NetEase is set to announce its fourth-quarter and full-year results after the close of the Asian market on Thursday. Analysts are predicting a significant increase in net profit and revenue for the Chinese gaming giant.
Net Profit Forecast
Analysts anticipate NetEase to report a fourth-quarter net profit of 6.85 billion yuan ($951.7 million), which is a notable increase from the previous year’s 3.95 billion yuan. The non-GAAP net profit, excluding share-based compensation expenses, is expected to reach 7.86 billion yuan, up from 4.81 billion yuan in the same period last year.
Revenue Expectations
Revenue is projected to rise by 11% year-over-year to 28.22 billion yuan, with a substantial portion coming from the growth in mobile-game revenue. While revenue from PC games may see a slight decrease, analysts remain optimistic about the overall revenue growth for NetEase.
Key Factors to Watch
Party-Game Dominance
One of NetEase’s flagship titles, “Eggy Party,” has maintained its position as a leader in the party-game category, surpassing rivals in terms of daily active users and gross billings during the Lunar New Year holidays. Analysts are eager to learn more about how “Eggy Party” outperformed Tencent’s “Dream Star,” despite significant marketing efforts from Tencent.
New Game Releases
Investors are looking forward to NetEase’s upcoming game launches, including “Where Winds Meet” and “Shediao” in the first half of 2024. Additionally, the completion of the mobile blockbuster game “Naraka: Bladepoint” has raised expectations for future title releases. Analysts will closely monitor the management’s insights on these upcoming games and their potential impact on NetEase’s performance.
With NetEase’s Hong Kong-listed shares already up by 27% this year, all eyes will be on the company’s latest financial results and strategic outlook.