FRIENDTIMES(HK:06820) Ge Long Hui·2025-08-05 02:23Core Viewpoint - The company, Friendship Time (6820.HK), has issued a positive profit forecast for the first half of 2025, reflecting a strong recovery in the gaming industry and confidence from both the company and its major shareholders [1][2]. Industry Summary - The gaming industry in China experienced a growth rate of nearly 15% in the first half of 2025, with actual sales revenue reaching 168 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.08% [2]. - The number of gaming users in China reached approximately 679 million, marking a historical high with a growth of 0.72% [2]. - Self-developed games generated overseas sales revenue of $9.501 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 11.07%, indicating ongoing global competitiveness of Chinese gaming companies [2]. Company Performance Summary - Friendship Time expects revenue for the first half of 2025 to be between 600 million to 650 million yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 14.1% to 23.6% [2]. - The company anticipates a profit of approximately 38 million to 44 million yuan, marking a turnaround from losses with a year-on-year increase of 152.5% to 160.8% [2]. - The growth is primarily driven by the strong performance of mini-games such as "Dulala's Promotion" and "Lingyun Nuo," along with an increase in high-margin channel revenue contributing to a gross margin increase of about 5 percentage points [2]. Game Highlights - The new game "Chaotic Chef Party" launched on May 28, 2025, quickly topped various app store charts and features collaborations with over 30 well-known food brands [3]. - The game has also initiated a second phase of the "Chef Creator" incentive program to support content creators [3]. - "Dulala's Promotion," another key product, has received positive feedback in both domestic and international markets, particularly in South Korea, where it reached the iOS game sales chart's Top 30 [4]. Shareholder Returns - The company has a strong commitment to shareholder returns, having distributed over 750 million yuan in cash dividends since its IPO, exceeding the net proceeds from its initial public offering [5]. - The company has repurchased approximately 3.7% of its total issued share capital as part of its share incentive plan [5]. - The chairman and major shareholder has committed not to sell any shares in the open market for 12 months starting from July 17, 2025, to reinforce confidence in the company's long-term prospects [5].