Accelerated Commercialization of AI Applications and Short Dramas
发布时间:2026-05-11 来源:华泰证券
Kunlun Tech has posted 1Q26 revenue of RMB2.57bn(+45.69%YoY,+7.40%QoQ),with attributable net profit of-RMB887mn(loss widened 15.34%YoY)and recurring net profit of-RMB891mn.While topline growth remained robust—driven by AI short dramas,Opera's advertising,and expanding AI businesses—bottom-line pressure persisted due to fair value fluctuations in investment operations.We view Kunlun as being in acritical phase of AI application commercialization and global content ecosystem expansion.Near-term profit volatility doesn’t alter its long-term growth outlook.Maintain BUY.
Optimizing global revenue mix
For 1Q26,Kunlun Tech’s revenue grew 45.69%YoY,with overseas revenue reaching RMB2.49bn(+49.29%YoY),accounting for over 96%of total revenue,demonstrating strengthened global monetization capabilities.The company has built acomprehensive overseas content ecosystem centered on products like Opera browser,DramaWave,and FreeReels.For short dramas,the AI-powered platform has achieved rapid commercialization,with ARR surpassing USD570mn.Contract liabilities grew 74.10%YoY to RMB390mn,reflecting stronger user willingness to pay and robust revenue recognition momentum.We believe Kunlun has afirst-mover advantage in overseas short dramas through premium production and AI-powered content generation,with revenue scaling potential.
Investment income pressured profit,OCF improved
For 1Q26,attributable net profit came in at-RMB887mn,with the YoY widening of losses primarily due to:1)sales expenses surging 83.49%YoY to RMB1.59bn,mainly for global marketing of short drama platforms and AI products,although we expect this to translate to higher profit upside as user LTV improves;2)a RMB294mn fair value loss from investments amid March market volatility,coupled with aRMB129mn YoY decline in investment income.We view these as non-operating,temporary headwinds that should normalize with market conditions.Operationally,core business profitability continues to improve.1Q26 operating cash flow turned positive at RMB89.32mn(vs negative YoY),boosted by 44.2%growth in collections and a147%increase in tax refunds.
AI ecosystem development under upgraded“4+3”AGI strategy
In March 2026,the company formally launched its upgraded“4+3”AGI strategy,encompassing foundational models,AI application matrix,and content ecosystem enhancements.On the model front,Kunlun introduced next-gen SOTA models including SkyReels-V4 and Mureka V8,maintaining technological leadership.For applications,it rolled out the SkyProduction short drama workstation and the TianGong desktop AI agent,moving astep closer to achieving the“model–tool–content-traffic”closed loop.Additionally,its AI chip affiliate,Aijie Kexin,secured RMB550mn in new funding at apost-money valuation of above RMB4bn.Though Kunlun’s stake diluted to 48.65%(deconsolidated),strategic synergies remain intact.We believe the company’s advancements across models,applications,and compute infrastructure will strengthen its long-term AI competitive moat.
Earnings forecasts and valuation
The deepening commercialization of Kunlun’s AI product matrix,coupled with scaling effects from its short drama platform and marketing efficiency improvements,should drive gradual profit recovery,in our view.We maintain our 2026/2027/2028 revenue forecast at RMB8.48/8.92/8.86bn and our attributable net profit forecast of RMB454/721/1,090mn.Our SOTP-based valuation yields atarget market cap of RMB84.82bn(applying 10x 2026E PS to Opera,7.7x PS to short dramas,RMB25.01bn valuation for foundational models,and RMB10.54bn for investments).This implies atarget price of RMB67.59(previous:RMB69.29).
Risks:Slower AI monetization than we expect,model development delays,regulatory changes.