Weak mobile ad sales, unhealthy reliance on Chinese telecoms

By Staff, ChinaTechNews
Friday, May 16, 2008 10:50 AM

Chinese wireless value-added services company KongZhong said its unaudited first quarter 2008 financial results revealed total revenues increased 8 percent sequentially to US$21.39 million, but total mobile advertising revenues were a weak US$212,000.

The aggregate revenues from China Unicom, China Telecom and China Netcom accounted for approximately 24 percent of the total first quarter WVAS revenues, while revenues from China Mobile accounted for the remaining 76 percent. This still shows an incredibly large reliance on the company of the good will of these telecommunications companies, which have in the past have been fickle in their policies and have directly resulted in revenue and profit losses for KongZhong.

Chairman and CEO Yunfan Zhou said, "Our WVAS revenues increased in Q1 mainly as a result of seasonal factors. However, seasonal factors also resulted in our lower mobile advertising revenues. We expect our mobile advertising revenues to increase rapidly in Q2. In 2008, we will continue pursuing our wireless Internet strategic initiative."

Revenues from 2.5G wireless services accounted for approximately 32 percent of total WVAS revenues and revenues from 2G services represented the remaining 68 percent. Revenues from 2.5G services, which include services delivered using WAP, MMS, and JAVA technologies, increased 19 percent sequentially to US$6.71 million. WAP revenues in the first quarter of 2008 were US$3.06 million, an increase of 42 percent sequentially. MMS revenues in the first quarter of 2008 were US$2.87 million, an increase of 3 percent sequentially. JAVArevenues in the first quarter of 2008 were US$0.78 million, an increase of 18 percent sequentially.

Revenues from 2G services, including short messaging service, interactive voice response, and color ring back tone, increased 4 percent sequentially to US$14.44 million in the first quarter of 2008. SMS revenues in the first quarter of 2008 increased 20 percent sequentially to US$9.59 million. IVR revenues in the first quarter of 2008 decreased 33 percent sequentially to US$2.87 million. CRBT increased 24 percent sequentially to US$1.97 million the first quarter of 2008.

The WVAS cost of revenues in the first quarter of 2008 totaled US$11.59 million, an increase of 15 percent sequentially. WVAS gross margin in the first quarter of 2008 decreased to 45 percent compared to 48 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007, mainly as a result of higher revenue sharing with mobile handset manufacturers. Total WVAS operating expenses in the first quarter of 2008 were US$7.42 million, an increase of 10 percent sequentially, mainly because of an increase in compensation to employees. Product development expenses increased by 11 percent sequentially and represented 10% of revenues. Sales and marketing expenses increased by 11 percent sequentially and represented 17 percent of revenues. General and administrative expenses increased by 5 percent sequentially and represented 8 percent of revenues. Operating expenses related to the company's wireless Internet sites were US$3.25 million, which included US$1.84 million in marketing and advertising expenses.

As of March 31, 2008, the company had US$126.81 million in cash and cash equivalents.


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