Summary of the Conference Call on the China OTA Industry Industry Overview - **Industry**: China Online Travel Agency (OTA) Sector - **Key Focus**: Competitive dynamics and strategic updates within the OTA industry in China Core Insights 1. **High Entry Barriers**: The complexity of building OTA supply chains and service infrastructure creates significant entry barriers, which may take 3-5 years for new entrants to overcome. Established players have clear scale advantages [2][3] 2. **Transportation Supply Chain**: The transportation supply chain is simpler with around 100 airline carriers in China, but the ROI and margins are low due to limited direct monetization through commissions. Revenue opportunities lie in cross-selling value-added services [2] 3. **Hotel Supply Chain Challenges**: Establishing a hotel supply chain is more complex due to nearly 1 million suppliers, including alternative accommodations. Many small and independent hotels require extensive business development efforts [2] 4. **Customer Service Advantages**: Leading OTAs like Trip.com have developed large in-house customer service teams, providing superior service quality through a one-stop shop platform that can address cross-business issues [2] Competitive Landscape 1. **Stable Competition**: Despite new platforms showing interest in the OTA space, the competitive landscape remains stable. New entrants face constraints in supply capabilities, customer service, and user mindshare [3] 2. **Fliggy's Position**: Fliggy has gained traffic support post-Alibaba's restructuring but still lags in hotel inventory depth and price competitiveness compared to market leaders [3] 3. **Douyin's Strategy**: Douyin has shifted from a full OTA model back to a "content + voucher" approach due to slow hotel coverage and customer profile mismatches [3] 4. **JD.com's Early Stage**: JD.com is in the early stages of developing its hotel supply chain, focusing on service provider coordination and system integration [3] AI Disruption Concerns 1. **Limited Immediate Impact**: Concerns regarding AI disruption in the OTA sector are considered overblown at this stage. Current AI platforms are likely to serve as price comparators but face limitations in real-time price retrieval due to OTAs' defensive measures [4] 2. **Long-Term AI Integration**: For AI platforms to facilitate closed-loop bookings, they must improve their supply chains and services, necessitating ongoing monitoring [4] Stock Implications 1. **Earnings Visibility**: The stable competition in the OTA sector supports the earnings visibility of leading companies. The report is optimistic about the OTA sector's prospects in 2026, citing reasonable valuations [5] 2. **Valuation Metrics**: TCOM/Tongcheng is trading at 16x/11x 2026E PE, compared to 14x for the broader Chinese internet sector [5] Risks to Consider 1. **Evolving Competition**: The competitive landscape is subject to change, which could intensify competition [7] 2. **Technological Trends**: Rapid changes in technology and user preferences pose risks [7] 3. **Monetization Uncertainty**: Uncertain monetization strategies could impact profitability [7] 4. **Traffic Acquisition Costs**: Rising costs associated with traffic acquisition and brand promotions are a concern [7] 5. **Regulatory Changes**: Potential regulatory changes could affect the industry landscape [7] Additional Notes - The report emphasizes the importance of monitoring ongoing developments in the OTA sector and the potential for new entrants to disrupt the market in the future [4][5]

Core Financial Performance - Tongcheng Travel (TC) reported total revenue of RMB5.5 billion for 3Q25, reflecting a 10.4% year-over-year increase, which was 1% better than forecasts [1] - Adjusted net profit (NP) reached RMB1.06 billion, up 16.5% YoY, exceeding forecasts by 4% and consensus by 2% [1] - The operating profit margin (OPM) of the core OTA business expanded to 31.2% in 3Q25, slightly ahead of the forecast [1] Core OTA Business Growth - The core OTA business generated revenue of RMB4.6 billion, accounting for 83.7% of total revenue, with a YoY growth of 14.9% [2] - Revenue growth in transportation ticketing services, accommodation reservation services, and other revenue was 9.0%, 14.7%, and 34.9% YoY, respectively [2] - The accumulated number of travelers served reached 2.0 billion by the end of September, marking a 7.3% YoY increase [2] 4Q25 Outlook - For 4Q25, total revenue is estimated at RMB4.76 billion, representing a 12.4% YoY increase, driven by a 17.4% growth in the core OTA segment [3] - The core OTA business is expected to see revenue growth of 8.3% for transportation ticketing, 14.6% for accommodation reservation, and 48.9% for other business [3] - An incremental revenue contribution of RMB170 million is anticipated from the consolidation of Wanda Hotel Management (WHM) starting October 2025 [3] Operating Profit Margin Expectations - The overall OPM for TC reached 21.1% in 3Q25, up from 19.6% in 3Q24, with the core OTA business OPM improving to 31.2% [4] - A stable OPM of 28.4% is forecasted for the core OTA business in 4Q25, despite increased marketing spend for user acquisition [4] - Non-GAAP net profit is expected to grow by 14.0% YoY to RMB752 million, translating into a non-GAAP net margin of 15.8% [4]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call focuses on the **AI industry in China**, particularly the adoption and monetization of AI technologies by major internet and software companies in Q2 2025 [1][2]. Core Insights - **AI Adoption**: Companies are increasingly integrating AI into their products and services to enhance user experience and maintain competitiveness. This includes innovations in search, content recommendation, and productivity tools [1]. - **Internal Efficiency Gains**: There is a notable rise in the use of AI for coding, AI-generated content (AIGC), and customer service, which has led to improvements in gross and operating margins [1]. - **Monetization Progress**: Direct monetization of AI products is advancing, especially in content generation, with significant revenue growth reported in various sectors [2]. Financial Performance - **Revenue Growth**: Major Chinese Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) have seen revenue forecasts raised by 2% to 9% for 2025, driven by increasing AI-related demand. For instance, Kuaishou's revenue from AI video generation reached RMB 250 million, up 67% quarter-over-quarter [2]. - **Advertising Impact**: Companies like Bilibili and Weibo reported over 10% increases in effective cost per mille (eCPM) for performance-based ads due to AI enhancements, while Tencent noted improvements in click-through rates and return on investment (ROI) for advertisers [2][25]. Capital Expenditure (Capex) Trends - **Stable Capex Outlook**: Chinese internet leaders are maintaining their capex guidance for the year, focusing on improving chip utilization and efficiency, particularly in light of uncertain US chip supplies [3]. - **Investment in Domestic Chips**: There is a rising emphasis on domestic chip options to mitigate supply chain risks, with companies like DeepSeek and iFlytek making advancements in optimizing domestic GPU usage [3]. Stock Recommendations - **Positive Outlook on Stocks**: Analysts are optimistic about several companies: - **Tencent**: Benefiting from AI-driven ad growth and opportunities within the WeChat ecosystem [4]. - **Kuaishou**: Early revenue traction in video generation [4]. - **Alibaba**: As the largest cloud vendor in China and a leading provider of large language models (LLMs) [4]. - **Meitu and Kingdee**: Both companies are expected to benefit from AI monetization and successful transformations to subscription models [4]. Risks and Challenges - **Competitive Landscape**: The evolving competitive environment poses risks, including intensified competition and fast-moving technology trends [36][37][38]. - **Monetization Uncertainty**: There are concerns regarding the pace of monetization and the rising costs associated with traffic acquisition and content promotion [36][39][40]. Additional Insights - **AI Integration in Services**: Companies are leveraging AI for various applications, including customer service automation, personalized marketing, and enhanced product functionalities [7][9]. - **Emerging AI Applications**: New AI-native applications are being developed, such as Amap's spatial intelligence features and DingTalk's next-generation workplace communication tools [7]. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the conference call, highlighting the advancements, financial performance, stock recommendations, and potential risks within the AI industry in China.

Core Financial Performance - Tongcheng Travel (TC) reported total revenue of RMB4.4 billion for 1Q25, representing a 13% year-over-year increase, which was 0.7% and 0.9% better than the company's forecast and Bloomberg consensus estimates respectively, driven by a 1% revenue beat in the core OTA business [1] - Adjusted net profit for 1Q25 was RMB788 million, up 41% year-over-year, exceeding forecasts by 6.6% and 7.3%, attributed to better-than-expected operating leverage in the core OTA business and operational refinements in the Tourism segment [1] - The operating profit margin (OPM) of the core OTA business expanded to 29.2% in 1Q25, compared to 22.6% in 1Q24, indicating improved efficiency [1][4] Core OTA Business Insights - In 1Q25, TC's core OTA business revenue reached RMB3.8 billion, accounting for 86.6% of total revenue, with an 18.4% year-over-year growth, slightly ahead of consensus estimates [2] - Revenue growth in the core OTA business was driven by a 15% increase in transportation ticketing services, a 23% increase in accommodation reservation services, and a 20% increase in other services [2] - The accumulated number of travelers served reached 2.0 billion by the end of March, reflecting a 7.3% year-over-year increase [2] Future Outlook - For 2Q25, total revenue is estimated to be RMB4.7 billion, up 10% year-over-year, with core OTA segment revenue expected to grow by 13%, while Tourism revenue is projected to decline by 7.5% [3] - The company anticipates a reacceleration in revenue growth for accommodation reservations in 3Q-4Q25, supported by easier comparisons and stronger seasonality [3] - The overall OPM is expected to reach 18.7% in 1Q25, up from 11.8% in 1Q24, with core OTA OPM forecasted to expand to 25.5% in 2Q25 [4]