BEIJING, Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sohu.com Limited (NASDAQ: SOHU) ("Sohu" or the "Company"), a leading Chinese online media, video, and game business group, today reported unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.

Third Quarter Highlights^[1]

• Total revenues were US$152 million, up 5% year-over-year and down 12% quarter-over-quarter.
• Brand advertising revenues were US$19 million, down 15% year-over-year and 6% quarter-over-quarter.
• Online game revenues were US$128 million, up 9% year-over-year and down 13% quarter-over-quarter.
• GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was US$16 million, compared with a net loss of US$14 million in the third quarter of 2023 and a net loss of US$38 million in the second quarter of 2024.
• Non-GAAP^[2] net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was US$12 million, compared with a net loss of US$10 million in the third quarter of 2023 and a net loss of US$34 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Dr. Charles Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Sohu.com Limited, commented, "In the third quarter of 2024, our brand advertising revenues met the high end of our previous guidance, while both our online game revenues and our bottom-line performance exceeded expectations. For Sohu Media and Sohu Video, in addition to continual product refinements and user experience improvements, we continued to integrate resources and host various unique events and marketing campaigns. With these efforts we were able to effectively stimulate social interactions among users, strengthen our brand influence, and secure more monetization opportunities. As a result of high-quality content updates and robust game operations, our online games business delivered better-than-expected performance."

Third Quarter Financial Results 

Revenues

Total revenues were US$152 million, up 5% year-over-year and down 12% quarter-over-quarter.

Brand advertising revenues were US$19 million, down 15% year-over-year and 6% quarter-over-quarter.

Online game revenues were US$128 million, up 9% year-over-year and down 13% quarter-over-quarter.

Gross Margin

Both GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin were 74%, compared with 76% in the third quarter of 2023 and 67% in the second quarter of 2024.

Both GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin for the brand advertising business were 9%, compared with 15% in the third quarter of 2023 and 20% in the second quarter of 2024.

Both GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin for online games were 84%, compared with 87% in the third quarter of 2023 and 76% in the second quarter of 2024. The quarter-over-quarter increase was mainly due to a lower percentage revenue contribution from mobile games, which require higher revenue-sharing payments.

Operating Expenses

GAAP operating expenses were US$125 million, down 5% year-over-year and 22% quarter-over-quarter. Non-GAAP operating expenses were US$125 million, down 4% year-over-year and 22% quarter-over-quarter. The quarter-over-quarter decrease was mainly due to a decrease in Changyou's marketing and promotional spending for online games.

Operating Loss

GAAP operating loss was US$13 million, compared with an operating loss of US$21 million in the third quarter of 2023 and an operating loss of US$44 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Non-GAAP operating loss was US$13 million, compared with an operating loss of US$20 million in the third quarter of 2023 and an operating loss of US$45 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Income Tax Expense

GAAP income tax expense was US$15 million, compared with income tax expense of US$15 million in the third quarter of 2023 and income tax expense of US$9 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Non-GAAP income tax expense was US$11 million, compared with income tax expense of US$12 million in the third quarter of 2023 and income tax expense of US$5 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Net Loss

GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was US$16 million, or a net loss of US$0.52 per fully-diluted American depositary share ("ADS," each ADS representing one Sohu ordinary share), compared with a net loss of US$14 million in the third quarter of 2023 and a net loss of US$38 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was US$12 million, or a net loss of US$0.39 per fully-diluted ADS, compared with a net loss of US$10 million in the third quarter of 2023 and a net loss of US$34 million in the second quarter of 2024.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

As of September 30, 2024, cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments and long-term time deposits totaled approximately US$1.3 billion.

Supplementary Information for Changyou Results^[3]

Third Quarter 2024 Operating Results

• For PC games, total average monthly active user accounts^[4] (MAU) were 2.2 million, a decrease of 2% year-over-year and 3% quarter-over-quarter. Total quarterly aggregate active paying accounts^[5] (APA) were 0.9 million, a decrease of 13% year-over-year and flat quarter-over-quarter. The year-over-year decrease in APA was mainly due to the natural decline of our older games, including TLBB PC.
  
  
• For mobile games, total average MAU were 3.2 million, an increase of 41% year-over-year and a decrease of 34% quarter-over-quarter. Total quarterly APA were 1.1 million, an increase of 142% year-over-year and a decrease of 3% quarter-over-quarter. The year-over-year increases in MAU and APA were mainly from New Westward Journey, which was launched during the second quarter of 2024. The quarter-over-quarter decrease in MAU was mainly due to the natural decline of New Westward Journey.

Third Quarter 2024 Unaudited Financial Results

Total revenues were US$129 million, an increase of 9% year-over-year and a decrease of 13% quarter-over-quarter. Online game revenues were US$128 million, an increase of 9% year-over-year and a decrease of 13% quarter-over-quarter. Online advertising revenues were US$1 million, a decrease of 22% year-over-year and 13% quarter-over-quarter.

Both GAAP and non-GAAP gross profit were US$108 million, compared with US$103 million for the third quarter of 2023 and US$112 million for the second quarter of 2024.

GAAP operating expenses were US$45 million, a decrease of 12% year-over-year and 43% quarter-over-quarter. The year-over-year decrease was mainly due to a decrease in outsourcing and licensing fees related to product development. The quarter-over-quarter decrease was mainly due to a decrease in marketing and promotional spending for online games.

Non-GAAP operating expenses were US$45 million, a decrease of 11% year-over-year and 43% quarter-over-quarter.

GAAP operating profit was US$62 million, compared with US$51 million for the third quarter of 2023 and US$32 million for the second quarter of 2024.

Non-GAAP operating profit was US$62 million, compared with US$52 million for the third quarter of 2023 and US$32 million for the second quarter of 2024.

Recent Development

Sohu today announced that on November 9, 2024 its board of directors authorized an additional one year to the period of Sohu's previously-announced share repurchase program, from the previous end date of November 10, 2025 to November 10, 2026.  As previously announced, Sohu may purchase up to US$150 million of the outstanding ADSs of Sohu from time to time under the program at Sohu's management's discretion at prevailing market prices in accordance with Rule 10b-18 and Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Sohu's management will continue to determine the timing and amount of any purchases of ADSs based on their evaluation of market conditions, the trading price of ADSs and other factors. The share repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Sohu plans to continue to fund repurchases from its existing cash balance. As of November 7, 2024, Sohu had repurchased 3,380,361 ADSs under the share repurchase program for an aggregate cost of approximately US$42 million.

Business Outlook

For the fourth quarter of 2024, Sohu estimates:

• Brand advertising revenues to be between US$17 million and US$19 million; this implies an annual decrease of 6% to 16%, and a sequential decrease of 9% to a sequential increase of 2%.
• Online game revenues to be between US$97 million and US$107 million; this implies an annual decrease of 7% to 15%, and a sequential decrease of 16% to 24%. 
• Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited to be between US$26 million and US$36 million; and GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited to be between US$30 million and US$40 million.

For the fourth quarter 2024 guidance, the Company has adopted a presumed exchange rate of RMB7.10=US$1.00, as compared with the actual exchange rate of approximately RMB7.15=US$1.00 for the fourth quarter of 2023, and RMB7.12=US$1.00 for the third quarter of 2024.

This forecast reflects Sohu's management's current and preliminary view, which is subject to substantial uncertainty.

Non-GAAP Disclosure

To supplement the unaudited consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"), Sohu's management uses non-GAAP measures of gross profit, operating profit, net income, net income attributable to Sohu.com Limited and diluted net income attributable to Sohu.com Limited per ADS, which are adjusted from results based on GAAP to exclude the impact of share-based compensation expense; changes in fair value recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations with respect to the Company's investments; and interest expense recognized in connection with the Toll Charge imposed by the U.S. TCJA. These measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results.

Sohu's management believes excluding share-based compensation expense; changes in fair value recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations with respect to the Company's investments; and interest expense recognized in connection with the Toll Charge from its non-GAAP financial measure is useful for itself and investors. Further, the impact of share-based compensation expense; changes in fair value recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations with respect to the Company's investments; and interest expense recognized in connection with the Toll Charge cannot be anticipated by management and business line leaders and these expenses were not built into the annual budgets and quarterly forecasts that have been the basis for information Sohu provides to analysts and investors as guidance for future operating performance. As share-based compensation expense and changes in fair value recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations with respect to the Company's investments do not involve subsequent cash outflow or are reflected in the cash flows at the equity transaction level, Sohu does not factor in their impact when evaluating and approving expenditures or when determining the allocation of its resources to its business segments. As a result, in general, the monthly financial results for internal reporting and any performance measures for commissions and bonuses are based on non-GAAP financial measures that exclude share-based compensation expense, changes in fair value recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations with respect to the Company's investments, and interest expense recognized in connection with the Toll Charge.

The non-GAAP financial measures are provided to enhance investors' overall understanding of Sohu's current financial performance and prospects for the future. A limitation of using non-GAAP gross profit, operating profit, net income, net income attributable to Sohu.com Limited, and diluted net income attributable to Sohu.com Limited per ADS excluding share-based compensation expense and interest expense recognized in connection with the Toll Charge is that share-based compensation expense and interest expense recognized in connection with the Toll Charge have been and can be expected to continue to be significant recurring expenses in Sohu's business. It is also possible that changes in fair value recognized in the Company's consolidated statements of operations with respect to the Company's investments will recur in the future. In order to mitigate these limitations Sohu has provided specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. The accompanying tables include details on the reconciliation between the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to the non-GAAP financial measures that have been presented.

Notes to Financial Information

Financial information in this press release other than the information indicated as being non-GAAP is derived from Sohu's unaudited financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. It is currently expected that the Business Outlook will not be updated until release of Sohu's next quarterly earnings announcement; however, Sohu reserves right to update its Business Outlook at any time for any reason. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Sohu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and therefore you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that 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, instability in global financial and credit markets and its potential impact on the Chinese economy; exchange rate fluctuations, including their potential impact on the Chinese economy and on Sohu's reported U.S. dollar results; fluctuations in Sohu's quarterly operating results; the possibilities that Sohu will be unable to recoup its investment in video content and will be unable to develop a series of successful games for mobile platforms or successfully monetize mobile games it develops or acquires; Sohu's reliance on online advertising sales and online games for its revenues; and the impact of the U.S. TCJA. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Sohu's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, and other filings with and information furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Conference Call and Webcast 

Sohu's management team will host a conference call at 7:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time, November 12, 2024 (8:30 p.m. Beijing/Hong Kong time, November 12, 2024) following the quarterly results announcement. Participants can register for the conference call by clicking here, which will lead them to the conference registration website. Upon registration, participants will receive details for the conference call, including the dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN. Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin.

The live Webcast and archive of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Sohu's website at https://investors.sohu.com/

About Sohu

Sohu.com Limited (NASDAQ: SOHU) was established by Dr. Charles Zhang, one of China's internet pioneers, in the 1990s. As a mainstream media platform, Sohu is indispensable to the daily life of millions of Chinese, providing a network of web properties and community based products which continually offer a broad array of choices regarding information, entertainment and communication to the vast number of Sohu users. Sohu has built one of the most comprehensive matrices of Chinese language web properties, consisting of the leading online media destinations Sohu News App, Sohu Video App, the mobile news portal m.sohu.com, the PC portal www.sohu.com, and the online video website tv.sohu.com; and the online games platform www.changyou.com/en/.

Sohu provides online brand advertising services as well as multiple news, information and content services on its matrix of websites and also on its mobile platforms. Sohu's online game business, conducted by its subsidiary Changyou, develops and operates a diverse portfolio of PC and mobile games, such as the well-known Tian Long Ba Bu ("TLBB") PC and Legacy TLBB Mobile.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Ms. Huang, Pu
Sohu.com Limited
Tel: +86 (10) 6272-6645
E-mail: ir@contact.sohu.com

In the United States:

Ms. Bergkamp, Linda
Christensen
Tel: +1 (480) 614-3004
E-mail: linda.bergkamp@christensencomms.com

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SOURCE Sohu.com Limited