“We are pleased to kick off the year with a solid performance for the first quarter,” said Sandy Xu, Chief Executive Officer of JD.com. “The year of 2024 is marked with execution, and we are already seeing measurable results across the business. In particular, in the first quarter, our focus on user experience helped to drive strong growth in the number of active users as well as user engagement. We are confident that we will further build on our momentum in the months ahead as JD’s commitment to providing the best combination of selection, speed, quality and price continues to attract Chinese consumers nationwide. We are approaching the 10th anniversary of our listing on Nasdaq in 2024, and we believe we are well-positioned to continue to create value to our users, employees, shareholders and the society as a whole in the next chapter.”
“We delivered solid financial results this quarter with accelerated revenue growth and healthy profitability, as our focus on execution led to improved operational efficiencies,” said Ian Su Shan, Chief Financial Officer of JD.com. “We were pleased to see our general merchandise category continue to pick up momentum, thanks to the robust recovery of supermarket category, which reflects JD’s ability to deliver the best product quality and selection, price competitiveness and customer service. During the quarter, we also continued to execute on our share repurchase program which, alongside our annual dividend, underscores the Company’s healthy profitability, sound balance sheet, and commitment to returning value to shareholders.”
During the period from January 1, 2024 to May 15, 2024, the Company repurchased a total of 98.3 million Class A ordinary shares (equivalent of 49.2 million ADSs) for a total of US$1.3 billion. All of these shares were repurchased in the open markets from both Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange pursuant to the Company’s share repurchase programs publicly announced. The total number of shares repurchased by the Company during the period from January 1, 2024 to May 15, 2024 amounted to approximately 3.1% of its ordinary shares outstanding as of December 31, 20233.
Pursuant to the Company’s previous share repurchase program, expired on March 17, 2024, the Company had repurchased a total of approximately US$2.1 billion as of March 17, 2024. Pursuant to the Company’s new share repurchase program, which is effective through March 18, 2027, the Company had repurchased a total of approximately US$0.7 billion as of May 15, 2024. The remaining amount under the Company’s new share repurchase program was US$2.3 billion as of May 15, 2024.
JD.com will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its listing on Nasdaq on May 22, 2024. In the past decade, it has scaled its businesses with total revenues expanding 16 times from RMB69.3 billion in 2013 prior to its listing to RMB1.1 trillion in 2023, and Non-GAAP net income attributable to the Company’s ordinary shareholders growing 157 folds from RMB223.9 million to RMB35.2 billion. The total amount it has returned to its shareholders through dividends and share buybacks has surpassed the total capital raised during the past ten years. The Company has also created full-time jobs to 517,124 employees with social insurance and housing fund benefits as of the end of 2023, representing a 13-time increase compared to ten years ago. JD.com had a proven track record in the past decade, and will continue to create value to its users, employees, shareholders, and the society as a whole in the next chapter.
Business Highlights
JD Retail:On April 16, 2024, JD.com introduced an AI digital representative of its founder and chairman of the board, Mr. Richard Qiangdong Liu, to join its supermarket, home appliances and home goods livestreaming rooms, drawing over 20 million views within the first hour. It marks the industry’s first livestreaming hosted by an AI avatar of an entrepreneur. With this, the Company will make further efforts to build its content ecosystem. JD’s livestreaming featured its procurement and sales managers is committed to providing users with more affordable and hassle-free livestreaming shopping experience with its price competitiveness, quality products and superior services.JD Health: During the first quarter, JD Health partnered with multiple pharmaceutical companies, such as Pfizer and Sanofi, to debut new and specialty drugs online, continuing to enhance medicine accessibility. JD Health also expanded collaborations with Shanghai Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi Sankyo, Sunshine Mandi Pharmaceutical, and others to further upgrade its one-stop experience of medicine retailing and healthcare services.JD Logistics: JD Logistics continues to help Chinese brands expand overseas with one-stop service offerings. In the first quarter, JD Logistics provided MINISO with integrated supply chain services covering warehousing and fulfillment for MINISO stores in Australia and Malaysia. The two parties will further explore global cooperation opportunities.
Driven by JD.com’s unwavering commitment and unremitting efforts to creating more jobs and making contribution to the society, the Company’s total expenditure for human resources, including both its own employees and external personnel who work for the Company, amounted to RMB106.6 billion for the twelve months ended March 31, 2024.
First Quarter 2024 Financial Results
Net Revenues. Net revenues increased by 7.0% to RMB260.0 billion (US$36.0 billion) for the first quarter of 2024 from RMB243.0 billion for the first quarter of 2023. Net product revenues increased by 6.6%, while net service revenues increased by 8.8% for the first quarter of 2024, compared to the first quarter of 2023. Cost of Revenues. Cost of revenues increased by 6.4% to RMB220.3 billion (US$30.5 billion) for the first quarter of 2024 from RMB206.9 billion for the first quarter of 2023.