BEIJING, Oct. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2014[1].

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Third Quarter 2014 Highlights


    --  Total revenues in the third quarter of 2014 were RMB13.520 billion
        ($2.203 billion), a 52.0% increase from the corresponding period in
        2013.
    --  Operating profit in the third quarter of 2014 was RMB3.920 billion
        ($638.6 million), a 17.4% increase from the corresponding period in
        2013.
    --  Net income attributable to Baidu in the third quarter of 2014 was
        RMB3.876 billion ($631.5 million), a 27.2% increase from the
        corresponding period in 2013. Diluted earnings attributable to Baidu per
        ADS for the third quarter of 2014 were RMB11.00 ($1.79); diluted
        earnings attributable to Baidu per ADS excluding share-based
        compensation expenses (non-GAAP) for the third quarter of 2014 were
        RMB11.67 ($1.90).

"We had another very strong quarter as we continued to leverage our tremendous assets, especially in mobile. This quarter, mobile traffic surpassed PC traffic and mobile revenue contributed 36% of our total revenue[2]. We are particularly pleased with the progress we have made in connecting people with services through innovative O2O initiatives like Baidu Connect--a better way for businesses to connect with their targeted consumers on mobile devices," said Robin Li, chairman and chief executive officer of Baidu. "It's an exciting time for Baidu. The O2O market opportunity is enormous, and our leading positions in mobile search and maps, as well as our extensive sales force, position us optimally to capture that opportunity."

"In the third quarter, our investments in mobile continued to pay off as mobile proved once again to be a strong driver of topline growth," said Jennifer Li, Baidu's chief financial officer. "To fulfill our vision of connecting people with services and to realize the vast opportunities that mobile brings, we will continue to invest aggressively but judiciously."

Third Quarter 2014 Results

Baidu reported total revenues of RMB13.520 billion ($2.203 billion) for the third quarter of 2014, representing a 52.0% increase from the corresponding period in 2013.

Online marketing revenues for the third quarter of 2014 were RMB13.427 billion ($2.188 billion), representing a 51.8% increase from the corresponding period in 2013. Baidu had about 516,000 active online marketing customers[3] in the third quarter of 2014, representing an 11.2% increase from the corresponding period in 2013 and a 5.7% increase from the second quarter of 2014. Revenue per online marketing customer for the third quarter was approximately RMB25,900 ($4,220), a 35.6% increase from the corresponding period in 2013 and a 7.0% increase compared to the second quarter of 2014.

Traffic acquisition cost (TAC) as a component of cost of revenues was RMB1.742 billion ($283.8 million), representing 12.9% of total revenues, as compared to 11.7% in the corresponding period in 2013 and 12.7% in the second quarter of 2014. The increase reflects increased contribution of contextual ads, mobile and promotion of hao123.

Bandwidth costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB752.6 million ($122.6 million), representing 5.6% of total revenues, compared to 5.8% in the corresponding period in 2013.

Depreciation costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB512.8 million ($83.5 million), representing 3.8% of total revenues, compared to 4.2% in the corresponding period in 2013.

Content costs as a component of cost of revenues were RMB498.1 million ($81.2 million), representing 3.7% of total revenues, compared to 2.5% in the corresponding period in 2013, and 3.0% in the previous quarter. Content costs are mainly related to iQiyi.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were RMB2.700 billion ($439.9 million), representing an increase of 95% from the corresponding period in 2013, primarily due to an increase in promotional spending for mobile products.

Research and development expenses were RMB1.832 billion ($298.4 million), a 68% increase from the corresponding period in 2013. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the number of research and development personnel.

Share-based compensation expenses, which were allocated to related operating costs and expense line items, were RMB234.2 million ($38.2 million) in the third quarter of 2014, compared to RMB143.1 million in the corresponding period in 2013 and RMB220.6 million in the second quarter of 2014. The increase was a result of increased share grants to employees.

Operating profit was RMB3.920 billion ($638.6 million), representing a 17.4% increase from the corresponding period in 2013. Operating profit excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) was RMB4.154 billion ($676.8 million), a 19.3% increase from the corresponding period in 2013.

Income tax expense was RMB656.8 million ($107.0 million), compared to an income tax expense of RMB588.1 million in the corresponding period in 2013. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2014 was 15.5% as compared to 16.3% for the corresponding period in 2013 and 15.4% in the second quarter of 2014.

Net income attributable to Baidu was RMB3.876 billion ($631.5 million), representing a 27.2% increase from the corresponding period in 2013. Basic and diluted earnings per ADS for the third quarter of 2014 amounted to RMB11.05 ($1.80) and RMB11.00 ($1.79), respectively.

Net income attributable to Baidu excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) was RMB4.110 billion ($669.6 million), a 28.8% increase from the corresponding period in 2013. Basic and diluted earnings per ADS excluding share-based compensation expenses (non-GAAP) for the third quarter of 2014 amounted to RMB11.72 ($1.91) and RMB11.67 ($1.90), respectively.

As of September 30, 2014, the Company had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of RMB51.348 billion ($8.366 billion). Net operating cash inflow for the third quarter of 2014 was RMB4.855 billion ($791.0 million). Capital expenditures for the third quarter of 2014 were RMB1.380 billion ($224.8 million).

Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP), defined in this announcement as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, other non-operating income and share-based compensation expenses, was RMB4.916 billion ($801.0 million) for the third quarter of 2014, representing a 23.0% increase from the corresponding period in 2013.

Outlook for Fourth Quarter 2014

Baidu currently expects to generate total revenues in an amount ranging from RMB13.850 billion ($2.256 billion) to RMB14.250 billion ($2.322 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2014, representing a 45.4% to 49.6% year-over-year increase. This forecast reflects Baidu's current and preliminary view, which is subject to change.

Conference Call Information

Baidu's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 PM on October 29, 2014 U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 AM on October 30, 2014 Beijing/Hong Kong Time).

Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:



    International:                      +61-2-8373-3610

    US:                                 +1-845-507-1610

    UK:                                 +44-20-3651-4876

    Hong Kong:                          +852-3051-2792

    Passcode for all regions:                             18232207

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until November 6, 2014:



    International:                      +61-2-8199-0299

    Passcode:                                             18232207

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at http://ir.baidu.com.

­About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. As a technology-based media company, Baidu aims to provide the best and most equitable way for people to find what they're looking for. In addition to serving individual Internet search users, Baidu provides an effective platform for businesses to reach potential customers. Baidu's ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "BIDU". Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement 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," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook for the fourth quarter 2014 and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Baidu's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Baidu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, 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 Baidu's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: our growth strategies; our future business development, including development of new products and services; our ability to attract and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese, Japanese and other Internet search markets; competition for online marketing customers; changes in our revenues and certain cost or expense items as a percentage of our revenues; the outcome of ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of the Chinese language Internet search market and the number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Internet and Internet search providers and general economic conditions in China, Japan and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Baidu does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement Baidu's consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, Baidu uses the following measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the SEC: adjusted EBITDA, operating profit excluding share-based compensation expenses, net income excluding share-based compensation expenses, and basic and diluted earnings per ADS excluding share-based compensation expenses. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures" and "Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted EBITDA" set forth at the end of this release.

Baidu believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses, particularly share-based compensation expenses, that may not be indicative of its operating performance or financial condition from a cash perspective. We believe that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to Baidu's historical performance and liquidity. Baidu has computed its non-GAAP financial measures using the same consistent method from quarter to quarter since April 1, 2006. We believe these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of using these non-GAAP financial measures is that these non-GAAP measures exclude share-based compensation charge that has been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in our results of operations. A limitation of using non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA is that it does not include all items that impact our net income for the period. Management compensates for these limitations by providing specific information regarding the GAAP amounts excluded from each non-GAAP measure. The accompanying tables have more details on the reconciliations between GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to the non-GAAP financial measures.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

Sharon Ng
Baidu, Inc.
Tel: +86-10-5992-4958
ir@baidu.com



    [1]             This announcement contains
                    translations of certain RMB
                    amounts into U.S. dollars at
                    specified rates solely for the
                    convenience of the reader. Unless
                    otherwise noted, all translations
                    from RMB to U.S. dollars are made
                    at a rate of RMB6.1380 to US$1.00,
                    the effective noon buying rate as
                    of September 30, 2014 in The City
                    of New York for cable transfers of
                    RMB as certified for customs
                    purposes by the Federal Reserve
                    Bank of New York.

    [2]             Starting third quarter 2014, all
                    tablet traffic and revenue are
                    classified as part of mobile.
                    Under the new classification, in
                    the second quarter 2014, mobile
                    would have contributed to 33% of
                    our total revenue, as compared to
                    30% previously.

    [3]             The number of active online
                    marketing customers and revenue
                    per online active customer exclude
                    our group-buying related
                    businesses for consistency with
                    previous reporting.



    Baidu, Inc.

    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets


                                                 September 30 December 31

    (In RMB thousands except for number of
     shares and per share data)                          2014         2013
    --------------------------------------               ----         ----

                                                    Unaudited     Audited


    ASSETS

      Current assets:

     Cash and cash equivalents                      9,957,559    9,691,797

     Restricted cash                                  447,726      259,533

     Short-term investments                        41,390,304   28,734,761

     Accounts receivable, net                       3,559,926    2,220,846

     Amounts due from related parties                      50          104

     Deferred tax assets, net                         652,364      286,844

     Other assets, current                          2,775,241    1,835,265

      Total current assets                         58,783,170   43,029,150
                                                   ----------   ----------


      Non-current assets:

     Fixed assets, net                              8,138,391    5,370,268

     Intangible assets, net                         3,421,817    3,630,315

     Goodwill                                      17,324,508   16,864,350

     Long-term investments, net                     2,382,977      634,777

     Amounts due from related parties                       -     370,916

     Deferred tax assets, net                         100,019       97,940

     Other assets, non-current                      1,075,397      988,072
                                                    ---------      -------

      Total non-current assets                     32,443,109   27,956,638
                                                   ----------   ----------


    Total assets                                   91,226,279   70,985,788
                                                   ==========   ==========


    LIABILITIES AND EQUITY

      Current liabilities:

      Short-term loans                                 92,159            -

    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities       11,272,808    7,362,138

    Customer advances and deposits                  3,837,496    2,977,872

    Deferred revenue                                  235,735      226,599

    Deferred income                                   100,205       77,287

    Long-term loans, current portion                2,495,521      343,625

    Capital lease obligation                           57,881       44,907

    Due to Related Parties, Current                       398          398
                                                          ---

      Total current liabilities                    18,092,203   11,032,826
                                                   ----------   ----------


      Non-current liabilities:

    Deferred income                                   455,536      376,491

    Long-term loans                                         -   2,112,359

    Notes payable                                  21,448,376   15,116,990

    Amounts due to related parties                          9      373,227

    Deferred tax liabilities                        1,134,713    1,200,270

    Capital lease obligation                           64,961       40,999

    Other Non Current Liabilities                     115,253       67,376

      Total non-current liabilities                23,218,848   19,287,712
                                                   ----------   ----------


    Total liabilities                              41,311,051   30,320,538
                                                   ----------   ----------


    Equity

    Class A Ordinary Shares, par value
     US$0.00005 per share, 825,000,000 shares
     authorized, and 27,492,452 shares and
     27,580,639 shares issued and outstanding as
     at December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2014           12           12

    Class B Ordinary Shares, par value
     US$0.00005 per share, 35,400,000 shares
     authorized, and 7,537,921 shares and
     7,492,921 shares issued and outstanding as
     at December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2014            3            3

    Additional paid-in capital                      3,247,428    3,056,418

    Retained earnings                              44,483,386   34,525,386

    Accumulated other comprehensive income            747,285      843,096
                                                      -------      -------

      Total Baidu, Inc. shareholders' equity       48,478,114   38,424,915

      Noncontrolling interests                      1,437,114    2,240,335

    Total equity                                   49,915,228   40,665,250
                                                   ----------   ----------


    Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling
     interests, and equity                         91,226,279   70,985,788
                                                   ==========   ==========


    Baidu, Inc.

    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

                                                                                Three Months Ended
                                                                                ------------------

                                                                                   September 30,              September 30,               June 30,

    (In RMB thousands except for share, per share (or ADS) information)                                  2014                       2013                   2014
    ------------------------------------------------------------------                                   ----                       ----                   ----

                                                                                     Unaudited                  Unaudited                Unaudited

     Revenues:

     Online marketing services                                                                     13,427,179                  8,847,987             11,836,858

     Other services                                                                                    92,577                     43,671                148,924

     Total revenues                                                                                13,519,756                  8,891,658             11,985,782
                                                                                                   ----------                  ---------             ----------


     Operating costs and expenses:

     Cost of revenues (note 1, 2)                                                                 (5,068,337)               (3,078,969)           (4,541,422)

     Selling, general and administrative (note 2)                                                 (2,700,008)               (1,384,399)           (2,148,874)

     Research and development (note 2)                                                            (1,831,590)               (1,090,549)           (1,737,216)

     Total operating costs and expenses                                                           (9,599,935)               (5,553,917)           (8,427,512)
                                                                                                   ----------                 ----------             ----------


     Operating profit                                                                               3,919,821                  3,337,741              3,558,270
                                                                                                    ---------                  ---------              ---------


     Other income:

     Interest income                                                                                  536,367                    348,822                463,802

     Interest expense                                                                               (177,168)                 (118,381)             (146,045)

     Foreign exchange income (loss), net                                                             (44,476)                     (676)                    81

     Income(Loss) from equity method investments                                                      (9,982)                       215                (5,501)

     Other income, net                                                                                 20,091                     36,815                 66,888

     Total other income                                                                               324,832                    266,795                379,225
                                                                                                      -------                    -------                -------


     Income before income taxes                                                                     4,244,653                  3,604,536              3,937,495
                                                                                                    ---------                  ---------              ---------


     Income taxes                                                                                   (656,768)                 (588,067)             (605,614)


     Net income                                                                                     3,587,885                  3,016,469              3,331,881
                                                                                                    =========                  =========              =========

     Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests                                        (288,227)                  (31,512)             (214,815)

     Net income attributable to Baidu, Inc.                                                         3,876,112                  3,047,981              3,546,696
                                                                                                    =========                  =========              =========



    Earnings per share for Class A and Class B ordinary shares:

    Net income attributable to Baidu, Inc.-Basic                                                       110.53                      86.47                 101.19

    Net income attributable to Baidu, Inc.-Diluted                                                     110.02                      86.34                 100.91


    Earnings per ADS (1 Class A ordinary share equals 10 ADSs ):

    Net income attributable to Baidu, Inc.-Basic                                                        11.05                       8.65                  10.12

    Net income attributable to Baidu, Inc.-Diluted                                                      11.00                       8.63                  10.09


    Weighted average number of Class A and Class B ordinary shares outstanding:

    Basic                                                                                          35,069,521                 34,985,689             35,050,662

    Diluted                                                                                        35,231,630                 35,041,729             35,148,579


     (1) Cost of revenues are detailed as follows:

     Sales tax and surcharges                                                                       (997,040)                 (649,496)             (872,086)

     Traffic acquisition costs                                                                    (1,741,922)               (1,038,641)           (1,517,128)

     Bandwidth costs                                                                                (752,607)                 (512,644)             (700,473)

     Depreciation costs                                                                             (512,758)                 (369,403)             (461,927)

     Operational costs                                                                              (557,515)                 (280,204)             (627,052)

     Content costs                                                                                  (498,119)                 (222,224)             (354,294)

     Share-based compensation expenses                                                                (8,376)                   (6,357)               (8,462)

     Total cost of revenues                                                                       (5,068,337)               (3,078,969)           (4,541,422)
                                                                                                   ==========                 ==========             ==========


     (2) Includes share-based compensation expenses as follows:

     Cost of revenues                                                                                 (8,376)                   (6,357)               (8,462)

     Selling, general and administrative                                                            (102,680)                  (49,167)              (97,030)

     Research and development                                                                       (123,137)                  (87,620)             (115,060)

     Total share-based compensation expenses                                                        (234,193)                 (143,144)             (220,552)
                                                                                                     ========                   ========               ========



    Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measures (*) (in RMB thousands, unaudited)


                                                  Three months ended September 30, 2013   Three months ended June 30, 2014       Three months ended September 30, 2014
                                                  -------------------------------------   --------------------------------       -------------------------------------

                                                                GAAP Result                          Adjustment                            Non-GAAP Results                 GAAP Result           Adjustment         Non-GAAP Results           GAAP Result           Adjustment         Non-GAAP Results
                                                                -----------                          ----------                            ----------------                 -----------           ----------         ----------------           -----------           ----------         ----------------

    Operating profit                                                          3,337,741                             143,144                                       3,480,885             3,558,270            220,552                  3,778,822             3,919,821            234,193                  4,154,014


                                                  Three months ended September 30, 2013   Three months ended June 30, 2014       Three months ended September 30, 2014
                                                  -------------------------------------   --------------------------------       -------------------------------------

                                                                GAAP Result                          Adjustment                            Non-GAAP Results                 GAAP Result           Adjustment         Non-GAAP Results           GAAP Result           Adjustment         Non-GAAP Results
                                                                -----------                          ----------                            ----------------                 -----------           ----------         ----------------           -----------           ----------         ----------------

    Net income                                                                3,047,981                             143,144                                       3,191,125             3,546,696            220,552                  3,767,248             3,876,112            234,193                  4,110,305
    attributable to Baidu, Inc.


    (*) The adjustment is only for share-based compensation.


    Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted EBITDA(*) (in RMB thousands, unaudited)



                                                                                                                                                             Three months ended             As a % of         Three months ended               As a % of           Three months ended                 As a % of
                                                                                                                                                             September 30, 2013           total revenues        June 30, 2014                total revenues        September 30, 2014               total revenues
                                                                                                                                                             ------------------           --------------        -------------                --------------        ------------------               --------------

    Net cash provided by operating activities                                                                                                                                   4,295,062                 48%                     4,127,577                   34%                       4,855,114                     36%


       Changes in assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions                                                                                                        (618,730)                -7%                       140,385                    1%                       (270,608)                    -2%

       Income taxes expenses                                                                                                                                                      588,067                  7%                       605,614                    5%                         656,768                      5%

       Interest income and other, net                                                                                                                                           (266,795)                -3%                     (379,225)                  -3%                       (324,832)                    -2%


    Adjusted EBITDA                                                                                                                                                             3,997,604                 45%                     4,494,351                   37%                       4,916,442                     36%
                                                                                                                                                                                =========                 ===                      =========                   ===                        =========                     ===


    (*) Definition of adjusted EBITDA: earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization,  other non-operating income, and share-based compensation expenses.

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SOURCE Baidu, Inc.