Q2 2026 Yatsen Holding Ltd Earnings Call
Speaker #1: Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to the Yatsen second quarter 2026 earnings conference call. Today's conference is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Irene Liu, Vice President, Head of Strategic Investment and Capital Markets.
Speaker #1: Please go ahead.
Speaker #2: Thank you, operator. Please note that today's discussion will contain forward-looking statements relating to the company's future performance, and we intend to qualify for Safe Harbor from liability as established by the U.S.
Speaker #2: Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors.
Speaker #2: Some of these risks are beyond the company's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those mentioned in today's press release and this discussion.
Speaker #2: A general discussion of the risk factors that could affect Yatsen's business and financial results is included in certain filings of the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Speaker #2: The company does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information, except as required by law. During today's call, management will also discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures for comparison purposes only.
Speaker #2: Please see the earnings release issued earlier today for a definition of non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial results. Joining us today on the call from Yatsen's senior management are Mr. Jinfeng Huang, our Founder, Chairman, and CEO, and Mr. Donghao Yang, our CFO and Director.
Speaker #2: Management will begin with prepared remarks, and the call will conclude with a Q&A session. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. In addition, a webcast replay of this conference call will be available on Yatsen's Investor Relations website at ir.yatsenglobal.com.
Speaker #2: I'll now turn the call over to Mr. Jinfeng Huang. Please go ahead, sir.
Speaker #3: Thank you, Irene. Hello, everyone, and thank you for joining our second quarter 2026 earnings conference call. We delivered a quarter of continued strategic progress, with total net revenue growing 5.1% year over year, against a challenging industry backdrop.
Speaker #3: While overall growth was more moderate than our prior expectations, our skincare portfolio delivered exceptional performance, reinforcing the effectiveness of our strategy transformation. Turning to the macro environment, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, Q3 retail sales grew 6.6% year over year in the second quarter of 2026.
Speaker #3: Outperforming overall retail sales of consumer goods. While the impact of the June 18 shopping festival has become more moderate amid increasing promotional activity and more rational consumer behavior, the category continued to demonstrate strong consumption resilience.
Speaker #3: That said, the competitive landscape remained challenging. Many leading participants in the domestic beauty industry also reported growth deceleration or revenue declines during the quarter, underscoring the broad-based headwinds facing the industry.
Speaker #3: Against this resilient market backdrop, our total net revenues remained on a steady growth trajectory, increasing 5.1% year over year in the second quarter. More importantly, this growth was primarily driven by the sustained momentum of our skincare portfolio, which delivered another strong quarter with revenues increasing 40.4% year over year.
Speaker #3: And now representing 71.5% of our total net revenues. The continued strength of our skincare brands further reinforced skincare as a core pillar of our business and a key driver of our overall growth.
Speaker #3: While underscoring the effectiveness of our ongoing investment in brand building, product innovation, and channel development, skincare now represents over 70% of total revenues. Our revenue mix has fundamentally shifted toward higher-quality, more sustainable growth.
Speaker #3: At the heart of our strategy is a deep understanding of consumer needs and a strong commitment to delivering superior consumer experience. We remain focused on creating meaningful long-term we offer and the emotional connections we build with consumers.
Speaker #3: Let me now walk you through the progress we made in these areas during the quarter. Our first strategic priority is to continue strengthening our R&D capabilities and advancing innovation on a strong scientific foundation.
Speaker #3: We remain firmly committed to R&D investment, with R&D expenses maintained at 3.3% of total net revenues in the second quarter. We also continue to make meaningful progress in strengthening our scientific capabilities and external recognition.
Speaker #3: In May, Yatsen's Global Innovation R&D Center was recognized as a national high-tech enterprise and received the "Specialized, Sophisticated, Distinctive, and Innovative" designation in Shanghai.
Speaker #3: More recently, in July, Dr. Wu once again demonstrated the depth of his scientific capabilities. With three research studies published in international SCI-index journals, covering innovative approaches to early and acne-prone skin, new insights into the mechanism underlying post-acne marks, and the clinical evidence supporting the combination of our metallic acid serum with adapalene, these studies further validate the depth and breadth of our scientific research capabilities.
Speaker #3: On the product front, we continue to build on the strength of our existing franchise while deepening our expertise in targeted skincare solutions. Galanique further extended its Couture Revelation Cellular line with the launch of the Reviving Eye Cream.
Speaker #3: Expanding the franchise into the delicate eye care category, Dr. Wu also expanded its skincare portfolio with three new essence masks for oil control, hydration, and soothing care.
Speaker #3: At Evlon, we further expanded the second-generation Vital Dew collection with the Vital Dew Fresh Hydration Cream and Skin Infusion Serum. These launches reflect our continued focus on leveraging established product franchises and scientific expertise to address evolving consumer needs and create sustainable growth opportunities.
Speaker #3: Our second strategic priority is to further strengthen brand equity across our portfolio through high-impact consumer engagement and differentiated brand experiences. In late May, Dr. Wu partnered with CCTV.com for a dedicated live-streaming event, which attracted a cumulative audience of 178 million viewers and generated a significant uplift in sales.
Speaker #3: Further expanding the brand's reach and consumer engagement, Galanique brought its Brightening Your Summer campaign to consumers through a pop-up experience on Wuzhuzhou Island in Sanya in July.
Speaker #3: Evlon participated in the British Beauty Festival, further elevating its heritage and premium positioning. This initiative helped to broaden our brand's reach and deepen consumer engagement across key markets and touchpoints.
Speaker #3: Our third strategy priority is to enhance the quality and sustainability of our profitability. In the second quarter, gross margin was impacted by higher inventory provisions in the Kala Cosmetics, the company's proactive brand portfolio optimization, and SKU rationalization.
Speaker #3: Excluding the impact of this one-time inventory provision, the underlying gross margin would have remained roughly stable year over year. Selling and marketing expenses as a percentage of net revenues rose, primarily driven by strategic investment in high-growth channels, particularly Douyin.
Speaker #3: At the same time, we remained focused on addressing structural profitability challenges in Kala Cosmetics, where fast-changing consumer trends, high SKU complexity, and ongoing promotion intensity require disciplined management and a more focused approach to resource allocation.
Speaker #3: We are actively streamlining our Kala Cosmetics portfolio to improve profitability and refocus our resources on the higher-growth skincare business. Looking ahead, we will continue to optimize our cost structure, refine resource allocation across channels, and unlock greater operating leverage from our fixed overhead.
Speaker #3: Furthermore, we are accelerating integration of AI across our operational workflow to drive continuous productivity gains. Together, these initiatives will further elevate our earnings quality and solidify the foundation for sustainable, long-term, profitable growth.
Speaker #1: Ladies and gentlemen, please hold while we reconnect with our speakers.
Speaker #2: Oh.
Speaker #1: Oh.
Speaker #2: Yeah, yeah. Just reconnected. So, finally, I am delighted to share a leadership update. Effective today, Ms. Wang Li has been appointed as co-Chief Financial Officer.
Speaker #2: Ms. Wang comes with a proven track record of over 15 years in the consumer and beauty industry, most recently serving as CFO of Praya Cosmetics.
Speaker #2: Her experience and financial expertise will further support our ongoing efforts to optimize our cost structure, improve resource allocation, and drive sustainable, profitable growth. With that, I will now turn the call over to our CFO, Donghao Yang, to discuss our financial details.
Speaker #4: Thank you, David. And hello, everyone. I'm also very delighted to welcome Ms. Wang as she joins the company. I look forward to working closely with her to ensure a smooth transition.
Speaker #4: Before I discuss our financial details, I would like to clarify that all financial numbers presented today are in renminbi amounts, and all percentage changes refer to year-over-year changes unless otherwise noted.
Speaker #4: Total net revenues for the second quarter of 2026 increased by 5.1% to RMB 1.14 billion from RMB 1.09 billion for the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to a 40.4% year-over-year increase in net revenues from skincare brands, partially offset by a 35.8% year-over-year decrease in net revenues from our Kala Cosmetics brand.
Speaker #4: This reflected the company's proactive brand portfolio optimization and deliberate SKU rationalization as part of its strategic transformation. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2026 decreased by 0.8% to $843.8 million from $850.4 million in the prior year period.
Speaker #4: Gross margin for the second quarter of 2026 decreased to 73.9%, from 78.3% for the prior year period, primarily due to higher inventory provisions in the Kala Cosmetics business associated with brand portfolio optimization and SKU rationalization efforts.
Speaker #4: Total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2026 increased by 7.7% to $975.7 million from $905.9 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were 85.4%, as compared with 83.4% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: Fulfillment expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were $56.1 million, as compared with $63.3 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, fulfillment expenses for the second quarter of 2026 decreased to 4.9% from 5.8% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: The decrease was primarily attributable to further improvements in logistics efficiency. Selling and marketing expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were $807.6 million, as compared with $722.4 million for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: As a percentage of total net revenues, selling and marketing expenses for the second quarter of 2026 increased to 70.7%, from 66.5% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: The increase was primarily driven by strategic investments in broadening consumer awareness and building long-term brand equity for our core skincare brand, coupled with higher traffic acquisition costs on the Douyin platform, as the company capitalized on the channel's strong growth momentum.
Speaker #4: General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were $74.8 million, as compared with $84.1 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were 6.6%, as compared with 7.7% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: The decrease was primarily driven by lower share-based compensation expenses. Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were $37.3 million, as compared with $36.1 million for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: As a percentage of total net revenues, research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were 3.3%, consistent with the prior-year period.
Speaker #4: Loss from operations for the second quarter of 2026 was $131.9 million, as compared with $55.5 million for the prior year period. Operating loss margin was 11.5%, as compared with 5.1% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: Non-gas loss from operations for the second quarter of 2026 was $112.1 million, as compared with $20.4 million for the prior year period. Non-gas operating loss margin was 9.8%, as compared with 1.9% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: Net loss for the second quarter of 2026 was $90.8 million, as compared with $19.5 million for the prior year period. Net loss margin was 8%, as compared with 1.8% for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: Net loss attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders for diluted ADS for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 0.97, as compared with RMB 0.19 for the prior-year period.
Speaker #4: Non-GAAP net loss for the second quarter of 2026 was $99.4 million, as compared with non-GAAP net income of $11.5 million for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: Non-GAAP net loss margin was 8.7%, as compared with a non-GAAP net income margin of 1.1% for the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 1.06, as compared with non-GAAP net income attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS of RMB 0.13 for the prior year period.
Speaker #4: As of June 30, 2026, the company had cash, restricted cash, and short-term investments of RMB 1.06 billion, as compared with RMB 1.05 billion as of December 31, 2025.
Speaker #4: Net cash used in operating activities for the second quarter of 2026 was $78 million, as compared with net cash generated from operating activities of $77.7 million for the prior-year period.
Speaker #4: Looking at our business outlook for the third quarter of 2026, we expect our total net revenues to be between RMB 898.6 million and RMB 998.4 million, representing a year-over-year decrease of approximately 0% to 10%.
Speaker #4: These forecasts reflect the company’s current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change. With that, I would now like to open the call to Q&A.
Speaker #4: Operator?
Speaker #2: Thank you. We will now begin the question-and-answer session. To ask a question, you may press star, then 1, on your touch-tone phone.
Speaker #2: If you are using a speakerphone, please pick up your handset before pressing the keys. If, at any time, your question has been addressed and you would like to withdraw it, please press star, then 2.
Speaker #2: For the benefit of all participants on today's call, if you wish to ask your question to management in Chinese, please immediately repeat your question in English.
Speaker #2: The first question today comes from Maggie Huang with CICC. Please go ahead.
Speaker #3: Well, thanks for taking my question. This is Maggie Huang from CICC. I have two questions. My first question is about our channel expansion strategy for our skincare brands going forward.
Speaker #3: And my second question is that we're seeing online traffic costs rising. How would the company respond to this trend, and what strategies will be adopted to further improve our marketing efficiency?
Speaker #3: Those are my two questions. Thank you.
Speaker #4: Thank you, Maggie, for your question. So, for the first question—yes, channel expansion is very important for the next stage of growth for our skincare brands.
Speaker #4: As we widen our product offerings, it will be natural and easier to diversify our channels. So right now, in addition to our core online platforms, which are Tmall and Douyin, we're also increasing B2B channels.
Speaker #4: For example, some of the online-to-B channels are JD, Verity Shop, and TDD, and there will be some offline-to-B channels that will be expanding, including offline distribution, duty-free, and some professional channels.
Speaker #4: So these channels generally carry lower traffic costs and support a healthier profitability profile. To give you an example, Dr. Wu has already shown that a higher ToB mix can support both growth and profitability.
Speaker #4: So, this is a model we will selectively apply to our other skincare brands. We will also be adding some differentiated formats, such as Galanic.
Speaker #4: We have boutique stores in premium department stores and shopping malls, and also, for Dr. Wu, we are distributing in some OTC channels, the drug stores.
Speaker #4: So we believe this channel strategy can help us reduce reliance on some expensive online traffic and build a more balanced business and sustainable growth.
Speaker #4: So then, for your second question, in terms of the traffic costs—yes, we are seeing rising traffic costs, which is an industry-wide trend right now.
Speaker #4: And we think we're responding in three ways. First, we're shifting more resources to the higher-growth and higher-return skincare brands, which now account for over 70% of our revenue.
Speaker #4: And secondly, we're expanding to B channels and professional channels, as mentioned earlier, to reduce reliance on expensive online traffic. Thirdly, we're improving content creation, CRM retention, and also budget allocation, leveraging stronger financial discipline and AI agents.
Speaker #4: So, the goal is not to cut investment blindly. Our goal is to support strong skincare growth with better efficiency and stronger profitability over time.
Speaker #3: Okay, got it. It's very clear, thank you. And I have no more questions.
Speaker #4: Thank you.
Speaker #2: This concludes our question-and-answer session. I would now like to turn the conference back over to management for any additional or closing comments.
Speaker #4: Thank you once again for joining us today. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at Yatsen directly. Our contact information for IR in both China and the US can be found in today's press release.
Speaker #4: Thank you, everyone, and have a great day.
