Yatsen (YSG) Q2 2026 Earnings Call: Skincare Growth, Wider Loss

Key Takeaways

• Yatsen (YSG) reported Q2 2026 net revenue of RMB 1.14 billion, up 5.1% year over year, despite what management described as a challenging beauty industry backdrop.
• Skincare revenue increased 40.4% and reached 71.5% of total net revenue, while Color Cosmetics revenue declined 35.8% amid brand portfolio optimization and SKU rationalization.
• Gross margin fell to 73.9% from 78.3%, primarily due to higher Color Cosmetics inventory provisions. Management said the underlying gross margin would have been broadly stable excluding these provisions.
• Net loss widened to RMB 90.8 million from RMB 19.5 million. Non-GAAP net loss was RMB 99.4 million, versus non-GAAP net income of RMB 11.5 million a year earlier.
• Selling and marketing expenses rose to 70.7% of revenue, reflecting investment in core skincare brands and higher traffic acquisition costs on Douyin.
• Management expects Q3 2026 net revenue of RMB 898.6 million to RMB 998.4 million, representing an approximate year-over-year decline of 0% to 10%.

Key Financial Data

Business and Operating Performance

Skincare remained Yatsen’s primary growth engine. The segment’s 40.4% revenue increase lifted its contribution to more than 70% of company revenue. Management attributed the performance to continued investment in brand building, product innovation and channel development.

Product launches included Galénic’s Reviving Eye Cream, three DR.WU essence masks for oil control, hydration and soothing care, and Eve Lom’s Vital Dew Fresh Hydration Cream and Skin Infusion Serum. Yatsen maintained R&D spending at 3.3% of revenue. Management also highlighted three DR.WU studies published in SCI-indexed journals in July.

Color Cosmetics remained under pressure. Revenue declined 35.8% as Yatsen streamlined its brand portfolio and reduced SKU complexity. Related inventory provisions lowered reported gross margin, while management said resources are being refocused on the higher-growth skincare business.

Fulfillment expenses declined to RMB 56.1 million from RMB 63.3 million, with the expense ratio improving to 4.9% from 5.8% due to logistics efficiency. However, selling and marketing expenses increased as Yatsen invested in skincare brand awareness and paid higher Douyin traffic acquisition costs.

Yatsen appointed Ms. Wang, Li as Co-Chief Financial Officer, effective September 2, 2026. Management said her experience would support cost optimization, resource allocation and sustainable profitable growth.

Management Guidance

Management expects Q3 2026 total net revenue of RMB 898.6 million to RMB 998.4 million. This implies an approximate year-over-year decline of 0% to 10%.

The company noted that the forecast reflects its current and preliminary assessment of market and operating conditions and remains subject to change.

Risks and Watch Items

• Management cited broad competitive pressure in China’s beauty industry, including slowing growth or revenue declines among leading domestic participants.
• Rising online traffic acquisition costs, particularly on Douyin, increased Yatsen’s selling and marketing expense ratio.
• Color Cosmetics faces fast-changing consumer trends, high SKU complexity and sustained promotional intensity.
• Inventory provisions related to Color Cosmetics portfolio optimization materially reduced Q2 gross margin.
• Operating cash flow shifted to an RMB 78.0 million outflow, while operating and net losses widened year over year.
• Q3 guidance indicates that total revenue could decline by as much as 10% year over year.

Analyst Q&A Highlights

Asked about skincare channel expansion, management said Yatsen plans to diversify beyond its core Tmall and Douyin platforms. Target channels include online B2B platforms such as JD and Vipshop, as well as offline distribution, duty-free, professional channels, premium department-store boutiques for Galénic and drugstore channels for DR.WU.

Management said these channels generally carry lower traffic costs and can support healthier profitability. DR.WU’s higher B2B mix was cited as a model that may be selectively applied to other skincare brands.

To address rising online traffic costs, Yatsen plans to allocate more resources to higher-growth skincare brands, expand B2B and professional channels, and improve content creation, customer retention and budget allocation using stronger financial discipline and AI agents. Management emphasized that the objective is to improve efficiency rather than reduce investment indiscriminately.

Full Earnings Call Transcript

Complete Earnings Call Transcript

Management Remarks

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to the Yatsen's second quarter 2026 earnings conference call. Today's conference is being recorded.

At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Irene Lyu, Vice President, Head of Strategic Investment and Capital Markets. Please go ahead.

Irene Lyu

Thank you, operator. Please note, the discussion today will contain forward-looking statements relating to the company's future performance and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability as established by the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, assumptions and other factors. Some of these risks are beyond the company's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those mentioned in today's press release and this discussion.

A general discussion of the risk factors that could affect Yatsen's business and financial results is included in certain filings of the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company does not undertake any obligation to update this forward-looking information except as required by law. During today's call, management will also discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures for comparison purposes only. Please see the earnings release issued earlier today for a definition of non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial results.

Joining us today on the call from Yatsen's senior management are Mr. Jinfeng Huang, our Founder, Chairman, CEO, and Mr. Donghao Yang, our CFO and Director. Management will begin with prepared remarks, and the call will conclude with a Q&A session.

As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. In addition, a webcast replay of this conference call will be available on Yatsen's Investor Relations website at ir.yatsenglobal.com.

I'll now turn the call over to Mr. Jinfeng Huang. Please go ahead, sir.

Jinfeng Huang

Thank you, Irene. Hello, everyone. And thank you for joining our second quarter 2026 earnings conference call. We delivered a quarter of continued strategy progress with total net revenue growing 5.1% year-over-year against a challenging industry backdrop. While overall growth was more moderate than our prior expectations, our Skincare portfolio delivered exceptional performance, reinforcing the effectiveness of our strategy transformation.

Turning to the macro environment, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, beauty retail sales grew 6.6% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, outperforming overall retail sales of consumer goods. While the impact of the June 18 shopping festival has become more moderate amid increasing promotional favor and more rational consumer behavior, the category continued to demonstrate strong consumption resilience.

That said, the competitive landscape remained challenging with many leading participants in the domestic beauty industry also reporting growth deceleration or revenue declines during the quarter, underscoring the broad-based headwinds facing the industry.

Against this resilient market backdrop, our total net revenues remained on a steady growth trajectory, increasing 5.1% year-over-year in the second quarter. More importantly, this growth was primarily driven by the sustained momentum of our Skincare portfolio, which delivered another strong quarter with revenues increasing 40.4% year-over-year and now representing 71.5% of our total net revenues.

The continued strength of our skincare brands further reinforced skincare as a core pillar of our business and a key driver of our overall growth, while underscoring the effectiveness of our ongoing investment in brand building, product innovation and channel development.

With Skincare now representing over 70% of the total revenues, our revenue mix has fundamentally shifted toward higher quality, more sustainable growth. At the heart of our strategy is a deep understanding of consumer needs and a strong commitment to delivering superior consumer experience. We remain focused on creating meaningful long-term value through both the products we offer and the emotional connections we build with consumers.

Let me now walk you through the progress we made in these areas during the quarter. Our first strategy priority is to continue strengthening our R&D capabilities and advancing innovation on a strong scientific foundation. We remain firmly committed to R&D investment with the R&D expenses maintained at 3.3% of total net revenues in the second quarter. We also continue to make meaningful progress in strengthening our scientific capabilities and external recognition.

In May, Yatsen's Global Innovation R&D Center was recognized as a national high-tech enterprise and received the Specialized, Sophisticated, Distinctive and Innovative designation in Shanghai. More recently, in July, DR.WU once again demonstrated the depth of its scientific capabilities, with 3 research studies published in international SCI-indexed journals, covering innovative approach to oily and acne-prone skin, new insights into the mechanism underlying post-acne marks, the clinical evidence supporting the combination of our mandelic acid serum with adapalene. These studies further validated the depth and breadth of our scientific research capabilities.

On the product front, we continue to build on the strengths of our existing franchise while deepening our expertise in targeted skincare solutions. Galénic further extended its Couture Révélation Cellulaire line with the launch of the Reviving Eye Cream, expanding the franchise into the delicate eye care category.

DR.WU also expanded its skincare portfolio with 3 new essence masks for oil control, hydration and soothing care. At Eve Lom, we further expanded the second-generation Vital Dew collection with the Vital Dew Fresh Hydration Cream and Skin Infusion Serum. These launches reflect our continued focus on leveraging established product franchises and scientific expertise to address evolving consumer needs and create sustainable growth opportunities.

Our second strategy priority is to further strengthen brand equity across our portfolio through high-impact consumer engagement and differentiated brand experiences. In late May, DR.WU partnered with CCTV.com for a dedicated live streaming event, which attracted a cumulative audience of 178 million viewers and generated a significant uplift in sales, further expanding the brand's reach and consumer engagement.

Galénic brought its Brightening Your Summer campaign to consumers through a pop-up experience on Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya in July. Eve Lom participated in the British Beauty Festival, further elevating its heritage and premium positioning. While these initiatives help to broadening our brand's reach and deepen consumer engagement across key markets and touch points, our third strategy priority is to enhance the quality and sustainability of our profitability.

In the second quarter, our gross margin was impacted by higher inventory provision in the Color Cosmetic business associated with the company's proactive brand portfolio optimization and SKU rationalization. Excluding the impact of this one-time inventory provisions, the underlying gross margin would have remained broadly stable year-over-year. Selling and marketing expenses as a percentage of net revenues rose, primarily driven by strategic investment in high-growth channels, particularly the Douyin.

At the same time, we remained focused on addressing structural profitability challenges in Color Cosmetics, where fast-changing consumer trends, high SKU complexity and ongoing promotion intensity require disciplined management and a more focused approach to resource allocation. We are actively streamlining our Color Cosmetics portfolio to improve profitability and refocus our resources on the higher growth skincare business.

Looking ahead, we will continue to optimize our cost structure, refine resource allocation across channels and unlock greater operating leverage from our fixed overhead. Furthermore, we are accelerating integration of AI across our operational workflow to drive continuous productivity gains. Together, these initiatives will further elevate our earnings quality and solidify the foundation of more sustainable long-term profitable growth.

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, please hold while we reconnect with our speakers.

Jinfeng Huang

Yes. Yes, just reconnected. So finally, I am delighted to share a leadership update. Effective today, Ms. Wang, Li has been appointed as Co-Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Wang comes with a proven track record of over 15 years in the consumer and beauty industry, most recently serving as CFO of Proya Cosmetics. Her experience and financial expertise will further support our ongoing efforts to optimize our cost structure, improve resource allocation and drive sustainable profitable growth.

With that, I will now turn the call over to our CFO, Donghao Yang, to discuss our financial details.

Donghao Yang

Thank you, David, and hello, everyone. I am also very delighted to welcome Ms. Wang, as she joins the company. I look forward to working closely with her to ensure a smooth transition.

Before I discuss our financial details, I would like to clarify that all financial numbers presented today are in renminbi amounts and all percentage changes refer to year-over-year changes unless otherwise noted.

Total net revenues for the second quarter of 2026 increased by 5.1% to RMB 1.14 billion from RMB 1.09 billion for the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to a 40.4% year-over-year increase in net revenues from skincare brands, partially offset by a 35.8% year-over-year decrease in net revenues from our Color Cosmetics brands, which reflected the company's proactive brand portfolio optimization and deliberate SKU rationalization as part of its strategic transformation.

Gross profits for the second quarter of 2026 decreased by 0.8% to RMB 843.8 million from RMB 850.4 million for the prior year period. Gross margin for the second quarter of 2026 decreased to 73.9% from 78.3% for the prior year period, primarily due to higher inventory provisions in the Color Cosmetics business associated with brand portfolio optimization and SKU rationalization efforts.

Total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2026 increased by 7.7% to RMB 975.7 million from RMB 905.9 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, total operating expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were 85.4% as compared with 83.4% for the prior year period. Fulfillment expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were RMB 56.1 million as compared with RMB 63.3 million for the prior year period.

As a percentage of total net revenues, fulfillment expenses for the second quarter of 2026 decreased to 4.9% from 5.8% for the prior year period. The decrease was primarily attributable to further improvements in logistics efficiency.

Selling and marketing expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were RMB 807.6 million as compared with RMB 722.4 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, selling and marketing expenses for the second quarter of 2026 increased to 70.7% from 66.5% for the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by strategic investments in broadening consumer awareness and building long-term brand equity of our core skincare brand, coupled with higher traffic acquisition costs on the Douyin platform as the company capitalized on the channel's strong growth momentum.

General and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were RMB 74.8 million as compared with RMB 84.1 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were 6.6% as compared with 7.7% for the prior year period. The decrease was primarily driven by lower share-based compensation expenses.

Research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were RMB 37.3 million, as compared with RMB 36.1 million for the prior year period. As a percentage of total net revenues, research and development expenses for the second quarter of 2026 were 3.3%, consistent with the prior year period.

Loss from operations for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 131.9 million as compared with RMB 55.5 million for the prior year period. Operating loss margin was 11.5% as compared with 5.1% for the prior year period. Non-GAAP loss from operations for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 112.1 million as compared with RMB 20.4 million for the prior year period. The non-GAAP operating loss margin was 9.8% as compared with 1.9% for the prior year period. Net loss for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 90.8 million as compared with RMB 19.5 million for the prior year period. Net loss margin was 8% as compared with 1.8% for the prior year period.

Net loss attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 0.97 as compared with RMB 0.19 for the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 99.4 million as compared with non-GAAP net income of RMB 11.5 million for the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss margin was 8.7% as compared with non-GAAP net income margin of 1.1% for the prior year period. Non-GAAP net loss attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 1.06 as compared with non-GAAP net income attributable to Yatsen's ordinary shareholders per diluted ADS of RMB 0.13 for the prior year period.

As of June 30, 2026, the company had cash, restricted cash and short-term investments of RMB 1.06 billion as compared with RMB 1.05 billion as of December 31, 2025. Net cash used in operating activities for the second quarter of 2026 was RMB 78 million as compared with net cash generated from operating activities of RMB 77.7 million for the prior period.

Looking at our business outlook for the third quarter of 2026, we expect our total net revenues to be between RMB 898.6 million and RMB 998.4 million, representing a year-over-year decrease of approximately 0% to 10%. These forecasts reflect the company's current and preliminary views on the market and operational conditions, which are subject to change.

With that, I would now like to open the call to Q&A. Operator?

Operator

[Operator Instructions] The first question today comes from Maggie Huang with CICC.

Question-and-Answer Session

Manqi Huang

This is Maggie Huang from CICC. I have 2 questions. My first question is about our channel expansion strategy for our skincare brands going forward.

And my second question is that we are seeing online traffic costs rising, so how would the company respond to this trend? And what strategies will be adopted to further improve our marketing efficiency? That's my 2 questions.

Irene Lyu

Thank you, Maggie, for your question. So for the first question, yes, so channel expansion is very important for the next stage of growth for our skincare brand. As we widen our product offering, it will be natural and easier to diversify our channel. So right now, in addition to our core online platform, which is Tmall and Douyin, we will also increase B2B channels. For example, some of the online B2B channels are JD, Vipshop, [ TBD ]. And there will be some offline B2B channels that we'll be expanding, including offline distribution, duty-free and some professional channels.

So these channels generally carry lower traffic costs and support a healthier profitability profile. So to give you an example, DR.WU has already shown that a higher B2B mix can support both growth and profitability. So this is a model we will selectively apply to our other skincare brands. So we will also be adding some differentiated formats, such as Galénic, we have boutique stores in premium department stores and shopping malls. And also for DR.WU, we are also distributing in some OTC channels, the drugstores. So we believe this channel strategy can help us reduce reliance on some expensive online traffic and build a more balanced business and sustainable growth.

So then for your second question, in terms of the traffic cost, so yes, we are seeing rising traffic costs, which is an industry-wide trend right now. And we think we're responding in 3 ways. First, we're shifting more resources to the higher growth and higher return skincare brands, which now account for over 70% of our revenue. Secondly, we're expanding to B2B channels and professional channels, as mentioned earlier, right, to reduce reliance on very expensive online traffic. Thirdly, we're improving content creation, CRM retention and also budget allocation leveraging stronger financial discipline and AI agents. So the goal is not to cut investment blindly. Our goal is to support strong skincare growth with better efficiency and stronger profitability over time.

Manqi Huang

Okay. Got it. It's very clear. And I have no more questions.

Operator

This concludes our question and answer session. I would like to turn the conference back over to management for any additional or closing comments.

Irene Lyu

Thank you once again for joining us today. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at Yatsen directly. Our contact information for IR in both China and the U.S. can be found in today's press release. Thank you, everyone, and have a great day.

Operator

The conference has now concluded. Thank you for attending today's presentation. You may now disconnect.