Kingsoft Cloud EPS beats by $0.17, misses on revenue

(March 17) Kingsoft Cloud Q4 GAAP EPS of $0.00 beats by $0.17.

Revenue of $294.7Mmisses by $1.41M.

Adjusted EBITDA margin of -0.9% vs. -7.6% in last year's quarter.

Gross margin improved Y/Y to 4.8% from 4.6%.

Fourth quarter 2020 Financial Results

Kingsoft Cloud Total Revenues reached RMB1,922.7 million (US$294.7 million), representing an increase of 63.8% from RMB1,173.6 million in the same period of 2019. The increases were primarily due to the growth in both public cloud services and enterprise cloud services for our premium customers.

• Revenues from public cloud services were RMB1,361.5 million (US$208.7 million), representing an increase of 44.1% from RMB945.1 million in the same period of 2019.
• Revenues from enterprise cloud services were RMB535.9 million (US$82.1 million), representing an increase of 143.1% from RMB220.4 million in the same period of 2019.
• Other revenues were RMB25.3 million (US$3.9 million).

Gross profit was RMB92.6 million (US$14.2 million), compared to RMB54.3 million in the same period of 2019. Gross margin was 4.8%, compared to 4.6% in the same period of 2019.

Non-GAAP gross profit was RMB94.9 million (US$14.5 million), compared to RMB56.7 million in the same period of 2019. Non-GAAP gross margin was 4.9%, compared to 4.8% in the same period of 2019. The increase was primarily due to our continued leverage on economies of scale and the costs savings, which is offset by the investment into new business opportunities of strategic verticals, and costs incurred for ongoing projects.

Net loss was RMB105.2 million (US$16.1 million), compared with RMB239.5 million in the same quarter of 2019. The net margin significantly increased to -5.5% from -20.4% in the same quarter of 2019.

Non-GAAP net loss was RMB174.3 million (US$26.7 million), compared with RMB254.6 million in the same quarter of 2019. The Non-GAAP net margin significantly increased to -9.1% from -21.7% in the same quarter of 2019.

Non-GAAP EBITDA was RMB-17.5 million (US$-2.7 million), compared with RMB-89.3 million in the same quarter of 2019. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was -0.9%, compared to -7.6% in the same quarter of 2019. The steady increase of Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was due to the revenue growth and operating leverage.

Basic and diluted net loss per share was RMB0.03 (US$0.00), compared with RMB0.32 in the same quarter of 2019.

Cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments were RMB6,117.7 million (US$937.6 million) as of December 31, 2020, compared to RMB2,248.7 million as of December 31, 2019.

Outstanding ordinary shares were 3,339,618,633 as of December 31, 2020, equivalent to about 222,641,242 ADSs.

Fiscal Year 2020 Financial Results

Total Revenues reached RMB6,577.3 million (US$1,008.0 million), representing an increase of 66.2% from RMB3,956.4 million in 2019. The increases were primarily due to the growth in both public cloud services and enterprise cloud services for our premium customers.

• Revenues from public cloud services were RMB5,166.9 million (US$791.9 million), representing an increase of 49.4% from RMB3,458.8 million in 2019.
• Revenues from enterprise cloud services were RMB1,372.7 million (US$210.4 million), representing an increase of 182.3% from RMB486.3 million in 2019.
• Other revenues were RMB37.7 million (US$5.7 million).

Cost of revenues was RMB6,220.3 million (US$953.3 million), representing an increase of 57.5% from RMB3,948.6 million in 2019, primarily attributable to the rapid growth of our business. IDC costs increased by 42.1% to RMB4,058.8 million (US$622.0 million) from RMB2,856.6 million in 2019. The increase in IDC costs was in line with the Company’s expanding business and was partially offset by improved efficiency and utilization of bandwidth. IDC costs as a percentage of total revenues decreased from 72.2% during the same period of last year to 61.7% in 2020. Depreciation and amortization costs were RMB746.2 million (US$114.4 million), compared with RMB599.2 million in 2019.

Gross profit increased to RMB357.0 million (US$54.7 million), from RMB7.7 million in 2019. Gross margin was 5.4%, compared to 0.2% in 2019.

Non-GAAP gross profit increased to RMB367.6 million (US$56.3 million), from RMB16.2 million in 2019.

Non-GAAP gross margin was 5.6%, compared to 0.4% in 2019. The increase was primarily due to our continued leverage on economies of scale and the costs savings.

Net loss was RMB962.2 million (US$147.5 million), compared with RMB1,111.2 million in 2019. The net margin significantly increased to -14.6% from -28.1% in the same quarter of 2019.

Non-GAAP net loss was RMB824.4 million (US$126.3 million), compared with RMB957.6 million in 2019. The Non-GAAP net margin significantly increased to -12.5% from -24.2% in 2019.

Non-GAAP EBITDA was RMB-119.1 million (US$-18.3 million), compared with RMB-417.7 million in 2019. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was -1.8%, compared to -10.6% in 2019. The steady increase of Non-GAAP EBITDA margin was due to the revenue growth and operating leverage.

Basic and diluted net loss per share was RMB0.41 (US$0.06), compared with RMB1.31 in 2019.

Business Outlook

For the first quarter of 2021, the Company expects total revenues to be between RMB1.83 billion and RMB1.93 billion. It is based on the Company’s current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change. The forecast reflects the relative late timing of Chinese Lunar New Year Holiday in the first quarter of 2021 compared with 2020, and the typical pattern of procurement and implementation process of major enterprises and public sector clients in mainland China in the first quarter each year.