Alibaba.com Reports Net Profit¹ of RMB339.2 million in Q1 2012

Continuous platform enhancements increase overall quality of the website

HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alibaba.com Limited (HKSE: 1688) (1688.HK), the world’s leading small business e-commerce company, today announced unaudited financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2012. In the first quarter, Alibaba.com stepped up its efforts to upgrade the trustworthiness of suppliers and enhance the user experience. Although Alibaba.com reported a profit of RMB339.2 million (USD53.8 million), its financial growth slowed compared with previous years as a result of business model upgrades and the strategic shift in focus to the quality of the marketplace and buyer experience.
Excludes profit attributable to non-controlling interests. 

Q1 2012 Financial and Operational Highlights
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED)		Q1 2011 RMB million		Q1 2012 RMB million		YoY Change		Q4 2011 RMB million		QoQ Change
Revenue		1,531.7		1,589.1		+3.7%		1,659.0		-4.2%
Earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (“EBITA”)		509.8		374.8		-26.5%		529.0		-29.1%
Profit attributable to equity owners		452.5		339.2		-25.0%		385.9		-12.1%
Share-based compensation expense		85.2		65.5		-23.1%		67.1		-2.4%
Deferred revenue and customer advances		4,210.2		4,285.3		+1.8%		4,423.1		-3.1%
Recurring free cash flow		158.6		19.2		-87.9%		957.7		-98.0%
EBITA margin (before share-based compensation) (%)		38.8%		27.7%		-11.1% pts		35.9%		-8.2%pts
Earnings per share, basic (HK$) (Notes 1 & 3)		10.6 cents		8.4 cents		-20.8%		9.4 cents		-10.6%
Earnings per share, diluted (HK$) (Notes 1 & 3)		10.5 cents		8.4 cents		-20.0%		9.4 cents		-10.6%

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS		March 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		YoY Change		December 31, 2011		QoQ Change		Q1 2012 Net change
Registered users		65,034,254		79,786,659		+22.7%		76,332,163		+4.5%		3,454,496
International marketplace		19,723,404		27,341,926		+38.6%		25,517,089		+7.2%		1,824,837
China marketplace		45,310,850		52,444,733		+15.7%		50,815,074		+3.2%		1,629,659
Storefronts		8,847,072		10,314,802		+16.6%		10,023,832		+2.9%		290,970
International marketplace		1,777,292		2,354,756		+32.5%		2,235,416		+5.3%		119,340
China marketplace		7,069,780		7,960,046		+12.6%		7,788,416		+2.2%		171,630
Paying members (Note 2)		832,469		753,955		-9.4%		765,363		-1.5%		-11,408
China Gold Supplier		116,454		87,544		-24.8%		99,005		-11.6%		-11,461
Global Gold Supplier		9,549		7,641		-20.0%		7,558		+1.1%		83
China TrustPass		706,466		658,770		-6.8%		658,800		+0.0%		-30