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Weibo Announces Second Quarter 2024 Unaudited Financial Results

Weibo Announces Second Quarter 2024 Unaudited Financial Results

BEIJING, Aug. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Weibo Corporation ("Weibo" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: WB and HKEX: 9898), a leading social media in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

"Our user engagement and operating efficiency have further improved this quarter," said Gaofei Wang, CEO of Weibo. "On the user front, we emphasized on the acquisition and engagement of high quality users and saw improved user engagement this quarter. On the content front, we further optimized our content ecosystem through reinforcement of our core strength and solid execution of our vertical content strategy. On the monetization front, we are encouraged to see Weibo's strength in hot trends and vertical content ecosystem has become the key driver of topline recovery. Underpinned by our stabilized overall business and consistent disciplined spending, our operating efficiency has improved this quarter."

 Second Quarter 2024 Highlights

  • Net revenues were US$437.9 million, a decrease of 1% year-over-year or an increase of 1% year-over-year on a constant currency basis [1].
  • Advertising and marketing revenues were US$375.3 million, a decrease of 3% year-over-year or a decrease of 1% year-over-year on a constant currency basis [1].
  • Value-added services ("VAS") revenues were US$62.6 million, an increase of 15% year-over-year or an increase of 18% year-over-year on a constant currency basis [1].
  • Income from operations was US$135.4 million, representing an operating margin of 31%.
  • Net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders was US$111.9 million and diluted net income per share was US$0.43.
  • Non-GAAP income from operations was US$157.6 million, representing a non-GAAP operating margin of 36%.
  • Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders was US$126.3 million and non-GAAP diluted net income per share was US$0.48.
  • Monthly active users ("MAUs") were 583 million in June 2024.
  • Average daily active users ("DAUs") were 256 million in June 2024.

[1] We define constant currency (non-GAAP) by assuming that the average exchange rate in the second quarter of 2024 had been the same as it was in the second quarter of 2023, or RMB7.03=US$1.00.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Results

For the second quarter of 2024, Weibo's total net revenues were US$437.9 million, a decrease of 1% compared to US$440.2 million for the same period last year.

Advertising and marketing revenues for the second quarter of 2024 were US$375.3 million, a decrease of 3% compared to US$385.7 million for the same period last year. Advertising and marketing revenues excluding advertising revenues from Alibaba were US$342.9 million, a decrease of 4% compared to US$358.9 million for the same period last year.

VAS revenues for the second quarter of 2024 were US$62.6 million, an increase of 15% year-over-year compared to US$54.6 million for the same period last year, primarily driven by the growth of revenues from membership services.

Costs and expenses for the second quarter of 2024 totaled US$302.5 million, a decrease of 5% compared to US$316.8 million for the same period last year. In addition to the foreign exchange impact, the decrease mainly resulted from lower personnel related costs.

Income from operations for the second quarter of 2024 was US$135.4 million, compared to US$123.5 million for the same period last year. Operating margin was 31%, compared to 28% last year. Non-GAAP income from operations was US$157.6 million, compared to US$153.8 million for the same period last year. Non-GAAP operating margin was 36%, compared to 35% last year.

Non-operating income for the second quarter of 2024 was US$11.4 million, compared to non-operating loss of US$13.8 million for the same period last year. Non-operating income for the second quarter of 2024 mainly included (i) net interest and other income of US$11.2 million; (ii) gain from fair value change of investments of US$9.3 million, which was excluded under non-GAAP measures; and (iii) impairment in equity investment of US$9.0 million, which was excluded under non-GAAP measures.

Income tax expenses for the second quarter of 2024 were US$33.3 million, compared to US$25.5 million for the same period last year. The increase was primarily due to withholding tax accrued related to earnings to be remitted to Weibo Hong Kong Limited from its wholly-owned subsidiary in China.

Net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders for the second quarter of 2024 was US$111.9 million, compared to US$81.4 million for the same period last year. Diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo's shareholders for the second quarter of 2024 was US$0.43, compared to US$0.34 for the same period last year. Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders for the second quarter of 2024 was US$126.3 million, compared to US$126.4 million for the same period last year. Non-GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo's shareholders for the second quarter of 2024 was US$0.48, compared to US$0.53 for the same period last year.

As of June 30, 2024, Weibo's cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled US$2.8 billion. For the second quarter of 2024, cash provided by operating activities was US$132.1 million, capital expenditures totaled US$10.3 million, and depreciation and amortization expenses amounted to US$14.5 million.

Conference Call

Weibo's management team will host a conference call from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM Eastern Time on August 22, 2024 (or 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Beijing Time on August 22, 2024) to present an overview of the Company's financial performance and business operations.

Participants who wish to dial in to the teleconference must register through the below public participant link. Dial in and instruction will be in the confirmation email upon registering.

Participants Registration Link:
https://register.vevent.com/register/BI8263b36dae6d4ec0b241bfee48aa09d0 

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will available at http://ir.weibo.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This release contains the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders, non-GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo's shareholders and adjusted EBITDA. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, measures of the Company's financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The Company's non-GAAP financial measures exclude stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, net results of impairment and provision on investments, gain/loss on sale of investments and fair value change of investments, non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items for the income/loss attributable to non-controlling interests, income tax expense related to the amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and fair value change of investments (other non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items have no tax effect), and amortization of issuance cost of convertible senior notes, unsecured senior notes and long-term loans. Adjusted EBITDA represents non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders before interest income/expense, net, income tax expenses/benefits, and depreciation expenses.

The Company's management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in their financial and operating decision-making, because management believes these measures reflect the Company's ongoing operating performance in a manner that allows more meaningful period-to-period comparisons. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors and others in the following ways: (i) in comparing the Company's current financial results with the Company's past financial results in a consistent manner, and (ii) in understanding and evaluating the Company's current operating performance and future prospects in the same manner as management does. The Company also believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses, gains/losses and other items (i) that are not expected to result in future cash payments or (ii) that are non-recurring in nature or may not be indicative of the Company's core operating results and business outlook.

Use of non-GAAP financial measures has limitations. The Company's non-GAAP financial measures do not include all income and expense items that affect the Company's operations. They may not be comparable to non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Accordingly, care should be exercised in understanding how the Company defines its non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of the Company's non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures are set forth in the section below titled "Unaudited Reconciliation of Non-GAAP to GAAP Results."

About Weibo

Weibo is a leading social media for people to create, share and discover content online. Weibo combines the means of public self-expression in real time with a powerful platform for social interaction, content aggregation and content distribution. Any user can create and post a feed and attach multi-media and long-form content. User relationships on Weibo may be asymmetric; any user can follow any other user and add comments to a feed while reposting. This simple, asymmetric and distributed nature of Weibo allows an original feed to become a live viral conversation stream.

Weibo enables its advertising and marketing customers to promote their brands, products and services to users. Weibo offers a wide range of advertising and marketing solutions to companies of all sizes. Weibo generates a substantial majority of its revenues from the sale of advertising and marketing services, including the sale of social display advertisement and promoted marketing offerings. Weibo displays content in a simple information feed format and offers native advertisement that conform to the information feed on our platform. We are continuously refining our social interest graph recommendation engine, which enables our customers to perform people marketing and target audiences based on user demographics, social relationships, interests and behaviors, to achieve greater relevance, engagement and marketing effectiveness.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology, such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "confidence," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, Weibo's expected financial performance and strategic and operational plans, as described, without limitation, in quotations from management in this press release, contain forward-looking statements. Weibo may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in the Company's periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Weibo's limited operating history in certain new businesses; failure to sustain or grow active user base and the level of user engagement; the uncertain regulatory landscape in China; fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; the Company's reliance on advertising and marketing sales for a majority of its revenues; failure to successfully develop, introduce, drive adoption of or monetize new features and products; failure to compete effectively for advertising and marketing spending; failure to successfully integrate acquired businesses; risks associated with the Company's investments, including equity pick-up and impairment; failure to compete successfully against new entrants and established industry competitors; changes in the macro-economic environment, including the depreciation of the Renminbi; and adverse changes in economic and political policies of the PRC government and its impact on the Chinese economy. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Weibo's annual reports on Form 20-F and other filings with the SEC and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date hereof, and Weibo assumes no obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Contact:
Investor Relations
Weibo Corporation
Phone: +86 10 5898-3336
Email: ir@staff.weibo.com

 

WEIBO CORPORATION

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(In thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share data)




























Three months ended


Six months ended




June 30,


March 31,


June 30,


June 30,


June 30,




2023


2024


2024


2023


2024

Net revenues:











     Advertising and marketing


$ 385,674


$ 338,951


$ 375,277


$ 740,974


$ 714,228

     Value-added services


54,566


56,546


62,596


113,044


119,142


Net revenues


440,240


395,497


437,873


854,018


833,370













Costs and expenses:











     Cost of revenues (1)


94,272


86,821


89,790


180,125


176,611

     Sales and marketing (1)


105,425


103,627


114,232


211,919


217,859

     Product development (1)


92,945


80,726


71,689


183,621


152,415

     General and administrative (1)


24,145


24,586


26,777


58,410


51,363


Total costs and expenses


316,787


295,760


302,488


634,075


598,248

Income from operations


123,453


99,737


135,385


219,943


235,122













Non-operating income (loss):











     Investment related income (loss), net


(25,190)


(4,970)


245


1,965


(4,725)

     Interest and other income (loss), net


11,357


(18,611)


11,182


14,039


(7,429)




(13,833)


(23,581)


11,427


16,004


(12,154)













Income before income tax expenses


109,620


76,156


146,812


235,947


222,968

     Less: Income tax expenses


25,450


25,044


33,275


47,302


58,319













Net income


84,170


51,112


113,537


188,645


164,649

     Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests


257


548


471


813


1,019

               Accretion to redeemable non-controlling interests


2,526


1,126


1,135


5,953


2,261

Net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders


$   81,387


$   49,438


$ 111,931


$ 181,879


$ 161,369

























Basic net income per share attributable to Weibo's shareholders


$        0.35


$        0.21


$        0.47


$        0.77


$        0.68

Diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo's shareholders


$        0.34


$        0.19


$        0.43


$        0.77


$        0.63













Shares used in computing basic net income per share attributable










    to Weibo's shareholders


235,361


236,694


237,124


235,035


236,909

Shares used in computing diluted net income per share attributable










    to Weibo's shareholders


237,886


263,644


265,086


237,393


264,365













(1) Stock-based compensation in each category:












Cost of revenues


$      2,238


$      1,773


$      1,527


$      4,774


$      3,300


Sales and marketing


4,113


3,823


3,211


8,726


7,034


Product development


13,256


10,438


8,293


27,056


18,731


General and administrative


6,460


4,978


4,176


13,136


9,154

 

 

WEIBO CORPORATION


UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


(In thousands of U.S. dollars)













As of





December 31,


June 30,





2023


2024








Assets



Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$     2,584,635


$     1,922,371




Short-term investments

641,035


915,637




Accounts receivable, net

440,768


371,291




Prepaid expenses and other current assets

359,881


348,135




Amount due from SINA(1)

486,397


466,915




      Current assets subtotal

4,512,716


4,024,349









Property and equipment, net

220,663


212,451


Goodwill and intangible assets, net

300,565


283,646


Long-term investments

1,320,386


1,281,402


Other non-current assets

926,028


1,300,437


Total assets

$     7,280,358


$     7,102,285








Liabilities, Redeemable Non-controlling Interests and Shareholders' Equity 



Liabilities:






Current liabilities:







Accounts payable

$        161,493


$        150,456




Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

666,833


625,542




Income tax payable

94,507


54,688




Deferred revenues

75,187


88,596




Unsecured senior notes

799,325


799,993




     Current liabilities subtotal

1,797,345


1,719,275










Long-term liabilities:







Convertible senior notes

317,625


319,232




Unsecured senior notes

743,695


744,179




Long-term loans

791,647


793,479




Other long-term liabilities

112,430


112,553




     Total liabilities

3,762,742


3,688,718









Redeemable non-controlling interests

68,728


38,217









Shareholders' equity :






Weibo shareholders' equity 

3,398,735


3,325,636



Non-controlling interests

50,153


49,714




Total shareholders' equity 

3,448,888


3,375,350


Total liabilities, redeemable non-controlling interests and
    shareholders' equity

$     7,280,358


$     7,102,285
















(1) Included short-term loans to and interest receivable from SINA of
US$445.2 million as of December 31, 2023 and US$430.1 million as of June 30, 2024.


 

 

WEIBO CORPORATION


UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP TO GAAP RESULTS


(In thousands of U.S. dollars, except per share data)

























Three months ended


Six months ended






June 30,


March 31,


June 30,


June 30,


June 30,






2023


2024


2024


2023


2024





















Income from operations


$

123,453


$

99,737


$

135,385


$

219,943


$

235,122


  Add:

Stock-based compensation



26,067



21,012



17,207



53,692



38,219



Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions



4,271



5,059



5,011



8,710



10,070


Non-GAAP income from operations


$

153,791


$

125,808


$

157,603


$

282,345


$

283,411





















Net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders


$

81,387


$

49,438


$

111,931


$

181,879


$

161,369


  Add:

Stock-based compensation



26,067



21,012



17,207



53,692



38,219



Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business
  acquisitions



4,271



5,059



5,011



8,710



10,070



Investment related gain/loss, net (1)



25,190



4,970



(245)



(1,965)



4,725



Non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items on the share of equity
  method investments 



(11,262)



25,358



(8,412)



(7,079)



16,946



Non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items for the income/loss
  attributable to non-controlling interests



(156)



(436)



(435)



(313)



(871)



Tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments (2)



(727)



(1,103)



(1,082)



(531)



(2,185)



Amortization of  issuance cost of convertible senior notes, unsecured
  senior notes and long-term loans



1,606



2,314



2,277



3,212



4,591


Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders


$

126,376


$

106,612


$

126,252


$

237,605


$

232,864





















Non-GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo's
  shareholders


$

0.53


$

0.41

*

$

0.48

*

$

1.00


$

0.89

*




















Shares used in computing GAAP diluted net income per share attributable
  to Weibo's shareholders



237,886



263,644



265,086



237,393



264,365


Shares used in computing non-GAAP diluted net income per share
  attributable to Weibo's shareholders



237,886



263,644



265,086



237,393



264,365





















Adjusted EBITDA:


















Net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders


$

81,387


$

49,438


$

111,931


$

181,879


$

161,369



Non-GAAP adjustments



44,989



57,174



14,321



55,726



71,495



Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders



126,376



106,612



126,252



237,605



232,864




Interest (income) expense, net



1,366



(9,151)



(9,410)



(8,377)



(18,561)




Income tax expenses



26,177



26,147



34,357



47,834



60,504




Depreciation expenses



9,962



9,417



9,169



20,563



18,586



Adjusted EBITDA


$

163,881


$

133,025


$

160,368


$

297,625


$

293,393





















Net revenues


$

440,240


$

395,497


$

437,873


$

854,018


$

833,370





















Non-GAAP operating margin



35 %



32 %



36 %



33 %



34 %





















(1)

To adjust impairment and provision on investments, gain/loss on sale of investments and fair value change of investments.



























(2)

To adjust the income tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments, which primarily related to amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and fair value
change of investments. Other non-GAAP adjustment items have no tax effect, because (i) they were recorded in entities established in tax free jurisdictions, or (ii) full
valuation allowances were provided for related deferred tax assets as it is more-likely-than-not they will not be realized.





















Net income attributable to Weibo's shareholders is adjusted for interest expense of convertible senior notes for calculating diluted EPS.





 

 

WEIBO CORPORATION

UNAUDITED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

(In thousands of U.S. dollars)
















Three months ended


Six months ended




June 30,


March 31,


June 30,


June 30,


June 30,




2023


2024


2024


2023


2024













Net revenues












Advertising and marketing












     Non-Ali advertisers


$      358,894


$      316,400


$      342,868


$      695,925


$      659,268


     Alibaba - as an advertiser


26,780


22,551


32,409


45,049


54,960


         Subtotal


385,674


338,951


375,277


740,974


714,228














Value-added services


54,566


56,546


62,596


113,044


119,142




$      440,240


$      395,497


$      437,873


$      854,018


$      833,370

 

 

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