Investment Rating - The report assigns a "Buy" rating for iQIYI (IQ US) with a target price of 1.87 [1][18]. Core Insights - The report emphasizes the improvement in long series and the effectiveness of investments in micro-short dramas. iQIYI is focusing on high-quality content while adapting to changing viewer attention spans by increasing micro-short drama investments and reducing the number of long series [2][6]. - The company is exploring content e-commerce based on its content ecosystem and user base, currently in a trial operation phase [6]. - The report anticipates a decline in brand advertising revenue due to market pressures, projecting a decrease of 11% year-on-year and 8% quarter-on-quarter to approximately 1.3 billion RMB [6]. Financial Overview - Revenue projections for iQIYI are as follows: - 2023: 31,873 million RMB - 2024: 29,225 million RMB (down 8.3% YoY) - 2025E: 29,118 million RMB (down 0.4% YoY) - 2026E: 31,063 million RMB (up 6.7% YoY) - 2027E: 32,583 million RMB (up 4.9% YoY) [3][19] - Net profit estimates are: - 2023: 2,838 million RMB - 2024: 1,512 million RMB (down 46.5% YoY) - 2025E: 1,643 million RMB (up 9.5% YoY) - 2026E: 2,158 million RMB (up 31.3% YoY) - 2027E: 2,719 million RMB (up 25.9% YoY) [3][19]. - The report notes a projected adjusted net profit of 3.0 billion RMB for Q1 2025, reflecting a decrease due to increased micro-drama investments [6]. Market Position and Performance - iQIYI's market share in the top 20 series and online variety shows is highlighted, with a 38% share in series and a 14% share in online variety shows for Q1 2025, showing a 14% increase and a 5% decrease respectively compared to the previous year [6][10]. - The company is expected to maintain its revenue expectations for 2025, although adjusted net profit expectations have been lowered by 11% to 1.6 billion RMB due to increased content and promotional investments [6]. Upcoming Content - iQIYI has announced over 400 upcoming long and short series, focusing on high-quality content and leveraging popular IPs for commercial value [6][7]. - The report lists several anticipated series and variety shows set to launch in 2025, indicating a robust content pipeline aimed at attracting viewers [7][8].
爱奇艺（IQ）：交银国际研究：个股评级