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China Literature Announces 2024 Annual Results

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China Literature announced its 2024 annual results, highlighting a 15.8% increase in total revenues to RMB8,121.1 million (USD1,129.7 million). Revenues from the online business rose by 2.1% to RMB4,030.6 million (USD560.7 million), while IP operations saw a 33.5% increase to RMB4,090.5 million (USD569.0 million). On a non-IFRS basis, operating profit was RMB985.4 million (USD137.1 million), and profit attributable to equity holders was RMB1,141.7 million (USD158.8 million). However, on an IFRS basis, the company reported an operating loss of RMB336.1 million (USD46.8 million) and a loss attributable to equity holders of RMB209.2 million (USD29.1 million), mainly due to an impairment loss of goodwill attributable to New Classics Media.

Key operational metrics showed a 19.0% decrease in average MAUs to 166.6 million, but a 4.6% increase in average MPUs to 9.1 million. The company made significant strides in IP visualization, releasing several blockbuster titles and achieving notable success in the film, drama series, animation, and comics segments. Additionally, China Literature's IP merchandise business surpassed RMB500 million in GMV for 2024.

China Literature ha annunciato i risultati annuali per il 2024, evidenziando un aumento del 15,8% nei ricavi totali a RMB8.121,1 milioni (USD1.129,7 milioni). I ricavi provenienti dal business online sono aumentati del 2,1% a RMB4.030,6 milioni (USD560,7 milioni), mentre le operazioni IP hanno visto un incremento del 33,5% a RMB4.090,5 milioni (USD569,0 milioni). Su base non-IFRS, l'utile operativo è stato di RMB985,4 milioni (USD137,1 milioni), e l'utile attribuibile agli azionisti è stato di RMB1.141,7 milioni (USD158,8 milioni). Tuttavia, su base IFRS, l'azienda ha riportato una perdita operativa di RMB336,1 milioni (USD46,8 milioni) e una perdita attribuibile agli azionisti di RMB209,2 milioni (USD29,1 milioni), principalmente a causa di una perdita da svalutazione dell'avviamento attribuibile a New Classics Media.

Le principali metriche operative hanno mostrato un decremento del 19,0% negli utenti attivi mensili medi (MAUs) a 166,6 milioni, ma un aumento del 4,6% negli utenti paganti medi (MPUs) a 9,1 milioni. L'azienda ha fatto significativi progressi nella visualizzazione IP, rilasciando diversi titoli di grande successo e ottenendo notevoli risultati nei segmenti di film, serie drammatiche, animazione e fumetti. Inoltre, il business di merchandising IP di China Literature ha superato RMB500 milioni in GMV per il 2024.

China Literature anunció sus resultados anuales de 2024, destacando un aumento del 15,8% en los ingresos totales a RMB8.121,1 millones (USD1.129,7 millones). Los ingresos del negocio en línea aumentaron un 2,1% a RMB4.030,6 millones (USD560,7 millones), mientras que las operaciones de IP vieron un incremento del 33,5% a RMB4.090,5 millones (USD569,0 millones). En base no-IFRS, el beneficio operativo fue de RMB985,4 millones (USD137,1 millones), y el beneficio atribuible a los accionistas fue de RMB1.141,7 millones (USD158,8 millones). Sin embargo, en base IFRS, la empresa reportó una pérdida operativa de RMB336,1 millones (USD46,8 millones) y una pérdida atribuible a los accionistas de RMB209,2 millones (USD29,1 millones), principalmente debido a una pérdida por deterioro del fondo de comercio atribuible a New Classics Media.

Las principales métricas operativas mostraron un decremento del 19,0% en los usuarios activos mensuales promedio (MAUs) a 166,6 millones, pero un aumento del 4,6% en los usuarios de pago promedio (MPUs) a 9,1 millones. La empresa ha logrado avances significativos en la visualización de IP, lanzando varios títulos de gran éxito y logrando un notable éxito en los segmentos de cine, series dramáticas, animación y cómics. Además, el negocio de merchandising de IP de China Literature superó los RMB500 millones en GMV para 2024.

차이나 문학은 2024년 연간 실적을 발표하며 총 수익이 15.8% 증가하여 RMB8,121.1백만 (USD1,129.7백만)에 달했다고 강조했습니다. 온라인 사업의 수익은 2.1% 증가하여 RMB4,030.6백만 (USD560.7백만)에 이르렀고, IP 운영은 33.5% 증가하여 RMB4,090.5백만 (USD569.0백만)에 도달했습니다. 비 IFRS 기준으로 운영 이익은 RMB985.4백만 (USD137.1백만)였으며, 주주에게 귀속되는 이익은 RMB1,141.7백만 (USD158.8백만)이었습니다. 그러나 IFRS 기준으로는 운영 손실이 RMB336.1백만 (USD46.8백만)이며, 주주에게 귀속되는 손실은 RMB209.2백만 (USD29.1백만)으로 보고되었으며, 이는 주로 New Classics Media에 대한 영업권 손상 손실 때문입니다.

주요 운영 지표는 평균 월간 활성 사용자(MAUs) 수가 19.0% 감소하여 166.6백만에 이르렀지만, 평균 결제 사용자(MPUs) 수는 4.6% 증가하여 9.1백만에 달했습니다. 회사는 IP 시각화에서 상당한 발전을 이루어 여러 블록버스터 타이틀을 출시하고 영화, 드라마 시리즈, 애니메이션 및 만화 분야에서 눈에 띄는 성공을 거두었습니다. 또한, 차이나 문학의 IP 머천다이즈 사업은 2024년 GMV가 RMB500백만을 초과했습니다.

China Literature a annoncé ses résultats annuels pour 2024, mettant en avant une augmentation de 15,8% des revenus totaux à RMB8.121,1 millions (USD1.129,7 millions). Les revenus issus du secteur en ligne ont augmenté de 2,1% pour atteindre RMB4.030,6 millions (USD560,7 millions), tandis que les opérations IP ont connu une hausse de 33,5% à RMB4.090,5 millions (USD569,0 millions). Sur une base non-IFRS, le bénéfice opérationnel était de RMB985,4 millions (USD137,1 millions), et le bénéfice attribuable aux actionnaires s'élevait à RMB1.141,7 millions (USD158,8 millions). Cependant, sur une base IFRS, l'entreprise a enregistré une perte opérationnelle de RMB336,1 millions (USD46,8 millions) et une perte attribuable aux actionnaires de RMB209,2 millions (USD29,1 millions), principalement en raison d'une perte de valeur du goodwill liée à New Classics Media.

Les principales métriques opérationnelles ont montré une diminution de 19,0% des utilisateurs actifs mensuels moyens (MAUs) à 166,6 millions, mais une augmentation de 4,6% des utilisateurs payants moyens (MPUs) à 9,1 millions. L'entreprise a réalisé des avancées significatives dans la visualisation IP, en lançant plusieurs titres à succès et en obtenant un succès notable dans les segments du cinéma, des séries dramatiques, de l'animation et des bandes dessinées. De plus, le secteur de la marchandise IP de China Literature a dépassé RMB500 millions en GMV pour 2024.

China Literature hat seine Jahresergebnisse für 2024 bekannt gegeben und hebt einen Anstieg der Gesamterlöse um 15,8% auf RMB8.121,1 Millionen (USD1.129,7 Millionen) hervor. Die Einnahmen aus dem Online-Geschäft stiegen um 2,1% auf RMB4.030,6 Millionen (USD560,7 Millionen), während die IP-Betriebe einen Anstieg von 33,5% auf RMB4.090,5 Millionen (USD569,0 Millionen) verzeichneten. Auf nicht-IFRS-Basis betrug der operative Gewinn RMB985,4 Millionen (USD137,1 Millionen) und der den Aktionären zurechenbare Gewinn betrug RMB1.141,7 Millionen (USD158,8 Millionen). Auf IFRS-Basis berichtete das Unternehmen jedoch einen operativen Verlust von RMB336,1 Millionen (USD46,8 Millionen) und einen Verlust, der den Aktionären zurechenbar ist, von RMB209,2 Millionen (USD29,1 Millionen), hauptsächlich aufgrund eines Wertminderungsverlustes des Goodwills, der auf New Classics Media zurückzuführen ist.

Die wichtigsten Betriebskennzahlen zeigten einen Rückgang der durchschnittlichen monatlichen aktiven Nutzer (MAUs) um 19,0% auf 166,6 Millionen, während die durchschnittlichen zahlenden Nutzer (MPUs) um 4,6% auf 9,1 Millionen stiegen. Das Unternehmen hat erhebliche Fortschritte bei der IP-Visualisierung gemacht, indem es mehrere Blockbuster-Titel veröffentlicht hat und bemerkenswerte Erfolge in den Bereichen Film, Drama-Serien, Animation und Comics erzielt hat. Darüber hinaus übertraf das IP-Merchandising-Geschäft von China Literature im Jahr 2024 die RMB500 Millionen in GMV.

Positive
  • Total revenues increased by 15.8% to RMB8,121.1 million (USD1,129.7 million)
  • Revenues from IP operations increased by 33.5% to RMB4,090.5 million (USD569.0 million)
  • Profit attributable to equity holders on a non-IFRS basis was RMB1,141.7 million (USD158.8 million)
  • Free cash flow increased to RMB2,333.2 million (USD324.6 million)
  • IP merchandise business GMV surpassed RMB500 million
Negative
  • Operating loss of RMB336.1 million (USD46.8 million) on an IFRS basis
  • Loss attributable to equity holders of RMB209.2 million (USD29.1 million) on an IFRS basis
  • Average MAUs decreased by 19.0% to 166.6 million
  • Net other losses were RMB973.9 million (USD135.5 million) due to impairment loss of goodwill

HONG KONG, March 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- China Literature Limited ("China Literature" or "the Company", stock code: 0772), a leading online literature and intellectual property ("IP") incubation platform in China, today announced the audited consolidated results for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Results Highlights (1)

  • Total revenues increased by 15.8% year-over-year to RMB8,121.1 million (USD1,129.7 million).
    -        Revenues from online business increased by 2.1% year-over-year to RMB4,030.6 million (USD560.7 million), mainly due to consistent improvement made to core product operations and production of high-quality content.
    -        Revenues from intellectual property operations and others increased by 33.5% year-over-year to RMB4,090.5 million (USD569.0 million), mainly due to solid growth across our IP operations businesses.
  • On a non-IFRS (2) basis, which is intended to reflect core earnings by excluding certain one-time and/or non-cash items:
    -        Operating profit was RMB985.4 million (USD137.1 million), compared with RMB1,049.8 million in 2023.
    -        Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB1,141.7 million (USD158.8 million), compared with RMB1,130.4 million in 2023.
    -        Basic earnings per share was RMB1.13. Diluted earnings per share was RMB1.12.
  • On an IFRS basis:
    -        Operating loss was RMB336.1 million (USD46.8 million), mainly due to an impairment loss of goodwill attributable to New Classics Media ("NCM"). Operating profit was RMB709.3 million in 2023.
    -        Loss attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB209.2 million (USD29.1 million), compared with RMB804.9 million profit attributable to equity holders of the Company in 2023.
    -        Basic loss per share was RMB0.21. Diluted loss per share was RMB0.21.

(1)    Figures stated in USD are based on USD1 to RMB7.1884.

(2)    Non-IFRS adjustments exclude share-based compensation, M&A related impact such as impairment provisions, net losses from investee companies and amortization of intangible assets, as well as related income tax effects.

(3)    Certain figures included in this press release have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown as totals may not be an arithmetic aggregation of the figures shown in the breakdown items.

Mr. Hou Xiaonan, Chief Executive Officer of China Literature, commented, "Guided by our core strategy of 'focusing on quality content and creating long-lasting IPs,' we successfully released a series of blockbuster titles in 2024 including the film 'YOLO (热辣滚烫)', drama series such as 'The Legend of Shen Li (与凤行)', 'Joy of Life 2 (庆余年2)', 'The Tale of Rose (玫瑰的故事)' and 'Guardians of the Dafeng (大奉打更人)', as well as the updated animation series 'Battle Through the Heavens (斗破苍穹)', further reinforcing our leading position in the industry. To capitalize on the widespread influence of our popular content, we accelerated IP commercialization which drove the rapid growth of our merchandising business in 2024 with annual GMV surpassing RMB500 million.

At the same time, we continue to explore the application of cutting-edge technologies to empower our content business. In February 2025, our 'Writer Assistant (作家助手)' creation tool became the first in the industry to integrate the DeepSeek-R1 model, providing writers with even more intelligent assistance. Going forward, we will continue to execute our high-quality content strategy to create IP with enduring vitality while leveraging the latest cutting-edge technologies to further enhance its value."

Financial Review (3)

Revenues increased by 15.8% year-over-year to RMB8,121.1 million (USD1,129.7 million).

Revenues from online business increased by 2.1% year-over-year to RMB4,030.6 million (USD560.7 million). A further breakdown of this category is as follows:

i)       Online business revenues from our self-owned platform products increased by 3.4% year-over-year to RMB3,531.0 million (USD491.2 million), mainly due to consistent improvement made to core product operations and production of high-quality content;

ii)      Online business revenues from our channels on Tencent products decreased by 28.2% year-over-year to RMB245.3 million (USD34.1 million), mainly due to a decrease in advertising revenues associated with the refinement of our content distribution practices and prioritization of distribution through core pay-to-read products; and

iii)     Online business revenues from third-party platforms increased by 32.0% year-over-year to RMB254.2 million (USD35.4 million), primarily due to expanded collaboration with third-party distribution partners.

Revenues from IP operations and others increased by 33.5% year-over-year to RMB4,090.5 million (USD569.0 million).

i)       Revenues from IP operations increased by 34.2% year-over-year to RMB3,991.2 million (USD555.2 million). The increase was driven by solid growth across our IP operations businesses primarily from the release of more blockbuster drama series, films, and animated series, along with the expanded licensing of our IP for adaptation to business partners. Additionally, new initiatives such as short dramas and IP merchandise products grew significantly during the period; and

ii)      Revenues from the "others" category, mainly generated by sales of physical books, increased by 10.5% year-over-year to RMB99.3 million (USD13.8 million).

Cost of revenues increased by 15.4% year-over-year to RMB4,199.1 million (USD584.2 million), in line with the increase in revenues, mainly due to higher production costs associated with an increase in the number of films and blockbuster drama series released during the year.

Gross profit increased by 16.3% year-over-year to RMB3,921.9 million (USD545.6 million). Gross margin was 48.3%, compared with 48.1% in 2023.    

Interest income increased by 7.2% year-over-year to RMB178.3 million (USD24.8 million), reflecting greater interest income from bank deposits.

Net other losses were RMB973.9 million (USD135.5 million) in 2024, compared with net other gains of RMB11.5 million in 2023. The year-over-year difference was mainly due to an impairment loss of goodwill of RMB1,104.6 million (USD153.7 million) attributable to New Classics Media.

Selling and marketing expenses increased by 31.5% year-over-year to RMB2,261.0 million (USD314.5 million), as a result of an increase in promotional and advertising expenses associated with films and drama series released in 2024. As a percentage of revenues, our selling and marketing expenses increased to 27.8% in 2024 from 24.5% in 2023.

General and administrative expenses decreased by 1.5% year-over-year to RMB1,143.5 million (USD159.1 million). As a percentage of revenues, general and administrative expenses decreased to 14.1% in 2024 compared with 16.6% in 2023.

Net provision for impairment losses on financial assets was RMB58.0 million (USD8.1 million) in 2024, primarily reflecting the provision for doubtful receivables associated with IP operation businesses.

Operating loss was RMB336.1 million (USD46.8 million) in 2024, compared with RMB709.3 million operating profit in 2023. On a non-IFRS basis, operating profit was RMB985.4 million (USD137.1 million), compared with RMB1,049.8 million in 2023.

Income tax expense was RMB110.7 million (USD15.4 million), compared with RMB97.9 million for 2023, primarily due to an increase in taxable income.

Loss attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB209.2 million (USD29.1 million) in 2024, compared with RMB804.9 million profit attributable to equity holders of the Company in 2023. On a non-IFRS basis, profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB1,141.7 million (USD158.8 million), compared with RMB1,130.4 million in 2023.

Key Operating Information

Average MAUs on our self-owned platform products and self-operated channels were 166.6 million in 2024, a decrease of 19.0% year-over-year from 205.6 million in 2023. A further breakdown of MAUs is as follows:

i)       MAUs on our self-owned platform products remained largely stable on a year-over-year basis at 103.8 million, compared with 104.8 million in 2023; and

ii)      MAUs on our self-operated channels on Tencent products decreased by 37.7% year-over-year from 100.8 million to 62.8 million, primarily due to continuous optimization of operational efficiency, which involved distributing more content through core pay-to-read products, resulting in a decrease of MAUs on free-to-read channels.

Average MPUs on our self-owned platform products and self-operated channels increased by 4.6% year-over-year from 8.7 million to 9.1 million in 2024, mainly due to growth in membership users following the launch of additional membership content in 2024.

Monthly ARPU for our pay-to-read business was RMB32.0, decreasing by 1.5% year-over-year from RMB32.5 in 2023, due to a mix effect from lower ARPU contributions by newly acquired membership users.

Other Key Information

-        EBITDA was RMB729.3 million (USD101.5 million), compared with RMB829.5 million in 2023. Adjusted EBITDA was RMB923.1 million (USD128.4 million), compared with RMB1,017.9 million in 2023.

-        As of December 31, 2024, the Company's net cash position was RMB9,935.7 million (USD1,382.2 million).

-        Free cash flow* was RMB2,333.2 million (USD324.6 million), compared to RMB872.8 million in 2023.

-        New Classics Media, on a standalone basis, recorded RMB1,638.9 million (USD228.0 million) in revenues and RMB340.7 million (USD47.4 million) in profit attributable to equity holders of the company in 2024.

* Free cash flow: operating cash flow deducts payments for lease liabilities and payments for capital expenditures.

Business Review and Outlook

IP Creation

We continued to strengthen the content ecosystem of our online reading business. In 2024, our reading platform added approximately 330,000 writers and 650,000 literary works, collectively contributing over 42 billion Chinese characters. High-quality works increased significantly, with the number of newly signed literary works with over 50,000 average subscribers per chapter up 50% year-over-year. Additionally, the number of new writers with annual income exceeding RMB500,000 grew over 70% year-over-year. Our community has become more robust, with the number of users casting over 1,000 monthly tickets in 2024 increasing more than 60% year-over-year.

As a result of these initiatives, our MPUs grew 4.6% year-over-year to 9.1 million in 2024.

IP Visualization

We made significant progress in IP visualization, releasing a series of top-tier content in the field of film, drama series, animation and comics. According to the Creative Industries Technology Research Institute of Renmin University of China, China Literature had 3 out of the top 5 most valuable cultural IPs in 2024. Based on Enlightent data, among the top 30 most popular drama series in 2024, 16 were adapted from China Literature's IPs. Additionally, according to Guduo data, 14 of the top 20 most popular domestic animation works in 2024 were adapted from China Literature's IPs.

In the live action TV and film segment, we launched several phenomenal blockbuster hits throughout the year. We have one box office champion film "YOLO (热辣滚烫)", which grossed RMB3.5 billion in box office revenue, and four drama series including "The Legend of Shen Li (与凤行)", "Joy of Life 2 (庆余年2)", "The Tale of Rose (玫瑰的故事)" and "Guardians of the Dafeng (大奉打更人)", dominating the online viewership rankings of domestic drama series. These achievements demonstrate our consistent ability to create and replicate blockbuster IPs, reflecting our strong capabilities in content creation and IP development.

In the animation segment, we released new series including "World's Best Martial Artist (全球高武)" and "The Richest Man in Game (亏成首富从游戏开始)", as well as sequels to "Battle Through the Heavens (斗破苍穹)", "Start a Mountain (开局一座山)" and "The Fox Spirit Matchmaker (狐妖小红娘)", which topped popularity rankings on video streaming platforms during their release windows. Among them, the annual series "Battle Through the Heavens (斗破苍穹)" topped Tencent Video's annual best-selling list and won the title of "2024 Tencent Video VIP Member's Favourite Animation".

In the comics segment, we completed the acquisition of Tencent Animation and Comics in 2024. Domestic comic IPs such as "The Outcast (一人之下)" and "The Fox Spirit Matchmaker (狐妖小红娘)" further enriched our leading IP offerings and continued to perform strongly. On the Tencent Animation and Comics platform, "The Outcast (一人之下)" ranked first in terms of revenue among domestic comics, while "The Fox Spirit Matchmaker (狐妖小红娘)" also ranked first in terms of annual revenue growth. The synergies being created between China Literature and Tencent Animation and Comics continue to deepen. This deep integration of our respective strengths in content, production capacity, and IP industry value chain will further unlock the potential and enhance the value of our top-tier IPs.

In the short drama segment, we launched over 100 titles in 2024. Leveraging our content creator resources, we collaborated with outstanding writers and screenwriters to produce a number of high-quality short dramas, with the most popular title generating close to RMB40 million in gross revenue. In addition, one of our new releases at the beginning of 2025 has already achieved over RMB50 million in gross revenue within 7 days, underscoring the trend towards higher quality for short dramas. As the short drama market is growing rapidly, we will continue to capitalize on our high-quality production capacity and capabilities to seize the enormous opportunities the market presents.

IP Commercialization and Monetization

Leveraging the strong influence and user traffic generated by our high-quality content, as well as our improved innovative capabilities and deep market insights, we made significant progress in our IP merchandise business.

In 2024, the total GMV for IP merchandise surpassed RMB500 million, of which the collectible cards accounted for over RMB200 million. The main IPs including "The King's Avatar (全职高手)", "Joy of Life (庆余年)", "Lord of the Mysteries (诡秘之主)", "The Outcast (一人之下)", and "The Fox Spirit Matchmaker (狐妖小红娘)" have all set new historical revenue records, showing widespread market influence. In addition, we have collaborated with over 150 authorized partners to develop merchandise products covering multiple verticals such as toys, 3C digital, and food and beverages etc.

To expand our distribution channels, we set up over 10 self-operated livestream channels, as well as official online stores on Taobao and Tmall. We also opened 8 offline stores, covering leading ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) shopping districts in key cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. In addition, through the distribution model, we have covered over 6,000 offline and over 3,000 online sales outlets, forming a comprehensive omni-channel sales network and laying a solid foundation for future business growth.

The global IP merchandise market is enormous at over USD300 billion. While we are just beginning to commercialize our IP, we are confident that this will offer us significant growth prospects both online and offline. Our advantage lies in our ability to leverage IP to deliver emotions and unique experiences through our products, and to reshape the cultural consumption preferences of younger generations.

Exploration in New Technologies

We are aware of the enormous opportunities that AI brings to the content industry, and are actively embracing this transformation. We have taken a leading position in the development of the IP industry value chain, and are leveraging AI to enhance this competitive advantage across various business scenarios.

As previously mentioned, our "Writer Assistant (作家助手)" creation tool integrates the DeepSeek-R1 model, allowing writers across the industry to experiment with it to develop best practices. Since its integration, daily active users of "Writer Assistant (作家助手)" have increased by over 30%, with the weekly usage rate of AI functions exceeding 50% and the average number of writers using the "Intelligent Q&A" function per day increasing tenfold. This will help online literary creation enter a more efficient and intelligent era.

AI is also accelerating the globalization of our IP. In 2024, our overseas online reading platform, WebNovel, added more than 3,200 AI-translated works, accounting for 47% of all Chinese-translated works and about 40% of the top 100 best-selling lists. AI has enabled WebNovel to cover a wider range of languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Indonesian, Japanese and many others. In 2024, revenue from non-English works translated by AI increased by more than 350%. As of December 31, 2024, WebNovel offered overseas users with approximately 6,800 Chinese-translated works and approximately 700,000 locally created original works.

In addition, we are integrating AI into various formats such as audiobooks, radio dramas, animation, and videos to further accelerate the development of our IP. We are also applying AI to improve content recommendation and user interaction to enhance the user experience.

Outlook 

We believe that the synergy of "IP+AI" will drive the content industry forward, creating a new ecosystem that stretches from content creation to user consumption. AI empowers IP, while IP provides scenarios for AI. The deep integration of the two will facilitate the transition towards multi-dimensional innovation and globalization, from which we are uniquely positioned to benefit. Looking ahead, we will embrace the latest technologies, continue the incubation of popular IPs, and build a leading IP industry value chain to engrain ourselves in the memories of the next generation.

About China Literature Limited

China Literature is dedicated to building a deep and immersive intellectual property ("IP") universe for the Mandarin-speaking world. It incubates original IPs from its online literature platform, which are subsequently adapted to a range of digital entertainment mediums, including comics, animation, film, TV series, web series and games. The virtual world created by these digital offerings becomes an inseparable part of a user's daily life. China Literature creates and promotes IPs mainly through Qidian Reading and QQ Reading, its leading online literature platforms, as well as New Classics Media, a renowned film and TV drama series production house in China. China Literature collaborates with Tencent, its shareholder and strategic partner, as well as other third-party partners to distribute and develop IP content and to enhance the value of its IP. Many of the Company's online literature works have been successfully adapted into animation, TV series, web series, films and games, including Joy of Life, Candle in the Tomb, Soul Land, The King's Avatar and My Heroic Husband. China Literature's rich and extensive content library as well as its unparalleled capability and resources to adapt IP into various entertainment formats is a significant competitive advantage that lies at the core of its business model. For more information, please visit http://ir.yuewen.com/.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

To supplement the consolidated financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain non-IFRS financial measures, namely non-IFRS operating profit, non-IFRS operating margin, non-IFRS profit for the year, non-IFRS net margin, non-IFRS profit attributable to equity holders of the Company, non-IFRS basic EPS and non-IFRS diluted EPS as additional financial measures, have been presented in this press release for the convenience of readers. These unaudited non-IFRS financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, measures of the Company's financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These unaudited non-IFRS measures may be defined differently from similar terms used by other companies. In addition, non-IFRS adjustments include relevant non-IFRS adjustments for the Company's material associates based on available published financials of the relevant material associates, or estimates made by the Company's management based on available information, certain expectations, assumptions and premises.

Our management believes that the presentation of these non-IFRS financial measures, when shown in conjunction with the corresponding IFRS measures, provides useful information to investors and management regarding the financial and business trends relating to the Company's financial condition and results of operations. Our management also believes that the non-IFRS financial measures are useful in evaluating the Company's operating performances. From time to time, there may be other items that the Company may include or exclude in reviewing its financial results.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the industry and business outlook, forecast business plans and growth strategies of the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are stated herein on the basis of the outlook at the time of this press release. They are based on certain expectations, assumptions and premises, some of which are subjective or beyond our control. These forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and may not be realized in future. Underlying the forward-looking statements is a large number of risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these risks and uncertainties is included in our other public disclosure documents on our corporate website. 

 

 CHINA LITERATURE

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS)/INCOME








Year ended December 31,



2024


2023



(RMB in million, unless specified)

Revenues





Online business(1)

4,030.6


3,948.1


Intellectual property operations and others(2)

4,090.5


3,063.6



8,121.1


7,011.8

Cost of revenues

(4,199.1)


(3,640.3)

Gross profit

3,921.9


3,371.5


Gross margin

48.3 %


48.1 %

Interest income

178.3


166.3

Other (losses)/gains, net

(973.9)


11.5

Selling and marketing expenses

(2,261.0)


(1,719.5)

General and administrative expenses

(1,143.5)


(1,161.0)

Net (provision for)/reversal of impairment losses

on financial assets

(58.0)


40.6

Operating (loss)/profit

(336.1)


709.3


Operating margin

(4.1 %)


10.1 %

Finance costs, net

(1.8)


(12.9)

Share of net profit of associates and joint ventures

239.0


205.0

(Loss)/profit before income tax

(98.9)


901.4

Income tax expense

(110.7)


(97.9)

(Loss)/profit for the year

(209.6)


803.5


Net margin

(2.6 %)


11.5 %

(Loss)/profit attributable to:





Equity holders of the Company

(209.2)


804.9


Non-controlling interests

(0.4)


(1.3)



(209.6)


803.5

(Loss)/earnings per share




(in RMB per share)




- Basic (loss)/earnings per share

(0.21)


0.80

- Diluted (loss)/earnings per share

(0.21)


0.79






Notes:

(1)           Revenues from online business primarily reflect revenues from online paid reading, online advertising and distribution of third-party online games on our platform.

(2)           Revenues from intellectual property operations and others primarily reflect revenues from production and distribution of TV, web and animated series, films, licensing of copyrights, operation of self-operated online games, distribution of short dramas, sales of IP merchandise products and sales of physical books.  

 

 

CHINA LITERATURE

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS)/INCOME








Year ended December 31,



2024


2023



(RMB in million)




(Loss)/profit for the year

(209.6)


803.5

Other comprehensive income, net of tax:




Item that may be subsequently reclassified to profit or
loss





Share of other comprehensive loss of associates
     and joint ventures

(0.4)


(0.6)


Currency translation differences

(18.9)


(21.7)






Item that may not be reclassified to profit or loss





Net income/(loss) from change in fair value of
     financial asset at fair value through other
     comprehensive income

2.0


(4.3)


Currency translation differences

79.4


66.4



62.1


39.8

Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year

(147.5)


843.3

 

Total comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to:





Equity holders of the Company

(147.1)


844.6


Non-controlling interests

(0.4)


(1.3)



(147.5)


843.3

 

 

CHINA LITERATURE

SEGMENT INFORMATION








Year ended December 31,



2024


2023



(RMB in million, except percentages)

Revenues





Online business

4,030.6


3,948.1


Intellectual property operations and others

4,090.5


3,063.6


Total revenues

8,121.1


7,011.8






Cost of revenues





Online business

(1,975.0)


(1,983.5)


Intellectual property operations and others

(2,224.1)


(1,656.8)


Total cost of revenues

(4,199.1)


(3,640.3)






Gross profit



Online business

2,055.6


1,964.6


Intellectual property operations and others

1,866.4


1,406.9


Total gross profit

3,921.9


3,371.5






Gross margin





Online business

51.0 %


49.8 %


Intellectual property operations and others

45.6 %


45.9 %


Total gross margin

48.3 %


48.1 %

 

 

CHINA LITERATURE

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION








As of



December 31, 2024


December 31, 2023



(RMB in million)

ASSETS




Non-current assets





Property, plant and equipment

97.8


128.3


Right-of-use assets

149.8


207.7


Intangible assets

6,158.8


7,330.1


Investments in associates and joint ventures

928.2


924.7


Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

1,039.6


856.0


Financial asset at fair value through other    comprehensive income

6.3


4.1


Deferred income tax assets

497.2


394.1


Prepayments, deposits and other assets

298.2


291.6


Term deposits

2,308.0


1,829.0



11,484.0


11,965.7

Current assets





Inventories

693.0


743.7


Television series and film rights

529.8


995.1


Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss

3,252.9


2,442.7


Trade and notes receivables

1,703.4


1,988.2


Prepayments, deposits and other assets

907.4


1,212.6


Restricted bank deposits

4.5


-


Term deposits

1,106.2


1,038.7


Cash and cash equivalents

3,264.2


2,801.8



11,461.4


11,222.8

Total assets

22,945.4


23,188.5






EQUITY




Capital and reserves attributable to the equity
  holders of the Company





Share capital

0.6


0.7


Shares held for RSU scheme

(14.6)


(16.6)


Share premium

16,117.9


16,312.6


Other reserves

1,975.8


2,173.3


Retained earnings

294.7


555.0



18,374.4


19,024.9

Non-controlling interests

1.7


(0.5)

Total equity

18,376.2


19,024.4





As of



December 31, 2024


December 31, 2023



(RMB in million)

LIABILITIES




Non-current liabilities





Lease liabilities

85.0


153.2


Long-term payables

10.8


1.2


Deferred income tax liabilities

129.4


134.5


Deferred revenue

21.9


24.2


Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss

-


247.8



247.2


560.9

Current liabilities





Borrowings

-


10.0


Lease liabilities

81.2


74.9


Trade payables

1,044.6


1,119.7


Other payables and accruals

1,662.0


997.7


Deferred revenue

1,148.9


879.3


Current income tax liabilities

217.7


266.4


Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss

167.6


255.1



4,322.0


3,603.1

Total liabilities

4,569.3


4,164.0

Total equity and liabilities

22,945.4


23,188.5

 

 

CHINA LITERATURE

RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING (LOSS)/PROFIT TO EBITDA AND ADJUSTED EBITDA



Year ended December 31,


2024


2023


(RMB in million)

Reconciliation of operating (loss)/profit to EBITDA
     and adjusted EBITDA:




Operating (loss)/profit

(336.1)


709.3

Adjustments:




Interest income

(178.3)


(166.3)

Other losses/(gains), net

973.9


(11.5)

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

40.3


33.4

Depreciation of right-of-use assets

72.0


82.0

Amortization of intangible assets

157.5


182.7

EBITDA

729.3


829.5

Adjustments:




Share-based compensation

126.4


131.5

Expenditures related to acquisition

67.5


56.9

Adjusted EBITDA

923.1


1,017.9

 

 

CHINA LITERATURE

RECONCILIATIONS OF IFRS TO NON-IFRS RESULTS



Year ended December 31, 2024


Adjustments


As
reported

Share-
based
compensation

Net losses
from investments
and acquisitions(1)

Amortization
of intangible
assets(2)

Tax effect

Non-IFRS


(RMB in million, unless specified)

Operating (loss)/profit

(336.1)

126.4

1,174.8

20.3

-

985.4

(Loss)/profit for the year

(209.6)

126.4

1,174.8

20.3

29.4

1,141.3

(Loss)/profit attributable to equity holders of the Company

(209.2)

126.4

1,174.8

20.3

29.4

1,141.7

(Loss)/earnings per share (RMB per share)







- basic

(0.21)





1.13

- diluted

(0.21)





1.12

Operating margin

(4.1 %)





12.1 %

Net margin

(2.6 %)





14.1 %
















Year ended December 31, 2023



Adjustments



As reported

Share-
based compensation

Net losses
from investments and acquisitions(1)

Amortization of intangible assets(2)

Tax effect

Non-IFRS


(RMB in million, unless specified)


Operating profit

709.3

131.5

188.9

20.2

-

1,049.8

Profit for the year

803.5

131.5

182.2

20.2

(8.3)

1,129.0

Profit attributable to equity holders of the Company

804.9

131.5

182.2

20.2

(8.3)

1,130.4

Earnings per share (RMB per share)







- basic

0.80





1.12

- diluted

0.79





1.11

Operating margin

10.1 %





15.0 %

Net margin

11.5 %





16.1 %









Notes:

(1)           Mainly includes goodwill impairment, impairment provisions and the fair value changes arising from our investee companies, the fair value changes of consideration liabilities related to the acquisition of NCM, and the compensation costs for certain employees and former owners related to acquisitions.

(2)           Represents amortization of intangible assets and TV series and film rights resulting from acquisitions.

 

 

Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-literature-announces-2024-annual-results-302404245.html

SOURCE China Literature

FAQ

What were China Literature's total revenues for 2024?

China Literature's total revenues for 2024 were RMB8,121.1 million (USD1,129.7 million).

How did China Literature's online business revenues perform in 2024?

Online business revenues increased by 2.1% year-over-year to RMB4,030.6 million (USD560.7 million).

What was the operating profit for China Literature on a non-IFRS basis in 2024?

On a non-IFRS basis, the operating profit was RMB985.4 million (USD137.1 million).

What was the loss attributable to equity holders of China Literature on an IFRS basis in 2024?

The loss attributable to equity holders on an IFRS basis was RMB209.2 million (USD29.1 million).

How did China Literature's IP operations revenues perform in 2024?

Revenues from IP operations increased by 33.5% year-over-year to RMB4,090.5 million (USD569.0 million).
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