BILI 1Q26 First Take: Q1 results were broadly in line. Ads, one of the two core pillars, beat expectations. That said, Dolphin Research is slightly disappointed that MAUs rose by only ~10 mn QoQ during a seasonal peak, below last year, which may reflect calendar shifts around CNY and school holidays; we will look for color on the call.

1) Total revenue was RMB 7.5 bn (+6.7% YoY). Ads did the heavy lifting.

(1) Ads were the standout, accelerating to nearly +30% YoY, helped by robust AI and game advertiser demand amid heightened competition. Q1 saw a race for AI entry points, and BILI, a mainstream channel for AI app performance marketing, naturally benefited. Ad load still has room to rise, and the platform recently added a new slot — pause ads.

(2) Games declined 12% YoY on a high base. Q1 was driven by the HK/Macau/Taiwan launch of 'Sanmou', which targets smaller markets and tracked stably. With 'Three Kingdoms: Hundred-Battle Cards' planned for end-Q2 and two more titles in 2H, the new-game cycle is approaching.

(3) VAS grew 3.7% YoY, pressured by live-streaming, and premium members declined QoQ. IP-led DTC commerce continued to contract, down 4% YoY and below expectations. That said, the segment is small, so the overall impact is limited.

2) OP came in at RMB 170 mn with a 2.2% OPM. Q1 margins typically dip QoQ on e-commerce off-season effects on ads, heavier marketing, and annual bonus payouts, but this quarter’s sequential decline was steeper than usual. The key difference is increased AI investment, with R&D reversing three years of tightening (mainly from game R&D cuts) to grow 9% YoY this quarter.

3) BILI repurchased 2.5 mn shares in Q1 for $60 mn at an avg $24. The 2-yr $200 mn buyback authorized in 2024 has been completed as of quarter-end. Net cash stood at RMB 19.3 bn (~$2.8 bn), leaving ample room for further buybacks; watch for management’s roadmap on shareholder returns on the call.

The market was rattled two days ago by Tencent’s plan to sell high-valuation investment assets to fund its own buybacks, which sent its shares lower. Tencent holds about 10% of BILI. $Bilibili(BILI.US) $BILIBILI-W(09626.HK)