Core Insights - Sea Limited's digital entertainment division, Garena, has shown strong performance in Q1 2025, primarily due to the success of its flagship game, Free Fire, which is expected to maintain momentum throughout the year [1] Financial Performance - Garena's revenues increased by 8.2% year over year to $495.6 million, while bookings surged by 51.4% to $775.4 million, driven by strong user engagement with 661.8 million active users and improved monetization per user [2] - The adjusted EBITDA margin for Garena reached 59%, indicating operational efficiency [3] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sea Limited's 2025 earnings is projected at $4.23 per share, reflecting a 151.79% growth compared to fiscal 2024 [11] User Engagement and Growth - Free Fire's engagement levels are exceptionally high, with daily active users approaching pandemic highs, showcasing its dominance in the mobile gaming sector [3] - Garena anticipates maintaining double-digit year-over-year growth in both user base and bookings, supported by the launch of Delta Force Mobile and the pre-registration for Free City [4][10] Competitive Landscape - Sea Limited faces competition from Take-Two Interactive and Roblox, with each company employing different monetization strategies and market approaches [5][6] - Roblox reported a 26% increase in daily users to nearly 100 million and a 31% rise in bookings to $1.21 billion, focusing on user-generated content and scalability [7] Stock Performance and Valuation - Sea Limited's shares have increased by 55.1% year to date, outperforming the Zacks Internet – Software industry's return of 13.3% [8] - The company is currently trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio of 33.18, which is higher than the sector's average of 26.22 [11]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company's fourth quarter revenue was $244 million, up 12% year-over-year, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of growth [8] - Adjusted EBITDA loss for the fourth quarter was $3 million, an improvement from a loss of $13 million in the prior year, with a full year adjusted EBITDA loss of $27 million, improving by $53 million over 2023 [9][30] - Net loss for the fourth quarter was $36 million, compared to a net loss of $23 million in the prior year, which was below the guidance range [31] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Real estate services generated $149 million in revenue, up 12% year-over-year, with brokerage revenue increasing by 13% [32] - The rentals segment posted revenue of $52 million, a 5% increase, marking its ninth consecutive quarter of growth [35] - The mortgage segment generated $30 million in revenue, up 15% year-over-year, with gross margin improving from 4.6% to 10.9% [37][28] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Real estate services market share was 0.72%, flat year-over-year, despite a significant increase in the sales force [12] - The company expects growth in U.S. home sales to strengthen across the summer, particularly if inventory increases and sellers become less aggressive on pricing [25] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to aggressively expand its sales force and improve monetization across all business segments, including a partnership with Zillow to enhance rental listings [13][19] - The company aims to increase real estate gross margins to approximately 30% in 2025, despite a decline in margins in the fourth quarter of 2024 due to unexpected costs [15][16] - The focus is on gaining market share and improving profitability through strategic advertising and partnerships, while managing costs effectively [49][50] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed cautious optimism about the housing market, noting that while a significant recovery in home sales is unlikely in 2025, the worst of the downturn may be behind [25][27] - The company anticipates a significant adjusted EBITDA profit in 2025, driven by increased advertising and a larger, more effective sales force [14][50] Other Important Information - The company expects total revenue for the first quarter of 2025 to be between $214 million and $225 million, with real estate services revenue projected between $126 million and $131 million [40] - The partnership with Zillow is expected to enhance the rentals segment's financials significantly once fully implemented by July 2025 [43] Q&A Session Summary Question: Regarding ad spending and marketing strategy - Management indicated that advertising is being ramped up early to capture homebuyer interest, with expectations of significant profitability in 2025 [48][50] Question: On lead agent count and hiring - The lead agent count has increased by 25% from the previous quarter, with a focus on hiring experienced agents who are outperforming tenured agents [60][61] Question: About the economics of Redfin Next - Management noted that agents earn higher splits on self-sourced business, and adjustments have been made to offset higher-than-expected costs [110][111] Question: On the Zillow partnership and traffic for rentals - Management expects immediate traffic benefits from the Zillow partnership, which will enhance rental inventory and overall marketplace growth [96][97] Question: On market share trends in Next markets - Management expressed optimism about market share gains in both older and newer Next markets, with a focus on recruiting high-performing agents [78][80]