BILIBILI-哔哩哔哩：4Q24 earnings beat on strong mobile games and ad businesses-20250221

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "BUY" rating for Bilibili, with a target price raised to US $26.4 from the previous US$ 22.0, indicating a potential upside of 19.4% from the current price of US $22.11 [3][11]. Core Insights - Bilibili's 4Q24 earnings exceeded expectations, driven by strong growth in mobile games and advertising, with total revenue increasing by 22% year-over-year to RMB7.73 billion [1][6]. - The company reported an adjusted net income of RMB453 million, a significant improvement from an adjusted net loss of RMB556 million in 4Q23, reflecting a narrowing of the adjusted net loss for FY24 to RMB22.1 million [1][2]. - Management has set a long-term operating profit margin (OPM) target of 15-20%, up from 6% in 4Q24, which is expected to enhance investor confidence [1][6]. Financial Performance Summary - For FY24, total revenue reached RMB26.8 billion, marking a 19% year-over-year growth, while the adjusted net loss narrowed by 99% year-over-year [1][2]. - Revenue projections for FY25E and FY26E are set at RMB30.4 billion and RMB32.6 billion, respectively, with expected growth rates of 13.4% and 7.1% [2][7]. - The gross margin is anticipated to improve to 37.3% in FY25E, with adjusted net profit expected to reach RMB1.75 billion [2][7]. Revenue Breakdown - The revenue from mobile games surged by 79% year-over-year to RMB1.80 billion in 4Q24, contributing 23% to total revenue [6]. - Advertising revenue grew by 24% year-over-year to RMB2.39 billion, driven by a 40% increase in performance ad revenues and a 30% rise in the number of advertisers [6]. - Value-added services (VAS) revenue increased by 8% year-over-year to RMB3.08 billion, accounting for 40% of total revenue, supported by premium membership and the Fan Charging program [6]. Margin and Profitability Outlook - The gross profit margin (GPM) improved by 10 percentage points year-over-year to 36.1% in 4Q24, with adjusted operating profit margin (OPM) rising by 17 percentage points to 6.0% [6]. - For FY25E, the adjusted OPM is expected to expand to 5.8%, with long-term targets set at 40-45% for GPM and 15-20% for OPM [6][11]. Valuation Metrics - The SOTP valuation indicates a target price of US$ 26.4 per ADS, with the advertising business valued at US $10.5, VAS at US$ 8.0, and mobile games at US$8.0 [11][12]. - The report highlights that the target price reflects a 2.6x price-to-sales (P/S) ratio for 2025E [11].