NETEASE CLOUD MUSIC(9899.HK)：2H25 REVENUE MISS ON SOFT NON-SUBSCRIPTIONBUSINESS; INTACT FY26 EARNINGS GROWTH OUTLOOK

Core Viewpoint - NetEase Cloud Music reported a slight decline in total revenue for FY25, but adjusted net profit showed significant growth, indicating a mixed financial performance with concerns over revenue growth in online music services and overall gross profit margin [1]. Financial Performance - Total revenue for FY25 decreased by 2% YoY to RMB7.76 billion, slightly below the Bloomberg consensus estimate of RMB7.91 billion [1]. - Adjusted net profit increased by 68% YoY to RMB2.86 billion, aligning with consensus estimates [1]. - Adjusted operating profit grew by 32% YoY to RMB1.73 billion, excluding the impact of deferred income tax credit [1]. Revenue Breakdown - Online music services revenue grew by 8% YoY to RMB3.0 billion in 2H25, a slowdown from 16% YoY growth in 1H25 [2]. - Membership subscription revenue rose by 12% YoY to RMB2.6 billion in 2H25, driven by subscriber base growth but offset by a decline in monthly ARPPU [2]. - Non-subscription music revenue fell by 7% YoY in 2H25, primarily due to decreased revenue from digital album sales [2]. - Revenue from social entertainment and others dropped by 17% YoY to RMB905 million in 2H25, although it stabilized with a 5% HoH growth [2]. Margin Analysis - Overall gross profit margin (GPM) increased by 2.7 percentage points YoY but declined by 1.4 percentage points HoH to 35.0% in 2H25, mainly due to reduced revenue from higher-margin non-subscription business [3]. - Adjusted operating margin improved by 4.6 percentage points YoY to 21.1% in 2H25, attributed to operating leverage and effective expense control [3]. Future Outlook - For FY26E, total revenue is forecasted to increase by 8% YoY to RMB8.4 billion, driven by solid growth in the online music business [4]. - Music subscription revenue is expected to rise by 13% YoY to RMB5.7 billion in FY26E, supported by growth in both subscriber base and ARPPU [4]. - Adjusted operating profit is projected to grow by 19% YoY in FY26E, with operating profit margin increasing by 2 percentage points YoY [4].