NetEase.com Reports Third Quarter 2007 Unaudited Financial Results

(Beijing -November 8, 2007) -NetEase.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES), one of China's leading Internet and online game services providers, today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2007.

William Ding, Chief Executive Officer and Director of NetEase stated, "During the third quarter of 2007, we continued to expand our research and development for new games, including fee-based and casual games. Westward Journey Online III was commercialized on September 12 and our newest expansion pack for Fantasy Westward Journey was released on September 25." 

Mr. Ding continued, "We are pleased with our progress in creating and commercializing new ad space inventory via our free email services, which continue to lead the Chinese email market. We are committed to building our capacity and market share in the high growth domestic market by improved content and integrating our different products as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games draw closer. In addition, we have added significant enhancements to our search engine, including more user-friendly and highly competitive features."

Third Quarter 2007 Financial Results

Total revenues for the third quarter of 2007 were RMB571.1 million (US$76.2 million), compared to RMB558.0 million (US$74.5 million) and RMB571.9 million (US$76.3 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. 

Revenues from online games were RMB468.7 million (US$62.5 million) for the third quarter of 2007, compared to RMB475.1 million (US$63.4 million) and RMB467.9 million (US$62.4 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. 

Revenues from advertising services were RMB85.5 million (US$11.4 million) for the third quarter of 2007, compared to RMB65.3 million (US$8.7 million) and RMB83.4 million (US$11.1 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. 

Revenues from wireless value-added services and others were RMB16.9 million (US$2.3 million) for the third quarter of 2007, compared to RMB17.5 million (US$2.3 million) and RMB20.6 million (US$2.8 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively.

Gross profit for the third quarter of 2007 was RMB441.9 million (US$59.0 million), compared to RMB437.8 million (US$58.4 million) and RMB448.1 million (US$59.8 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter increase in gross profit was primarily due to higher advertising services revenue in the third quarter of 2007. The year-over-year decrease in gross profit was mainly due to the decrease in wireless value-added services revenue. 

Gross margin for the online game business for the third quarter of 2007 was 89.4%, compared to 90.2% and 89.4% for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter decrease was primarily due to lower game revenues resulting from increased competition coupled with higher cost of revenues. Higher cost of revenues was mainly the result of increased headcount and higher operational costs incurred during the third quarter of 2007. The year-over-year gross margin remained relatively stable. 

Gross margin for the advertising business for the third quarter of 2007 was 54.0%, compared to 47.2% and 56.1% for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. The quarter-over-quarter increase in gross margin was primarily driven by the increase in advertising services revenue coupled with a lesser extent of increase in content costs in the third quarter of 2007. The year-over-year decline in gross margin was primarily driven by increased content costs incurred during the third quarter of 2007.

Gross loss margin for the wireless value-added services and others business for the third quarter of 2007 was 33.3%, compared to gross loss margin of 28.1% and gross profit margin of 3.4% for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. Both the quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year deepening in gross loss margin was primarily due to decreased revenue from wireless value-added services while operating expenses remained relatively fixed. 

Total operating expenses for the third quarter of 2007 were RMB179.0 million (US$23.9 million), compared to RMB142.8 million (US$19.1 million) and RMB131.5 million (US$17.5 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. Both the quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year increase was primarily driven by increased spending on the advertising and marketing promotion of Westward Journey Online III and Fantasy Westward Journey, and higher staff-related cost as a result of an increase in research and development headcount. 

Net profit for the third quarter of 2007 totaled RMB260.2 million (US$34.7 million), compared to RMB312.6 million (US$41.7 million) and RMB314.8 million (US$42.0 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. In June 2007, the Company received a reinvestment incentive tax refund of RMB24.4 million (US$3.2 million), which significantly reduced the Company's income tax expense for the second quarter of 2007. NetEase reported basic and diluted earnings per American depositary share (ADS) of US$0.28 and US$0.27 for the third quarter of 2007, respectively. The Company reported basic and diluted earnings per ADS of US$0.34 and US$0.31 and US$0.33 and US$0.30 for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively.

Other Information

As of September 30, 2007, the Company's total cash and time deposit balance was RMB3.1 billion (US$410.9 million), compared to RMB3.9 billion (US$525.6 million) and RMB3.8 billion (US$505.0 million) as of December 31, 2006 and September 30, 2006, respectively. In addition, there was a restricted cash balance of RMB749.7 million (US$100.1 million) as of September 30, 2007 primarily related to the Company's committed revolving loan facility, which is effective for a period from May 17, 2007 to July 31, 2008. The loan facility can be used by the Company at its discretion to fund any redemption requests made by the holders of its zero coupon convertible subordinated notes in accordance with the terms of those notes. As of September 30, 2007, the Company reclassified the callable obligations of the convertible notes as short-term payable in accordance with the terms of issue. Cash flow generated from operating activities was approximately RMB339.2 million (US$45.3 million) for the third quarter of 2007, compared to RMB331.0 million (US$44.2 million) and RMB344.5 million (US$46.0 million) for the preceding quarter and the third quarter of 2006, respectively. 

On July 2, 2007, the Company's Board authorized a share repurchase program of up to US$120 million of the Company's outstanding ADSs. As of September 30, 2007 the Company had spent in aggregate a total purchase consideration of approximately US$30.8 million (including transaction costs). The share repurchase program will end on July 1, 2008.


** The United States dollar (US$) amounts disclosed in this press release are presented solely for the convenience of the reader. Translations of amounts from RMB into United States dollars for the convenience of the reader were calculated at the noon buying rate of US$1.00 = RMB7.4928 on September 28, 2007 in The City of New York for the cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted into US$ at that rate on September 28, 2007, or at any other certain date. The percentages stated are calculated based on RMB.


Conference Call
NetEase's management team will host a conference call at 8:00 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, November 7, 2007, (Beijing/Hong Kong Time: 9:00 am, Thursday, November 8, 2007). Chief Executive Officer William Ding, Acting Chief Financial Officer Onward Choi, and Co-Chief Operating Officer Michael Tong will be on the call to discuss the quarterly results and answer questions. 

Interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing 800-257-2101 (international: 303-262-2140), 10-15 minutes prior to the initiation of the call. A replay of the call will be available by dialing 800-405-2236 (international 303-590-3000), and entering pass code 11100033#. The replay will be available through November 23, 2007.

This call is being webcast live and archived, and will be available for 12 months on NetEase's corporate web site at http://corp.netease.com, Investor Info: Earnings Call.


About NetEase.com,Inc. 

NetEase.com, Inc. is a leading China-based Internet technology company that pioneered the development of applications, services and other technologies for the Internet in China. NetEase's online communities and personalized premium services have established a large and stable user base for the NetEase websites which are operated by its affiliates. In particular, NetEase provides online game services to Internet users through the licensing or in-house development of massively multi-player online role-playing games, including Fantasy Westward Journey, Westward Journey Online II, Westward Journey Online III and Datang. 

NetEase also offers online advertising on its websites which enables advertisers to reach its substantial user base. In addition, NetEase has paid listings on its search engine and web directory and classified ads services, as well as an online mall, which provides opportunities for e-commerce and traditional businesses to establish their own storefront on the Internet. NetEase also offers wireless value-added services such as news and information content, matchmaking services, music and photos from the Web which are sent over SMS, MMS, WAP, IVR and Color Ring-back Tone technologies. 

Other community services which the NetEase websites offer include instant messaging, online personal ads, matchmaking, alumni clubs, personal home pages and community forums. NetEase is also the largest provider of free e-mail services in China. Furthermore, the NetEase websites provide various channels of content. NetEase aggregates news content on world events, sports, science and technology, and financial markets, as well as entertainment content such as cartoons, games, astrology and jokes, from over one hundred international and domestic content providers.

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This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these forward-looking statements by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. The accuracy of these statements may be impacted by a number of business risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated, including risks related to: the risk that NetEase will not be able to adequately address feedback from gamers to enhance the appeal of Tianxia II; the risk that the online game market will not continue to grow or that NetEase will not be able to maintain its leading position in that market, which could occur if, for example, its new online games or expansion packs and other improvements to its existing games do not become as popular as management anticipates; the ability of NetEase to effectively market its games and other services and achieve a positive return on its marketing expenditures; the risk that changes in Chinese government regulation of the online game market may limit future growth of NetEase's revenue or cause revenue to decline; the risk that NetEase may not be able to continuously develop new and creative online services; the risk that NetEase will not be able to control its expenses in future periods; competition in NetEase’s existing and potential markets; governmental uncertainties (including possible changes in the effective tax rates applicable to NetEase and its subsidiaries and affiliates), general competition and price pressures in the marketplace; the risk that security, reliability and confidentiality concerns may impede broad use of the Internet and e-commerce and other services; the risk that fluctuations in the value of the Renminbi with respect to other currencies could adversely affect NetEase's business and financial results; and other risks outlined in NetEase’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NetEase does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as required under applicable law. 


2007 Third Quarter Financial Statements

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