Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for NetEase Cloud Music (9899.HK) [4] Core Insights - The company reported a slight revenue miss but exceeded profit expectations due to a reduction in sales expenses. Revenue for 1H25 was RMB 38.3 billion, down 6% year-over-year, compared to Bloomberg's consensus estimate of RMB 39.1 billion. Gross profit reached RMB 13.9 billion, with a gross margin of 36.4%, an increase of 1.4 percentage points year-over-year. Operating profit was RMB 8.45 billion, up 40.8% year-over-year, primarily due to reduced sales expenses. Adjusted net profit attributable to shareholders was RMB 19.5 billion, a significant increase of 121% year-over-year, mainly due to the recognition of deferred tax assets amounting to RMB 8.5 billion [1][4] Revenue Breakdown - Online music service revenue for 1H25 was RMB 29.7 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 15.9%. Subscription revenue grew by 15.2% to RMB 24.7 billion, driven by an increase in membership subscriptions, while social entertainment services and other revenues fell by 43.1% to RMB 8.6 billion due to the closure of the live streaming entry after the 2024 year-end version update [2][3] User Engagement and Product Development - The platform continues to enhance user engagement through product innovation and community ecosystem improvements. The NetEase Cloud Music app has introduced features such as personalized recommendations and AI functionalities, maintaining a daily active users to monthly active users ratio (DAU/MAU) above 30% [3] Cost Management - The company has effectively controlled costs, with sales expenses decreasing by 55.8% year-over-year to RMB 1.63 billion, attributed to a cautious promotional strategy. Management expenses increased by 3.6% to RMB 930 million, while R&D expenses decreased by 4.2% to RMB 3.79 billion [3] Profit Forecast and Valuation - The adjusted net profit forecast for 2025 has been raised to RMB 29.4 billion, a 55% increase from previous estimates. The adjusted net profit for 2026 and 2027 is also revised upward to RMB 25.9 billion and RMB 28.6 billion, representing increases of 19% and 17% respectively [4][5]
网易云音乐（09899）：25H1业绩点评：订阅增长稳健，利润超预期系销售费用收缩