Novel diamond-enabled cutting technology increases tunneling development speed, reduces costs, and minimizes the environmental impact of construction for the mining, infrastructure, transportation and energy sectors.

OXFORD, England and JOHANNESBURG, Feb. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Element Six (E6), a pioneer in the development and manufacturing of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and ultra-hard materials, and Master Drilling, a global leader in drilling and mechanized rock excavation technology solutions, today announce a new global partnership. The collaboration combines Element Six’s leading patented polycrystalline diamond cutting technology with Master Drilling’s fully mechanized services for the mining, infrastructure, and energy sectors to deliver a new synthetic diamond-enabled tunnelling solution, with a reduction of more than 17% in waste rock generation compared to traditional tunnelling operations. The innovative technology has been tested under both underground and surface conditions in the UK and South Africa with several end-users in the mining and infrastructure industries, demonstrating general higher performance compared to traditional rock excavation methods.

“Achieving high quality, nonexplosive tunnel construction with various aspects of value generated compared to traditional rock excavation methods is a key global challenge for tunnel builders—a challenge that Master Drilling and Element Six are uniquely positioned to address,” said Koos Jordaan, Executive Director of Master Drilling. “By combining our technologies and expertise, we can offer quality tunnel development with competitive productivity, lower costs and reduced waste, enabling safer, faster, and more economical tunnel construction. This innovation holds great potential for expanding underground operations in industries such as mining, energy, transportation, and infrastructure.”

Underground tunnels provide access to critical mineral resources, create efficient transportation routes, and house essential utilities, all while minimizing surface disruption. In mining, tunnels are key for accessing mineral resources and providing transportation and ventilation networks for underground operations. In transportation, they shorten routes through difficult terrain or urban areas. In construction, tunnels house utilities underground, and in energy, they support hydroelectric plants and pipelines.

Despite its importance, building tunnels poses technical and environmental challenges such as geological unpredictability, water ingress, high costs, waste generation, and safety concerns. The Element Six and Master Drilling partnership introduces a groundbreaking diamond-enabled solution designed to tackle these challenges and significantly increase tunneling development speed, reducing costs, and minimizing the environmental impact of tunnel construction.

“This strategic partnership with Master Drilling is another example of the role Element Six plays in De Beers Group’s Origins strategy” said Siobhán Duffy, CEO of Element Six. “Synthetic diamond innovation holds immense potential to shape the future of industrial applications. By extracting a lower amount of rock during tunnel development, the solution we developed in partnership with Master Drilling will significantly reduce waste and environmental impact, ensuring a better tomorrow for generations to come.”

About Element Six
Element Six, part of the De Beers Group, is a world-leader in the design, development and production of synthetic diamond advanced material solutions. The company operates worldwide with primary manufacturing facilities in the US, UK, Ireland, Germany, and South Africa.

For over seventy years, Element Six has harnessed the extreme properties of synthetic diamond to open up new possibilities in areas such as photonics, acoustics, power transmission, water treatment, thermal management and sensors. The company’s advanced material solutions are used in a wide range of applications across multiple industries including manufacturing in the automotive and consumer electronics industries, cutting and drilling in the oil and gas industry, and in components for mining, road, construction and agriculture applications.

https://www.e6.com/

About Master Drilling           
Master Drilling, established in 1986, is a global drilling technology solutions driven company; focused on delivering a fully mechanized range of services to the mining, infrastructure and energy sectors. As the trusted partner of choice, our business model is characterized by cutting-edge technology, innovative solutions and tailor-made designs, coupled with a flexible support and logistics chain. We partner with our clients during every project touchpoint – from the exploration phase to the production and capital stages. Our leading experts and advisors are able to provide a solution for every operational challenge – be it access, transportation, ventilation or analysis – focusing on the continuous research and development of new techniques and methods. Master Drilling is currently listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).

https://masterdrilling.com/

BEIJING, Feb. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU and HKEX: 9888 (HKD Counter) and 89888 (RMB Counter)) (“Baidu” or the “Company”), a leading AI company with a strong Internet foundation, today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

“2024 marked a pivotal year in our ongoing transformation from an internet-centric to an AI-first business. AI Cloud gained momentum, fueled by broad market recognition of our full stack AI capabilities. In Mobile Ecosystem, we have been steadfast in advancing the AI transformation, making search more AI-native to deliver a better user experience. Apollo Go, after years of investment, validated its business model, paving the way for global expansion and scalable, asset-light strategies,” said Robin Li, Co-founder and CEO of Baidu. “With our strategic foresight increasingly validated, we expect our AI investments to deliver more significant results in 2025.”

“Our AI Cloud business demonstrated robust momentum with fourth-quarter revenue growth accelerating to 26% year over year, offsetting the softness in online marketing business,” said Junjie He, Interim CFO of Baidu. “While navigating near-term pressures, we are confident that our strategic AI investments will drive meaningful progress and foster long-term success.”

Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Highlights^[1]

Operational Highlights                                                                                

Corporate

• Baidu returned US$356 million to shareholders since Q4 2024, bringing the cumulative repurchase to over US$1 billion since 2024 and to US$1.7 billion under the 2023 share repurchase program.
• Baidu earned a position in the global edition of the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook for the first time, demonstrating its further advancement in ESG performance. The selection stems from a comprehensive evaluation of 7,690 companies globally as part of the S&P Global 2024 Corporate Sustainability Assessment, underscoring Baidu’s sustainability practices.
• Forbes China placed Baidu on its 2024 China ESG 50 list.

AI Cloud

• ERNIE handled approximately 1.65 billion API calls daily in December 2024, with external API calls increasing by 178% quarter over quarter, highlighting particularly strong momentum.
• The MAU of Baidu Wenku’s AI-enabled features reached 94 million in December 2024, with a 216% year over year and an 83% quarter over quarter increase.

Intelligent Driving

• Apollo Go, Baidu’s autonomous ride-hailing service, provided over 1.1 million rides in the fourth quarter of 2024, up 36% year over year.
• In January 2025, accumulated rides provided to the public by Apollo Go surpassed 9 million.
• In November 2024, Apollo Go was granted permits to conduct autonomous driving testing on public roads in Hong Kong, making Apollo Go the first and only of its kind to receive robotaxi testing authorization in the region. This marks Apollo Go’s first entry into a right-hand drive, left-hand traffic market.
• Apollo Go has commenced 100% fully driverless operations across China since February 2025.

Mobile Ecosystem

• In December 2024, Baidu App’s MAUs reached 679 million, up 2% year over year.
• Managed Page accounted for 48% of Baidu Core’s online marketing revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial Results

Total revenues were RMB34.1 billion ($4.68 billion), decreasing 2% year over year.

• Revenue from Baidu Core was RMB27.7 billion ($3.80 billion), increasing 1% year over year; online marketing revenue was RMB17.9 billion ($2.46 billion), decreasing 7% year over year, and non-online marketing revenue was RMB9.8 billion ($1.34 billion), up 18% year over year, mainly driven by AI Cloud business.
• Revenue from iQIYI was RMB6.6 billion ($906 million), decreasing 14% year over year.

Cost of revenues was RMB18.0 billion ($2.47 billion), increasing 3% year over year, primarily due to an increase in traffic acquisition costs, costs related to AI Cloud business and a one-time write-down of inventories, partially offset by a decrease in personnel-related expenses and content costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were RMB6.7 billion ($915 million), increasing 14% year over year, primarily due to an increase in expected credit losses, and channel spending and promotional marketing expenses, partially offset by a decrease in personnel-related expenses. RMB561 million of the increase in expected credit losses was pertaining to a one-time accrual.

Research and development expenses were RMB5.5 billion ($756 million), decreasing 12% year over year, primarily due to a decrease in personnel-related expenses, partially offset by an increase in server depreciation expenses and server custody fees which support Gen-AI research and development inputs.

Operating income was RMB3.9 billion ($537 million) in Q4, compared to RMB5.4 billion for the same period last year. Baidu Core operating income was RMB3.6 billion ($498 million), and Baidu Core operating margin was 13% in Q4, compared to RMB4.7 billion and 17% for the same period last year. The decrease was due to one-time losses of RMB1.0 billion including accrual of expected credit losses, write-down of inventories and others. Non-GAAP operating income was RMB5.0 billion ($691 million). Non-GAAP Baidu Core operating income was RMB4.6 billion ($637 million), and non-GAAP Baidu Core operating margin was 17%.

Total other income, net was RMB2.7 billion ($364 million), compared to total other loss, net of RMB2.5 billion for the same period last year, mainly due to an increase in net foreign exchange gain arising from exchange rate fluctuation between Renminbi and U.S. dollar, and a decrease in pickup of losses from an equity method investment, which modified certain terms of its preferred shares and resulted in significant loss pickup in 2023.

Income tax expense was RMB1.6 billion ($222 million), compared to income tax benefit of RMB96 million for the same period last year.

Net income attributable to Baidu was RMB5.2 billion ($711 million), and diluted earnings per ADS was RMB14.26 ($1.95). Net income attributable to Baidu Core was RMB5.3 billion ($724 million), and net margin for Baidu Core was 19%. Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu was RMB6.7 billion ($919 million). Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS was RMB19.18 ($2.63). Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu Core was RMB6.7 billion ($924 million), and non-GAAP net margin for Baidu Core was 24%.

Adjusted EBITDA was RMB7.0 billion ($953 million) and adjusted EBITDA margin was 20%. Adjusted EBITDA for Baidu Core was RMB6.5 billion ($893 million) and adjusted EBITDA margin for Baidu Core was 24%.

As of December 31, 2024, cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments were RMB139.1 billion ($19.06 billion), and cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments excluding iQIYI were RMB134.7 billion ($18.45 billion). Free cash flow was RMB23 million ($3 million), and free cash flow excluding iQIYI was negative RMB476 million (negative $65 million).

Fiscal Year 2024 Results

Total revenues were RMB133.1 billion ($18.24 billion), decreasing 1% year over year.

• Revenue from Baidu Core was RMB104.7 billion ($14.35 billion), increasing 1% year over year; online marketing revenue was RMB73.0 billion ($10.00 billion), decreasing 3% year over year, and non-online marketing revenue was RMB31.7 billion ($4.35 billion), up 12% year over year, mainly driven by AI Cloud business.
• Revenue from iQIYI was RMB29.2 billion ($4.00 billion), decreasing 8% year over year.

Cost of revenues was RMB66.1 billion ($9.06 billion), increasing 2% year over year, primarily due to an increase in traffic acquisition costs, bandwidth costs and server custody fees, partially offset by a decrease in personnel-related expenses and content costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were RMB23.6 billion ($3.24 billion), which remained flat compared to the same period last year.

Research and development expenses were RMB22.1 billion ($3.03 billion), decreasing 9% year over year, primarily due to a decrease in personnel-related expenses.

Operating income was RMB21.3 billion ($2.91 billion). Baidu Core operating income was RMB19.5 billion ($2.67 billion), and Baidu Core operating margin was 19%. Non-GAAP operating income was RMB26.2 billion ($3.59 billion). Non-GAAP Baidu Core operating income was RMB23.9 billion ($3.27 billion), and non-GAAP Baidu Core operating margin was 23%.

Total other income, net was RMB7.4 billion ($1.01 billion), increasing 120% year over year, primarily due to a decrease in pickup of losses from an equity method investment, which modified certain terms of its preferred shares and resulted in significant loss pickup in 2023.

Income tax expense was RMB4.4 billion ($609 million), compared to RMB3.6 billion in the same period last year.

Net income attributable to Baidu was RMB23.8 billion ($3.26 billion), and diluted earnings per ADS was RMB65.91 ($9.03). Net income attributable to Baidu Core was RMB23.4 billion ($3.21 billion), and net margin for Baidu Core was 22%. Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu was RMB27.0 billion ($3.70 billion). Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS was RMB76.85 ($10.53). Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu Core was RMB26.3 billion ($3.61 billion), and non-GAAP net margin for Baidu Core was 25%.

Adjusted EBITDA was RMB33.1 billion ($4.53 billion) and adjusted EBITDA margin was 25%. Adjusted EBITDA for Baidu Core was RMB30.6 billion ($4.19 billion) and adjusted EBITDA margin for Baidu Core was 29%.

Free cash flow was RMB13.1 billion ($1.80 billion), and free cash flow excluding iQIYI was RMB11.1 billion ($1.52 billion).

Conference Call Information

Baidu’s management will hold an earnings conference call at 7.30 AM on February 18, 2025, U.S. Eastern Time (8.30 PM on February 18, 2025, Beijing Time).

Please register in advance of the conference call using the link provided below. It will automatically direct you to the registration page of “Baidu Inc. Q4 2024 Earnings Conference Call”. Please follow the steps to enter your registration details, then click “Register”. Upon registering, you will then be provided with the dial-in number, the passcode, and your unique access PIN. This information will also be emailed to you as a calendar invite.

For pre-registration, please click:
https://s1.c-conf.com/diamondpass/10044727-f3pyuq.html

In the 10 minutes prior to the call start time, you may use the conference access information (including dial-in number(s), the passcode and unique access PIN) provided in the calendar invite that you have received following your pre-registration.

Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at https://ir.baidu.com.

About Baidu

Founded in 2000, Baidu’s mission is to make the complicated world simpler through technology. Baidu is a leading AI company with strong Internet foundation, trading on NASDAQ under “BIDU” and HKEX under “9888”. One Baidu ADS represents eight Class A ordinary shares.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement 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,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, Baidu’s and other parties’ strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Baidu may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in announcements made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”), 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 but not limited to statements about Baidu’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: Baidu’s growth strategies; its future business development, including development of new products and services; its ability to attract and retain users and customers; competition in the Chinese Internet search and newsfeed market; competition for online marketing customers; changes in the Company’s revenues and certain cost or expense items as a percentage of its revenues; the outcome of ongoing, or any future, litigation or arbitration, including those relating to intellectual property rights; the expected growth of the Chinese-language Internet search and newsfeed market and the number of Internet and broadband users in China; Chinese governmental policies relating to the Internet and Internet search providers, and general economic conditions in China and elsewhere. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and announcements on the website of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Baidu does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of the press release, and Baidu undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement Baidu’s consolidated financial results presented in accordance with GAAP, Baidu uses the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income (loss) attributable to Baidu, non-GAAP net margin, non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin and free cash flow. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP.

Baidu believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of its recurring core business operating results, such as operating performance excluding non-cash charges or non-operating in nature. The Company believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management’s internal comparisons to Baidu’s historical performance and liquidity. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in allowing for greater transparency with respect to supplemental information used by management in its financial and operational decision making. A limitation of using these non-GAAP financial measures is that these non-GAAP measures exclude certain items that have been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant component in the Company’s results of operations. These non-GAAP financial measures 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.

Non-GAAP operating income represents operating income excluding share-based compensation expenses, and amortization and impairment of intangible assets resulting from business combinations.

Non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu represents net income attributable to Baidu excluding share-based compensation expenses, amortization and impairment of intangible assets resulting from business combinations, disposal gain or loss, impairment of long-term investments, and fair value gain or loss of long-term investments, adjusted for related income tax effects. Baidu’s share of equity method investments for these non-GAAP reconciling items, amortization and impairment of intangible assets not on the investees’ books, accretion of their redeemable non-controlling interests, and the gain or loss associated with the issuance of shares by the investees at a price higher or lower than the carrying value per share, adjusted for related income tax effects, are also excluded.

Non-GAAP diluted earnings per ADS represents diluted earnings per ADS calculated by dividing non-GAAP net income attributable to Baidu, by the weighted average number of ordinary shares expressed in ADS. Adjusted EBITDA represents operating income excluding depreciation, amortization and impairment of intangible assets resulting from business combinations, and share-based compensation expenses.

For more information on non-GAAP financial measures, please see the tables captioned “Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest comparable GAAP measure.”