On Wednesday, July 18, eBay Inc. reported strong results for the second quarter of 2012, with revenue up 23 percent to $3.4 billion, compared to Q2 2011. Net income on a GAAP basis was $692 million, or $0.53 per diluted share, and non-GAAP net income was $730 million, or $0.56 per diluted share.
These results demonstrate the company’s bold commitment to innovation, especially in the area of mobile commerce, where eBay Inc. continues to hold a decisive lead. The company is also expanding its reach into new and emerging markets around the world.
The company delivered solid performance in every area of the business. eBay Marketplaces posted its strongest quarter since 2006, increasing engagement among existing customers, while adding new buyers and sellers. PayPal continues its strong growth, with increased focus on consumer experience and innovative global payment solutions. GSI continues to build its portfolio of large retailers. And X.commerce – eBay’s open commerce ecosystem – is empowering merchants of all sizes to compete in a challenging global marketplace.
Highlights from Across the Business
Marketplaces, PayPal and GSI turned in strong growth for the second quarter. Here are some of the highlights:
Marketplaces Mojo
The Marketplaces business achieved its strongest organic growth rate in core GMV since 2006. In Q2, core GMV accelerated two percentage points on an FX-neutral basis to 15 percent.
Consider these other Marketplaces milestones:
Sold items increased 20 percent compared to Q2 of last year, with strong growth in active buyers
U.S. GMV, excluding vehicles, increased 14 percent over Q2 of last year
International GMV, excluding vehicles, increased 16 percent on an FX-neutral basis year over year, driven by strong growth in Europe and the APAC region
Downloads of eBay’s suite of mobile apps have surpassed 90 million globally since the launch of mobile in the third quarter of 2008
“eBay had a great Q2 — the best we’ve seen in years,” said eBay Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe. “Our multi-year focus to transform and reposition this business for the future is paying off. We’ve improved trust, enhanced value and selection, built better product experiences and become more customer focused.”
"As a business, Marketplaces managed to deliver ahead of budget on GMV, revenue and operating income," said Global Marketplaces President Devin Wenig, who noted that performance was very strong in North America and across Fashion and Parts & Accessories vertical categories. He also pointed out that Asia's Marketplaces results were outstanding, with pronounced improvement in Korea and excellent results from eBay Australia.
"In Europe, there was continued strength in the U.K., and solid double digit growth in Germany," Devin added. "We also saw Italy up 16 percent, after site improvements that directly led to that result."
eBay Marketplaces continues to lead in the area of mobile commerce, where volume is expected to double in 2012 from a year ago.
In addition, Marketplaces is boosting its cross-border business, delivering a seamless and borderless multichannel shopping experience to merchants of all sizes and customers around the world.
eBay Marketplaces is making great strides in local and social commerce, leveraging a portfolio of innovative apps, including RedLaser and Milo, to drive local commerce, and integrating social features to create more personalized shopping experiences.
StubHub also enjoyed stellar performance in Q2 thanks to a continued focus on selection and social integration. Ticket sales for the quarter reached $575 million, up 38 percent over last year. The business also opened its doors to global shoppers, launching its first international website in England.
PayPal Delivers Again
In the second quarter, PayPal’s revenue increased 26 percent year over year, driven by strong product innovation and a focus on global commerce. For the third consecutive quarter, more than half of PayPal’s revenue came from outside the U.S.
There are now 113.2 million active registered PayPal accounts, a 13 percent increase over the second quarter of 2011, and PayPal’s net total payment volume (TPV) grew 20 percent year over year to $34.5 billion. Simply put, more people are paying with PayPal, and more merchants are integrating PayPal payments both online and offline. Here are several notable milestones for PayPal in Q2:
Merchant Services TPV grew 26 percent on an FX-neutral basis, driven by PayPal’s expansion on global merchant sites, and increased share of checkout
Sixteen large, brand-name U.S. retailers have announced their intent to work with PayPal on point-of-sale initiatives
Bill Me Later’s TPV was up 39 percent in Q2, driven by strong penetration on and off eBay
PayPal continues to deliver solid performance due to its commitment to innovation and global expansion. In particular, PayPal Mobile continues to drive significant growth around the world.
Among the key success drivers this quarter, PayPal increased its penetration on eBay (up 420 basis points year over year) and benefited from strong merchant and consumer adoption.
Merchants are also responding favorably to PayPal’s initiatives in the offline payments arena. In Q2, PayPal announced 15 retailers in addition to Home Depot who will be implementing the point of sale product. Bill Me Later also continues to grow rapidly.
PayPal Here – which enables small merchants to accept payments using their iPhones or Androids – is also expanding to new markets around the world, helping sellers of all sizes compete to win in local and global marketplaces.
GSI Commerce Steps Up
eBay Inc.’s GSI Commerce business, acquired in the second quarter of last year, contributed $221 million in revenue for Q2 of this year, and generated $674 million in global ecommerce (GeC) merchandise sales during the quarter. Same store sales rose 21 percent year over year, which reflects strength in ecommerce sales from GSI’s retail clients.
During the Q2 2012 Earnings Call, eBay Inc. SVP and CFO Bob Swan noted that GSI Commerce is becoming more profitable. “GSI’s profitability is improving as we capitalize on the synergies we laid out at the time of the acquisition,” he said.
GSI represents a key facet of eBay Inc.’s strategic vision, enabling the company to partner with large retailers and supporting global, multichannel commerce.
Mobile Success Dials Up
Mobile shopping and payments are the headline story. eBay Inc.’s investments in mobile technology are paying off. Mobile volume is expected to double in 2012 versus a year ago. The company’s mobile apps have been downloaded more than 90 million times.
Consider these milestones:
Sellers are listing 1.9 million items on mobile devices each week
A woman’s handbag is purchased every 30 seconds on eBay Mobile
More than 8,200 cars and 340,000 car parts are sold each week through eBay Mobile
Mobile continues to attract new customers – 600,000 new customers in Q2 made their first purchase with eBay Inc. on eBay mobile
eBay Inc.’s portfolio of mobile apps is enabling multichannel commerce around the world, allowing customers to shop anytime, anywhere and from any device, while helping merchants of all sizes compete more aggressively in both local and global markets.
Great Expectations
eBay Inc. looks forward to strong continued performance and growth. The company’s unwavering commitment to innovation, engaging selling and buying experiences and global expansion into new and emerging markets are strengthening the company’s position as the most trusted online marketplace in the world.