PR Newswire
BEIJING, May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Weibo Corporation (“Weibo” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: WB and HKEX: 9898), a leading social media in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
“We are pleased with the first quarter results,” said Gaofei Wang, CEO of Weibo. “On the user and product front, we optimized the homepage feed consumption experience and enhanced supply and distribution of quality video content, driving user retention and engagement on our platform. On the content ecosystem front, we enhanced user content consumption efficiency and engagement by improving the quality of trending content, deepening community interaction, and strengthening AI-powered search capabilities. On the monetization front, our advertising business exhibited stabilized trend in the first quarter. We continued to expand our unique content marketing approach across more industries and clients, while leveraging AI to systematically improve advertising conversion effectiveness.”
First Quarter 2026 Highlights
- Net revenues were US$421.3 million, an increase of 6% year-over-year or an increase of 1% year-over-year on a constant currency basis [1].
- Advertising and marketing revenues were US$369.8 million, an increase of 9% year-over-year or an increase of 3% year-over-year on a constant currency basis [1].
- Value-added services (“VAS”) revenues were US$51.6 million, a decrease of 11% year-over-year or a decrease of 15% year-over-year on a constant currency basis [1].
- Income from operations was US$110.9 million, representing an operating margin of 26%.
- Net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders was US$34.7 million and diluted net income per share was US$0.14.
- Non-GAAP income from operations was US$119.8 million, representing a non-GAAP operating margin of 28%.
- Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders was US$91.9 million and non-GAAP diluted net income per share was US$0.34.
- Monthly active users (“MAUs”) were 562 million in March 2026.
- Average daily active users (“DAUs”) were 254 million in March 2026.
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First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
For the first quarter of 2026, Weibo’s total net revenues were US$421.3 million, an increase of 6% compared to US$396.9 million for the same period last year.
Advertising and marketing revenues for the first quarter of 2026 were US$369.8 million, an increase of 9% compared to US$339.1 million for the same period last year. Advertising and marketing revenues excluding advertising revenues from Alibaba were US$326.5 million, an increase of 10% compared to US$296.5 million for the same period last year. The increase mainly resulted from favorable foreign exchange impact on the reported numbers as well as incremental advertising demand from certain sectors, such as internet services, automobile and local services. Advertising and marketing revenues from Alibaba were US$43.3 million, an increase of 2% compared to US$42.6 million for the same period last year.
VAS revenues for the first quarter of 2026 were US$51.6 million, a decrease of 11% compared to US$57.7 million for the same period last year, primarily due to less revenue contribution from game-related business.
Costs and expenses for the first quarter of 2026 totaled US$310.4 million, an increase of 8% compared to US$286.5 million for the same period last year, mainly due to the increase of ad production cost and marketing expense, partially offset by the decrease of general and administrative expense.
Income from operations for the first quarter of 2026 was US$110.9 million, compared to US$110.3 million for the same period last year. Operating margin was 26%, compared to 28% last year. Non-GAAP income from operations was US$119.8 million, compared to US$129.5 million for the same period last year. Non-GAAP operating margin was 28%, compared to 33% last year.
Non-operating loss for the first quarter of 2026 was US$59.9 million, compared to non-operating income of US$22.1 million for the same period last year. Non-operating loss for the first quarter of 2026 mainly included (i) loss from fair value change of investments of US$35.0 million, which was excluded under non-GAAP measures; and (ii) net interest and other loss of US$24.9 million, which included equity pick up losses of US$22.1 million.
Income tax expenses for the first quarter of 2026 were US$15.7 million, compared to US$24.3 million for the same period last year. The decrease in tax expenses in the first quarter of 2026 was mainly due to the reversal of US$6.7 million deferred tax liability related to equity pick up losses which was recognized in prior periods.
Net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders for the first quarter of 2026 was US$34.7 million, compared to US$107.0 million for the same period last year. Diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo’s shareholders for the first quarter of 2026 was US$0.14, compared to US$0.41 for the same period last year. Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders for the first quarter of 2026 was US$91.9 million, compared to US$119.5 million for the same period last year. Non-GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo’s shareholders for the first quarter of 2026 was US$0.34, compared to US$0.45 for the same period last year.
As of March 31, 2026, Weibo’s cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaled US$2.59 billion. For the first quarter of 2026, cash provided by operating activities was US$164.0 million, capital expenditures totaled US$11.9 million, and depreciation and amortization expenses amounted to US$15.5 million.
Conference Call
Weibo’s management team will host a conference call from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM Eastern Time on May 28, 2026 (or 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Beijing Time on May 28, 2026) to present an overview of the Company’s financial performance and business operations.
Participants who wish to dial in to the teleconference must register through the below public participant link. Dial-in and instructions will be provided in the confirmation email upon registering.
Participants Registration Link:
https://register-conf.media-server.com/register/BIb549b1f6935046d98b52a0fe61be918e
Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at http://ir.weibo.com.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
This release contains the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders, non-GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo’s shareholders and adjusted EBITDA. These non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, measures of the Company’s financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures exclude stock-based compensation, amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions, net results of impairment and provision on investments, gain/loss on sale of investments and fair value change of investments, non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items for the income/loss attributable to non-controlling interests, income tax expense related to the amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions and fair value change of investments (other non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items have no tax effect), and amortization of issuance cost of convertible senior notes, unsecured senior notes and long-term loans. Adjusted EBITDA represents non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders before interest income/expense, net, income tax expenses/benefits, and depreciation expenses.
The Company’s management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in their financial and operating decision-making, because management believes these measures reflect the Company’s ongoing operating performance in a manner that allows more meaningful period-to-period comparisons. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors and others in the following ways: (i) in comparing the Company’s current financial results with the Company’s past financial results in a consistent manner, and (ii) in understanding and evaluating the Company’s current operating performance and future prospects in the same manner as management does. The Company also believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to both management and investors by excluding certain expenses, gains/losses and other items (i) that are not expected to result in future cash payments or (ii) that are non-recurring in nature or may not be indicative of the Company’s core operating results and business outlook.
Use of non-GAAP financial measures has limitations. The Company’s non-GAAP financial measures do not include all income and expense items that affect the Company’s operations. They may not be comparable to non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. Accordingly, care should be exercised in understanding how the Company defines its non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of the Company’s non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures are set forth in the section below titled “Unaudited Reconciliation of Non-GAAP to GAAP Results.”
About Weibo
Weibo is a leading social media for people to create, share and discover content online. Weibo combines the means of public self-expression in real time with a powerful platform for social interaction, content aggregation and content distribution. Any user can create and post a feed and attach multi-media and long-form content. User relationships on Weibo may be asymmetric; any user can follow any other user and add comments to a feed while reposting. This simple, asymmetric and distributed nature of Weibo allows an original feed to become a live viral conversation stream.
Weibo enables its advertising and marketing customers to promote their brands, products and services to users. Weibo offers a wide range of advertising and marketing solutions to companies of all sizes. Weibo generates a substantial majority of its revenues from the sale of advertising and marketing services, including the sale of social display advertisement and promoted marketing offerings. Weibo displays content in a simple information feed format and offers native advertisement that conforms to the information feed on our platform. We are continuously refining our social interest graph recommendation engine, which enables our customers to perform people marketing and target audiences based on user demographics, social relationships, interests and behaviors, to achieve greater relevance, engagement and marketing effectiveness.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology, such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “confidence,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, Weibo’s expected financial performance and strategic and operational plans, as described, without limitation, in quotations from management in this press release, contain forward-looking statements. Weibo may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in the Company’s periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Weibo’s limited operating history in certain new businesses; failure to sustain or grow active user base and the level of user engagement; the uncertain regulatory landscape in China; fluctuations in the Company’s quarterly operating results; the Company’s reliance on advertising and marketing sales for a majority of its revenues; failure to successfully develop, introduce, drive adoption of or monetize new features and products; failure to compete effectively for advertising and marketing spending; failure to successfully integrate acquired businesses; risks associated with the Company’s investments, including equity pick-up and impairment; failure to compete successfully against new entrants and established industry competitors; changes in the macro-economic environment, including the depreciation of the Renminbi; and adverse changes in economic and political policies of the PRC government and its impact on the Chinese economy. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Weibo’s annual reports on Form 20-F and other filings with the SEC and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is current as of the date hereof, and Weibo assumes no obligation to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Contact:
Investor Relations
Weibo Corporation
Phone: +86 10 5898-3336
Email: [email protected]
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(1) Stock-based compensation in each category: |
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Cost of revenues |
$ 1,239 |
$ 446 |
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Sales and marketing |
2,929 |
787 |
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Product development |
6,840 |
1,920 |
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General and administrative |
4,039 |
1,383 |
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(1) Included short-term loans to and interest receivable from SINA of US$401.9 million as of |
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Income from operations |
$ |
110,310 |
$ |
110,921 |
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Add: |
Stock-based compensation |
15,047 |
4,536 |
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Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions |
4,122 |
4,345 |
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Net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders |
$ |
106,964 |
$ |
34,715 |
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Add: |
Stock-based compensation |
15,047 |
4,536 |
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Amortization of intangible assets resulting from business acquisitions |
4,122 |
4,345 |
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Investment related gain/loss, net (1) |
(8,357) |
35,031 |
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Non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items on the share of equity method investments |
1,039 |
17,776 |
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Non-GAAP to GAAP reconciling items for the income/loss attributable to non-controlling interests |
(492) |
(524) |
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Tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments (2) |
(734) |
(5,894) |
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Amortization of issuance cost of convertible senior notes, unsecured senior notes and long-term loans |
1,943 |
1,943 |
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Shares used in computing GAAP diluted net income per share attributable to Weibo’s shareholders |
266,494 |
270,121 |
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Adjusted EBITDA: |
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Net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders |
$ |
106,964 |
$ |
34,715 |
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Non-GAAP adjustments |
12,568 |
57,213 |
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Non-GAAP net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders |
119,532 |
91,928 |
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Interest (income) expense, net |
(13,986) |
2,394 |
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Income tax expenses |
25,025 |
21,566 |
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Depreciation expenses |
9,149 |
10,865 |
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Net revenues |
$ |
396,855 |
$ |
421,325 |
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Non-GAAP operating margin |
33 % |
28 % |
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(1) |
To adjust impairment and provision on investments, gain/loss on sale of investments and fair value change of investments. |
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(2) |
To adjust the income tax effects of non-GAAP adjustments, which primarily related to amortization of intangible assets resulting |
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Net income attributable to Weibo’s shareholders is adjusted for interest expense of convertible senior notes for calculating diluted EPS. |
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/weibo-announces-first-quarter-2026-unaudited-financial-results-302784136.html
SOURCE Weibo Corporation
