Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Overweight," indicating that the industry is expected to outperform the overall market [8]. Core Insights - The commercialization of AI applications by ByteDance and the acceleration of MaaS (Model as a Service) may compel major internet companies like Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu to expedite their AI strategies and monetization efforts [1]. - The demand for self-indulgent consumption among the post-90s and post-00s generations is expected to continue growing, with gaming and music sectors showing resilience despite market fluctuations [1]. - The gaming sector is anticipated to rebound quickly, driven by the upcoming Spring Festival and the global expansion of gaming applications [1]. - Companies with high-frequency data demonstrating growth certainty for 2026 are likely to see early rebounds in their stock performance [1]. Summary by Sections AI and Internet Media - ByteDance's AI application commercialization and partnerships are expected to enhance its market position, with the daily token usage surpassing 50 trillion [1]. - The market share of ByteDance's Volcano Engine in the MaaS segment is projected to reach 49% by the first half of 2025 [1]. - Major competitors are urged to accelerate their AI cloud strategies and monetization efforts in response to ByteDance's advancements [1]. Gaming Sector - The gaming industry is poised for growth, particularly with the Spring Festival approaching, which is expected to boost user engagement and revenue [1]. - Key recommended stocks include Giant Network, which is expected to see increased revenue and daily active users, and 37 Interactive Entertainment, noted for its high dividends and low PE ratio [1]. Music and Other Entertainment - The music subscription model shows strong user retention and cash flow potential, with NetEase Cloud Music still in its growth phase [1]. - The collectible toy market, represented by Pop Mart, has shown significant revenue growth, driven by product innovation and market expansion [1]. Advertising and Media - Focus on advertising sustainability remains, with the acquisition of New Wave expected to enhance bargaining power within the industry [1]. - The advertising sector is projected to maintain growth despite competition from e-commerce and local services [1].

Investment Rating - The industry investment rating is "Overweight" indicating a positive outlook for the sector [9]. Core Insights - The report highlights strong performance in the gaming and cloud computing sectors, with several companies expected to achieve significant year-on-year revenue growth in Q3 2025 [3][4]. - The gaming industry is anticipated to maintain high growth due to relaxed regulations and innovative game categories, with a total of 1,195 game approvals in the first nine months of 2025, a 25% increase year-on-year [3]. - Companies like Tencent and Giant Network are expected to drive growth through new product launches and enhanced operational capabilities [3][4]. Summary by Sections Gaming Sector - Companies such as Giant Network, Century Huatong, and G-bits are projected to experience high growth driven by product launches [3]. - The demand from younger consumers and the potential of AI to create new gaming experiences are key growth drivers [3]. - The report emphasizes the importance of differentiated competition rather than price wars in the gaming market [3]. Cloud Computing and Internet Media - Cloud computing revenues are accelerating, with major players like Tencent and Alibaba investing heavily in AI and cloud services [3][5]. - The report notes that the competition in instant retail is expected to peak in Q3 2025, which will significantly impact profitability expectations [3]. - Companies like Kuaishou are positioned to leverage AI to enhance content and advertising efficiency [3]. Other Industries - The long video and drama sectors are showing signs of recovery, with new policies expected to stimulate growth [3]. - The advertising market is experiencing structural growth, particularly in entertainment and technology sectors [3]. - Companies such as Kuaishou and Bilibili are recovering, while others like Mango Super Media and Focus Media are facing challenges in Q3 [3][4].

Core Viewpoint - Citic Securities reports that Xindong Company (02400) has exceeded expectations in revenue growth from both gaming and Taptap in 1H25, with a year-on-year revenue increase of 38.7% and an adjusted net profit of 796 million yuan, up 235.3% [1] Group 1: Gaming Business Performance - The gaming segment has shown significant revenue growth and improved profitability, driven by content updates for games like "Xindong Town" and "Torchlight," as well as the overseas release of "Ragnarok M" [1] - The revenue growth in the gaming business has surpassed expectations due to increased player spending following content updates and new game releases [1] Group 2: Taptap Business Performance - Despite the impact of product cycles on monthly active users (MAU) growth, Taptap has achieved revenue growth above expectations by enhancing advertising efficiency and user engagement [1] - The company anticipates that the long-term operational capabilities for high-quality content games and overseas distribution will support continued growth in the gaming segment and Taptap [1] Group 3: Future Outlook - The company expects sustained growth in the gaming sector, supported by its ability to operate quality content games and improve commercialization efficiency on Taptap as user numbers increase [1]

Core Viewpoint - Citic Securities reports that Xindong Company (02400) has exceeded expectations in revenue growth from both gaming and Taptap in 1H25, with a year-on-year revenue increase of 38.7% and an adjusted net profit of 796 million yuan, up 235.3% year-on-year [1] Group 1: Gaming Business Performance - The gaming segment has shown significant revenue growth and improved profitability, driven by content updates for games like "Xindong Town" and "Torchlight," as well as the overseas release of "Ragnarok M" [1] - The revenue growth in the gaming business has surpassed expectations due to increased player spending following game updates and new releases [1] Group 2: Taptap Performance - Despite the impact of product cycles on MAU growth, Taptap has achieved revenue growth above expectations by enhancing advertising efficiency and user engagement [1] - The company anticipates that the long-term operational capabilities for high-quality content games and overseas distribution will support sustained growth in the gaming segment [1] Group 3: Future Outlook - The company expects continued improvement in user numbers for Taptap as product cycles recover, alongside ongoing enhancements in commercialization efficiency [1] - The investment rating remains at "Buy" based on the positive outlook for both gaming and Taptap segments [1]

Core Viewpoint - The company has shown significant growth in its mid-year performance, driven by new game releases and improvements in user engagement on the TapTap platform, leading to an optimistic outlook for future growth [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Performance - In H1 2025, the company achieved revenue of 3.082 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 39% [1]. - Adjusted profit reached 853 million yuan, up 206% year-on-year, while net profit attributable to shareholders was 755 million yuan, reflecting a 268% increase [1]. - The gross margin improved by 6 percentage points to 73%, primarily due to the increased share of net revenue from the overseas version of "初心服" [1]. Group 2: Game Performance and Growth Drivers - Game revenue for H1 2025 was 2.1 billion yuan, also up 39% year-on-year, with a gross margin of 68% [1]. - The average monthly active users for online games reached 11.41 million, a 20% increase year-on-year, while average monthly paying users grew by 21% to 1.32 million [1]. - The game "心动小镇" has maintained player interest through content updates, ranking significantly in iOS sales charts [1]. Group 3: Future Growth Potential - The company is expected to leverage long-term operations to create more enduring games, with plans for the international launch of "伊瑟" and the upcoming release of "仙境传说RO：守护永恒的爱2" [2]. - TapTap's revenue for H1 2025 was 1.01 billion yuan, a 38% increase year-on-year, with a gross margin of 84% [2]. - The introduction of AI game recommendation tools and the expansion into PC and mini-games are anticipated to sustain high revenue growth for TapTap [2].

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The domestic self-developed online game revenue has shown significant growth, with mobile game revenue reaching 125.3 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of 16.6% [1][3] - Mini-program game revenue reached 23.3 billion RMB, with a remarkable year-on-year growth of 40%, indicating a recovery in the gaming industry [1][3] - The overall gaming market in China saw actual sales revenue of 168 billion RMB in the first half of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 14.1% [3] Key Players and Performance - Leading gaming companies such as Tencent, NetEase, and miHoYo have achieved growth through stable operations of long-standing games [1][7] - Tencent expanded its market share in games like "CF" and "Delta Force," while NetEase's "Identity V" reached a historical revenue high [1][7] - Mid-tier companies have also shown strong innovation, with titles like Giant's "Supernatural Action Group" and G-bits' "Sword Legend" exceeding market expectations [1][8] Role of Gaming Community Platforms - Gaming community platforms like Taptap and Xiaohongshu are becoming crucial channels for game distribution and advertising, especially as user acquisition costs rise [1][5] - Taptap, as a leading gaming community, is expected to reach 100 million monthly active users (MAU) in the future, with significant advertising revenue potential [2][10] Policy Support - Increased policy support for the gaming industry has been noted, with the supply of game licenses rising, providing more opportunities for new product launches and stable operations of existing products [1][9] Taptap Insights - Taptap's MAU reached 44 million by the end of 2024, a 23% year-on-year increase, and is positioned as a primary distribution channel for game developers due to its no-commission model [1][13] - The platform's advertising revenue grew by approximately 22% in 2024, with ad exposure increasing by 43% [18] - Future projections suggest Taptap's MAU could reach between 110 million to 140 million, with potential annual advertising revenue of 4 to 6 billion RMB [19][21] Legend Box Insights - Legend Box focuses on the "Legend" genre games, with a monthly active user count of 400,000 to 450,000 and a repurchase rate exceeding the industry average by 200% [2][28] - The platform's core business model relies on advertising, with potential growth in live streaming revenue [30] - Future projections indicate that with exclusive IP rights, Legend Box could see its annual revenue grow significantly, potentially reaching 1.5 to 3 billion RMB [32] AI Developments - Kaiying Network is expanding into AI with products like the emotional companion game "Eve" and an AI game creation platform "Soon," which are expected to perform well upon launch [33] Future Outlook - Heartbeat Company is expected to see strong performance in the second half of 2025, driven by new product launches and high player engagement [25] - The gaming community's development trend indicates a shift towards community platforms for advertising, with Taptap and Legend Box being key players to watch [35]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The gaming sector's valuation remains relatively low compared to the broader consumer entertainment and overseas gaming companies, with sustainable growth expected until 2026 [1][3] - The gaming industry is experiencing a solid fundamental performance, with several companies projected to perform well in Q3 2025 [1][6] Company Highlights Xindong Company - Expected H1 2025 revenue of at least 3.05 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 37%, and net profit of at least 790 million yuan, a growth of over 215% [1][10] - The game "Xindong Town" significantly improved its iOS sales ranking due to collaboration with "My Little Pony" [10][11] - The game "Iser" generated over 100 million yuan in its first month in overseas English-speaking regions [1][11] Giant Network - The game "Supernatural Action Group" saw a 168% month-on-month increase in domestic iOS revenue in July 2025, benefiting from summer user engagement and commercialization iterations [1][13] - The anniversary event for "Ball Ball Battle" helped it regain a higher sales ranking [1][14] - New game "Ming Jiang Sha" received a license and is expected to contribute to revenue in the second half of 2025 [1][15] Gibit - The new product "Sword Legend" exceeded expectations in both domestic and overseas markets, with significant revenue from collaborations with Japanese light novel IPs [1][16][17] ST Huatuo - The game "Wild Survival" maintained stable global revenue, while "King Short" saw a 27% increase in overseas revenue [1][18] - Expected Q2 2025 revenue median of approximately 8.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 77% [2][18] Perfect World - The game "P5X: Persona 6" performed well in overseas markets, with July revenue exceeding 20 million USD [1][19] - The company plans to launch a key project "Yihua" in 2026 [1][20] Market Trends and Innovations - The gaming industry is witnessing innovation in themes and gameplay, with a notable trend of multi-platform releases and AAA games [1][7] - AI applications in gaming are expanding, with over 7,800 AI products on the Steam platform, representing 20% of games released in 2025 [1][9] Future Outlook - The gaming sector is expected to maintain strong performance in the second half of 2025, with new product launches potentially impacting market dynamics [1][23] - The ChinaJoy 2025 event saw increased popularity and introduced new IP derivative product displays, indicating a growing trend in the market [1][24][25] Recommendations - Companies to watch include Xindong Company, ST Huatuo, Gibit, and Giant Network, all of which have shown stable and high-frequency performance data [1][34]

Industry Overview - Goldman Sachs updated its views on mid-sized game publishers, highlighting that domestic expansion opportunities have generally narrowed due to market consolidation, with Tencent and NetEase outperforming smaller peers in China [1][2] - The demand for new games has shifted towards high-quality and casual/mini games, putting pressure on traditional games from mid-sized publishers [1][2] - Despite challenges, there are opportunities for single games to achieve annual revenues of RMB 2-3 billion through differentiated gameplay [1] Company Insights - Tencent and NetEase remain Goldman Sachs' top picks in the Chinese internet/gaming sector, while Bilibili is viewed positively due to its advertising strength and profit margin expansion potential [3][7] - Goldman Sachs upgraded Xindong Company to neutral due to longer game lifespans and profit expansion through marketing discipline [3][10] - G-bits was downgraded to sell due to weak performance in traditional games and a lack of new product launches [3][12] - 37 Interactive was downgraded to neutral due to intense competition in mini-games and high customer acquisition costs [3][21] - Perfect World maintains a neutral rating, with key focus on upcoming game releases [3][28] Financial Projections - Bilibili is expected to see a 21% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025, driven by the anniversary of "Three Kingdoms: Strategic Edition" and new game releases [7][8] - Goldman Sachs anticipates a 3% year-over-year revenue decline for G-bits in 2025, with operating profit expected to drop by 17% [12][16] - For 37 Interactive, a 1% revenue decline and a 5% drop in operating profit are projected for 2025 [21][27] - Perfect World is expected to see a 16% year-over-year revenue growth in 2025, with operating profit estimated at RMB 2.17 billion [28][31] Rating Adjustments - Goldman Sachs maintains a buy rating for Bilibili, with a target price of RMB 23.7, reflecting a 35% upside [5][7] - Xindong Company’s rating was upgraded to neutral with a target price of HKD 34, reflecting improved visibility in its game business [10][11] - G-bits was downgraded to sell with a target price of RMB 194, indicating a 19% downside [5][12] - 37 Interactive's rating was downgraded to neutral, with a target price of RMB 16.3, reflecting a 9% upside [5][21] - Perfect World maintains a neutral rating with a target price of RMB 11.8, indicating a 12% downside [5][28]