Yalla Group (NYSE:YALA) Q3 2025 Earnings Call November 10, 2025 08:00 PM ET Company ParticipantsSaifi Ismail - PresidentKerry Gao - Director of Investor RelationsLincoln Kong - Executive DirectorKaren Hu - CFOTao Yang - Chairman and CEOConference Call ParticipantsTianheng Liu - AnalystXueqing Zhang - Media AnalystChloe Wei - Equity AnalystSarah Hu - AnalystTao YangGood morning and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for standing by for Yalla Group Limited's third quarter 2025 earnings conference c ...

Yalla Group (NYSE:YALA) Q3 2025 Earnings Call November 10, 2025 08:00 PM ET Company ParticipantsSaifi Ismail - PresidentKerry Gao - Director of Investor RelationsLincoln Kong - Executive DirectorKaren Hu - CFOTao Yang - Chairman and CEOConference Call ParticipantsTianheng Liu - AnalystXueqing Zhang - Media AnalystChloe Wei - Equity AnalystSarah Hu - AnalystOperatorGood morning and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for standing by for Yalla Group Limited's third quarter 2025 earnings conference c ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total revenues for the third quarter of 2025 reached $89.6 million, a 0.8% increase from $88.9 million in the same period last year [18] - Net income grew by 3.9% year-over-year to $40.7 million, with a net margin of 45.4%, up 1.4 percentage points from the previous year [5][17] - Total costs and expenses decreased by 1% to $55.9 million, with cost of revenues down 10.7% to $28.4 million [18][19] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Average monthly active users (MAUs) increased by 8.1% year-over-year to 43.4 million, driven by user acquisition and AI-powered innovations [13] - Selling and marketing expenses rose by 30.3% to $9.6 million, reflecting higher advertising costs for user acquisition [19] - Technology and product development expenses increased by 21.4% to $8.6 million, due to higher salaries and benefits for staff [20] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Middle East gaming market is projected to reach approximately $7.1 billion in 2025, with a year-over-year growth rate of 75% [5] - The company is focusing on expanding its presence in both the MENA region and new markets, leveraging successful game titles [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to capture the growing digital entertainment ecosystem in the MENA region and enhance its product portfolio [6] - A dual-track strategy is being implemented, focusing on self-developed titles and game distribution partnerships [35] - The company plans to maintain a similar level of share repurchases in 2026 as in 2025, with a commitment to maximizing shareholder value [40][41] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the growth potential of the gaming market and the company's ability to innovate and adapt [5][12] - The outlook for Q4 2025 anticipates revenues between $78 million and $85 million, with expectations for new business initiatives to contribute more significantly in the following quarters [24][42] - Full-year 2025 net margin is expected to reach about 40%, with continued investment in R&D to support long-term growth [42] Other Important Information - The company has repurchased over 7.7 million ADS or Class A ordinary shares, totaling $51.9 million, achieving its full-year repurchase commitment ahead of schedule [10][40] - Yalla Group celebrated its fifth anniversary of public listing, marking significant growth and achievements in the past five years [11] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can Management brief us on the advancements in mid-core and hardcore games? - Management highlighted the soft launch of two match-three titles, Turbo Match and a roguelike product, with plans for further investment based on positive test results [26][27] Question: How should we think about the strategic role of our match game? - Management indicated that match-three games serve as an entry point for exploring new regional markets, with plans to increase marketing budgets in high-performing areas [29][30] Question: Could Management share the company's upcoming gaming strategy? - The company is focusing on casual and mid-core game segments, with a dual-track strategy for self-developed titles and game distribution partnerships [34][35] Question: Can we get Management's view on the quarterly performance of flagship products? - Both flagship products, Yalla and Yalla Ludo, achieved significant breakthroughs, with expectations for stable business scale and continued growth through new features [37][38] Question: Could Management outline the plans for future shareholder returns? - The company plans to maintain a similar level of share repurchase in 2026 and remains committed to prioritizing shareholder interests [39][40]