Black Sesame 2025: Revenue Up 73% to RMB 822.33 Million, Swings to RMB 1.42 Billion Net Loss as Fair-Value Gains Fade

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Black Sesame International Holding disclosed its 2025 audited results, highlighting rapid top-line growth but a return to headline losses after a one-off fair-value gain in 2024.

Financial Performance • Revenue rose 73.4% year-on-year to RMB 822.33 million, driven mainly by the Driving Assistance Products & Solutions segment (up 56.8% to RMB 686.89 million) and the launch-year contribution from Embodied AI & Solutions (RMB 96.28 million). • Gross profit expanded 73.1% to RMB 337.09 million; the gross margin held steady at 41.0%. • Reported net loss reached RMB 1.42 billion, reversing a 2024 profit of RMB 313.32 million, primarily because the prior year contained a RMB 2.05 billion fair-value gain on preferred shares that did not recur. • On a non-IFRS basis, adjusted net loss narrowed 17.5% to RMB 1.08 billion. • Operating loss contracted 17.5% to RMB 1.45 billion amid lower selling, G&A and share-based expenses; R&D spending stayed high at RMB 1.42 billion (–1.2% YoY), reflecting ongoing product investment.

Segment Details • Driving Assistance Products & Solutions: revenue RMB 686.89 million; gross margin unchanged at 37.4%, supported by wider deployment of Huashan A1000 and initial commercial-vehicle wins. • Intelligent Imaging Solutions: revenue RMB 39.16 million, up 7.9%, with initial shipments for AI glasses. • Embodied AI & Solutions: first-year revenue RMB 96.28 million, gross margin 48.7%, following rollout of the SesameX platform.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet • Net cash used in operations improved to RMB 985.37 million (2024: RMB 1.19 billion). • Year-end cash and cash equivalents stood at RMB 1.45 billion; cash plus short-term investments totalled RMB 1.53 billion. • Borrowings increased to RMB 739.89 million, lifting the gearing ratio to 63.8% (2024: 61.7%). • A February 2025 share placing raised HK$ 1.24 billion (net), of which HK$ 724.70 million had been deployed by year-end, mainly for R&D and commercialization.

Operational Highlights • Huashan A1000 chips entered mass production across multiple OEMs; Wudang C1200 central-computing chips moved from design-win to production. • Next-generation Huashan A2000 7 nm chips are under validation with leading algorithm partners and OEMs, with mass-production projects targeted for 2026. • The SesameX “full-brain” AI platform underpinned new robotics revenue, while imaging algorithms shipped in Li Auto’s Livis AI glasses.

Outlook for 2026 Management targets full-scenario L2–L4 deployment centred on the A2000, accelerated overseas penetration, and scaled rollout of SesameX in logistics, manufacturing and service robots. Completion of the 60% acquisition of Eeasy Tech is expected to broaden the on-device AI portfolio into entry-level automotive and consumer hardware.

Post-Period Capital Moves • March 2026: completed HK$ 538.13 million share subscription earmarked mainly for strategic M&A. • A second subscription agreement signed the same month aims to raise a further HK$ 632.40 million; completion is pending.

No final dividend was proposed for 2025.

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