Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q4 2024, the company reported an adjusted net income of RMB97.1 million, a significant turnaround from an adjusted net loss of RMB91.3 million in the same period last year [8] - The total revenues for Q4 were RMB859.2 million, compared to RMB1,138.3 million in Q4 2023, reflecting a strategic shift away from lower quality revenue [29] - Full year revenues for 2024 were RMB3,598.9 million, a decrease of 14.3% from the previous year [19][30] - The gross profit for Q4 was RMB540.7 million, with a gross margin of 62.9%, indicating improved operational efficiency [31] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Paid membership revenue was RMB420.2 million, down from RMB455.9 million in the same period last year, with average monthly paid members slightly decreasing by 0.8% year over year [20][30] - Vocational training revenue decreased by 50.4% year over year to RMB84 million, primarily due to strategic refinements of the acquired business [24][30] - Marketing services revenue reached RMB315.9 million, showing a sequential growth of 23.1% compared to the previous quarter [22][30] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Average Monthly Active Users (MAUs) were 81.4 million, up 0.3% sequentially, despite a significant reduction in community-related promotional expenses [12] - The community of content creators grew to 77.7 million, an increase of 8.9% year over year, reflecting a vibrant creator ecosystem [16] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company emphasized a strategic focus on community trust and enhancing user experience, leading to a deliberate reduction in user acquisition expenses by 88% year over year [8][19] - AI is viewed as a historic opportunity, with the company planning to leverage its expert network to enhance content quality and trustworthiness [10][28] - The company aims to deepen integration of AI into its community workflows to boost content creation efficiency [51] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to maintain profitability and improve margins, with a double-digit net profit margin of 11% achieved in Q4 [61] - The company plans to continue investing in strategic initiatives, even if it means incurring short-term losses, to capture long-term growth opportunities [27][62] Other Important Information - The company has cash and cash equivalents totaling RMB4.9 billion as of December 31, 2024, down from RMB5.5 billion a year earlier [34] - The company has been active in share repurchases, having repurchased a total of 75.3 million Class A ordinary shares for an aggregate value of approximately $1.2 billion [34] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on Zihu Ju Da user size and its benefits to the Zhihu community - Management reported that JUDA's MAU grew from about 1 million to 10 million, driven by high repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth [38] - The expert network of Zhihu is deemed irreplaceable, especially in the context of AI-generated content and the need for trustworthy information [39][40] Question: Expected changes and innovations on the product side this year - The focus will be on strengthening social interactions and enhancing the brand as a trusted content platform, with new initiatives in social circles and original IPs [49][50] Question: How AI and market models benefit Zhihu's online marketing products - AI is changing the monetization model, with a shift towards high-quality content being prioritized by AI systems, enhancing Zhihu's competitive advantage [56][57] Question: Long-term margin profile and cash utilization outlook - The company achieved a double-digit net profit margin and plans to maintain a slightly overall loss temporarily to pursue growth opportunities [61][62]
ZHIHU(ZH) - 2024 Q4 - Earnings Call Transcript