NTES(09999)2023-04-27 12:07Financial Performance - Net revenue increased from RMB 87.61 billion in 2021 to RMB 96.50 billion in 2022, representing a growth of approximately 10.1%[6] - Gross profit rose from RMB 46.97 billion in 2021 to RMB 52.77 billion in 2022, an increase of about 12.3%[6] - Net profit attributable to the company's shareholders grew from RMB 16.86 billion in 2021 to RMB 20.34 billion in 2022, a rise of approximately 20.6%[6] - Net revenue increased from RMB 73.67 billion in 2020 to RMB 96.50 billion in 2022, representing a growth of 31.0% over two years[22] - Gross profit rose from RMB 38.98 billion in 2020 to RMB 52.77 billion in 2022, a 35.4% increase over two years[22] - Operating profit grew from RMB 14.54 billion in 2020 to RMB 19.63 billion in 2022, a 35.0% increase over two years[22] - Net profit attributable to the company's shareholders increased from RMB 12.06 billion in 2020 to RMB 20.34 billion in 2022, a 68.7% growth over two years[22] - Net profit for 2022 reached RMB 19,843,290 thousand, a significant increase from RMB 12,330,235 thousand in 2020[25] - Net profit attributable to the company's shareholders in 2022 was RMB 20,724,629,000, reflecting a significant increase compared to previous years[172] - Total net revenue for the company increased from RMB 73,667,133 thousand in 2020 to RMB 96,495,809 thousand in 2022, reflecting a 31% growth[159] - Total gross profit for the company grew from RMB 38,983,402 thousand in 2020 to RMB 52,766,126 thousand in 2022, a 35% increase[159] Assets and Liabilities - Total assets increased from RMB 153.64 billion in 2021 to RMB 172.26 billion in 2022, reflecting a growth of about 12.1%[6] - Total liabilities rose from RMB 54.22 billion in 2021 to RMB 63.89 billion in 2022, an increase of approximately 17.8%[6] - The company's total equity increased from RMB 99.28 billion in 2021 to RMB 108.74 billion in 2022, a growth of approximately 9.5%[6] - Total assets grew by 12.4% from RMB 153,643,924 thousand in 2021 to RMB 172,760,985 thousand in 2022[19] - Total liabilities increased by 17.8% from RMB 54,220,048 thousand in 2021 to RMB 63,887,505 thousand in 2022[20] - Shareholders' equity rose by 9.5% from RMB 99,278,638 thousand in 2021 to RMB 108,737,040 thousand in 2022[21] - Total assets as of December 31, 2022, amounted to RMB 156,385,005,000, indicating growth from RMB 153,643,924,000 in 2021[174] - Total liabilities as of December 31, 2022, were RMB 54,415,183,000, slightly higher than RMB 54,220,048,000 in 2021[174] - The company's total equity as of December 31, 2022, was RMB 101,969,822,000, up from RMB 99,278,638,000 in 2021[174] Revenue Breakdown - The company recognized RMB 74.6 billion in revenue from games and related value-added services for the year ended December 31, 2022[12] - The company's revenue is primarily derived from online game services, educational services, smart hardware sales, online music services, live streaming, advertising, e-commerce, and other paid value-added services[43] - Net revenue for the Games and Related Value-Added Services segment increased from RMB 58,719,895 thousand in 2020 to RMB 74,566,471 thousand in 2022, representing a growth of 27% over the two-year period[159] - Net revenue for the Youdao segment grew from RMB 3,167,515 thousand in 2020 to RMB 5,013,182 thousand in 2022, with a peak of RMB 5,354,357 thousand in 2021[159] - Net revenue for the Cloud Music segment rose from RMB 4,895,731 thousand in 2020 to RMB 8,992,221 thousand in 2022, marking an 84% increase over the two years[159] Investments and Impairments - Equity method investments and long-term equity investments without readily determinable fair values amounted to RMB 5,239.2 million and RMB 10,463.3 million respectively as of December 31, 2022[13] - Impairment provisions of RMB 197.7 million and RMB 85.2 million were recognized for equity method investments and long-term equity investments without readily determinable fair values respectively for the year ended December 31, 2022[13] - The impairment assessment for equity method investments and long-term equity investments without readily determinable fair values involves significant judgment and is considered a significant risk due to high estimation uncertainty[13] - Long-term investments under the equity method increased from RMB 3,776.2 million in 2021 to RMB 5,239.2 million in 2022[109] - Equity method investment income for 2020, 2021, and 2022 was RMB 172.5 million, RMB 1,575.5 million, and RMB 1,259.9 million, respectively[110] - The company fully impaired its investment in Yixin (formerly Hangzhou Yixin Technology Co., Ltd.) due to underperformance, amounting to RMB 197.7 million in 2022[110] - Fair value losses on equity investments with readily determinable fair values were RMB 3,414.7 million in 2022, compared to gains of RMB 720.6 million in 2020 and RMB 91.1 million in 2021[111] - Gains from the sale of equity securities without readily determinable fair values were RMB 36.1 million, RMB 172.5 million, and RMB 1,784.9 million in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively[112] - Impairment provisions for certain equity investments were RMB 55.6 million, RMB 19.2 million, and RMB 85.2 million in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively[112] Cash Flow and Liquidity - Cash and cash equivalents increased by 71.7% from RMB 14,498,157 thousand in 2021 to RMB 24,889,000 thousand in 2022[19] - Net cash inflow from operating activities rose to RMB 27,709,233 thousand in 2022, up from RMB 24,888,171 thousand in 2020[25] - Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash increased to RMB 27,588,325 thousand at the end of 2022, up from RMB 17,376,115 thousand at the end of 2021[27] - Cash and cash equivalents increased from RMB 1,541,763 thousand in 2021 to RMB 2,303,280 thousand in 2022, a growth of 49.4%[31] - Operating cash flow decreased from RMB 1,548,858 thousand in 2021 to RMB 788,498 thousand in 2022, a drop of 49.1%[33] Tax and Regulatory Matters - Certain Chinese subsidiaries qualified as high-tech enterprises, enjoying a preferential tax rate of 15% in 2020, 2021, and 2022[118] - Total tax exemptions and rate reductions increased from RMB 1,969,414 thousand in 2020 to RMB 2,631,764 thousand in 2022[120] - Basic earnings per share impact from tax benefits rose from RMB 0.60 in 2020 to RMB 0.81 in 2022[120] - Total income tax expense grew from RMB 3,041,849 thousand in 2020 to RMB 5,031,838 thousand in 2022[121] - Effective tax rate increased from 19.8% in 2020 to 20.7% in 2022[122] - Net operating tax loss carryforwards amounted to RMB 15,124,930 thousand as of December 31, 2022[123] - Deferred tax assets increased from RMB 1,297,954 thousand in 2021 to RMB 1,480,789 thousand in 2022[126] - Deferred tax liabilities rose from RMB 1,345,874 thousand in 2021 to RMB 2,126,120 thousand in 2022[126] - Withholding tax liabilities increased from RMB 1,056.9 million in 2020 to RMB 2,144.4 million in 2022[129] - Total taxes payable decreased from RMB 4,537,050 thousand in 2021 to RMB 2,813,096 thousand in 2022[130] VIE Arrangements and Risks - The company has a series of agreements with VIE entities, granting it the right to determine significant economic activities and enjoy economic benefits, consolidating VIE entities in financial statements[37] - The company believes its VIE arrangements comply with Chinese law, but uncertainties in the legal system could limit enforcement and impact business operations[39] - Potential risks include government actions such as revoking business licenses, restricting operations, or requiring restructuring, which could severely disrupt the company's business[39] - VIE entities accounted for 84.4%, 85.9%, and 86.4% of NetEase's total net revenue in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively[192] - VIE entities' total assets (excluding receivables from other NetEase Group companies) represented 8.5% and 7.1% of NetEase's consolidated total assets as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2022, respectively[192] - NetEase's operations in China rely on contractual arrangements with VIE entities to comply with foreign investment restrictions and regulations[192] - Contractual arrangements with VIE entities include voting rights agreements, loan agreements, operating agreements, and equity pledge agreements[193] - NetEase faces significant uncertainties regarding the enforceability of VIE contractual arrangements under current and future Chinese laws and regulations[193] - The Foreign Investment Law in China does not explicitly classify contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment, creating potential regulatory risks[194] - A significant portion of NetEase's revenue is generated by VIE entities, which hold licenses for key businesses such as online gaming, music streaming, and online education[194] - If VIE entities are deemed non-compliant with Chinese laws or regulations, NetEase may face severe penalties or be forced to relinquish control over these entities[194] - The dissolution of VIE entities could severely impact NetEase's operations and lead to a significant decline in the value of its securities[194] - NetEase's ability to consolidate VIE entities' financial results into its consolidated financial statements may be affected by future regulatory actions in China[194] Regulatory and Legal Risks - The company faces risks related to VIE arrangements, including potential regulatory actions that could impact its ability to consolidate VIE entities[40] - The company believes the likelihood of losing control over VIE entities due to regulatory actions is low, and such actions would not lead to liquidation[40] - The company's financial performance could be significantly impacted if it loses control over its subsidiaries and VIEs in China, potentially leading to an inability to repay debts and a decline in the value of its ADS or ordinary shares[195] - Chinese government regulations, including those related to offshore securities issuance, antitrust investigations, and data privacy compliance, pose risks to the company's operations and stock value[195] - The company may face regulatory actions or sanctions if it fails to obtain necessary approvals from Chinese authorities for overseas securities issuance or maintaining its ADS trading status[195] - The Foreign Company Accountability Act (HFCAA) could result in the company's ADS being delisted if PCAOB is unable to inspect its auditors for two consecutive years[197] - The company was identified as a "Commission-Identified Issuer" under HFCAA in 2022 but expects to avoid this designation after the PCAOB's updated decision in December 2022[197] - Future PCAOB determinations on the ability to inspect auditors in China and Hong Kong could impact the company's compliance with HFCAA and its trading status in the U.S.[197] - Risks related to increased restrictions on online gaming imposed by the Chinese government[200] - Risks associated with the uncertainty of obtaining approvals for new games[200] - Risks related to legal, regulatory policies, and guidelines affecting the live streaming and online entertainment industry[200] - Risks associated with the international operation of the company's online games[200] - Risks related to third-party platforms for distributing mobile games and collecting payments[200] - Risks associated with maintaining existing game copyrights or intellectual property rights[200] - Risks related to illegal game servers, player cheating, and the trading of game accounts and virtual items on third-party auction sites[200] - Risks related to changes in the business strategy and service content of Youdao[200] - Risks related to compliance with the "Opinions on Further Reducing the Burden of Homework and Off-campus Training for Students in Compulsory Education" and its implementation rules[200] - Risks related to the company's ability to attract and retain users for its music streaming services and obtain necessary music content licenses[200] Earnings Per Share and Shareholder Equity - Basic earnings per share grew from RMB 3.65 in 2020 to RMB 6.23 in 2022, a 70.7% increase over two years[23] - Basic earnings per ADS increased from RMB 18.25 in 2020 to RMB 31.16 in 2022, a 70.7% growth over two years[23] - Total comprehensive income attributable to the company's shareholders rose from RMB 12.27 billion in 2020 to RMB 21.60 billion in 2022, a 76.0% increase over two years[23] - Total equity attributable to shareholders increased to RMB 108,737,040 thousand in 2022, up from RMB 82,997,804 thousand in 2020[24] - Retained earnings grew by 17.5% from RMB 77,494,475 thousand in 2021 to RMB 91,074,675 thousand in 2022[21] - Retained earnings increased to RMB 91,074,675 thousand in 2022, up from RMB 64,162,689 thousand in 2020[24] - Basic earnings per share (EPS) attributable to shareholders for 2020, 2021, and 2022 were RMB 3.65, RMB 5.07, and RMB 6.23, respectively[149] - Diluted EPS attributable to shareholders for 2020, 2021, and 2022 were RMB 3.60, RMB 5.01, and RMB 6.17, respectively[149] - The weighted average number of shares outstanding (basic) for 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 3,305,448 thousand, 3,325,864 thousand, and 3,263,455 thousand, respectively[149] - The weighted average number of shares outstanding (diluted) for 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 3,349,759 thousand, 3,367,478 thousand, and 3,296,014 thousand, respectively[149] - The total number of restricted share units with anti-dilutive effects excluded from diluted EPS calculations for 2020, 2021, and 2022 were approximately 6.0 million, 6.7 million, and 11.3 million shares, respectively[149] Revenue Recognition and Accounting Policies - The company's key audit matters included estimating the average playtime of paying players to confirm revenue related to in-game virtual items[11] - The company's financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers[8] - The company's revenue from mobile games is generated through the sale of in-game virtual items, with revenue recognized proportionally over the estimated average playtime of paying players[45] - For PC games, the company uses two revenue models: time-based and item-based. Time-based revenue is recognized proportionally based on playtime, while item-based revenue is recognized based on usage or expiration time[46] - The company's revenue recognition for in-game items depends on their usage type: one-time use, limited use, or unlimited use. Unlimited use items are recognized over the estimated average playtime of paying players[46] - The company estimates the average playtime of paying players based on historical player churn rates, average playtime, and other behavioral patterns, with adjustments made quarterly[46] - The company's financial statements are prepared under US GAAP, and management makes estimates and assumptions that affect reported revenue and expenses, including estimates for in-game virtual item revenue[42] - The company's tutoring services, including online live courses, digital learning content, and customized learning plans, are recognized as revenue proportionally over the estimated average learning period[47] - Smart hardware revenue, such as dictionary pens and translation devices, is recognized when the goods are transferred to customers, typically upon delivery to end customers or distributors[48] - Online music service revenue, including subscription fees and digital album sales, is recognized over the subscription period or upon transfer of control to customers[49] - Live streaming service revenue from virtual gifts is recognized either upon consumption or proportionally over the usable period of time-based virtual items[50] - Advertising service revenue is recognized over the display period, with performance-based arrangements tied to impressions or actions (e.g., clicks)[51] - E-commerce revenue from NetEase Yanxuan is recognized when control of goods is transferred to customers, typically upon delivery, with discounts treated as reductions in revenue[52] - Paid value-added services revenue, such as online reading and email services, is recognized over the subscription period or upon service provision[53] Investments and Fair Value Measurements - Short-term investments decreased by 37.9% from RMB 12,281,548 thousand in 2021 to RMB 7,622,673 thousand in 2022[19] - Short-term investments are measured at fair value, with changes reflected in "Other Income/(Expenses)" in the consolidated financial statements[64] - Long-term