Cai Fu Zai Xian·2025-05-16 09:23Core Viewpoint - Huatai Securities maintains a "buy" rating for NetEase Youdao (NYSE: DAO) with a target price of $11.41, expressing confidence in the company's AI capabilities accelerating commercialization in education and marketing sectors [1] Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, NetEase Youdao reported a net revenue of 1.3 billion RMB, with operating profit reaching 104 million RMB, marking a historical high for the quarter and a year-on-year increase of 247.7%, significantly surpassing market expectations [3] - Operating cash flow net outflow narrowed by 34.7% year-on-year, indicating improved financial efficiency [3] Business Strategy and Growth - The company's "AI-native" strategy is driving sustained profitability, with core business showing robust growth [3] - Youdao's learning services focus on high-demand scenarios, with sales of Youdao Ling Shi increasing over 25% year-on-year in Q1 [3] - AI subscription services generated nearly 70 million RMB in sales in Q1, with a year-on-year growth rate exceeding 40% [3] - Online marketing services are expanding both domestically and internationally, with deeper collaborations with Google and NetEase Group expected to yield accelerated effects in the second half of the year [3] AI Development and Innovation - As one of the earliest companies to develop vertical large models in education, Youdao combines self-research with open-source technology [4] - The company launched the open-source educational reasoning model "ZiYue-o1" in January, which significantly enhances GPU efficiency compared to general large models [4] - The "ZiYue" model is being integrated into the company's learning services, AI subscriptions, and smart hardware, solidifying its leading position in the domestic education large model sector [4] Future Outlook - The CEO of NetEase Youdao stated that after achieving full-year profitability in 2024, the company is positioned for strategic advantages and aims to accelerate the deployment of the "ZiYue" model in both education and advertising sectors in 2025 [4] - Huatai Securities forecasts that NetEase Youdao's operating profit for 2025 could reach 216 million RMB, a year-on-year increase of 45% [4] - The company’s projected net profit under non-GAAP for 2025-2027 is estimated to be 173 million, 243 million, and 343 million RMB respectively [4] Industry Recognition - NetEase Youdao was ranked second in the "2025 Global Top Education Technology Companies" list by Times magazine, reflecting its rapid progress in large model implementation and performance [5]