iQIYI(US:IQ) HTSC·2026-01-22 05:45Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for iQIYI (IQ US) with a target price of $2.96 [6][4] Core Insights - iQIYI is expected to achieve total revenue of 6.76 billion RMB in Q4 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.3% and a quarter-on-quarter increase of 1.2%, driven by improvements in content ecology and scheduling richness [1][4] - The report highlights the positive impact of the new broadcasting regulations introduced by the National Radio and Television Administration in August 2025, which are expected to enhance the long video industry [1][3] - The company is anticipated to benefit from a reduction in content production review cycles, increased scheduling stability, and improved funding efficiency due to these regulations [1][3] Revenue and Profitability - Membership service revenue is projected to be 4.1 billion RMB in Q4 2025, remaining stable year-on-year but decreasing by 2.7% quarter-on-quarter due to seasonal factors [2] - Online advertising revenue is expected to be 1.33 billion RMB in Q4 2025, showing a year-on-year decline of 7.4% but a quarter-on-quarter increase of 7.0%, aided by popular shows and promotional activities [2] - Content distribution revenue is forecasted to reach 790 million RMB in Q4 2025, reflecting a significant year-on-year increase of 93.5% [2] Market Position and Growth Opportunities - iQIYI maintains a strong market position, holding six of the top ten spots in daily market share for long-form content in 2025 [3] - The international version of iQIYI has seen a robust growth in content viewership, increasing by 114.5% year-on-year [3] - The company is set to open a new theme park in Yangzhou in February 2026, which aims to diversify revenue sources through immersive entertainment products [3] Financial Forecasts and Valuation - The report revises the non-GAAP net profit forecasts for 2025, 2026, and 2027 to 260 million RMB, 670 million RMB, and 1.02 billion RMB respectively, reflecting better-than-expected cost control [4][11] - The target price of $2.96 is based on a price-to-sales ratio of 0.7x for 2026, which is at a discount compared to the industry average of 4.8x, indicating a cautious outlook on revenue recovery [4][14]