Sohu.com Ltd

NASDAQ:SOHU

Earnings Call Analysis

Sohu.com Reports Declining Revenues and Widening Losses

Sohu.com faced a challenging fiscal period with a 12% YoY decline in total revenue to $141 million in Q4 2023, and an 18% drop to $601 million for the full year. The company experienced downturns in brand advertising and online game revenues, alongside widening losses, with a non-GAAP net loss of $51 million, versus a net income of $2 million in the previous year. Efforts to refine their Media Portal and expand Sohu Video content, including live streaming, have not yet reversed the negative financial trends. Looking ahead to Q1 2024, Sohu forecasts further revenue reductions in brand advertising (25% to 33%) and online game revenues (7% to 15%), with an expected GAAP net loss between $26 million and $36 million.

Financial Performance Overview

Sohu Media Portal and Sohu Video experienced revenue declines and increased operating losses in 2023. Sohu Media Portal's full-year revenue dropped to $66 million from $77 million the previous year, while operating losses improved slightly from $161 million to $139 million. Sohu Video saw yearly revenue fall to $47 million from $63 million, with operating losses worsening to $130 million from $99 million. Changyou's online game business and 17173 contributed more positively, with annual revenues of $485 million, down from $592 million, but a relatively high operating profit of $203 million compared to $282 million previously.

Q1 2024 Revenue and Net Loss Guidance

For the first quarter of 2024, management forecasted a decline in brand advertising revenues, anticipating a range between $50 million and $70 million. This reflects a year-on-year decrease of 25% to 33% and a sequential drop of 15% to 26%. Online game revenues are expected to be between $110 million and $120 million, indicating a possible annual decrease of 7% to 15% but also a potential sequential uptick of up to 5%. Furthermore, a non-GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited is projected to be in the range of $23 million to $33 million, while the GAAP net loss is expected to be between $26 million and $36 million.

Adverse Macro Trends Affecting Advertising

Sohu is facing a cautious advertising market with declining trends, particularly in auto, internet services, and FMCG sectors. However, their exposure to the troubled real estate sector remains minimal. The timing of the Chinese New Year in Q1 2024 also contributed to a delayed start in advertising plans, dampening the quarter's outlook. Although the company anticipates an improved Q2 due to seasonality and marketing initiatives, no significant improvement in the broader macroeconomic situation is expected in the near term.

Aggressive Investment in Product and User Base Expansion

Despite wider forecasted losses, Sohu is committed to investing in marketing and product development to grow its user base across video social networks and live streaming platforms. This strategic decision to allocate significant resources to attract users underlines the company's long-term vision to cement its position in the market.

Updated Share Repurchase Program

The Board of Directors has approved an increase in the share repurchase program from $80 million to $150 million. As of February 29, 2024, Sohu has repurchased about 1.3 million ADS shares at a total cost of approximately $12 million. The repurchase pace has been limited by daily trading volumes, not by a lack of desire or preset price targets from the company.

Earnings Call Transcript 2023-Q4

[Operator]

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by, and good evening. Thank you for joining Sohu's Fourth Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] Today's conference call is being recorded. If you have any objections, you may disconnect at this time. I would now like to turn the conference over to your host for today's conference call, Huang Pu, Investor Relations Director of Sohu. Please go ahead.

[Pu Huang, executive]

Thanks, operator. Thank you for joining us to discuss Sohu's fourth quarter 2023 results. On the call are Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Charles Zhang; CFO, Joanna Lv; and Vice President of Finance, James Deng. Also with us are Changyou's CEO, Dewen Chen; and its CFO, Yaobin Wang.

Before management begins their prepared remarks, I would like to remind you of the company's safe harbor statement in connection with today's conference call. Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed on this call may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current plans, estimates, 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 statements. For more information about the potential risks and uncertainties, please refer to the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recent annual report on Form 20-F. With that, I will now turn the call over to Dr. Charles Zhang. Charles, please proceed.

[Charles Zhang, executive]

Thanks, Huang Pu, and thanks to everyone for joining our call. In the fourth quarter and full year of 2023, we continue to optimize operating efficiency with a strict budget control. Despite the external economic environment and cautious budgeting by advertisers, thanks to these efforts, our bottom line performance is at the high end of our guidance for the fourth quarter of 2023.

At Sohu Media Portal, we further refined our products, upgraded technology and expanded premium content offerings, resulting in an enhanced user experience. At Sohu Video, we continue to execute our "Twin Engine" strategy by developing engaging long and short-form content. In addition to these social distribution of -- social network distribution of short-form content, we also worked hard on science-based live broadcasting and other live broadcasting events, which further boosted user interactions and engagement on our platforms.

We also proactively explore diversified monetization opportunities by integrating our advantageous resources and hosting various content marketing campaigns with our unique IPs. Lastly, our online game business remained stable, delivering revenues in line with our expectations.

Before going through each business unit in more detail, let me first give you a quick overview of our financial performance. For the fourth quarter of 2023, total revenues $141 million, down 12% year-over-year and 3% quarter-over-quarter. Brand advertising revenue $20 million, down 30% year-over-year and 9% quarter-over-quarter.

Online game revenues, $115 million, down 5% year-over-year and 2% quarter-over-quarter. GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited, $13 million compared with a net loss of $7 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 and a net loss of $14 million in the third quarter of 2023. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was $11 million, compared with a net loss of $2 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 and a net loss of $10 million in the third quarter of 2023.

For the full year of '23, total revenue $601 million, down 18% compared with 2022. Brand advertising revenues $89 million, down 14% compared with 2022. Online game revenues, $480 million, down 18% compared with 2022. GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was $66 million compared with a net loss of $17 million in 2022. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited was $51 million compared with net income of $2 million in 2022.

Now I will go through our key businesses in more detail. First, Media Portal and Sohu Video. At Sohu Media Portal in 2023, we focused on improving the user experience through algorithms and product optimization. We continue to refine our operations, expand our premium content offering and diversify their delivery formats, which resulted in stable user metrics and user stickiness.

Simultaneously, we also focus on the generation and distribution of premium content. While driving the content consumptions, we continuously enhance the social features -- social network features, which not only enhanced interactions between users but also stimulated the generation and social distribution of more high-quality content.

At Sohu Video, we continued to execute our "Twin Engine" strategy to expand and diversify our offerings across different formats, including live streaming content. In 2023, we released several original content including the crime themed, idle romance drama, Love of Replica, [Foreign Language]; reality show, [ This is Me Germany]; and [ Hi, Summer Friend ], [Foreign Language]. These series have generated widespread discussions across various social media platforms.

For short format and live streaming, we reinforced our leading position in knowledge and science-related live streaming [indiscernible] IP Charles' Physics Class leading the way. Since the launch of the Charles' Physics Class in November 2021, the class has live streamed over 200 online live broadcast, held more than 20 off-line seminars and published 2 science books and a third one is coming, forming a continuous multidimensional dissemination.

We launched a series of online and off-line Charles' Physics Class during the quarter, attracting millions of viewers of all ages, especially the younger generation across different platforms. These further consolidate our position and unique competitive advantages in the popular science and knowledge dissemination verticals and demonstrated an upward value and our commitment to being a socially responsible media platform.

We also proactively promoted the social distribution features and enhance the broadcasters ecosystem by hosting various events centered on hot topics. In the fourth quarter of 2023, we successfully hosted the 2023 Sohu Dancing Festival indiscernible] and 2023 Sohu Han Festival. These live broadcasting events brought together users with common interest to our platform, enhancing the vitality and the engagement, winning our user base through online and off-line.

On the monetization side, despite advertisers' cautious approach, we explored monetization opportunities by strategically integrating resources across our product metrics. Empowered by our distinctive IP, the physics class, we hosted various innovative content marketing campaigns, such as, [ Talk Under the Starry Sky ] and [ Talk on Top of Stone Mountain], which served as a continuous source of premium content and spark discussions and disseminations across multiple platforms.

These events gained widespread recognition from advertisers significantly expanding our monetization abilities and highlighted our competitive advantage. Besides these innovative events, we also continue to host our traditional flagship events, such as [ Sohu Finance and Forum ], [ Sohu Fashion Award ]. And leveraging these high-profile events, we were able to better meet advertisers' needs and further consolidate our influence and differentiated advantages as mainstream media platform.

Next, turning to the online gaming business. During the fourth quarter 2023, online game revenues were in line with our expectations. Within our PC game business, we revamped the skill sets of each clan in regular TLBB PC to highlight their respective characteristics and allow players to combine skills more freely.

With TLBB Vintage, we introduced new gear and related development system to enrich players' battle strategies. In our mobile game business, we upgraded character attributes and many other aspects of a major clan in legacy TLBB Mobile, which helped to increase player engagement. Next quarter, we will launch expansion packs and the content updates for the TLBB series and other titles to keep players engaged.

Our top game strategy will continue to guide us going forward as gaming technology relatively advances and market demand becomes deeper and more diversified. We will creatively explore new ways to better meet players' needs, expand our portfolio for international markets, allocate additional resources to professional talent development and invest in content and technology innovation to bring more high-quality games to the market.

We will maintain our core competitiveness in developing MMORPGs going forward while also producing card-based RPGs, sports games and casual games.

Before I pass the call to Joanna to go through our financial results in detail, we are pleased to announce that on March 2, a few days ago, 2024, our Board of Directors authorized an increase in Sohu's previously announced share repurchase program from up to $80 million to up to $150 million of the outstanding ADS shares of Sohu over a 2-year period. As of February 29, 2024, Sohu has repurchased approximately 1.3 million ADS shares under the share repurchase program for an aggregate cost of approximately $12 million. With that, I will now turn the call over to Joanna. Joanna, please?

[Joanna Lv, executive]

Thank you, Charles. I will now walk you through the key financials of our major segments for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023. All the numbers on a non-GAAP basis. You may find a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP measures on our website.

For Sohu Media Portal, quarterly revenues were $16 million, compared with revenue of $21 million in the same quarter last year. The quarterly operating loss was $36 million compared with an operating loss of $33 million in the same quarter last year. For the full year 2023, Sohu Media Portal revenues were $66 million, compared with revenue of $77 million in 2022. The full year operating loss was $139 million compared with an operating loss of $161 million in 2022.

For Sohu Video, quarterly revenues were $9 million compared with revenue of $16 million in the same quarter last year. Quarterly operating loss was $32 million compared with an operating loss of $21 million in the same quarter last year. For the full year 2023, Sohu Video revenues were $47 million compared with revenues $63 million in 2022.

Full year operating loss was $130 million compared with an operating loss of $99 million in 2022. For Changyou's online game business and 17173, quarterly revenues were $116 million compared with revenue of $122 million in the same quarter last year. Quarterly operating profit was $47 million compared with an operating profit of $54 million in the same quarter last year. For the full year 2023, Changyou's online game business and 17173 revenues were $485 million compared with revenues of $592 million in 2022.

The full year operating profit was $203 million compared with an operating profit of $282 million in 2022. For the first quarter of 2024, we expect brand advertising revenues to be between $50 million and $70 million. This implies an annual decrease of 25% to 33% and a sequential decrease of 15% to 26%. Online game revenues to be between $110 million and $120 million. This implies annual decrease of 7% to 15% and a sequential decrease of 4% and a sequential increase of 5%.

Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited to be between $23 million and $33 million, and the GAAP net loss attributable to Sohu.com Limited to be between $26 million and $36 million. This forecast reflects management's current and preliminary view, which is subject to substantial uncertainty. This concludes our prepared remarks. Operator, we would now like to open the call to questions.

[Operator]

[Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from the line of Thomas Chong of Jefferies.

[Thomas Chong, analyst]

I have 2 questions. My first question is about our thoughts about the impact of macro headwinds to the advertising market in 2024 and for Sohu brand advertising. How is the trend so far across auto FMCG, Internet services and property sectors?

And my second question is about our capital allocation strategies. What makes us increase the authorized amount from $80 million to $150 million as we purchased only about $12 million as of the end of February?

[Charles Zhang, executive]

So your first question is about the advertising trend. So the macroeconomic situation is not as good for it will -- trending down, basically the advertisers are being cautious in their budgets. So our exposure to real estate is really small. So the property market property advertising is not allowed. We will continue -- we will see continued percentage of advertiser industries, number one in the auto and the Internet services and FMCG, the 3 sectors. But it's trending down.

Yes, we increased the repurchase from $80 million to $150 million, but it's -- we've been able to purchase repurchase $12 million so far due to daily -- there's limitation to daily volumes. That's why we're not be -- we would like to complete them all. It takes time because daily volume is really low. Yes. Did I answer your question?

[Thomas Chong, analyst]

Yes. Thank you.

[Operator]

[Operator Instructions] Next question comes from Alicia Yap from Citigroup.

[Alicis a Yap, analyst]

I have a couple of questions. First is that your first quarter guidance, I think the advertising came a little bit softer than our estimate. Can you elaborate a little bit the current macro environment that you have seen and the advertiser budget sentiment, is that been trending weaker than you previously expected? Or is it in line with what you are expecting? And then do you expect the macro to turn better in the second half this year? Or do you think the weak macro could last a little bit longer?

And then second question is on your loss guidance. We are keeping some of the cost of revenue -- I mean the cost of revenue for online advertising. Does that suggest that the gross profit for online advertising in the first quarter could be actually negative? Just kind of a little bit color, like how you've guided so much wider on the loss.

And then lastly, on the share buyback. Is there any reason the buyback pace during the quarter has been a little bit slow? Is that the limit on the daily trading volume? Or is it a predetermined price that prevent you from getting more progressive?

[Charles Zhang, executive]

Yes, I think the -- yes, I think the advertising market seems -- is trending even down faster than we expected, right? Is that -- can say that? And also, this year's spring festival, the China's -- Chinese New Year is kind of February 10, it's later than last year, right? So people are -- most of the -- Q1, people are on holidays. So many of the companies or our advertisers, they're just -- they start to plan for the year only after the Chinese New Year and after the 15th, right, of the year. So that's why. We only started talking to these advertisers last few days because they all came back to work, and that's why Q1 is even a slower quarter compared with the Q1 of last year. So it seems I don't see any -- definitely -- the seasonality definitely will not be -- no problem with Q2, right? There's no seasonality issue since Q2 is normally -- it's a strong quarter for advertising. But the macro economy situation is not. It seems not improving in the near future, right? So we expect not much improvement. But definitely, it will be better than Q1 because of seasonality. And also, I hope to do it better because we have some -- also some -- continue our effective and innovative marketing campaigns that bring in advertisers.

Cost of revenue or gross profit widening because our current goal or our ambition is really to have strong products and attrition of -- basically to develop a large user base. And with the cash we have, we're still fighting. We're not retreating or we are still fighting. We need to develop user basis. So that in the coming years, the months or year, we're spending more on marketing and on building our products and the video social network, live streaming user-generated [indiscernible] products. So that explains why we have forecast a wider loss for Q2.

Share repurchase pace is purely due to the daily volume limitation. It's not a price -- the price target, no, we don't have a tight target to limit the purchase.

[Operator]

[Operator Instructions] There are no further questions at this time. I would like to conclude the call. Thank you for participating in today's conference call. You may now disconnect your lines.

[Charles Zhang, executive]

Thank you.