approved, allowing for the repurchase of up to 10% of total issued shares [29] Q&A Session Summary Question: What other AI initiatives can be expected next within the Juhu community and beyond? - Management highlighted the focus on trustworthy content and expert networks, with plans to integrate more experts and aggregate high-quality content [33][37] Question: Can management share some color on the revenue trends for each business segment in 2025 and the profitability outlook? - Management indicated that each business stream is entering a new phase of growth, with a focus on aligning the community ecosystem with commercial operations [47][49] Question: What are the thoughts about the shareholder return program this year? - Management confirmed commitment to enhancing shareholder returns through a share repurchase plan, emphasizing confidence in the company's long-term success [52][53]

Core Insights - Zhihu reported a total revenue of 730 million yuan for Q1 2025, with an adjusted net profit of 6.94 million yuan, marking a strong start to the year [1][2] - The paid reading business remains the largest revenue source, contributing 418 million yuan, accounting for 57.3% of total revenue [1] - The company experienced a significant increase in user engagement, with daily active users spending nearly 38 minutes on the platform, a 17.6% increase year-over-year [1] Revenue Breakdown - Paid reading business: 418 million yuan (57.3% of total revenue) [1] - Marketing services: 197 million yuan (27% of total revenue) [1] - Vocational education: 94.53 million yuan (13% of total revenue) [1] User Engagement Metrics - Daily active users' usage time increased to nearly 38 minutes, up 17.6% from the previous year [1] - Monthly active user base remained stable, with a monthly average of 14.2 million paid members showing an upward trend [1] AI Integration and Content Creation - Zhihu has become a significant content source for AI applications, with a citation rate of 29.9% for its professional content [1] - The activity of high-level creators related to AI increased, with AI-related professional content production growing by 46% year-over-year [1] - The introduction of AI-focused creators and companies, such as DeepSeek and others, indicates a growing trend in the platform's content ecosystem [1] Product Development - Zhihu Zhi Da, an AI search product launched in June 2024, has over 10 million monthly active users, with a growth of over 37% from the beginning of Q1 [2] - The product has been updated to support direct sourcing of search results from original creators on Zhihu [2] Leadership Commentary - The CEO highlighted the company's first-ever non-GAAP net profit in Q1 since its IPO, reflecting sustained profitability and community engagement [2]

Core Viewpoint - Zhihu Inc. reported its first-ever non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of 2025, reflecting effective operational strategies and AI integration, despite a decline in total revenues compared to the previous year [3][4]. Financial Performance - Total revenues for Q1 2025 were RMB 729.7 million (US$ 100.6 million), down from RMB 960.9 million in Q1 2024 [4][8]. - Non-GAAP net income was RMB 6.9 million (US$ 1.0 million), a significant improvement from a net loss of RMB 135.7 million in the same period of 2024 [8][12]. - Gross margin increased to 61.8% in Q1 2025 from 56.6% in Q1 2024, attributed to monetization enhancements and operational efficiency improvements [7][8]. Revenue Breakdown - Marketing services revenue decreased to RMB 197.0 million (US$ 27.1 million) from RMB 330.5 million in Q1 2024, due to strategic refinements in service offerings [4]. - Paid membership revenue was RMB 417.9 million (US$ 57.6 million), slightly down from RMB 449.7 million in Q1 2024, primarily due to a marginal decline in average monthly subscribing members [5]. - Vocational training revenue fell to RMB 94.5 million (US$ 13.0 million) from RMB 145.4 million in Q1 2024, mainly due to lower contributions from acquired businesses [5]. Cost Management - Cost of revenues decreased by 33.3% to RMB 278.6 million (US$ 38.4 million) from RMB 417.4 million in Q1 2024, driven by reduced content and operating costs [6]. - Total operating expenses decreased by 34.4% to RMB 503.7 million (US$ 69.4 million) from RMB 768.2 million in Q1 2024, with selling and marketing expenses down by 32.9% [9]. Shareholder Value Initiatives - As of March 31, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents totaling RMB 4,766.5 million (US$ 656.8 million) [13]. - The company repurchased 31.1 million Class A ordinary shares for a total of US$ 66.5 million under its existing share repurchase program [13][14].

Core Insights - Zhihu-W (02390.HK) reported its first quarter unaudited financial performance for 2025, showing total revenue of RMB 729.7 million, a decrease from RMB 960.9 million in the same period of 2024 [1] - The gross margin improved from 56.6% in 2024 to 61.8% in 2025 [1] - The net loss for the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 10.1 million, a significant reduction of 93.9% compared to the net loss in the same quarter of 2024 [1] - Adjusted net profit (non-GAAP) for the first quarter of 2025 was RMB 6.9 million, compared to an adjusted net loss of RMB 135.7 million in the same quarter of 2024 [1] - The average monthly subscription members reached 14.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 [1] Management Commentary - The Chairman and CEO of Zhihu, Zhou Yuan, highlighted that the first quarter of 2025 marked the first time the company recorded non-GAAP net profit in the first quarter since its listing, continuing the profitability momentum from the fourth quarter [2] - Zhou emphasized the effectiveness of the refined operational strategy and the deep integration of artificial intelligence within the Zhihu ecosystem, noting improvements in core user retention, daily active user engagement, and creator activity [2] - CFO Wang Han noted that the company achieved non-GAAP net profit of RMB 6.9 million in the first quarter while maintaining a gross margin increase of 5.2 percentage points year-on-year, reflecting improved execution and operational efficiency [2] - Looking ahead, the company aims to enhance its commercialization capabilities and unlock the community's significant value, focusing on sustainable growth and profitability to create long-term value for shareholders [2]

Core Insights - The total revenue for Zhihu (02390.HK) in Q1 2025 was RMB 730 million (USD 100.6 million), a decrease from RMB 960.9 million in the same period of 2024 [1] - The gross margin improved from 56.6% in Q1 2024 to 61.8% in Q1 2025 [1] Financial Performance - Q1 2025 total revenue: RMB 730 million (USD 100.6 million) [1] - Q1 2024 total revenue: RMB 960.9 million [1] - Q1 2025 gross margin: 61.8% [1] - Q1 2024 gross margin: 56.6% [1]

Group 1 - The core point of the article is that Zhihu (02390.HK) reported a net loss of RMB 10.1 million (USD 1.4 million) for the first quarter of 2025, which represents a significant reduction of 93.9% compared to the same period in 2024 [1]