Track market-moving stories before they get noisy

JOYY is undergoing a successful transformation, evidenced by Q1 revenue growth of 12.4% YoY. The market, however, seems to have turned a blind eye to this turnaround success. BIGO Ads is now a major growth driver, contributing 23% of revenue and showing strong momentum in ad network expansion and new verticals. JOYY offers an attractive total shareholder yield near 15%, supported by a robust $3.18 billion net cash position and consistent positive cash flow.

April 28, 2026 09:29 ET  | Source: JOYY Inc.

SINGAPORE, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JOYY Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYY) (“JOYY” or the “Company”), a global technology company, today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2026, Eastern Time. The annual report can be accessed on the Company’s investor relations website at http://ir.joyy.com.

The Company will provide a hard copy of its annual report containing the audited consolidated financial statements, free of charge, to its shareholders and ADS holders upon request. Requests should be directed to the Company’s Investor Relations Department at [email protected].

About JOYY Inc.

JOYY (NASDAQ: JOYY) is a leading global technology company with a mission to enrich lives through technology. With a diversified product portfolio spanning live streaming, short-form videos, instant messaging, and emerging initiatives such as advertising and smart commerce SaaS, JOYY has transformed into a dynamic ecosystem powered by AI and data intelligence. Headquartered in Singapore and operating across the globe, JOYY empowers creators, merchants and enterprises worldwide. JOYY’s ADSs have been listed on the NASDAQ since November 2012.

Investor Relations Contact

JOYY Inc.
Investor Relations
Email: [email protected]

SINGAPORE, May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JOYY Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYY) (“JOYY” or the “Company”), a global technology company, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter of 2026.

First Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights1

Net revenues were US$555.7 million, an increase of 12.4% from US$494.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$581.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Social Entertainment net revenues increased by 3.2% to US$400.4 million from US$387.8 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$419.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.BIGO Ads net revenues increased by 55.6% to US$124.8 million from US$80.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$128.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.Shopline net revenues increased by 16.1% to US$30.5 million from US$26.3 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$34.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Operating income was US$6.8 million, compared with US$12.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$18.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Non-GAAP EBITDA2 was US$45.7 million, compared with US$40.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$50.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest of JOYY3 was US$50.7 million, compared with US$45.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$54.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY4 was US$55.9 million, compared with US$63.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$70.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Net Cash5 as of March 31, 2026 was US$3,175.1 million.
Net Cash from operating activities was US$46.0 million, compared with US$58.0 million in the corresponding period of 2025.

First Quarter 2026 Business Highlights

Global community：

Global average mobile MAUs6 reached 276.3 million in the first quarter of 2026, up by 6.1% from 260.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and up by 1.5% from 272.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. The Company continued to optimize its marketing strategies to focus on return on investment (ROI) and high-value users. Social Entertainment ：

In the first quarter, Social Entertainment revenues increased by 3.2% year over year to US$400.4 million, with live streaming revenues reaching US$380.3 million, returning to year over year growth with a 2.4% increase from the corresponding period of 2025, representing an important inflection point in the recovery of the Company’s core business. By region, live streaming revenues in developed markets grew 11.2% year over year, reflecting strong performance in key geographies.Core live streaming paying users 7 rose by 5.9% year over year to 1.54 million, while ARPPU8 reached US$214.1.The Company continued to enhance its content ecosystem through streamer incentive reforms and targeted support programs for high-quality content categories, while deepening AI-powered capabilities across content distribution and payment experiences. These initiatives drove steady improvements in user engagement and monetization. During the first quarter, the number of active streamers increased by 1.5% quarter over quarter, and average effective streaming hours per streamer rose by 1.4% quarter over quarter. AI-powered tools were fully deployed across core regions. User adoption of AI-generated virtual gifts continued to accelerate, with AI-generated interactive virtual gifts accounting for 34% of total virtual gift consumption on Bigo Live in April 2026. Recent Development on B2B Initiatives: Advertising and Smart Commerce

Beginning in 2022, the Company ramped up efforts to diversify its revenue stream, cultivating its new initiatives in advertising technology and smart commerce. The Company has made steady progress advancing towards its strategic positioning as a global tech company powered by multiple growth engines. In the first quarter, total non-live streaming revenues reached US$175.4 million, up by 42.6% year over year, representing 31.6% of total net revenues of the Company, compared with 24.9% in the corresponding period of 2025. BIGO Ads:

BIGO Ads is a global AI-powered programmatic advertising platform. Launched to provide one-stop marketing and monetization solutions, it leverages deep learning, real-time bidding, and smart bidding models (such as oCPC and ROAS optimization) to enable brands to scale user acquisition and app developers to effectively unlock monetization potentials through connecting premium global demand.In the first quarter, BIGO Ads' total revenues grew by 55.6% year over year to US$124.8 million. In particular, BIGO Audience Network, which includes third-party advertising revenues generated on network partners' traffic properties, continued to demonstrate strong momentum, with revenues increasing by 78.8% year over year.BIGO Ads has access to a vast traffic pool, comprising the Company’s own global average mobile MAU base and an extensive network of third-party traffic through seamless integration of developer traffic across major channels. During the quarter, Software Development Kit (SDK) advertising requests grew by 109% year over year and 7% quarter over quarter.BIGO Ads continued to enhance its deep learning and real-time bidding models. By promoting full-funnel data feedback from advertisers and capitalizing on the dual growth in traffic scale and advertiser density, BIGO Ads built a richer multi-dimensional user profile database. This enabled more precise real-time user understanding, improved ad distribution efficiency, and further strengthened its traffic bidding capabilities through continuous data accumulation and algorithm iteration.Broader traffic coverage, multi-vertical advertiser expansion, and ongoing algorithm optimization fueled accelerated growth. Web-based demand increased 90% year over year. In-app advertising (IAA) spending maintained robust growth of 97% year over year. Regionally, developed markets demonstrated strong momentum, with North America remaining the largest market and Western Europe delivering outstanding growth of 27% quarter over quarter. Shopline:

Shopline serves as a global AI-powered operating system for modern retail. Beyond storefront creation, Shopline offers a deeply integrated suite of merchant services across payments, logistics, marketing, and data analytics. It is an open, extensible omnichannel platform that enables merchants to manage the full commerce value chain from store setup and transactions to fulfillment, customer acquisition, and lifecycle engagement. Shopline has helped merchants in diverse industries across multiple markets to launch and scale their businesses.Shopline currently generates revenues from recurring software subscription fees and a suite of transaction-based value-added services, including localized payment processing (Shopline Payments) and marketing solutions.In the first quarter, Shopline continued its healthy growth trajectory, generating revenue of US$30.5 million, up 16.1% year over year. Gross margin improved to 51.5%. Ms. Ting Li, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of JOYY, commented, "We are pleased to report a strong start to 2026. Total revenues for the first quarter reached US$555.7 million, up by 12.4% year over year, our strongest year over year growth rate in recent years. Our social entertainment business returned to year over year growth, while our second growth curve, Ad Tech and Smart Commerce, continued to progress with strong momentum. In light of our solid operational performance and robust balance sheet, we announced an updated shareholder return program, under which we could repurchase up to US$600 million worth of our shares and distribute approximately US$900 million in dividends over the next three years. This underscores our strong confidence in long-term potential of our business and demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering sustainable value to our shareholders.

Social entertainment revenues increased 3.2% year over year, with core live streaming revenues returning to 2.4% year over year growth, which marks an inflection point and a result of the strategic adjustments we’ve executed over the past several quarters. Meanwhile, BIGO Ads revenues surged 55.6% year over year to US$124.8 million, with BIGO Audience Network revenues growing 78.8% year over year. Shopline also continued its healthy growth trajectory, generating revenue of US$30.5 million, up 16.1% year over year.

This quarter marks the first time we are reporting results under our new three-segment structure: Social Entertainment, BIGO Ads, and Shopline. Our globally diversified ecosystem is taking shape, with social entertainment, advertising, and smart commerce reinforcing one another in a powerful strategic flywheel.

With AI serving as the backbone of our entire ecosystem — driving content recommendation, advertising efficiency, and merchant intelligence across all three segments — our business pillars form a closed-loop system that deepens our competitive moat. We are confident this will drive long-term value creation for JOYY and our shareholders."

First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

NET REVENUES

Net revenues were US$555.7 million, representing an increase of 12.4% from US$494.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$581.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Social Entertainment net revenues were US$400.4 million, up by 3.2% from US$387.8 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$419.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. The year over year increase was primarily driven by growth in live streaming revenues, as expanded content categories and enhanced localized operations contributed to stronger user engagement and spending across key markets.

BIGO Ads net revenues were US$124.8 million, up by 55.6% from US$80.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$128.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. The year over year increase was driven by expansion of traffic, elevated advertiser demand across regions and verticals, and enhanced algorithm performance that resulted in improved advertisement delivery efficiency and higher advertiser spending.

Shopline net revenues were US$30.5 million, representing an increase of 16.1% from US$26.3 million in the corresponding period of 2025, compared with US$34.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. The year over year growth was mainly due to continued merchant adoption and deeper penetration of value-added services.

COST OF REVENUES AND GROSS PROFIT

Cost of revenues was US$366.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$315.7 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$376.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Social Entertainment’s cost of revenues increased by 3.4% year over year to US$256.0 million and decreased by 1.6% from US$260.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. The year over year increase was primarily attributable to a US$15.5 million increase in revenue-sharing fees and content costs.

BIGO Ads’s cost of revenues increased by 78.1% year over year to US$95.6 million and decreased 2.6% from US$98.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. The year over year increase was primarily resulting from higher traffic acquisition costs paid to third-party partners in relation to the expansion of BIGO Audience Network.

Shopline’s cost of revenues increased by 1.8% year over year to US$14.8 million, and decreased by 17.4% from the fourth quarter of 2025. The quarter over quarter decrease was primarily due to the seasonal decline in revenue from the fourth quarter, as well as continued improvements in cost efficiency.

Gross profit was US$189.3 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$178.6 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$205.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Gross margin was 34.1% in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 36.1% in the corresponding period of 2025 and 35.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

OPERATING EXPENSES AND INCOME

Operating expenses were US$183.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$167.2 million in the same period of 2025 and US$187.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Among the operating expenses, sales and marketing expenses were US$79.6 million, compared with US$72.1 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$81.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Research and development expenses were US$61.2 million, compared with US$62.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$61.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. General and administrative expenses were US$42.6 million, compared with US$32.7 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$44.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Operating income was US$6.8 million, compared with US$12.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$18.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Non-GAAP operating income9 was US$38.0 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$31.0 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$40.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Non-GAAP operating income margin10 was 6.8% in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 6.3% in the corresponding period of 2025 and 7.0% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Non-GAAP EBITDA was US$45.7 million, compared with US$40.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$50.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Non-GAAP EBITDA margin11 was 8.2%, compared with 8.2% in the corresponding period of 2025 and 8.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

NET INCOME

Net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest of JOYY was US$50.7 million, compared with US$45.4 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$54.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Net income margin was 9.1% in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 9.2% in the corresponding period of 2025 and 9.3% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY was US$55.9 million, compared with US$63.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$70.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. Non-GAAP net income margin12 was 10.1% in the first quarter of 2026, compared with non-GAAP net income margin of 12.8% in the corresponding period of 2025 and 12.1% in the fourth quarter of 2025.

NET INCOME PER ADS

Diluted net income from continuing operations per ADS13 was US$1.00 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$0.84 in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$1.03 in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Non-GAAP diluted net income from continuing operations per ADS14 was US$1.11 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with US$1.18 in the corresponding period of 2025 and US$1.34 in the fourth quarter of 2025.

BALANCE SHEET AND CASH FLOWS

As of March 31, 2026, the Company had net cash of US$3,175.1 million, compared with US$3,258.0 million as of December 31, 2025. For the first quarter of 2026, net cash from operating activities was US$46.0 million.

SHARES OUTSTANDING

As of March 31, 2026, the Company had a total of 1,007.6 million common shares outstanding, representing the equivalent of 50.4 million ADSs assuming the conversion of all common shares into ADSs.

Business Outlook

For the second quarter of 2026, the Company expects net revenues to be between US$562 million and US$581 million. This forecast reflects the Company’s current and preliminary views on the market, operational conditions and business strategies, which are subject to changes, particularly as to the potential impact from macroeconomic uncertainties.

Share Repurchase Programs

On May 22, 2026, the board of directors of the Company authorized a new share repurchase program, or the 2026 Repurchase Program, under which the Company is authorized to repurchase up to US$600 million of its shares (including in the form of ADSs) until the end of 2028. The 2026 Repurchase Program is effective immediately upon approval and replaces a pre-existing share repurchase program, or the 2025 Repurchase Program, under which the Company was authorized to repurchase up to US$300 million of its shares (including in the form of ADSs) until the end of 2027.

Pursuant to the 2025 Repurchase Program, the Company had repurchased approximately 0.8 million ADSs for an aggregate consideration of US$52.9 million on the open market during the first quarter of 2026. Between March 31, 2026 and May 22, 2026, the Company repurchased an additional approximately 0.6 million ADSs, for an aggregate consideration of US$35.0 million.

As of the date of this announcement, the remaining unutilized amount under the 2026 Repurchase Program was approximately US$600 million.

Quarterly Dividend Program and Additional Cash Dividend

On May 22, 2026, the board of directors of the Company authorized a new quarterly dividend program, or the 2026 Dividend Program, under which a total of approximately US$900 million in cash will be distributed on a quarterly basis between 2026 and 2028. The 2026 Dividend Program is effective immediately upon approval and replaces a pre-existing quarterly dividend program, or the 2025 Dividend Program, under which a total of approximately US$600 million in cash would be distributed on a quarterly basis between 2025 and 2027.

Pursuant to the 2026 Dividend Program, the board of directors has accordingly declared a dividend of US$1.50 per ADS, or US$0.075 per common share, for the first quarter of 2026, which is expected to be paid on July 14, 2026 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 29, 2026. The ex-dividend date will be June 29, 2026.

Conference Call Information

The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time Monday, May 25, 2026 (9:00 AM Singapore/Hong Kong Time on Tuesday, May 26, 2026) Details for the conference call are as follows:

Event Title:JOYY Inc. First Quarter 2026 Earnings Conference CallConference ID:#10054918   All participants may use the link provided below to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registration, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers, the Direct Event passcode, and a unique PIN by email.

PRE-REGISTER LINK: https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10054918-5w84it.html

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at https://ir.joyy.com.

The replay will be accessible through June 2, 2026, by dialing the following numbers:

United States:1-855-883-1031Singapore:
Hong Kong:800-101-3223
800-930-639Conference ID:#10054918   About JOYY Inc.

JOYY (NASDAQ: JOYY) is a leading global technology company, dedicated to building a self-reinforcing ecosystem that integrates social entertainment, programmatic advertising, and omnichannel e-commerce infrastructure, powered by AI and data intelligence. Headquartered in Singapore and operating across the globe, JOYY empowers creators, merchants and enterprises worldwide. JOYY’s ADSs have been listed on the NASDAQ since November 2012.

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,” “estimates” and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this press release, as well as JOYY’s strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. JOYY may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), 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 JOYY’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: JOYY’s goals and strategies; JOYY’s future business development, results of operations and financial condition; the expected growth of the global online social entertainment, advertising and smart commerce market; JOYY’s ability to attract and retain users and customers; JOYY’s expectations regarding demand for and market acceptances of its products and services; JOYY’s ability to adopt the latest technology to enhance its operations; fluctuations in global economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. A more detailed and full discussion of those risks and other potential risks is included in JOYY’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and JOYY does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial information is prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). JOYY uses non-GAAP operating (loss) income, non-GAAP operating income (loss) margin, non-GAAP EBITDA, non-GAAP EBITDA margin, non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY, non-GAAP net income (loss) margin attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY, and basic and diluted non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations per ADS, all of which are non-GAAP financial measures adjusted from the most comparable U.S. GAAP results. Non-GAAP operating income (loss) is operating income (loss) excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment of goodwill and investments, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, and gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business. Non-GAAP operating income (loss) margin is non-GAAP operating income as a percentage of net revenues. Non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations is net income (loss) from continuing operations excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment of goodwill and investments, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business, gain (loss) on disposal and deemed disposal of investments, gain (loss) on fair value change of investments, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments (referring to share of income (loss) from equity method investments resulting from non-recurring or non-cash items of the equity method investments), interest expenses related to the convertible bonds’ amortization to face value, and income tax effects of the above non-GAAP reconciling items. Non-GAAP EBITDA is non-GAAP operating income (loss) added back depreciation and amortization (other than amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions), and non-GAAP EBITDA margin is non-GAAP EBITDA as a percentage of net revenues. Non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY is net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest of JOYY excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment of goodwill and investments, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business, gain (loss) on disposal and deemed disposal of investments, gain (loss) on fair value change of investments, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, interest expenses related to the convertible bonds’ amortization to face value, income tax effects of the above non-GAAP reconciling items and adjustments for non-GAAP reconciling items for the net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders. Non-GAAP net income (loss) margin is non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY as a percentage of net revenues. Non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY is net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of JOYY excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment of goodwill and investments, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business, gain (loss) on disposal and deemed disposal of investments, gain (loss) on fair value change of investments, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, interest expenses related to the convertible bonds’ amortization to face value, accretion, cumulative dividend and deemed dividend to subsidiaries’ preferred shareholders, gain on repurchase of redeemable convertible preferred shares of a subsidiary and income tax effects of above non-GAAP reconciling items and adjustments for non-GAAP reconciling items for the net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders. Basic and diluted non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations per ADS is non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of JOYY divided by weighted average number of ADS used in the calculation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per ADS. The Company believes that separate analysis and exclusion of the non-cash impact of above reconciling items adds clarity to the constituent parts of its performance. The Company reviews these non-GAAP financial measures together with GAAP financial measures to obtain a better understanding of its operating performance. It uses the non-GAAP financial measures for planning, forecasting and measuring results against the forecast. The Company believes that non-GAAP financial measures is useful supplemental information for investors and analysts to assess its operating performance without the non-cash effect of (i) share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, and interest expenses related to the convertible bonds’ amortization to face value, which have been and will continue to be significant recurring expenses in its business, (ii) impairment of goodwill and investments, gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business, gain (loss) on disposal and deemed disposal of investments, gain (loss) on fair value change of investments, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments, accretion, cumulative dividend and deemed dividend to subsidiaries’ preferred shareholders and gain on repurchase of redeemable convertible preferred shares of a subsidiary which may not be recurring in its business, and (iii) income tax expenses and non-GAAP adjustments for net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders, which are affected by the above non-GAAP reconciling items. However, the use of non-GAAP financial measures has material limitations as an analytical tool. One of the limitations of using non-GAAP financial measures is that they do not include all items that impact the Company’s net income (loss) for the period. In addition, because non-GAAP financial measures are not measured in the same manner by all companies, they may not be comparable to other similar titled measures used by other companies. In light of the foregoing limitations, you should not consider non-GAAP financial measures in isolation from or as an alternative to the financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release.

Investor Relations Contact

JOYY Inc.
Investor Relations
Email: [email protected]

1 The financial information and non-GAAP financial information disclosed in this press release is presented on a continuing operations basis, unless otherwise specifically stated. Starting from the first quarter of 2026, the Company reports three segments, Social Entertainment, BIGO Ads and Shopline, to reflect changes made to the reporting structure whose financial information is reviewed by the chief operating decision makers of the Company under its evolving operating strategies. Social Entertainment mainly includes live streaming services on our social entertainment platforms including but not limited to Bigo Live, Likee, imo, and others. BIGO Ads mainly engages in advertising services on the Company's own properties (specifically Likee and imo) and third-party network partners’ properties. Shopline mainly engages in providing omnichannel smart commerce solutions for merchants. Prior period segment information has been recast to conform to the current period's presentation.

2 Non-GAAP EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as non-GAAP operating income (loss) added back depreciation and amortization (other than amortization of intangible assets resulting from assets and business acquisitions). Please refer to the section titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release for details.

3 Net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest of JOYY is net income (loss) from continuing operations less net (loss) income from continuing operations attributable to the non-controlling interest shareholders and the mezzanine equity classified non-controlling interest shareholders.

4 Non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of JOYY excluding share-based compensation expenses, impairment of goodwill and investments, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business, gain (loss) on disposal and deemed disposal of investments, gain (loss) on fair value change of investments, reconciling items on the share of equity method investments which refer to those similar non-GAAP reconciling items of the Company, interest expenses related to the convertible bonds amortization to face value, accretion, cumulative dividend and deemed dividend to subsidiaries’ preferred shareholders, income tax effects of the above non-GAAP reconciling items and adjustments for non-GAAP reconciling items for net (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders. Please refer to the section titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release for details.

5 Net cash is calculated as the sum of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and cash equivalents, short-term deposits, restricted short-term deposits, short-term investments, long-term deposits and held-to-maturity investments, less short-term and long-term loans.

6 Refers to average mobile monthly active users of the social entertainment platforms operated by the Company, including Bigo Live, Likee, imo and Hago. Average mobile MAU for any period is calculated by dividing (i) the sum of the Company’s active mobile users for each month of such period, by (ii) the number of months in such period.

7 Core live streaming paying users during a given period is calculated as the cumulative number of registered user accounts that have purchased virtual items or other products and services on Bigo Live, Likee or imo at least once during the relevant period.

8 Average revenue per user is calculated by dividing the Company’s total revenues from live streaming on Bigo Live, Likee and imo during a given period by the number of paying users for the Company’s live streaming services on these platforms for that period.

9 Non-GAAP operating income (loss) is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as operating income (loss) excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions, impairment of goodwill and investments and gain (loss) on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries and business. Please refer to the section titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release for details.

10 Non-GAAP operating income (loss) margin is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as non-GAAP operating income (loss) as a percentage of net revenues. Please refer to the section titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release for details.

11 Non-GAAP EBITDA margin is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as non-GAAP EBITDA as a percentage of net revenues. Please refer to the section titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release for details.

12 Non-GAAP net income (loss) margin is non-GAAP net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY as a percentage of net revenues.

13 ADS refers to American Depositary Share. Each ADS represents twenty Class A common shares of the Company. Diluted net income (loss) per ADS is net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders of JOYY divided by weighted average number of diluted ADS.

14 Non-GAAP diluted net income (loss) from continuing operations per ADS is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as non-GAAP net income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of JOYY divided by weighted average number of ADS used in the calculation of diluted net income (loss) per ADS. Please refer to the section titled “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and the table captioned “JOYY Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results” near the end of this press release for details.

JOYY INC.UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS(All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS and per ADS data)       December 31, March 31,  2025 2026  US$ US$Assets   Current assets    Cash and cash equivalents374,248 309,167 Restricted cash and cash equivalents21,593 21,107 Short-term deposits192,535 154,460 Restricted short-term deposits7,182 4,386 Short-term investments613,702 657,238 Accounts receivable, net154,439 161,363 Amounts due from related parties106 190 Prepayments and other current assets255,566 290,375     Total current assets1,619,371 1,598,286     Non-current assets    Long-term deposits and held-to-maturity investments2,059,386 2,052,055 Deferred tax assets9,782 10,920 Investments551,802 589,087 Property and equipment, net565,124 587,978 Land use rights, net301,390 303,951 Intangible assets, net221,963 208,236 Right-of-use assets, net21,241 28,124 Goodwill2,194,358 2,194,382 Other non-current assets8,071 6,104     Total non-current assets5,933,117 5,980,837     Total assets7,552,488 7,579,123          Liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders’ equity   Current liabilities    Short-term loans10,672 23,299 Accounts payable71,551 68,201 Deferred revenue61,713 59,258 Advances from customers5,408 6,293 Income taxes payable64,533 69,101 Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities626,678 636,855 Amounts due to related parties24,472 33,253 Lease liabilities due within one year8,939 10,658     Total current liabilities873,966 906,918     Non-current liabilities    Lease liabilities12,029 17,478 Deferred revenue9,522 9,136 Deferred tax liabilities54,941 61,304 Other non-current liabilities- 392     Total non-current liabilities76,492 88,310     Total liabilities950,458 995,228      JOYY INC.UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED)(All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS and per ADS data)       December 31, March 31,  2025
 2026
  US$ US$     Mezzanine equity25,333  25,733      Shareholders’ equity    Class A common shares (US$0.00001 par value; 10,000,000,000 and 10,000,000,000 shares authorized, 1,306,734,444 shares issued and 673,183,174 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2025; 1,206,734,444 shares issued and 681,126,029 shares outstanding as of March 31, 2026, respectively)7  7  Class B common shares (US$0.00001 par value; 1,000,000,000 and 1,000,000,000 shares authorized, 326,509,555 and 326,509,555 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, respectively)3  3  Treasury shares (US$0.00001 par value; 633,551,270 and 525,608,415 shares held as of December 31, 2025 and March 31, 2026, respectively)(1,302,098) (1,095,211) Additional paid-in capital3,315,070  3,072,485  Statutory reserves37,869  37,869  Retained earnings4,699,089  4,680,560  Accumulated other comprehensive loss(208,093) (168,409)     Total JOYY Inc.’s shareholders’ equity6,541,847  6,527,304      Non-controlling interests34,850  30,858      Total shareholders’ equity6,576,697  6,558,162      Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders’ equity7,552,488  7,579,123       JOYY INC.UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS(All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS and per ADS data)       Three Months Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, 2025
 2025
 2026
 US$ US$ US$Net revenues(1)     Live streaming371,348  394,436  380,265 Advertising88,647  145,430  137,204 Others34,356  42,050  38,231       Total net revenues494,351  581,916  555,700       Cost of revenues(2)(315,736) (376,275) (366,403)      Gross profit178,615  205,641  189,297       Operating expenses(2)     Research and development expenses(62,426) (61,538) (61,187)Sales and marketing expenses(72,131) (81,415) (79,649)General and administrative expenses(32,690) (44,867) (42,572)      Total operating expenses(167,247) (187,820) (183,408)      Loss on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries-
  -
  (245)Other income839  444  1,189       Operating income12,207  18,265  6,833       Interest expenses(106) (162) (38)Interest income and investment income39,387  40,873  39,765 Foreign currency exchange losses, net(761) (8,171) (13,555)Gain (loss) on fair value change of investments705  (10,120) (7,958)      Income before income tax expenses51,432  40,685  25,047       Income tax expenses(5,211) (1,368) (4,834)      Income before share of (loss) income in equity method investments, net of income taxes46,221  39,317  20,213       Share of (loss) income in equity method investments, net of income taxes(3,318) 11,868  27,953       Net income from continuing operations42,903  51,185  48,166       Gain on disposal of YY Live(3)1,875,921  -
  -
       Net income1,918,824  51,185  48,166       Net loss attributable to the non-controlling interest shareholders and the mezzanine equity classified non-controlling interest shareholders2,499  3,142  2,501       Net income attributable to controlling interest of JOYY Inc.1,921,323  54,327  50,667       Including：     Net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest of JOYY Inc.
45,402  54,327  50,667 Gain on disposal of YY Live(3)1,875,921  -
  -
       Accretion of subsidiaries’ redeemable convertible preferred shares to redemption value(347) (346) (346)      Net income attributable to common shareholders of JOYY Inc.1,920,976  53,981  50,321       Including：     Net income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of JOYY Inc.45,055  53,981  50,321 Gain on disposal of YY Live(3)1,875,921  -
  -
        JOYY INC.UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)(All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS and per ADS data)       Three Months Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, 2025 2025 2026 US$ US$ US$      Net income per ADS     —Basic36.09 1.04 1.01Continuing operations0.85 1.04 1.01Discontinued operations35.24 - -—Diluted35.72 1.03 1.00Continuing operations0.84 1.03 1.00Discontinued operations34.88 - -      Weighted average number of ADS used in calculating net income per ADS     —Basic53,237,127 51,794,999 49,767,292—Diluted53,780,111 52,629,562 50,534,120            (1) Net revenues by geographical areas were as follows:       Three Months Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, 2025 2025 2026 US$ US$ US$      Developed countries and regions277,615 356,624 343,244Middle East66,651 58,899 58,760Mainland China48,385 59,817 52,063Southeast Asia and others101,700 106,576 101,633      Note: Developed countries and region mainly included the United States of America, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Great Britain. Middle East mainly included Saudi Arabia and other countries located in the region. Southeast Asia and others mainly included Indonesia, Vietnam and rest of the world.      (2) Share-based compensation was allocated in cost of revenues and operating expenses as follows:       Three Months Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, 2025 2025 2026 US$ US$ US$      Cost of revenues635 1,199 802Research and development expenses2,138 3,231 1,480Sales and marketing expenses229 573 422General and administrative expenses2,235 4,035 14,633      (3) Gain from disposal of YY Live amounted to approximately US$ 1.9 billion, which was reported as part of the net income from discontinued operations in the first quarter of 2025.       JOYY INC.UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS(All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS and per ADS data)       Three Months Ended March 31, December 31, March 31, 2025
 2025
 2026
 US$ US$ US$      Operating income12,207  18,265  6,833 Share-based compensation expenses5,237  9,038  17,337 Amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions13,540  13,540  13,540 Loss on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries-
  -
  245 Non-GAAP operating income30,984  40,843  37,955 Depreciation and other amortization9,402  9,774  7,781 Non-GAAP EBITDA40,386  50,617  45,736             Net income from continuing operations42,903  51,185  48,166 Share-based compensation expenses5,237  9,038  17,337 Amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions13,540  13,540  13,540 Loss on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries-
  -
  245 (Gain) loss on fair value change of investments(705) 10,120  7,958 Income tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments(1,404) (2,550) (3,012)Reconciling items on the share of equity method investments1,887  (13,483) (30,192)Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations61,458  67,850  54,042             Net income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders of JOYY Inc.45,055  53,981  50,321 Share-based compensation expenses5,237  9,038  17,337 Amortization of intangible assets from business acquisitions13,540  13,540  13,540 Loss on deconsolidation and disposal of subsidiaries-
  -
  245 (Gain) loss on fair value change of investments(705) 10,120  7,958 Accretion, cumulative dividend and deemed dividend to subsidiaries’ preferred shareholders347  346  346 Income tax effects on non-GAAP adjustments(1,404) (2,550) (3,012)Reconciling items on the share of equity method investments1,887  (13,483) (30,192)Non-GAAP adjustments for net loss attributable to the non-controlling interest shareholders(761) (722) (602)Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest and common shareholders of JOYY Inc.63,196  70,270  55,941                   Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations per ADS     —Basic1.19  1.36  1.12 —Diluted1.18  1.34  1.11       Weighted average number of ADS used in calculating Non-GAAP net income from continuing operations per ADS     —Basic53,237,127  51,794,999  49,767,292 —Diluted53,780,111  52,629,562  50,534,120        JOYY INC.UNAUDITED SEGMENT REPORT(All amounts in thousands, except share, ADS and per ADS data)         Three Months Ended  March 31, December 31, March 31,  2025
 2025
 2026
  US$ US$ US$Net revenues:      Social Entertainment 387,813  419,050  400,367 BIGO Ads 80,220  128,611  124,787 Shopline 26,318  34,255  30,546 Total net revenues 494,351  581,916  555,700        Cost of revenues(1):      Social Entertainment (247,494) (260,186) (255,979)BIGO Ads (53,675) (98,149) (95,600)Shopline (14,567) (17,940) (14,824)Total cost of revenues (315,736) (376,275) (366,403)       Gross profit:      Social Entertainment 140,319  158,864  144,388 BIGO Ads 26,545  30,462  29,187 Shopline 11,751  16,315  15,722 Total gross profit 178,615  205,641  189,297        (1)    Share-based compensation allocated to cost of revenues by segment as follows:         Three Months Ended  March 31, December 31, March 31,  2025
 2025
 2026
  US$ US$ US$       Social Entertainment 597  1,149  826 BIGO Ads 1  23  16 Shopline 37  27  (40)Total share-based compensation allocated to cost of revenues 635  1,199  802 

JOYY NASDAQ: YY reported its strongest year-over-year revenue growth in recent years in the first quarter of 2026, as its social entertainment business returned to growth and newer businesses in advertising technology and commerce continued to scale.

The company said total net revenue rose 12.4% year-over-year to $555.7 million. Non-GAAP operating profit increased 22.5% to $38 million, while non-GAAP EBITDA rose 13.2% to $45.7 million. Operating cash flow was $46 million for the quarter, and JOYY ended March with approximately $3.18 billion in net cash.

The quarter was also the first in which JOYY reported results under a new three-segment structure: Social Entertainment, BIGO Ads and Shopline. Management described the shift as reflecting the growing importance of BIGO Ads and Shopline as scalable growth engines alongside the company’s foundational social entertainment business.

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Social entertainment returns to growth Social entertainment revenue was $400.4 million in the first quarter, up 3.2% year-over-year. Live streaming revenue increased 2.4% year-over-year, while core live streaming paying users grew 5.9%.

Jane Xie, JOYY’s senior manager of investor relations, reading prepared remarks on behalf of Chairperson and CEO Ting Li, said the company’s global average mobile monthly active users reached 276 million, up 6.1% from a year earlier and 1.5% sequentially. She said traffic from the company’s instant messenger increased 3.1% quarter-over-quarter, supported by user stickiness and organic growth.

Management attributed the recovery in live streaming to improved streamer incentive structures, support for higher-quality content categories and new AI capabilities. Xie said active streamers increased 1.5% sequentially and average effective streaming hours per streamer rose 1.4%, despite typical seasonal pressure in the first quarter.

The company also highlighted the impact of AI tools on engagement. Xie said AI-generated interactive virtual gifts accounted for 34% of total virtual gift consumption on BIGO LIVE as of April. JOYY’s new product lineup also gained traction, with revenue rising more than 500% year-over-year and 45% quarter-over-quarter.

In response to a question from Jefferies analyst Thomas Chong, Ting Li said, through a translator, that structural enhancements launched since the second half of 2024 had strengthened the live streaming ecosystem. She said the company expects low- to mid-single-digit year-over-year growth in social entertainment revenue in the second quarter and believes social entertainment and live streaming revenue can achieve steady positive growth in 2026.

BIGO Ads continues rapid expansion BIGO Ads generated $124.8 million in first-quarter revenue, up 55.6% year-over-year. The company’s third-party advertising business, BIGO Audience Network, grew 78.8% from a year earlier.

Management said growth was driven by broader traffic coverage, advertiser expansion across multiple verticals and algorithm improvements. SDK traffic rose 109% year-over-year and 7% sequentially. Web-based demand, primarily from lead generation and e-commerce advertisers, increased 90% year-over-year, while IAA spending rose 97%.

JOYY said South America remained the largest market for BIGO Ads, while Western Europe showed momentum with revenue up 27% sequentially.

During the question-and-answer session, Ting Li said BIGO Ads’ better-than-expected performance reflected progress in lead generation, direct-to-consumer e-commerce and IAA, along with upgrades to algorithm capabilities. She said JOYY had completed a framework upgrade to its core predictive model and was seeing improvements in monetization efficiency, advertiser retention and average advertiser spending.

Management reiterated its goal for BIGO Audience Network to reach $1 billion in revenue by 2028. Alex Liu, vice president of finance, said the business remains profitable while the company continues investing in research and development, sales, network infrastructure and computing capacity.

Shopline moves into standalone reporting Shopline revenue was $30.5 million in the first quarter, up 16.1% year-over-year. Gross margin expanded 6.8 percentage points from a year earlier to 51.5%, which Liu attributed to growth in higher-margin subscription revenue and improving margins in value-added services.

Management described Shopline as an “AI-native” omnichannel commerce infrastructure platform, designed to support merchants across store setup, transactions, fulfillment, payments, logistics, marketing and customer retention.

Revenue from cross-border merchants grew 66% year-over-year, and Xie said cross-border merchant revenue continued to grow at more than 60%. The company expects Shopline revenue growth to accelerate to above 25% year-over-year in the second quarter.

Asked by BOCI Research analyst Raphael Chen about Shopline’s profitability path, Ting Li said the business has a differentiated model based on recurring subscription fees and value-added services such as payments and marketing. She said research and development spending, the largest component of Shopline’s operating expenses, has largely stabilized, creating operating leverage as revenue and gross profit grow. Management said Shopline is on a path to reach breakeven by 2028.

New $1.5 billion shareholder return plan JOYY also announced an expanded three-year shareholder return program totaling $1.5 billion for fiscal years 2026 through 2028. The program includes up to $600 million in share repurchases and approximately $900 million in dividends.

Through May 22, the company had repurchased $87.9 million of shares and paid $69 million in dividends since the start of 2026, returning a total of $156.8 million to shareholders.

In response to a question from CICC analyst Xueqing Zhang, Liu said the new plan replaces a previous $900 million program and represents a roughly 67% increase in the company’s shareholder return commitment. He said the updated plan includes $300 million in annual dividends and an annualized buyback authorization of $200 million.

Liu said the decision reflected the growth trajectory of all three segments, JOYY’s net cash position and management’s view that the current share price “materially undervalues” the company’s long-term potential.

Second-quarter and full-year outlook For the second quarter of 2026, JOYY guided for net revenue of $562 million to $581 million, implying year-over-year growth of 10.7% to 14.4%.

By segment, Liu said management expects social entertainment to grow in the low- to mid-single-digit range, BIGO Ads to sustain mid-double-digit growth and Shopline to accelerate to more than 25% growth. For the full year, JOYY expects solid positive group revenue growth, with social entertainment delivering steady growth, BIGO Ads producing strong mid-double-digit growth and Shopline sustaining double-digit growth.

On profitability, Liu said JOYY expects group non-GAAP operating profit and EBITDA to continue the improving trend seen in 2025, with “steady teens” year-over-year growth in 2026. He noted that unrealized foreign-exchange losses weighed on first-quarter net income due to the weakening U.S. dollar against the renminbi and said similar effects are expected in the second quarter.

About JOYY NASDAQ: YYJOYY Inc NASDAQ: YY is a global technology-driven social media company specializing in video-based content creation and real-time social entertainment. The company develops and operates platforms that enable users to broadcast live video, engage with audiences and participate in interactive social communities. Its flagship global products include Bigo Live, a live-streaming application, and Likee, a short-video creation and sharing platform, which collectively support real-time interaction through virtual gifting and in-app social features.

Originally founded in Guangzhou, China in 2005 by David Xueling Li under the name YY Inc, the company pioneered real-time group communication and live streaming services in its domestic market.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

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My 'Buy' rating for JOYY Inc. remains intact, following my assessment of its financial and capital return prospects. JOYY's 1Q26 revenue rose 12.4% YoY, with its above-consensus 2Q26 guidance of $571.5 million implying an even superior 12.6% increase. JOYY has raised its targeted shareholder returns for FY26-28 from $900 million previously to $1.5 billion now.

The Q1 FY2026 report came at a crucial time with the stock in need of assistance to fend off a breakdown further into bear market territory. JOYY managed to reverse a precarious situation with an acceleration in growth and increased capital returns to shareholders. JOYY has a lot going for it, but it is also not without blemishes, which includes more goodwill on the balance sheet some may be comfortable with.