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Tencent Music Entertainment Group Announces Second Quarter 2024 Unaudited Financial Results

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SHENZHEN, China, Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Tencent Music Entertainment Group (“TME,” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TME and HKEX: 1698), the leading online music and audio entertainment platform in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights

Total revenues were RMB7.16 billion (US$985 million), representing a 1.7% year-over-year decrease, primarily due to a decline in revenues from social entertainment services and others, which was partially offset by strong year-over-year growth in revenues from online music services.Revenues from music subscriptions were RMB3.74 billion (US$515 million), representing 29.4% year-over-year growth. The number of paying users increased by 17.7% year-over-year to 117.0 million, up by 3.5 million from the first quarter of 2024.Net profit was RMB1.79 billion (US$247 million), representing 33.1% year-over-year growth. Net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB1.68 billion (US$231 million), representing 29.6% year-over-year growth. Non-IFRS net profit[1] was RMB1.99 billion (US$273 million), representing 25.7% year-over-year growth. Non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company[1] was RMB1.87 billion (US$258 million), representing 22.5% year-over-year growth.Diluted earnings per ADS was RMB1.07 (US$0.15), up from RMB0.82 in the same period of 2023.Total cash, cash equivalents, term deposits and short-term investments as of June 30, 2024 were RMB35.03 billion (US$4.82 billion).  

Mr. Cussion Pang, Executive Chairman of TME, commented, “We are pleased to report another quarter of robust results, driven by the strong performance of our online music services. With over 10 million net subscriber additions in the first half of 2024 and ARPPU expansion, we continue to break new grounds within China’s streaming landscape. We remain optimistic about the music industry’s long-term potential and are committed to sustainably achieving our mid- to long-term goals, at a healthy pace and with the right balance. This approach has been instrumental in the past as we effectively navigated across various development stages and changing external environments, and it will continue to fuel innovation and growth for the years to come.”

Mr. Ross Liang, CEO of TME, continued, “Our focus on user-centric innovation continued to pay off, as we have seen a steady increase in both online music subscribers and retention. This achievement is the result of further enriched membership benefits as well as unique streaming experiences delivered to a broader user base. We are delighted to see improved user loyalty on our platform, thanks to multi-faceted product and technological advancements that bring out increasingly engaging and entertaining music journey for each user.”

Second Quarter 2024 Operational Highlights 

Key Operating Metrics

2Q24

2Q23

YoY %

MAUs – online music (million)

571

594

(3.9 %)

Mobile MAUs – social entertainment (million)

93

136

(31.6 %)

Paying users – online music (million)

117.0

99.4

17.7 %

Paying users – social entertainment (million)

7.9

7.5

5.3 %

Monthly ARPPU – online music (RMB)

10.7

9.7

10.3 %

Monthly ARPPU – social entertainment (RMB)

73.2

135.0

(45.8 %)

Enriched content library, deepened record label collaborations, and self-produced content offerings boosted our content ecosystem. 

Our strong alliances with record labels ensure ongoing and deeper collaborations, including but not limited to providing users with early listening privileges to new songs to promote membership conversion and engagement. Our recent contract renewal with Sodagreen and CJ ENM reaffirmed this effective approach.Introduced digital album offerings with distinguished fan-artist interaction benefits, and premiered notable new releases in the quarter. Particularly, Zhou Shen’s digital album Shenself topped sales volume on our platform for this year. The digital albums of Lay Zhang and aespa also delivered solid performances.Supported artists in hosting concerts and staged our own music festivals, providing fans with early access to value-added services such as ticketing and artist merchandise, thereby elevating our industry influence. For example, we 1) upgraded our flagship annual event, TMEA 2024, featuring a wider array of artists from top nationwide singers and emerging musicians to overseas idols; 2) hosted TIA RAY’s first large-scale concert tour, highlighted by creative stage design, and achieved a sell-out success; 3) initiated a new collaboration with Karen Mok, customizing event-themed merchandise for her concert.Capitalized on extensive IP and artist resources to elevate production, promotion, and success of our self-produced content. 1) Produced chart-topping soundtracks for TV dramas Joy of Life 2 and The Tale of Rose, featuring joint promotion with the cast on our music Apps; 2) Promoted original content Heard of You and Who Am I on the popular national music variety show The Treasured Voice Season 5, with both songs going viral and boosting streams on our platform.

Unique blend of premium benefits, original content, and a variety of engaging use cases drove sustainable subscriber growth.

Advanced sound quality across devices and platforms consistently, e.g. QQ Music introduced Premium Panoramic Sound 2.0 and Kugou Music rolled out Viper Ultra Sound, both featuring ultra-clear sound quality and saw increased user adoption.Introduced more personalized privileges to strengthen member loyalty. Our proprietary players and ringtones crafted based on famous IPs and artists have been well received by members.Offering original content that appeals to different music preferences is proven to be increasingly effective for subscriber conversion.Our Super VIP (SVIP) service has started to gain more traction, thanks to our efforts in meeting members’ evolving needs. It provides a holistic listening experience across various devices and scenarios, including music and long-form audio content, with additional benefits such as priority access to digital albums and ticket booking for offline performances.

Enhanced listening experience for a wider audience through advanced technology and innovative product features.

Upgraded our recommendation middleware to allow for a more personalized music discovery experience. Notably, nearly 40% of streams were generated from recommendations during the quarter.Applied AIGC to elevate sound quality and interactive streaming experience. For example, we introduced data-saving AI-enhanced SQ Lite Mode while preserving superior sound quality, and rolled out a virtual DJ feature within Kugou Music to provide users with tailored music introductions and a sense of companionship.Recently launched a multi-device synchronized playback feature and a compact, half-screen music player that allow users to navigate music streaming seamlessly.  Expansive rewards program gained popularity among users, resulting in more frequent and longer listening sessions.

Second Quarter 2024 Financial Review

Total revenues decreased to RMB7.16 billion (US$985 million) from RMB7.29 billion in the same period of 2023.

Revenues from online music services delivered a strong year-over-year increase of 27.7% to RMB5.42 billion (US$746 million) from RMB4.25 billion in the same period of 2023. The increase was driven by solid growth in music subscription revenues, supplemented by growth in revenues from advertising services. Revenues from music subscriptions were RMB3.74 billion (US$515 million), representing 29.4% year-over-year growth compared with RMB2.89 billion in the same period of 2023. This rapid growth was driven by continuous expansion in the online music paying user base and improved ARPPU. The number of online music paying users increased by 17.7% year-over-year to 117.0 million, with a monthly ARPPU of RMB10.7 in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in the number of paying users was primarily due to high quality content, attractive membership privileges, and optimized user operations and effective promotions. The year-over-year increase in revenues from advertising was primarily due to our more diversified product portfolio and innovative ad formats, including ad-supported mode and sponsorship advertising. Additionally, increased revenues from offline performances also contributed to the growth in revenues from online music services.Revenues from social entertainment services and others decreased by 42.8% to RMB1.74 billion (US$239 million) from RMB3.04 billion in the same period of 2023. The continued decrease was mainly the result of adjustments to certain live-streaming interactive functions and more stringent compliance procedures we started to implement in the second quarter of 2023, as well as increased competition from other platforms. 

Cost of revenues decreased by 13.3% year-over-year to RMB4.15 billion (US$571 million), mainly due to decreased revenues from social entertainment services that led to less revenue sharing fees, partially offset by increased content costs of royalties, costs related to offline performances and payment channel fees.

Gross margin increased to 42.0% from 34.3% in the same period of 2023, primarily due to strong revenue growth from music subscriptions and advertising services, and the ramp-up of our own content.

Total operating expenses decreased by 8.5% year-over-year to RMB1.15 billion (US$158 million). Operating expenses as a percentage of total revenues decrease to 16.0% from 17.2% in the same period of 2023.

Selling and marketing expenses were RMB210 million (US$29 million), which were relatively stable compared with same period of last year. We continue to maintain ROI focused approach for promotion expenses.General and administrative expenses were RMB938 million (US$129 million), representing a 10.2% year-over-year decrease. This decrease was primarily due to reduced employee-related expenses.

Total operating profit was RMB2.20 billion (US$302 million) in the second quarter of 2024, representing an increase of 42.8% year-over-year.

The effective tax rate for the second quarter of 2024 was 19.4% compared with 12.2% in the same period of 2023. The increase in the effective tax rate was mainly driven by the accrual of withholding income tax of RMB111 million (US$15 million) in the second quarter of 2024. Additionally, changes in preferential tax rates for certain entities also impacted our effective tax rate.

For the second quarter of 2024, net profit was RMB1.79 billion (US$247 million) and net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB1.68 billion (US$231 million). Non-IFRS net profit was RMB1.99 billion (US$273 million) and non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company was RMB1.87 billion (US$258 million). Please refer to the section in this press release titled “Non-IFRS Financial Measure” for details.

Basic and diluted earnings per American Depositary Shares (“ADS”) for the second quarter of 2024 were RMB1.09 (US$0.15) and RMB1.07 (US$0.15), respectively; non-IFRS basic and diluted earnings per ADS were RMB1.21 (US$0.17) and RMB1.19 (US$0.16), respectively. The Company had weighted averages of 1.54 billion basic and 1.57 billion diluted ADSs outstanding, respectively. Each ADS represents two of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares.

Declaration and Payment of 2023 Dividend

On May 11, 2024, the Company’s board of directors declared a cash dividend of US$0.0685 per ordinary share, or US$0.1370 per ADS, for the year ended December 31, 2023, to holders of record of ordinary shares and ADSs as of the close of business on May 31, 2024. The payment for the cash dividend of US$212 million was made in June 2024.

As of June 30, 2024, the combined balance of the Company’s cash, cash equivalents, term deposits and short-term investments amounted to RMB35.03 billion (US$4.82 billion), compared with RMB34.18 billion as of March 31, 2024.

Social Responsibilities

In the second quarter, we cooperated with Tencent Charity to launch another “Little Red Flower Concert”, aiming to share compassion through music and inspire the society as a whole. We continued to partner with volunteer artists and teachers to support local education, and amplified its online reach this year by deepening collaboration with Weixin Video Accounts.

Exchange Rate

This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars (“USD”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to USD were made at the rate of RMB7.2672 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect on June 28, 2024, in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or USD amounts referred could be converted into USD or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. For analytical presentation, all percentages are calculated using the numbers presented in the financial statements contained in this earnings release.

Non-IFRS Financial Measure

The Company uses non-IFRS net profit for the period, which is a non-IFRS financial measure, in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. TME believes that non-IFRS net profit helps identify underlying trends in the Company’s business that could otherwise be distorted by the effect of certain expenses that the Company includes in its profit for the period. TME believes that non-IFRS net profit for the period provides useful information about its results of operations, enhances the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects and allows for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by its management in its financial and operational decision-making.

Non-IFRS net profit for the period should not be considered in isolation or construed as an alternative to operating profit, net profit for the period or any other measure of performance or as an indicator of its operating performance. Investors are encouraged to review non-IFRS net profit for the period and the reconciliation to its most directly comparable IFRS measure. Non-IFRS net profit for the period presented here may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Other companies may calculate similarly titled measures differently, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures to the Company’s data. TME encourages investors and others to review its financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure.

Non-IFRS net profit for the period represents profit for the period excluding amortization of intangible and other assets arising from business acquisitions or combinations, share-based compensation expenses, net losses/gains from investments and related income tax effects.

Please see the “Unaudited Non-IFRS Financial Measure” included in this press release for a full reconciliation of non-IFRS net profit for the period to its net profit for the period.

[1] Non-IFRS net profit and non-IFRS net profit attributable to equity holders of the Company were arrived at after excluding the combined effect of amortization of intangible assets and other assets arising from business acquisitions or combinations, share-based compensation expenses, net losses/gains from investments, and related income tax effects.

About Tencent Music Entertainment

Tencent Music Entertainment Group (NYSE: TME and HKEX: 1698) is the leading online music and audio entertainment platform in China, operating the country’s highly popular and innovative music apps: QQ Music, Kugou Music, Kuwo Music and WeSing. TME’s mission is to create endless possibilities with music and technology. TME’s platform comprises online music, online audio, online karaoke, music-centric live streaming and online concert services, enabling music fans to discover, listen, sing, watch, perform and socialize around music. For more information, please visit ir.tencentmusic.com.

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. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC and the HKEX. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact

Tencent Music Entertainment Group
ir@tencentmusic.com
+86 (755) 8601-3388 ext. 818415

 

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS

Three Months Ended June 30

Six Months Ended June 30

2023

2024

2023

2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

(in millions, except per share data)

(in millions, except per share data)

Revenues

Online music services

4,249

5,424

746

7,750

10,431

1,435

Social entertainment services and others

3,037

1,736

239

6,540

3,497

481

7,286

7,160

985

14,290

13,928

1,917

Cost of revenues

(4,789)

(4,150)

(571)

(9,478)

(8,147)

(1,121)

Gross profit

2,497

3,010

414

4,812

5,781

795

Selling and marketing expenses

(211)

(210)

(29)

(423)

(397)

(55)

General and administrative expenses

(1,044)

(938)

(129)

(2,061)

(1,887)

(260)

Total operating expenses

(1,255)

(1,148)

(158)

(2,484)

(2,284)

(314)

Interest income 

265

304

42

502

582

80

Other gains, net

32

32

4

90

78

11

Operating profit

1,539

2,198

302

2,920

4,157

572

Share of net profit of investments accounted
for using equity method

38

54

7

58

36

5

Finance cost

(42)

(26)

(4)

(76)

(56)

(8)

Profit before income tax

1,535

2,226

306

2,902

4,137

569

Income tax expense

(187)

(432)

(59)

(354)

(813)

(112)

Profit for the period

1,348

1,794

247

2,548

3,324

457

Attributable to:

Equity holders of the Company

1,298

1,682

231

2,446

3,104

427

Non-controlling interests

50

112

15

102

220

30

Earnings per share for Class A and Class B
ordinary shares

Basic

0.42

0.54

0.07

0.78

1.01

0.14

Diluted

0.41

0.54

0.07

0.77

0.99

0.14

Earnings per ADS (2 Class A shares equal to 1 ADS)

Basic

0.83

1.09

0.15

1.57

2.02

0.28

Diluted

0.82

1.07

0.15

1.54

1.99

0.27

Shares used in earnings per Class A and Class B
ordinary share computation:

Basic

3,127,610,931

3,087,608,798

3,087,608,798

3,124,169,951

3,072,305,455

3,072,305,455

Diluted

3,168,826,599

3,138,833,816

3,138,833,816

3,175,466,290

3,122,535,463

3,122,535,463

ADS used in earnings per ADS computation

Basic

1,563,805,465

1,543,804,399

1,543,804,399

1,562,084,975

1,536,152,727

1,536,152,727

Diluted

1,584,413,299

1,569,416,908

1,569,416,908

1,587,733,145

1,561,267,731

1,561,267,731

 

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

UNAUDITED NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURE

Three Months Ended June 30

Six Months Ended June 30

2023

2024

2023

2024

           RMB

RMB

US$

           RMB

RMB

US$

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

(in millions, except per share data)

(in millions, except per share data)

Profit for the period

1,348

1,794

247

2,548

3,324

457

Adjustments:

Amortization of intangible and other assets arising from
business acquisitions or combinations*

116

103

14

233

221

30

Share-based compensation

166

164

23

368

357

49

(Gains)/losses from investments**

(10)

(21)

(3)

(27)

16

2

Income tax effects***

(41)

(55)

(8)

(80)

(121)

(17)

Non-IFRS Net Profit

1,579

1,985

273

3,042

3,797

522

Attributable to:

Equity holders of the Company

1,529

1,873

258

2,940

3,577

492

Non-controlling interests

50

112

15

102

220

30

Earnings per share for Class A and Class B
ordinary shares

Basic

0.49

0.61

0.08

0.94

1.16

0.16

Diluted

0.48

0.60

0.08

0.93

1.15

0.16

Earnings per ADS (2 Class A shares equal to 1 ADS)

Basic

0.98

1.21

0.17

1.88

2.33

0.32

Diluted

0.97

1.19

0.16

1.85

2.29

0.32

Shares used in earnings per Class A and Class B
ordinary share computation:

Basic

3,127,610,931

3,087,608,798

3,087,608,798

3,124,169,951

3,072,305,455

3,072,305,455

Diluted

3,168,826,599

3,138,833,816

3,138,833,816

3,175,466,290

3,122,535,463

3,122,535,463

ADS used in earnings per ADS computation

Basic

1,563,805,465

1,543,804,399

1,543,804,399

1,562,084,975

1,536,152,727

1,536,152,727

Diluted

1,584,413,299

1,569,416,908

1,569,416,908

1,587,733,145

1,561,267,731

1,561,267,731

* Represents the amortization of identifiable assets, including intangible assets such as domain name, trademark, copyrights, supplier resources, corporate customer relationships and non-compete agreement
etc., and fair value adjustment on music content (i.e., signed contracts obtained for the rights to access to the music contents for which the amount was amortized over the contract period), resulting from
business acquisitions or combination.

** Including the net gains/losses on deemed disposals/disposals of investments, fair value changes arising from investments, impairment provision of investments and other expenses in relation to equity
transactions of investments.

*** Represents the income tax effects of Non-IFRS adjustments.

 

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

As at December 31, 2023

As at June 30, 2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Audited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

(in millions)

ASSETS

Non-current assets

Property, plant and equipment

490

591

81

Land use rights

2,437

2,401

330

Right-of-use assets

367

308

42

Intangible assets

2,032

2,034

280

Goodwill

19,542

19,646

2,703

Investments accounted for using equity method 

4,274

4,693

646

Financial assets at fair value through other comprehensive income 

6,540

10,294

1,417

Other investments

307

331

46

Prepayments, deposits and other assets

540

419

58

Deferred tax assets

352

369

51

Term deposits

8,719

10,529

1,449

45,600

51,615

7,102

Current assets

Inventories

8

14

2

Accounts receivable

2,918

3,024

416

Prepayments, deposits and other assets

3,438

3,198

440

Other investments

37

42

6

Short-term investments

1,001

138

Term deposits

9,937

11,253

1,548

Restricted Cash 

31

7

1

Cash and cash equivalents

13,567

12,251

1,686

29,936

30,790

4,237

Total assets

75,536

82,405

11,339

EQUITY

Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company

Share capital

2

2

0

Additional paid-in capital

36,576

36,643

5,042

Shares held for share award schemes

(302)

(353)

(49)

Treasury shares 

(6,996)

(7,067)

(972)

Other reserves

9,658

15,464

2,128

Retained earnings

16,969

16,520

2,273

55,907

61,209

8,423

Non-controlling interests

1,295

1,670

230

Total equity

57,202

62,879

8,652

LIABILITIES

Non-current liabilities

Notes payables

5,636

5,674

781

Deferred tax liabilities

239

267

37

Lease liabilities

297

243

33

Deferred revenue 

148

163

22

6,320

6,347

873

Current liabilities

Accounts payable 

5,006

6,218

856

Other payables and other liabilities

3,472

3,201

440

Current tax liabilities

567

696

96

Lease liabilities

115

112

15

Deferred revenue

2,854

2,952

406

12,014

13,179

1,813

Total liabilities

18,334

19,526

2,687

Total equity and liabilities

75,536

82,405

11,339

 

 

 

TENCENT MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Three Months Ended June 30

Six Months Ended June 30

2023

2024

2023

2024

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 RMB 

 RMB 

 US$ 

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited  

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

 Unaudited 

(in millions)

(in millions)

Net cash provided by operating activities 

2,067

2,944

405

3,919

5,630

775

Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities 

(1,339)

693

95

(528)

(4,805)

(661)

Net cash used in financing activities

(33)

(1,611)

(222)

(113)

(2,133)

(294)

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 

695

2,026

279

3,278

(1,308)

(180)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period

12,129

10,218

1,406

9,555

13,567

1,867

Exchange differences on cash and cash equivalents

126

7

1

117

(8)

(1)

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period

12,950

12,251

1,686

12,950

12,251

1,686

 

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SOURCE Tencent Music Entertainment Group

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Caladium Systems Launches Happiffie, India’s First AI-powered Celebration Platform

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CHENNAI, India, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Caladium Systems today announced the launch of Happiffie, India’s first AI-powered Celebration Growth Platform, introducing a smarter way for customers to discover, compare, book, and manage celebrations while helping businesses connect with high-intent customers through intelligent technology.

Designed for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, social celebrations, parties, festivals, and more, Happiffie brings together over 400 celebration occasions and 1,000+ celebration experiences on a single AI-powered platform.

India’s celebrations industry continues to rely heavily on referrals, manual coordination, inconsistent pricing, and fragmented vendor discovery. Happiffie addresses these challenges by combining AI-powered recommendations, transparent price discovery, secure bookings, payments, and event management into one seamless platform.

A key innovation is Happiffie’s Reverse Auction, where customers simply submit their celebration requirements and verified vendors compete by offering customised proposals. Instead of spending hours searching and negotiating, customers can compare multiple qualified offers and choose the vendor that best matches their preferences and budget.

“Customers can now book the experience of their choice with the vendor of their choice, in the budget of their choice. At the same time, vendors receive qualified business opportunities matched to their category, location and capabilities, creating value for both sides of the marketplace,” said Pradhyumna T Venkat, Founder & CEO, Happiffie.

“Every major industry eventually reaches a point where technology fundamentally changes how it operates. Travel did. Hospitality did. Mobility did. We believe celebrations are next,” added Pradhyumna.

The platform is powered by Experience Intelligence™, a proprietary framework that combines over 15 years of celebration industry expertise with Artificial Intelligence to deliver smarter recommendations based on customer intent, preferences, and celebration needs.

Whether planning a wedding, birthday, corporate event, baby shower, anniversary, or festival celebration, customers can manage the entire journey—from vendor discovery and quotations to payments and execution—through a single platform.

Alongside its launch, Happiffie has opened registrations for vendor partners across Chennai and Tamil Nadu, with a phased expansion planned across India. The platform aims to build one of the country’s largest AI-powered celebration ecosystems, helping businesses generate qualified leads and grow more efficiently.

“Our vision is not simply to build another marketplace but to create the technology infrastructure that powers celebrations. Reverse Auction is the first step towards building a smarter, more transparent, and AI-driven celebration economy that benefits both customers and businesses alike,” added Pradhyumna.

Built on the experience of planning and executing over 5,000 weddings and celebrations, Happiffie combines deep industry expertise with AI to simplify celebration planning and transform how India celebrates.

For more information, visit www.happiffie.com. Vendor registrations are now open at www.happiffie.com/vendor-registration.

About Happiffie

Happiffie is India’s first AI-powered Celebration Platform, connecting customers, venues, event professionals, and celebration businesses through one intelligent ecosystem. Built on over 15 years of industry expertise, the platform combines Artificial Intelligence with Experience Intelligence™ to deliver smarter celebration planning across more than 1,000 celebration experiences spanning weddings, corporate events, birthdays, social celebrations, parties, and festivals.

Contact

Pradhyumna T Venkat
Founder & CEO
pradhyumna@happiffie.com
+91-7299002990

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/3007635/Happiffie_Logo.jpg

 

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Beko Publishes 2025 Integrated Report, Charting Years of Progress Toward Net Zero

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As Beko releases its 2025 Integrated Report, the company’s third consecutive inclusion on TIME’s global sustainability ranking — retaining the #1 position in its industry — underscores the progress documented within it.

ISTANBUL, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Beko published its 2025 Integrated Report, offering a comprehensive account of the company’s financial, environmental and social performance over the past year. In parallel, Beko has been named one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies for the third year running, retaining the #1 position in its industry. The recognition, awarded in partnership with Statista, independently corroborates years of deliberate, measurable progress.

The report documents concrete results across Beko’s global manufacturing footprint. In 2025:

Energy efficiency projects across production sites saved 69,562 GJ of energy, avoiding 5,297 tonnes of CO₂e emissions.Waste recycling across all manufacturing facilities reached 98.6%, against a target of 99%.Renewable energy installed capacity reached 96 MWp, up from 90.2 MWp the prior year. Beko also reached 63.5% green electricity on the path to 100% across all manufacturing by 2030.Water efficiency and rainwater harvesting projects across locations delivered total water savings of 219,114 m3.

Behind these figures is a broader manufacturing transformation. Three of Beko’s manufacturing facilities have been recognised within the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, with the Ulmi plant earning the additional, and rarer, designation of Sustainability Lighthouse. The principles behind Ulmi’s approach are being extended across Beko’s broader manufacturing ecosystem, as the company scales low-impact production. Beko currently operates 13 smart factories globally — equipped with artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotics capabilities — with a target of 17 by the end of 2026.

On the circular economy side, Beko’s refurbishment centres across multiple locations reintroduced more than 148,000 appliances into the market in 2025 alone. The company recycled 1.98 million WEEE units through its own recycling facilities since 2014, and used 31,665 tonnes of recycled plastics in its products in 2025.

Across its product portfolio, 72.6% of Beko’s turnover in 2025 came from low-carbon products — a figure that reflects both the scale of the company’s energy-efficient product range and growing consumer demand for appliances that address environmental concerns.

“Being recognised by TIME three years in a row matters because it reflects that sustainability is a foundational part of Beko’s business,” said Can Dinçer, CEO of Beko. “Our factories undergo a twin transformation where we encounter both decarbonization and digitalization. That progress is deliberate and measurable, and our Integrated Report sets out exactly how. As the world prepares for COP31, the most credible thing a company can do is demonstrate its work rather than declare it. That is what we are doing.”

TIME’s annual list evaluates more than 5,000 companies worldwide across environmental and social performance, transparency and ESG reporting. Beko’s continued inclusion under increasingly rigorous standards points to a business model where sustainability is structurally embedded across operations, supply chains and product portfolios.

In addition to its Integrated Report, the Company has also published its second TSRS-compliant sustainability report, prepared in accordance with the Türkiye Sustainability Reporting Standards (TSRS), Türkiye’s adoption of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB). The report is publicly available and provides detailed disclosures on the company’s climate-related risks, opportunities, governance, strategy and performance.

About Beko

Beko is an international home appliance company with a strong global presence, operating through subsidiaries in more than 55 countries with a workforce of around 45,000 employees and production facilities spanning multiple regions—including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Beko has 22 brands owned or used with a limited license (Arçelik, Beko, Whirlpool*, Grundig, Hotpoint, Arctic, Ariston*, Leisure, Indesit, Blomberg, Defy, Dawlance, Hitachi*, Voltas Beko, Singer*, ElektraBregenz, Flavel, Bauknecht, Privileg, Altus, Ignis, Polar). Beko is the largest white goods company in Europe with its market share (based on volumes) and reached a consolidated turnover of 10.7 billion Euros in 2025. Beko’s 28 R&D and Design Centers & Offices across the globe are home to over 2,000 R&D employees and hold more than 4,500 international registered patent applications to date. The company has achieved the highest score in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) in the DHP Household Durables industry for the seventh consecutive year (based on the results dated 16 October 2025).** The company has been recognized as the 89th most sustainable company on TIME Magazine and Statista’s 2026 list of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies and has been the sector leader for three consecutive years. Beko’s vision is ‘Respecting the World, Respected Worldwide.’ 

www.bekocorporate.com

*Licensee limited to certain jurisdictions.
**The data presented belongs to Arçelik A.Ş., a parent company of Beko.

 

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SOURCE Beko

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JustMarkets Releases Market Analysis on How Foreign Exchange Markets React to CPI Surprises

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HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — JustMarkets today released a new market analysis examining how foreign exchange markets react to Consumer Price Index (CPI) surprises and outlining key considerations for traders preparing for inflation data releases. The analysis explains why the gap between actual CPI data and market expectations, rather than the headline inflation figure itself, is often the primary driver of currency market movements.

What people often miss on CPI day is that the number itself isn’t what moves the market. The common reaction is to check whether the headline number is high or low, but it’s all priced in advance. According to JustMarkets, the real driver of EUR/USD is the gap between the actual number and what the market was positioned for.

Even an unchanged reading can cause dollar weakness if traders expect higher inflation, while weaker numbers that beat consensus expectations may drive dollar strength. Citing Federal Reserve research, the price driver is a surprise component rather than the headline.

Why the Expectation Gap Is More Important Than the Level

Forex is driven by expectations for interest rate decisions, with inflation impacting central bank policy. Key factors influencing this reaction include:

Main factors:

Monthly CPI and core CPICore services inflationRevisions to the previous period dataCentral banks policy pricing

Year-over-year data is less important in terms of price impact than monthly and core data.

How to Calculate Surprise

Start with the simplest metric: Surprise = Actual CPI − Consensus CPI. 

Consensus comes from the economic calendar’s forecast and reflects the market positioning. And then you need to check the market reaction through rates. The sequence typically runs: CPI surprise → change in front-end yields → USD movement → the sentiment adjustment.

Traders frequently employ this methodology in combination with the JustMarkets Economic Calendar to track high-impact releases in real time.

What the Intraday Move Actually Looks Like

CPI reactions usually happen in three stages. The first one is a headline shock with the potential algorithm’s reaction within a few seconds. Then comes the interpretation stage, with a time frame of 15-60 minutes and analysis of core numbers and yield confirmation. And then either continuation or reversal happens.

Approaches to Trading CPI Day

There are two common approaches to CPI.

The momentum approach requires the consistency of headlines and core surprises with yields’ confirmation. Most traders wait until the first minute’s candle is closed to avoid false signals.The fade approach requires dislocations like the absence of yield confirmation to FX movement or dislocations between headlines and core numbers. In this case, traders wait 10−20 minutes for exhaustion of the initial move and reversal setup search.

Risk management is crucial. Most traders limit their position size to 0.25%-0.50% of their equity because of widening spreads and slippage. Sometimes the decision to trade off is more optimal during extreme volatility than forced entry.

One Way to Prepare for the Next CPI Day Release

A simple way to get ready is to monitor EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY pairs and an economic calendar with events’ importance. The workflow is simple: Economic calendar → release → Trading platform.

The final step brings traders to the execution platform. Many turn to JustMarkets, which offers CFDs on these currency pairs, with execution stability and fast market access that make it well suited for high-volatility macro events.

Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. Trading financial instruments involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Ensure you understand the risks involved and trade responsibly.

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SOURCE Just Global Markets Ltd

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