Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was CNY 193 billion, representing a 15% year-on-year increase [3] - Gross profit increased to CNY 109 billion, up 22% year-on-year [3] - Non-IFRS operating profit rose to CNY 73 billion, an 18% year-on-year increase [4] - Non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders was CNY 71 billion, also up 18% year-on-year [4] - Overall gross margin improved to 56%, up 3 percentage points year-on-year [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Value-added services (VAS) revenue was CNY 96 billion, up 16% year-on-year, contributing 50% of total revenue [6] - Social networks revenue increased by 5% year-on-year to CNY 32 billion, driven by video accounts and live streaming [7] - Domestic games revenue grew by 15% year-on-year, primarily from Delta Force and Honor of Kings [7] - International games revenue surged by 43% year-on-year, attributed to upfront revenue recognition from Dying Light: The Beast [8] - Marketing services revenue increased by 21% year-on-year to CNY 36 billion, supported by ad spend growth [13] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Combined monthly active users (MAU) of Weixin and WeChat reached 1.4 billion, showing growth both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter [4] - Music subscription revenue increased by 17% year-on-year, with subscribers growing to 126 million [7] - The mobile launch of Valorant resulted in over 50 million combined monthly active users in October [10] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on strategic investments in AI, enhancing capabilities in ad targeting and game engagement [3] - The Hunyuan foundation model is being upgraded to improve its capabilities in imagery and 3D generation [3] - The company aims to continue acquiring game studios and bringing self-developed games to global markets [22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the gaming business growth rate is expected to decelerate closer to underlying trends in the upcoming quarters [22] - The macroeconomic environment is gradually improving, which may positively impact consumer spending and payment services [65] - Management expressed confidence in the ongoing improvements in AI capabilities and their integration into Weixin [34] Other Important Information - The company reported a free cash flow of CNY 58.5 billion, largely stable year-on-year [19] - The net cash position increased to CNY 102.4 billion, up 37% quarter-on-quarter [19] Q&A Session Summary Question: What has driven the growth in international gaming business? - The growth rate was boosted by the consolidation of newly acquired studios and upfront revenue recognition from Dying Light: The Beast [22] Question: Can you elaborate on the Hunyuan team upgrades? - The company is hiring top talent and improving the Hunyuan architecture to enhance AI capabilities [27] Question: How does the AI Marketing Plus solution benefit advertisers? - The solution allows advertisers to automate targeting and bidding, leading to improved returns on investment [29] Question: What is the outlook for advertising revenue growth? - The growth is expected to continue, supported by AI capabilities and improving consumer spending [45] Question: How does the company view its investment strategy in the current market? - The company is actively recycling its portfolio and investing in emerging growth opportunities, particularly in AI startups [55]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenue for Q3 2025 was CNY 193 billion, representing a 15% year-on-year increase [3][16] - Gross profit increased to CNY 109 billion, up 22% year-on-year [3][16] - Non-IFRS operating profit reached CNY 73 billion, an 18% year-on-year increase [3][16] - Non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders was CNY 71 billion, also up 18% year-on-year [4][16] - Overall gross margin improved to 56%, up 3 percentage points year-on-year [18] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Value-added services (VAS) accounted for 50% of total revenue, with social networks at 17%, domestic games at 22%, and international games at 11% [6] - Marketing services contributed 19% to total revenue, while fintech and business services made up 30% [6] - Domestic games revenue grew by 15% year-on-year, driven by titles like Delta Force and Honor of Kings [7] - International games revenue surged by 43% year-on-year, attributed to upfront revenue recognition from Dying Light: The Beast and consolidation of acquired studios [8][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Combined monthly active users (MAU) of Weixin and WeChat reached 1.4 billion, showing growth year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter [4] - Music subscription revenue increased by 17% year-on-year, with music subscribers growing to 126 million [7] - Marketing services revenue rose by 21% year-on-year to CNY 36 billion, supported by ad spend growth across major categories [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on strategic investments in AI, enhancing capabilities in ad targeting and game engagement [3] - The Hunyuan foundation model is being upgraded to improve its capabilities in imagery and 3D generation, aiming for industry leadership [3] - The company plans to continue acquiring game studios and bringing self-developed games to global markets [22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth of the international gaming business but noted a potential deceleration in growth rates [22] - The macroeconomic environment is gradually improving, which could positively impact consumer spending and fintech services [65] - Management highlighted that AI capabilities are expected to drive revenue growth and improve operational efficiency [36] Other Important Information - The company reported a free cash flow of CNY 58.5 billion, largely stable year-on-year, with a net cash position of CNY 102.4 billion [19] - R&D expenses rose by 28% year-on-year, reflecting increased investment in AI initiatives [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: What has driven the growth in international gaming? - The growth rate was boosted by the consolidation of newly acquired studios and upfront revenue recognition from Dying Light: The Beast, but is expected to decelerate [22] Question: Can you elaborate on the Hunyuan team upgrades? - The company is hiring top talent and improving infrastructure to enhance the Hunyuan model's capabilities [28] Question: How does the AI Marketing Plus solution benefit advertisers? - The solution allows for automated bidding, which has shown positive early results in terms of ROI for advertisers [76] Question: What is the outlook for advertising revenue growth? - The growth is expected to continue, supported by improved consumer spending and AI capabilities [45] Question: How does the company view its relationship with Apple? - The company has a constructive relationship with Apple and is working to enhance the mini game ecosystem [44] Question: What are the trends in consumer loans and cloud revenue? - Consumer loans are stable due to conservative underwriting, while cloud revenue growth is constrained by AI chip availability [67]

Tencent (00700) Q2 2025 Earnings Call August 13, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsWendy Huang - IROPony Ma - Chairman & CEOMartin Lau - PresidentJames Mitchell - Chief Strategy Officer & Senior EVPJohn Lo - SVP & CFOThomas Chong - Managing DirectorAlex Yao - Co-Head of Asia Technology, Media & TelecommunicationsKenneth Fong - Managing DirectorRonald Keung - Managing DirectorCharlene Liu - Managing Director - Head of Internet & Gaming, Asia - PacificYuan Liao - Internet Media Research AssistantWilliam Pa ...

Core Viewpoint - Tencent's revenue in Q4 2024 grew by over 11% year-on-year, reaching 172.5 billion RMB, marking the fastest growth since the end of 2022, with net profit doubling year-on-year [1][3] Group 1: Financial Performance - Tencent announced a share buyback plan of at least 80 billion HKD and proposed a 32% increase in the annual dividend for 2025 [3] - The company's market capitalization has increased by approximately 30% or 140 billion USD this year, driven by a broader rebound in tech stocks following the rise of DeepSeek [4] Group 2: AI Investment Strategy - Tencent plans to allocate a low double-digit percentage of its 2025 revenue towards capital expenditures, including AI infrastructure, which is expected to exceed 10 billion USD based on analysts' revenue forecasts [3][4] - The company aims to leverage AI across its services, from core WeChat functionalities to content offerings, and has increased procurement of AI chips to meet growing demand [4] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Tencent's AI ambitions are a focal point for investors, especially in light of competition from Alibaba, which has committed over 50 billion USD for AI and cloud computing over the next three years [4][5] - Tencent is integrating DeepSeek's open-source models into its services, including WeChat search and its chatbot, which briefly became the most downloaded free app on iPhones in China [5] Group 4: Core Business and Growth Engines - WeChat remains Tencent's core growth engine, with ongoing efforts in advertising, gaming, and e-commerce [4][5] - The company emphasizes a dual-core technology strategy, balancing self-developed and licensed games to enhance user experience [4] Group 5: Future Outlook - Tencent has successfully launched several games, including titles from Nexon and its own PC shooting game, aiming to develop a portfolio of evergreen titles that generate stable cash flow [6] - Despite the strong product lineup, there are no guarantees that Tencent can replicate its past successes by 2025, as it, along with global peers, has reduced development positions and refocused on fewer key projects [6]