Core Viewpoint - Cathay Securities maintains a "Buy" rating for Tencent Music (01698), projecting revenue growth and adjusted net profit for 2025-2027, with a target price of HKD 96.0 for 2026 based on a 25x PE ratio [1] Financial Performance - Tencent Music achieved revenue of RMB 84.6 billion in Q3 2025, a year-on-year increase of 20.6% with a gross margin of 43.5%, up 0.9 percentage points [1] - Operating profit reached RMB 27.1 billion, reflecting a 26.4% year-on-year growth, with an operating margin of 32.0%, up 1.5 percentage points [1] - Adjusted net profit for Q3 2025 was RMB 24.1 billion, a 32.6% increase year-on-year, with an adjusted net margin of 28.4%, up 2.6 percentage points [1] Revenue Drivers - Online music service revenue was RMB 69.7 billion in Q3 2025, up 27.2% year-on-year, with subscription revenue at RMB 45 billion, a 17.2% increase [2] - The number of paying users reached 126 million, a 5.6% year-on-year increase, with a paid penetration rate of 22.8%, up 2.2 percentage points; ARPPU was RMB 11.9, a 10.2% increase [2] - Offline performances, advertising, and peripheral income contributed to a revenue of RMB 24.7 billion, a significant 50.5% year-on-year growth [2] Content and User Engagement - The multilingual music library has been strengthened through contracts with top artists and the introduction of Japanese and Korean ACG labels [3] - Collaborative music projects with games like "Honor of Kings" have produced hit songs such as "Tomorrow's Coordinates" [3] - The user experience has been enhanced through innovative membership systems, increasing user stickiness and daily usage time for free users [3]