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Baidu Announces Third Quarter 2017 Results

Oct 26, 2017

BEIJING, Oct. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) ("Baidu" or the "Company"), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2017[1].

Baidu, Inc. Corporate Logo

"In the third quarter, we made good progress in our strategic pillars to strengthen our mobile foundation and lead in AI," said Robin Li, Baidu's Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "On strengthening our mobile foundation, our strategy to leverage Baidu's leading AI technologies to increase the user scale and user stickiness of Mobile Baidu is showing measurable results. On our AI initiatives, we continue to focus on developing platforms for smart device and autonomous driving markets, as well as leveraging AI into vertical sectors, such as financial services."

"We drove product innovation in our core business to strengthen our user and customer value proposition and made progress in our AI-enabled businesses," said Qi Lu, Baidu's Chief Operating Officer. "We continue to solidify the foundation of our AI platforms and grow our partner and developer ecosystems. iQIYI also continued to lead the online video industry, off the back of highly successful self-produced content."

"We delivered solid financial results in the third quarter with top line increasing 29% year over year and operating profit growing 69% year over year," said Herman Yu, Chief Financial Officer of Baidu. "In the third quarter, we also spun off Baidu Deliveries, as part of a year-long strategy to free up the company's resources and management attention to focus on AI and projects with strong synergy that will optimize Baidu's long term value."

Third Quarter 2017 Financial Highlights

  • Total revenues in the third quarter of 2017 were RMB 23.5 billion ($3.53 billion), a 29% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. Mobile revenue represented 73% of total revenues for the third quarter of 2017, compared to 64% for the corresponding period in 2016.
  • Operating profit in the third quarter of 2017 was RMB 4.7 billion ($706 million), a 69% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. iQIYI reduced non-GAAP operating margins by 11 percentage points for the third quarter of 2017. Non-GAAP operating profit was RMB 5.5 billion ($833 million), representing a 73% increase from the corresponding period in 2016.
  • Net income attributable to Baidu in the third quarter of 2017 was RMB 7.9 billion ($1.20 billion), a 156% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. Diluted earnings attributable to Baidu per ADS for the third quarter of 2017 were RMB 24 ($3.62); non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu[2] in the third quarter of 2017 was RMB 9.1 billion ($1.36 billion), a 163% increase from the corresponding period in 2016; non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS[3]  for the third quarter of 2017 were RMB 26 ($3.89).

In the following section, comparison and analysis are provided based on reported consolidated financial results.

Third Quarter 2017 Results

Baidu reported total revenues of RMB 23.5 billion ($3.53 billion) for the third quarter of 2017, representing a 29% increase from the corresponding period in 2016.

Online marketing revenues for the third quarter of 2017 were RMB 20.1 billion ($3.02 billion), representing a 22% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. Baidu had about 486,000 active online marketing customers[4] in the third quarter of 2017, representing a 7% decrease from the corresponding period in 2016. Revenue per online marketing customer for the third quarter of 2017 was approximately RMB 40,900 ($6,147), a 31% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. 

Traffic acquisition costs as a component of cost of revenues was RMB 2.5 billion ($372 million), representing 10.5% of total revenues, compared to 14.2% in the corresponding period in 2016 and 11.9% in the second quarter of 2017.

Bandwidth costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB 1.4 billion ($216 million), representing 6.1% of total revenues, compared to 6.8% in the corresponding period in 2016.

Depreciation costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB 0.9 billion ($128 million), representing 3.6% of total revenues, compared to 4.4% in the corresponding period in 2016.

Operational costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB 1.4 billion ($208 million), representing 5.9% of total revenues, compared to 6.3% in the corresponding period in 2016.

Content costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB 3.9 billion ($586 million), representing 16.6% of total revenues, compared to 12.1% in the corresponding period in 2016. The year-over-year increase was mainly due to iQIYI's increased content costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were RMB 3.7 billion ($563 million), representing an increase of 4% from the corresponding period in 2016.

Research and development expenses were RMB 3.2 billion ($487 million), representing a 24% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. The increase was primarily due to the growth of research and development personnel-related costs.

Share-based compensation expenses, which were allocated to related operating costs and expense line items, were RMB 0.8 billion ($126 million) in the third quarter of 2017, compared to RMB 0.4 billion in the corresponding period in 2016.

Operating profit was RMB 4.7 billion ($706 million), representing a 69% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. Non-GAAP operating profit was RMB 5.5 billion ($833 million), representing a 73% increase from the corresponding period in 2016.

Other income, net was RMB 4.2 billion ($636 million), which mainly consisted of the investment gain recognized as a result of the disposal of Baidu Deliveries.

Income tax expense was RMB 1.1 billion ($165 million), compared to RMB 1.0 billion in the corresponding period in 2016. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2017 was 12% as compared to 25% for the corresponding period in 2016. The decrease in the effective tax rate was primarily due to the nontaxable investment gain.

Net income attributable to Baidu was RMB 7.9 billion ($1.20 billion), representing a 156% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. Basic and diluted earnings per ADS for the third quarter of 2017 amounted to RMB 24 ($3.65) and RMB 24 ($3.62), respectively.

Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu was RMB 9.1 billion ($1.36 billion), a 163% increase from the corresponding period in 2016. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS for the third quarter of 2017 amounted to RMB 26 ($3.89).

As of September 30, 2017, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB 108.1 billion ($16.25 billion). Net operating cash inflow for the third quarter of 2017 was RMB 9.7 billion ($1.45 billion). Capital expenditures for the third quarter of 2017 were RMB 1.3 billion ($0.20 billion).

Adjusted EBITDA was RMB 6.8 billion ($1.03 billion) for the third quarter of 2017, representing a 62% increase from the corresponding period in 2016.

Outlook for Fourth Quarter 2017

Baidu currently expects to generate total revenues in the fourth quarter of 2017 between RMB 22.23 billion ($3.34 billion) to RMB 23.41 billion ($3.52 billion), representing a year-over-year growth of 22% to 29%. Excluding disposed businesses, such as mobile games and Baidu Deliveries, the guidance represents a year-over-year growth of 28% to 34%. This forecast reflects Baidu's current and preliminary view, which is subject to change.

Conference Call Information

Baidu's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 PM on October 26, 2017, U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 AM on October 27, 2017, Beijing/Hong Kong Time). Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

International:

+65 67135090

China                   

4006208038

US:

+1 8456750437

UK:

+44 2036214779

Hong Kong:

+852 30186771



Passcode for all regions:

98359218

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until November 3, 2017:

International:

+61 2 8199 0299



Passcode:

98359218

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

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. Baidu aims to make a complex world simpler through technology. Baidu's ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement 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," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook for the fourth quarter 2017 and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Baidu's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Baidu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, 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 Baidu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Baidu's growth strategies; its future business development, including development of new products and services; its ability to attract and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese Internet search market; competition for online marketing customers; changes in the Company's revenues and certain cost or expense items as a percentage of its revenues; the outcome of ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of the Chinese language Internet search market and the number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Internet and Internet search providers and general economic conditions in China, Japan and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Baidu does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement Baidu's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, Baidu uses the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu, non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS, adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.

Baidu believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of its recurring core business operating results, such as operating performance excluding not only non-cash charges, but also other items that are infrequent or unusual in nature. The Company believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to Baidu's historical performance and liquidity. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of using these non-GAAP financial measures is that these non-GAAP measures exclude certain items that have been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant component in the Company's results of operations.  These non-GAAP financial measures presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to the Company's data.

Non-GAAP operating profit represents operating profit excluding share-based compensation expenses.

Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu represents net income attributable to Baidu excluding share-based compensation expenses and the gain or loss associated with the issuance of shares by Baidu's equity method investees at a price higher or lower than the carrying value per share.

Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS represents diluted earnings per ADS calculated based on non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu.

Adjusted EBITDA represents operating profit excluding depreciation, amortization and share-based compensation expenses.

Free cash flow represents net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures.

For more information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures".

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Sharon Ng
Baidu, Inc.
Tel: +86-10-5992-4958
Email: ir@baidu.com

[1] This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars are made at a rate of RMB6.6533 to US$1.00, the effective noon buying rate as of September 29, 2017, in The City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

[2] Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu represents net income attributable to Baidu excluding share-based compensation expenses and the gain or loss associated with the issuance of the shares by our equity method investees at a price higher or lower than our carrying value per share.

[3] Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS represents diluted earnings per ADS calculated based on non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu.

[4] The number of active online marketing customers and revenue per online active customer exclude our group-buying and delivery related businesses for consistency with previous reporting.

 

Baidu, Inc. 





Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income







Three Months Ended



September 30,

June 30,

September 30,

(In RMB millions except for share, per share (or ADS) information)


2016

2017

2017



Unaudited

Unaudited

Unaudited

 Revenues: 





 Online marketing services 


16,490

17,883

20,108

 Other services 


1,763

2,991

3,381

 Total revenues 


18,253

20,874

23,489






 Operating costs and expenses: 





 Cost of revenues (note 1, 2) 


(9,256)

(10,582)

(11,801)

 Selling, general and administrative (note 2) 


(3,596)

(2,934)

(3,746)

 Research and development (note 2) 


(2,614)

(3,148)

(3,242)

 Total operating costs and expenses 


(15,466)

(16,664)

(18,789)






 Operating profit 


2,787

4,210

4,700






 Other income: 





 Interest income 


627

712

876

 Interest expense 


(320)

(334)

(557)

 Foreign exchange income(loss), net 


20

(139)

(130)

 Loss from equity method investments 


(248)

(118)

(73)

 Other income, net 


1,272

643

4,229

 Total other income 


1,351

764

4,345






 Income before income taxes 


4,138

4,974

9,045






 Income taxes 


(1,045)

(564)

(1,097)






 Net income 


3,093

4,410

7,948

 Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 

(9)

(5)

(1)

 Net income attributable to Baidu 


3,102

4,415

7,949











Earnings per share for Class A and Class B ordinary shares:



Net income attributable to Baidu -Basic 


85.27

113.58

242.48

Net income attributable to Baidu -Diluted


85.06

113.11

240.49






Earnings per ADS (1 Class A ordinary share equals 10 ADSs ):



Net income attributable to Baidu -Basic 


8.53

11.36

24.25

Net income attributable to Baidu -Diluted


8.51

11.31

24.05






Weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares outstanding:


Basic 


34,678,734

34,678,268

34,703,924

Diluted


34,764,579

34,824,387

34,991,177






 (1) Cost of revenues are detailed as follows: 





 Sales tax and surcharges 


(1,221)

(1,509)

(1,700)

 Traffic acquisition costs 


(2,594)

(2,478)

(2,476)

 Bandwidth costs 


(1,241)

(1,382)

(1,440)

 Depreciation costs 


(802)

(828)

(852)

 Operational costs 


(1,159)

(1,225)

(1,383)

 Content costs 


(2,211)

(3,112)

(3,897)

 Share-based compensation expenses 


(28)

(48)

(53)

 Total cost of revenues 


(9,256)

(10,582)

(11,801)






 (2) Includes share-based compensation expenses as follows: 



 Cost of revenues 


(28)

(48)

(53)

 Selling, general and administrative 


(117)

(236)

(252)

 Research and development 


(273)

(512)

(536)

 Total share-based compensation expenses 


(418)

(796)

(841)

 

 

Baidu, Inc. 




Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets










December 31,

September 30,

(In RMB millions except for number of shares and per share data)


2016

2017



Audited

Unaudited





ASSETS




    Current assets:




 Cash and cash equivalents


10,898

15,357

 Restricted cash


318

447

 Short-term investments


71,196

92,730

 Other invested securities


7,748

21,496

 Accounts receivable, net


4,109

4,728

 Loans and interest receivable, net


1,800

14,070

 Amounts due from related parties


346

993

 Other assets, current 


3,345

5,248

    Total current assets


99,760

155,069





    Non-current assets:




 Fixed assets, net


11,294

12,058

 Intangible assets, net


3,872

4,895

 Goodwill


15,342

15,810

 Long-term investments, net


45,690

46,214

 Loans and interest receivable, net


2,709

3,699

 Amounts due from related parties


11

10

 Deferred tax assets, net


1,100

1,532

 Other assets, non-current 


2,219

4,169

    Total non-current assets


82,237

88,387





Total assets


181,997

243,456





LIABILITIES AND EQUITY




   Current liabilities:




        Short-term loans


1,115

1,353

        Convertible notes payable


-

8,186

        Amounts due to the third-party investors


6,759

35,410

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities


21,896

24,985

Customer advances and deposits


6,032

6,920

Deferred revenue


596

526

Deferred income


566

561

Long-term loans, current portion


3,468

1,008

Notes payable, current portion


5,203

11,637

Capital lease obligation


8

-

Amounts due to related parties


459

337

    Total current liabilities


46,102

90,923





    Non-current liabilities:




Deferred income


28

73

Long-term loans


6,822

6,841

Notes payable


27,648

29,768

Deferred tax liabilities


3,589

3,472

Other non-current liabilities


65

75

    Total non-current liabilities


38,152

40,229





Total liabilities


84,254

131,152





Redeemable noncontrolling interests


5,492

3,097





Equity




Class A Ordinary Shares, par value US$0.00005 per share, 825,000,000 shares authorized, and  27,325,551 shares and 27,521,260 shares issued and outstanding as at December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2017


-

-

Class B Ordinary Shares, par value US$0.00005 per share, 35,400,000 shares authorized, and  7,401,254 shares and  7,201,254 shares issued and outstanding as at December 31, 2016 and September 30, 2017


-

-

Additional paid-in capital


8,323

10,958

Retained earnings


85,734

97,979

Accumulated other comprehensive income(loss)


(1,783)

70

    Total Baidu, Inc. shareholders' equity


92,274

109,007

    Noncontrolling interests


(23)

200

Total equity


92,251

109,207





Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and equity


181,997

243,456

 

Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures  (in RMB millions except for share and per ADS information, unaudited)








Three months ended 


September 30, 2016


June 30,
2017


September 30, 2017

Operating profit

2,787


4,210


4,700

Add:  Share-based compensation expenses

418


796


841

Non-GAAP operating profit

3,205


5,006


5,541

Add:  Depreciation of fixed assets

899


932


957

Add:  Amortization of intangible assets

126


70


347

Adjusted EBITDA

4,230


6,008


6,845








Three months ended 


September 30, 2016


June 30,
2017


September 30, 2017

Net income attributable to Baidu

3,102


4,415


7,949

Add:  Share-based compensation expenses

418


796


841

Add:  (Gain)loss associated with the dilution of equity method investees

(73)


360


286

Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu

3,447


5,571


9,076







Weighted average number of ADS used in computing GAAP and non-
GAAP diluted earnings per ADS

347,645,787


348,243,867


349,911,767







GAAP diluted earnings per ADS

8.51


11.31


24.05

Add:  Accretion of the redeemable noncontrolling interests

0.42


1.37


(1.33)

Add:  Share-based compensation expenses

1.20


2.29


2.40

Add: (Gain)loss associated with the dilution of equity method investees

(0.21)


1.03


0.82

Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS

9.92


16.00


25.94

 

Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow (in RMB millions, unaudited)


















Three months ended

As a % of

Three months ended

As a % of

Three months ended

As a % of


September 30, 2016

total revenues

June 30, 2017

total revenues

September 30, 2017

total revenues

Net cash provided by operating activities

4,501

25%

6,626

32%

9,680

41%








Less:  Capital expenditures

(1,183)

-6%

(1,125)

-5%

(1,297)

-6%








Free cash flow

3,318

19%

5,501

27%

8,383

35%

 

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SOURCE Baidu, Inc.