Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Positive" (看好) indicating that the industry is expected to outperform the overall market [4][12]. Core Insights - The report highlights that Tencent Music and NetEase Cloud Music are leading the domestic music platform sector, with Tencent Music's subscription revenue reaching 4.38 billion RMB in Q2 2025, a year-on-year increase of 17.1%. The average revenue per paying user (ARPPU) increased by 9.3% to 11.7 RMB, driven by the SVIP strategy [4]. - The report emphasizes the strong performance of the online entertainment sector, particularly the growth of self-owned copyright operations by companies like Reading Group and the expansion of offline channels for merchandise [4]. - The report expresses concerns about AI applications potentially disrupting the industry, but notes that companies with a "data + scenario" approach have a competitive edge in product design and user engagement [4]. Summary by Sections Media Sector - Tencent Music's revenue from subscriptions and other income sources exceeded expectations, with a focus on monetizing fan economies. The company is expected to continue increasing its average transaction value [4]. - NetEase Cloud Music's subscription revenue grew by 15.2% year-on-year, driven by an increase in paying users, particularly among younger demographics [4]. Entertainment and Gaming - JD Health reported a 30% year-on-year increase in pharmaceutical sales, indicating significant growth potential in online medical sales [4]. - The report highlights the strong performance of various entertainment companies, including Bilibili and Mango TV, which are diversifying their revenue streams beyond traditional advertising and gaming [4]. Valuation of Key Companies - The report provides a valuation table for key companies, indicating projected revenue and profit growth for Tencent Holdings, NetEase, and others, with Tencent expected to achieve a revenue of 7.46 billion RMB in 2025, a growth of 13% [6]. - The report also notes the strong growth potential for companies like Pop Mart and Focus Technology, with significant year-on-year revenue increases projected [6].

Core Viewpoint - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for Tencent Music with a target price of HKD 118, driven by user growth, improved ARPPU, and strong performance in advertising and concert-related businesses [1] Financial Performance - Tencent Music's revenue for Q2 2025 reached RMB 84.4 billion, a year-on-year increase of 17.9%, with a gross margin of 44.4% [1] - Operating profit was RMB 29.8 billion, up 35.5% year-on-year, with an operating margin of 35.3% [1] - Adjusted net profit for Q2 2025 was RMB 25.7 billion, reflecting a 37.4% year-on-year increase, with an adjusted net margin of 30.5% [1] User Growth and Revenue Streams - The online music service revenue for Q2 2025 was RMB 68.5 billion, a 26.4% increase year-on-year, with subscription revenue at RMB 43.8 billion, up 17.1% [2] - The number of paying users reached 124 million, a 6.3% increase year-on-year, with ARPPU at RMB 11.7, a 9.3% increase [2] - The paid penetration rate reached 22.5%, with SVIP users exceeding 15 million, accounting for 12.1% of paying users [2] Business Expansion and Content Strategy - Tencent Music is expanding its partnerships with domestic and international record companies and artists, including collaborations with The BlackLabel and H Music to enhance K-pop offerings [2] - The company is innovating content production in collaboration with SM Entertainment to promote NCT CHENLE's Chinese EP [2] - Tencent Music provided nearly 300 live performance opportunities for around 100 artists on its platform in the first half of 2025 [3]

Core Viewpoint - The company reported better-than-expected financial results for Q2 2025, driven by strong growth in both subscription and non-subscription revenues, indicating a robust operational performance and positive outlook for future growth [1][2]. Financial Performance - Q2 2025 revenue reached 8.44 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.9%, surpassing both internal expectations (8 billion yuan) and Bloomberg consensus (7.99 billion yuan) [1]. - Non-IFRS net profit for Q2 2025 was 2.57 billion yuan, up 37.4% year-on-year, exceeding expectations (2.26 billion yuan) and Bloomberg consensus (2.27 billion yuan) [1]. - Gross margin improved by 0.3 percentage points to 44.4% in Q2 2025, with stable sales and management expenses, indicating effective cost control [2]. Revenue Breakdown - Online music revenue for Q2 2025 was 6.85 billion yuan, reflecting a 26.4% year-on-year growth [1]. - Subscription revenue increased by 17% to 4.38 billion yuan, with a rise in paid users by 1.5 million to 124 million, and ARPPU increased by 9.3% to 11.7 yuan/month [1]. - Non-subscription revenue grew by 47% to 2.47 billion yuan, driven by strong performance in advertising, concerts, and artist merchandise [1]. Strategic Developments - The company is enhancing its dual-platform capabilities by deepening partnerships with record labels and hosting concerts, which are expected to drive long-term SVIP penetration [2]. - The introduction of interactive community features on QQ Music aims to increase user engagement with artists, further supporting SVIP conversion [2]. - Potential acquisition of Ximalaya could create significant collaboration opportunities in subscription and advertising [2]. Profit Forecast and Valuation - The company raised its Non-IFRS net profit forecasts for 2025 and 2026 by 6.8% and 13.0% to 9.46 billion yuan and 11.21 billion yuan, respectively [2]. - The target prices for Hong Kong and US stocks were increased by 43.1% and 42.0% to 114.5 HKD and 29.4 USD, respectively, reflecting a positive outlook with significant upside potential [2].

Core Viewpoint - The report from CICC indicates that Tencent Music's non-subscription business has outperformed expectations, leading to an upward revision of Non-IFRS net profit forecasts for 2025 and 2026 by 6.8% and 13.0% to 9.46 billion and 11.21 billion yuan respectively [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, Tencent Music reported revenue of 8.44 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.9%, surpassing CICC's expectation of 8 billion yuan and the consensus estimate of 7.99 billion yuan [2] - The Non-IFRS net profit for Q2 2025 was 2.57 billion yuan, reflecting a 37.4% year-on-year growth, exceeding both CICC's forecast of 2.26 billion yuan and the consensus estimate of 2.27 billion yuan [2] - The gross margin for Q2 2025 increased by 0.3 percentage points to 44.4%, while sales and management expenses remained relatively stable [4] Group 2: Revenue Breakdown - Online music revenue in Q2 2025 reached 6.85 billion yuan, a 26.4% year-on-year increase, with subscription revenue growing by 17% to 4.38 billion yuan and the number of paying users increasing by 1.5 million to 124 million [3] - The non-subscription business saw a remarkable growth of 47% year-on-year, generating 2.47 billion yuan, driven by advertising, concerts, and artist-related merchandise [3] - Social entertainment revenue for Q2 2025 was 1.59 billion yuan, with expectations for stabilization in Q3 and Q4 2025 [3] Group 3: Strategic Initiatives - The company is enhancing its upstream and user platform capabilities through a "one body, two wings" strategy, deepening collaborations with record labels to enrich content offerings [5] - Tencent Music is hosting concerts for top Korean artists and planning to invite popular Chinese artists to engage users, which is expected to drive SVIP conversion [5] - The potential acquisition of Ximalaya is anticipated to create significant collaboration opportunities in subscription and advertising, further solidifying the company's market position [5]

Core Viewpoint - The report from CICC indicates that Tencent Music's non-subscription business has exceeded expectations, leading to an upward revision of Non-IFRS net profit forecasts for 2025 and 2026 by 6.8% and 13.0% to 9.46 billion and 11.21 billion yuan respectively [1] Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, Tencent Music reported revenue of 8.44 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.9%, surpassing both CICC's expectation of 8 billion yuan and the consensus estimate of 7.99 billion yuan [2] - The Non-IFRS net profit for Q2 2025 was 2.57 billion yuan, reflecting a 37.4% year-on-year growth, also exceeding CICC's forecast of 2.26 billion yuan and the consensus estimate of 2.27 billion yuan [2] Revenue Breakdown - Online music revenue in Q2 2025 reached 6.85 billion yuan, up 26.4% year-on-year [3] - Subscription revenue increased by 17% to 4.38 billion yuan, with paid user count rising by 1.5 million to 124 million and ARPPU increasing by 9.3% to 11.7 yuan/month [3] - Non-subscription revenue grew by 47% to 2.47 billion yuan, driven by advertising, concerts, and artist-related products, with an expected annual growth of 30% [3] - Social entertainment revenue for Q2 2025 was 1.59 billion yuan, with expectations for stabilization in Q3 and Q4 2025 [3] Profitability and Cost Management - The gross margin for Q2 2025 improved by 0.3 percentage points to 44.4%, while sales and management expenses remained relatively stable [4] - Effective cost control is anticipated to support continued healthy growth in Non-IFRS net profit for 2025 [4] Strategic Initiatives - The company is enhancing its upstream and user platform capabilities, focusing on a "one body, two wings" strategy to deepen collaborations with record labels and enrich content offerings [5] - Initiatives include hosting concerts for top Korean artists and introducing interactive community features on QQ Music, which allow users to engage with popular artists [5] - The company is also exploring potential synergies with a possible acquisition of Ximalaya, which could enhance subscription and advertising opportunities [5]

Summary of Conference Call Notes Industry Overview - The conference call discusses the outlook for digital media companies in China, specifically focusing on Kuaishou, Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), Bilibili, and Baidu. - The second quarter of 2025 (2Q25) is expected to show continued growth momentum in video and music platforms, with livestreaming GMV recovering from lows, while Baidu's Search continues to lose market share [1][2]. Company-Specific Insights Kuaishou (TP raised to HK$85) - Kuaishou is projected to achieve 4-5% platform growth, with a resumption of GMV growth for e-commerce and continued CPM growth, indicating revenue acceleration into the second half of the year [2][19]. - Tracker data shows a 20% acquisition in 2Q, suggesting a full-year number higher than the previous $100 million forecast [2]. - The target price (TP) has been raised to HK$85 based on a 13x forward multiple, reflecting improved long-term earnings expectations [7][19]. Tencent Music Entertainment (TP raised to $25) - TME is expected to deliver results that modestly beat estimates, with strong QoQ ARPU growth of approximately 10% [3][41]. - The focus is on future plans, particularly the potential synergies from the Ximalaya acquisition, which could create a new phase for the stock [3][41]. - The TP has been raised to $25, reflecting a three-year synergy creation roadmap worth at least $5 per share [7][41]. Bilibili (TP set at $28) - Bilibili is expected to have inline results with continued CPM improvement and strong MAU growth, but limited content monetization and a slow gaming cycle may hinder strong upside [4][9]. - The focus for the second half of the year will be on game commentary and potential revenue from upcoming releases [4]. Baidu (TP set at $90) - Baidu's results are expected to disappoint, with further downward revisions to Search revenue due to the removal of ad space and lack of monetization efforts [5][8]. - The company is shifting focus to video ads, but there are concerns about their effectiveness given the current consumer mind share [5]. Key Financial Metrics - Kuaishou's revenue is projected to grow approximately 11.5% in 2025, with a non-GAAP operating profit expected to improve by 25% YoY [10]. - TME's revenue is expected to show around 15% growth, with a focus on ARPU uplift and synergies from the Ximalaya deal [10]. - Bilibili's revenue is anticipated to grow in the high teens, while Baidu's revenue is expected to decline by a low single digit percentage [10]. Additional Insights - Kuaishou's MAU has improved, with a mid-single-digit YoY increase, driven by new downloads and stable retention rates [22][23]. - TME's core user base remains stable, but competition from other music platforms is increasing, leading to a decline in less engaged users [44]. - The advertising revenue growth for Kuaishou is strongest in categories like education, local services, and mini-dramas, with some categories seeing growth rates of 20-35% YoY [30][32]. Conclusion - The digital media landscape in China is showing signs of growth, particularly for Kuaishou and TME, while Baidu faces challenges in monetizing its Search product. - The focus for the second half of 2025 will be on product development and monetization strategies across these platforms, with varying degrees of success anticipated.

Core Viewpoint - The report from CICC indicates an upward adjustment in Tencent Music's revenue and Non-IFRS net profit forecasts for 2025 and 2026, driven by better-than-expected progress in music subscription ARPPU [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, Tencent Music reported revenue of 7.356 billion yuan, an 8.7% year-on-year increase, aligning with CICC's expectations [2] - The Non-IFRS net profit for Q1 2025 was 2.124 billion yuan, a 24.6% increase, surpassing CICC's forecast [2] - The gross margin for Q1 2025 improved by 0.5 percentage points to 44.1%, with stable sales and management expenses [4] Group 2: Music Business Growth - The online music segment generated revenue of 5.804 billion yuan in Q1 2025, reflecting a 15.9% year-on-year growth, with subscription revenue increasing by 16% to 4.22 billion yuan [3] - The number of paying users rose by 1.9 million to 123 million, and ARPPU increased by 7.5% to 11.4 yuan per month [3] - The SVIP service showed strong performance, driven by sound quality, promotional measures, concert rights, and long audio content [3][5] Group 3: Social Entertainment Segment - The social entertainment revenue for Q1 2025 was 1.552 billion yuan, down 11.9% year-on-year, with expectations of continued revenue decline throughout the year [3] Group 4: Strategic Focus - The company is focusing on long audio content, which is seen as a core driver for SVIP subscriptions, enhancing content differentiation [5] - Long audio content is expected to complement music users and improve the overall quality and quantity of the content library [5]