Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM) operates as a digital hub for automobile enthusiasts and vehicle buyers in the People’s Republic of China. The company’s core mission centers on connecting consumers with reliable vehicle information and practical buying pathways, using a combination of media-style content, search and decision tools, and commerce-oriented services. ...Autohome Inc. (NYSE: ATHM) operates as a digital hub for automobile enthusiasts and vehicle buyers in the People’s Republic of China. The company’s core mission centers on connecting consumers with reliable vehicle information and practical buying pathways, using a combination of media-style content, search and decision tools, and commerce-oriented services.
From a product and service perspective, Autohome runs major consumer websites and platforms—most notably autohome.com.cn, che168.com, and ttpai.cn—accessible across personal computers, mobile devices, dedicated applications, and mini-programs. These platforms support interactive editorial and informational content (including vehicle research and related guidance) as well as tools designed to help users evaluate vehicles and move toward purchase decisions.
Autohome also monetizes through advertising and marketing services for automakers and localized dealer-focused campaigns. In addition, it provides lead generation offerings for dealerships and independent dealers, including subscription-based dealer promotional packages and other promotional opportunities. For consumers specifically, Autohome Mall functions as an integrated online marketplace where users can research vehicles, obtain manufacturer-linked discount coupons, and proceed with vehicle purchasing workflows.
On the used-car side, Autohome supplies vehicle listing and transaction facilitation services, including data products and an online bidding platform for pre-owned cars. The company further earns revenue by enabling and facilitating transactions for auto financing and insurance products within its ecosystem, effectively acting as a digital intermediary between consumer intent and downstream financial/insurance providers.
Economically, Autohome’s operating model is asset-light relative to traditional dealerships: it relies heavily on content production, platform distribution, sales/marketing reach, and transaction enablement, which can translate into strong gross margins for digital services. It focuses on scaling user engagement and conversion across its channels, while managing costs such as content operations, technology/platform development, and sales and marketing—typical cost buckets for an online media and marketplace business.
Key people include CEO Tao Wu (appointed as Chief Executive Officer) and founder/past president Xiang Li (noted as a founder and long-time leader of the company). Autohome was incorporated in June 2008 and is headquartered in Beijing, China, where it coordinates a broad digital presence serving China’s automotive consumer market.
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for standing by for Autohome's Second Quarter and Interim 2026 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference call is being recorded. If you have any objections, please disconnect at this time. A live and archived webcast of today's call will be available on Autohome's IR website. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Sterling Song, Autohome's IR Director. Mr. Song, please go ahead.
Sterling Song: Thank you, operator. Hello, everyone, and welcome to Autohome's Second Quarter and Interim 2026 Earnings Conference Call. Earlier today, Autohome distributed its earnings release, which can be found on the company's IR website at ir.autohome.com.cn. Joining me on today's call is our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Craig Yan Zeng. Management will go through the prepared remarks first, which will be followed by a Q&A session where they will be available to answer all your questions. Before we begin, please note that today's discussion contains forward-looking statements made under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those outlined in our public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Autohome undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable laws. Please also note that Autohome's earnings press release and today's conference call include discussions of certain unaudited non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures can be found in our earnings release. I will now turn the call over to Autohome's CFO, Mr. Craig Yan Zeng, for opening remarks. Mr. Zeng, please go ahead.
Yan Zeng: [Interpreted] Thank you, Sterling. Hello, everyone. This is Craig Zeng, Chief Financial Officer of Autohome. Thank you for joining our earnings conference call today. In the second quarter, our innovative business continued to make steady progress, driving Autohome's upgrade towards a comprehensive automotive service ecosystem. For our new retail business with the authorized dealer model in pilot operation and expanding into more cities, we launched the offline franchised chain brand, Autohome Good Car, further expanding our offline service network. In addition, our global expansion into used car trading is advancing steadily. Our cross-border export platform completed its first transaction in July, providing valuable experience to further expand our service capabilities. We also made major strides in AI, particularly in cutting-edge AI agent technologies. In early July, we unveiled our proprietary intelligent agent product, Cheese Car Butler and opened it for …
